My Tamron 28-75 is sharper than Canons 28-70L and is about half the price.

I think I would dispute that.

I’ve read very good reports about the Tamron, but think this is the exception rather than the rule, nicely summed up by you may get a sharp Tamron, but you should get a sharp canon (or nikon equivalent).

The other factor is build quality, Ive a 24-70 than has been abused in a studio for 4 years, dropped numerous times, cleaned thousands of times with edges of clothing, leant on, sat on … you name it. But its still going strong (bar a slightly wobbly mount).

At the other end of the spectrum, was recently registering focus calibrations on a 1 series body and was shocked at how poor a Sigma 70-200 2.8 was resolving detail, even stopped down. Was quickly sold on as a result.

Without an adapter? With full open aperture ttl metering? Aperture control?

Must have missed those requirements in your original post. Mind you given that no pre Ai lenses will work with modern bodies, and the prevalence of Ai and Ai-s that will only work in stop down / sunny 16 or external meeting I don’t think its a great cause for celebration personally.

I actually find the canon system much simpler for people to understand, Theres EF lenses, and theres non EF lenses, no need for compatibility charts, or will it / won’t it work dilemmas.

Two: Can use older manual focus lenses with a Canon AF body? Can I? Hmm? Well?

Certainly can, as well as all your nikon ones, leica, and pretty much anything else you would want to list. In fact I have a lovely Zeiss Planar I used to use regularly on a Canon 5d.

Given the larger lens mount size of the Canons over the nikons … theres actually wider scope for using niche lenses. Canon bit the bullet of increasing the aperture size when it went to its AF mount, Nikon decided to stick with its existing mount which has become a bit of an achilles heel.

Now … which programme are we getting with now ???

Except that it’s a fixed lens, and is very expensive. I can’t see how it’s any different inside from other full frame cameras to be honest – they are also very expensive.

Not when you compare it to an equivalent Lens, i.e. Canon 35 f1.4, or Summicron F2 at twice the price of the X100?

To me it signals an option to have 2-3 dedicated bodies at various focal lengths. The X100 has become camera of choice for me at least.

I’m another one who just wishes someone would build a digital full frame FM2 or OM1 type camera where all the digital bit does is replace the film and the camera remains essentially manual

That would be the Leica M8 / M9 ?

Leica also came out with the Module R which was touted as they bolt on digital back for their “R” series cameras, as far as I know it never actually hit the shelves with any success?

Having recently acquired a Fuji X100, I am VERY surprised at what is achievable in the smaller form factor with a dedicated lens, and hopefully it will signal where the market is moving.

I miss the bright split prisim focusing screen

Do Nikon not offer alternative focus screens? I use both the EE-s and EC-s screens in my Canon bodies and the difference is like night and day (no pun intended).

Find it much much easier to accurately focus with larger f1.2 lenses.

If you use twitter at all follow @hcsheffield (Harrisons Cameras Sheffield) They always have a steady flow of good, quality used items and will post when it comes in, so you can grab.

They are better than Ebay etc, and will also trade any equipment Part EX if required.

Have a look at the on-one fleegle bars. I’ve struggled with wrist pain for a while, then stumbled on these in their showroom. The have quite a lot of backsweep, so u sacrifice some leverage but i find it a more natural wrist position.

Fleegle

It’s not tiddlywinks boys.

What about cutting up the round dining table that you have taken out ? Make it into a corner unit …

Scuff it up and paint it white … or add a top similar to the kitchen surfaces to blend it in more …

Second the wall mount option. I currently have mine on an Ergatron MX arm, which swings off a fixed built in desk. May work if you have a kitchen counter etc nearby ? Then a simple table top for the keypad ?

Also use the LX arm for a cintix screen, and while gives further reach i don’t think its rated weight wise to the 27″.

Ergatron

Ergatron also do a range of keyboard supports that can be attached.

And also, if you do go down the mounted road … there is a new VESA mount for the newer 2011 iMacs that I’ve only found on the apple store, similar ones found elsewhere (i.e. amazon) don’t fit.

There was also much discussion last winter re insurance implications. Mixing summer and winter tyres would be a very easy get out for an insurance company.

You should probably disclose you are fitting winter tyres to your insurance provider … even if its a full set. Last year Tesco tried to charge me an additional £90 as they deemed them to be non standard items. As promised cancelled the policy at its end and went to First Direct.

This year have gone to a smaller diameter wheel (cheaper tyres), gave them a call and they have reduced their policy (which was cheaper than Tesco’s already) by £27. Not sure if due to the tyres, or less desirable alloys ?

While it sounds unnecessary, Id rather be told before hand than afterwards when they are peeling an HSE Rangerover with summer tyres off my back bumper that my cover may be affected.

Goodrich also do a continuous set much the same, but a complete set with cables, ferrules and outers, downside the un-sheathed bits are a pale blue colour so can look a bit naff.

or these

Use these for an adjustable seat post cable, works well.

As above stans rims are a bit of a buggar. Last time i fitted a set of x-king poured washing up liquid over them, then pumped up to 50psi when they went pop and seated properly (hard to do with one finger on the pump and the rest of my anatomy hidden around the corner from the potentially exploding wheel)

Have a look at the Yokahama w-drive,they are advertised as a winter rated tyre, that is also very competent in the summer months. Have had them on for the last couple of weeks and no discernible difference to the standard Dunlop sports that were fitted prior.

Last year I fitted a set of Pirelli sottozero’s (from my tyres) to our Jaguar XF which was pretty average in slippery conditions on summer rubber even with chains, once fitted drove without a single hitch through all of Sheffields snows, and the chains stayed in the boot.

Downside only got approx 12K miles on them before they got below legal (Dunlops give 20k on average by comparison).

This year managed to pick up the set of the w-drives, with smaller (18 inch) genuine Jaguar alloys for less than last years tyres so well happy. Check out elite wheels and tyres, they had mine delivered within 24 hours of purchasing off ebay.

Great place to stay ! Pub up the back does HUGE meals as well.

Well, clearly the answer is to get more dogs to run around free … because if ours is anything to go by Horse Poo clearly taste of very tasty things, as she hoovers it up.

She’s also very good at collecting fox poo … her fur being particularly absorbent. She’s like a little black member of Greenpeace doing her bit to keep everything shiny for towns folk.

In my eyes, farm poo is just a couple of days rest away from dirt … and we certainly don’t get all bothered about that … in fact being spattered in it all brings about many a smile. My youthful frosty mornings used to be spent ankle deep in cow poo trying to warm up, and none of us died.

And everyone seems to have forgotten the laden down livestock trucks that trundle around leaving nice wide trails of poo everywhere, are they to be banned as well ?

Anyways, agree that horse have appropriate places purely from a safety aspect, but no different to large dogs etc as long as they are under control, and trained sufficiently, then little cause for bother.

As per the advice that apple have given, the first thing I would do for an intermittent fault would be to clean install, then leave the machine running a burn in test for as long as possible. Would include thermal stress into the equation, and ensure you perform on both graphics cards assuming you have duals installed.

If this passes without any faults, then start installing critical software (i.e. Productivity) Repeat the burn in process and continue. Cloning the hard drive after each additional instal will also ensure an easy way to roll back if / when you do have issues.

Also as a side note, if it is a critical machine that is relied on for income then there would be nothing on it bar the bare minimum software to earn the income, so the above should be a short enough process.

It may sound like a complete PITA, but its the only way to test that what you are installing / connecting is functioning correctly.

As an anecdote, I’ve had a very similar occurrence with a 2010 17″, and after running through the above it was a Lacie Bigdrive’s raid structure which was being used for time-machine that was causing the issue.

To be honest in the year since we have listed with the TPS we have only had two marketing calls, and both were the result of not ticking the “buggar off and never call me” box on paperwork.

Registered after being pestered several times a night over a period of weeks by 3 mobile networks automated phone calling.

Sorry Elfin, but if the company is calling on behalf of a company that is based in the UK then they do have to screen their calls against the TPS list.

And the TPS is free ???

Why not list your numbers on the TPS then ???

Ive recently started commuting Sheffield > Leeds, weighed up a few options namely driving (and parking in central city leeds) vs renting a central flat vs the train.

The train won hands down, £51.30 per week standard or £81.10 first class per week. Thankfully I travel outside of the busiest times so it equates to 40 minutes of relaxation, or its an additional few hours each day I can spend productively (unless I splurge for first class and watch sky sports on the laptop instead 🙂 )

Id be spending more than that on fuel alone …

I think clients perception has changed dramatically, and a lot of the skill set of the individual has been replaced with technology (certainly not the only field).

Its a lot easier now to see you’ve got it wrong, and correct accordingly as opposed to having to get it right or taking the consequence as it was in days of old.

The typical private client (i.e. wedding / portraiture) is getting more (as in images) but not necessarily more in terms of quality, when I look over some of the old wedding albums, shot on medium format, probably 4 rolls in total for the day and you would still get 40 album standard images. Modern day equivalent would be to shoot upwards of 1500 images, with the same end result (and a lot of filler).

The workload is now greater, in past those 4 rolls of film would be sent to the printers, subsequently forwarded to the album manufacturer and then delivered to the client. Modern equivalent is several hours in front of a terminal processing, editing and proofing with the client then either outsourcing or printing in house, assembly and distribution. Theres a lot more requirement on marketing, and administration which equals labour, which equals cost while incomes are reducing.

Technology also makes it easier to polish a mediocre initial image into something much more presentable … many glory shots have been used to build a reputation!

My personal feeling is that individuals purchase the gear (or know someone who has) then claim to have all the skill set they need and market themselves accordingly and compete purely on price point to get business, and the end results disappoint the client whose perception of the value of good photography is dampened further meanwhile the full time / professional photographer with the associated overheads is being priced out of the market, which is ever decreasing with its own “economy crisis” path.

Guess the analogy is that I’m fairly handy with a hammer, but I’m not going to carve the Venus de milo any time soon no matter how many chunks of marble I buy, so wouldn’t sell myself otherwise.

At the heart of the industry though is the prevalence of CGI to replace a lot of what was previously done in camera, this has removed a lot of the more lucrative commissions, stock imagery etc has also done similar for those in the lifestyle market. Its seems the only earnings left are to pap people. There are certainly people making a living out of the industry currently, but they tend to be well established, with the required assets and contacts already in place.

On the upside, their are some incredible images being captured that would have been neigh on impossible even 5 years ago, so the art is certainly alive and well and always will be. I just think the days of making a comfortable living out of it are drawing to a close hence the advice to avoid the industry, and specialise in your hobby.

Actually I completely agree with Trimix, and up until 2 months ago I ran a studio which for 7 years employed 18 people, preceded by 10 years in the industry as a full time professional … so am pretty well versed on its shortcomings.

Its the last career I would be recommending to anyone at the minute, especially if you think that a substantial student loan is going to improve your chances of employment. As a part time hobby, absolutely … but not the best career path to be setting out on.

Videography, animation, film making … yes, but not photography which is an ever decreasing field these days, with an influx of cheap is right participants that have unsustainable business models.

There will always be success stories, so not all doom and gloom.

Elements comes free with just about every camera these days, I’m sure you can pick one up from somewhere fairly easily.

If you are looking for workbooks for PS editing / retouching I can highly recommend the Katrin Eismann series.

Asides from that, understanding composition The Photographer’s Eye: by Michael Freeman, while lighting etc is well explained in anything by Bryan Peterson 🙂

Absolutely get along to see Brian Simpson at the physic clinic, money very well spent. Get fitted for a cross brace to have some chance of correct bone alignment. While they can knit together just fine, theres plenty of people wandering around with non-symmetrical shoulders as a result.

Biggest hassle for me is the large bump caused during the healing process hasn’t reshaped yet so carrying bags over the shoulder can be uncomfortable.

Comfrey is also well regarded (despite some contention about possible side effects) to promote bone regeneration.

Do your motion exercises as soon as possible / advised. Circular hanging swings and finger walks up the wall. And while a bit of a tipple will help you feel better … it does hinder the healing prices so moderation !

And take your time … no point rushing it because subsequent breaks are ultimately a lot more difficult to correct !

Manually setting DNS to either / both 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4 (both googles) has always been my preferred option, and also helps pinpoint connection issues (one less thing in the equation to go wrong)

if the ISP is relying on caching then it could be the cause of some problems ?

Another option would be to look out for specific workshops etc offered by working photographers, and other industry individuals (calumet do an interesting range).

Just having a quick look at the curriculum, it doesn’t seem very specific to any one facet of photography, more an overview of the basics. Better to focus on topics that interest you if you are beyond that stage already.

Theres also (still) some very good local photographic clubs about which are often welcoming to newcomers and can be a great place to start for inspiration and guidance. Even the BJP offers similar facilities with online feedback forums etc.

Ditto PP above.

Would be surprised if they’d go to the trouble of tooling up to make alternative components to offer shorter travel for what would be in the scheme of things a low volume run when the alternative is to chuck 5p’s worth of plastic spacer in there?

Happy enough to be corrected though 🙂

Why not give the boys at tftuned a call ?

Mines got a big bit of silver aluminium covering it … ?

It’s more of a case of powerful torquey engine + RWD + (wide) summer tyres being the perfect storm when it snows. A car with a weedy engine, FWD and skinny tyres is the opposite.

I’d say its more a matter of right tool (tyre) for the job, even with 240HP and 245 tyres, ours got around without a hitch, doubly so by selecting the snow setting which utilises 2nd gear start offs and deadens the acceleration curve.

Same reason I don’t ride all winter on my continental speed kings.

The wifes weedy Mini with the skinny run flats powering through front wheel drive wasn’t going anywhere, hence she stole mine …

Lucky she didn’t die or something.

Fadda, theres only 4-5 credit providers in the market and all follow the same practice, Barclays and Hitachi are the larger of the retail lenders (after Blackhorse’s demise).

The motor industry has its own providers, often associated with the manufactures themselves and their business model is geared more towards getting units shifted than turning profit (hence the prevalence of 0% or similar low APR rates)

All lending to the retailer is done on a table, which varies based on the term of the loan, and the APR rate applied. 0% ALWAYS cost the retailer, as their is no earnings to the lender direct.

As part of a larger national account I’d say our rates were fairly typical, with the 0%’s as above. The deferred payment options (i.e. 0% for xxx months then xx% if its not fully paid) still incurred a surcharge unless over 36 months or longer.

They are the most horrific of policies for the consumer as well, as typically if you have ANY balance outstanding at the end of the grace period, then the APR charge is applied to the total amount borrowed (not the balance outstanding), often at a much higher comparable APR rate than similar policies. Your right in that very few people pay off the full about and then get smashed with months of interest being added on.

The commission policies we had started at 12.9% over 24 months, so if your using similar terms you’ll have a harder fight to get discount for cash (to the contrary the retailer will push finance as an option to avoid credit / debit card fees).

What is also worth arguing though is the retailer has a 14 day period before they can apply for the funds from the lender, during which time the customer can cancel the finance agreement without having to give any reason.

The retailer then has the job of chasing payment from the client or trying to get the goods back, which is proving a huge ball ache for some industries.

Where are you located ? I have a fluid trainer in storage in Sheffield which I purchased when I broke my collarbone which would be keen to sell. Will have to dig it out and check brand etc but used it for 2 months, in an apartment and was fairly quiet, putting a trainer specific tyre on it helped as well (I still have that about somewheres along with a riser block)

Heavy enough flywheel to mimic the real thing (as much as possible at least).

Let me know if you are near enough to collect (they weigh a tonne) and will dig out specs.

EDIT, just found receipt, its a Kenetic Pro.

t.armstrong@me.com

Sorry. The finance costs the shop nothing.

Utter bollocks, as above.

I previously offered Hitachi Capital Finance, and paid 9.7% for 12 months through to 15.5% on the 36 month interest free option (hence didn’t offer it to clients). Other thing for them to factor in is the delay in getting the funds through from their credit provider which adds strength into your corner.

Higher APR rates are more attractive to the retailer, with a 12.9% actually returning a commission.

Remember though that what ever card you use, will also incur a charge so take that out of the equation.

Playing to the letter of the law, you are not allowed to offer discount for alternative payments but Im sure most retailers would do so if it was kept low key, especially in light of the current retail climate.

Ive always tended to use Icebreaker, and have a jacket amongst other items that is going on three years and is still faultless (good old mum sends a care package every year from home).

Having said that purchased several tops and a zip-top from on-one on friday (which arrived on Saturday !!!!!!) and am well impressed, doubly so given the prices.

OK, they are tighter than a tight thing, and Im certainly not bulky, but they got their first outing yesterday, and didn’t die so all is good on the planet.

Dumbell squats with wrist straps ?

Edit … beaten 🙂

Or deadlift, standard and romanian to get a better leg balance …

Actually our XF went like a dream in the snows last year, and thats circa 240 HP RWD … once fitted with winter tyres, and i certainly am not any form of driving god.

The wifes mini on the other hand with all of its 70 HP just sat there being grumpy.

I was in a Toyota dealership once and worked out on a new Yaris you’d lose over 7k of your own money over a 3yr private lease on one and you didn’t own it. You’d have to be absolutely barking

Your right, much better to buy it for £14k cash, then sell it yourself three years later for book value … Oh about £7k?

I can purchase a vehicle outright, right off the depreciation annually, then sell it on taking the resultant hit on cashflow at the outset, or contract hire it and achieve exactly the same result meanwhile putting the cash to other uses (like generating income). Interestingly this doesn’t just apply to new vehicles but most manufacturers will also offer the same arrangement on approved used so no “must have new” stigma applies. In my eyes you’d be barking to tie money up in a depreciating asset.