I just found out about the Fuji X-T1 IR infrared/ultraviolet camera (law enforcement/military/medical/science). Want one just because... what was seen cannot be unseen.

https://www.fujifilm.com/us/en/consumer/digitalcameras/ir-camera

Edited July 17, 20214 yr by HiWire

In case you want to go another route - https://www.lifepixel.com/product-category/our-services/infrared-camera-conversions 

Kabul.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/photography/interactive/2021/photos-nikon-small-world/

 

I think 5th place might be my favorite: one just because of proboscis and two just because.  But so many of them are seriously cool, thanks for sharing @dsavitsk.

The Photographer’s Dilemma 
Peter van Agtmael in the maw of the American war machine

https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-photographers-dilemma-craze?utm_campaign=enjoy&utm_source=the-talented-mr-thiel-tyson 

Edited September 21, 20214 yr by blessingx

A True Story About Bogus Photos of People Making Fake News

https://www.wired.com/story/true-story-bogus-photos-people-fake-news/

One year ago today... 

 

 

 

Edited November 8, 20214 yr by Grahame

‘There was a prophecy I would come’: the western men who think they are South Pacific kings

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/27/western-men-who-dream-of-being-south-pacific-kings-vanuatu-prophesy    

Kinda interesting - How Kodak Exposed the Atomic Bomb

 

Best 2021 photos https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2021/dec/27/the-best-photographs-of-2021-and-the-stories-behind-them 

 

Went on a bit of shopping spree the last couple of weeks.

Taking advantage of Holiday discounts on the FLM ball head. Nice design and very high quality product. 

The Canon 1D MK4 body is a prompt purchase - one in great shape came up at a good price. Only less than 34K shutter actuation. 

Shoot me a PM if you are interested in the mint condition 300MM F4 L lens. I bought a 300mm F2.8 last year so this one becomes somewhat redundant. I'll cut a good deal for longterm headcasers. Also has a Canon 1.4X ii available. 

 

 

A very Head Case smrtphne.

I wouldn't mind having one.

Canon is shutting down its Zhuhai factory in south China, citing low compact camera demand and chip shortages.  Unsurprising, but still ...ulp.

Finally got the time to mount the FLM ball head on my Bogen tripod which I bought back in the 80's.

Started playing with and setting up the controls on the FLM ball head and I am impressed. FLM is a small German company and seems fairly unknown in the US. I also have a RRS BH-40 ball head. IMO, the relatively equivalent FLM ball head is of equal or better quality at a lower cost to the RRS ball head.  I like them both. The FLM head does have some unique and innovative features which I find rather handy. 

 

Any opinions about the Canon EOS 5D mkII? I know it's somewhat oldish and that there are better and more modern full frame chips out there, but some personal experience reports will be well appreciated. It would come with 6 very good lenses, 3 zoom ones and 3 primes . I've got a friend selling his rig.

What's the intended purpose? If that involves shooting people, you can just keep all the lenses (maybe you don't need all of them) and buy a mirrorless body like the EOS R or EOS RP with an adapter and your life will be a whole lot easier with the AF system, tilting touchscreen, etc. (and you can also try shooting video as well in some situations, really useful). If you are patient enough these two will pop up for cheap prices, barely used.

I still use my 5D II I bought new about 10 years ago. I consider it still a very good body that's capable of making high quality pictures with good quality lenses. It is also very well built and supports different focus screen options (not so the 5D MK III, IV and 5DS R). 

21 M pixel is more than enough for most applications - this coming from someone that also owns a 5DS R.

I have not used 5D III and IV but I will guess the 5D II will miss out on high ISO performance, dynamic range and frame rate.  

For the price I've seen advertised for used, good condition 5D II I consider it a bargain. The emphasize is on condition; things like shutter actuation count, is there dust on the image sensor, are any of the memory card slot pins bent, etc.. 

I am curious - which lenses are included?  

My biggest complaints about the 5D II:

1. Does not support auto ISO in the manual mode (default to ISO 400).

2. Slow frame rate  - less than 4 frame per second 

3. High ISO noise - I try and keep it under 1600

But my expectation may not be fair for a full-frame DSLR that was first released in 2008.

14 hours ago, Torpedo said:

Any opinions about the Canon EOS 5D mkII? I know it's somewhat oldish and that there are better and more modern full frame chips out there, but some personal experience reports will be well appreciated. It would come with 6 very good lenses, 3 zoom ones and 3 primes . I've got a friend selling his rig.

With a body that old my interest would be driven entirely by the quality of the glass.  As others have mentioned, those will be the pieces that carry on with you and perhaps steer you to a replacement body some day.  If you post up what they actually are some with more knowledge than me can probably better gauge if this is a good deal or not.  

Otherwise I've got nothing that hasn't already been said.  For casual shooting it's probably great but the real question is, are you going to lug it around and actually use it.  That's what keeps me from reinvesting in either a mirrorless or DSLR setup.  My current, similarly outdated setup has been in the closet for two years.  For casual imagery my phone is infinitely more available and used carefully, can produce solid results. It lacks range, and that's a gap that glass can close and for sports/moving-subjects there's no question a proper camera will be easier to use and get better results.

The lenses are this bunch:

EF 24 - 70 mm 1: 2.8 L USM

EF 16 - 35 1: 2.8 mm L II USM

EF 70 - 200 1: 2.8 mm IS II USM

EF 28 mm 1:1.8

EF 50 mm 1:1.4

EF 100 mm 1:2

Just the 70-200 zoom at 2.8 aperture is worth 1500€

Usage has been really low. My friend bought all this because he was planning a career change that didn't happen and has barely used the camera, if anything, just for photography, not video. He also has a Leica that is the one he's actually using.

After standing on it for a night I'm rather convinced that I wouldn't be using it, the body is too heavy and bulky and I would have very little use for such glass galore by now, maybe when I retire I'd use it a lot more. I'd consider it an investment.