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Equipment - because you can't have enough gadgets, right?!

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melmann
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What is the membership using? Favorite lens, tripod, filter, special effects gizmo...?

I'm an Olympus fan, starting in film with the OM-1, an assortment of Zuiko lens for wide and tele, a polarizer and UV filter. Great thing about this camera is you can take the battery out and throw it away - completely manual. I do use a hand-held light meter for aperture/shutter settings. Not I use it only with Kodachrome and scan the slides on a Minolta 5400dpi scanner to generate digital files. Lots of image information - a full scan of a single slide generates a 255Mb file. Let's see any digital beat that!!

What I'm learning with right now is an Olympus E510 with a wide, medium and tele lens set, 1.4x teleconverter, Manfrotto tripod with Markins ballhead, an assortment of UV and polarizing filters, graduated ND filters. For digital workflow I use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop CS3 on a iMac.

Why Olympus? Great glass - they make lenses for microscopes and other medical optical equipment and that technology carries over into their digital lenses. Also small size - less weight to carry around in the woods.

I've also got a Canon S630 point-and-shoot that I carry around for fun. Takes really good JPEG's and has pretty easy adjustments when AUTO just won't deliver.

It all fits me and my way of thinking about and using technology. I'm interested in learning what others are working with.

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05th December 2008 04:34 a.m.
imdadoc
novice - founder
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I use the Canon G9. Sweet light weight camera that lets me have full control when I want to. Seldom use a tripod although I probably should and probably will in the future. I use Photoshop CS3 extended for post processing. Which leads me to ask "How expert are others with Photoshop?". I think I'm pretty good but I am learning new things almost everyday. I have an infrared filter but have not tried it out yet. I also use Lightroom 2 for image workflow and some pre-post processing.
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08th December 2008 14:56 p.m.
jbane
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I like Olympus as well. I use an E-3 and E-500. I like the 14-54mm f/2.8+ and the 50-200mm f/2.8+. Both of these have been updated since I got mine.

It used to be the only wide lens was a $1,400 pro model, but they just came out with an 9-18mm f/3.5+ that is in their mid-price range so I'm looking at that.

For sports and portaits (and a lot of other stuff just because I love it) I use the 35-100mm f/2.0.

I miss the really bright primes that Canon has. f/1.2 or f/1.4 normal lenses would be nice. Panasonic has one now but I can't figure out why Olympus doesn't.

Lately I've been playing around with off camera flash and trying to learn more about lighting. The amount of equipment available in this category is staggering.

I capture RAW and load into Lightroom. I'm just learning to use Photoshop for more advanced work.

I'm also thinking of getting a little point and shoot because there are lots of images I could get if I had a camera most of the time.

Even though I have a good sized acquisition list, I really have most of what I need for now. But that won't stop me from looking.

__________________
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. - Pablo Picasso
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12th December 2008 02:24 a.m.
jbane
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For Christmas I got a 9-18mm wide angle zoom. Only got out with it today..

__________________
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. - Pablo Picasso
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28th December 2008 22:15 p.m.
imdadoc
novice - founder
28 posts
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Looks like you are winning the toy race. Nice shot.
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01st January 2009 15:06 p.m.
fidr01
rookie - member
10 posts
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I got nothing real fancy. I got a Nikon D300 for my birthday last year. I also have a Nikon D50. My lens are the kit 18-55mm and the 55-200 mm zooms. I also have a 50mm f1.8.
That's about it. I would love to have the fast glass but this is a hobby. I do have a SB-800 flash as well.

Software, I use Lightroom and Photoshop CS3. I am a member of NAPP. I have developed some actions based on the videos from all the members.

I am also a Scott Kelby fan. I am working through his 7-Step LR process and I won the Adobe Lightroom 2.0 for Digital Photographers and working through that.
Trying to keep it simple and within my hobby budget.

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21st January 2009 20:11 p.m.
sherl
rookie - member
1 posts
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I have a Canon XSi with the 18-55 IS kit lens & a 70-300 IS lens.  My newest acquisition was the 18-200 IS, because it is a good walkaround lens.  I take a lot of sports action shots and it is much faster to use that lens than to keep switching out lenses while at a game.
Love the picture, jbane! 

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26th February 2009 16:18 p.m.
melmann
novice - member
34 posts
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I brought in a gadget a few months ago and now realize I didn't post any more information on it.  It's a loupe that fits over the LCD screen on the back of a digital camera and has an adjustable lens.  Serves two purposes:  1) blocks bright light so you can actually see the picture on the screen, 2) enables those of us with aging eyes to adjust diopter so we can see the picture clearly.  I got one because I was continually putting my reading glasses on trying to see whether my image was in focus.

Anyway, it's a HoodLoupe 3.0 by Hoodman.  Look on Amazon or B&H to find.

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24th May 2009 05:05 a.m.
imdadoc
novice - founder
28 posts
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Rich  sent this to me cause he couldn't get in:

Good morning Gary,
 
Glad you got your computer back up.
 
If someone would like to purchase Nik Software I have a discount code worth 25%. It is not good on any software currently on sale but everything else (inclulding bundles) it will work. It is courtesy of David Ziser from his Digital Wakeup Call seminar and should be good for some time.
 
I can't get into the camera club forum so I figured you could let them know.
 
The discount code is DZISER
 
I also received my Really Right Stuff L-plate and clamp Friday. My son installed the clamp on my tripod and it is soooo smooth. Expensive but the best quality I have ever seen. I think I will be able to hold my camera but I will be using the tripod more.
 
Have a great Memorial Day.
 
Rich

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24th May 2009 17:18 p.m.
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