steve williams

Is there a chance of damage to a D300 using Camera Control Pro (2)?

Does Camera Control Pro work by leaving the mirror in the D300 locked up? I would like to use this setup for

product photography and would have live views from the camera on the computer screen for several minutes at a

time, maybe up to 30 minutes. Factor in several products during a session and I'm wondering how healthy that is

for the camera's sensor, etc.

Any thoughts or experience with this type of setup? Is there a limitation with how long you can view your live

image with Camera Control Pro? (I thought I read there was a limitation with how long you can use "Live View" on

the back LCD screen.)

Thanks.

Is Capture 4.4 compatible with Vista?

Thanks.

Thanks for the good info. Here's my dilemma - I have several types of medium format cameras and am simplifying. I was thinking about selling most of them and keeping the M7, but have read some comments here and there about problems, such as durability and focus accuracy. (This is a brand new M7 II kit, with 80mm lens and 50 mm lens, so I thought it would be most of what I would need for landscapes.)

I'm in a quandary about what to keep. I use MF 98% for landscapes. Now, I'm toying with selling the Mamiya and keeping my Fuji GW690III and GSW690III, since the two would have some similar FOV perspective as my Mamiya lenses, but a larger negative. (I also have a Hasselblad 501CM that I will probably keep, too.)

So, I'm trying to decide which I want for landscapes and sell the others (Oh - also have a Yashicamat and a Fuji GA645zi. I'll probably sell the GA645zi, too, since I don't need it for landscapes.)

I guess with every camera, there are trade-offs.

Thanks for indulging my obsessive ramblings...

I read an article on Ken Rockwell's site that said the M7 II has plastic pieces

fall off of it. He makes it sound like it's not the most sturdy camera.

Is this accurate?

Thanks,

Steve

I also thought about an XPAN, but decided on the Mamiya M7II and am glad I did. It's very portable and has GREAT lenses. I checked around for processing X-Pan film and when using panorama, it's as expensive to have processed as medium format film. I figured I can easliy crop the 6x7, if I want panorama and I can also have full 6x7. For me, the Mamiya gave me better flexibility.

I do agree, though, that the X-Pan is a neat camera, I just didn't want to put that money into it, when I could use the Mamiya.

Steve

Well, good to see so many being helpful to the OP's question...

Victor answered it correctly. I went with chrome, myself, for two reasons - I had heard about the brassing on the black versions and I found a chrome kit for a great price. (If it had been black, I would have bought it, anyway though.) It's really not a big deal to me, though.

Steve

I have always wanted a Rolleiflex 2.8F or 3.5F. I currently have a

501CM, which gives the advantage of interchangeable lenses and film

backs, as well as multi-coated lenses.

Maybe I'm kind of looking for a reason to justify a Rolleiflex, but

is there ANY benefit of the Rolleflex over the 501CM? I wouldn't be

getting rid of the 501, jsut adding the Rolleiflex.

Thanks for any help,

Steve

Mark and Chris,

Thanks - good advice. I'll call Nikon tech support or look in a local camera shop. I didn't know the stores may carry it.

Thanks again,

Steve

Well, I'm not looking to sue somebody, I just want them to honor their claim. When I called Nikon (which turned out to be Nikon Mall), the guy said he had had a lot of complaints about this. He asked if I wanted to speak to a supervisor, which I did. The supervisor said she had had a lot of complaints about it, too. I said, it is clearly stated and it sounded like they could be the target of a class-action lawsuit and she said "I know". (I wasn't saying I was going to sue them, just that this was a pretty black-and-white falsehood.) She said she understood and didn't know why they put that in the software.

It's not like it's a life and death situation, but it really puts me in a bind.

Steve

I used the Nikon Capture trial, that says you can call the 800

number and "purchase a valid Product key, so that the code will be

issued immediately."

Well, I used the software for the trial period and when it expired,

I called the number. Was given another number, which was to

NikonMall. They were willing to take my credit card, but said they

don't issue product keys, they only ship the package. AND, the

product is backorderd and they have no ETA...

That highly irritates me. Very, very deceptive.

Steve

I have a Yashicamat 124G that is in excellent condition. I rarely

use it anymore, since I have better MF cameras, now. I'm thinking I

might want to use it sometimes for B&W film and for a compact MF

camera in conditions I might not want to take a more expensive

camera.

Anyway, the screen is very dark. I've been thinking of replacing the

screen with a Maxwell or a Beattie screen. Is this throwing too much

money into a cheap camera?

Which screen is easier to focus?

Thanks,

Steve

I've read that MF film is more prone to flatness issues (than 35mm)

if left loaded in a camera too long. What is too long?

I read somewhere a guy saying he doesn't like to leave it loaded for

more than an hour! What's a good guideline? Is it a bad idea to have

it loaded for a couple of days? A week?

Thanks,

Steve

Are the Maxwell screens easier to focus with?

Thanks again,

Steve

Okay, it does have the cross-hairs, but no notches on the frame. The dealer tells me it is an Acute-Matte screen, but I thought they weren't put in them until 1998?

I found out something interesting about it, though. There is a black plastic thing on the back of the film back. I asked the dealer this morning what this was. He said it is to hold the darkslide. Sure enough - it fits right in there to hold it when you are taking pictures. Is this an add-on accessory?

Thanks again,

Steve

Please indulge my continued questions regarding this 501CM. It has a

1997 date code, so, unless the focusing screen has been replaced, I

guess it's not an Acute-Matte. The dealer I bought it from told me

it was.

However, it is very difficult to focus with. It's hard to tell

whether it is focused or not, even when using the flip-up magnifier.

Are the Acute-Matte screens noticably easier to focus? I guess I'll

either buy an Acute-Matte or a Maxwell screen.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

Thanks, Edward. The insert does match.

Steve

Thanks guys. I feel a bit better.

In the condition I described, does it sound like it was priced right at $1275?

(Oh, one other thing - is the serial number on the A12 back supposed to be the same number as on the body?)

Thanks again,

Steve

I just received a Hasselblad 501CM kit that purchased used from a

company, that was classified as 9+ condition. The lens is an 80mm CF

lens. When looking at the shutter blades from the front of the lens,

two blades are bent outward at the tips. Is this normal? (The lens

also has finish scuffed off of the bayonet attachment, where filters

and hoods have been used and there is scuffing in front of two

notches in the front of the lens.)

Also, I was told it has an Acute-Matte screen, but it doesn't have

any notches on the side of the viewfinder screen. Is this just an

earlier version of the Acute-Matte?

And last, the leatherette covering is starting to peel a little on

the very front of the body. Is this normal - is it easy to glue

back? (What kind of glue?)

Does this sound like 9+ condition? Are these small issues for a

Hasselblad? (I paid $1275 for the kit, with manual.)

Thanks for any help,

Steve

Thanks for the replies. The Bjorn site doesn't give the details I'm looking for, but I'll look at the others. (I'm specifically wanting to know how many aperture blades are in each lens.)

David - That's been my experience, also. I've run searches on their website several times and it shows nothing. And these are searches for some of their standard products. The manager of information for the website should be fired and replaced.

Steve

I'm trying to find out info, such as how many aperture blades each

particular Nikor lens has and the shape of the blades. Is there a

site that gives such information?

Unless I'm reading it wrong, the Nikon USA site is pitiful in terms

of providing in-depth technical information on it's products.

Thanks,

Steve

(Warning - Long Post...)

This is interesting. Years ago, I worked with Apple Computer and did many presentations. At that time, we all used Adobe Persuasion, which was an excellent presentation package at the time. (Adobe discontinued Persuasion years ago.) We had very snazzy presentations, usually including many QT videos, music, sounds, GREAT graphics, video conferencing and later, lots of live links that took us to Internet sites, as well as dynamic data within the slides being fed from other programs and Internet feeds. All this was standard fare and usually went very well. Of course, everyone here knows there is more to delivering a good presentation than just clicking through slides, but Persuasion was a great tool. We could launch any other program through Persuaion and then come back to the slide. We demonstrated many proof-of-concepts, R&D programs in the works and information on upcoming and developing technologies. These presenation were usually delivered to decision-makers and technical staff in multi-million-dollar accounts.

After reading this thread, it reminded me of the first time I saw a high-level manager at a competing comnputer company (#1 in computer sales at the time), delivering a presentation. He used PowerPoint. It was VERY static, boring text and bullets - the standard outline fare. No pizzazz. (I don't mean because he used PowerPoint - I just mean his implementation of the presentation.) After that, I saw executive after executive and managers after managers, etc. at many companies deliver presentations. Most of them were like this. It was like they were stuck in overhead projector mode. I always marvelled at how they expected to succeed in delivering their message, while turning down the lights and projecting such sleep material as they did. This was in the earlier years of presentation software.

Reading that link the poster above provided to the spoof of Abraham Lincoln delivering his address, while wrestling with technology also reminded me of something I've always marvelled at - the number of presentations I've sat through that had technical problems. To me, it was always inexcusable to subject the audience to a poorly prepared technical setup. I ALWAYS had TWO complete systems for backup and an extra external hard drive or two with my presentations on them. I also always tested the presentations COMPLETELY with each setup WELL BEFORE having to deliver. Of course, a large part of my job was delivering presentions, so the company always provided everthing I needed. It also helped that they put a lot of stock and emphasis on jazzy presentations.

Sorry for the rambling, but this thread brought back some old memories. Not really trying to convey a point - just reminiscing...

Steve

John,

What is the difference in an Acute-Matte and an Acute-Matte D screen?

Thanks,

Steve

Are the Beattie and Maxwell screens brighter than the Hasselblad?

Thanks again,

Steve

I ordered a used 501CM kit that has an Acute-Matte screen. It was

made in 1997. The screen is not the spit-image, ground/fresnel type

screen that comes on current production models.

Which is the best? I will be using it for outdoor/landscape and some

family pictures.

Thanks for any help,

Steve

I would like to look into some 6x12 camera options. I've seen

references to using a 6x12 back on a 4x5 camera, but saw one posting

by a gentleman on this forum stating that it yields less than

desirable results. He said the pictures turn out a bit soft and that

instead you should use a dedicated 6x12 camera.

That's the only reference I've seen to that issue. Can anyone tell

me if that is indeed a good option or if I should forget the

rollfilm back on a 4x5 camera option?

Thanks for any help,

Steve