Comments for Photographs, Photographers and Photography

Comment on Paris, 1974 by Rajan Parrikar

Rajan Parrikar — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:48:09 +0000

Memories of ‘old’ Europe. Just lovely.

Comment on Paris, 1974 by Leigh

Leigh — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:37:59 +0000

Simply gorgeous.

Comment on Paris, 1974 by John Galt

John Galt — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:59:06 +0000

Beautiful; thank you.

Comment on Ernst Haas by Peter

Peter — Mon, 21 May 2012 05:41:39 +0000

A remarkable work of art

Comment on A snap over lunch by Paul Bock

Paul Bock — Mon, 14 May 2012 06:04:30 +0000

My favorite is 4747, where I see the loving connection between father and son.
I read your posts every night, greatly enjoying both their technical and artistic aspects.
I am impressed with and enjoy your knowledge of art, culture and history, a real gentleman.
Thank you,
Paul
PS: I’d appreciate your comments on my work.

Comment on Nikkor-Q 135mm f/3.5 by Colin Hammerton

Colin Hammerton — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:29:29 +0000

I picked up a 135mm/3,5 AI – i.e. the model subsequent to this. It makes a great and pocketable 200mm (effective) lens for APS-C bodies. It is a cracking lens with beautiful bokeh, great sharpness and marvellous colours and is mechanically tip top despite its age – it looks like it was never used by its previous owner. For 32€ (ebay) the best piece of equipment I ever bought. Highly recommended!

Comment on Another SSD for the HackPro by Colin Hammerton

Colin Hammerton — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:17:47 +0000

Thomas – great information and just what I’m looking for. As a serious but amateur photographer I am wondering whether I can work with on-board graphics chips satisfactorily, or whether it is necessary to have a separate GPU board (not that they cost a lot). I run PS5 and Lightroom + DxO most the time. Do you have any recommendation on that? Also is it worth going over 8GB RAM if I’m not doing video stuff (although I might in the future). Any comments from you or FU Steve would be appreciated. Nice photos on your website too.
Regards
Colin

Author’s comment:

Hi, Colin.

Thanks for your kind words.

That’s a very timely question on integrated GPUs.

Until recently I would have said go with a separate board. However, the new IvyBridge Intel i5 and i7 CPUs which will be out in new MacBooks any day now, change that. based on my reading of Anandtech (a very reputable site with great CPU insights and knowledge) the GPU in IvyBridge is more than any still photographer needs. As usual, I would junk the stock fan and go with an aftermarket one – the Coolermaster 212 I use in my machines is but $30 or so.

Wait a while for the Hackintosh boards to explain how to enable the integrated GPU in a Hack. It usually takes a little while. The IvyBridge is just hitting the market here and I would go with the i5 ($50 less), and overclock it if you want i7 speeds. Another reason to get a better cooler. I have been running my SandyBridge (immediate predecessor to Ivy) 7/24 overclocked from 3.3 to 4gHz and it’s perfect. If you contemplate overclocking, be sure to het the ‘K’ version of the CPU – that means i5 3570K for the latest IvyBridge.

Price wise it’s a push. A Sandybridge and a decent GPU will run you $215 + $60. An IvyBridge will run you $250. the Ivy’s GPU is much improved over the3 one in the Sandybridge.

As for memory, don’t chintz. It;s so insanely cheap that 16gB makes sense for PS and LR. I notice a welcome speed increase going from 8 to 16. Will 8 suffice? yes. But the extra 8gB for, what, $50, is something you will appreciate. And don’t get 1333 RAM, go for 1600. That’s an instant 20% speed gain for pennies.

Thomas

Comment on A few from the 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor by Del

Del — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:57:31 +0000

I’ve been very interested in your posts concerning the conversion of classic lenses. Thanks. Makes me long for the “old days” with my 35mm f.2 and 105mm 2.5 Nikkor’s. These two produced the best photos I’ve ever taken. I don’t think I’d be up to doing them myself-but might be interested in having them done by someone else.

Comment on DSLRs and wifi by Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:42:23 +0000

Should work fine on my hacked $130 Nook Color with Android 4 – but the mounting is awful.

Comment on The Lytro camera by Santo

Santo — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:26:08 +0000

A year later, I wonder if you've got your unit yet. Back then I was thinking about how one can achieve this with the technology at hand. This is the result of my crude experiment. You can click on the thumbnails below the picture to change plane of focus. From there, it should not be a great leap to move the click area to parts of the picture itself. Author's note: I passed on the Lytro. Reports suggest it's poorly implemented and image quality is low.

Comment on Adjusting the CPU focus point in MF Nikkor lenses by Gustaf Erikson

Gustaf Erikson — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:21:52 +0000

Wow, that’s pretty cool! I didn’t know that add-on CPUs supported this feature. I’m guessing it’s exclusive to the model you have purchased?

Thanks in general for this series of posts about the D700 and manual-focus lenses! I’m using a D200 with a decent selection, but I’m using a Katz-eye screen with the traditional split-screen focusing.

Comment on King Pano head – Part I by Art

Art — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:35:08 +0000

I’m glad that you were able to get one of these. I’ve had nothing but problems trying to order one from KingPano.com

I ordered mine back in January 2012 (after sending an email about delivery time) and was told to expect a 4-6 week delay for delivery as he builds each of them by hand. Sure – no problem.

After 2-1/2 months and a few emails, I finally heard from him saying that he was sick for the past week and I should have it in “the next couple of days”. That was March 23. I then emailed again and go no responses.

I found some alternate emails and asked again. This time I did get a response and he apologized and gave me a USPS tracking number.

That was 9 days ago and the tracking number shows that it hasn’t been sent yet. Just another delay tactic.

Since I’m past the 45 day limit for a Paypal claim, I’m on my own and out $160.00.

I hope that I can save someone else from the trouble of buying from this guy. Meanwhile I’ll be looking at other Pano heads and chasing this guy through other options.

Comment on Nikkor-Q 135mm f/3.5 by Gary Eckhardt

Gary Eckhardt — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:03:14 +0000

I miss your commentary on mirrorless cameras. I’ve just been learning how to use the Olympus EM-5. The 12-50 zoom that I purchased with the camera works reasonably well and the 45mm f1.8 is superb. I bought the 100-300 mm Panasonic and have found that it is very slow focusing and the EVF of the Oly reacts slowly to the zoom at the top end. I long for some good fast telephoto lenses for the micro 4/3 systems, May investigate the old Canon lenses for use with an adapter.

Gary E

Comment on SX-70 by Santo

Santo — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:13:02 +0000

Thanks for the nice ad from the past. On my first ever visit to Westlicht, the sign on an empty store next door says that “The Impossible Project” had moved 3 blocks away. After browsing the fine “Show place for Photography” I walked the 3 blocks and found the polaroid film store which showed all kinds of vintage polaroid cameras. Here are some snaps.

Comment on Nikkor-Q 135mm f/3.5 by Arun

Arun — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:25:27 +0000

I wonder what stuff from the current day will last a generation and be considered well- engineered 30 years from now.

Comment on A couple from the 35mm Nikkor by Thomas Pindelski

Thomas Pindelski — Sun, 06 May 2012 17:56:39 +0000

Thanks for the kind words. This is the image you are thinking of, and the technical data are easy to remember, even if the snap is some 40 years old. You see, that's the only camera and lens I owned back then! Reg Butler sculpture, Holland Park, London, 1973. Leica M3, 50mm DR Summciron, Tri-X processed in D76.

Comment on A couple from the 35mm Nikkor by Jared R L

Jared R L — Sun, 06 May 2012 17:32:55 +0000

The first image is quite amazing, among many wonderful ones that you post. Curiously, it instantly reminded me of your ’70s B&W image of the woman observing the statue in the park. I would have to go look at that one again to figure out why, but maybe it is the way the sleeping mans body is positioned/contorted. What a catch!

Comment on Lion on the Hackintosh by James @ Taunton Wedding Photographer

James @ Taunton Wedding Photographer — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:02:13 +0000

I’ve been thinking about making the leap from AMD to Intel just so I can have a setup like this, after reading this I am very persuaded. Thanks.

Comment on Edwin Smith by Mark Bolton

Mark Bolton — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:47:12 +0000

Fantastic stuff, my all time favourite English photographer… check out some of my recent work, with a nod to the great man…

Comment on AsmaGate by Arun

Arun — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:46:06 +0000

The use of an agent in lieu of the principal to retain the photographer in no way relieves the latter of his ethical obligations.

Wholeheartedly agree. Just wanted to point out that there is a whole network of “respectable” but ethically challenged people out there. Nachtwey is probably just a symptom.

I recall reading similar puff pieces about the Shah of Iran, for instance, in the Reader’s Digest. And on Empress Farah. Then the Shah was overthrown. Then, in my undergrad dorm, there was someone whose father had worked in Iran as a civil engineer during the Shah’s time, and he told me the tales of people terrorized by the Iranian secret police, the Savaak, under the Shah. You wouldn’t hear that in the media, though. The Shah and his wife were similarly portrayed as wonderful people. Not to say those who replaced him are any better. But maybe the truth would have served us better.