What Happens To Tax Refund Checks...

stevebrot · 04-06-2010, 05:27 PM

A box showed up at my house yesterday...

Ummm...A Box From China!?

And Inside, a Bundle Wrapped in Oiled Paper!?

And Inside the Oiled Paper, Something Wrapped In Cloth!?

And inside the Cloth Wrap, Something Made of Teak and Carbon Fiber!?

Sproing! It Expands!

Dressed and Ready For Business...

...And that, my friend is a Chamonix 045N-2! High tech, low tech, definitely SLOW tech! And definitely not Pentax...I have decided to develop my photography in a little bit different direction...not as a replacement for what I have been doing with digital and 35mm film, but as a rounding out of the skill set and the tool box.

Steve

Blue · 04-06-2010, 06:48 PM

. . .

IS050 · 04-06-2010, 07:55 PM

Gorgeous! Look forward to your images soon.

jgredline · 04-06-2010, 08:36 PM

Very very cool Steve! I l@@k forward to the images

stevebrot · 04-06-2010, 08:52 PM

Yes, it is pretty. I have been practicing without film and getting to know a few of the camera's quirks. So far I have discovered:

The carbon fiber ground glass cover is very cool and very difficult to fit onto the camera
I need to get some stronger reading glasses before I can use the accessory "folding viewer"
The ground glass "lift-off" is inadequate to allow "slide-in" use of a Toyo 120 roll film holder. Damn! That forces removal of the ground glass before the roll film holder can be mounted.
Linhof Super Rollex roll film holders are very nice and worth the extra bucks
Bromwell sells very nice lens boards
I need to get a better loupe
Ball heads really suck when your camera has nothing to hold on to
My $15 Bogen 3028 pan-tilt head rocks for use with the Chamonix
I need to mark a 6x7 mask on the ground glass. The etched marks it came with are too faint for real world use.
It is really easy to forget to remove the dark slide when using the roll-film back
Ditto about putting it back in
Did I mention that it is also easy to forget to switch the shutter off preview mode before pulling the dark slide?
Low camera angles are painful for a tall guy like me
I know nothing about how to use the camera's movements...

The big challenge now, aside from the steep learning curve, is to find a way to digitize the 120 and 4x5 negatives. I would get a Epson V700, but I am out money for this project

Steve

stevebrot · 04-06-2010, 08:55 PM

Originally posted by jgredline

Very very cool Steve! I l@@k forward to the images

I am thinking that it would be just the thing for some stealthy, from-the-hip, street photography

Steve

tuco · 04-06-2010, 10:18 PM

Steve, sweet. That baby looks really compact. Now the fun begins!

pingflood · 04-07-2010, 06:17 AM

Gorgeous camera -- definitely more field friendly than my Sinar! Now get a Manfrotto 410 head for it and you'll be a happy camper

stevebrot · 04-07-2010, 09:42 AM

Originally posted by pingflood

Gorgeous camera -- definitely more field friendly than my Sinar! Now get a Manfrotto 410 head for it and you'll be a happy camper

Yes, the Manfrotto 410 would be nice...maybe as a Christmas gift to myself...

Steve

jgredline · 04-07-2010, 10:15 AM

Steve, good thing you spent ''your'' money on what you want...

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/05/irs-chief-buy-health-insurance-or-lose-your-tax-refund/#ixzz0kR4mLkna

tuco · 04-07-2010, 10:24 AM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Yes, it is pretty. I have been practicing without film and getting to know a few of the camera's quirks. So far I have discovered:

Bromwell sells very nice lens boards
Did I mention that it is also easy to forget to switch the shutter off preview mode before pulling the dark slide?
I know nothing about how to use the camera's movements...

Steve

If you have some wood working tools, you can build your own lens boards.

Ha, forgetting to close the shutter before the shot is one of the number-one errors in a list of 101 ways to screw up a LF shot.

You can find online tips for using camera movements and on this thread in the Large Format Group on flickr you get a cheat sheet to carry with you in the field the poster put together. The most used movements, IMHO, is tilting and/or raising the front standard.

stevebrot · 04-07-2010, 10:40 AM

Originally posted by jgredline

Steve, good thing you spent ''your'' money on what you want...

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/05/irs-chief-buy-health-insurance-or-lose-your-tax-refund/#ixzz0kR4mLkna

Yes...pretty bummed about the whole health care thing...I currently buy a high deductible "emergency" policy and expect that my rates will go up with the new government managed approach...

Steve

pingflood · 04-07-2010, 10:44 AM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Yes, the Manfrotto 410 would be nice...maybe as a Christmas gift to myself...

Steve

Well worth it, IMO. I have one for mounting my AstroTrac rig and it's a SOLID piece of gear. Hard to appreciate how nice geared heads are until you get your hands on one.

stevebrot · 04-07-2010, 10:48 AM

Originally posted by tuco

If you have some wood working tools, you can build your own lens boards.

I thought about doing that, but chose the route of least resistance. I am going to cut a 6x7 mask for the ground glass however. Chamonix has provision to mount something like that against the ground glass.

Originally posted by tuco

Ha, forgetting to close the shutter before the shot is one of the number-one errors in a list of 101 ways to screw up a LF shot.

Originally posted by tuco

You can find online tips for using camera movements and on this thread in the Large Format Group on flickr you get a cheat sheet to carry with you in the field the poster put together. The most used movements, IMHO, is tilting and/or raising the front standard.

Thanks for the link. The cheat sheet will come in handy. With time, I will hopefully also master some of the finer points. An example would be the tilts on the front versus back standards. The front is axial tilt while the back is base tilt. There is supposed to be a difference in what each does. I will just have to figure it out...

Steve

jgredline · 04-07-2010, 10:54 AM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Yes...pretty bummed about the whole health care thing...I currently buy a high deductible "emergency" policy and expect that my rates will go up with the new government managed approach...

Steve

I hear you. You know what my battle is, so I am very concerned!

04-06-2010, 05:27 PM	#1
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	What Happens To Tax Refund Checks... A box showed up at my house yesterday... Ummm...A Box From China!? And Inside, a Bundle Wrapped in Oiled Paper!? And Inside the Oiled Paper, Something Wrapped In Cloth!? And inside the Cloth Wrap, Something Made of Teak and Carbon Fiber!? Sproing! It Expands! Dressed and Ready For Business... ...And that, my friend is a Chamonix 045N-2! High tech, low tech, definitely SLOW tech! And definitely not Pentax...I have decided to develop my photography in a little bit different direction...not as a replacement for what I have been doing with digital and 35mm film, but as a rounding out of the skill set and the tool box. Steve

04-06-2010, 08:52 PM	#5
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007 Original Poster	Yes, it is pretty. I have been practicing without film and getting to know a few of the camera's quirks. So far I have discovered: The carbon fiber ground glass cover is very cool and very difficult to fit onto the camera I need to get some stronger reading glasses before I can use the accessory "folding viewer" The ground glass "lift-off" is inadequate to allow "slide-in" use of a Toyo 120 roll film holder. Damn! That forces removal of the ground glass before the roll film holder can be mounted. Linhof Super Rollex roll film holders are very nice and worth the extra bucks Bromwell sells very nice lens boards I need to get a better loupe Ball heads really suck when your camera has nothing to hold on to My $15 Bogen 3028 pan-tilt head rocks for use with the Chamonix I need to mark a 6x7 mask on the ground glass. The etched marks it came with are too faint for real world use. It is really easy to forget to remove the dark slide when using the roll-film back Ditto about putting it back in Did I mention that it is also easy to forget to switch the shutter off preview mode before pulling the dark slide? Low camera angles are painful for a tall guy like me I know nothing about how to use the camera's movements... The big challenge now, aside from the steep learning curve, is to find a way to digitize the 120 and 4x5 negatives. I would get a Epson V700, but I am out money for this project Steve Last edited by stevebrot; 04-06-2010 at 08:59 PM.

04-07-2010, 10:24 AM	#11
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,023	Originally posted by stevebrot Yes, it is pretty. I have been practicing without film and getting to know a few of the camera's quirks. So far I have discovered: Bromwell sells very nice lens boards Did I mention that it is also easy to forget to switch the shutter off preview mode before pulling the dark slide? I know nothing about how to use the camera's movements... Steve If you have some wood working tools, you can build your own lens boards. Ha, forgetting to close the shutter before the shot is one of the number-one errors in a list of 101 ways to screw up a LF shot. You can find online tips for using camera movements and on this thread in the Large Format Group on flickr you get a cheat sheet to carry with you in the field the poster put together. The most used movements, IMHO, is tilting and/or raising the front standard.

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04-06-2010, 06:48 PM	#2
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	. . .

04-06-2010, 07:55 PM	#3
IS050 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Stumptown Photos: Gallery Posts: 434	Gorgeous! Look forward to your images soon.

04-06-2010, 08:36 PM	#4
jgredline Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LosAngeles, Ca. Photos: Albums Posts: 10,628	Very very cool Steve! I l@@k forward to the images

04-06-2010, 08:55 PM	#6
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007 Original Poster	Originally posted by jgredline Very very cool Steve! I l@@k forward to the images I am thinking that it would be just the thing for some stealthy, from-the-hip, street photography Steve

04-06-2010, 10:18 PM	#7
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,023	Steve, sweet. That baby looks really compact. Now the fun begins!

04-07-2010, 06:17 AM	#8
pingflood Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Borås, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,169	Gorgeous camera -- definitely more field friendly than my Sinar! Now get a Manfrotto 410 head for it and you'll be a happy camper

04-07-2010, 09:42 AM	#9
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007 Original Poster	Originally posted by pingflood Gorgeous camera -- definitely more field friendly than my Sinar! Now get a Manfrotto 410 head for it and you'll be a happy camper Yes, the Manfrotto 410 would be nice...maybe as a Christmas gift to myself... Steve

04-07-2010, 10:15 AM	#10
jgredline Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LosAngeles, Ca. Photos: Albums Posts: 10,628	Steve, good thing you spent ''your'' money on what you want... Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/05/irs-chief-buy-health-insurance-or-lose-your-tax-refund/#ixzz0kR4mLkna

04-07-2010, 10:40 AM	#12
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007 Original Poster	Originally posted by jgredline Steve, good thing you spent ''your'' money on what you want... Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2010/04/05/irs-chief-buy-health-insurance-or-lose-your-tax-refund/#ixzz0kR4mLkna Yes...pretty bummed about the whole health care thing...I currently buy a high deductible "emergency" policy and expect that my rates will go up with the new government managed approach... Steve

04-07-2010, 10:44 AM	#13
pingflood Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Borås, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,169	Originally posted by stevebrot Yes, the Manfrotto 410 would be nice...maybe as a Christmas gift to myself... Steve Well worth it, IMO. I have one for mounting my AstroTrac rig and it's a SOLID piece of gear. Hard to appreciate how nice geared heads are until you get your hands on one.

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04-07-2010, 10:48 AM	#14
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007 Original Poster	Originally posted by tuco If you have some wood working tools, you can build your own lens boards. I thought about doing that, but chose the route of least resistance. I am going to cut a 6x7 mask for the ground glass however. Chamonix has provision to mount something like that against the ground glass. Originally posted by tuco Ha, forgetting to close the shutter before the shot is one of the number-one errors in a list of 101 ways to screw up a LF shot. Originally posted by tuco You can find online tips for using camera movements and on this thread in the Large Format Group on flickr you get a cheat sheet to carry with you in the field the poster put together. The most used movements, IMHO, is tilting and/or raising the front standard. Thanks for the link. The cheat sheet will come in handy. With time, I will hopefully also master some of the finer points. An example would be the tilts on the front versus back standards. The front is axial tilt while the back is base tilt. There is supposed to be a difference in what each does. I will just have to figure it out... Steve

04-07-2010, 10:54 AM	#15
jgredline Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LosAngeles, Ca. Photos: Albums Posts: 10,628	Originally posted by stevebrot Yes...pretty bummed about the whole health care thing...I currently buy a high deductible "emergency" policy and expect that my rates will go up with the new government managed approach... Steve I hear you. You know what my battle is, so I am very concerned!