joseph_verdesca

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Keeping your slides pressed flat under heavy books for a week or two before scanning can help with the film flatness issue.

If you're in the U.S. check out the White Lightning and Alien Bee units - do a search of these archives and you'll see extended discussion regarding them. I don't know you're circumstances, but knowledge of how to use the lights is much more important than the equipment. I would suggest (i) reading everything you can get your hands on regarding this subject in photo.net, as well as at least one lighting book, (ii) renting some strobes to try it out and learn it, then (iii) consider buying.

 

Further suggestions in brief, (a) buy more power than you think you need (short recycle times are nice, and using fine grain films or the lowest digital ISO settings are nice), (b) consider whether you will one day need them to work with both 110 and 220 volt systems, © look at the whole system, especially light modifiers that are compatible with the system, as they play a critical role.

Learning, always learning, hoping not to stop.

Pino Materna at GM Foto in Frankfurt (pmaterna@gmfoto.de) should be able to recommend someone.

Assuming that you are looking for AF, I would also suggest the 180/2.8 AF-D.

The D2H is not full-frame. As I understand it, both the D70 and the D2H are subject to the 1.5 mutiplier.

I would vote for a used RB / RZ / RZII system, including the 140 macro lens and one or both of the extension tubes. The built-in bellows system is a nice touch for close-up work, the 6x7 negative gives you plenty to work with, etc. There are scores of threads discussing the merits of different MF systems for close-up and landscape work - have you done some searches?

 

I'm not sure that I understand the way in which a (film) camera could be good for color but not B&W. I would review the praise and criticism of the systems, irrespective of whether being made in the context of color or B&W, as generally being applicable to the B&W context (chromatic abberation in 200mm+ telephoto lenses being an exception).

The normal 180 tele is what you're looking for - the short barrel version is for use with the (not inexpensive) tilt-shift adapter, and would require a (not inexpensive) extension ring to allow you to focus to infinity without the (not inexpensive) tilt-shift adapter.

I would not venture beyond Calumet, B&H, or Adorama (I haven't been to 17th Street Camera, so can't judge it). To do otherwise is to walk into what will likely be a very unpleasant experience.

No problems - great camera - appropriate nickname - victim of market economics - have the 90mm version and am very happy with it.

I own the 80-400 VR and the 70-200 VR with teleconverters, and would strongly suggest the latter. The 80-400 is the only lens in the Nikon line that I regret having purchased, finding myself frustrated by the focussing speed, slow maximum aperture and general build quality. It's not a terrible lens, it's just disappointing.

 

The 70-200 is excellent - fast, well-built, bright, handles well, etc.

 

Perfect other than the price might be the newly announced 200-400 VR, but at $5500, that's probably over the top.

Suggestion - Start with the 50 (dirt cheap but excellent optical qualities) and a gently used 24 and spend the other $350-400 on film and processing to better decide whether and how your lens assortment is limiting you, while at the same time gaining valuable shooting experience.

 

They are all excellent lenses.

I think you'll need to adjust your price point or your choice in camera. You can find used Ricoh GR-1s (28mm / 2.8) in that range.

You may want to check out the formulae at www.unblinkingeye.com.

To emphasize acutance / sharpness, I would go with Delta 100. To emphasize tonality, I would opt for FP4+. Tri-X is never a bad choice for portraits either, keeping in mind a slight grain increase (which I tend to prefer in many contexts anyway). There are numerous threads on B&W portrait films in the archives - try a search like "best B&W portrait film".

 

Regards,

Joe