jrjacobs

Maybe look into an older Bronica SLR - they seem to hold up better than the Kowas, which are prone to wear out in the winding gears. Also, the older Bronica lenses are single coated.

Terry -

 

I used to have a set of White Lightning 800's, and they were inconsistent in the settings range - in other words, dialing down one stop did not give a true one stop between each setting - so alot of time was wasted adjusting and then taking readings again. Other than that, they worked fine, but it the end I replaced them as the inconsistency became annoying after awhile.

With your budget ($500-$1000) you should consider the JTL Mobilight kit. For $700 you get two 300ws strobes with modeling lights and portable battery packs, light stands, and cases to pack it up it. I've done many a wedding with this kit and it is great.

 

Another option is to pick up a set of Metz 60 CT-4 flashes and use them with lighting stands - you'll get the same power as 300ws strobes with battery power and 8 stop adjustability, but you lose the modeling lights of course. Nice thing about this route is that they double as pro-level camera flash as well.

"Getting catchlights - 'specular highlights' - in a light tent is nigh impossible. So you may want to fake 'm in PP. I use PhotoLine32 for that (http://www.pl32.com/). Try it."

 

That example you posted looks absolutely fakey. Why not use a real star filter instead? Less photoshop time and it won't look like fake cartoon stars?

That's a model Ic with built in light meter.

Greg -

 

Definitely repairable and worth repairing. I just had a Pentax ES overhauled. It is far and away the nicest M42 body I have ever used. Aperture priority and open aperture metering - it's like an M42 version of a ME Super, but without the drain on batteries.

 

I am in Los Angeles and I had it done at Steve's Camera Service on Sepulveda Blvd. in Culver City. Do a google and you can find them. They have a great old Pentax repairman named Bill who is very familiar with all things Pentax.

For primarily landscapes, go with the P67. Pretty much a no brainer.

Your other obvious choice in 6x7 would be the Pentax 67.

 

For 6x6 I think you are on the right track with a Rolleiflex or a Hassie 500CM.

Too bad Pentax isn't working on a digital 6x7.

On a budget? Forget MF digital and get a Canon 5D.

 

Use MF for film.

It's a stupid comparison. When doing the test shots, he writes:

 

"To eliminate as many variables as possible, I used studio light, a tripod and the Apo-Summicron 2/75 at medium apertures. The Canon had the very good 24-105 at focal length 75 and also at medium apertures."

 

OK - so he is testing cameras for quality of sharpness and rendition, but then he uses a PRIME lens on one camera, and a ZOOM lens on the other.

 

Doesn't seem like a way to "eliminate as many variables as possible" to me - instead it makes for an uneven playing field. Zooms are great, but good primes always outdo them when you are making rigorous tests like this.

Nothing wrong with a Diacord. I have a Ricohmatic 225 (the big brother to the Diacord), and I much prefer it over my *gasp* Rollei Automat. The lens is as good as the Rollei's Tessar, and I prefer the ergonomics of the Ricohmatic.

The 6008 is noticably better - makes a difference in photo sharpness.

According to Canon's own website, the 16.7mp full-frame sensor on the EOS 1DS Mark II is finally the equivalent of a 35mm film frame.

 

http://www.canon.com/technology/canon_tech/explanation/cmos.html

 

"Second-generation large CMOS sensors have a resolution of 16.7 million effective pixels. This is a high resolution said to be equivalent to that offered by 35mm film SLR cameras."

 

I have an 8mp Rebel XTi and I can readily see the difference in amount of detail between it and scanned 35mm Provia frames - the 35mm film has much more detail than the 8mp images. If your 6mp images look sharper and more detailed than your 35mm Provia shots, then I suggest that either you have a poor quality lens on your 35mm camera or else you have a poor scanner.

It won't work. The Pentax 6x7 winder also cocks the shutter using the same gears. If the gears are broken, you cannot reset the shutter.

Another point is being missed here. Current DSLR's have very limited lattitude - and at best are equivalent to slide film. Most color negative and B&W film has about a 5 stop advantage in lattitude over digital sensors.

 

I believe digital will eventually have similar lattitude, but it currently does not.

The problem with using a rangefinder for landscapes is that it makes it very difficult to use the typical landscape filters such as polarizers and ND grads. With a rangefinder, you can't see what the filters are doing, or if you have them in the correct position. SLR's are better for landscapes in this regard.

It could be a problem with the lens aperture. If the lens is assembled so that the aperture is not at the correct nodal point, then focus will shift slightly when you change apertures.

 

Shoot a test roll by putting it on a tripod and focusing, then shoot several shots while changing the aperture and not the focus. This may help you troubleshoot the problem.

 

Unfortunately, if this is the problem your only choice is to get a new lens.

I recently picked up a National Geographic medium backpack (made by Bogen) for a hiking trip in the Sierras. It's a very nice bag that held my Pentax 67, 3 lenses, and accessories comfortably. I looked at a number of bags inlcuding the Lowepro Trekker and found this one to be the most comfortable and versatile. Besides having the camera compartment, it also has a laptop compartment, a storage area for your non camera stuff, and tons of pockets. It also has a five year warranty. The good padding made a huge difference on 7 mile hikes. I recommend it.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&kw=NA5162BM&is=REG&Q=&O=productlist&sku=428388#

Pentax 67 has long been the MF choice for professional landscape photographers.

 

Large format - your choices are endless. The lenses are the most important part of the equation in LF.

I would think either a Hasselblad, or any quality TLR are good candidates for handholding. With the leaf shutters, these cameras (especially the twin lens) can be handheld at pretty low speeds (1/30th).

 

I also handhold a Pentax 67 all the time, but I do not shoot below 125th/sec when handholding.

Or you can just use one of these:

 

http://www.lanaddict.com/cgi/nph-p.pl/000001A/http/www.sciencecenter.net/hutech/pentax/battelim.htm

 

BTW - the Pentax 6x7, unlike the 67, does not use battery power during long exposures.

It is coated. Eventually Zeiss stopped added the T designation to their lenses, since they all were coated.

Are you using a Mac? Might be a Colorsync issue...

And one more question. :)

 

How is the bordering done on this photo:

 

http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/4949365-md.jpg

 

It looks like a polaroid transfer, but I see that it is a digital camera, so I assume it is in photoshop?