guan

<p>A couple of (newbie) questions about the Chamonix:</p>

<ol>

<li>Does it take standard film holders? (I've only ever used cameras with Graflok backs and don't know how compatible film holders are.)</li>

<li>Does it have a rotating back?</li>

</ol>

<p>I stumbled upon a cheap New York provider of drum scans through this Craigslist ad:<br>

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/biz/989817158.html<br>

Has anyone here tried this outfit?</p>

I just got a used RZ67 II body, back and lens from KEH. The back is just

labelled RZ67 Processional, not II, but searches on photo.net seem to indicate

that they're compatible.

I have the following problem: After rotating the back to the vertical position,

the shutter no longer works in normal mode (M/R lever in upright position). When

I try to press the shutter button, the orange warning LED lights up, and the

shutter does not release.

There is a note in the manual which says that I should try to move the M/R to R,

then push the cocking lever slightly. This does not help: The shutter button

still gives me the orange warning light.

When I try in multiple exposure mode (M/R to M), the shutter button works fine.

When I then move the M/R lever back to normal upright position, the cocking

lever has no problems advancing the film.

There are no problems in horizontal orientation.

So: Where is the problem? The body, the back, or me?

<p>

It is still a mystery for me exactly what slow sync does. (I have a Nikon D70s

body, but my impression is that many SLRs have this feature.) Here's as good an

explanation as any that I've read, from a recent thread here:

</p>

<blockquote>Slow sync is different from rear curtain sync. For slow sync, use

aperture priority (AV) mode, with a tripod if the shutter speed is slower than

about 1/60th. The flash will illuminate the subject and the background will be

properly exposed.</blockquote>

<p>

This explains to me under what circumstances I should use slow sync. But what

does my camera do if I turn slow sync off? Does slow sync only change the

metering, or does it change something else? And under what circumstances should

I <i>not</i> use slow sync?

</p>

<p>

I hope that someone can clear things up for me!

</p>

I am considering buying either a Bronica SQ or a Hasselblad outfit, either now

or in the next couple of months. I've spent a lot of time reading almost all of

the discussion threads in this forum on Bronica vs. Hasselblad. But I would like

to ask the community whether current used prices for Bronica and Hasselblad are

high or low compared to what they have been historically, and whether it is

relatively better to buy one versus the other system right now.

For example, I have compared prices for BGN grade outfits from KEH. The typical

price for a SQ-A/Ai with an 80/2.8 lens is about $400. An outfit with a late

500CM and 80/2.8 CF T* costs about $800.

Are these prices high or low compared to, say, 6 months ago? Are they likely to

change much in the next 3 to 6 months?

I am also a bit concerned about the Bronica's build quality in terms of the

long-term repair situation and the availability of spare parts. I know that this

has been discussed in the past, but these things might change: Has anyone had a

Bronica SQ system repaired in recent months? Did you encounter any problems?

OK, my question may have been a bit redundant. Scanning through this forum, I've found a number of answers to my question that I somehow missed in the first Google search:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Blvt

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BhwH

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BhoC

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009pz3

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AvTT

Hope this helps others too.

I intend to buy a Nikon D70s when they ship, and I'm looking for a

good zoom for it. I originally intended to buy the 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S,

which is apparently very good, but I stumbled upon announcements of

the digital-only 17-55mm f/2.8 lens whose long name I've put in the

subject line.

Has anyone tried this lens? Where can I find an in-depth review of it?

How does it compare to the 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S?

If you are really rich, you should go for a nice set of zooms:

20-35/2.8, 35-70/2.8 and 80-200/2.8. I have tried all three during the

Easter vacation (my rich aunt owns them all, and more), and they are

fabulous. High-quality zooms are wonderful to work with.

<p>

I often find that in extremely low light conditions, the two extra

stops of the 50/1.4 still isn't fast enough with ISO 400 film. But it

is still a very good lens that I use all the time.

<p>

(The real solution here is to get one of those ancient Nikon pre

F-mount bodies and a 50/1.0 or 50/0.8 lens.)

I can't tell you anything about the Canon, but the Nikon F80 (N80) is

a fabulous camera. It has great AF, all the features that you'd need,

although I find the continous AF tracking a bit sluggish.

I know that zoom lenses are usually worse quality-wise than prime

lenses, but I would specifically like to know what I lose when

choosing a Nikkor 24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF set at 24 mm, instead of a prime

24mm f/2.8 D, apart from weight.

It is a significant purchase. I'm buying a Nikon F80, 50/1.8 lens,

24/2.8 lens, and a 105/2.8 lens. That's around $2300 on Vistek and

Henry's websites.

Do Vistek and Henry's have the same prices in their physical stores

as on the websites? What about sales tax?

I am going to Montréal in the Easter vacation. Will I be able to buy

Nikon camera and lenses at a price comparable to what B&H Photo

offers, or should I just order from B&H?

What is the best film for scanning with an HP PhotoSmart film

scanner, if the primary use is for publication on a website?