A simple precaution

Canon 5D

Protection for that exposed LCD screen on the Canon EOS 5D

For a few dollars from the good people at B&H I picked up a packet of three sheets of matte surfaced stick-on plastic screen protectors for the exposed rear LCD screen of the Canon EOS 5D – click on the topical index to learn more about this camera.

I couldn’t get quite the right size so I purchased the 3″ one and shaved 9/64″ off the long side and it fits fine. The packet comes with a nice cloth to make sure you have removed all grease from the screen before applying the plastic sheet and also includes a small hard plastic blade to smooth the film once in place. This spreads even pressure better than your finger can.

A side benefit, apart from the protection against scratches, is that the matte surface does a far better job of supressing reflections than the smooth surface of the original.

New EOS 5D firmware

Canon 5D

It pays to stay current

Canon has released Firmware update 1.0.5 for the EOS 5D.

Here’s mine loading and the result:


This fixes a problem with color pictures taken with the Standard Picture Style with +4 Color Density setting (the pictures would lose saturation on the sRGB setting and appear monochrome) and with the 85mm f/1.2L lens when used with the Canon 580EX flash where the shutter button would not work.

It’s nice to stay current.

And now for some pictures

Photographs, Photography

Which is what it’s all about.

All that cataloging in Aperture did have a bright side, specifically an opportunity to reacquaint myself with many pictures from days past. So after all this talk of cameras and printers and software in recent columns, I thought it might be nice to share some pictures with you.

As is the case, I suspect, with many photographers, I have perfect recall of the equipment and film used to take these, even though the stored files are silent, as it’s not something I routinely record. The digital age, of course, does this for you today.

So here goes – 15 snaps chosen at random and in no particular order.


South Uist, Outer Hebrides, 1977.
A rugged, lonely place.
Nikon F, 28mm Vivitar, TriX.


Tuileries Gardens, Paris, 1977.
A life begins, another draws to a close.
Leica M3, 35mm Summaron, TriX.


World Trade Centers, 1982.
Pentax ME Super, 40mm Pentax SMC, Kodachrome 64.


London, 2000.
Cabs old and new.
Leica M6, 35mm Asph Summicron, Kodachrome 64.


Tucson, Arizona.
A warm day!
Leica M6, 90mm Elmarit, Kodachrome 64.


Pebble Beach, California, 1987.
‘The Pirate’.
Leicaflex SL, 50mm Summicron-R. Kodachrome 64.


Tuileries Gardens, Paris, 1975.
What’s not to like about Paris?
Leica M3, 90mm Elmar, Kodachrome X.


Rodeo Drive, California, 1989.
Someone parked this huge ’60s wagon on this costliest of shopping destinations.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Kodachrome 64.


Bermuda, 1999.
Land of sublime architecture.
Leica M6, 90mm Elmarit, Kodachrome 64.


Somewhere in Arizona, 1988.
Leicaflex SL, 50mm Summicron-R, Kodachrome 64.


Hong Kong, 1995.
Statues ready for illicit export.
Rollei 35, 40mm Tessar, Kodachrome 64.


Pismo Beach, California, 2004.
A lazy, sunny afternoon by the Pacific.
Leica M2, 35mm Asph Summicron, Kodak Gold 100.


Union Square, San Francisco, 1999.
A child’s wonder.
Leica M2, 35mm Asph Summicron, Kodak Gold 100.


Pasadena, California, 1988.
Gangster car.
Leica M3, 35mm Summicron, Kodachrome 64.


Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1995.
Rocking horses at an antique dealer’s.
Leica M2, 50mm Summicron, Kodachrome 64.

Global interest

Photography

Isn’t the Internet wonderful?

Recent data on the locations of some of the visitors to this site – a truly global selection! Don’t worry, I do not know your identity, only the location of the reader.

Let me see. The United Kindom where I grew up and learned that most civilized of games, cricket. When Hermann Hesse wrote of ‘The Glass Bead Game’ he must have been thinking about Lords.

Baden-Wurttemberg which my mother visited in 1938 and always spoke of fondly.

Poland of course – now how do I recover those 14,000 acres stolen from my family?

Holland and many pleasant memories of a wonderful country and its great people.

Russia, may she stay free and hew to true democracy.

Italy, the center of art, design, culture, fashion – always has been, always will be.

South Korea – may you become one again after the brutal regime up north collapses, as it must.

Lebanon – may you find peace and prosperity.

New Zealand – haven of beauty and fine people.

Mauritius – is there anywhere more beautiful?

Switzerland – thank you for my Patek Philippe, (yes, Patek, the salesman of the two, was a Pole) an analog dream in a digital world.

But above all, here is to all of you, for photography is tuly the universal language.