Robert DeCandido PhD

Hi,

 

You might consider the D2H with the recent price drop. It is big, bulky but also meters with the Ai/Ais lenses...

Ilkka et alia,

 

Thank You ever so much for the advice and great ideas...we have been in SE Asia several times to do bird migration research, just never in the rainforest (Tabin/Sabah/Borneo on this trip) for an extended period. The place we will be staying at is a fine one. We have access to refrigeration and probably facilities to heat exhausted dessicant so that it releases moisture and can be re-used. And it is very much to our advantage that we are based at one location in a very nice chalet with good food/water, etc. That works to our psychological advantage, and to keeping equipment mostly clean and relatively dry. We are not in a tent in a remote area, but rather a nice place (albeit with energy from a generator) in a remote area.

 

What I was/am primarily concerned with is the ongoing effect of high humidity. My friends on mainland Malaysia had some problems with equipment that was nitrogen sealed (Swarovski spotting scopes) with moisture build-up on the interior glass causing fungus to develop. This equipment should have been 100% waterproof. Then again, they were at Frasier's Hill (Illka and birders in Malaysia would know this famous place instantly) where they had nice air-con rooms by night, and then by day went out to photograph (digiscope) along the roads of the highland (warm but not hot) rainforest. We have been there too but never had a problem with film-based equipment...(Nikon).

 

When preparing for trips such as these, one worries much about problems one can imagine. On the other hand, 99% of the time things have been fine for us. SE Asia is an incredible place (food, culture, people) and when something unforeseen happens, it is just bad luck. No one can plan for that...

 

My inclination after reading responses from those who have worked in the tropics with digital equipment is to take the chance and do it. Film has its own share of problems/issues. We will bring some fim, and an F100. But, for ease of post-trip organization (and quality to 8x10 that is at least as good as fim), digital seems to be the way to go given our living conditions in Sabah (a state of Borneo) in the relatively new Tabin Wildlife Reserve.

 

Thanks, and I will probably ask more questions...

 

rdc/nyc

Hello,

 

My girlfriend and I are off to Borneo for two months. We have been

offered an opportunity to stay (free) at a high end rainforest lodge

in Sabah, Borneo. We want to take our digital equipment including a

laptop, but need some advice. We will be based at one location that

is quite a nice place (a $150/night place but no air-con) with rooms

that have high ceilings, good circulation (ceiling fan), and

electricity till about 11pm (via a generator). We leave 27 January.

We have much experience in Thailand/Malaysia but have not spent an

extended amount of time in lowland rainforest there.

 

Our questions are these: how much equipment failure should we expect

from digital Nikon D-70 or D2H bodies, a Minolta A2 (for macro work

on insects), and a laptop computer? If we are in a humid environment

for 6-7 weeks, should we think more seriously about film-based work.

We have F100s and N90s?

 

We could go either way (digital or film). We'd rather go digital but

have zero experience with how high humidity levels (say constant 70%)

will affect electronics of these cameras over several weeks. Would

the D2H be any less susceptible to high humidity levels than the D70?

 

How do microdrives vs. flash cards hold up in these conditions?

 

Where can one purchase dessicant in bulk at a reasonable price?

 

Any recommendations for a power surge protector (remember electricity

is from a generator) that will work in SE Asia? We already have a

plug adapter...

 

Thanks; any advice is greatly appreciated and I will probably be back

here with similar questions.

 

Robert DeCandido

NYC

Digicams excel at Macro; for me they are better than 35mm film or digital cameras since the depth-of-field the smaller cameras capture (because of smaller lens) makes these point and shoots great for certain types of photography (insects; birds in the hand, etc.).

 

OK, now for the A2: a great camera, BUT it only does macro at the short end (28mm) and the telephoto end (200mm), with no way to do macro in between...a disappointment. This is where the Nikon 8400 might be a better bet despite all the downsides indicated above...

If you are in NYC, try Nippon Photo Clinic on about Broadway and 20th street. They are faster/slightly less expensive than Mamiya, and they do a great job. Highly recommended.

 

rdc/nyc

Hi,

 

Peru is one of the more spectacular countries on earth. Almost every village could be designated an historic spot. Lima is so-so but there are so many other cities that are spectacular, in spectacular settings, or a combination thereof. Food is ok (Papas fritas). Handmade goods are first rate.

 

Just make sure to take a telephoto (or zoom) that gets you to about 200mm. Peru (as you walk the Inca Trial in the highland areas toward Machu Picu) affords great (phenomenal) landscape opportunities. Make sure you do that walk, though take your time...(do it in five days not three). You will need a longer lens to take advantage of these views...similarly, if you can get to Colca Canyon to see the Condors (sleep overnight in a tent at the site so you can be up early to watch the Condors rising with the thermals/wind), you will need a telephoto to shoot them, though they approach the Mirador seem a stone's throw away. The FootPrint Guide to Peru (British publication) is far and away the best one for how to travel cheap, live well, and get good value for your money. I recommend it over Lonely Planet and others...

 

Now if you are planning to go to the rainforest, then you will need the telephoto to shoot wildlife, albeit a longer one.

 

Buena Suerta,

 

rdc/nyc

Hi Dante,

 

Nippon Photo Clinic on Broadway and about 20th street in Manhattan repaired my Fuji in about 4 days time...good price too. They are MUCH faster than sending to Fuji too...

 

rdc/nyc

Have a wonderful time...You could probably spend six months in each of those countries and just scratch the surface. One bit of advice: Nepal seems overrun with military personnel these days. I have friends there (who live in the Pokhara area), and they are sending me not good emails about the level of guerilla activity locally, and the national troops stationed in the countryside. Nepal is a wonderful place with great people, but perhaps you might want to see it on another trip...North Vietnam (SaPa area) gets a very big vote from me too.

 

How do digital camera deal with humidity issues that you will encounter in tropical areas?

Another vote for Nippon Photo Clinic for all types/models of Cameras in NYC. They have repaired my Fuji (6x9), Mamiya (6x7) and all Nikon stuff too. They are fast...though can be pricey. They are located at about 20th Steet on Broadway, east side of street.

Hello,

 

I just received a refurbed Scan Multi in mint shape. I purchased this

model to scan some 645 and 6x7 transparencies (Provia). My guess is

that the Dynamic Range captured by this scanner will be better than

what I could achieve with the Epson 4870. And scanning times should

be faster than using that flatbed scanner. The units can be found or

about $400 plus shipping charges...

 

I am aware that the difference between the Scan Multi and the

MultiScan II is only in the software, and that the upgraded (II)

software can be used on the older (Scan Multi) scanner.

 

That being said, I need advice about which scanning software to use.

I already have Vuescan and use it with my Poalroid 4000 scanner. It

is great software, etc. On the other hand, I see that Minolta has its

own software for this scanner that will allow me to scan at 2800 dpi

(interpolated). So my questions are as follows:

 

1. For best quality, would it be best to use Vuescan or the Minolta

Software w/ the Scan Multi?

 

2. Would Vuescan allow me to scan at 2800 dpi (for medium format)

using the Scan Multi?

 

Any comments/advice would be greatly appreciated. I would rather not

add the Minolta Software to my computer if I could use Vuescan to

achieve better results...but if I do install the Minolta Software,

should I install version 1.1 from the CD that comes with the scanner,

and then install the latest uddates over 1.1, or just install the

latest (16 June 2004) software?

 

Thank You

 

rdc/nyc

It is a great camera...don't worry

The Nikon D1h (not the x; the H) has dropped to about $1300 in mint condition if you look in the right places (eg., www.robgalbraith.com) in the classified section.

 

Be careful of the battery /power issues with the D1 series...

Falsterbo...for the spectacular raptor (and other bird) migration.

 

Late August would be just at the beginning of the migration season. And the coastal marsh is right there for nice, open landscape photography. The Falsterbo people have a web site...it is a ringing (banding) station. It is possible to stay there as well.

If you like wide as I do, the 12-24mm zooms are necessary...I like the Sigma over the Nikon for price/performance (the Nikon is way overpriced)...Sigma is great on digital bodies and can be used on a film body too with very interesting results.

 

The one down side of the Sigma 12-24 is the wide front (Pop-eye) lens. It is easy to nick or scratch the front element since you cannot put a UV filter over it (easily). So if you are rough on your equipment go with the Nikon. If you are kind or can replace the lens cap after each shot, go with the Sigma.

 

The advantage of the 12-24mm Nikon is that you can use a Polarizing Filter with it. Impossible on the Sigma.

 

For a review of the Sigma 12-24, search the archives of About.com

 

a good review of the lens can be found there.

 

If you look in my portfolio here on photo.net, I have some images taken with the Sigma 12-24 (look in the Empire State Building Folder or the Pelham Bay Park Folder).

For price with good to great quality:

 

Flatiron on 17th street between 6th and 7th. They are about 50 yards (around the corner) from Adorama.

 

They charge $6/roll for 220 E-6 and you'll have it back the next morning. On the other hand, C-41 is an expensive $7-8/roll for 120 (yes 120). Look elsewhere for C-41 Medium format processing of B/W negs such as Ilford.

 

I wouldn't go to the "Pro" labs such as Duggal. You get just as many scratches there and just as much dust...

 

Paying cash in advance can earn a discount...ask. And don't be afraid to complain (politely) if a lab quotes a high processing price. (Recently prices seem to have jumped about 30% for E-6 processing at many NYC labs.) Often, a polite, mild complaint can get the price to drop...

 

Anyway, given what labs do to film, it is just one more reason to move to digital.

 

Robert DeCandido, PhD

(sitting in the CUNY Grad Center on 34th street/5 ave)

Yes, for history buffs, hawk mountain is the macaw for hawk watchers.

 

Seriously though, for learning about raptors it is a great spot. For photographing them...these days too many people and the birds stay higher or shy away from close passes. It is worth seeing in October when the accipiters (like Sharp-shinned Hawks) come through against the fall foliage. However, you might be better off at Cape May (New Jersey) since the birds come in at eye-level. I have also had good luck photographing migrant raptors at Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx (NYC; especially Ospreys), Lighthouse Point in New Haven, and further afield Nepal (migrating Steppe Eagles), Tanjung Tuan, Malaysia (Oriental Honey-Buzzards); and Chumphon, Thailand (Black Bazas, Chinese Sparrowhawks, Grey-faced Buzzards, Japanese Sparrowhawks and Eastern Marsh Harriers). The latter is a newly discovered watch site of global significance...results will be published soon in Forktail from the 2003 autumn count I did with Ms. Deborah Allen (Canada), Mr. Chukiat Nualsri (Of Thailand who discovered the site in 1996); and Keith Bildstein (Hawk Mountain Director of Conservation Science). I'll try and post a photo or two here...

 

BTW, there is a site in eastern China that is also world famous: Beidaihe, near Beijing.

 

Best Wishes,

 

rdc/bx

Nippon Photo Clinic on Broadway at about 20th street (east side of Broadway). They are listed in the phone book...

 

Also, someone asked just this question in the last 48-72 hours. Search in the recent postings here in the Nikon forum.

For no regrets with egrets:

 

Either shoot the tri-colored (Louisiana) ones that are mostly grey

or

Bracket and overexpose a bit with slides if you want white white ones.

Nippon Photo Clinic located on Broadway (east side of street) and about 20th street. For exact location, check phone book...They also do fine work with Mamiya, and recently repaired my Fuji GSW 6x9.

 

They are superb, but I don't know how their prices compare to other repair shops in NYC. I am contributing this so that all of us in NYC know the still in existence repair places here in the city...

 

rdc/bx

Yes the 29s is compatible with the D-70 but NOT in TTL Mode.

 

Just use the review feature (histogram) on the camera to see if you got the proper exposure...

 

There has been some discussion of this topic before on photo.net; you might try the archives by doing a search on the topic.

 

Best Wishes (and macro digital photography with a ring flash is a good idea).

Having owned the xpan and the Fuji GSW III, I can make a couple of comments:

 

1. The meter on the xpan is poor...almost as poor as the one on the Mamiya 7ii. You will need a handheld external meter to be confident of your exposures, or bracket much.

 

2. Though the xpan can be handheld, and is quite portable, you really need to stop down to F22 to get the depth-of-field needed for properly focused near-to-far landscape scenes...so you end up needing a tripod anyway (or shooting 400 speed film with the xpan).

 

3. The great xpan lens to own is the 30mm...but it is $2000 in price (used). On the other hand, the GSW does give you one option to work with in an affordable package...

 

Recommendation: the xpan is way overpriced. It is in some ways built well...yet read Bjorn's experience with the camera. If you want to go the xpan route, make sure you get the xpan II body (and buy the Fuji version of the body and lens, and not the Hassie versions which Fuji makes anyway). See if you can get it used via E**y...or via a reputable dealer in Taiwan/Singapore that has an on-line store on that auction site. I have purchased much merchandise this way and have had no problems. Just check the on-line store seller's ratings and email him with questions, etc.) So if you shoot a bit of 35mm slides or whatever (standard size), and want to do a few panos, spend the money on the xpan.

 

On the other hand, you could purchase a very nice condition Fuji GSW III for about $1000. It is a great camera...but you need a tripod and external meter (just as you will find you need for the xpan). With another $1000 you can buy a digital camera, and use panoramic software to stitch images together to get the best results of all....

 

My two cents would be to get the Fuji GSW...

Hello,

 

The 17-35mm F2.8 lens is absolutely superb on a film camera.

 

The Sigma 12-24mm is great on a digital camera (and you can use it on a film camera too).<div></div>

1. Buy the scanner for your lab/office

2. Can you hire a graduate student for the summer to scan these slides for you?

 

It takes a bit of getting used to Photoshop to make the necessary color corrections, but it is not terribly difficult to learn the basics.

 

On the other hand, if the nearby lab is thinking of charging about $2k for 750-1000 slides, then that might be a cheaper way to go.

 

3. Get a digital camera and shoot everything that way...color/exposure out of the camera are 99% of what you need. Very different than scanning in which you will need to do some tweaking (and need a color balanced monitor).

Try:

 

http://www.naturfotograf.com/lens_surv.html

Hi,

 

Is the new D-70 compatible with Nikon's VR (Vibration Reduction)

technology? I know VR lenses work with the D-100. However, I heard

that the D-70 cannot utilze the VR technology...

 

Please advise