Author Topic: Bought any photography stuff today?  (Read 169166 times)

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #950 on: 06 October, 2019, 02:51:10 pm »
I'm also looking at printers that will print a photo well today. My old Epson 1500 has been refusing to print onto thicker paper for a while and the print quality of some test prints today is awful. The fact I'd need to get new ink soon is also going against it...

While I'm sure sending off can be cheaper, I enjoy the process of getting a picture on a nice paper to look as good as I can. A cycle of remote print, tweak, try again would get old pretty quickly.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #951 on: 06 October, 2019, 03:51:28 pm »
With photo printers, it's the running costs that make it more effective to send them off for printing. However, it is nice to have a printer that is capable of photo quality results, my money has always been on the Epson R series, no idea if they still do them, with genuine Epson inks.  I've got a venerable R360 that sees occasional use and has been doing well for probably 10 years. It's capable of exceptional output, and I have prints on the wall that have been up for 15 years (from its predecessor) which although behind glass show no sign of fade.

I had one of those as well. Brilliant thing. I gave it to friends son in the end as I couldn't justify the running costs (too little printing so it kept clogging up). We just send things to photobox or the like these days. You used to be able to get outboard ink feeds for them if you were really keen which meant much cheaper ink bought in big bottles.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #952 on: 06 October, 2019, 06:41:58 pm »
I've got a venerable R360...

I had one of those as well. Brilliant thing. I gave it to friends son in the end...
Slightly off-topic, but our R360 finally gave up the ghost. If Ham, pcolbeck or anyone else wants a few random, unused Epson "hummingbird" cartridges, we'd be glad to see the back of them. Make a donation to charity or not, just as you like.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #953 on: 06 October, 2019, 07:04:21 pm »
YHPM

Woofage

  • Tofu-eating Wokerati
  • Ain't no hooves on my bike.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #954 on: 16 October, 2019, 12:09:21 pm »
Having just "sold" my Panasonic Lumix G6 and 14-42 lens to Miss W, I've just replaced it with a G80 plus 12-60  :smug:.

It's a lot bigger (and heavier) than my old camera but the controls are more positive. Most importantly it has a proper 2 wheel control setup rather than the bodged version on previous G series bodies. I look forward to its first proper outing.

Need a second battery first though.
Pen Pusher

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #955 on: 11 November, 2019, 08:13:42 am »
Just bought a Bronica ETRS with a 75mm/f2.8.

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #956 on: 11 November, 2019, 04:29:03 pm »
A Lumix TZ70. The Canon G11 that I bought off Clarion 4 years ago died on me. :(

BrianI

  • Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Lepidopterist Man!
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #957 on: 23 November, 2019, 07:50:34 pm »
Not today, but a Splashart Water Drop photography controller! https://www.phototrigger.co.uk/splashart/  :smug: Funded by the sale of some old Pentax compatible lenses and other old photography gear  :thumbsup:

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #958 on: 27 November, 2019, 05:48:54 pm »
A pair of Tommee Tippee baby bottle bags. Handy for lens cases, most Micro 4/3 lenses can fit nicely. Can squeeze in my Panasonic 100-300. Plenty of padding.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #959 on: 27 February, 2020, 09:38:33 am »
And a few hours later:
Unnamed Lake Study - 1 by Jakob Schmidt, on Flickr

Think the cheap film let me down a bit here. This is with the Formapan100, which came with the SP-445 kit. I think with the Ilford FP4, it wouldn't have blown out so badly.
This will be my Large Format Study spot and I'll be back there this weekend, with both some FP4 and Ektar100.

I'm interested in why people are going back to film.

I put a roll of HP5 through a Baldamatic 35mm camera last year, just for nostalgia.  I thought the whole experience was awful.

1 - Most importantly of all.... the results were, at best, worse than any of my digital cameras.

2 - It's a real faff.

3 - It's expensive

4 - You end up digitising them anyway.

I won't be doing it again, because of Point 1.

What am I missing?
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #960 on: 27 February, 2020, 10:41:31 am »
I'll bet you don't have any vinyl records either!

My darkroom kit sits unused in the loft. I suggested many years ago that I could set it up in the cellar and show the kids proper developing, enlarging.

She pointed out that you could present an image from a digital camera in seconds and they probably wouldn't be interested, apart from to humour me. The kit is still in the loft.
It is simpler than it looks.

Woofage

  • Tofu-eating Wokerati
  • Ain't no hooves on my bike.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #961 on: 27 February, 2020, 10:50:02 am »
Woofage jnr & I each took an Olympus OM1 on holiday the year before last, each loaded with FP4. I thought it would be good experience for him. The film sits undeveloped...
Pen Pusher

Woofage

  • Tofu-eating Wokerati
  • Ain't no hooves on my bike.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #962 on: 27 February, 2020, 10:50:52 am »
On a lighter note, Mrs W bought me a Peak Design* Slide Lite strap for my G80.

Did I also mention that I recently bought an Olympus 60mm f2.8 macro? That is a really lovely lens :thumbsup:.

* Woofage jnr bought one of their bags. He probably holds the title for the most expensive rucsac at his 6th form (apart from the rich kids with their labelled gear). It does protect his camera, laptop and other stuff very nicely though. I'd certainly have one, if I had the dough.
Pen Pusher

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #963 on: 27 February, 2020, 11:23:31 am »
drools at the lens.

Peak Design are in my experience, quite good.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #964 on: 27 February, 2020, 05:08:35 pm »

What am I missing?

Well, hello again - thought you had gone awol.

People can argue all they want about the varying qualities, and the value of a "brand new sensor every shot", but what you are missing is the difference it might have on your view of a scene. Digital, you click. And click again. And again.  Film, you will consider more carefully. I used to use it to "refresh" my eyes occasionally, to enjoyable effect. Also, with B&W film you are forced to see things differently - not that you can't with digital, but it is still a different experience.

And yes, my darkroom kit is up the loft, too.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #965 on: 27 February, 2020, 05:18:20 pm »
Darkroom_kit_in_the_loft  ++;

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #966 on: 28 February, 2020, 12:44:15 pm »

What am I missing?

Well, hello again - thought you had gone awol.

People can argue all they want about the varying qualities, and the value of a "brand new sensor every shot", but what you are missing is the difference it might have on your view of a scene. Digital, you click. And click again. And again.  Film, you will consider more carefully. I used to use it to "refresh" my eyes occasionally, to enjoyable effect. Also, with B&W film you are forced to see things differently - not that you can't with digital, but it is still a different experience.

And yes, my darkroom kit is up the loft, too.

Hello (I should say "Bonjour" as we're into our 4th month of our new French life).

Quote
I'll bet you don't have any vinyl records either!
- No, I don't.  They were all ruined about 20 years ago in a leaky garage roof and mould incident (I miss Album covers, not the vinyl format though).

My Canon M50 (a hugely underrated camera) is regularly set to Monochrome and 1:1 square format. 
As you say, it forces you to look at the world through Black and White eyes, looking for shadows rather than colours (I personally think the world looks more realistic in monochrome). 

My favourite images were quite often shot on 120 film (See Vivian Maier) with a waist-level viewfinder (See Vivian Maier's Rolleiflex). 
My M50 allows me to recreate that, even down to the waist-level (flip out screen) viewfinder.  I use a 22mm "pancake" (35mm focal equiv) to get that classic field of view, and to keep the camera discreet. 

Using a fixed focal-length lens trains your eye to see the final image, and speeds the whole process up.

All this without the need to slosh paper round in chemicals.

Recent example: I went into Venice, with my "Vivian Maier setup", at dawn.  It was fascinating to see the city waking up, before the tourist onslaught began.

This is a jpg straight out of the camera (although the RAW still has the full colour. full sensor. information).  It reminds me of walking around with my old Olympus XA2.



Just to get back on thread.... I just received a Rollei 90cm folding "Beauty Dish" with diffuser and "grid".  It's very nice and I'll be posing for myself later.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #967 on: 28 February, 2020, 05:11:52 pm »
Digital, you click. And click again. And again.  Film, you will consider more carefully.

I think that's always been a bit of myth except for amateurs (which I most definitely count myself as - could never afford the processing for being profligate with film).  I've talked to professional photographers who now use digital but started on film. One of the main advantages they said was not having to pay for film. They didn't take fewer pictures with film, they shot away like crazy it was just much more expensive. Had about the same success rate as they did with digital but the rejects are free with digital.

I love film cameras just for the pure analogue tech of them. Lovely machinery. I wish you could get a digital 35mm film roll to put in them as I really cant be bothered to pay for or get film developed (and neither can Mrs Pcolbeck who used to develop and print her own black and white shots).
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #968 on: 28 February, 2020, 05:36:02 pm »
I wish you could get a digital 35mm film roll to put in them as I really cant be bothered to pay for or get film developed (and neither can Mrs Pcolbeck who used to develop and print her own black and white shots).

Googling digital camera backs (I wanted to remind myself of when they were a thing and why they never got anywhere except maybe in medium/large-format), I found this...

http://re35.net/

Looks like the advances in flexible semiconductor technology have finally enabled a sensor that slides in/out of the cartridge, and is thin enough to fit between the shutter and camera back.


[EDITED TO ADD: Which on further reading turns out to be too good to be true, chiz.  ::-) :facepalm:]

So it looks like you're stuck with kludgy-looking Kickstarterware like the I'm Back digital camera back, which is only available for a limited number of 35mm cameras (which is what I think did for digital backs the first time they appeared).

https://petapixel.com/2018/09/21/im-backs-digital-backs-for-old-35mm-cameras-are-now-in-production/

ETA - of course, mileage has varied, and still does.

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/5677027893/why-your-beloved-film-slr-is-never-going-digital


Edited - Fool me once...
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #969 on: 28 February, 2020, 05:42:13 pm »
You have to click on the Disclaimer on that re35.net website!
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #970 on: 28 February, 2020, 05:53:45 pm »
Couldn't get that to open for some reason, but on further Googling, oops, my bad...  :-[

https://www.popphoto.com/news/2011/04/re-35-will-not-turn-your-35mm-film-camera-digital/

Seems a bit twattish of the design company to leave that up for this long now, though.

"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #971 on: 28 February, 2020, 05:54:50 pm »
I tried to copy and paste from the pop-up but it wouldn't let me.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #972 on: 28 February, 2020, 07:08:42 pm »
Digital, you click. And click again. And again.  Film, you will consider more carefully.

I think that's always been a bit of myth except for amateurs (which I most definitely count myself as - could never afford the processing for being profligate with film).  I've talked to professional photographers who now use digital but started on film. One of the main advantages they said was not having to pay for film. They didn't take fewer pictures with film, they shot away like crazy it was just much more expensive. Had about the same success rate as they did with digital but the rejects are free with digital.


I'm fairly certain Ansel Adams didn't fire off 300 shots looking for the perfect one.

you are confusing the artistic aspects of photography to which we all (?) aspire, and a very few professionals attain, and the business end. Of course if you are shooting, for example, a sporting event you used your motor drive and chewed through films at a rate of knots. But, when you are "taking photographs" you have always done it slower. Not to mention that anyone on 120 wouldn't be using motor drive. Not to mention full plate.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #973 on: 29 February, 2020, 01:52:32 am »
Sorry,  I missed large parts of this:

I went back to film because it's more deliberate and organic. It isn't just pointing the camera in the general direction and holding down the shutter.
I only shoot 4x5 and 120. For 35mm, I think it gets too grainy too easily and it starts affecting the overall look.

Especially the large format. It takes at least 10 minutes to setup, so most shots are pre-planned, but I also think that the results can be far superior to anything you get from a digital camera, at least without a large amount of post processing. (I also get much much higher resolution than you can get with a DSLR). It requires planning, consideration and makes you think a lot harder about the picture you're about to take. A colour photo on a fancy slide film will cost me $30, so cost alone, makes you much more focused on getting it right. ( B/W in contrast, only costs me $1-3 depending on film and developer used).

You do lose the ability to be spontanous , which is why I also got the medium format. Again, fixed, lens, manual focus, operation of aperture and shutter. You still have to work to take the picture and you have to be a lot more conscious about the process.

So, sure, a lot of it is more about the process than the actual outcome (although I do think you get a superior photograph when you get it right with film), and sure you can do the exact process with a digital..some may do...but you still end up with a digital look, that your picture is a perfect example of.

On top of that, it's the opposite of the instant gratification society that we live in. When I click the shutter, at best it'll be 4-5 hours before I see the result..and in case of colour photos, days. (Although I do have pro lab only 5 mins walk away, which is handy!).

Oh and you can get motor drives for 120 film :D
https://www.butkus.org/chinon/bronica/bronica_etr_si_motor_winder_ei/bronica_etr_si_motor_winder_ei.htm


Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #974 on: 29 February, 2020, 06:04:48 am »
Yawn.
I'm currently on holiday in Cyprus. I've got my smartphone and two film cameras. I've been here for three days and taken a dozen camera snaps, and zero on my phone.
I never got into digital cameras and given the entry price of analogue cameras that are good enough for taking holiday snaps plus the cost of developing & scanning it's an affordable* way of taking pictures that are more interesting than I'd get on my phone, and are of (subjectivity) better quality.
I enjoy the process of framing and taking the photo, the anticipation of the return of the scans, and I get enjoyment from owning a clunky piece of kit that's been around for a few decades.

*Affordable for me = £20 camera* +(lots of films +lots of developing & scanning) < cost of new digital camera

*Of course, I've now got n+1 cameras, but all under £25
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.