Camera Tripod Advice

[Don Patrick]

Oh, btw, Phil, here's a magnified version of my avatar... Shows me holding my old Nikon F3P (yes, the rare press model)... Taken by Mr. Kilt when he visited the Seattle area a couple years ago. We were on the spit that extends out from Port Angeles...

That F3 brings back fond memories for me. I'm ashamed to say all my 35mms have been gathering dust in storage. Guess I've made the jump over to digital. I've been using a Sony DSC 707 for some time. Incredible camera and it's lens. Just picked up a Panasonic DMC-TZ3. Not a perfect camera, but it is small and has a nice lens on it.

[Kilted_John]

That F3 brings back fond memories for me. I'm ashamed to say all my 35mms have been gathering dust in storage. Guess I've made the jump over to digital. I've been using a Sony DSC 707 for some time. Incredible camera and it's lens. Just picked up a Panasonic DMC-TZ3. Not a perfect camera, but it is small and has a nice lens on it.

Don,

Pick up a couple rolls of Ilford HP5+ or FP4+ and go shoot some B&W. Digital does well for color, but doesn't look right in B&W.

-J

[auld argonian]

I'll second Kilted John's comment above...shoot the B&W and then scan it into the computer. I've finally gotten around to doing some of this and the results are much more impressive than I had expected. Outputing the results through a printer becomes a rather dicey proposition (in my experience...YMMV) but while the prints don't have the depth of a silver halide print, they can be pretty good.

I often shoot 4X5 and these days all they want on the receiving end is a scan anyway...but even an adequate scanner produces an impressive result when it's from a larger format neg. It's sort of become my secret weapon. Fella set up around here doing family portraits and you can just tell that the prints he's displaying in the window are totally digital...there is a difference.

So, with NO apologies to Charlton Heston: You'll get my Nikon when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers!

Best

AA

[Don Patrick]

Don,

Pick up a couple rolls of Ilford HP5+ or FP4+ and go shoot some B&W. Digital does well for color, but doesn't look right in B&W.

-J

I haven't used Ilford since my darkroom days. I miss those days. I've been using Adobe Photoshop and some times night vision for create my black and white. I've changed primarily due to available resources. Can't seem to find dark rooms like I use to - with traveling and all.

Ilford and Fujica use to be among my standards. - along with my Spotmatic Fs and F3s. Sure miss those days.