Saturday, March 17, 2012

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

For all my Irish friends and all of us who want to be Irish on this day.




Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Friday, March 16, 2012

For what it's worth

There are many phtographers who like to segregate themselves into so called camps. Some are in the Canon camp and some are in the Nikon camp and some are...you get my meaning. I think that it's all silly but if it makes them happy who am I to judge. This will make the canonites very happy.

Canon is the Most Popular Camera Brand Says Survey

Sortable.jpgThe folks over at Canon have reason to celebrate today as the online buying assistant Sortable have revealed that an even third of customers set out to buy Canon cameras. That's a cool 7% over Nikon, which is favored by 26% of users.

What's particularly interesting about the data that Sortable compiled is that customers are evenly split when it comes to point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras. 36% searched specifically for DSLRs, 36% searched specifically for point-and-shoots and 22% looked for mirrorless cameras. That leaves 6% of buyers who didn't have a preference.

Sortable says that while Canon clearly holds the lead, the increased focus on mirrorless cameras could result in other companies making a legitimate run at the top spot.

Something to sweeten your weekend / Cassata siciliana

Happy St. Patrick's Day Weekend. Even the Sicilian cassata has a green sfumatura.

I absolutely love this town. / Canon D-30

The concept of an home town, is hard to understand these days. Those of us old enough to have one to which we are connected will understand. My  beloved Castellammare del Golfo.

Happy Friday / Buon venerdi'

Have a bright, rosy Friday.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Food for thought. Does still capture have a future?

A provocative tittle for a new concept of capture. Use video to then select stlls. This will indeed kill photography as we know it. A visit to the site below will be very eye opening.
http://www.digitalphotopro.com/gear/cameras/whats-the-future-of-still-capture.html

highlight [select] the above link and then by right clicking and  clicking at open link you will get there

Senior hat parade / Fuji S-2 pro




These wonderful seniors were residents of Trump Pavilion, an old client. At mid summer time they used to have a hat show that was absolutely wonderful as it brought staff and residents together. I used the Nikkor 24-85 F 2.8-4. The top and bottom photos are of staff members
These are out of camera JPEGs. That was indeed a great camera.

Dai nostri amici SCELTE DI GUSTO un blog siciliano, Buona Pasqua

Colomba, cassata, cioccolata e cannoli: ecco la Pasqua più dolce di Scelte di Gusto e Sicilia PDF Stampa E-mail
cassatasiciliana.jpgDopo le prime due fortunate edizioni, al via il terzo contest del giornale di enogastronomia Scelte di Gusto, questa volta in collaborazione con Sicilia, la pagina regionale più letta di Facebook . Il tema questa volta è la Pasqua, la festa dolce e serena per eccellenza. Da qui il titolo del contest: "Regalami Dolcezze": una competition in cui i partecipanti dovranno produrre qualcosa di dolce...
...ma non necessariamente un dessert quanto piuttosto qualcosa che sia evocativo di dolcezza e che contenga cioccolata /cacao, e dunque anche una pizza a forma di coniglietto, per esempio! Solo la vostra fantasia sarà il limite a ciò che potrete realizzare!
uova-di-pasqua3.jpg

Il contest prevede che la partecipazione sia aperta a tutti, ed è particolarmente rivolta al pubblico dei Social Networks: non potranno tuttavia partecipare coloro i quali nello scorso concorso abbiano già vinto un premio.

Le regole sono poche e semplici: in fase preliminare dovrete iscrivervi al sito del giornale, all'url www.sceltedigusto.it, a garanzia dei vostri dati e della trasparenza del contest.

Dovrete poi inviare alla redazione, all'indirizzo mail redazione@sceltedigusto.it , i vostri elaborati ORIGINALI ed inediti, corredati di tre foto che illustrino le fasi di preparazione e la presentazione finale. Sono ammesse tutte le categorie, purchè contengano dolcezza.

Tra tutte le ricette, che saranno via via pubblicate sia sul giornale che sui social networks afferenti al giornale, ne verranno selezionate sei, ad insindacabile giudizio di giornalisti esperti in enogastronomia: di cui tre saranno alla fine le vincenti e la cui vittoria sarà decretata dal voto popolare.

Non premieremo il gusto, dato che il concorso è virtuale, ma premieremo l'inventiva, l'originalità e la mise en place delle vostre ricette.

Mani agli strumenti dunque e ai libri di ricette della nonna: il Contest inizia al 19 di febbraio e si chiuderà inderogabilmente alla mezzanotte del 19 marzo p.v.

Le votazioni invece si chiuderanno inderogabilmente alla mezzanotte dell'19 aprile p.v.

I premi? Saranno appunto tre, ma questa volta saranno a sorpresa! Ma vi assicuriamo che, anche questa volta, saranno strepitosi; e forse anche più di prima!
uovo2.jpg
Estratto del regolamento:
1) La partecipazione è riservata a partecipanti maggiorenni.
2) La partecipazione è assolutamente gratuita.
3) La partecipazione è subordinata SOLO e SOLTANTO all'iscrizione al sito del giornale, a garanzia di correttezza e trasparenza.
4) Ogni concorrente potrà partecipare con UNA SOLA ricetta, ma potrà fare partecipare altri componenti del nucleo familiare. previa iscrizione degli stessi.
5) Non potranno partecipare concorrenti che abbiano già vinto un premio nel corso del Contest di Natale. Potranno invece partecipare tutti coloro i quali sono risultati in quell'edizione finalisti.
6) E' fatto severo divieto a chiunque di copiare, in toto o in parte, ricette di altri soggetti e presenti su altri siti. Inviando i vostri elaborati accettate implicitamente il regolamento e vi assumete la responsabilità di eventuali dichiarazioni mendaci e/o furto di copyright.
7)Non saranno prese in considerazione ricette prive di foto.
8) Le ricette dovranno tutte essere firmate per esteso. Non si accettano nickname nè nomi identificativi di ristoranti e locali.
9) E' severamente vietato inserire all'interno delle ricette pubblicità in qualsiasi forma ( es: nessun marchio per quanto riguarda utensili ed ingredienti adoperati per la preparazione)
10) I premi, di consistente valore economico, sono offerti e messi a disposizione dall'editore del nostro giornale. Pertanto non saranno accettate richieste di cambi e/o sostituzioni o richieste di controvalore in denaro in luogo dei premi.
11) Eventuali domande di chiarimenti potranno essere indirizzate all'indirizzo mail redazione@sceltedigusto.it
12) Le ricette dovranno pervenire in formato Word e le foto in formato JPG, JPEG, Gif e saranno visibili sia sul sito del giornale che sulla pagina Facebook Sicilia.
13) Il concorso è aperto ad ambosessi di qualsiasi etnia, senza alcuna distinzione.
14) I vincitori saranno i primi tre classificati tra i sei finalisti.
15) Una giura di esperti giornalisti enogastronomici sceglierà tra tutti i sei finalisti, ma i tre vincitori saranno decretati dal voto popolare, che potrà essere espresso solo previa iscrizione al sito e solo attraverso il sito del giornale.
16) Il contest si riterrà valido ai fini della selezione delle sei ricette finaliste SOLO e SOLTANTO se ne saranno pervenute in redazione almeno 12, ciò al fine di garantire una selezione libera e non vincolata dal numero di partecipanti. Laddove non si dovessero raccogliere almeno dodici adesioni con altrettante ricette, il contest sarà annullato.
Il Contest Regalami Dolcezza è in partnership con Sicilia, www.facebook.com/lasicilia

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Bye bye mirror

I had to have my mirror on the 5-D repaired and the whole shutter box had to be changed. It had just fallen off. Could it have simply been glued?

Sony Brings Pro-level Performance to Mainstream SLR Users with New High-Speed α57 Camera Featuring Translucent Mirror Technology

Advanced Feature Set Includes 12 fps Shooting, Full HD (60p) Video Capture, New Auto Portrait Framing and more
SAN DIEGO, March 12, 2012 -- A wider palette of creative options is now accessible to more shooters with the α57 camera, the newest addition to Sony’s popular line of A-mount cameras employing Translucent Mirror Technology.
The innovative Translucent Mirror design directs incoming light to the CMOS image sensor and the AF sensor at the same time, allowing full-time continuous AF during both still and video shooting.  Users can also frame, focus and preview shots in real-time on the high-resolution Tru-Finder™ electronic viewfinder, which offers a wide viewing angle and 100% field of view. This allows photographers to capture exactly what they see on the screen.
A natural successor to Sony’s acclaimed α55 camera, the α57 is positioned for a wide audience of DSLR users. It can shoot still images at up to 12 frames per second, capture full HD video at 60p, 60i or 24p frame rates and has a variety of creative modes including Auto Portrait Framing, a world’s first technology.
The  new thin mirror apparently seems to solve what were the difficulties of past designs

Something to brighten up your Tuesday from Marcy

Archival photo / Nikon S-2

The canon S-2 along with the SP. were the cameras that put Nikon on the photographic map. They had some limitation vis a vis the Leicas but were wonderful. The lens used was the 59mm F 1.4 Nikkor. The Location was the Belmont section of the Bronx. Specifically on 187th Street. It was shot way back in 1884.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Have a wonderful Tuesday / Buon martedi'

indeed

More news from Sigma; the mirrorless system keeps on growing.

There seems no way to ignore the mirror less system in high quality cameras. The DSLR with it's great specs and abilities appears to be heading, slowly, to obsolescence. The latter are just to heavy and bulky. Great for sports photography but really overkill foe everything else. We have independent manufactures increasing the universe of available lenses and this entry is very welcome. 
Sigma has introduced its 'Digital Neo' interchangeable lenses for Sony NEX and Micro Four Thirds. At first sight these might appear to be the DPx Merrills' lenses sawn-off and re-purposed, but delve a little deeper and they turn out to be entirely different optical designs. The DN lenses are simpler - the 19mm F2.8 EX DN uses 8 elements in 6 groups vs the DP1M's 9 elements in 8 groups, while the 30mm F2.8 EX DN has 7 elements in 5 groups compared to 8 elements in 6 groups. In retrospect this isn't entirely surprising - the DP cameras work with in-lens shutters, while the interchangeable lenses have to accommodate a longer back-focus distance due to the focal-plane shutter. The net result is that the DPx Merrill cameras will be a bit slimmer than NEX or Micro Four Thirds cameras with the corresponding primes mounted.
Here's the 19mm F2.8 EX DN and 30mm F2.8 EX DN side-by-side. Both lenses are pretty compact - less than 2" long - with the 30mm the smaller of the two.  Here's the 19mm with its bowl-shaped bayonet-mount hood. The 30mm doesn't have a hood - according to Sigma it simply isn't needed.
The Sony-mount versions of the Digital Neo have been available for a few weeks, and the Micro Four Thirds versions have just appeared. The 30mm F2.8 is being launched at a very attractive price ($199 / £169 / €199), and it seems reasonable to assume that the 19mm F2.8's cost won't be very different. We think these lenses will be particularly attractive to NEX users, given the system's current paucity of primes, along with the fact that the focal lengths make a bit more sense on APS-C.

I love this city

As you have gathered, I am in love with New York. I have posted photos that capture this feeling of affection. There will be more to come in this series. Stay tuned.

Corporate responsability

Sigma Corporation of America announces SD1 Point Support Program


Program compensates current SD1 owners for price reduction with additional photography gear
 

Ronkonkoma, NY, Feb. 23, 2012 — Sigma Corporation of America today announced the SD1 Point Support Program, which is designed to compensate loyal SD1 users who purchased the 46-megapixel DSLR camera at its original price, prior to the price reduction that was announced Feb. 8.
Each SD1 owner who registers and qualifies for the SD1 Point Support Program prior to May 31, 2012 will be given a total of 40 points to be redeemed for new Sigma products. Eligible products are allocated points toward this system based on the product's market price as of Feb. 8, 2012. A list of products and point designations will be supplied to SD1 owners once registration is complete.
To register for the SD1 Point Support Program, SD1 owners who purchased the camera before Feb. 23, 2012 at the price of $6,899 should contact their nearest Sigma subsidiary or distributor for more information. It does not matter if the camera was originally purchased in another country.
Sigma SD1 owners in the United States may contact Sigma Corporation of America Marketing Director Christine Moossmann starting on Monday, Feb. 27 by emailing Cmoossmann@sigmaphoto.com or by calling (631) 227-2017. SD1 Merrill users are not eligible for the SD1 Point Support Program. For information about the program or to register, contact Christine Moossmann at Cmoossmann@sigmaphoto.com or by calling (631) 227-2017. Visit Sigma Corporation of America on the web at www.sigmaphoto.com

Let me wish you all a happy week / Vi auguro una buona settimana

Thank you  all for  visiting.

Archival shot / Yashicamat 124

Way back in June 1970 with my Yashicamat 124 and 120 size Tri-X that I developed in D-76 full strength. The print was made on Unicolor matte or N surface. This was a brand of inexpensive paper that Camera Barn used to sell.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Fall splendor