New York September NYC Meet-Up

Calzone said:
GEAR ALERT: Leica SL.

Yesterday I packed up a knapsack of boxed gear and went to the Leica Store in Soho to trade up into a SL. Kinda painless even though my "beloved" black paint MP is gone, the rare early chrome 90/4.0 Macro Elmar, and my 21 SEM.

Funny thing is that my Wetzlar M6 with the Ti top plate kinda blew them away, and the M6 came home with me because they could not price or put a value on my prototype camera. A true "Monster." LOL.
Click to expand...

You almost sold both of your film Leicas? What's next... an iPhone?

and it looks like I have other plans for the 25th... 🙁
 
Cal,

You must have really, really, wanted that SL to let go of the 21 SEM.

I'll predict the future, and say you will get another 21 SEM at some point.

Joe
 
jszokoli said:
Cal,

You must have really, really, wanted that SL to let go of the 21 SEM.

I'll predict the future, and say you will get another 21 SEM at some point.

Joe
Click to expand...

Joe,

I can always get another in the future. I still have the MD2 reserved.

I really wanted to build a camera around the 50 Lux-R "E60." The SL was the logical choice to ultimize that lens and since it is a SLR lens it will be a better balance on the SL than my heavy chrome 50 Lux-M. Also know that I'm bored with the Nikon D3X. Too plain vanilla and not enough personality. I like crazy cameras that are a bit over the top.

I made up my mind to be a 28 and 50 shooter, although I made it a point to likely get an Olympus body for the 24/3.5 shift lens I own. How crazy is a big lens on a tiny body.

Also the last time I went crazy was also around a Presidential election year. About 4 years ago I bought my Monochrom. About 8 years ago I was solely a Nikon SLR shooter, but then I started buying into Leica.

I had to try the Noct-Nikkor on the SL with a Novaflex adapter. A true "Monster." LOL. Really crazy.

I want to be ready for when Leica releases the dedicated "R" adapter and new firmware. Call me an anxious person. Hurry-up Leica and build a SLM. LOL.

Also know that Friday I got a haircut, and perhaps that's why Craig did not recognize me. I now have collar length hair. I can kinda still make a man-bun, but realize that about 14-16 inches of ponytail are missing. I have to send in the cut off braids to "Locks Of Love" that will make wigs for kids that have Cancer.

Anyways the SL is a brutal camera and kinda like me: crazy. LOL.

All I know is that I'm a great salesman and also a great day-trader. Maggie bought me a book called "The Market Wizards," all about hedge fund managers, traders, and money managers. The sum of the book was the right combination of both personality and an analytical mind was the common thread of all these big finance people. Basically it was about profiling all these wealthy and successful money managers.

Some of the best were former blackjack and poker professional gamblers. The film "Trading Places" with Eddie Murphy and Dan Acroid is base on truth where two money managers placed a bet to settle an arguement whether a successful trader could be trained or not. This group was known as "The Turtles."

Cal
 
benmacphoto said:
Cal, congrats on the SL.
Will be great to see the work you make with it.
As of now the 25th works for me to come up to the meet up.
Click to expand...

Ben,

Color is kinda new to me. I have that spare 3880 to print color. Also the Nikon D3X bothers me. I don't like the anti alias filter, but I do like the colors say over Canon.

The smut is that Gloss Overcoat over a color print saturates the colors and brings out detail. The issue over protecting the delicate print and making it able to handle handling is a huge bonus to me.

I think I will cut my 17x 23 1/2 odd sized paper from rolls and create a custom size because I like the 2 inch borders on a 13x 19 1/2 image.

Cal
 
Guy's believe it or not I think I could make the this months meet on the 25th,
it will be nice seeing everybody. I'm taking my vacation late this year. Oh, Star
Trek Mission New York was great!
 
No R glass, But I do have the following,
Hasselblad 500CM with a Zeiss 80mm f2.8 CF
Rolleiflex 3.5E with Zeiss
and
Rolleiflex 6002 with a 80mm f2.8 Zeiss
 
Film processing and Scanning NYC

Film processing and Scanning NYC

mabelsound said:
...and while I've got you, what's a place that does decent B&W and C41 developing and scanning in Manhattan? I wasn't able to bring my chemicals and equipment on this trip.
Click to expand...

Hey Mabelsound, I may be late in answering, but checkout Luster Photo in the East Village, 121 Ave. A. Their service is good quality and not that expensive. Also, I'm pretty sure it was you who sold me a nice black M7 in the summer of 2010. Anyway hope this helps.

MIKE
 
Thursday night, 15th of September is "Night Out on Bleecker." From 6-9 PM.

Anyways this is like a mini Fashion Night Out. I'll be duded up in Paul Smith. You might not recognize me because of my haircut. Basically I'm doing a Johnny Dep impersonation with my collar length hair.

Anyways when I get dressed out, I laugh when I look in the mirror because it is not my usual sloppy style or lack of.

A hot girl once said, "You look like an Asian version of James Bond." LOL.

Meanwhile all the high end wool clothing felt so light that I felt naked. I could feel the breeze against my skin.

Tonight is some event that is done collectively by some high end designers that are not gigantic enough yet. I'mm be running home after this post to put on some fancy dudes.

This Saturday is a End of Fashion Week party given by a 21 year old retired super model I met.

Maggie has gone to some of the big shows at Pier 59 and at Monahan Station. Some shows she had to blow off because she was double booked. She is almost at 50K followers.

Cal
 
My neighborhood (East Harlem) was in the news again this week. It seems that some patron eating at Joy Burger fell through the floor when a hatch that led to the basement collapsed.

The person had to be rescued by the NYFD.

I am experiencing Fashion Week burnout. Basically I am at a point where I can fall asleep at any time anywhere, and basically need to just rest.

The SL I have rigged with the 50 Lux "E60," and it seems to be all I need. I find that the rendering reminds me a lot of my 75 Lux, and the closer focusing of this "R" mount SLR lens well suits the SL. This lens renders wonderfully wide open, and the VF'er, along with the focus aids, makes it kinda easy to nail the focus.

Even with a D3X and autofocus shooting wide open is not easy. I like shooting the SL a lot more, I find the camera inspiring, and the SL offers some very advanced capabilities not offered by other cameras.

October 1st is my 40th High School Reunion. That should be weird. How do I explain 40 years of wandering around rather recklessly doing outragous and crazy things. Whenever I had the choice in life, I tended to do the bold and non conventional. I find it interesting that so many of my classmates remained out in the suburbs of Long Island. Actually I never thought I would live this long. LOL.

Maggie now officially has 50K followers after having only starting her blog two years ago which is a grand milestone/threshold where even bigger things begin to happen. Only in January of this year she only had 10K followers. Anyways I see a whole new world beginning to emerge for her, and there are many conflicts due to bookings and obligations that need to be constrained. We are at a point where we blow off events.

It seems things are beginning to happen for me. I have three exhibition possibilities, and actually some paid work if I want it. I have to firm things up and make them happen. One is this ongoing Manhattan Mini Storage group show that seems to be getting dragged out; another opportunity is with this girl I engaged with in a Chelsea gallery who I late found out is a gallery director; and a third is an inside track to an exhibition on West Broadway in Soho. I was given the contact info to an Exhibition Director and somehow now I'm an insider.

Both my printers are in storage mode at this time, and I need a break from printing. It seems I need about $1.5K to set up the 3880 as a color printer since I bought the SL. I also need to stockpile more B&W inks and a lot of paper. So when this happens I will be supporting two printers, meanwhile I will concentrate on shooting. Like the housing bubble I'm making prints so rich folk can buy them.

I still have a rather big kit and that includes mucho film cameras and medium format. Anyways I'm kinda maxed out, but things are happening. Crazy is good I say.

Cal
 
So I am part of the "No Longer Empty" group show. Eleven artists were selected.

The venue has been changed. The new location will be the Manhattan Mini Storage Facility on 44th Street and West Side Highway. The show will run October 13th-21st. At the opening will run a video documentary premiere of the storage visits which will also be available online thereafter.

So my model of printing first got me into this show, although it is an old film image that was selected, that was wet printed from a Tele Rollieflex tripod nightshot that involve me trespasing in a rail yard, it is a very impressive shot. I believe the image size is 18 1/2" x 18 1/2 " and luckily it already is museum framed with a window mat with big broad borders.

Anyways I am mighty proud of this image because it displays a perfect exposure (I only took two shots for bracketing) and it is an iconic image. Funny thing is that this shot cannot be duplicated today because a newly built highrise in Long Island City partially blocks the Empire State Building and ruins the shot.

I'm running with the ball. Now the next step is set up a meeting with that Chelsea Gallery Director to steamroll the momentum. October already looks to be a big month just ahead.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
My neighborhood (East Harlem) was in the news again this week. It seems that some patron eating at Joy Burger fell through the floor when a hatch that led to the basement collapsed.

The person had to be rescued by the NYFD.

I am experiencing Fashion Week burnout. Basically I am at a point where I can fall asleep at any time anywhere, and basically need to just rest.

The SL I have rigged with the 50 Lux "E60," and it seems to be all I need. I find that the rendering reminds me a lot of my 75 Lux, and the closer focusing of this "R" mount SLR lens well suits the SL. This lens renders wonderfully wide open, and the VF'er, along with the focus aids, makes it kinda easy to nail the focus.

Even with a D3X and autofocus shooting wide open is not easy. I like shooting the SL a lot more, I find the camera inspiring, and the SL offers some very advanced capabilities not offered by other cameras.

October 1st is my 40th High School Reunion. That should be weird. How do I explain 40 years of wandering around rather recklessly doing outragous and crazy things. Whenever I had the choice in life, I tended to do the bold and non conventional. I find it interesting that so many of my classmates remained out in the suburbs of Long Island. Actually I never thought I would live this long. LOL.

Maggie now officially has 50K followers after having only starting her blog two years ago which is a grand milestone/threshold where even bigger things begin to happen. Only in January of this year she only had 10K followers. Anyways I see a whole new world beginning to emerge for her, and there are many conflicts due to bookings and obligations that need to be constrained. We are at a point where we blow off events.

It seems things are beginning to happen for me. I have three exhibition possibilities, and actually some paid work if I want it. I have to firm things up and make them happen. One is this ongoing Manhattan Mini Storage group show that seems to be getting dragged out; another opportunity is with this girl I engaged with in a Chelsea gallery who I late found out is a gallery director; and a third is an inside track to an exhibition on West Broadway in Soho. I was given the contact info to an Exhibition Director and somehow now I'm an insider.

Both my printers are in storage mode at this time, and I need a break from printing. It seems I need about $1.5K to set up the 3880 as a color printer since I bought the SL. I also need to stockpile more B&W inks and a lot of paper. So when this happens I will be supporting two printers, meanwhile I will concentrate on shooting. Like the housing bubble I'm making prints so rich folk can buy them.

I still have a rather big kit and that includes mucho film cameras and medium format. Anyways I'm kinda maxed out, but things are happening. Crazy is good I say.

Cal
Click to expand...


Hi Cal,
I met Maggie at 125th street Metro North train Station on wed, she told
me you were very busy. I have a great time at your reunion, should be a blast!
 
My new SL is mighty heavy with the 50 Lux "E60."

Very SLR like.

For wides though I still prefer rangefinders. The Focus Peaking really isn't the best for wides due to the vast DOF, but for 50 and longer the SL is the ultimate. Best with longer lenses that have a focus pop.

I remain muy impressed. "Maggie" thinks the SL might be too detailed. LOL.

The SL is very conducive to shoot wide open, and the 50 "E60" renders wonderfully wide open.

Cal
 
UPDATE: I returned the "F" to "M" adapter so no Noct-Nikkor on the SL at the Meet-Up. I could always get another adapter, but I didn't want to risk of sidelining $255.00 in a seldom used adapter.

It does seem like the M-glass offers amazing resolution and a compact size, but the 50 Lux "E60" is non ASPH and offers this balance of sharpness and smoothness that is rather pleasing.

The detailed files look great on my EIZO right out of the camera.

Anyways the SL does really well with a 50. I still prefer rangefinders for wides.

Although I got ride of some gear Know that I still own mucho cameras: 3 digital (D3X, MM and SL); 4 film SLR's (F3P, F3 HP, F5, Leica SL2-MOT); 2 M-bodies (Wetzlar M6 and MD2); and 5 medium format cameras (Rollie 3.5F Whiteface, Plabel 69W Proshift, Fuji GL690, Fuji GM670, and a Pentax 67II).

Not sure if the Pentax 67 II is staying or going. My friend Mike borrowed the camera and is interested, but all the Pentax glass could be useful on the new Fuji GFX medium format digital.

See everybody this Sunday.

Cal
 
I know this is all last minute, but how about going to Photoville in Dumbo instead of sitting around in a bar.

Check out www.photoville.com for all the exhibits.

At 4:00 PM-4:45 PM Holly Hughs, the Editor of PDN will be heading a panel on new and emerging photographers getting their work seen and noticed. Selfishly I'm interested in this panel disscussion, but I still need friends, LOL, and don't want to blow you off. LOL.

How about doing Photoville for the September NYC Meet-Up?

I say let's meet at noon.

Cal
 
robert blu said:
Nice to know it s a great crazy time for you LOL
robert
Click to expand...

Robert,

So today is Thursday and at the last minute I get an e-mail blast about Photoville.

Anyways the next NYC Meet-Up is this Sunday and I'm trying to change the venue at the last minute.

I went through this thread an personally PM'ed those that posted so at least I will have a few friends who are not mad at me. LOL.

Hope I'm not creating a lot of confusion.

www.photoville.com

Seems to me a lot more interesting than obsessing about gear. I definately want to see the Bill Cunningham exhibition. Sadly he is gone.

Cal
 
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