johnw436

July 4, 2011

<p>You might also check into the Sigma 10-20. Fantastic lens. The 35-70 will likely be the longest lens you need or want. When I was last in Rome I used my 18-55 (I shoot Pentax) and almost always wanted something wider, not longer. Rome is tight and narrow. Even when there is a big opening such as a piazza, the scale of the architecture is often larger than you have room to frame unless you have a wide lens.</p>

<p>Bring a super-cheap small tripod that you can stuff into a backpack. You can't use one in churches, but outdoors you can get shots when the light gets low. </p>

July 3, 2011

<p>Love it! I feel like the car is looking at me....CLOSELY. Leave me alone, car... I didn't do it!</p>

July 2, 2011

<p>The Samsung TL500 (EX1 in some markets) is stellar for what you want. It's a 10MP camera, but those are 10 GREAT MP. This camera is a super low-light performer. ISO 800 makes clean prints. It's got a Schneider f/1.8 lens (24-70 equivalent). Offers RAW. Offers manual everything, even customizable flash controls. Swivel LCD. Built like a tank. It's the closest to an SLR in my pocket I can imagine. I looked at everything and this is what I chose. If the focal length is useful to you, you cannot be disappointed with this camera.</p>

<p>It does not offer interchangeable lenses, but it is built take adapters for teleconverters.</p>

<p>JPEG straight from the camera. </p>

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<td>From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/20110528WeekieWachee?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">2011-05-28 Weekie Wachee</a></td>

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July 2, 2011

<p>Is there a lens hood there? Sorry, I didn't notice. I was too busy lusting after the camera...</p>

<p>Nice job, Eric. That is a wonderfully elegant solution. Did the OEM screw-in lens cover come with the hood? I'm only wondering because I've honestly stopped using it. The dome-shaped lens hood offers such great protection it would take a BB gun to get anything onto the front element. I know from your picture and your description that you adapted a cover that is easier to use than the OEM. </p>

<p>Looks great.</p>

July 1, 2011

<p>Great thinking, Eric. </p>

<p>This hood works extremely well. I have it mounted on the Pentax DA 40 Limited, for which it is the native hood. At first glance, one would wonder if it does anything at all. I can say that this hood is basically a permanent part of my lens and flare is a total non-issue. I live in Florida where sunlight is pretty direct most of the time. The hood provides wonderful mechanical protection for the lens as well. </p>

June 19, 2011

<p>Could the dots be reflection on the BACK of the filter from stray light entering through the eyepiece during long exposure? </p>

June 19, 2011

<p>You'll probably find that you shoot differently with MF than you do with 35mm. I think it can be misleading to think of MF as a big-negative 35mm. After shooting 645, a 4x6 print seems nearly panoramic to me. </p>

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<td >From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/CivilWarBrooksvilleRaid?feat=embedwebsite">Civil War - Brooksville Raid</a></td>

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<p>This was shot with a Bronica ETRs, handheld, 75mm lens (normal).</p>

June 18, 2011

<p>I have never lusted over a camera as much as I did the D70 when it came out, and even long after. I was shooting an N65 at the time and pondering my first DSLR. Being a film diehard, when a Bronica ETRs fell into my lap I had to jump on it. Otherwise, I'd have gotten that D70.</p>

<p>Images from a D70 are just as good today as they were when the camera first took the world by storm. It simply is a fantastic camera. Have camera bodies progressed? Sure, or else new cameras wouldn't sell. Can you really tell the difference in a print? Maybe. Depends on what you shoot. That D70 still makes drool-worthy photos.</p>

June 17, 2011

<p>New cars are pretty well made. They handle ok. They are efficient, and some are relatively comfortable. ...and not one of them will get noticed if it is parked next to a '53 Cadillac or a '32 Ford.</p>

<p>Take a Sharpie and color in the white logo letters on any DSLR. Then put them in a pile and pick the best looking one. You can do that blindfolded, because one's as good as another.</p>

<p>Mechanical refinement is a thing of beauty unto itself, a device worthy of slow appreciation for no other reason than the thing itself. When a $2000 DSLR body can go unnoticed sitting beside a functionally pedestrian camera, only one explanation will do: Only one of them is dripping with CLASS. The other one makes good files.</p>

May 28, 2011

<p>The key to preventing clogs is that the capping station does not allow the print head to dry out. Open the ink access doors. Turn off the printer. Slide the print head away from the capping station. (It's a square cup that the print head rests in.) Is there a bunch of dried up ink crusted around the edge? Take a moist Q-tip and clean any ink boogers off the rim of the capping station. Dried ink looks like strips of rubber when it comes off, so don't freak out. Clean off anything that will come off. This will give your capping station a better seal to the print head.</p>

<p>Put a few drops of water on the sponge pad inside the capping station. When the head is pushed back into the capping station the moisture will keep the print head from drying out. If the print head doesn't dry out, it can't clog.)</p>

<p>Whenever you power your printer up in a month it will do a cleaning and flush upon startup, so any water drops or ink that got leached from the print head will be wiped away. Always do a print head check and look for missing lines, etc. </p>

May 9, 2011

<p>Totally agree with Craig. I wanted a waist level finder so bad when I began shooting MF with a Bronica ETRs. Then I got one. What a bummer. It's basically useless. Although I did discover that I really enjoy using a waist level finder. For the same cost as my WLF I went out and picked up a YashicaMat TLR. Wonderful camera and it gives me the chance to really use a WLF when I want to. </p>

<p>A 645 screams for a speed grip and a prism. No reason not to buy a camera that has them built in, as both will likely never come off anyway. Even on a tripod I keep the speed grip mounted. </p>

May 9, 2011

<p>Great stuff, Gene. Your Mammy threads this week have pushed me to dust off the YashicaMat and the Bronica and get out there and use them. I've been digilazy for a while now and have been neglecting them. Thanks for the kick in the pants.</p>

May 6, 2011

<p>Joe Adorama?</p>

April 26, 2011

<p>Man, I fought this inner-battle for two years until I just broke down and bought the Samsung TL-500 (EX1 in some markets). Yes, it's expensive- but if you look around you can find it for 2/3 of the retail price. Justin Serpico over in the Pentax forum turned me on to it when he reviewed the camera. </p>

<p>I can't say enough good things about it. ISO 800 is perfectly usable. (!) It has full manual everything. I basically wanted a digital version of a classic rangefinder. It comes really darn close. It's almost an SLR in your pocket, given the inherent limitations of a small sensor. But those limitation are NOT what they were even a year ago. P&S no longer = crap. I just don't think you are going to be happy with anything less than fully controllable functionality. Bite the bullet and get the camera you really want.</p>

April 21, 2011

<p>Everything matters. How much something matters is a balancing act between actual need and cost.</p>

April 4, 2011

<p>Went out to California (work) this past weekend. Since it was a quick business trip (carry-on only) I took the little Samsung EX1 with me instead of the K20d. Long Beach. Ode to Javier. (sorry Javier. You deserve better than this.)</p>

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<td >From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/OutAndAbout?feat=embedwebsite">Out and About</a></td>

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<p>And of course I had to try some night photography with the little point and shoot. I found a convenient stantion to perch the camera on while I held it as still as I could. 1/10s @ iso 200</p>

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<td >From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/NightPhotography02?authkey=Gv1sRgCMKqiPiPr5GbjgE&feat=embedwebsite">Night Photography</a></td>

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<p>I was really interested to see how much blur I could get without destroying the photo with noise using this tiny little sensor. 1.5 sec @ iso 200</p>

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<td >From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/NightPhotography02?authkey=Gv1sRgCMKqiPiPr5GbjgE&feat=embedwebsite">Night Photography</a></td>

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<p>I'm really digging this little camera. For something that rides around in my pants pocket I'm pretty thrilled. Proof that the best camera is the one you happen to have with you at the moment.</p>

April 4, 2011

<p>Yury, you're #2 shot is my favorite of all the shots you have posted. I have been following your images each week and I think this one is really very nice. I love how the stone staircase leads one's eye into the photo and surrounds itself with such nice tones from the trees and the sunlight. Very nice photo indeed.</p>

March 20, 2011

<p>I took the plunge! Based on your review, Justin, I snapped up a Samsung TL500. I have to say this is a wonderful camera. This was taken on my first trip outdoors with the little Samsung. It was high noon at Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL so the light was extremely strong and direct. Not exactly portrait-friendly light.</p>

<p>I had to turn the ISO way down and the aperture way up to get a slow enough shutter speed to blur the waterfall a bit behind my wife. I really wanted to see what this camera could do with an otherwise mundane shot. Handheld, ISO 80, f/6.7 @ 1/15 second. Yes, handheld at 1/15 second. JPEG, straight from the camera. Auto white balance. Shot at 24mm equiv.</p>

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<td >From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/CandidPortraits?feat=embedwebsite">Candid Portraits</a></td>

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<p>I'm still putting the camera through its paces and I just can't find much not to like about it. It does seem to have a mind of its own when picking its AF spot. That is my next hurdle. I'm loving this little Samsung.</p>

February 28, 2011

<p>Hehe.. I have found bikers to be some of the friendliest people I've ever met. Most of the old-school bikers are mechanics / gear heads themselves. When they see the Yashica TLR they get kind of excited by it. (Lots of chrome and little knobs and wheels that do stuff, LOL.) This photo sparked a conversation about my camera, of all things. </p>

<p>The blond lady in this picture spotted my TLR and asked me to take this picture. They all wanted to pose, I didn't tell them to.</p>

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<td >From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/OutAndAbout?feat=embedwebsite">Out and About</a></td>

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February 25, 2011

<p>The DA 70LTD from about 15 feet away. ISO 1600. f/4.5 1/90 No flash, handheld.</p>

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<td>From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/Karate?feat=embedwebsite">karate</a></td>

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<p>I turned it black and white just playing around with it in Picasa. But you can see the angle of view you will get at that distance and some representative depth of field from that distance, a distance that will likely never be possible inside of a barn unless the barn is totally empty and has no support beams holding the roof up.</p>

<p>This is a Christmas party shot with the DA 40LTD. f/5.6 1/125 w/ flash. This shot is from about eight feet away.</p>

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<td>From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/2010Christmas?authkey=Gv1sRgCKDk0Yvps6a6nwE&feat=embedwebsite">2010 Christmas</a></td>

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<p>This is the DA 40LTD indoors in near darkness. Hotshoe mounted flash. This was taken from maybe four feet away.</p>

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<td>From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/2009Armwrestling_SEACNov7?feat=embedwebsite">2009 Armwrestling_SEAC Nov 7</a></td>

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February 25, 2011

<p>I really do enjoy using a waist level finder. Without even trying to do anything differently, you get a shift in perspective that you normally wouldn't go for using an SLR style eye level prism.</p>

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<td >From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/OutAndAbout?feat=embedwebsite">Out and About</a></td>

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<p>It is also easier to photograph people when there is no camera between your face and theirs. People look at you, not your camera lens. They stay natural.</p>

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<td >From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/OutAndAbout?feat=embedwebsite">Out and About</a></td>

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<p>A waist level perspective also does well when your goal is to create a mood, or to give someone an authoritative persona:</p>

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<td >From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/CivilWarBrooksvilleRaid?feat=embedwebsite">Civil War - Brooksville Raid</a></td>

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February 24, 2011

<p>The 40Ltd has an integral lens hood. I've never had flare using it, and most of my shooting is the Florida sunshine.</p>

February 23, 2011

<p>I have both the 40 and 70 Limited. For what you are planning to do I don't think you'll see any difference. The 40 is great wide open, so you can throw the background out of focus fairly easily, even close up. (I'm sure you knew that, since you already own the lens.) </p>

<p>I am partial to the 70 overall, but for this application I would probably use the 40 anyway. You will likely be indoors for the barn shots and the 70 might present problems such as backing up far enough for the shot. </p>

February 21, 2011

<p>Nothing from me this week, but I wanted to comment on the shot by Anirban Banerjee. </p>

<p>Last week I also loved your shot. This week you have impressed me once again with such a striking photo. I'm not sure what to make of this week's photo. The color toning of the photo is wonderful (the sepia-like color). Then the bread and fire jump right out. It is striking because I am not sure whether I would like it more with the bread and fire toned to match the rest of the photo, or if it is this current treatment that makes the photo jump out to me.</p>

<p>Very interesting photo. The tension I feel from being torn on the color issue has caused me to look at your photo over and over again. Each time I still cannot decide what I would like more than the other, but in all cases I really like the photo. I would call that success! </p>

February 14, 2011

<p>I was seeing what I could get handheld with no flash. I was riding that fine line of getting enough light to avoid excessive blur and getting enough DOF. Using Picasa, I added a little bit of fill light which accentuated the noise. I tried to mask it with a BW conversion. I crop everything I print to 8x10.</p>

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<td>From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/Karate?feat=embedwebsite">karate</a></td>

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<p>Then I compared it to a color shot. I can't decide whether I like the color or BW more.</p>

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<td>From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/john.jwphoto/Karate?feat=embedwebsite">karate</a></td>

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<p>Same settings, same everything. That's my son, btw. He turned 8 this past weekend.</p>

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Posts posted by johnw436