Monophoto

<p>Probably not, for fundamental economic reasons not subject to political maneuvering.</p>

<p>Camera design is high tech and could be done in the US. But manufacturing is low-tech assembly work where the cost of labor is more significant that the skills that the labor force brings to the task. The one possible way to overcome that issue is to automate the manufacturing process completely so that labor cost is no longer a factor.</p>

<p>Case in point - Apple has promised that they will be manufacturing a laptop model in the US in 2014. But the way they will do that is in a fully automated factory. </p>

<p>The other issue is that cameras are eminently portable, and the cost of shipping doesn't affect the 'total landed cost' at the point of sale. Products that are large and expensive so ship are more likely to be manufactured locally.</p>

<p>I like Point Lobos, but it is definitely NOT hidden or out-of-the-way. Other iconic subjects in the are include the Carmel Mission, the 17 mile drive (the Lone Pine, etc), and the Point Pinos Lighthouse.<br>

Something that I've always enjoyed is simply walking around Carmel. There are a lot of small details that can be seen and photographed there that make for a nice afternoon. Architectural details, as-found still-lifes, nature subjects, etc. The main street of town is nice, but get off on some of the back streets for better options.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Using a filter that is physically smaller than the front diameter of the lens is likely to cause vignetting. </p>

<p>LF lenses are designed with an image circle that is larger than the image frame specifically because there is an expectation that there will be movements. I would expect that designers of DSLR lenses design within very narrow limits and provide no more image circle than is absolutely necessary for the sensor size that they are intended to be used with. Therefore, I would expect that vignetting is much more likely with DSLR lenses than with lenses intended for LF cameras..</p>

<p>I got into 35mm photography in 1970. For the first several years, I used a lot of Agfa CT18 film that came in aluminum canisters with a gasketed screw top. I'm pretty sure that the switch to plastic came in the mid- to late-1970's.</p>

<p>Starting in the North and moving South -</p>

<p>Napa & Sonoma - wineries and fabulous food<br>

Marin Headlands - old fortifications, 'tame' wild deer, great images of the Golden Gate Bridge<br>

Sausalito - overall scenery, people<br>

Fort Point (underneath the south end of the GG bridge)<br>

Art museums - DeYoung and Legion of Honor<br>

GG Park - arboretum, Japanese Garden, Dutch Windmill, people<br>

Fisherman's Wharf - you have to at least say you went there; people, seals<br>

Alcatraz - architecture, the experience<br>

Stanford Campus - classic architecture; Cantor Gallery<br>

Filoli House and Gardens<br>

Pidgeon Point Lighthouse<br>

Santa Cruz Amusement Park<br>

Mt Hamilton Observatory<br>

Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea - great photo galleries, Point Lobos, 17 Mile Drive and Lone Pine<br>

Salinas - John Steinbeck Museum</p>

<p>Shift is a convenience, not a necessity. All shift does is create the illusion that the camera is in a different location. In macro work, having the ability to shift would simplify the process of framing the subject the way you want it framed. Most people get by without shift - they simply move the camera or subject as necessary. But because the amount of movement may be very small, its a trial and error process and is tedious. Ok for the studio, less fun in the field (eg, nature macr0 - insects, flowers, etc) where there can be natural movement.</p>

<p>Someone mentioned the Spiratone bellows. Another product that I recall from the Spiratone catalog was a micro-positioning stage. This was basically an adapter that fit between the camera and the tripod that allowed the camera position to be adjusted on two axes using knob-style verniers. I never had one of those, but I do have a focusing stage that provides vernier adjustment along the optical axis by shifting the camera in and out - I can use it to emulate shift by simply turning it 90 degrees so that the adjustment is side to side. I found mine at a photo flea market and paid something like $5 for it..</p>

<p>A lens hood is always a good idea.</p>

<p>You can buy commercial hoods - compendium shades are best because they can be adjusted to provide maximum coverage, and also compressed to avoid vignetting.</p>

<p>But there are some options that LF photographers often use.</p>

<p>B ecause the camera is on a tripod, and because you are taking time, you can often use an ad hoc solution. Use your hat to shade the lens! (Didn't you know that LF photographers AL:WAYS wear hats? The camera is our fashion statement, the had is the lens shade.) Use the darkslide! </p>

<p>I have a slightly more elegant solution. I liberated a piece of dark gray plastic foam that has been used as packing material for shipping computer parts. This normally resides in my backpack, and is placed over the camera to protect the ground glass. (I also have a sheet plexiglass that fits over the ground glass when I'm more paranoid than normal). I also have a gadget that consists of two 'binder clips' held together by a short piece of rigid wire such that the clips can be oriented in various ways. I clip this on the front standard of the camera, and then use it to attach the piece of plastic foam, and then adjust everything so that the foam is shading the lens. Looks awful, but it's amazingly effective. You could do the same thing with a gray card - the key is to find one of those double clips. I found mine at a photo flea market.</p>

<p>Take the subway down to Chelsea and go to Chelsea Market. It's a neat place with a lot of very family-friendly restaurants.</p>

<p>The Tetenal kit you are looking at is for films that use the C-41 process. </p>

<p>C-41 is the process used for COLOR films and for a few special black and white files such as Ilford XP-2. Standard black and white files DO NOT USE C-41.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I received a renewal notice in the mail a couple of weeks ago. I called the number of the card, and a couple of days later I received a call back from them. They acknowledged that they had a database error led them to send out some incorrect renewal notices, and quickly verified that the notice I received was bogus.</p>

<p>View Camera is a VERY small operation. Basically, it's two people - Steve Simmons and his assistant, Andrea. It's summer. If Andrea is on vacation, and Steve is working (he has a day job), then there is no one to return calls. </p>

<p>There is a great tendency to complain about View Camera's problems. But please keep in mind that they are the ONLY remaining magazine that addresses conventional photography. Yes, they have some editorial errors, and sometimes the reproduction is not as good as we might like, and its hard to get someone on the phone, and there are problems with delivery outside the US. But these are all characteristics of a small operation. Let's cut them some slack, and appreciate the good things that they do for us.</p>

<p>Some good suggestions. Here are a few more:</p>

<p>The Computer History Museum in Mountain View is a great place to spend a few hours. The younger child might not be as enthralled, but the older one probably knows enough about computers to really enjoy the museum.</p>

<p>Marin Headlands is a great place for photography, and the old fortifications and tame deer are fun for kids. After crossing the GG Bridge (Northbound), take the first right, and then follow Conzelman Road. Shortly after going under 101 there is a parking area on the left - pull in, and the follow the path. That will lead to Battery Spencer which offers the most dramatic view of the bridge. Continue along Conzelman Road to Battery 128 - this is a series of tunnels that lead to batteries that were constructed in the runup to WWII - good photography opportunities, and fun for the kids</p>

<p>In Napa Valley, look for Bale Mills in Bolhe-Napa State Park (in St. Helena). This is a functioning water-powered grist mill. </p>

<p>Also, a winery that the kids will get a kick out of is Castelo de Amoroso - it's a recreation of a European castle.</p>

<p>As you are working your way back south on 101, immediately after crossing the GG Bridge, look for the signs for Fort Point. (Open only Friday - Sunday). This is a Civil War era fortification that is immediately beneath the southern end of the bridge. Again, great for photography, and the kids will love it.</p>

<p>Head south on Rt 1 and turn right on Geary Street. Continue on Geary until you get to the Cliff House. Park and spend some time wandering around. The Camera Obscura behind the Cliff House may be interesting to the kids, and if you are lucky, you may be able to see whales from the observation deck. You can also wander over to the ruins of Sutro Baths (just to the North of the Cliff House). Then, continue along the Great Highway for a few blocks until you see the Dutch indmill. Find your way into GG Park, and let the kids wander around the windmill.</p>

<p>Filters, and especially graduated NDs are speciality items. Most brick/mortar stores can't afford to stock the full spectrum of speciality items. So unless you can get to one of the megastores (B&H or Adorama in New York, Central Camera in Chicago, Keeble & Shuchet in Palo Alto), you will probably have to buy over the internet.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I've been a member of a club for about 35 years, and I have learned a lot from that experience. My club just celebrated it's 80th anniversary, and is going strong.</p>

<p>But I have to say that there is a lot of truth in the criticism that is often leveled at clubs. Clubs tend to reinforce popular trends - trends in styles of photography, trends in gadgetry, and today, trends in digital technology. I suspect that my club is typical in that today, it is almost exclusively focused on digital imaging, and the main topic of consideration is which software should be used, and which apps and filters are required to produce currently favored imaging styles</p>

<p>The real answer is that the label "macro lens" is assigned by the marketing arm of the manufacturer, and may not have any real significance other than possibly on the price.</p>

<p>But to a purist, a macro lens is a lens that is designed to focus on subjects that are very close to the lens without any supplementary devices or gadgetry. Rather than specifying 'macro' based on distance, the normal definition is based on magnification. The classic definition of 'macro' is that the lens has the ability to focus an image on the film (sensor) that is exactly the same size as the subject. Very few mass-market 'macro' lenses can actually focus that closely</p>

<p>Printing from color negatives is FAR more complicated that printing from B/W negatives. The major issues are:</p>

<p>1. Paper must be handled in total darkness . You may be able to use a safelight with a deep green filter, but the filter is so dense that the light is extremely faint, so for all practical purposes, you are in total darkness.<br>

2. You need to use filtration to get the proper color balance. While you can buy color printing filters that slip into a filter draw like the contrast filters used in B/W printing, they are a nuisance because you may need to change filters much more often, and also because you may need corrections that are mid-way between commercially-available filters. Color enlargers typically use dichroic filters that are built in and that can give continuous gradations in filtration.<br>

3. Processing chemicals are more expensive, and have a very limited shelf life, compared with b/w chemicals. Time and temperature control is critical - in b/w, errors in time/temperature may affect exposure and contrast, but when you are doing color, those errors also affect color balance.</p>

<p>I've done C41 color printing - so I view it as a 'been there, done that, no need to do it again' kind of thing. </p>

<p>Swing and tilt do affect exposure.</p>

<p>When a wide angle lens is used it is possible for there to be noticeable underexposure at the edges of the frame because they are physically further away from the lens. If you are concerned about the problem, you can correct it using a 'center filter' - which is a neutral density filter that is stronger at the center than it is at the edges.</p>

<p>In most cases, the error is so small that it isn't noticeable. And it can easily be corrected in printing by applying a gradual burn. Or you can use a graduated neutral density filter.</p>

<p>Check the deli counter at your supermarket. We routinely get cold cuts that come in a resealable plastic container that will hold 8-10 film cassettes. I don't use them for film, but they make great shop storage.</p>

<p>Yes, it is possible.</p>

<p>I have a wet-plate collodion <strong>print</strong> done on opaque white glass on the bookshelf in my office.</p>

<p>The information I have confirms Mary's conclusion that this camera was made by Zone VI in the 1988-2001 period, probably earlier in the time frame rather than later. That information will enhance the value relative to one of the earlier Zone VI cameras made by Tachihara or Wista.</p>

<p>The Large Format Forum is definitely a better place to offer the camera than e-Bay or Craigslist). But it still may take time to find a buyer.</p>

<p>The issue that the owner of this camera has is finding a buyer, not determining the price. The world of large format is fairly small. There are two fundamental potential markets - those who buy cameras as collectable things, and those buy cameras to use them. Most users are already well equipped, so this would probably appeal mainly to someone who is looking to get into large format work. And in that scenario, offering the entire setup as a package probably makes more sense because a newbie will need all of that stuff. And that's a great starter lens.</p>

<p>You might want to locate the serial number of the camera and make that part of the information package offered to potential buyers. It should be engraved on the tripod mount (the round thing in the center of the large box). There were several versions of the Zone VI camera, and the serial number can be used to determine when it was made, by whom, and what the features are. And listing the serial number adds gravitas to the advertisement.</p>

<p>That should easily fit into the overhead compartment in most planes. </p>

<p>IL don't understand this at all. This policy seem to have lots of downside, and no upside for Nikon. </p>

<p>Don't want to stereotype here, but this strikes me to be about as 'tone deaf' as the way that Toyota handled some of there problems a while back. Do the Japanese have a different view of customer service?</p>

<p>There is a phenomenon among younger people (<30) called 'urban exploration' in which people enter (often by breaking in) buildings and other spaces that are closed to the public for the purpose of 'exploration' and photography. While this might seem harmless, the places that are chosen are often places that involve some danger to those who are engaging in this sport.</p>

<p>I have to wonder if the sign could be an attempt to manage the risk that Transport London would experience if someone were to engage in urban exploration in this station, and through their own careless and stupidity, became injured in some way.</p>

<p>12-exposure ('press rolls') predated 24 exposure rolls by several decades. In fact, the 12 exposure packaging was being phased out in the early 1970's, while the 24 exposure packaging became popular in the late 1970's.</p>

<p>As to why 24 exposure packaging - - - I recall reading some kind of justification in PopPhoto at the time, and thinking that it sounded like typical MBA marketing BS. Don't recall the details, but I'm pretty sure it was a marketing justification and not a technical reason.</p>

<p>Grand Central Station is a fabulous place for indoor photography. You can use a tripod, but it is advisable to get a permit. Apply in the Station Master's Office (ask at the information desk where it is). Best points would probably be from one of the balconies.</p>

<p>Penn Station is another matter. It is one of the ugliest places in New York. Don't waste your time there.</p>