Calzone
Gear Whore #1
After being at the helm for around 5 years coordinating the NYC Meet-Up, I need a break to enjoy the upcoming warm weather. I will be excusing myself not only from this responsibility, but also I will be absent from Meet-Ups to make the most of my new required seasonal lifestyle as I need to make the most of the milder weather before winter arrives again, and I am forced to hibernate again. This past winter was bad, and perhaps I'll see everyone again in the fall beginning at PhotoPlusExpo.
I would like this Meet-Up to continue, and somewhat reluctantly at first I was given the task by Damaso who originally started the idea of a Meet-Up before leaving for Spain. After 5 years I need a break, but I also need someone to relieve me. Perhaps John will stand-up. He's at every Meet-Up anyway, and also he is a moderator.
Anyway five years ago that's kinda how I got the responsibility.
Cal
I would like this Meet-Up to continue, and somewhat reluctantly at first I was given the task by Damaso who originally started the idea of a Meet-Up before leaving for Spain. After 5 years I need a break, but I also need someone to relieve me. Perhaps John will stand-up. He's at every Meet-Up anyway, and also he is a moderator.
Anyway five years ago that's kinda how I got the responsibility.
Cal
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
I'm happy to be the Whip. I have a recent history both in Philly and NYC of instigating lunches and a few RFF meetings (in Philly.) I may not actually arrive at some of the meetings since I live in Philly but I can certainly get the word out.
Cal, please do continue to be a presence here online though! Your stories are priceless and I'm sure we could all use a bit of your motivation as a shooter.
Phil Forrest
Yes, Phil and I will continue the meet-up threads. Cal, when you are ready... you know you need no invitation to come back and be involved in whatever capacity you are comfortable with.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Thanks for standing up and keeping this Meet-Up going.
Cal
Cal
Range-rover
Veteran
Cal,
You definitely will be missed, I am hoping the meets will continue, there really good.
Get out there and use those Leicas! Hope we still here from you time to time on the
thread.
Bob
You definitely will be missed, I am hoping the meets will continue, there really good.
Get out there and use those Leicas! Hope we still here from you time to time on the
thread.
Bob
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Don't forget the Plaubel-Makina, the Pentaxes, the Nikons and anything else that can have a grip attached to it!
Phil Forrest
Range-rover
Veteran
Oh yes those too!
Bob
Bob
stompyq
Well-known
So when's the next meetup?
What works for everyone?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
You forgot the "Whiteface" Rollie 3.5F which has no grip.
It seems that the arch top guitar I custom ordered a decade ago might be ready this December. Its been perhaps 5-6 years since I paid it off our agreed upon price, but because I locked in a price early in my friend's career as a builder and creatively kinda single handedly did a kick starter to help my friend become who he is today I'll be getting a guitar that is worth about $50K.
My friend now has a back order list that covers 3 years worth of work and he now sends away new customers for repairs. I've known Cris since he was 18 years old and now he's 42. Back in the decades past I use to beat on him and yell at him, but now we are like family.
In arch top guitar building the old man (now dead) DeAngelico (only built a little more than 1,000 guitars in his lifetime) built the best hand built arch tops on Kenmare Street on the Lower Eastside; when DeAngelico died it Was Jimmy DeAquisto, Deangelico's apprentice (only built about 850 guitars in his life time) who became "the Man;" and when DeAquisto Died the Man became John Monteleone (still alive, but now an old man). Interesting to note is that Monteleone has two waiting list: the first is the "long List" which is just the waiting list for the short list which is also seven years. At the time your name comes up onto the short list a a down payment of half the price is required or you loose your spot.
Because I'm "Calzone" I took note a a guitar show that my friend Cris was getting losts of attention from some very influential people. One was a very high end vintage guitar dealer who seemed like he was grooming my friend Cris, and I observed this high end dealer spending a lot of time with Cris with a few visits to Cris' booth.
I really like this one red guitar that had been just completed for the show, and I spoke with the person who ordered it. I told Steve how much I loved the guitar, and I out of politeness asked if he would mind if I ordered one just like it. It ended up that Steve is a great-great Jazz player, but he is fin-ick-EE and kinda crazy in that he was also nit-picky.
Anyway about a week later another friend, Dave, called me and told me to call Cris if I wanted the guitar that is now known as "Red." It seems that Steve wanted changes to his brand new guitar, and realize that this was a custom guitar that was specially made for him. It got to the point where Cris said, "I already have someone who wants your guitar AS-IS, and at this point since you want all these changes it would be easier to just make you another guitar."
One of the characteristics of the best high end guitar builders is that they are slow and always cronically behind schedule, but I made a flat trade with a guitar I owned for Red. A legend began: my friend Dave kinda got mad. Dave told me, "I've been waiting for over two years for Chris to start building a guitar, and you only had to wait two weeks."
Then the original owner, Steve, had deep remorse for not keeping Red as Red got louder and fuller as she got broken in, and every time Steve saw the guitar he got sick. Cris kinda liked to see him suffer and the chat kinda spread among all the great players. LOL.
In arch top history there was this man, Scott Chinery, who was wealthy. He owned all those GNC heath food vitamins stores that are a chain, but he was also a guitar collector (now dead). About two decades ago Chinery went around to all the high end guitar builders and commissioned all of them to make a blue arch top guitar for him. He gave each builder the same can of blue nitrocellulose lacquer with basically a blank slate to create a competition between the best of the best. This collection became known as "The Blue Guitars," an art book was published to document the collection, and all these guitars were displayed at the Smithsonian. BTW Chinery even owned the original "Bat Mobile." LOL.
After I secured Red I talked with Cris about making me a "Blue" guitar a decade ago. Cris was too young and unestablished to be part of the original collection, and the idea was to commission Cris and offer a blank slate just like Chinery did to inspire innovation and creativity. Chris became inspired and got all kind of excited. I told Cris that no other customer will likely give him a blank slate, and that it would be in his own special interest to make a guitar that otherwise might not be built to establish his legacy. I in return would get a guitar that had tremendous value added, meanwhile I would be helping someone who I consider a younger brother.
About seven years ago Cris calls me because he has something to show me. I head out to Long Island to see an arch top guitar that Cris developed that has side sound holes. What is really innovative is that the side sound holes and one of the top's sound holes has a "Trap-door" that opens and closes to tune the sound and projection of the guitar. This 17 inch prototype became known as "Carmela" because it has a brown burst, and Carmela kinda created a sensation establishing Cris as the next "Man" even though it was just a prototype that was built to hone skill and be a working proof of principle.
A handful of 17 inch Trap-Door guitars got made and now they sell for $35K. One of them already was blue so now my blue guitar has been upgraded into a "Blonde" meaning a clear finish. Cris tells me the figured maple he got that is wide enough for an 18 inch Trap-Door has figure that is very 3-D and resembles shattered glass that is spectacular. The top that was hard to find wide enough has "Bear Claw" figure in it, and is 75 year old cello wood (European Spruce).
I'm kinda motivated to get my chops down, woodshed, and finally become the player I was ment to be after having a disrupted life. I don't think next winter will be so bad, even if I have to stay inside.
Cal
It seems that the arch top guitar I custom ordered a decade ago might be ready this December. Its been perhaps 5-6 years since I paid it off our agreed upon price, but because I locked in a price early in my friend's career as a builder and creatively kinda single handedly did a kick starter to help my friend become who he is today I'll be getting a guitar that is worth about $50K.
My friend now has a back order list that covers 3 years worth of work and he now sends away new customers for repairs. I've known Cris since he was 18 years old and now he's 42. Back in the decades past I use to beat on him and yell at him, but now we are like family.
In arch top guitar building the old man (now dead) DeAngelico (only built a little more than 1,000 guitars in his lifetime) built the best hand built arch tops on Kenmare Street on the Lower Eastside; when DeAngelico died it Was Jimmy DeAquisto, Deangelico's apprentice (only built about 850 guitars in his life time) who became "the Man;" and when DeAquisto Died the Man became John Monteleone (still alive, but now an old man). Interesting to note is that Monteleone has two waiting list: the first is the "long List" which is just the waiting list for the short list which is also seven years. At the time your name comes up onto the short list a a down payment of half the price is required or you loose your spot.
Because I'm "Calzone" I took note a a guitar show that my friend Cris was getting losts of attention from some very influential people. One was a very high end vintage guitar dealer who seemed like he was grooming my friend Cris, and I observed this high end dealer spending a lot of time with Cris with a few visits to Cris' booth.
I really like this one red guitar that had been just completed for the show, and I spoke with the person who ordered it. I told Steve how much I loved the guitar, and I out of politeness asked if he would mind if I ordered one just like it. It ended up that Steve is a great-great Jazz player, but he is fin-ick-EE and kinda crazy in that he was also nit-picky.
Anyway about a week later another friend, Dave, called me and told me to call Cris if I wanted the guitar that is now known as "Red." It seems that Steve wanted changes to his brand new guitar, and realize that this was a custom guitar that was specially made for him. It got to the point where Cris said, "I already have someone who wants your guitar AS-IS, and at this point since you want all these changes it would be easier to just make you another guitar."
One of the characteristics of the best high end guitar builders is that they are slow and always cronically behind schedule, but I made a flat trade with a guitar I owned for Red. A legend began: my friend Dave kinda got mad. Dave told me, "I've been waiting for over two years for Chris to start building a guitar, and you only had to wait two weeks."
Then the original owner, Steve, had deep remorse for not keeping Red as Red got louder and fuller as she got broken in, and every time Steve saw the guitar he got sick. Cris kinda liked to see him suffer and the chat kinda spread among all the great players. LOL.
In arch top history there was this man, Scott Chinery, who was wealthy. He owned all those GNC heath food vitamins stores that are a chain, but he was also a guitar collector (now dead). About two decades ago Chinery went around to all the high end guitar builders and commissioned all of them to make a blue arch top guitar for him. He gave each builder the same can of blue nitrocellulose lacquer with basically a blank slate to create a competition between the best of the best. This collection became known as "The Blue Guitars," an art book was published to document the collection, and all these guitars were displayed at the Smithsonian. BTW Chinery even owned the original "Bat Mobile." LOL.
After I secured Red I talked with Cris about making me a "Blue" guitar a decade ago. Cris was too young and unestablished to be part of the original collection, and the idea was to commission Cris and offer a blank slate just like Chinery did to inspire innovation and creativity. Chris became inspired and got all kind of excited. I told Cris that no other customer will likely give him a blank slate, and that it would be in his own special interest to make a guitar that otherwise might not be built to establish his legacy. I in return would get a guitar that had tremendous value added, meanwhile I would be helping someone who I consider a younger brother.
About seven years ago Cris calls me because he has something to show me. I head out to Long Island to see an arch top guitar that Cris developed that has side sound holes. What is really innovative is that the side sound holes and one of the top's sound holes has a "Trap-door" that opens and closes to tune the sound and projection of the guitar. This 17 inch prototype became known as "Carmela" because it has a brown burst, and Carmela kinda created a sensation establishing Cris as the next "Man" even though it was just a prototype that was built to hone skill and be a working proof of principle.
A handful of 17 inch Trap-Door guitars got made and now they sell for $35K. One of them already was blue so now my blue guitar has been upgraded into a "Blonde" meaning a clear finish. Cris tells me the figured maple he got that is wide enough for an 18 inch Trap-Door has figure that is very 3-D and resembles shattered glass that is spectacular. The top that was hard to find wide enough has "Bear Claw" figure in it, and is 75 year old cello wood (European Spruce).
I'm kinda motivated to get my chops down, woodshed, and finally become the player I was ment to be after having a disrupted life. I don't think next winter will be so bad, even if I have to stay inside.
Cal
stompyq
Well-known
Can we have it at the end of april? The begining of next month is a little disrupted for me
Range-rover
Veteran
Cal,
Glad your getting your guitar, That's odd my cousin is coming to my house on
saturday I wonder if he's bringing the fretless wonder that I told you about or if he's
going to try to get me to sell him my Telecaster copy I made with all Late 60's
Fender parts!
Bob
Glad your getting your guitar, That's odd my cousin is coming to my house on
saturday I wonder if he's bringing the fretless wonder that I told you about or if he's
going to try to get me to sell him my Telecaster copy I made with all Late 60's
Fender parts!
Bob
zauhar
Veteran
End of April would be better for me, like the 27th?
My "school year" is basically over then (classes finished!)
Cal, sorry if you can't make it - see if you feel like it when the day arrives.
Randy
My "school year" is basically over then (classes finished!)
Cal, sorry if you can't make it - see if you feel like it when the day arrives.
Randy
April 27th works for me.
Range-rover
Veteran
That sounds good, end of the month is always better.
Bob
Bob
thambar
Shouldn't it be sharper?
Cal, hope that you'll be a foul weather friend (meaning you can show up if it's warm and rainy!) Thanks again for shepherding this bunch of reprobates for half a decade. However, life's too short not to shoot pictures.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
James,
Thanks for your support and understanding, but now is the time to be selfish and concentrate on getting some work done.
Here are some of my goals: I'll be shooting my Pentax67II with the most powerful intergrated flash at night using Acros and developing in Diafine. I really liked shooting this rig with Fuji Velvia 50 at night during Fashion Night Out. Because I use the rare 75/2.8 AL which is a 35mm FOV there is nothing like sticking a big camera in someone's face and then blinding them with a powerful flash. Since Diafine is a compensating developer I expect some interesting contrast while shooting slow film with the high key lighting and darkness falling off following inverse square law. The TTL metering on this camera is remarkable and accurate because of 6 segment metering.
I still have about 50 rolls of the now discontinued Arista Premium (Tri-X) left in the freezer. I plan on shooting this Tri-X at 1250 and do the 7+4 Diafine for night shooting and subway shooting.
I'm only a few pounds from being a true Welterweight (147 pounds) so I've grown into a skinny bitch over the winter and I'll be doing solo 5 borough bike tours trying to find remote and gritty parts of NYC that are still left to get to the point where even though I'm a 56 year old man I could model for a Calvin Klein underwear commercial. My likely cameras to use will be the goat leather covered Nikon F3 HP or "Whiteface" Rollie 3.5F. I have a Lowel Pro fanny pack that works well with the Rollie, and the F3 just gets worn band-DA-leer style.
I have mucho Arcos in 135 that I'll be shooting with a pair of Leicas, and I have mucho 120 Arcos that I've reserved for night tripod shots of landscapes.
I've neglected my circle of musician friends the past few years but I'm sure I'll be heading to a few gigs to shoot, meanwhile "Maggie" is in the process of setting up a fashion blog, we have some ideas for shooting exploiting my Monochrom all over the city. Tonight we are heading out to some vintage clothing show. Some of these people really know how to cut an attitude, and this is another new whole world to me.
I also have this idea of shooting the square with my Monochrom as if its a Rollieflex. The 28mm framelines on the Monochrom have abbreviated horizontal lines that mark a square, and 28mm cropped from 2x3 to square makes my 28mm FOV more like a 50mm in 6x6. I'm thinking that I will still have plenty of resolution to print big, even though I'm cropping away a third of the megapixels. I have to shoot more wide open to simulate the approximate 2-stop difference in DOF so shooting my 28Cron at F2.0 I'm thinking will look like F4.0 on my "Whiteface" due to the difference in format.
My goal is to empty my freezer and refrigerator of film which will lead to shooting Kodak 5222 and making my own ADOX PQ for developing.
Cal
thambar
Shouldn't it be sharper?
Can't wait for some of the pictures, and I admire your testicular fortitude in using a flash right in someone's face. On the other hand, anyone who drove a cab during the Beame/Koch eras has chutzpah to burn. Just larded up my fridge with 100 rolls of the soon-to-be-extinct Neopan 400. I'm with you on the 5222, but have you price that out? Damn stuff loose (requiring roll your own) is like $4.50-5.00 per roll now. However, perhaps that will inspire someone to recreate IXMOOs for my M3!
Range-rover
Veteran
Looks like you have a list of things to do, it should be good!
Bob
Bob
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
James,
I priced out the 5222 and got the same numbers. The days of bulking up on hundreds of rolls of film for under $3.00 a roll are over for me. I'm really glad that I took advantage of film when it cost no money and blasted away. Now I figure that film I want to shoot and perfect development must have some legs. Anyways I like the look and the flexibility of 5222. Between 400 in Diafine and this hybrid cross between ADOX-MQ and this Kodak 5222 developer I will mix I think I will get outstanding results.
I figure the developer will cost about $1.25 a liter, cheap enough to be a one shot which ensures consistent results. I spent a lot of time analyzing the formulas for D-76, ADOX-MQ and this developer that Kodak designed specifically for 5222. I noted the differences and the stated results, and because the formulas are similar one can understand the differences and the effects.
Basically I'll be modding the 5222 formula into a "5222 Plus" that will have a bump in energy due to an increase in M and Q portions of the formula to make it a bit more active (similar to the ADOX-MQ), but with the lower Sodium Sulphite of the basic 5222 developer. This developer I'm creating speciffically is designed to exploit the minimizing of agitation I do to simulate a stand effect of a long tonal scale with rich mids. The minimizing of agitation also keeps the grain small, but the bump in energy is to maintain sharpness by keeping development times short. Because I minimize agitation I need the bump in energy in my developer. This chemistry should also work well with other films in 120.
I am recycling these graduated plastic one liter bottles that are used in my lab. Let me know if you need any. I also have HPLC grade water in my lab that measures 18 mega ohms. Basically this is chemically pure water used to make pharmacueticals. Only the best for me and my photography I say. I'll likely exploit my access to a chemistry lab to make my developer. If you are interested I can extend some of these resources to you.
Cal