steve williams

I'm getting ready to order an Arca-Swiss B1, with the QD base and

panoramic markings. What are the best QD plates to order for Nikon

35mm cameras and various medium format cameras (Mamiya M7 II, Fuji

GW690III, Fuji GA645zi, etc.)? Are the Arca-Swiss versions good?

What about the Really Right Stuff models?

Thanks for any help,

Steve

Thanks for the help. I'll look for a telescope, then. Can someone point me to resources that will explain things such as "Newtonian" (I have no idea) and focal lengths, magnification power, brightness, etc. Also some recommended brands, models, etc.

Thanks again,

Steve

I was asking about the Pentax 634N II autofocus lenses compared to

the Contax 645AF lenses today at one of the largest online photo

dealers in the US. One of the guys that deals a lot with their high-

end mediaum format equipment said the Contax lenses were about TWICE

as good as the Pentax lenses...

Now this is contrary to other things I've seen referenced about

these lenses. How could this guy make a claim like that? Aren't the

Pentax lenses very close to the Contax lenses? I'll concede that the

Zeiss lenses are most likely better, but I would think twice better

is a grand overstatement.

Does anyone have experience with BOTH? I'm thinking about the Pentax

system and I guess I'm wanting to be sure it's a good choice.

Thanks for any help,

Steve

For astrophotography, would a spotting scope or telescope be better

in terms of power/magnifications, brightness, sharpness? I assume

telescopes are better, since that's what's commonly used, but how

would something like a 60x Swarovski spotting scope work?

Thanks,

Steve

I have a Yashicamat 124G that takes good pictures. The camera is in

mint condition. Here's a crazy question. How much better would a

Rolleiflex 3.5F be in terms of quality of pictures?

I know the Rolleiflex is definitely a better lens, but can anyone

give input as to how much better?

I guess I'm trying to decide if it's worth spending over $1,000 for

a camera that may only give a little better quality pictures. (ex:

5%, 10%, etc.) If it's dramatically better, then it would be worth

it.

Thanks for any help,

Steve

Which is a high-voltage flash? I suppose if I have the Nikons, I don't need the Metz for the medium format cameras?

Thanks again,

Steve

Which of these flash units would be best for these cameras? I

already have a Nikon SB-25, SB-800x, Vivitar 283 (and am thinking

about purchasing a Metz 54MZ-4 and a Vivitar 285HV).

Will the Nikon units work fine on these cameras? (What about on Fuji

GA645zi & GA645i?)

Thanks for any help,

Steve

Here's a crazy question. What are these "chips"? Are they computer chips? If so, how would you solder it inside a lens and have everything work?

Thanks,

Steve

So, if I already have a 105mm f/2.8 micro Nikkor, would there be any reason to get a 105mm DC? What about a 135mm DC? I read some other posts on this site that indicated the 135 is not a good portrait lens (although I haven't tried it).

Will the DC lenses do anything the regular 105s won't?

Thanks,

Steve

Thanks for all the help. I think one of the main reasons I'm thinking about slides is the ease of scanning at home. I'm planning to get a Minolta Dimage Multi Scan Pro, so I can scan 6x9, 6x6 and 6x4.5. I would only have the ones I liked printed and I guess I could either have that done straight from the slide or from the digital scan that I do.

Ken Rockwell mentioned on his site about printing on Fuji Super Gloss, but what process is he talking about? Is this a kind of paper? Does this mean it would come from a Fuji Frontier printer? Is there a site somewhere that will explain all this to me? (Ilfochrome, Type R, Fuji Frontier, Lightjet, etc.) I don't even know what a Lightjet is. (Is this a laser scanner?)

Thanks again. Hope I'm not running this in the ground - I just don't have a completely clear handle on this yet.

Steve

Scott,

Are you saying that prints from slide film are not going to be as good as prints from negative film?

For instance, I was reading on a web site called kenrockwell.com about films, etc. He said he does all his photography on slides and didn't like the quality of print film. He said slide film should be printed on Fuji Super Gloss paper, but doesn't say what kind of process this is. He indicates that it is hard to get consistant color from print film and that slide film scans better.

Do you know what he's talking about?

Thanks again,

Steve

When do most of you decide to use slide vs. print film? Do you use

slide when shooting landscape and print when shooting portraits?

(Are any other such guidelines?)

Do any of you use strictly slide or print film for all occasions

(landscape, portrait, street, macro, etc.)?

Thanks for any help,

Steve

Can anyone tell me approximately what the price difference is, in

having 120 slide film printed compared to using negative film and

having it printed?

Also, is there any drawback to using pre-paid mailers?

Oh - one other thing, what is the best way to have slide film

printed? What are the price differences and quality differences?

Thanks for any help,

Steve

What is a good brand/model of copy stands for 35mm photography?

Thanks,

Steve

Thanks for the info. By the way, is the "waist-level" finder a good option for macro work? It has a 5x flip-up magnifier. Does this work as well as the 6x chimney finder?

Thanks again,

Steve

While searching archives, I read a post/reply by someone on this web

site stating the Nikon F4 has problems with macro photography, due

to some kind of problems with it's metering system. (Sorry - I don't

remember who the poster was...)

Anyway, is the F4 weak in that area? Is the F3HP a better choice? It

seems the F4 would surely be better than the F3HP for this?

Does anyone know what the metering problems are that this poster was

referring to?

Thanks for any help,

Steve

Thanks for all the help. What do the focal lengths compare to in 35mm cameras on the Fuji models? (40mm, 60mm and the 55-90mm)

Thanks again,

Steve

Is there any difference in the sharpness of the Fuji GA645 40mm and

60mm lenses compared to the GA645zi 55-90mm lens?

(I'm kind of wondering if there would be a reason to having all

three cameras or if the GA645zi is as good as having the other two?)

Thanks for any help,

Steve

Where is the Mamiya forum someone mentioned?

Thanks for all the help,

Steve

I know they are two very different cameras, but I'm trying to invest

once... I'm trying looking for a medium format camera for mainly

landscape photography. (I don't want something as heavy as a Fuji

GX680III or a Mamiya RB/RZ series.)

I've sort of narrowed it down to a Mamiya M7 II or a Hasselblad 501

series. I love ground glass viewing and composing, but I also like

the larger negative of the M7 II.

Can anyone give me some advice to help me decide? (I currently have

a Yashicamat 124-G that takes GREAT pictures, but want added lens

flexibility.)

Thanks for any help,

Steve

I just purchased a used Contax TVS II in mint condition. However,

the image in the viewfinder seems a bit blurry. I'm assuming this is

not normal for this camera? I just got it today and ran a roll of

film through it to check for focus (will get it processed tomorrow).

The focus confirmation in the viewfinder seems to lock on, but the

viewfinder image makes things look a tad blurry/doubled.

Thanks for any help,

Steve

I posted an earlier question regarding the F3HP. Now I'm thinking of

another option. I would like a manual focus camera that's lighter

than an F4. I'm considering a used FA or a new FM3A. This would be

for general photography, macro and landscape. (Maybe some

portraiture.)

(Would the F3HP be a better camera than the FA? I do like the faster

flash sync on the FA.)

Any ideas, comments or suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks, Steve

Thanks for the info so far. I forgot to ask in my post, what is the realistic lifespan of the LCD in the finder? Does Nikon still replace these?

Thanks again,

Steve

I have a Nikon F4s. I've long thought about getting an F3HP, just

because it is a classic. Lately I've been wondering about using it

for some macro work and for some landscape shooting. (I also have an

FM2n and an FM3A.)

I'm wanting mirror lockup, so that's why I'm thinking about the F3HP

(I know the F4 has it, too). I would like something a but lighter

than the F4, so I'm thinking the F3 would be an option.

Would I be taking a step back in getting an F3? (I wouldn't be

getting rid of the F4.) Is the slow flash sync going to be an issue

with macro photography? I may sometimes be using a copy stand, too,

for some special projects.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks! Steve