robert_bowring

I just returned from a 2 week trip to China and had no problems with US or Chinese customs. I did not know about registering my equipment with customs but it sounds like a pretty good idea to do it just in case any problems arise. I was using film cameras and had no problems having my film hand inspected instead of x-rayed. In some instances I was required to remove the equipment from my camera bag and other times they just left it in the bag. I did carry a list of all of my equipment and the serial numbers of everything but never had to use it. I visited Shanghai, Zi'an and Beijing. The subways in each city have x-ray inspections at each stop. Sometimes they would want me to x-ray my stuff but I found that if I opened my bag and showed them my cameras they would just wave me wave me through. Sometimes they did not even stop me. If they insisted on x-raying my stuff, I had all of my film in a clear plastic bag and they would hand inspect it. The only real problem I had was that I underestimated how much film I would need to take with me. It is not easy to find film in China. I did find a great camera shopping mall in Shanghai. It is 2 six story buildings of nothing but photography shops of new and used equipment. I can't remember the name but it is located on Luban Road and is a short walk from the subway station. If you ever get to Shanghai you should really check it out.

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I am not quite sure what you are looking for. I think you are referring to the "Zone VI Washing Machine" not to the "Zone VI Archival Print Washer". Zone VI made several different types of washers. Here is a copy from their catalog. Hope it helps you. I have a Zone VI Archival Print Washer and it works very well.

I bought a mint F3 HP with a 50mm 1.4 and a MD 4 at an auction for $45.00. It is a really nice camera but the motor drive just added weight and screwed up the handling for me. I would think that if you were a news or sports photographer the motor dive would come in handy but it does nothing for me but it does look pretty cool. I always thought that the film companies must have loved motor dives. You can really burn some film very fast. If anyone is looking for a mint MD 4 let me know. I will even throw in the 8 AA batteries.

Sanford, you are correct. I hope someone discovers my negatives and prints after I am gone. If they manage to make some money then more power to them. I won't be here so they have my permission to do whatever they want. I saw her pictures before I heard about her story and controversy and I liked the pictures that were published. She lived, she photographed and she died. She did not leave any instructions about what to do with her work. I am just glad that someone made the effort to make her work known.

I am leaving for China on Friday. Am traveling light so taking my Nikon F2 for Tri-X film and Nikkormat EL for color film. Only taking 3 lenses: 50mm, 35mm and 28mm.

If you want to stick to manual focus lenses get a good F2 or F3. Either will work fine. I am 68 years old and wear glasses and do not have any problems focusing.

I am sort of rough on equipment so I always keep uv filters on my lenses for protection. I have found that the Hoya filters are very good.

Oops! Sorry. Next time I will read the rules.

Supriyo parallel lines converging

Sanford picture

Thanks. I have been around for a some time but have never heard of it.

Excuse my ignorance but what exactly is a "metal print"?

Look at photographs. Go to museums and galleries and libraries. When you see a photograph you really like try to figure out why you like it. The book that got me started was "The Americans" by Robert Frank. Saw it in my high school library 50 years ago. I have been learning ever since.

I do the same thing as Sandy. I screwed a couple of suspended ceiling panels to the wall and covered them with burlap. I use push pins to hang the prints. When my wife gets sick of looking at the same prints or I make some new prints I just take the old ones down and put new ones up. It also helps to look at the prints to see if they can be improved some way.

To paraphrase Mel Brooks: " it's good to be the queen".

Get a good Nikon F or Nikon F2. Will last you a lifetime. They are very rugged and you can use Nikon lenses. You will not find any better.

Thanks. I will check that out.

I took the top off and cleaned the viewfinder glass. What a difference. I am now able to actually see through the viewfinder. It was very easy to do. The pad of death is intact and working properly so I don't have to replace it. The shutter is still staying open at f16 so I guess cleaning it will be the next step. It looks like I will have to remove/disassemble the lens to get at the shutter. I don't have all of the tools that are required so will have to order them.

I wear glasses and have the same problem with some cameras. The best camera I found to solve this problem is my Nikon F3 HP.

I have checked out several service sites and am going to take the camera top off when I get a chance. I think the pad of death is ok. It has a nice "clunk" when I wind the film and the shutter works properly at all of the other apertures but does not close at f16. I will check the pad when I remove the top and also will clean the view finder glass. After looking at the service sites I think that the shutter or aperture blades are somehow dirty or sticky at f16 so I am also going to attempt to clean and lubricate. It does not look that hard to do. I received this camera from my brother-in-law. He got it as a gift sometime in the 1970's and never used it. It never had a roll of film in it. As it sat unused for about 45 years I figure the lube as dried out or something. I am surprised that it works at all after sitting so long but every other thing works properly.

I have a Weston Ranger 9 that has been converted for a modern battery at Quality Light Metrics. Very nice meter. I also use a Sekonic Studio Deluxe which does not require any battery. It also works very well. Lots of them for sale on eBay.

Should be fine. I have used film older than that and it was ok.