julian_koplen

<p>I have a problem printing from NX2. It won't do a true borderless print for me, so I save tiff and go to PS for printing.<br>

Otherwise, I love it for basic cropping, levels and contrast, color balance, and some selective functions in limited areas of the image. I shoot RAW.<br>

Julian</p>

<p>I have a problem printing from NX2. It won't do a true borderless print for me, so I save tiff and go to PS for printing.<br>

Otherwise, I love it for basic cropping, levels and contrast, color balance, and some selective functions in limited areas of the image. I shoot RAW.<br>

Julian</p>

<p>Hi All,<br>

Popflash is advertising Leica M8 for about $3000, new, unwrapped, with 1-year Leica USA warranty. Since this is about $1000 less than other M8 offerings, I wonder why? What am I missing? Is it a good deal?<br>

Thanks in advance.......Julian</p>

<p>Hi All,<br>

In the event that I find myself willing to splurge on an M8, I would like to know what my expenses will be after the purchase. I have the following M lenses for use on my M6: 28 Summicron Asph, 35 Summicron IV, 50 Summicron, 90 Summicron.<br>

How much lens adapting must I do?<br>

Thanks in advance.......Julian</p>

Response to AF-Area Mode selection in D300(Category:Nikon Digital - Cameras and Scanners)

George, I share your confusion. None of the sources listed, nor the manual itself, make a clear distinction between 51-point dynamic area vs. 51-point 3D vs the auto-area selection. The manual states that the latter two track the subject and change the focus point as the subject moves. It sounds like they both do the same thing.

Is the difference between 51-point 3D and auto-area simply that the latter tries to guess what your subject is and then focus and track it without your first focusing on it, while in 51-point 3D, you have to first identify and focus the subject before the camera will track and keep the focus?

If so, the why do we have the 51-point dynamic area, which also keeps the focus on a moving subject after we first identify and focus on it?

Can someone who understands it all put it in their own words and distinguish those three modes from each other, as I am trying to do? Or tell me if I am guessing correctly?

Thanks.........Julian

Ditto on Glen's recommendation of John Shaw's explanations of exposure. And here's another consideration. If you meter off the *shady* side of the white shirts and then open up a stop or two, everything in the sunlit areas will probably look truly too bright and/or have blown highlights. For an outdoor scene that encompasses a lot of sunlit areas, where the shady part of the shirts is not the dominant tone, it is better to base exposure off a sunlit white with appropriate plus compensation, or simply meter off a sunlit midtone. Even then, your sunlit whites may be a bit too bright (depending on various factors). John Shaw explains it all.

Julian

Tim,

The presence of 3 cams does not insure compatability with the Leicaflex SL. Karen Nakamura, on her Photoethnography website, has a list of those lenses which are NOT compatible.

Here is the link: http://tinyurl.com/yu9sm7

You do not need to download Japanese font in order to view the information.

Good luck..........Julian

Jedediah,

After seeing your portfolio, I am satisfied you will take good pictures, regardless of format. If there is an elusive "look" you're after, then by all means try the Leica RF and see if that "look" is there for you. You can buy fairly beat up Leicas and lenses (cosmetically) and still get very fine pictures. For landscape, I echo the suggestion to start with a 35mm focal length, but it doesn't have to be that.

Then try a G2. Then pick what *you* like.

The technical information displayed above seems to be of fine quality.

I don't think you will learn any more, except by your own trials.

I admire your photo talent and opportunities.

Julian

Use what you like. You're gonna be OK either way.

I have an R4. I believe your premise may be flawed. You set the shutter speed to X, which is for flash sync, and then you set the aperture to whatever is appropriate for the flash, taking into account the film speed (I don't have an SF20--using a Vivitar 283).

Hope this helps........Julian

If you can find a lightly used Panasonic FZ20 (now replaced with the FZ30), it is a fine choice. F2.8 Leica lens that does not get slower when zoomed, 12x optical zoom, useful user controls, 5 MP, optical stabilization, shoots jpegs and tiff, no RAW. Really takes nice pictures.

Of course, its successor, the FZ30, is also excellent and has the advantage of much faster start-up, plus it is 8 MP.

Mentor (with spring chicken photo credentials)

2 M bodies, 4 M lenses.

Jeff,

I had trouble for several weeks. I finally figured out that I was not inserting the cassette absolutely all the way in when loading the camera. I carelessly thought I was, but I wasn't. Once I corrected that, I no longer had to watch the film wind on or take any special precautions. I just followed the routine in the owners manual and did not do any further fiddling or extra adjustments.

Now it loads perfectly every time.

Good luck and enjoy!

Epoxy warning: I glued two rear caps together with epoxy, and in hot weather in my car, the epoxy became soft and could have resulted in a dropped lens, had I not been lucky enough to discover it. Maybe I didn't do the epoxy correctly, but if it happened to me, it could happen to someone else.

How reliable is the Gorilla Glue with respect to time and temperature?

Thanks.........Julian

Anhtu,

Looking at your beautiful pictures brought me many minutes of pleasure. You have a wonderful talent.

One question, maybe two. A lot of your pictures have a colorful and bright subject with dramatically dark surroundings. Is there a special technique to achieve that, such as fill flash?

Also, many looked difficult to meter, especially for slide film. Did you use the Leica's built in meter, or use something else, such as an incident meter?

Again, my compliments.

Julian

Firstly, no need to purchase a new lens. A good used one with really clean glass will serve you just as well and save you many bucks. Your pictures will not suffer one iota. Many fine Leica photographers shop almost exclusively in the used market.

Considering your 0.58 finder and your street interests, I think the 35mm f/2 Summicron, 4th version, used, is your baby. And it is a honey of a lens.

Best of luck.

Mark,

I like your pictures. Please tell me where picture number 4 was taken. Thank you.

Mark,

I like your pictures. Please tell me where picture number 4 was taken. Thank you.

A simple Google search turned up this web site, apparently related to the Mark Dizengoff that some of you have accused of identity falsification.

http://www.harim.co.il/ShowUserInfo.asp?ID=8929

If this is the same Mark Dizengoff that we have here, then several of you would do well to acknowledge it and, incidentally, to grant him the courtesy of your apologies (unless, of course, you think that fellow Frank is a Hebrew speaking biker and hiker).

Julian

Sid,

It is pretty certain that you will have very good focus when looking through the distance (upper) portion of your bifocals. Only if you had lost *all* focusing ability of your own eye should you require any further correction for viewing through the eyepiece.

Julian

Anthony (and All),

My apologies!! My discussion of the first version and the second version "Summicron" was a mis-type. That discussion was referring to the 28mm Elmarit. I meant to say the second version was deemed to be much better and is usually much more expensive, even used, than the first. I thought Adorama's price too cheap for a good quality 2nd version Leica 28mm R lens.

And the 50mm Summicron has a good reputation without being outrageously priced (used).

Julian

Hi Anthony,

I don't know what you're looking for exactly. Sharpness per se has never been Leica's goal, as best I can discern. Some combination of sharpness, contrast, and color rendition has (again, as best I can tell). Many people see a quality to Leica images that they don't find elsewhere. "It" is most evident in larger prints or projected slides, perhaps least noticeable on the average computer monitor or small print. I have heard repeated anecdotal evidence that photo editors can look at a group of slides on a light table and see the difference in overall quality between the Leica and the non-Leica.

The 50mm Summicron-R has a fine reputation. The first version Summicron-R was said to be OK, and the second version said to be outstanding. The price you quoted sounds too cheap for an undamaged second version. Be careful here.

The R8 was plagued in its early production with lots of bugs, mostly electronic. Once these were replaced with new circuitry, most people reported fine results. The later models fared much better. If you have a functioning R8 at this date, I would assume it probably is not "buggy". An inquire as to serial number might help clear the air.

Those who like the R8 love it. I am one of those people. It is somewhat big and heavy compared to many SLR's, but a joy to use. Some modern other very high end 35mm cameras are also big and heavy, I've been told.

Anyway, I suggest don't overpay for what you get. Try it out with some color slides and big prints, then decide. And watch out for that 28mm; be sure it's the 55mm filter version. You can make a pretty good guess from the serial number. The later and more desirable version probably started with serial number 3664831.

Camera experience and picture appreciation are highly personal. You won't know unless you try it out. Just check prices carefully before you commit to such a trial. If you get equipment that has not been abused, 'used' is a fine route to go.

You may compare prices on KEH, SherryKrauter.com, Tamarkin, and even eBay, bearing in mind the risks inherent is some eBay transactions.

If you can, go to www.wildlightphoto.com and look at some of Doug Herr's bird pictures. They were taken with a maybe 40-year-old Leicaflex and an ancient 400mm Leica lens design. Even though you are not seeking that camera or lens, it may give you some idea of the "look" that attracts many people to Leica. Of course, Doug is a master, but we can all dream, can't we?

These opinions are just that, plus an attempt to give some perspective.

Most of all, have fun.............Julian

Better with a border? Still learning PS 7.0.

Julian<div></div>