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**************************************************
* PHOTOGRAPHY HAPPENINGS !!
*
* Photography news in Singapore
*
**************************************************
Greetings all photo enthusiasts !!
1) This a private mailing list for photographers in Singapore, so that
we
can all be kept informed of the latest happenings in the photographic
circle, eg. any courses, outings, interesting websites, and new products
in photography.
2) If you wish not to receive any mails, or if you have any photography
enthusiast friends who wants to be added onto this list, pls e-mail
me their
e-mail addresses. All the recipients on this mailing list will
not be listed, so your address will be kept private and confidential.
3) Depending on the amount of news, you should be receiving one update
every
two weeks or so. If you have any news of photographic interest you
wish to
share with the rest, pls mail it to me !! Remember, this mailing list
is only as good as the info I receive !
4) I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information posted, but I'll
try my best to verify the information before putting it up.
5) The official "Photography Happenings !!" homepage is located at:
Http://home.pacific.net.sg/~nelson88
Best regards,
Nelson Tan (Editor)
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Issue #16
Dated: 19th Mar 1999
*** CONTENTS ***
Okay, and in this issue of "Photography Happenings !!", we have:
1) Announcements
- New
Article
2) New Products
- Mamiya
645 AF released
- 2 New
Pentax lenses
3) Website Reviews
- Inspirational
Panoramics
- Large
Format Photography
- Photojournalism
From The Soul
- Moonlight
Photography
- Master
Photographer: Herb Ritts
4) Special Offers and Bargains
- Shriro
offer on Nikon lens pouches
5) Photography tips
- Stability
of photographic colour films
- Close-up
Photography tips at Photo.Net
- Want
to know more about collectable cameras ?
________________________________________________________________________________
* ANNOUNCEMENTS *
New Article
-----------
There is a special treat for Nikon users in this issue. The new article
for this issue is a comprehensive review of the all-new Nikon F100. After
weeks of testing this camera, the review contains the specifications, handling,
real life performance of the camera, and some of the images taken by the
F100. For non-Nikon users, I apologize for leaving out your brand. Why
don't I do Canon or Minolta reviews ? Simple, it's not because I am biased
against other brands, but rather it is because I don't have access to them
! But you are definitely welcome to post your reviews of equipment, and
inform me about their existence.
You can check out the article under the Equipment Review Section.
Http://home.pacific.net.sg/~nelson88
[Total list membership stands at 389]
********************************************************************************
* NEW PRODUCTS *
Mamiya 645 AF released
----------------------
Autofocus is catching on in the world of medium format. First there
was the Pentax 645 AF, then there was the Contax 645 AF. And even before
the dust settled, Mamiya has launched a new contender - the Mamiya 645
AF.
The Mamiya 645 Pro series has always been a favorite of many medium
format photographers, for its range of lenses and ergonomic design. Now
Mamiya has released the 645 in a autofocus model. The current Mamiya 645
Pro TL will still continue to be in production.
The Mamiya 645 AF uses a TTL phase-difference-detection auto-focus system.
In addition, there is an automatic infrared sub-beam for focusing on subjects
of low contrast or low illumination. There are two choices of AF modes
- Single AF (focus priority) or Continuous AF (release priority).
The new camera is fitted with a electronically controlled focal plane
shutter with a maximum speed of 1/4000th sec (adjustable in 1/2 stops),
and a flash-sync speed of 1/125th sec. It also features interactive control
system between the different modules of the camera, enabling greater automation
and fool-proof operation. Exposure modes on the Mamiya 645 AF include Aperture
priority, Shutter priority, Program AE and manual mode. The LCD screen
on the camera displays all the necessary information, and provides back-lit
illumination.
The Mamiya 645 AF has three metering modes: Center-weighted average,
Spot, and Auto A-S (Variable ratio). The auto-bracketing feature shoots
3 consecutive frames in 1/3, 2/3 or 1 stop increments (user selectable).
There are 7 new autofocus AF lenses, and the 22 manual focus interchangeable
lenses for the current Mamiya 645 Pro series can be used on the new camera.
The winder for the camera is built-in, and the magazine now accepts both
120 and 220 film without the need to purchase seperate magazines. There
is also a user-selectable feature to imprint exposure data outside the
image area.
The 7 new AF lenses are: 45mm f/2.8 AF, 55mm f/2.8 AF, 80mm f/2 AF,
80mm f/2.8 AF, 150mm f/2.8 AF, 210mm f/4 AF, 300mm f/4.5 AF.
For the complete description and listing of specification, go to:
http://www.mamiya.com/Section1/08.PressReleases/22press.html
For a picture of the new Mamiya 645 AF, go to:
http://www.mamiya.co.jp/645af.htm
2 New Pentax lenses
-------------------
Pentax has released 2 new AF lenses for its Z-series of 35mm AF cameras.
The SMC-FA 20-35/f4 AL is a compact ultra-wideangle zoom with 10 lenses
in 8 groups. It's filter diameter is 58 mm, and weigh only 245 g, with
a closest focusing distance of 30 cm.
The SMC-FA Macro 100/f3.5 can attain maximum magnification of 1/2 lifesize,
and is constructed with 5 elements in 4 groups. The closest focusing distance
is 43 cmm with a filter diameter of 49 mm, and weight 220 g.
********************************************************************************
* WEBSITE REVIEWS *
Here are this issue's recommended websites:
Inspirational Panoramics
------------------------
Just because the most common dimension of film is 24X36mm doesn't mean
that we have to be restricted to seeing the world in rectangles. Panoramic
cameras have always been used by photographers to achieve a better fit
of their images with what they saw. Subjects like interiors and landscapes
are sometimes really constricted by the 35mm format, and the panoramic
dimension really brings out their full glory. Check out the inspirational
panoramics of Ken Duncan in this website, as he records the wonderful landscape
scenics in the extended format. Although he really meant it as a gallery
to sell his images, feel free to view them for your own relaxation, and
realise the world has more scenics to offer than Bukit Batok's Little Guilin.
http://www.kenduncan.com/index2.htm
<Brought to attention by Richard Koh>
Large Format Photography
------------------------
Keen on large format photography but don't know where to find more
information about it ? Check out this excellent homepage with everything
you need to know about large format photography. You can find out what
equipment you need to start off in large format photography, and the various
common mistakes that people make when learning to handle large format shooting.
There are also reviews on many large format cameras, so check it out if
you're really considering taking up the challenge !
http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~qtluong/photography/lf/
Photojournalism From The Soul
-----------------------------
This site hosts a unique photo essay, looking into the heart &
soul of photojournalists. It uncovers the emotions and feelings behind
the pictures displayed at the site, rather than discussing the equipment
and technique used to take the images. The pictures are pretty good, and
worth taking a look even if you are not into photojournalism.
http://www.borg.com/~nlf/essay.htm
Moonlight Photography
---------------------
This special site is dedicated to taking pictures under available moonlight
using very long exposure. If you are into the more uncommon type of experimental
photography, this could be for you ! Moonlight has a special look to it,
and long time exposure further adds mystery to the scene. Do check it out,
and who knows it might become trendy to do moonlight photography in future
??
http://www.negia.com/~karekin/
Master Photographer - Herb Ritts
--------------------------------
One of the most prominent and influential photographer of our era,
Herb Ritts revolutionized celebrity photography with his daring and avant
garde style. He was listed as the top 15 most influential people in photography
of 1998 by the magazine American Photo. This site is hosted by Boston Museum
of Fine Arts. Herb Ritts is better known for his provocative images of
Hollywood stars, and the list of celebrity photographs in this gallery
include Dustin Hoffman, Elizabeth Taylor, Jack Nicholson, Jim Carrey, Madonna,
Nelson Mandela, Richard Gere, Sean Connery, Stephen Hawking, and supermodels
Stephanie, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana and Naomi Campbell.
http://www.boston.com/mfa/ritts/exbibition.htm
********************************************************************************
* SPECIAL OFFERS AND BARGAINS *
Shriro offer on Nikon lens pouches
----------------------------------
Spend a minimum of $80 on service and cleaning at Shriro's Authorized
Nikon Service Center at Chung Chang Road (behind Safra Bukit Merah), and
you can buy Nikon soft protective lens pouches at special discounted rates.
This offer is only valid while stocks last. Purchases must be made on the
day of payment together with the issued receipt. The Nikon lens pouches
are available in black and in two sizes.
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* PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS *
Stability of photographic colour films
--------------------------------------
This is a highly technical piece about stability of colour photographic
films. As most people know, B/W films can last much longer than colour
films. Although there has been much advancement in the stability of colour
film, there is still no substitute for the archival quality of B/W films
in colour. For the technically inclined, you can find out more about film
stability at:
http://www.fotoinfo.com/technicalinfo/stability.html
Close-up Photography tips at Photo.Net
--------------------------------------
Macro photography is one of my favorite topics, but there is no point
for me to write an article on it, since Photo.Net already has an excellent
article by Phil Greenspun. Find out all you need to know (well.. almost
everything) about macro photography in this article, illustrated with accompanying
images to explain the concepts more clearly.
http://photo.net/photo/macro.html
Want to know more about collectable cameras ?
---------------------------------------------
Want to know how much your antique camera is worth ? Want to know more
about the old and dusty camera you found in your storeroom ? This site
is for you if you are into old Leicas, Rollei, Hasselblad, Kodak and SpeedGraphics
etc. Comes with a short history and technical description of the camera,
with an accompanying picture of the camera and a image taken with the camera.
Frankly, I think it is an interesting site to visit !!
http://www.cosmonet.org/camera/index_e.html
________________________________________________________________________________
That's all, folks !
Happy shooting !!!
Your friendly list-maintainer,
Nelson Tan
Visit the official "Photography Happenings !!" website at:
Http://home.pacific.net.sg/~nelson88
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