tom_bowling1664874721

In general, the Dutch are certain they are not in the USA. In the UK we have from time to time been a bit confused on the matter. Tony Blair, in particular, seems convinced we are in the USA. But I digress...

Where are you? Jessops sell them if you're in the UK.

<<PS I didn't think Ilford made 3200 in 120 format. >>

This must be a peculiarity of Japan or the US. It's certainly available in England and I use it regularily.

It is off topic but it's a really interesting point, Doug. Salgado, Cartier Bresson wandered among poor people with very expensive Leicas, but you never have a sense of people being offended by the expensive camera. How do they pull that off? I'd be like you, a bit defensive/embarrassed. I look so eccentric with the Rollei TLR, though, no one seems to mind!

Ken,

Do you mean http://www.srbfilm.co.uk/? I've found them very helpful and trustworthy. They do lots of reasonably priced step up rings, gadgets and the like. They sell the Lee system or their own in house stuff which they manufacture. Of course, they won't satisfy the average Hassleblad owner since they're not expensive enough. Just kidding.

I have an Iskra and the filter is both marked 33 and measures 33

I have a pre-war Zeiss 530/20 with an uncoated Tessar lens 1:3.8, 105mm focal length. It's 6 x 9 format. It's okay for landscape (though you'll really wreck a film or two getting the hang of cameras of this period - did I wind on?) but really comes into its own for portraits, which have a kind of glow. It's very difficult to describe and I'm sure more expert photographers here will be able to give the phenomenon a technical description.

Jerry I'm interested to know why you think that is. Recently I did something similar. I tried to buy some filters on ebay but they didn't reach the reserve. The auctin ended. I then explained to the seller why I had only offered a certain amount (I didn't want all the filters and am not a dealer). So he agreed to break them up and sell them to me at a price we agreed. Which law are we breaking? Once the auction is over it is over. Ebay may not like people doing that, but I'd be surprised if their terms are enforceable when people are operating in good faith. What they can't do is suggest the only way one person can sell another is via their system in perpetua.

Are you in the UK Paul? If so email me and I'll send you a link where you can buy one.

<<Victor, ever drive down the highway and wonder where those panorama billboards come from? >>

Not God? Or aliens?

Thank you Mark, though I tend to keep my sense of humour under wraps at airports for obvious reasons. One lesson for all of you in the US, I was in Belfast last week. My taxi driver out to Fermanagh got talking. He'd been in New York recently (habitues of the city of the yellow devil (Maxim Gorky) already know that Russians, Africans, Jews and Koreans may come and go, but NYC immigration is dominated by Irishmen). 'how was the airport security?' said I, rumpled from Gatwick and Belfast City. 'Pathetic,' said he, 'you could take anything you like on one of them planes. They've the doziest bunch of so-called security men I've ever met.' I haven't been to NYC for 20 years, I just pass the information on FWIW. And if you're interested, don't start all that 'hand inspection' caper in Belfast or Heathrow. They'll just turn you away.

Shurely this should be Volvo?

Ah. Smarties = M&Ms. In fact, I think they're called that even in England now. Damn, I'm so old.

Now I've found the container. They're called pro-stor and they are made by Peca Products, Janesville WI. I expect WI stands for somewhere in America, rather than Women's Institute.

There's a company in Guernsey which sells containers for 120 film 7dayshop.com. I use them for Delta 3200 but otherwise don't bother. Also you could eat a lot of Smarties, or whatever they're called in the us. Film fits nicely in the empty tube.

I have a 4Mp Sony DCS 80. It is closer to 35 mm than you'd think, and is capable of dealing with mixed lighting in ways no film can. It's extraordinarily responsive to being used on a tripod! It doesn't have a hope of competing with fine grain 35mm film, but not many people use fine grain 35mm film, do they? I mean, what's the point? 35 mm is speed and compactness, 6x6 is take your time and look what a nice negative I've got. The trouble with the DCS 80 is that at its finest setting you can get about 90 pictures on a £100/100Mbyte card. You can view them except on the little screen unless you bring a laptop with you. I imagine if you were to extract the same information from a 6x6 field you'd be using at least £400/400Mbytes of media, plus a £1500 laptop with at least an 80Gbyte hard disk... and it goes on. I'm sure the chip manufacturers will eventually manufacture a chip to extract the info from your lens, but if you're not in the studio what the hell are you going to do about it then? I recently visited Portugal with a dozen rolls of Ektachrome and a dozen rolls of APX25 (don't ask). With my rolleiflex and filters and meter they went in a little bag on my hip. The equivalent amount of equipment for digital imaging to a similar quality (if it were available) wouldn't even qualify as cabin luggage! I think your film camera is going to last a long time yet, except for Sports photographers/newsmen who will just whack the stuff down an isdn without ever looking at it.

I agree. You must have funny old photo technique if you use polaroids to check outdoor flash! What are you checking? Also I'm not a pro photographer but people do approach me when I'm out with the Mamiya and tripod on the basis that I am doing it for a living. So no prejudice there.

Which is going to cost about the same as a good Mamiya tlr with a 55mm lens!

I hate these shopping threads and normally wouldn't participate, but I really think you're choosing the wrong camera. If synchronisation at all speeds plus a bullet proof camera plus good lenses at a budget price is what you're after, I can't believe you'll walk past a Mamiya C330f. It's an absolutely professional camera set up, will take 220 film, each lens has its own shutter and you can't buy into the professional standard camera market any cheaper. Maybe the Kiev will work, maybe it won't. The Mamiya just works.

Oh Ernie, Greg and I are cordial really. I hereby promise never, ever to attempt to correct anyone's spelling here again. Hold me to it. ;-). FWIW I think 6 x 6 format is visually stronger and much harder to crop than an off square format, because of the way you centre the image. But then Photography is an amateur pursuit to me. Those with clients may know better.

John

Shurely this is a usenet post?

I know Kevin, this business about closeness and personal space is relative. Southern Frenchmen stand too close for me (an Englishman) but I've noticed Bretons stand further away. I'm surprised people from Minnesota don't use loudhailers, they stand so far apart. I think we are agreeing, but using the terms differently. Of course for an environmental shot you won't be all that close.

If you use a 50mm lens for portraits on a 6x6 format camera and get as close to the subject as your post suggests, you are going to get some very big noses and laid back ears, or as one correspondent here memorably described it, 'the greyhound effect'. 100mm is more like it, and it has nothing to do with whether you are willing to invade the personal space of the subject ;-)

$20! I think someone must be pulling your leg over that side of the ocean with all these added distribution costs. I wrote a polite note to Gossen in Germany and they simply sent me one.

The mercury cells are available in the UK (and Canada, I believe). Jessops sell them. Or, if you're one of those Merkins who've thrown away their giant car and care about the environment Gossen do a tiny fitting to go inside the meter to adapt non mercury cells. I have one.