bob_gentile

Have you checked B&H? Pretty sure they have 'em.

 

You could also use a gel to light a portion of a white background. The light falloff would produce the gradient effect.

<em>"... Google 'iespell' for a free spell checker for Internet Explorer</em>..."</p>

 

<p>Thanks for the link, Bob. I downloaded and installed it and just checked this post. It

didn't like "Google" or "iespell," but I added them to the dictionary

and now I get a clean check. Woo HOO! (Cheap thrills.)

Merklinger (Alan's link) is the best (and most comprehensive) I know of. <a href="http://www.largeformatphotography.info/">LFPhoto.info</a> also has some good articles.

<em>"... I discovered another revolution in LF when I took my reading glasses with

me..."</em></p>

 

<p>LMAO! Ain't that the Truth!

Why not do a comparison? Take some shots with and without the filter. If you see a difference, you'll have your answer.<p>

 

Bottom line: It's easy for a newcomer to get carried away with stuff that only a pro will ever distinguish. If <em>you're</em> happy with the filter, that's all that counts.

Midwest and K.E.H. are the two that come to mind immediately, but don't overlook the <a

href="http://www.viewcamerastore.com/">View Camera Store</a> and <a

href="http://www.badgergraphic.com/">Badger Graphics</a>. Also, the <a

href="http://www.glennview.com/">Glennview</a> website isn't the most friendly (long load

times), but they have lots of good stuff. All these places have good reputations in the LF

community.

IMO, their "BGN" grade is the equivalent of others' "VG" or

"EXC" ratingit's what I usually go for. Absitively, posolutely

trustworthy.</p>

 

<p>On another forum, a guy told of selling his used kit to K.E.H. They made him an offer

over the phone and he figured it was fair, so he sent them his stuff. They sent him a

check for <em>more</em> than their original offer, cuz they said it was in better

condition than they had expected. How's <em>that</em> for integrity!</

<em>"... BBC has FORMALLY apologized to HRH for editing the video to create a

false sequence of events, then crafting their 'report' to support falsehood..."</em></p>

 

<p>A major news network has apologized for distorting the truth? I gotta wonder why. They

do it every day!

<em>"... I shake my head when I see people paying more on an Ebay crap shoot than

at a dealer like keh..."</em></p>

 

<p>I've seen people pay more on eBay than at B&H... <em>brand new</em>!

Dan makes an important pointthe meter reading is the <em>starting point</em> for determining the actual exposure. If your subject is backlit, the meter reading needs compensation. Same if you're shooting a snowy landscape or a dark area in shadow.<p>

The meter doesn't tell you how to set your exposure. It just tells you what will be recorded as a medium gray. You have to <em>interpret</em> the meter reading.

The T setting is a two-step deal. Depress the cable release once to open the shutter and depress it a second time to close it.

I'll second the motion re: K.E.H. Their "Bgn" rated stuff would be graded "VG" or "Exc" by most others. I've bought lots of quality goods from them at very reasonable prices.

<em>"... The thing you've found already is that different people have different

standards..."</em></p>

 

<p>Exactly! Not only different standards, but different <em>criteria</em>. Some will

dismiss anything that isn't "technically" outstanding. Others focus (heh) on the

"artistic" contentcomposition, lighting, emotional impact, etc.and

are more likely to overlook or forgive any technical shortcomings. These are the two polar

extremes and most of us fall somewhere in the middle.</p>

 

<p>Why not go ahead, print it, and see for yourself. Unless you plan on selling it, who <em>cares</em>

what others think!

I plan to be buried with my SRTs.

Never had any transactions with him. Only know him by his stellar reputation.

 

A misunderstanding?

More props for the ol' Vivitar 283's. Built like tanks!

If you don't want to lay out the big bucks (B+W, Heliopan...), then consider sticking with Tiffen and Hoya.

<em>"... are there other manufacturers worthy of consideration that would fill all

those needs...?"</em></p>

 

<p>Ansel Adams used a venerable ol' Tiltall for his 35 and medium format work. The center

column won't go horizontal, but it will reverseto get you down to the ground.</p>

 

<p>They're still being made today and they're quite inexpensive. Some shooters even use

them to support 4x5's.

Or... use the <em>Sunny 16 Rule</em>. That is, at noon on a sunny day, set the aperture

to f/16. The shutter speed should be (approximately) the reciprocal of the film speed. </p>

 

<p>In other words, at noon on a sunny day, using ISO 100 film, you'd set the aperture to

f/16 and the shutter speed to 1/100 (actually 1/125). If you're using ISO 200 film, set

the shutter to 1/200 (actually 1/250). ISO 400? Set it to 1/400 (actually 1/500). Just

round up or down to the nearest number. Once you have this exposure, you can adjust the

aperture and/or shutter speed for the shot to whatever you needas long as you

compensate (decrease the shutter speed by one stop for every increase in aperture

opening).</p>

 

<p>With a little practice, you can get pretty close to an ideal exposure any time of the

day under any light conditions.</p>

 

<p>Another source of exposure data is the information contained in (or on) the film box.

In addition to Paul Butzi's excellent tutorial, Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz have <a

href="http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps%20how%20loading%20cut%20film.html">something

similar</a>. Each of these articles mentions some things the other doesn't.

<a href="http://www.wisementrading.com/optics/cameraacc.htm">Wisemen Trading</a> has

one. Not sure, but it might be the same as the one <a

href="http://www.optechusa.com/product/detail/?PRODUCT_ID=4">OP/TECH</a> sells. I'm sure

there are others.

<em>"... Yes, you can control yourself if I can; inside a swarm of wasps. You can

be one with nature. Just try to think differently, please...!"</em></p>

 

<p>With all due respect Frank, conversing  with angry hornets and charming snakes

with compassion may be <em>your</em> idea of how to live a moral life, but not everyone

shares your moral premises. To me, it sounds... absurd.</p>

 

<p>But I could never be so presumptuous as to tell youor anyone elsehow to <em>think</em>.

Although I disagree with your view, I respect your right to it.

I'm with you, Edmund. And I'd go back that night, when they're all in the nest, and hit it with a can of Raid so someone <em>else</em> doesn't go through what you did. I once saw what a bunch of yellow-jackets did to a three year old girl, and it wasn't pretty!

<em>"... If you move back the poorer grainy images merge; you eye cannot see the grain if you back off alot..."</em><p>

Good point. I forget who said, "There's no such thing as a grain problem. There's only a <em>viewing distance</em> problem."

<em>"... You probably don't need a circular filter, nor a sealed Kaesemann filter for casual use..."</em><p>

 

That was my initial reactionwhy a <em>circular</em> polarizer with an FM2?