Photography Nuts & Bolts

[plaques]

The algorithms on smart phone cameras are getting so sophisticated that they are producing pictures to give the image that it thinks you want rather than what you are actually seeing. Sky's are bluer, skin tones lighter, shading adjusted and background faded if fact more like an artists impression rather than the true picture. Bring back the Box Brownie.

[Big Kev]

Paulette still uses her Panasonic Lumix compact camera, it gives a bit more control than her 4 year old Samsumg smartphone. Not bad results either. My 15 year old Olympus E30 is starting to show its age, the power switch needs a bit of a wiggle to keep the camera powered up. I know why it does it and as long as I remember to 'back off' the switch, from the on position, a little bit all is good.

[PanBiker]

That's an impressive sunset, Ian! We've had a few strange sunsets over the last couple of weeks. Last night it was an unusual colour, more of a muddy or sandy red, rather like the colour of our local clay soil.

I was a tad late Peter by the time I got into the yard, it was much more impressive 90 seconds or so before. Must try harder next time.

Sally Had a Panasonic Lumix before her current Canon compact. I had it repaired once but it failed again and it was time for a replacement.

[Stanley]

I have three methods for capturing images. If I am out it is the phone but by far the greatest number of the pics I take are done on my Canon Powershot, including all the ones in the shed so it has to put up with the oil, chips and grinding dust! I still have my Nikon D200 and occasionally I give myself a treat and use that. Not as high resolution but definitely a touch better quality.....
I freely admit that I am now a point and shoot snapper. Gone are the days when I put a lot of thought and care into the pics, That was in the days of Tri-X and my own processing. Long gone! But the point is that I still enjoy my snaps, particularly of the kids.....
Digital imagery is the best thing ever. I have all my pics digitised (Many hours scanning negs.....) and can happily lose myself for hours in the archive. Last time I looked there were over 30,000 images, many repeats of course but so enjoyable. (I love going back in the files for forgotten corners on the site....

[Stanley]

When I was on about how I do my snaps these days I forgot the Nikkormats. When I came out of full time film snapping I got rid of all the Nikon Fs and the Hasselblad but kept the two cameras I got from Roger Perry that I have always regarded as the best ever made, the Nikkormat and the Nikkormat EL which was the semi auto one. I kept the lens as well because some of them are useful on the Nikon D200.
The Nikkormats came into my mind this morning and I got them out to check if the batteries were in or out. Good job I looked as I had evidently replaced the batteries not long ago and one of them is still loaded with a roll of Tri-X! Just to be certain I am safe I have taken the batteries out.
I can't tell you why I still have those two old outdated cameras still ready for action. I suppose they were part of my life for so long... Plus the fact they were Roger's. (I still have the Nikon camera Case he gave me. It has velvet lined metal docking stations inside it for two Nikon bodies.... Incredibly heavy but treasured.)

[Big Kev]

I gave away my old Olympus OM2N to a photography student, she'd never seen a film camera let alone used one.

[Stanley]

I don't think I could part with the two Nikkormats. They remind me so of my mate Roger Perry.



Roger in Bancroft Shed in 1977.

[PanBiker]

I have just given my Pentax P30, flash and zoom lens to my nephew Nick. He has taken to shooting with film and done some quite good ones in mono with an instant type camera. Pentax will give him a few more options.

[Stanley]

Ian, I have a heap of TriX mono 35mm film in the fridge which is very old but will still be OK just slower. If you want it for your nephew check in with me. (It's been refrigerated since it was new and that will be over 20 years ago.....)
PS Just struck me, I have some other roll film stuff like dev tanks etc if he's into developing his own.)

[PanBiker]

Not sure he has got into processing his own Stanley. Problem is he lives in Salford and only gets home a few times year. I think he said that he got his last stock at a discount from his old Uni as he was a member of the photography club. Very kind offer anyway and I will mention it to him.

[Big Kev]

I have retired the Olympus E30 and the associated lenses as it is nearly 13 years old and obsolete, I will keep it as a backup. I have treated myself to a Nikon D7200, a couple of lenses (Nikon 18-105mm and a Sigma 10-20mm), battery grip, a couple of new batteries with double charger and a TTL dedicated flashgun. It should all be here by Tuesday. I have a wedding to shoot in June which will cover the cost so I'm very happy, I will be looking at a longer focal length lens a bit later.

Screenshot_2024-01-21-17-59-44-219_com.ebay.mobile.jpg

Screenshot_2024-01-21-17-59-59-713_com.ebay.mobile.jpg

Screenshot_2024-01-21-18-00-43-937_com.ebay.mobile.jpg

[Stanley]

Nice to see you into Nikon Kev. Best of luck with it.....
That prompted me to get my Nikon D200 out and put the battery on charge. I should use it more......

[Big Kev]

Nice to see you into Nikon Kev. Best of luck with it.....
That prompted me to get my Nikon D200 out and put the battery on charge. I should use it more......

You should

The choice was Canon or Nikon, I did briefly consider Sony but stuck with one of the market leaders. Most are going with mirrorless cameras now so the cost of DSLRs has dropped slightly. Good for me.

[Stanley]

This morning's shed pics were done with the Nikon. Could you tell?

[Big Kev]

This morning's shed pics were done with the Nikon. Could you tell?

They do have a certain clarity about them

[Big Kev]

My new kit has all been despatched, new SD cards will be here today. Camera, lenses, flashgun, battery grip and two new batteries with a double charger should be here tomorrow

1pm and the SD cards came through the letterbox as expected.

[Stanley]

Exciting stuff! I hope all goes well!
Yes, 'a certain clarity' is a good description for what I see. Though lower definition in digital terms compared with the Sureshot the images are somehow clearer. I once told Roger that I thought Nikon had found a way of making a lens that could but a faint black line round the edge of every major object in the frame. He said that I wasn't the only one to suggest that......

[Big Kev]

Yes, 'a certain clarity' is a good description for what I see. Though lower definition in digital terms compared with the Sureshot the images are somehow clearer.

All down to lens quality

[Stanley]

I hope you get the same....

[Big Kev]

Camera, one of the lenses and the flashgun have arrived along with a very nice Samsonite bag and a polarising filter. Couple more bits and I can have a play.

[Big Kev]

All the kit has arrived and, after an initial issue with the camera battery, everything is working as it should (the camera supplier sent a new genuine Nikon battery to resolve the issue). I just need to use it to familiarise myself, the controls are in a different place to the Olympus. It has a quality feel about it and the image resolution is twice that of the Olympus.

[Stanley]

Sounds nice. You will soon have it singing and dancing....
You will have noticed that I too have been spending on kit. Call in after Tuesday next week to have a look at what I have done.....

[Big Kev]

Sounds nice. You will soon have it singing and dancing....
You will have noticed that I too have been spending on kit. Call in after Tuesday next week to have a look at what I have done.....

You have me intrigued now, what have you bought?

I gave the Nikon a run out and was very pleased with the ease of use. The high power flashgun I bought for it performed faultlessly, it's an aftermarket model made in China. I'll be uploading the images to my desktop machine sometime today (Sunday) and looking forward to the results

[Stanley]

Kev, I got fed up with fighting my ten year old 'Smart' TV . It was losing apps one by one so I have bought a new Samsung 4k set and they are installing it on Tuesday.

[Big Kev]

Kev, I got fed up with fighting my ten year old 'Smart' TV . It was losing apps one by one so I have bought a new Samsung 4k set and they are installing it on Tuesday.

Excellent