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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.

                                                                                                     Best regards,
                                                                                                     Nelson Tan
 

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Issue #7                                                   Dated: 20 Oct 1998

                                *** CONTENTS ***
 

Okay, and in this issue of "Photography Happenings !", we have:
 

        1) Announcements
           - Launch of Classified Ads section

        2) New Products
           - Hasselblad new products releases

        3) Website Reviews
           - Photoserve and Aquino Photobooks
           - New York Institute of Photography

        4) Events in Singapore
           - Pulau Ubin Photo Exhibition
           - "Photographic Journeys": Iran
           - Leonid Meteor Shower

        5) Sales and Bargains
           - Toyo Living Dehumifying Cabinate

        6) Photography tips
           - Making your own 120mm film canister
           - Unconventional toning for B/W prints
           - Storing your Cokin "A" series filters
           - Travel Photography
           - Double-exposure for the moon

        7) Classified Ads
           - Nikon Lenses for sale
           - WTB: Bronica ETRSi & ETR50/2.8 E for parts
           - Nikon F3 with MD-4 for sale
           - Contax T2 and Yashica T5 for sale

________________________________________________________________________________

                             * ANNOUNCEMENTS *

 
Launch of Classified Ads section
--------------------------------

Alright, as promised previously, we now have a classified ads section. It is now located as the last section, at the end of every issue. So if you have anything to buy or sell, just e-mail to me the details !

Current list membership stands at 280, current issue at 19kb.

P.S: There is a little surprise for the next issue. Watch this space !!!
 

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                            *  NEW PRODUCTS  *
 
 
Hasselblad new products releases          (for intermediate to advanced readers)
--------------------------------
 

The esteemed Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad has released a slew of new products during Photokina 98. There are several new releases:

           1) Hasselblad CFi/ CFE lenses - the new lens generation
           2) The Hasselblad XPan- the new 35 mm film based dual-format camera
           3) The Hasselblad 555ELD - the ideal studio camera
           4) The Hasselblad View Magnifier - magnifier for critical focusing
 

The Hasselblad CFi/CFE lens line is a new generation of high-quality lenses from Carl Zeiss. The CFi designation stands for "CF version improved" indicating that these lenses optically originate from the CF lens program, but have been further refined and improved to provide even higher image-quality, long-lasting reliability and ease of use. The "E" in the CFE designation stands for Electronic, indicating that the CFE lenses feature databus connections for transmitting lens data to the metering system in the 200 series cameras.

The CFi/CFE improvements include new internal design and new anti-reflection    materials reducing stray-light to a minimum, improved design for better handing, new PC-socket with a positive lock, and redesigned focusing mechanism for smoother focusing.

The Hasselblad XPan is a 35mm camera, which incorporates a dual-format facility providing a full panorama 24x65 mm format as well as a conventional 24x36 mm format on the same film. It becomes, therefore, the first and only dual-format 35 mm camera on the market that expands the  format instead of masking it. In addition, the 65 mm width of the full panorama images is similar to the medium format, making it in reality a medium format camera for 35 mm film.

The Hasselblad 555ELD is a newly designed camera body which has been redeveloped from the work-horse 553ELX model, and like its predecessor most photographers will see it as an indispensable working tool for heavy-duty studio work. The improvements and new features of the Hasselblad 555ELD camera include:

Improved stray-light reduction, connectors for IR release unit providing wireless camera operation with the Hasselblad IR remote control, integrated connectors for digital camera backs, redesigned improved mirror mechanism which increases the durability and reliability of the mirror operation and a ISO film speed setting which has been raised to ISO 64-4000 in order to comply with the new film types on the market.

The Hasselblad View magnifier is a valuable accessory that provides a 2x magnification of the central part of the focusing screen, thus facilitating accurate focusing.

For more information, check out Hasselblad USA's website, under the section of new product releases:

                           http://www.hasselblad.com/
 

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                           * WEBSITE REVIEWS *

 
This issue's recommended websites are:
 

Photoserve and Aquino Photobooks
--------------------------------

Desmond highly recommends the following website to the other photographers:
 

     Recommendation #1: http://www.photoserve.com
     Ratings: **** (best *****)
 
     Comments:Here's a clue how well-designed photography websites should
     look to attract the potential clients and art directors. Professional
     looking website gallery showroom for photography works.
 

     Recommendation #2: http://www.aaquino.com/photobooks/alphabks.htm
     Ratings: ***
 
     Comments: If you are in Singapore, as a photographer, you will know
     there are actually a lot of good photography books that you cannot
     find in the local bookshops. Here's a website that shows all the
     listing of photobooks. You could take down the ISDN number of the books
     and check with the bigger bookstores like Kinokuniya, Times, MPH and
     Borders to see if they have the book in stock. In the event that they don't,
     you could ask if they could order the book for you.
 

                                                (Contributed by Desmond Bang)
 

New York Institute of Photography
---------------------------------

New York Institute of Photography (NYIP) is a established photography school that has been around since 1910. Their home-study photography course is very popular with beginning photographers, and their long experience means they know what the students need.
 
Check out their NYI Reference Shelf for various photography techniques like:
Electronic flash lighting, Focal plane shutters, Hyperfocal distance, Incident and gray card exposure readings, Reciprocity Failure, Running Water, Sharpness solutions, Sync speed etc. Beginners and amateurs willl find this site useful.
 

                        http://www.nyip.com/
 

(recommended for beginning photographers)

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                            * EVENTS IN SINGAPORE *
 

Pulau Ubin Photo Exhibition                             (for everyone)
---------------------------

There will be a exhibition on Pulau Ubin at Great World City in conjunction with the Clean and Green week. This is a one-day exhibition which hopes to raise the awareness of people about the conservation project done on Pulau Ubin. There will be a small photo exhibition by five local photographers (including me), displaying photos (approximately 50 prints) of the various aspects of Pulau Ubin, including topics like the wildlife and floral, the people and their lifestyles, and the activities found at Ubin including the Outward Bound School (OBS). Considerable time and effort was spent on this worthwhile project. For those interested to know more about Pulau Ubin, the exhibition (1-day only) will be held at:

                Great World City
                9th November 1998 (Mon)

Also, a CD-ROM about Pulau Ubin will be launched. It contains photos from the five photographers, and is created by a team from RGS. Do drop by at Great World City if you're interested in finding out more. Remember it is only for one day.
 

"Photographic Journeys"                                 (for everyone)
-----------------------

Photographic Journeys is a series of monthly photography show presented by the National Museum and Tithes Marketing (Contax/Yashica).

This month, Khoo Swee Chiow, one of the two climbers on the Singapore Mt Everest Team who summited Everest, share with us about his recent trip to Iran with his wife. Listen to him as he describes his Iran trip, an "uplifting experience with one of the most hospitable people". The low cost of travel and rich variety of landscape are some of the fond memories he now has of Iran. The nation's rich and colorful history is evident in its glorious architecture dating from the 17th century - the Persian mosques, palaces and ruins of the Archemanians in the scorching desert.

Come to the National Musuem AV Theatre on Saturday 24 October at 3 pm. Admission is free, but late-comers will not be admitted.
 

Leonid Meteor Shower
--------------------

1998 is filled with movies with astronomical, like Amageddon and Deep Impact. They seemed to have stirred up considerable interest in astronomy, and created unfounded fears of the extinction of Earth by meteriod impact. Well, I have news.... there will be a meteor shower coming on the 17th of November !!

The Leonid meteor shower is caused by the Earth passing through the tail of Comet 55P (Tempel-Tuttle) which is in a 33 year orbit around the sun. We pass through it yearly, but every 33 years we pass by just after the Comet, and through the thickest concentration of meteors.

Look up to the sky on that night & you will see a meteors shower at about 1 am Singapore time (17th November 1998). Imagine seeing about 40 meteors raining across the sky every second.. Don't miss it !! Or else u will have to wait
33 years to see them again ! It will be an excellent opportunity for those of you interested in astro-photography. I did a search for "astrophotography" on the Yahoo search engine and turned out 41 sites. You can also do a search specifically for the Leonids Meteor Shower. For starters, check out this site:

                http://www.skypub.com/meteors/leoking.html
 

I'm personally very excited about this event. Hope that you guys can use this rare opportunity to photography some meteors !!
 

Do you know ?
-------------
In 1833, a reliable observer, A. C. Twyning at West Point, New York, estimated that at the height of the Leonid meteor storm at least 10,000 bright meteors were visible per hour !!!

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                             * SALES AND BARGAINS *

Toyo Living Dehumifying Cabinate
--------------------------------

Cathay Photo is currently having a sales promotion for the Toyo Living Dehumifying Cabinates. They are one of the best made brands of dehumifiers around, and represent a good investment even though they're slightly more expensive than other brands. My four-year old unit is still running perfectly, and very quietly too. I'd highly recommend this brand. Try to get a bigger unit than you think you'll need, because like hard disk capacity, it's never enough!

Check out the prices for the various units from Cathay Photo.

P.S: For those who are unsure of what a dehumifying unit is, it is actually a storage cabinate for your lenses. It has a dehumifying unit to keep the humidity level in the air-tight cabinate at a low level, to prevent fungus from growing in your lenses. It serves the same function as your silica gel, except that you do not need to change the gel, since it runs continuously on electricity. Prices range from less than $200 (check with Ruby Photo) for a small cabinate to more than a $1000 for a high-end unit.
 

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                             * PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS *
 

Making your own 120mm film canister
-----------------------------------
For users of 120mm film, you may like to know that you can create your own 120mm film canister by sawing away the bottom of a 35mm film canister and sticking it to another 35mm film canister. This creates a crude but effective container to keep your 120mm film safe until you send it for processing. For better guard against light leaks, use the black Kodak variety of film canister.
 

Unconventional Toning of B/W Prints
-----------------------------------
For those who still do black and white prints on fibre based (FB) paper, you can tone your prints by soaking them into dilluted coffee or tea. It takes longer than commercial toners such as sepia, but gives it a unique tone. Experiment with different coffee and tea and vary the timing to get different tones. But do remember to wash the prints thoroughly after toning. Users of the more common resin coated (RC) paper can also try this technique, but it will take much longer for the toning to be absorbed into the paper.
 

Storing your Cokin "A" series filters
-------------------------------------
Those who own Cokin filters know that they come in bulky boxes, and if you carry more than a few, you're going to be bogged down by those boxes. If you have the "A" series filters, you can use 3 1/2 inch computer diskette wallets found in computer shops to store them. Just slide them into the sleeves of the wallet. But do bear in mind that although this frees up valuable space and weight in your camera bag, it provides less protection than the original boxes.
 

Travel Photography
------------------
For those of you planning on a holiday this coming December, take along your camera to record the glorious moments of your tour. However, there are some photography tips which you might like to know first. Do you know what to bring, what not to bring, how to carry your equipment and what are the things to do while on the road ?? Take a look at this short-and-sweet travel photography tips page by Lonely Planet, one of the best-selling series of guide books. Even if you are a novice in photography, this simple to understand guide will still be a great help, especially if it is the first time you're traveling with more serious photography in mind (meaning using more than a compact camera).

The page is too long to reproduce here (it goes against copyright law to do so anyway), so check it out at:

                http://www.lonelyplanet.com/road/witness/phot.htm
 
 

Double-exposure to include the moon in a night scene
----------------------------------------------------
Sometimes we find a night scene could include a moon for greater effect but
the moon is in the "wrong place", or non-existent.

We can easily make double exposures of this night scene and then superimpose
a moon from elsewhere on to it. No special equipment or exposure compensation is needed at all.

But you have to be careful though if you shoot a night scene with water. The added moon does not have a reflection on the water!

                                                <Submitted by Loh Koah Fong>
 

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                              * CLASSIFIED ADS *

(Disclaimer: the list maintainer will not take responsibility for any  transactions carried out through this classified ads.)
 
 

Nikon lenses for sale
---------------------

Nikon 24 mm F2.8 Mint- $340.
Nikon 85 mm F 1.8 Exc ++ $320.
(Both are non-D, but super sharp. Selling coz I'm switching to Leica)
Both: $650
pgr: 9-250 6899  (Jason Tan)
 
 

Wanted: BRONICA ETRSi & ETR50/2.8 E for parts
---------------------------------------------

Body may be electronically dead and possibly mechanically dead...but should be
structually sound. Lens ... mechanically sound, but perhaps lens elements fogged/fungus infected. Must be cheap.

Alternatively, if you have both items for sale used, but in EX+ condition and
cheap, make an offer to: kelvinlee@post1.com     (Kelvin Lee)
 
 

Nikon F3 and MD-4 for sale
--------------------------

Nikon F3 (non-HP) with MD-4 motordrive for sale at $950 only. Selling as a complete set. Slight brassing, but in good condition. Please e-mail me if you're interested :juaychuan@pacific.net.sg              (Terry Toh)
 
 

Mint condition: Contax T2 and Yashica T5 for sale
-------------------------------------------------

Contax T2     $750
Yashica T5    $220

I have a Contax T2 and a Yashica T5, both in mint condition (totally unused) for sale. Won them as prizes from photo competitions. If you're interested, please e-mail me at: acidfree@yahoo.com                    (Lance Lee)
 
 

________________________________________________________________________________
 

That's all, folks !
Happy shooting !!!

                                                                                                      Your friendly list-maintainer,
                                                                                                                              Nelson Tan
 
 

Send any comments(commend or condemn), or information to me at:

                        nelson88@pacific.net.sg