yodleboy

thanks tim.... : )

 

i would love to use something wider, but don't have the option now that they've changed the location last minute.

 

now that i think about it, the 75mm is a 'normal' lens for 120 and the 50mm is 'normal' for 35mm, so the field of view should be about the same, right?

 

thanks for the tips Bob!

ok, i got drafted to do a group shot this afternoon for the department

i work for. I have to cram about 90 people in the picture, and i am

somewhat limited in space and lens selection.

 

I have 2 cameras available at the moment, 35mm minolta w/ 50mm/2.8

lens and my bronica ETRS w/ 75mm/2.8 lens, 120 back.

 

Any suggestions on which one might be better able to handle this job.

Due to the selected location ( a lobby) i can only back up about

25-30ft. this was originally going to be an outdoor shoot, but weather

concerns have forced it indoors at literally the last minute and it

can't be rescheduled. With more warning i could have rented a wider

lens....

 

so, any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks,

js

man i hate it when i have to retype a long post...anyway, with help

from you guys, i made a decision and got a Bronica ETRS. it LOOKS to

be in good condition, but there I have a couple of questions.

 

1. how do i go about cleaning the exterior? specifically, what

cleaners are safe to use? I just want to get the black shiny again

and make the white letters white again. I'd also like to get the years

of finger gunk out of the DOF,Distance,etc. markings on the lens.

 

2. any recommendations for cleaning the focusing screen(?)under the

prism viewfinder and cleaning the bottom of the finder itself? Mostly

dust, but i think i see a couple of fingerprints too.

 

3. i know i said a couple of questions...but... any other tips,

pointers, recommendations regarding the care and feeding of this

camera would be great. i HAVE downloaded a copy of the manual and

read it a couple of times. we all know however there are secrets not

in the manuals.

 

additionally, the INTERIOR of the camera is immaculate and everything

seems to move smoothly w/out binding or hesitation.

 

hopefully i can shoot some tonite and get processed tomorrow. : )

 

thanks,

js

just got a bronica ETRS, 70mm lens, 120 back. can't wait to start shooting.

thanks everyone, this really helps alot!

yeah, its things like that that make you go back to certain companies. i emailed an online store where i had purchased some sunglasses a few years back to see if they had any spare earpieces... a rep emails back and says he doesn't know of any, but he'd keep his eyes open. so i forget about it and about 2 months later, he emails me telling me he's already got them in the mail to me. i was really blown away... thats kind of sad really.

ok, i've been really interested in trying a medium format camera.

unfortunately, i've been a bit hampered by the price, even on EBAY...

is it even possible to get a decent used MF setup for no more than

$250??? I'm starting to think not. even trying to piece one together,

it adds up quick. does anyone have any suggestions? online stores i

should try? I already went to adorama, but prices were no better than

ebay really.

hey if newbie questions bother you, you have 2 choices: don't click the link, or if you alread have, don't reply, hit the old back button. what a waste of everyone's time to post a "what a dumb question" response or "yes/no". wow. helpful. why bother, just move on.

 

i personally tend to click through most threads just because some interesting stuff pops up that isn't always connected to the subject of the post.

todd -- "In almost any good program there is a coloning or retouching tool."

 

watch that coloning tool, i suspect you may get crappy results. hehe. couldn't resist.

 

on topic, i have a nice little PS action that gives a good cross processed look. i love that thing.

i have found a velvia/provia photoshop action that gives a nice adjustable effect.

<br><br>

<b>download:</b> <a href="http://www.yodleboy.com/photoshop/Velvia_Provia.atn">Velvia / Provia Photoshop Action</a>

i'd definitely have to second the comment about dell/hp/compaq/et al systems having more issues then your homebuilt/local shop built pc. these companies only loosly conform to many standards and as a result incompatibilities occur more easily. most of my friends/family that come to me with system problems are running one of those brands. not saying their systems suck, just that i personally see more "flaky" issues on them. i know for a fact that dell pc's frequently have issues with norton products. i've nursed several hosed dells back to life that began freaking out during a norton av install. of course with all the copies of xp they buy, microsoft can't very well list the problem as specific to dell in their support info...

 

stay away from mcafee, the most intrusive AV program i have ever seen.

don't forget system restore in xp either. make a restore point before installing things. its usually very effective at backing out changes that turn into problems.

Mary, thats not exactly true. it depends on what surge protector you get. my APC surge protector has connections for phone lines, ethernet and coax (cable). This should provide protection whether you choose DSL or cable for broadband access. here's a link:

 

http://www.apcc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=PF11VNT3

Dean,

 

Do you mean on a 64 bit PROCESSOR or a 64 bit OPERATING SYSTEM? I have an AMD Athlon 64 and CS runs just fine. I am debating whether to try the 64bit Windows XP beta.

i am continually amazed at threads like this. what do people DO to their systems to have such issues? before you flame me, you can consider me a power user on steroids. i probably run more apps, in more variety than most people. I don't deny that people have problems, i just wonder what brings it on. I have yet to experience any issues with SP2. It was a nice improvement on XP Pro. I run Norton AV Professional AND Norton Utilities - never had a hitch with SP2.

 

sp2 is not the 'nightmare' some would have you believe. back up your data and try it out, or don't and lose out on any further updates. the suggestion to remove norton first is probably a good idea. run and UPDATE your antivirus, run a firewall, scan regularly for spyware, don't click every damn link that looks cute, read licensing agreements before installing anything "free", defrag monthly and eat your veggies. just a little basic maintenance will keep you happy.

 

You don't have to be a geek to have a stable, secure system. what you DO need to do is take the time to understand (even in a basic way) how your pc works and why it does things the way it does. For better or worse, a pc is not an appliance. you can't just turn it on, having no clue and not expect to have issues at some point. could it be different? sure. but thats not the way it IS. it really helps to think of a pc like a car rather than a VCR. like a car, some basic upkeep is going to be required to keep it running.

yeah my pictures take a vacation all the time. and then they come back all tanned and smelling like booze.

 

i would doubt (hope) most PN readers don't use MSN/YAHOO/ETC as permanent storage for photos. In relation to other photo equipment DVD burners and blank DVDs are cheap, back up your pics.

 

A good friend of mine borrowed my digital to take pics when his son was born. He then posted them to msn photos. several months later, he noticed they were gone. MSN had no clue and the pics were lost for good as he deleted them from his hard drive after posting. tough lesson.

When CS is installed, a screen pops up when you launch it that has some good tutorials. Lots of good basic info. If you unchecked the "don't show me this again" screen you can get it back from the help menu.

yes, most places will process your negs without getting prints. the minilab near me charges $4 /roll. not sure what they charge to scan negs to a cd, but its still cheaper without getting prints.

 

i would second the bulk roll comment. i have started loading my own film i figure i'm paying about $2-$2.50/roll. the savings paid for the the loader and cassettes in no time.

see, that telephoto thing. i don't want to be sniping people from a distance. seems sneaky or something. i want to be involved. not taking pics from 100 yds away.

well...i wish i had an answer, but i have the same issue.

 

HOWEVER, i have come to the conclusion that you just need to DO IT. If you get away with it without incident, you will be that much more confident. i think. i'm about to take the plunge. not gonna spend 5 min metering and farting around. just watch the situation, pick a composition, shoot and move on.

 

remember, if you look like you know what you're doing and belong where you are, people will tend not to ask questions.

 

i wonder if it makes a difference where you live... here in dallas, even at the busiest times, there just arent that many people on the streets. NYC, chicago, you can get lost in the crowd.

 

hope that helps. we'll see if i can pull the trigger.

i assume you tried clicking the LOG OUT link at the top of the page?

 

if so, try clearing:

cookies, browser cache, saved form information

 

In internet explorer go to tools--internet options in the menu bar.

first 2 on the General Tab, last one on the Content tab, click the Auto Complete button.

 

clear them then close and reopen your browser.

i particularly like the bouquet shot and the one of the bride/maids walking. my wedding is in a few weeks and we have a final meeting with the photographer coming up. want him to do something similar.

 

nice work.

being fairly new here myself, i was a little surprised the first time i saw that done. i think it's a great idea and can really get to the point when trying to explain an alternate way of presenting a photo.

 

as far as the guy with his panties in a wad, tough. if you ask for critique you may have your image altered. good grief, you are posting it on the INTERNET. You are basically making it available to anyone that cares to download it. i'd suggest if someone is that protective of their work, they stop posting pics.

 

it's not as if people are altering and passing off as their original image.

"If you don't know the basic relationships between exposure & development you better learn them. If you can't tell the difference in a negative that is underexposed when compared to underdeveloped you shouldn't be trusted with a camera in hand..."

 

words of wisdom from the guardians of photographic lore. i feel humbled to be in the online presence of one born with such vast knowledge. next time you have a problem with your car, see how you react when the guy at the shop tells you "you mean you can't tell the difference between a blown doodad and a worn out flux capacitor? you shouldn't be allowed behind the wheel".