*Official Photography Thread* (56k warning)

[bowzil]

Camurai, I am a Minolta lover also. It is very user friendly and egornomics IMO. I used to own many Minolta SLR, but I already sold most of them in exchange for a dslr. My first SLR was Minolta 500si I believe and it was my dad's SLR. After that I bought a 7xi then goes on.

Here are my current equipment:
-Sony A100 w/ vertical grip
-Maxxum 9 w/ Vertical Grip
-Maxxum 700si (w/ date back) w/ vertical grip
-Maxxum 700si w/ NPC Polaroid back w/ vertical grip
-Maxxum 3xi
-Maxxum 7000 (XX edition)
-Maxxum RD-175

The Camera that I used to own:
-Maxxum 800si
-Maxxum 700si (2)
-Maxxum 7000
-Maxxum 7xi
-Maxxum 500si

Current Lens list:
-Sony 18-70mm
-Minolta 70-210mm f4 (beercan)
-Minolta 28-85mm Macro (old ver.)
-Minolta 50mm 1.7 (2) (old and RS)
-Minolta 500mm f8 mirror
-Tokina 20-35mm 3.5-4.5
-Tokina 24-40mm 2.8
-Tokina 24-200mm

Old lens list (sold):
-Minolta 500mm f8 mirror
-Sigma 400mm 5.6
-Minolta xi 28-80mm
-Minolta si 80-200mm
-Minolta 50mm 1.7 (2)
-Tokina 28-105mm
-Tamron 28-200mm

Scanner:
-Minolta Dimage scan dual III

My Current Accessories:
-Minolta 5400HS
-Minolta 5400xi
-Minolta 5200i (2)
-Minolta 3500xi
-Minolta wireless adapter
-Minolta Maxxum 9 screen (2 types)
-Many more, too much to list here.

My film processing equipment:
-Jobo CPE-2
-Omega enlarger (I forget the type coz I already sent it back to my homecountry).
-Omega color analyzer
-Many darkroom stuffs, too long to list it here.

I am planning to buy the Sony a-700, or maybe just wait for the flagship version ....no I am just joking....

Camurai you got lots of Studio equipment, teach me some of your skills lol....

I am glad that there is a Minolta hardcore lover here at CB7tuner.

[nghtrydr23]

thats ALOT of stuff and you only spent about 3g??

[J-specCb4]

dude.... camarai ur shots are amazing buddy keep up the good work im shooting with an xt and a prime 50 1.8 95% of the time when im not using that im using the super soft 18-55 kit lens,..... im picking up a 580ex or 430ex soon and a sigma 15-30 buying eqipment sucks lol.... ill post a few more images in just a few moments....

[J-specCb4]

and the latest pic of my car....

[cb7wagonPL]

nice shots j-speccb4! those prime lenses are fun aran't they. I own a 50mm 1.8 myself for my D70 and its great. i just need to find some time to shoot some pics! i like the second ne from that set. what was the iso set at for that one? looks like it was a bit high but it works very well for that pic. nice job

[J-specCb4]

thanks yeah i love my fifty.... i believe tht was ahot at 1600 iso and i didnt do any noise reduction..... ive been less concerned with noise with this style of image.....

[Camurai]

thats ALOT of stuff and you only spent about 3g??

$3g each for camera equipment and lighting. $6g total. I saved some by buying a lot of stuff either used or on eBay. The 500si only cost me $20 for instance. I also nabbed the White Lightning strobe for $400 shipped used off eBay. All of the manual focus stuff was used obviously, and since Minolta is falling out of favor compared to the other major brands, I picked it all up for a song.

J-spec, thanks man! You're doing pretty good yourself! One thing I'll recommend to you is: invest in a good tripod. You'll thank yourself a thousand times over. Also, a good idea for a shoe-mount flash is to get yourself a good diffuser or on-camera softbox to diffuse the flash. It'll cut down on a lot of the harsh shadows you're otherwise likely to get. Something like the Lumiquest Big Bounce or their Pro Max 80/20 system would be perfect.

bowzil, I'm just getting used to the studio equipment! HAHAHA! Seriously, I only picked all that stuff up this year and I've just been experimenting. I never took any classes, I just have an engineer's bend to my thinking, so I look at photography from a scientific point of view. When you really get down to the basis of it, it's all based in mathematics. (Trust me on this one, I'll try to explain in another thread.)

[nghtrydr23]

well im just gettin started got the body with lens kit for 699 shipped, sigma 55-200mm, 17-85mm is usm w/ lens hood for 530. i did not want to buy those used due to not knowing how the previous owner used it. for lighting i got the 580ex for 465, bought it new while i was in HK, from what i understand you can't replace the bulb so i didn't bother buying a used one.

i don't mind buying used stuff for other/future lighting gear but ill prolly always buy lens and body new.

[Camurai]

Lenses I don't mind buying used so much, but I'll typically buy them from a reputable local shop. Manual focus stuff obviously has to be bought used. DSLR bodies? I'm DEFINITELY buying them new. A shitload of them get bought by point & shooters who typically treat them like the usual point & shoot cameras. Read as: they treat them like shit. Never have them CLA'd, never serviced, toss them around like they're unbreakable, change lenses in windy, dusty conditions, etc. Manual focus SLRs, and for the most part autofocus SLRs as well were usually bought (and maintained) by pros or enthusiasts, and are typically well cared for.

[bowzil]

bowzil, I'm just getting used to the studio equipment! HAHAHA! Seriously, I only picked all that stuff up this year and I've just been experimenting. I never took any classes, I just have an engineer's bend to my thinking, so I look at photography from a scientific point of view. When you really get down to the basis of it, it's all based in mathematics. (Trust me on this one, I'll try to explain in another thread.)

haha.....lol you're right, book and experience are your friend...I hope we can meet someday, coz I have been wanting to try the 50mm 1.4 prime lens. lol

I am using 5400hs with my sony Alpha in fully manual control, and that is kinda difficult at first, but now I can manage to overcome that. We also cannot use the wireless flash feature on 5400hs with sony a100.

[cb7wagonPL]

[NAiL05]

Heres a few of mine from my expedition yesterday lol








And just a questions anyone know why my left side blurs but my right side doesnt lol I brang my tripod just to see if it was just me holding the thing but I guess not. In some pics it will blur the rear of my car and in some it doesnt its wierd.

No tripod manual mode - I had to get out of the way of a car so that migth have caused it but I doubt that would have contributed to that minor blur.


With a Tripod - Not as bad but its still there.


My friend told me it can be caused because I dont resize my images and load it onto photobucket that might cause that minor blur. Dunno if that is true but its a logical suggestion.

[starchland]

the blurring you described is called Chromatic Aberration. basically its a negative trait of your lens. what kind of lens are you using? Im gonna guess a cheaper 'wide angle' this is what is causing the distortion.

[NAiL05]

the blurring you described is called Chromatic Aberration. basically its a negative trait of your lens. what kind of lens are you using? Im gonna guess a cheaper 'wide angle' this is what is causing the distortion.

Actually those are the stock lens. I guess I will try cleaning it more. Sometimes when its brighter outside it doesnt do the blur. But yea ill clean the lens again and see if that helps. Thanks.

[bowzil]

Just FYI, I need to clean my CCD sencor, so there might be some dust spot on the pic.