The Official Head-Case Photography Thread.

[blessingx]

Diane Keaton Moonlighted as a Photographer

https://aperture.org/editorial/how-diane-keaton-moonlighted-as-a-photographer/ 

 

[EdipisReks1]

Re: Pixma. I’ve done 2 13x19, 2 11x17 and about a dozen 8x10 prints. I’ve used about 20 percent of the dye. That seems reasonable, and suggests decent longevity. Paper is about $30 per 50 sheets. Per print cost is probably a couple bucks. If I had gotten all of these professionally printed, and it’s all photos I wanted printed and framed, we would be deep into the cost of the printer. I’m very glad I bought it. 

On 8/14/2025 at 2:27 PM, blessingx said:

When one of my favorite, faaarrr from perfect, quirky, no one should buy in 2025, cameras shows up in a new article... 

https://petapixel.com/2025/08/14/the-retro-styled-nikon-df-dslr-was-both-behind-and-ahead-of-the-times/

Mine, unfortunately, didn't come with a pocket watch. 

 

I love my Df.  It’s so fun, and the sensor has a certain magic to it. 

[blessingx]

The M EV1 is official 

https://leica-camera.com/en-int/photography/cameras/m/m-ev1-black 
 

 

[Grahame]

2 hours ago, blessingx said:

The M EV1 is official 

https://leica-camera.com/en-int/photography/cameras/m/m-ev1-black 
 

 

So when are you getting one, Ric?

[blessingx]

 

5 hours ago, Grahame said:

So when are you getting one, Ric?

Need time to setup the GoFundMe 

Edited October 23 by blessingx

[blessingx]

In the consumerism thread, I mentioned tracking down a copy of The Pillar by Stephen Gill, a self-published photobook that made waves a few years ago. Thought some of you may enjoy a few shots also. 
 

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/karl-ove-knausgaard-on-stephen-gills-bird-images-in-the-pillar 

https://www.1854.photography/2019/07/the-pillar-by-stephen-gill/ 

https://www.photohastings.org/book-review-the-pillar-by-stephen-gill/ 

 

Edited October 25 by blessingx

[blessingx]

One more Stephen Gill post as I find his work fascinating and you may too. He followed the above with Please Notify the Sun. "It was in 2017 that I began to have an inkling that a single fish might contain a universe of infinite proportions and how amazing a journey within its body could be. So I started to research everything I would need to embark on such an expedition. By January 2020 I had built a work top, obtained a microscope, a camera, optics, lights and fridge."

 

https://collectordaily.com/stephen-gill-please-notify-the-sun/

https://americansuburbx.com/2021/02/stephen-gills-sublime-decay-please-notify-the-sun.html 

 

[Knuckledragger]

 

[jpelg]

Posting this here instead of the "Consumerism" thread, as likely only viewers here would possibly find this interesting in any way. 

I've always wanted a try a medium telephoto on my full-format DSLR, mainly for portraits. So, when an inexpensive Rokinon 85mm 1.4 in the Sony A-mount sat on B&H's used site for a few weeks, in a weak moment I succumbed to the temptation & placed the order:

Literally the first snap from my A900, in a dark living room with one lamp lit, at f1.4 yielded this, which shocked me in its [insert typical "medium-format like" or "3D" quality superlatives here], particularly since it's manual-focus with the usual sliver DOF at minimum aperture:

Of course, I've yet to reproduce anything since that approaches these qualities. So clearly I got very lucky on my first snap & will have to invest more time to learn how to get the best out of this big chunk o'glass. Also, so far I've only shot in B&W (which is my current favored MO), and yet to play with the color output (and deal with the reported CA at minimum apertures). But it's a beautiful piece to fondle & hear the clicks from the aperture ring.

Edited November 2 by jpelg

[mikeymad]

 

 

[blessingx]

Caira (formally Alice) AI camera reviews. Changes coming. 

 

 

 

[blessingx]

I Photographed an Appalachian Family for 15 Years

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/opinion/appalachia-family-photographs-poverty.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zU8.sPlI.uB8LeWerNWJP&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare (gift article) 

 

[blessingx]

Nolan Streitberger's Oregon’s Trail of Tears wet-plate photographs 

https://petapixel.com/2025/11/05/photographer-retraces-oregons-brutal-trail-of-tears-with-wet-plate-camera/

https://www.nolanstreitberger.com/trail-of-tears-1

[Knuckledragger]

Remember when I mentioned 19th century railroad bridges a few months ago?  A part of my re-visiting of photos I took in 2010, I ran a few shots I took of the Chester Arches and water below through modern software.

Luminar 4 is a fine tool if one wrangles it properly.  I'm still not much enamored by Luminar Neo.

 

Watch out for that train!  Tune in next time for a walk around town with a not very good Tamron superzoom "vacation" lens.

[blessingx]

Great shots. 
 

Back from another PhotoFair, just throw shit on the table edition. Also their 50th anniversary. I was good and only bought two $5 “tabletop” old tripods (the only type I seem to use anymore). That justifies buying the ridiculous new lens I really want, right? 

[EdipisReks1]

Rollei 35 on Gold 200.

[EdipisReks1]

I have decided that I’m going to shoot digital only soon. I have a significant amount of film in my freezer, but once it’s gone my film cams are conversation pieces only. I can fortunately shoot the vintage Nikon glass on the Df. Thinking about going to a Hasselblad 907x.

I guess I’ll get a Ricoh to replace the Rollei. It’ll be a lot less charming. I’m able to get shots with that camera that I couldn’t with anything larger and less charming. I hope a GR meets those requirements. 

Edited November 17 by EdipisReks1

[Knuckledragger]

DO want.

[mikeymad]

keep your sensor clean

 

[Knuckledragger]

A while back, I bought a lot of camera gear because I wanted one specific piece.  The lot was cheaper than the item on its own, because eBay.  Included in the pile of gear was a Tamron "vacation lens" (all-in-wonder, not good at anything) 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD A010.  Yes, that's its name.  I was not expecting much with the Tamron and it's barely delivered even on that meager promise.  With that said, I did have some fun with it.  This past September, I took the 5D IV and Tamron for a walk around downtown EDG.

This New Beetle is parked in front of this shop all summer.  78mm @ F/9, 1/200.

 

Old Beetle!  It made genuine air cooled noises, and belched out noxious exhaust fumes.  87mm @ F/8, 1/200.

 

The main drag, which is one way, because it was built for horses. 70mm @ F/8, 1/200.

 

Zoomed in on the same, 179mm @ F/7.1, 1/250.  Main St. never meant to hold a Wagoneer.

 

A rather famous boat, with Chappy in the background. 28mm @ F/10, 1/320.

 

Speaking of famous, the Dolphin returns to harbor.  71mm @ F/10 1/320.

 

Both On Time ferries, 109mm @ F/9, 1/320.

 

A Series III on Kelly St.  That's a pet pickup truck I see in the summer behind it. 195mm @ F/7.1, 1/200.

 

The line for the On Time, Daggett St. 97mm @ F/8, 1/160.

 

Mose St. is two way, and has parking. It's even less suited for Wagoneers. 97mm @ F/8, 1/200.

 

The Connaught House, now just another goddamn rental.  109mm @ F/8, 1/250.

 

North Water St.  179mm @ F/7.1, 1/250.

 

A cute MG and absolutely garbage bokeh.  223mm @ F/7.1, 1/320.

 

South Water St, which I have callously ignored for 20 years now. 87mm @ F/8, 1/200.

 

September is still vacation for some. 43,mm @ F/8, 1/250.

 

The Tamron is not a very good lens.  It covers a large focal range and not well.  I had to work over many of the above pretty thoroughly to get decent results.  I also had a bunch of shots that were not really worth the effort to salvage.  Tune in next time for Vineyard wildlife and some seasonal colors.

[n_maher]

Got a ride with the ANG two weeks ago to check out our remote project site in what southerners call Northern Maine (Bangor area).  They had an issue with the first aircraft, but thankfully had a spare, and the delayed departure made for a convenient return time.