Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

[Butch Ammon]

Hello there...<br /><br />As you see by the subject title, I am just curious if anyone has a photography hobby or is a professional photographer.<br /><br />I remember my dad was big into it back in the 70's and had a buddy who built a darkroom. I was always just a simple instamatic "point 'n shooter" anyways.<br /><br />Anyway, I picked up a used Canon A-1 off eBay dirt cheap. It's the "old school" style manual focus 35mm camera, but it does EVERYTHING! Thank God it has an owners manual... I read over everything and am currently doodling around with it and learning - not just snapping a picture - but exactly how to take a good photograph. The camera has a 50mm lens and a 135mm lens and a flash unit too.<br /><br />See, everything is all digital cameras now, but, I guess I like the idea of being able to control certain functions of a camera.<br /><br />Anyone still have an old manual 35mm SLR camera that they still use and still take great photos with?<br /><br />Butch A.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

I like photography, but now I use a digital. There is no doubt that the SLRs take great crisp pictures, and when you figure out all the films and what they are used for you can take some dynomite pictures. I would have them put on a disk when I have them developed, then get a good photo program for your computer. Youll have a ball manipulating your photographs.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

Hey, how about ultra-low-tech plastic cameras?<br /><br /> www.toycamera.com <br /><br /> http://whaley.my-expressions.com

 

[ChrisMcLaughlin]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

ButchA,<br />I still have a Nikon FM. They too are fully manual cameras. I started taking pictures and developing films and slides in the early 70's in Japan. What a place for photography! I use a Sony digital for work and pleasure but when I need a 500 mm lens for something, I go to the Nikon. I recently purchaced an HP scanner that does slides and negative strips. I am almost done with the picture scanning, cropping and cataloging. 5 months later. The great thing is that you can burn the images to cd-r and give them as gifts to other people. Take the time to learn that A-1 and it will treat you right. Good luck and happy shooting.

 

[Butch Ammon]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

Hey thanks....<br /><br />Yeah, the Canon A-1 is really cool. It's got like 5 or 6 different modes (shutter priority, aperture priority, full auto program, full manual override, and some weird kind of "stop-down" mode or something like that). As long as I have the owners manual, I am safe! <br /><br />Butch A.

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

Hi,<br /><br />yup enjoy photography.<br /><br />On the stills side I have an analogue Canon EOS 500 with a 35 ~ 80mm lens and a 75 ~ 300mm Image Stabilised Ultrasonic Lens. Cannot justify a digital yet.<br /><br />On the video side I have a Canon XL-1 Mini DV Camcorder. The nice thing is that with the EOS adaptor I am able to use the 75 ~ 300mm lens. Because of the format size of mini DV this gives an effective 7X maginification making the 300mm into a 2100mm lens.<br /><br />I tend to favour the video side and produce home video's on my PC using Adobe Premiere and a hardware card called a DV Raptor.<br /><br />Cheers<br />Andrew

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

I take lots of pictures of my boat. About 2 years ago I bought a $40 digital camera, now I've got a $500 camera. Looking at getting a digital Rebel sometime soon.

 

[Admin5]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

I purchased a digital Rebel last Christmas for myself (and I guess my family ) and have completely loved it! I am sure that if you are a photographer for National Geographic you might think they are beneath you, but for the average amateur trying to use pro-type gear, it works great. Very happy with that purchase. Maybe ignorance is bliss in this instance?

 

[TPD211]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

I shoot alot of pictures, both at work and home.<br />I use a Sony CD-R Digital Camera for most of my shoots. My daughter was in the play "Grease" at school, I shot some digital and 35mm. Both were OK but the 35mm had alot more clarity than the digital. The shots were in low light with no flash.<br />At work I also use a Nikon F-90 35mm, that is a sweet camera. I also have a F-3 to use, thats all manual. Depending on the scene, I wind up using the F-3 for most of my shots. I have used the F-90 but I always go to manual mode with it so I just use the F-3.<br />I like the Sony CD-R because it will take from 250-300 shots on the mini-disk at 1024 x 768 resolution.<br />At work I also use a Canon GL-1 Mini DV Digital Recorder. Its the little brother of the XL-1 that Andrew talks about. It does not have inter-changeable lenses like the XL-1 does. It does have 100 digital zoom that is pretty clear. I can read a license plate from a block away during surveillance.<br /><br />Butch, just play with the A-1, it is a sweet camera. The more ya play with it the more ya will learn how it takes pictures.<br /><br />

 

[NSWaterguy]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

my dad too the time to teach me the art of black and white photography. He was a pro(and still is) for almost 50 years. I myself dabble in the black and white, along with 35mm color, and the 2 1/4 X 3 1/4. Unfortunatly the black and white is a dying art in our region.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

I have a Canon TX, 2 Canon AT-1's, always wanted an A-1.<br />Sold my darkroom to my cousin.<br />She sold it to another cousin's son.<br /><br />The new generation of digitals, from Kodak of all people, the DX6490, offers the same 5 or 6 modes of operation as the A-1. It gives you complete control over shutterspeed and f-stops too. 30x zoom, huge viewing screen, 4 mega-pixels. And you can pick them up for $340 on ebay!! But they are a little small for my hands, what were they thinking?<br /><br />One major drawback to the digitals, they can be tough to find and adjust the controls in the dark. I can use my old slr's in near darkness. But the eyes aren't what they used to be, and the autofocus sure sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

Pleased this subject has come up.<br />I have several hundred "slides" from the early seventies. I want to put them to disc (CD) as i havn't put up the projector for at least 20yrs.<br />I tried using my scanner but i couldn't get it to work. <br />How do I do this cheaply?<br />They are pretty important shots.<br />Any one with any experience and advice ??, keeping in mind, when it comes to using a computer, I'm like the proverbial cow with a gun <br />Cheers<br />Phillip

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

My dad also has a bunch of slides and he just used a projector and video taped it with a video camera. It was the cheapest way to do it.<br /><br />Also, with important shots, a good photo store can turn it into a normal photo.<br /><br />Ken

 

[roscoe]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

I recently picked up an HP 3970 scanner. It has a backlighted slide and negative holder in the cover. I only tried it with one slide, just to see if it would work, and it did a pretty good job. <br /><br />Scanners are so cheap now, maybe you just need to look into the new high res photo scanners and have the sales person demo it for you at the store.

 

[wajajaja]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

to truly master photography you should learn black and white first. useing a photo gray card, and various filters. depth of field/vs shutter speed and appature. try a adult class at high school. automated camera get results by luck of being at the right place ant the right time, but knowing how to shoot the fireworks with a A-1 is a skill and art.

 

[Butch Ammon]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

I agree... The local High School's tech center has a bunch of adult classes every so often. If I find a "photography 101" style course, it would be pretty neat to sit in and really learn how to take great photos.<br /><br />I'll tell you this... there is a HUGE difference between a common point 'n shoot Kodak or whatever generic type of camera, versus a full blown, top line, 35mm SLR camera.<br /><br />This is fun new hobby and (to make this into a boating post), I want to take some nice scenic photos on the water with my A-1 (I know... I know... don't get it wet! )<br /><br />Butch A.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

My camera was bigger than yours. <br />I used to run one at work.<br />14' long.<br />Film was 24" x 36".<br />Used it to make separations for printing, before everything was computerized.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: Besides boating, does anyone get into photography (hobby or professional)?

Thanks for the comments re slides.<br />Will go down to the computer shop and get sales asst to demo a slide for me.<br />Many thanks<br />Cheers<br />Phillip