January 2008 Archives
Jim wrote to ask,
"Eric you spoke of small cheap flashes a while ago would you have a model number I could search for. I am looking for something to light behind my subject triggered by an optical trigger."
While the best solution to light a background is a pair of strobes, you can often get away with a basic flash and trigger to light a small area. Just about any flash will do, although you'll need to play with the output level and/or distance to the background to get what you need. If you're close to the background a diffuser might come in handy -- you can buy one or make one out of translucent fabric or plastic.
If you're looking for something cheap I'd try your local photo store and see what they have laying around. You can also talk to anyone who has upgraded to a digital SLR and bought a new flash. If you have to order off the net, check this out.
And, as always, leave me a comment and let me know how it goes!
Does the software that came with your scanner suck? Is your expensive Nikon film scanner sitting on the shelf because you bought a new computer or upgraded to the latest Windows operating system only to find out that Nikon is still in the dark ages?
If so, check out VueScan by Hamrick Software. It supports 750 flatbed and film scanners, you can try before you buy, and email is answered by Ed Hamrick himself.
Among other things, VueScan includes drivers to handle scanners that have been abandoned by the manufacturer, and it works on Windows (including Vista-64), Mac OS, and Linux.
You can read more about why Ed Hamrick is my hero here.
Nancy writes,
"For a complete amateur like myself, who just really really really likes to take a lot of photos...which lens? Nikkor 55-200 VR or the Nikkor 70-300 VR ED. I currently have the 18-70 which came with my D80. My husband bought me the 55-200 but now he wants to change it to the 70-300 and I am not so sure.”My first question would be “What are you going to use it for?” Neither are wide enough to be your “main” lens. If you’re buying a lens specifically for nature, the zoo, etc., the 70-300 is the better choice of those two.
However, if you’re heading out on a family vacation, I think you need to be honest with yourself about whether you want to carry more than one lens. If you buy either and end up leaving it in the car or hotel, you may not get your money’s worth.
Continue reading 55-200mm or 70-300mm?.
