I Heart craigslist – When it Rains it Pours
In 1968 I lived in Scharnhausen, Germany, and a factory that would manufacture Kodak cameras was being built just across a few fields from our house. On opening day they offered tours and my neighbor buddy said they were giving away cameras if you went. So I did. I was 11 years old and Hans Find (my step-father to be) had the coolest camera. It whizzed and whirred and clicked and flashed and had charts, buttons, doors, levers, flaps, and every thing else a budding gadget geek might be attracted to. I thought maybe they would give us one like that on the tour.
After the tour I went home with a little plastic camera that was shaped like a 35mm SLR but was almost just a toy... but it was an Instamatic camera that would take real pictures. Hans helped me set up the camera with film and I shot just that one roll in probably 5 minutes. But it was still cool.
From 1976 through the early 90's, I subscribed to and read almost every major motorcycle magazine and/or book there was. Don Morley was a photographer that first got my attention in the late 70's when I saw his action racing shots of "Fast Freddie Spencer" as Freddie would raise the front wheel when he changed directions in the middle of an S turn.
Sometime about 1985 I got the shutter bug once again, and picked up a how-to book on photography by none other than Don Morley. I read all about it, and for a long time I had camera lust for the "Canon AE-1" camera that was featured on the cover. At 700-1000 bucks for a setup though, I'd have to wait. In the meantime I made do with cheap point and shoot 35mm cameras, and even got some great shots, including the one I still consider my best.
Digital cameras in the mid-90's helped scratch my shutterbug itch because it was just so cool. Oh, but then in 2003, Canon brought out the first sub-$1,000 digital-SLR camera and I knew I would have to get one. By 2007 the prices had come down to $699.00 for the previous years model, but I still didn't have one. It was just too hard to justify.
Finally, a few weeks ago, we were counting all our money and couldn't think of any new ways to spend it. (It's my fantasy so STFU) So... I went shopping for a digital-SLR camera. Best Buy had a sale with a previous year model, plus a lens, plus a camera bag, for $699.00. Pretty good deal. I saw a Rebel T1i parked right there next to it in the display case though - the newest model, 15.1 megapixel, Full 1080PHD video, just the best camera ever. As I was drooling, the salesman came back and informed me they were sold out of the $699.00 deal and would not be getting any more.
So I had to buy the Rebel T1i whether I wanted it or not! Of course I'd need a long zoom lens, a spare battery, a case, an external flash, a book or two on how to operate it, a tripod and a travel tripod, a couple lens hoods, lens filters, lens cleaning kits, and a new 8 GB SD Card to take pictures on, and... well you get the idea. I basically blew my new laptop budget - I went all in. I have no regrets though, not one bit.
Because now I can do this from completely across the yard:
Or this, from 70 feet away, capturing the candidness of a boys imagination as he looks out for "bad guys":
Or this, from 20 stories up - 5 second open shutter flooding the ground with golden light:
And that's not all!
The next day, a friend at work sold Jeremy (my son) the same camera that Best Buy was out of when I went shopping, plus a $270.00 zoom lens, $300.00 SpeedLite, and a $50.00 camera case - all in all over $1100.00 worth of gear for $500.00. It also included an extended warranty that is still good until May 2010. Finally, since she was getting rid of her Canon lenses and equipment in a move to Nikon, she gave me her old film SLR camera - the Canon Rebel 2000. It's a lot like the earlier Rebel digital models, except it's film of course. It's condition is like new. A sweet deal for Jeremy and Tara, and a really good deal for me.
But wait - that's not all!
Friday, I was browsing the prices on eBay for that Canon AE-1 Program camera I've wanted so many years... the good ones were running between $130.00 and $200.00 depending on your luck and the seller. Tara suggested I check "craigslist". There was a vague, 3 month old listing that said "AE-1 for sale". I emailed him, he answered back that it was still available - he wanted $60.00 for that and a couple other old cameras. When I got there, I saw it was the AE-1 Program, not just the AE-1. And it still had the original 1980 Commemorative Olympics lens cap on it! Whats so cool about it? While the AE-1 was the first camera with a computer chip in it, the AE-1 Program took it up a notch. The "Program" meant that the camera would use that new computer chip to set the shutter speed and aperture for you - all you had to do was zoom, focus, shoot! This and several other features previously only available on the full professional models, made this the most advanced consumer (the term prosumer was not invented yet) camera to date!
And - the "other" cameras were very cool as well. Turns out his brother had passed away one year earlier; he was an artist, potter, and a photographer. I'm glad to be able to own and use the camera's of an artist, one that had a passion for photography, and vintage photography as well.
Here's what he had in the box:
Cameras
- Canon AE-1 Program
- Minolta XG-A
- Olympus OM-1
- Petri Color Corrected Super 2.8 (Rangefinder)
- King Regula Sprinty C (German)
Lenses & Accessories
- Canon prime FD 1:1.8 50mm
- Minolta prime MD 1:2 50mm
- Olympus OM System Zuiko Auto-Zoom 1:4 75-150 mm
- Olympus OM System G. Zuiko Auto-S 1:1.4 50 mm
- Olympus OM System G. Zuiko Auto-W 1:3.5 28 mm
- Beck 135mm F=1:2.8 Lens PK Mount
- Kenko OP Auto Teleplus 2X
- Kenko OP Auto Teleplus 3X
- DeJUR Close Up lens set
- DeJUR Auto 2X Teleconverter CA
- SpeedLite 133A
- Focal Handipod mini-tripod
- Misc. lens filters
- Original case for every lens and 2 cameras.
I gave him $100.00 for everything and felt a little guilty - but he only asked for $60.00, so not too guilty.
Saturday I cleaned up the Canon and the Olympus, bought some new batteries and shot a roll of film in each. We'll see next week if I bought cameras or book-ends once I get it developed. I think they will do great though - everything appears to be in perfect order. The pictures of the cameras here and on Flickr are before I cleaned them, and they still look nice.
If you're bored, nothing is on TV, you're out of reading material, and you've seen everything else on the vast world wide web, then go ahead and check out my latest pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjlapierre/
Click, whirrrrr, bszzzzzzp! Sweet mechanical sounds of precision.
Rebel T1i
Canon AE-1 Program
AE-1 Program closeup
Minolta XG-A
Olymbus M-1
Petri 35
A neat chart on top of the Petri to help you set up a nice shot.
Playing with the iPhone Camera
This is my first PhotoStitch attempt. Taken on my iPhone. It is 6 shots oriented in portrait, stitched left to right. The iPhone has a 2 megapixel camera; not much these days, but my first digital camera was less than 1 megapixel, my second one was a 1.2 megapixel.
I stood in one place, creating a false perspective of a corner. I could also have side stepped down the aisle and made the photo extremely wide, but flat. Fun stuff, I like the program.
Georgia Aquarium Photos
Shooting at the aquarium was a challenge. Lighting is low, the the fish are all moving (some very quickly), and flash is discouraged if not prohibited at some exhibits. Even where you can use flash, doing so without getting reflection on the glass is next to impossible. I took over 600 photos in 5 hours. Of those, 100 were unusable right off the bat and 400 were boring. Of the better shots, these are some of my favorites.
Play day…
February 21st, one week after the snow we have spring-like weather... a perfect day for playing in the yard. The little kids with their toys and the big kid with his new camera.
This is a three year old with purpose... Lil' Miss Independent
This is why God created sunny weekend afternoons...
Tree + 5 year old boy = challenge
The captain of the yard has to be able to see everything
Mac User Day 1
At one of the iMac tables. Blue shirt young man on right was my expert.
Wow... what a day. I got to Lenox Mall Apple store at about 4:45, 15 minutes early. The crowd was large as usual, and only got bigger the entire time I was there. I had a 5:00 appointment however, so by 5:05 I had the full attention of a young man with an Apple ID around his neck. They must have certain things they have to say, because even after I told him what I wanted and why, he wanted to ask me about my intended use and wanted to explore options. He was very nice and professional though. I opted for the 8GB RAM upgrade, so I had to wait awhile for them to complete that.
Finally, new iMac in hand, I drove to my Mac buddies house in Rome. Appropriately he had made a roast beef marinated with apple juice. We enjoyed some Samuel Adams Winter Brew with dinner, and it was all excellent. After dinner we set up my new toy tool. He had multiple licenses of MS Office and iWork that he was not using, and he gave me those! How cool is that? Owe that man a big steak dinner+!
So now, back at home after a late night drive and a catnap, I've been exploring and setting up this iMac. First thing I'm happy to say is that I really like the small wireless keyboard, though I really thought I would not. Ditto with the Magic Mouse. Both are so solid feeling despite the slim, sleek looks.
Second, I have had no issues with setting up an external hard drive, reformatting to "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)"; no issues backing up old PC files, no issues tweaking the security, no issues loading some favorite software such as Firefox, Open Office, and others. I've been using computers for over 2 decades, but I've never used Mac OS X. To me that just shows the intuitiveness of the whole system.
Thirdly, this iMac is blazing fast, easy on the eyes, and fun to play work with at every level.
Lastly - I had a sign. After dinner last night and on the drive home, a HUGE bobcat slowly sauntered across the road; shoulders flexing, with a cocky strut and eyes fixed on me, I thought I heard him say, "Nice iMac".
OK, a bobcat is not a Snow Leopard, (name of Mac OS for those who don't know) but he looked like a slightly smaller one! He was about 6 inches taller and probably 10 pounds heavier than my Cocker-Spaniel. True story, except for the speaking part.
Today, I’m joining a cult.
The day has come. A little more than a year after taking Apple's bait, the iPhone, I can resist no longer. Tonight I will pay full initiation into the cult with the purchase of a 21.5 inch iMac, followed soon by a 13" MacBook or MacBook Pro, depending on the offerings when they refresh the line. (Rumored by some to be today!) Then in March, I'm sure an iPad will grace my table.
I'm a little nervous. My cult friends want me to drink something with them tonight in a new convert gathering; apparently it calms the nerves.
iTunes 10 Billion Song Countdown
With downloads running at close to 10,000 per minute now, it won't be long before the magic number hits. I'm placing my bet on 2/19/2010 at 03:52 AM. It's just a guess. I wonder if Vegas has odds on this?
I also predict that in the last 24 hours or so the servers will be hit harder than ever. It seems like Apple will have to limit the traffic somehow or they'll experience the equivalent of a denial of service attack. It should be interesting if nothing else.
"Rusty Brick" has developed an algorithm taking into account the download patterns everyday and gaining accuracy as the days go on.
00 minutes 00 seconds
For the record…
AT&T is apparently having a hard time with increased bandwidth needs, caused primarily by the popularity of the iPhone. Major cities seem to have the most complaints. Way down here in Columbus, Georgia, my iPhone has a strong 3G signal nearly every where I go. Travelling between here and Atlanta, and within Atlanta, ditto. I’m glad we aren’t experiencing those issues here, because the experience I’ve had for the last year with the iPhone rates nothing less than 5 star out of 5.
#88 … 10th to 2nd in 1
15th at the Green/White/Checker finish, 10th at the white flag, 2nd at checkered! I love it!
Happy for Jamie McMurray too!
My 2010 Favorites in Sprint Cup NASCAR - Dale Earnhardt Jr & Mark Martin
In the Nationwide series, I'm going with Danica Patrick
Hole, Hole, Hole
Rain at the Winter Olympics? Huge hole in the Daytona 500 racetrack? Not a good week for two epic sports events!
First Rebel Pictures
Just 2 days after getting my Canon Rebel I'm put to the test at a small family wedding. Wendy's brother Carlton married Raquel at a small church in LaGrange that was built in 1870. I know the focus and white balance isn't perfect, but they're not bad for my 2nd day ever using an SLR camera, digital or otherwise.
After the wedding we had dinner. Coming out of restaurant at twighlight I couldn't resist trying the new camera on some local buildings.
 Click to see pictures |
Any day now…
Everyone who is watching and waiting knows that it will happen any day, any moment even. In the blink of an eye, the online Apple Store will go offline for updates. Twitter will begin trending like crazy with MacBook Pro Updates! The naysayers will tout previous false alarms, like Aperture 3. Others will hope it’s pre-orders for the iPad. By the time the 1st twit cascades into a few thousand (mere minutes), Facebook, Buzz, and every real-time social network on the web will be lit up with speculation as well.
It will happen soon and those who don’t believe will buy a current model of a MacBook Pro. When they do, they will surely be left behind, with an outdated model.
I believe. I wait.
Canon EOS Rebel T1i
I’m not a professional photographer, but I love the gadgety goodness of SLR cameras and their accoutrements. I’ve been trying to justify the price plunge for ten years but never could. I finally decided to buy one regardless, so off to Best Buy I went.
The price of the camera didn't shock me – I expected it. I even knew that a zoom lens, an external flash, and a few other accessories would all be relatively expensive compared to most point-&-shoots. Still, it felt as if I was going “all-in” on a life changing bet as I paid for it all – I was literally filled with FUD! (fear, uncertainty, doubt) In spite of my anxiety I forced my hand to complete the transaction; I knew once I started I couldn’t (wouldn’t) back out.
A short while later as I unpacked and examined the prize of my wager, I knew that I’d won the bet! Why did I wait so long? Now 10 years of pent up SLR envy is flooding my senses making me want lenses for every possible encounter, better editing software, better computer to edit with, large format printer, and on, and on, and on! And I love it.
I have decided
I am about to start a new computer journey. I have decided after long consideration that my next PC would not be a PC at all, rather a Mac. A MacBook Pro to be more precise. As of today the current models offered are 13", 15" and 17" of various specs and other features, but these are about to be updated any day. The Core 2 Duo processors will probably be replaced with the latest Core i5 or i7 Intel chips. That alone makes it worth it for me to wait a week, 2, or even more for the new models to be released. I still have to decide on the screen size, but I'm 90% sure I want the 15 inch screen. I will upgrade the RAM, processor, and hard drive to as high as I can afford or is available, whichever comes first.
Then, in April when the iPad is released, I will be in line to get one.