Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Save the dates October 25th through October 27th.
I just signed up for the free "Early-Bird" registration.
Number 3037.
3+0+3+7=13: my lucky number.
People associate 13 as being unlucky because it signifies change, and most people like living in ruts and resist change. Like I said 13 is my lucky number because I embrace change.
Cal
I just signed up for the free "Early-Bird" registration.
Number 3037.
3+0+3+7=13: my lucky number.
People associate 13 as being unlucky because it signifies change, and most people like living in ruts and resist change. Like I said 13 is my lucky number because I embrace change.
Cal
NY_Dan
Well-known
But what does the early-bird catch at the Expo?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Dan,
Free admission. Sometime later it will cost you about $25.00 to check it out. I think sometime in August registration no longer is free.
I generally get free paper samples from the Canson booth. Last year I got a batch and Joe gave me his. I prety much had Canson Prestige samples before it was available at B&H.
I Think we got free film from the Kodak booth.
I tend to restock on free microfiber cloths.
I have a supply of Leica keychains.
Cal
dmr
Registered Abuser
I made it last year and it looks like I'll be able to make at least one day this year too.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
DMR,
Generally a bunch of use meet up early on Saturday near the badge pick-up.
Last year we broke off around lunchtime when the crowds got big, and we went to a fine Italian restaurant afterwards. Then three of us wandered uptown shooting. Eventually we made it to the old Whitney Museum before it closed. There was a Diane Arbus show running at the time.
If you are there early on Saturday feel welcomed to join us.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
This is the next big thing.
We will group-up near Registration on Saturday the 27th.
Cal
We will group-up near Registration on Saturday the 27th.
Cal
dmr
Registered Abuser
Thanks. I'm still trying to re-arrange my schedule to make at least one day. Saturday would be the best for me, but we'll see. It's still a month out and I'm trying to steer other things around it and hopefully piggyback something else with it.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
DMR,
Do what is good for you.
We like to go early before the place gets mobbed. Generally around lunchtime it is time to leave.
If you were counting on the Leica booth you may be disappointed. Leica utilizes Photoville instead.
I have to make some time because they have a 16-35 zoom at the Leica Booth at Photoville to lend out to me. Kinda crazy because I really already am loaded up with gear, but this is an opportunity because being a newly released lens they are in short supply.
Recently I stopped by the Leica Store in SoHo and E-LIE had a 75mm Noctilux that he mounted on my SL. That is a crazy lens. Mucho shallow DOF. Balanced nicely on my SL.
I have been holding out for a 35 Cron-SL when they come out, but then again I have a 28 Cron-M to mount on the SL that I likely can use with a "Kill-Zone" instead of autofocus. So you see I don't really need another lens, but what the hay.
PhotoPlusExpo is always good to get in the "Face-Time" and also to see what is under development. Affordable medium format for digital seemed to be a trend, but with small format being so good do you really need such big files? Resolution from small format is not an issue if you have good technic and skill.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Mike the wack-job called me last night to return my Mill-walk-EE Magnum Junior electric drill. This is a heavy duty 3/8 inch drill that has a half inch chuck that has enough torque to break your wrist. A crazy drill that seems especially designed for anyone wanting to mount a Corvette engine in an 84 Jeep Scrambler.
So what does it all mean when at work I watch a video of a duel between a BMW M5 and a Dodge Demon SRT?
I see that the M5 in a drag race dusts the Demon in all wheel drive mode, despite the Demon's 800 horsepower, but on a track "drifting" where a certain amount of oversteer is required because you are using a certain the loss of a certain amount of traction to steer with your rear it seems like the Demon is more fun. In the end it seems the M5 is less raw and more tame, and for fun factor and a grin on one's face an enthusiest might like the Demon more because it is more fun to drive.
When I hear the sound of rear tires sliding sideways under acelleration I remember my Volvo 122S and how I wore out a set of tires in a year only doing about 15K miles of driving because I liked carving turns at high speed. When mountain biking in pine barrens at slower speeds I use the same physics of skidding the rear while acellerating through a turn that requires "countersteering" to negociate a turn.
So Mike took out his carbon fiber fixed gear death bike for a test ride the other day. He went with a friend he considers a "monster" who trains every day and races. They did a ride of rolling hills and climbs on 9W which skirts the Hudson River on the Jersey side: average speed over 26 MPH; total distance over 46 miles; and here is the scary part 49 MPH max speed on a downhill.
Realize that this is Mike's first time riding this new bike, and realize this is also the first time he has used clipless pedals. Generally when I ride a road bike (with a freewheel, not a fixed gear) my cadance is about 100 RPM. I can go at a faster RPM, but it is not sustainable, and the danger on a fixed gear bike is that you can't stop pedaling. At 49 MPH the rpm's is mucho crazy and definately not sustainable.
Mike explained a turning point where gravity took over and there was no choice but stay on top of his gearing. The ending could have been one big scab. Ouch.
So this bike weighs 16 and 3/4 pounds. Kinda crazy that my Ti IBIS, a mountain bike set up as an urban single speed is less than 17 1/2 pounds.
I also happen to read a story of this woman who set a new land speed record on a bicycle: 184 MPH. This was achieved by drafting a dragster. The woman and the driver were in constant communication and it all started with the woman being tethered to the dragster; she communicated a release; and then directed the driver to accellerate.
The bike had a huge chain ring that fed one cog, and then another chain ring and another cog. I forget if one revolution of the pedals covered 13 or 15 feet.
I asked Mike if at 49 MPH did his bike start to become unstable, and he reported things got skittish and the bike underneath him and his steering began to oscillate. I mentioned to him that he has to move his seat and his position further back, and to try and make it so he can ride with no hands leaning back to stabilize the bike.
So how does all this refer or relate to photography to get back on topic? The idea here is to be a bit crazy to a point for excitement, the challenge, and to keep things fresh. I will also say don't get yourself killed though. In other words don't do a "Mike." Crazy is good, but don't be a wack-job.
I have some interesting friends. My friend Cris owns a vintage funny car that is kinda famous and historical. My friend Scott went to a race car driving school in Conn. My friend Steve kinda started that outlaw/illegal drag racing that first began by the Nassau Coliseum and then went out to Dear Park Avenue.
BTW Mike is a fashion photographer, the real deal, a working pro. He is a skinny bitch like me, decades younger, and he has an upcoming gig where he will get access to a Leica "S" kit for shooting a notable campaign. More smut later.
Cal
So what does it all mean when at work I watch a video of a duel between a BMW M5 and a Dodge Demon SRT?
I see that the M5 in a drag race dusts the Demon in all wheel drive mode, despite the Demon's 800 horsepower, but on a track "drifting" where a certain amount of oversteer is required because you are using a certain the loss of a certain amount of traction to steer with your rear it seems like the Demon is more fun. In the end it seems the M5 is less raw and more tame, and for fun factor and a grin on one's face an enthusiest might like the Demon more because it is more fun to drive.
When I hear the sound of rear tires sliding sideways under acelleration I remember my Volvo 122S and how I wore out a set of tires in a year only doing about 15K miles of driving because I liked carving turns at high speed. When mountain biking in pine barrens at slower speeds I use the same physics of skidding the rear while acellerating through a turn that requires "countersteering" to negociate a turn.
So Mike took out his carbon fiber fixed gear death bike for a test ride the other day. He went with a friend he considers a "monster" who trains every day and races. They did a ride of rolling hills and climbs on 9W which skirts the Hudson River on the Jersey side: average speed over 26 MPH; total distance over 46 miles; and here is the scary part 49 MPH max speed on a downhill.
Realize that this is Mike's first time riding this new bike, and realize this is also the first time he has used clipless pedals. Generally when I ride a road bike (with a freewheel, not a fixed gear) my cadance is about 100 RPM. I can go at a faster RPM, but it is not sustainable, and the danger on a fixed gear bike is that you can't stop pedaling. At 49 MPH the rpm's is mucho crazy and definately not sustainable.
Mike explained a turning point where gravity took over and there was no choice but stay on top of his gearing. The ending could have been one big scab. Ouch.
So this bike weighs 16 and 3/4 pounds. Kinda crazy that my Ti IBIS, a mountain bike set up as an urban single speed is less than 17 1/2 pounds.
I also happen to read a story of this woman who set a new land speed record on a bicycle: 184 MPH. This was achieved by drafting a dragster. The woman and the driver were in constant communication and it all started with the woman being tethered to the dragster; she communicated a release; and then directed the driver to accellerate.
The bike had a huge chain ring that fed one cog, and then another chain ring and another cog. I forget if one revolution of the pedals covered 13 or 15 feet.
I asked Mike if at 49 MPH did his bike start to become unstable, and he reported things got skittish and the bike underneath him and his steering began to oscillate. I mentioned to him that he has to move his seat and his position further back, and to try and make it so he can ride with no hands leaning back to stabilize the bike.
So how does all this refer or relate to photography to get back on topic? The idea here is to be a bit crazy to a point for excitement, the challenge, and to keep things fresh. I will also say don't get yourself killed though. In other words don't do a "Mike." Crazy is good, but don't be a wack-job.
I have some interesting friends. My friend Cris owns a vintage funny car that is kinda famous and historical. My friend Scott went to a race car driving school in Conn. My friend Steve kinda started that outlaw/illegal drag racing that first began by the Nassau Coliseum and then went out to Dear Park Avenue.
BTW Mike is a fashion photographer, the real deal, a working pro. He is a skinny bitch like me, decades younger, and he has an upcoming gig where he will get access to a Leica "S" kit for shooting a notable campaign. More smut later.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
With trade wars predicting future inflation, and pretty much the consumer paying the bill for this foolishness, I see myself being somewhat isolated from this aftermath that has yet to roost.
In looking through my pile of treasures and my photographic gear the only things that won't be insulated from inflation is paper and ink for printing, and film.
I kinda have a current oversupply of small format and medium format cameras, and for digital my old 6 year old Monochrom with replaced sensor and overhaul along with my 3 year old SL serve me fine. In this manner I really don't need more cameras or more glass. In this manner I'm not a consumer.
There are suggestions that new car prices will esculate about $4K per vehicle due to tariffs. Price increases are expected to trickle in about January 2019, and the prices of used vehicles are expected to rise as consumers get priced out of buying a new car. Might camera prices follow this model?
I also see the price of used Leica MP's esculating due to ending production. I now have remorse for trading in my black paint MP that had a 0.85 VF'er because it seems that sellers of MP's have inflated prices.
Anyways I'm glad I remain with a "full boat." Like I said in another post, "I find the expression No man is an Island to be untrue." In this case I have insulated myself from harm.
The idea of retirement is to recreate oneself. One gets challenged by issues of health, lifestyle, longevity, and finally mortality. My decade long hoarding of camera gear has climaxed, and I have accumulated enough to remain satiated. I am no longer really a consumer. Another concept of retirement is to create a life that is sustainable for a long term.
I know most people are "consumers" and the money has to come from somewhere. Consumers will foot this bill. Moral of the story: It is good to not be a consumer, and make your purchases thinking of the long term. I bought all this gear at discount prices, being patient, and got remarkable deals. I bought gear as "durable goods."
In lurking in another thread I see how things have evolved. Is a new MP a much better camera than my M6 or M4? Pretty much they do the job and are equivilent. Surely a M-246 a better more advanced camera than my Monochrom, but do I need one to be happy, or am I rather glad I can remain satified with a simple and basic rather primitive digital camera?
Anyways things to consider when viewing all the new gear at PhotoPlusExpo.
Cal
In looking through my pile of treasures and my photographic gear the only things that won't be insulated from inflation is paper and ink for printing, and film.
I kinda have a current oversupply of small format and medium format cameras, and for digital my old 6 year old Monochrom with replaced sensor and overhaul along with my 3 year old SL serve me fine. In this manner I really don't need more cameras or more glass. In this manner I'm not a consumer.
There are suggestions that new car prices will esculate about $4K per vehicle due to tariffs. Price increases are expected to trickle in about January 2019, and the prices of used vehicles are expected to rise as consumers get priced out of buying a new car. Might camera prices follow this model?
I also see the price of used Leica MP's esculating due to ending production. I now have remorse for trading in my black paint MP that had a 0.85 VF'er because it seems that sellers of MP's have inflated prices.
Anyways I'm glad I remain with a "full boat." Like I said in another post, "I find the expression No man is an Island to be untrue." In this case I have insulated myself from harm.
The idea of retirement is to recreate oneself. One gets challenged by issues of health, lifestyle, longevity, and finally mortality. My decade long hoarding of camera gear has climaxed, and I have accumulated enough to remain satiated. I am no longer really a consumer. Another concept of retirement is to create a life that is sustainable for a long term.
I know most people are "consumers" and the money has to come from somewhere. Consumers will foot this bill. Moral of the story: It is good to not be a consumer, and make your purchases thinking of the long term. I bought all this gear at discount prices, being patient, and got remarkable deals. I bought gear as "durable goods."
In lurking in another thread I see how things have evolved. Is a new MP a much better camera than my M6 or M4? Pretty much they do the job and are equivilent. Surely a M-246 a better more advanced camera than my Monochrom, but do I need one to be happy, or am I rather glad I can remain satified with a simple and basic rather primitive digital camera?
Anyways things to consider when viewing all the new gear at PhotoPlusExpo.
Cal
dmr
Registered Abuser
But the important question is ... ...
Will the new Ektachrome be available?
Will the new Ektachrome be available?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Film prices have hit a tipping point for me. Not only am I a "Lazy Slacker" but I'm also a CF. I tend to load up on sales to multiply saving money.
When Jon Cone throughout the year runs sales (generally about 15%) is when I "load up the truck" and spend thousands. I bulk up and warehouse papers and ink.
Right now it seems Ilford has not increased prices like the other film makers. It might be a good time to load up the truck. Also over the longer term Ilford for B&W seems like the way to go. The new films like Pancho 400 and P30 are not inexpensive. Remember I'm a CF.
As far as Kodak products go, 5222 now is north of $7.00 a roll at Photo Warehouse. I use to buy this film loaded in cassettes for convenience for $5.00 and change a roll. I love 5222. It has a retro look, great contrast, and has the exposure lattitude of silver rich emulsions.
So I'm thinking of doing a "Mark Cuban" and go "All-In." Pretty much just buy 800 foot rolls, buy 100 reloadable cassettes, and have fun blasting away. BTW I shoot 5222 at 400 ISO and develop with Diafine for "no-money." Remember I'm a CF.
For 120 I'll use Ilford for FP4 and HP5.
I am fully rigged for shooting 70mm using baby Linhof's. Pretty much all I need is film. Rollie 400S imported from Germany has a cost of about $3.00 a 120 equiv. Again I'm a CF, but then again I can afford to shoot 70mm in 6x9 and 6x7 as if shooting Arista Premium in a Leica. Cheap-Cheap...
I'm currently been obsessing about how to best bulk load. In the past I just used a dark room. I think I will use this Leica spooling thing I have. I figured out how I could use a tape measure to act like a linear spring to hold and control the feed of a cut piece of film. As I remember a length of film that spans my out stretched arms was about 40 exposures.
In the darkroom I spooled the film winding it into the cassette while holding it over my head. With my "fixture" that I'm designing all I need is a table as a horizontal surface in a darkroom. My bathroom could serve this purpose.
Cal
When Jon Cone throughout the year runs sales (generally about 15%) is when I "load up the truck" and spend thousands. I bulk up and warehouse papers and ink.
Right now it seems Ilford has not increased prices like the other film makers. It might be a good time to load up the truck. Also over the longer term Ilford for B&W seems like the way to go. The new films like Pancho 400 and P30 are not inexpensive. Remember I'm a CF.
As far as Kodak products go, 5222 now is north of $7.00 a roll at Photo Warehouse. I use to buy this film loaded in cassettes for convenience for $5.00 and change a roll. I love 5222. It has a retro look, great contrast, and has the exposure lattitude of silver rich emulsions.
So I'm thinking of doing a "Mark Cuban" and go "All-In." Pretty much just buy 800 foot rolls, buy 100 reloadable cassettes, and have fun blasting away. BTW I shoot 5222 at 400 ISO and develop with Diafine for "no-money." Remember I'm a CF.
For 120 I'll use Ilford for FP4 and HP5.
I am fully rigged for shooting 70mm using baby Linhof's. Pretty much all I need is film. Rollie 400S imported from Germany has a cost of about $3.00 a 120 equiv. Again I'm a CF, but then again I can afford to shoot 70mm in 6x9 and 6x7 as if shooting Arista Premium in a Leica. Cheap-Cheap...
I'm currently been obsessing about how to best bulk load. In the past I just used a dark room. I think I will use this Leica spooling thing I have. I figured out how I could use a tape measure to act like a linear spring to hold and control the feed of a cut piece of film. As I remember a length of film that spans my out stretched arms was about 40 exposures.
In the darkroom I spooled the film winding it into the cassette while holding it over my head. With my "fixture" that I'm designing all I need is a table as a horizontal surface in a darkroom. My bathroom could serve this purpose.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
But the important question is ... ...
Will the new Ektachrome be available?
DMR,
I see you are a color film guy. This is more problematic.
Pretty much because I'm a CF I do B&W. The only color work I do is for my gal's fashion blog.
WWW. AccidentalIcon.com
Her Instagram is IconAccidental.
She has over 540K followers and is "Verified." No matter what city we go to she gets recognized on the street. She is a celeb.
The CF way to do color I think is digital.
If you want to talk about being a CF and color printing using Jon Cone encapsulated Epson compatable inks for no money (Less than 0.10 per ml. Know that OEM Epson inks is about $1.00 per ml.). Pretty much the cost of printing is the cost of paper.
We should talk.
Cal
Range-rover
Veteran
Cal you should have the AccidentalIcon come to White Plains to Bloomingdales
where I work that would start them talking up there.
where I work that would start them talking up there.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Bob,
"Maggie" is flying to Paris Monday to be part of their Fashion Week. She has bigger gigs that are very high profile at this point.
She got an invite to Milan, but has to teach.
Cal
Range-rover
Veteran
That's fantastic, hope she has a great time in the city of lights.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
It was a busy weekend. A lot of locations around the city had to get shot for this Perricone campaign. Somehow I'm part of it because of the diet.
At 5'9" (use to be 5'10) I'm sub 150 pounds and getting very close to being a true Welterweight. In Chinatown I went to that park off of Baxter and saw these guys sparing in the Pa-GOAT-A. I observed for a while and then started shooting.
I talked with Benny this instructor who pretty much taught urban self-defense using a couple of styles. I inquired because two of his students spared lefty, and I found this uncommon and unusual because lefties are less than 5% of the population. Benny explained that this was a form that Bruce Lee studied where you lead with your strong side.
Pretty much if I wanted to be trained all I would need is a pair of boxing gloves. I observed this style I associate with "Chinese In-fighting" where you kinda get close to your opponent to remove any size advantage of a larger opponent.
This in-fighting is well suited for urban or subway. What I saw that was most useful was Benny's counter's. His countermoves aggainst aggression was skillful.
My own style exploits my lankiness, my speed, and my agility. I fight "the big circle" using physics and leverage to my advantage. So I kinda discovered a very cool public Dojo to learn some new skills.
Later I met up with "Maggie" who had a meeting. We shot and ran some errands because later today she flies off to Paris Fashion Week.
On the subway ride home Saturday I caught a girl sneaking a cell phone picture of Maggie. I mentioned it to Maggie, and on Sunday Maggie showed me this cute shot that the girl photo-shopped, who evidently is one of her followers.
The caption was "Small woman with a large Acne Studios bag." The color was sucked out and it was converted to all B&W except for the loud orange Acne Studios bag. It was also tagged to AccidentalIcon.com.
Some big deals are brewing that look to be life changing. No lie that it is similar to an episode of "Shark Tank" and looks very promising. If things work out I might have to quit my job because it would just be a waste of time.
This is getting to be very real and surreal at the same time.
Cal
At 5'9" (use to be 5'10) I'm sub 150 pounds and getting very close to being a true Welterweight. In Chinatown I went to that park off of Baxter and saw these guys sparing in the Pa-GOAT-A. I observed for a while and then started shooting.
I talked with Benny this instructor who pretty much taught urban self-defense using a couple of styles. I inquired because two of his students spared lefty, and I found this uncommon and unusual because lefties are less than 5% of the population. Benny explained that this was a form that Bruce Lee studied where you lead with your strong side.
Pretty much if I wanted to be trained all I would need is a pair of boxing gloves. I observed this style I associate with "Chinese In-fighting" where you kinda get close to your opponent to remove any size advantage of a larger opponent.
This in-fighting is well suited for urban or subway. What I saw that was most useful was Benny's counter's. His countermoves aggainst aggression was skillful.
My own style exploits my lankiness, my speed, and my agility. I fight "the big circle" using physics and leverage to my advantage. So I kinda discovered a very cool public Dojo to learn some new skills.
Later I met up with "Maggie" who had a meeting. We shot and ran some errands because later today she flies off to Paris Fashion Week.
On the subway ride home Saturday I caught a girl sneaking a cell phone picture of Maggie. I mentioned it to Maggie, and on Sunday Maggie showed me this cute shot that the girl photo-shopped, who evidently is one of her followers.
The caption was "Small woman with a large Acne Studios bag." The color was sucked out and it was converted to all B&W except for the loud orange Acne Studios bag. It was also tagged to AccidentalIcon.com.
Some big deals are brewing that look to be life changing. No lie that it is similar to an episode of "Shark Tank" and looks very promising. If things work out I might have to quit my job because it would just be a waste of time.
This is getting to be very real and surreal at the same time.
Cal
jwlee
Established
Unbelievable, just received another email from PhotoPlusExpo offering free registration.
Range-rover
Veteran
So did I, I applied for a free expo pass as well, lot's to see this year!
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
NYC Fashion Week now extends into the first two weeks of October for me. A frenzy continues since "Maggie" has to catch up with contract obligations that have deadlines.
So at this level most "Digital Influencers" have a crew. Maggie only has two interns and pretty much she needed a photographer in Paris. I'm not fond of jet lag or short trips that involve distance.
I read an interesting newsletter that talked about de-accumulating in retirement. Interesting to note how I have stockpiled enough treasures to last me.
I started decommissioning my 3880, and filled it With Piezoflush. I also emptied the carts, flushing them, and storing them filled with deionized water.
Looks like I'll be meeting up with the Bronx fellowship photographers again soon.
Cal
So at this level most "Digital Influencers" have a crew. Maggie only has two interns and pretty much she needed a photographer in Paris. I'm not fond of jet lag or short trips that involve distance.
I read an interesting newsletter that talked about de-accumulating in retirement. Interesting to note how I have stockpiled enough treasures to last me.
I started decommissioning my 3880, and filled it With Piezoflush. I also emptied the carts, flushing them, and storing them filled with deionized water.
Looks like I'll be meeting up with the Bronx fellowship photographers again soon.
Cal