RE: August PUG - Larson, Cohen.
Lasse's comment on my picture (of my daughter) with the spectrum on her face are exactly on target. I think I liked the picture because I like the subject so well, and it was an unusual way of looking at her; plus, she is never usually serious in a picture, so this was also interesting. But now I see that as a picture tout court (as us quebecois say) it is not as interesting as I had originally thought. I still am working on the idea, and hope to have something better. As for the smears, there are so many smears on my monitor that I thought they were there. Bad me. And I think Lasse's coments are a super example of honest criticism without any nasty edge to it. Thanks again. JJ Lasse's comments... Woman at 400 to 700 nm by John Cohen. Hm. It seems I am in a critical mood today. I think you should work more with your subject. She is beautiful. However, this picture seems to fall between two chairs, so to speak. I am left wondering about about the purpose of the picture. She is not really being portrayed as a person. (Had this particular light from the prism been left out, I could have more easily concentrated on her face, the tranquility and shape of her head and face. But still, I guess the intention is not to present a real portrait of her.) Although interesting, this colorful light from the prism in my opinion doesn't really add much to the picture, other than the funny effect of it. A few words about the framing. Her head is firmly placed right in the middle of this horisontal frame. This will lock your eye to her face, but the empty dark space to the right makes it difficult for you to rest your eye in her face or follow the direction of her own eyes. I would definitely have cropped the picture maybe up to her left ear. (Just to complete this unfriendly comment I also notice some smear of whatever on the print that you should have cleaned up... :)) - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Old messages coming back again...
Am I the only one getting bombarded with repeats of old messages (35 in the past 5 minutes)? Que pasa? JJ - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
August PUG comments
Hi PUG fans, here are some comments on pictures I was assigned and a couple of others. Christmas at the Cathedral by Jaume Lahuerta This is a wonderful picture, nice balanced composition. The feeling is almost medieval, especially with the Santa Claus hat on the major figure in the centre. So much so that I thought it would look better in sepia, so I converted it to that in PhotoShop, and it looks magnificent. I don't have a web site yet, but I'd be glad to email a jpeg of the sepia version to anyone who can't do it him/herself. The graininess is a plus here. The only thing I'd like to see different is the tree branches at the top replaced by a few stars. Good picture! Memory by Luis Pinar, Argentina A moving shot of an emotional event. I like the way the wind has caught the torches. There is a nice circular composition that brings the eye in. If it has a weakness it's that there is no focus for the activity; I can't tell what's going on at this moment, as different people are doing different things. The bright modern window lights at the top are distracting; I cropped them out but the composition suffered, so I cloned them dim and it helps quite a bit. This one grows on you, the more you see it the more you like it. Neon Glow by William Robb, Canada I like everything about this abstract/realist picture except, maybe, the background, which looks like Formica; it's a little fussy for this minimalist view. This is one of those pictures I wish I had taken; such a nice, simple idea. You must have tried all sorts of exposures to get this one. The nicest feature is the little filament at the bottom. Night Pipe by Jostein Øksne This is terrific. What makes it work is all that busy action below, then utter blackness, and then suddenly the bright light and that eerie glowing smoke or steam. I don't mind a bit that it was fixed in PhotoShop. Mars Rising: A Self-Portrait by Bill Peifer, USA The semitransparent guy in this picture makes it great. The bright lights in the trees are less optimal. But overall this is a neat picture. Zero Hour Sky by Thomas Cakalic, USA Fantastic. J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, MailStop B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262 Phone +1 303 315 8898 Fax +1 303 315 5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Goodbye for a bit
Hey PDMLers, On Monday I'll unsubscribe for a couple of weeks, so please don't discuss anything useful or important. My trip: As a Canadian who's lived in the States for a long time, I got to missing my roots, and decided that it was time to visit the part of Canada that has always attracted me, at least in books. So the itinerary is something like this: Denver-Ottawa Ottawa-Iqaluit (on Baffin Island; biggest town, capital of Nunavut) Iqaluit-Cape Dorset (also on Baffin, home of many famous artists) Cape Dorset-Iqaluit-Resolute (the gateway to the high arctic, that is, north of 75 degrees) Resolute-Beechey Island (to see graves of some members of the Franklin expedition of ~1845, all 128 of whom were lost) Resolute-Eureka (weather station at ~80 degrees north, on Ellesmere Island) Eureka- Tanquaray Fjord (82 N, about as high as you can land in summer in a Twin Otter) Tanquary Fjord-Grise Fjord (most northern settlement in North America, only about 8 Inuit families) Back to Iqaluit via Clyde River and Qikiqtarjuaq; then Ottawa and Denver. Equipment: an IQZoom (Espio) 105 WR for wet work and a ZX-5n with a sigma zoom, 40 rolls of Supra 400, various small stuff (batteries!), TRIPOD (in spite of the shlepping), mosquito nets, 100% DEET (do not use for more than 2 weeks or you will die), polypropylene everything, oh, and a tuque, eh. The sun won't go down at all once we're north of 66. I'll be looking for poutine at the Iqualuit Burger King...NOT. A bientot, tout la gang. John - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Why I won't be buying an MZ-S, and other ramblings with a rant at the very end.
I just got a Pentax IQZoom 105 WR (Point 'n' Shoot)for my upcoming trip to the Arctic. I got it because it's weatherproof and I don't want to ruin my good camera in a Zodiac or on an ice floe. But: I HATE this camera! It does everything for me, and I feel powerless. I can't calculate DOF because I don't know whether it's stopping down, and I never know shutter speed. Maybe the way to start is with a camera like this--if you never grow to hate it, well, lucky you, you'll save a bundle. But if you do, you'll want to see how it is that other people take more interesting pictures, and that would lead to wanting more control, not less... John - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Pro grade 400
David Brooks said: I know there was a thread a while back re best 400 film for a pdml'rs trip to the great white north and i know max and superia are consumer grades of film but what would be a good pro type film in the 400/800 class Although there were fans of just about every film imaginable, overall the vote seemed to be for Kodak Supra 400. I just ordered a bale of it. John - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
July PUG comments
Thanks to several folks for comments about my VLA at Sunset picture. FYI, it was taken on the first roll I ever did with my ZX-5n, on outdated Tri-X, which I dropped off at the local supermarket for genuine Kodak processing, but all the pictures came back with different degrees of colour, so I have to assume it went through some kind of dye baths, but as I write this it makes less and less sense... I haven't studied all the shots for July but I was bowled over by Sparky's first day at the farm by David Brooks. You have to look at this one carefully to see what's going on! At first I though, nice running horse, then I saw the dog, and WOW! Unbelievable timing. Both facial expressions, and the diagonal of the horse, and the dog's forward diagonal, make it a picture I don't have words for. I love it. John Cohen - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Re: My Wonderful Day
Since it seems to be true confessions day, here's mine: I was blown out of bed at the crack o' dawn by construction noise; they were beginning to rotomill my street (scrape off the asphalt, mix it with crushed Cs and Ns and roll it back on) and there were dozens of guys and machines and I like that, so I grabbed my ZX-5n and ran out in my jammies and took a whole roll while the guys looked curiously at the looney standing in his slippers in the hot tar. Off to 1-hour SkrewUp Photo, and got back my prints: all but one totally lousy because I shot the whole thing set on spot-metering, when most shots were beautifully backlit by the sunrise. Most had washed out backgrounds and pitch dark foregrounds, with some tiny feature in the center beautifully exposed. Just one was what I hoped it would look like...Aaargh John - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Best ISO 400 negative film?
Hi, experts: In July/Aug I'm going to spend 2 weeks in the high Canadian Arctic. The sun will be up all the time I'm there, but the quality of light will be...strange. I expect the landscape, villages, animals to be pretty drab in terms of colour range. I only want to bring one kind of film so that I'm not always sorry there's something else in the camera (weight restrictions means one camera (ZX-5n) and one or two lenses (probably a 50 mm and a 28-200 zoom, and a small lightweight tripod). I think that ISO 400 might be the best compromise, and want film with wide exposure latitude so that I can make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; therefore, negative rather than slide film. Also, I think that given the drab palette, I should go for a film with enhanced colour saturation. Therefore, I'm considering: Fuji Superia 400 (CH) Kodak Max 400 Kodak Portra 400VC Kodak Supra 400 Can anyone with experience with these films suggest what they would use? Thanks a lot. JJ J. John Cohen Department of Immunology, MailStop B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262 Phone +1 303 315 8898 Fax +1 303 315 5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Digital: The next level
I read an article in The New Yorker that mentioned an extraordinary digital camera, and found their Web site: http://www.foveon.net/prod_new.html They make a camera with 3 4-megapixel CMOS detectors, one each for RGB (so, 12 megapixel), which you can snap up for $23,900. Then you have to buy a Canon lens for it. But what is really the amazing thing is the next step: they have a 4000 x 4000 pixel chip (16.8 megapixels) which they put into a prototype camera and gave it to Greg Gorman to try. It can make useful enlargements up to 90 x 90 inches. You can see a picture at: http://www.foveon.net/feature_photo.html Here's what they say: Having worked with film for most of his career,Gorman was very impressed by Foveon's technology. The quality of this [8 foot] blowup far exceeds what you could do on [35mm] film, stated Gorman So when this all finally costs $1000, that should be the end of 35mm, no? JJ - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Jan van Wijk's May PUG
I agree that it's a fine picture, but in the interest of my learning, can someone comment on the sky? It is very dark in the upper right, and I can't imagine the atmospheric conditions that could do that. It looks like there was a polarizer on the lens that wasn't fully rotated. Or something. I find it distracting. Am I wrong? John J. John Cohen Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
My May PUG Comments
First, what a wonderful Gallery this month! I have convinced myself that everyone sent in their absolute best ever picture. If not, I'm selling my camera and taking up bowling. From the Mont-Blanc summit by Yves Caudano It's a exciting shot, and I like it. However, I can't help wondering what it would have been like about 30 minutes earlier. The sun seems to be about 2 diameters (16 minutes) above the horizon in this shot, and I think it's too late. It's so bright that the picture is necessarily dark. This has resulted in a loss of contrast that I think hurts the image. I also can imagine that this picture would be much more dramatic if the person wasn't almost lost in the distance, but was right before the camera, with his back to it, trudging away. Seaoat by M. Patrick Hunt I love this picture though I'm unable to say why, exactly. The overall colour balance is very pleasing. The reversal of the expected norm is what moves me: the oat stalk is huge, the sun tiny. It's perfectly exposed. It's just a very satisfying image without being challenging or difficult. There is something on the right edge that I would crop away, just a few millimeters. A winner. Lighthouse, Peggy's Cove by Jodi Cleary It's very tough to take a picture of a famous sight; what can you do that's different? This is a very good picture. However, for me, it's kind of a postcard view. I'd like to see what it would look like from a little further back-is there some interesting terrain around it? The open door is a nice feature, as it creates the beginning of a story (where's the keeper?) Please make another day trip to Peggy's Cove on a stormy day; this tranquil scene could use some drama brewing in the background. Nevertheless, it's a better picture than any I took at Peggy's Cove, years ago. Lotus by Ken Tam Wow! A perfect picture of a perfect flower! This is really one of the best flower pictures I've seen. When you look carefully, you see the expected dew not on, but in, the flower (petals at right). The DOF is fantastic (that 300 mm lens) as is the detail. The pose of the flower is absolutely wonderful. The background is nice and moody. The only thing I'd experiment with changing would be to try to tone down the white patch at the left, which pulls the eye away from the star attraction. I bet there's a way in PhotoShop to make it greener, like the leaf it's on. J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: April '01 Commentary (Crow Walking)
My thanks to Chris, James, and Frits for their generous and useful comments on "Crow Walking". Just a couple of notes: This was frame 37 and I was too cold to change film. I kept trying but my hands wouldn't cooperate. Frits is right, I can imagine better composition. I was constrained by where I could put the tripod; the snow was deep and I couldn't go off the beaten path with it. Also, that isn't the bench's shadow; there were no shadows. That's a concrete pad that the bench was bolted to, so I couldn't move it even if I had been smart enough to see the shot that Frits suggested. But no excuses: although I like the picture, one day, I hope, I'll take a better one. Thanks. John C. snip " Crow walking " by John Cohen, USA This is my favorite this month. The contrast is distinct and keeps the segments of the image discernable. snip Yes, this picture sure got my attention as well, I like it also very much. I do want to ad some criticism, just my view, take no offence. (And I did say I like it). The bench is facing directly to the left, directly out of the picture. It would have been nicer if it was facing to the right, and guiding the viewer into the frame, but you obviously don't want to move it around and disturb the snow by doing that. Also the shadow falls out of the frame, which I dislike a bit. Now, I don't know the situation, but suppose you had space around you and the crow would co-operate by staying where it is: you walk to the left, and then the bench is in the right of the frame facing the desired direction, the shadow would be visible in the picture, and hopefully the crow would be in the left part of the picture and you would still have that nice background. I think it would made a more balanced picture. Frits. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: State of Science -- more interesting but OT stuff.
Journal of Irreproducible Results. Still in business, see: http://www.jir.com/ John Cohen -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, 04 April, 2001 10:02 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: State of Science -- more interesting but OT stuff. Years ago, the most frequently copied scientific article was a parody, in a journal of parodies, claiming that North American was sinking into the sea from the weight of years of Natinal Geographics that Americans refuse to throw away. Does anyone remember the name of the journal? Is it still around? I think it began with the words Journal of... - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Comments on Thornsberry, Sawyer, Woods
My thanks to the organizers for the chance to comment. I had 3 terrific pictures to look at, in which big and beautiful RED was the feature. [EMAIL PROTECTED] " Strawberry " by Kevin Thornsberry, USA I imagine that this was a _really_ big strawberry since it's all in such nice focus. The detail is wonderful--for the first time, I think, I realize those little bumps are actually seeds, and some are riper than others. The picture is rather formal: the marching seeds, and the leaf looks a bit posed, but the overall effect I find pleasing and soothing; I'd love a print of it on my kitchen wall. I wonder how this would have looked lit with a spot rather than the fluorescent; it might have given the strawberry a more tactile texture. What about a couple of glycerin "dewdrops"? " RenCen " by Bill Sawyer, USA The more I look at this one the more I like it. I first thought of it as a purely abstract composition, with a nice colour block and some related tones. Then I began to wonder, What _is_ that red cylinder? So now it became a much more interesting picture. The verticals and diagonals play off each other very nicely. The only thing that doesn't fit so well in the muted colour harmony is the bright beige light in the window on the right. This is a picture I'd like to have taken, but don't think I know how to, yet. Bill, what did you meter on to get such pleasing balance? " Additional benefits! " by Niall Woods This is no ordinary close-up of a flower! It's actually very in your face; I can hear it saying "You lookin' at ME?" The position in the frame is perfect; I tried all sorts of crops, but it's best as is. I don't understand where the light is coming from, or how you managed to get such a difference between the highlight and shadow colour. In fact the shadow deep red looks airbrushed on, expecially in the petals on the right. A great use of Velvia, and a really satisfying picture. It would fit on my wall, next to the strawberry. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Sid's PUG comments for David Chernicoff, John Cohen, Gary Murphy
Wow, Sid, thank you very much for your comments! As a teacher, I spend most of my time telling my (medical and graduate) students how good they are, even if maybe they're not, because encouragment is very important to a beginner. It's very nice to be on the receiving end. John (In part, Sid B. said:) John Cohen's Crow Walking I think I may have lucked out and been assigned the best image in the gallery this month! John, it is my most considered opinion (however fraught with no credentials as I may be...) this is a work of art!! An admirable, thoughtful, beautifully composed, enduring work of an artist with a camera and a lens. Excellent . Superb. (Let's see, how many more seven letter words do I know?) Great job, John. Three distinct layers. Excellent use and contrast of tones opposing each layer. And the serene whiteness of the land works to enhance each subject. I love the bleached tree line. The way the crow upsets the vast whiteness. And the bench. It serves to greet the viewer, gives him/her a place to rest from the majesty of it all, and points the way out too. Beautiful use of open space. The composition is perfect. I wouldn't change a thing. I only wish 'twer my name on the copyright stamp. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Can't see the LEDs in Bright Light (ZX-5n)
Is it just my eyes, or do other people find that it's almost impossible to see the LEDs in the viewfinder of a ZX-5n when shooting outdoors in bright light? Most of the time I end up guessing what it says. Do I need a black cloth over my head like a view-camera photographer? Or are my batteries starting to fade? Or is this just dumb engineering? J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Radioactive batteries?? I don't think so
PS: Avoid buying any active optical system, they usually use Radioactive decay batteries... might never have to change the battery ever but.. maybe your life won't be as long. Or be carefull and check these with Meters for radioactivity. Philippe, your remark about radioactive Russian optical systems, is it serious, or you are only joking? I have a Russian exposure meter (an Sverdlovsk-6) and I don't have a Geiger radioactivity detector to check if it is radioactive or not. It seems to use a common battery, but the curious thing is that this battery is almost ten years old and it still works. If any part of your camera equipment were seriously radioactive, your film would have told you that a long time ago. I think this is an, um, Red herring. JJ J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Carlos Royo [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, 20 March, 2001 15:03 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Russian lens Philippe Trottier wrote: -- Carlos Royo [EMAIL PROTECTED] Zaragoza (Aragon) - Spain -- - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Pentax nomenclature
Thanks to everyone who suggested Web hosts on and off line. I'll figure one out and let you know... John J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Tennessee Aquarium
Don't flash the octopuses, though, it really disturbs them and they can fill the pool with ink. John J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Pentax nomenclature
Can anyone recommend a free or cheap Web-hosting site? I'd like to put a few pictures up for other people to see. What are the pros and cons of selecting a host? Thanks, JJ J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Fish eye lens
Rob Studdert's fisheye pictures and the rectilinear derivations from them at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/fisheye_to_rectilinear.html are interesting, but is there a better algorithm? If you look at "eddie" in the plane, the rectilinear version seems even more distorted and less pleasing than the original. I tried to redimension it but no improvement; his right shoulder is a mess. However, just taking the original fisheye picture and stretching it a little seemed to look better than either version on the site. So...which of these views represents reality? Then, of course: reality? Can't get that with a 2D representation of a 3D world. How about stereo fisheye pictures? Anyone ever done that? J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Rob Studdert [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Monday, 05 March, 2001 16:17 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Fish eye lens On 5 Mar 2001, at 18:11, Cyril MARION wrote: I'm seeking a fish-eye to shoot high-quality panormas. As the feeling from the list is good towards this Russian stuff, my choice is difficult to make... - 2650FF for a 2nd hand genuine PENTAX 17mm f/4.0 or - 1300FF for a new ZENITAR 16mm f/2.8 Hi Cyril, If you intend to re-map the fisheye images into rectilinear projections and then use a program to stitch the images into a continuous cylindrical projection you will want to use a good lens. Several factors are key, firstly how well the lens fits the fisheye projection ideal and then how well the lens is corrected for optical aberrations ie colour separation towards the peripheries of the projection. For more information see my page: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/fisheye_to_rectilinear.html Cheers, Rob Studdert HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA Tel +61-2-9554-4110 Fax +61-2-9554-9259 UTC(GMT) +10 Hours [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications.html - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: trends in 35mm
Shel wrote: I was staying at a nice hotel in Wyoming a few years ago, and decided to order lunch from room service. After looking at the menu, I decided that a sandwich and some soup was in order. I called room service and asked what the "soup de jour" was. "Just a moment," was the reply. I could hear a lot of discussion in the back ground, and, after a couple of minutes, the woman returned to the phone and said "Soup of the day." The saddest part is that she needed help in arriving at the answer. . Oddly, I was in the same hotel recently. It wasn't so nice any more, and I had some problems with the fixtures. I called the manager, and said "I got a leak in my sink." He paused for a while, and then said, "Well, OK. Go ahead." - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: Tilt Shift lens for 35mm
Thanks to everyone for so much info. Sorry about the tilt/shift, but that's what BH call it, so I figured they must know... JJ J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
RE: My internet photo album is now open
Hi Peter, re: http://ca.geocities.com/spirope/photographs.htm What a great picture your lilies by a willow pond is. Amazing DOF for f5.6. JJ J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
Tilt Shift lens for 35mm
Does anyone actually have a Pentax SMCP Tilt Shift 28mm f/3.5? I can't find a picture of one anywhere (even the Pentax, BH, and Blue Book sites) and I'm curious to know what they look like; also whether anyone who's used one has an opinion about it (as in, worth USD 1200?). Thanks. JJ J. John Cohen - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org.
RE: February PUG Comments
Re:Flavio Minelli's observation: Ehmm, if we're talking about linear magnification that would be about 24X to a full frame image... It's 24/1 mm - 24X. It would take you a microscope to get 600X. Flavio Flavio, I think he actually made a microscope. To fill a microscope field with a 1 x 1 mm square, I use a 40x objective and a 12.5x ocular. I would guess the area of my retina is about the area of a 35mm frame, so it should be roughly comparable. And--scusi--I think it's more relevant to think of the area magnification, especially since if you're paying for the medium, that's what you pay for. :-) Ciao, JJ - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org.
RE: February PUG Comments
Re: William Robb's amazing close-up: Dot-pitch is the distance between the centres of like-colored dots on the diagonal. From this I calculate that the picture covers approx 1.0 x 1.5 mm, or 1.5 sq mm . A 35 mm frame is 864 sq mm, so the magnification is about 575x. Is it focused on the green and that's why the blue is slightly out of focus (assuming some loss of apochromaticity through all that gear?) JJ J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: aimcompute [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, 01 February, 2001 14:10 To: Pentax Discuss Subject: February PUG Comments My Comments on the ones that really got me excited: Seven Sisters by Two Wanderers by Bill Heifer One of my favorite subjects. Nicely captured. I've been viewing this for the last month. Amazing to look at them all, even through binoculars. I live in a very dark sky area. You've inspired me to get out and try the same! Wildlife by Dan Scott Very nice. It may be the unusual color of the blue flower that really attracts me. Can't believe it's hand-held, but I suppose a fly just wouldn't sit there throwing up on things waiting for the tripod. :-) Detail of a Yellow Flower by Chris Niesmertelny Beautiful! Unusual angle is very interesting. Great combination of in/out focus areas. Dandelion Getting Bald by Jan van Wijk Great shot. Unusual because most Dandelion shots focus on the whole puffball. A very interesting composition, with a less than "perfect" subject. The Brickwall by Daphne Schnitzer Nice and colorful. The tight composition makes one wonder what is outside the frame. Old Circuit by Collin Brendemuehl Pretty neat. I like the colors and the combination of both horizontal and vertical elements. Synthetic Larva by Luis Salado Cool interpretation. I always like the plain and ordinary made interesting. I still think we should have a "What is it?". Come on PDML... this is at least the 3rd time I've suggested it! :-) I by David A. Mann Quite an unusual composition. The shadow and lighting is nice. Was the person asleep or just pretending? Here Kitty Kitty by Erik Nylander I would say I like this except that I am having a civil war with our four cats at the time. It's my mistake of being too softhearted that I had to keep two of the recent litter. But now I've got a new vehicle and the cats have jumped on the hood, rolled around on it with grit on themselves and either slid or jumped with their claws extended leaving claw marks in the paint. Now I'm not allowed to get rid of them because it wouldn't be showing unconditional love. Boo Hoo Hoo. My only solace is I now have a "Scat Mat" on the hood that delivers an electrical shock when touched. After a week of staying off, one obviously thought they would try their luck this morning. :-) :-) :-) Sorry. this isn't much of a photo comment. Nice Shot. Pattern of Life by Matjaz Osojnik Cool Shot. Is it a river or is it a shot from space a hundred miles overhead? Another one that would have been good for the "What is it?" theme. Hint, Hint. The Force Inside by Tadek van Bussel Very nice. A strong composition with impact. First Snow by Peter Alling I like it. I was contemplating using several that were very close to this. On my screen the picture appears to get slightly narrower from top to bottom. Is this possibly an optical illusion created by the angles of the pine needles? Does anyone else see this? Superior Rocks by Ken Waller Nice composition. Strong image. Screen Shot by William Robb Nice shot Bill. I had actually contemplated the same thing, except I am embarrassed to say that after moving 5 months ago, I still have not found my FA 100/2.8 macro. I am starting to get a little worried because I have torn open almost every one of the 30+ boxes still in the garage and have not seen it. I am hoping that I packed it tightly and securely between some other items and it is just hiding from me. My personal favorite if the month is: Dinosaur Skin by Mark Roberts What a great shot! Couldn't be better! Superb! Monde wall-hanger! Portfolio entry. What more can I say? Congratulations. Thanks for putting up with my subjective ramblings. Tom C. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org.
RE: SMC again
This is from an article called "Flare control in multi-coated lenses of the Seventies",By Dario Bonazza. It has interesting info about SMC. Full text at: http://digilander.iol.it/aohc/selart07e.htm When Asahi Opt. Co. introduced their Super-Multi-Coated Takumar lenses in 1971, there were many different reactions to this announcement. According to an article authored by Fabio Amodeo and published in September of 1972 by Photo 13 magazine, Nikon stated that they already employed multi-layer coatings (up to three or four) on some lens surfaces and Asahi was fooling photographers, since no more than 5 layers were technically possible. Also Canon and Leitz said they were developing a similar process, but 7 layers was far from being credible. To the contrary, Fuji said they were ahead, since they already had developed their own EBC (electron-beam coating) technology up to 11 layers, employed on some lenses for movie cameras on occasion of 1964 Olympic Games. Further in reaction of the Asahi announcement, Fuji said they were going to use EBC on camera lenses very soon. As I already wrote, Asahi didn't invent the multicoating, since they bought patents from Optical Coatings Laboratories Inc. (OCLI), based in California. The merit of Asahi Opt. Co. was to understand the importance of anti-reflective coating, looking for the proper technology, developing their own industrial process and put it into production at acceptable costs. That marked a turning point in the evolution of photographic optics, allowing the development of modern ultrawide-angle and wide-range zoom lenses. With the growing popularity of zoom lenses and their ever-increasing focal length extension (needing more and more elements), multicoating became almost as necessary as glass in order to obtain quality optics. It is believed that nearly all major lens makers (including Canon, Nikon and Zeiss) paid royalties to Asahi to make use of some part of the industrial process for laying thin anti-reflective compounds on glass elements at acceptable costs. Leica obviously distinguished itself by stating that multicoating was of little help and reducing the number of elements was better for flare control. Of course, when Asahi patents on multicoating expired many years later, they suddenly changed their minds and started using multicoating like all other manufacturers. J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org.
RE: MY WEBPAGE WITH PHOTOS
This is interesting: In IE 5 you get white pages. With Netscape 4.7 you get "The document contained no data". I bet it works in Netscape 6; but that version is too buggy for my school, they won't let us install it... Sigh... JJ J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, 23 January, 2001 05:30 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: MY WEBPAGE WITH PHOTOS At 05:00 23.1.2001 -0500, you wrote: Are these all pictures of polar bears in recent snowstorms? All I see is a blank page. Thanks, Ed Hmm... They show all right in my two old browsers (Opera Netscape 3.0), but I will check the source again. Try it again, use the exact address: http://www.volny.cz/ffranta/index.html Fr. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org.
RE: Japanse camera market (WAS: Different models - Different markets)
Treena Harp Said: (re: Zx-5N) the ZX-5n seemed to fit my hands perfectly and was light-weight -- much less tiring to hold on to. I also liked the simpler interface because I'm basically a no-nonsense person. However, I did add the AA battery pack, and it improved the handling immensely. I don't know that I would say it was designed specifically for women, but I'd bet they definitely had women in mind. That's interesting. I have fairly large hands, and the ZX-5N is a delight to handle; but with the AA battery pack, I had all kinds of trouble getting at the switches on the right-hand side, and decided against it. JJ - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org.
RE: Charlie Rose and Henri Cartier-Bresson
Who is Mike Johnston? He can write all my TV reviews from now on. Outstanding! J. John Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Immunology, B-184 University of Colorado Medical School Denver, CO 80262, USA phone: +1 303 315-8898 fax: +1 303 315-5967 [EMAIL PROTECTED] -Original Message- From: Mike Johnston [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, 11 January, 2001 06:46 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Charlie Rose and Henri Cartier-Bresson I must confess that I stayed up TWO HOURS past my usual beddy-bye time last night to watch the putative "interview" performed by Charlie Rose with Henri Cartier-Bresson, and I'm pissed as a wet cat. I had to sit through three sappy female National Geographic photographers who had not a thing to say but who looked like geniuses compared to the next photographer at bat, the woeful Bruce Weber, whose most emotional and trenchant comments were when he remarked in passing on the clothes his subjects were wearing, and whose big emotional artistic moment was when he actually (no, really) forebore to impose his camera on a peck of greeting between Jessica Lange and Sam Sheppard, _despite_ the fact that Sam Sheppard had preened himself for the camera. This was such a selfless act that our Hero of the Visual Imagination was thereafter allowed to photograph Jessica and Sam together, thus adding to the art world's store of priceless photos of overexposed celebrities bussing each other. We're all eternally grateful I'm sure. Go home, Bruce, go home. Next up, the piece de merde, ten of the emptiest minutes of TV I've ever watched on purpose, a rat-a-tat-tat of awkward questions posed to a halting old man struggling against the language barrier by an interviewer who was apparently only interested in, guess what, the celebrity value of the subjects of some of the portraits, and whose idea of a piercing journalistic question is "Who is better for you, Matisse or Picasso...to your eye [points to eye] and your heart [points to heart]?" Gag me with a stirring rod. About the only scant reward of the entire exercise was Henri's smile (still charming after all these years) and the sight of him saying "I never crop" while sitting directly in front of the _one_ famous picture of his which is always cropped. But even that was ruined when Charlie Rose (who I've never really watched before but who has now permanently convinced me of his hopeless superficiality) teased Cartier that maybe one of his celebrity photographs needed cropping and then laughed uproariously for way too long about it before gazing soulfully at the camera and truncating the non-interview with a "see you next time." NOT. --Mike - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, visit http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, visit http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions.
