Turns out the grain that bothered me on the 125 ISO Ilford FP4 was the scanning software. Same frame on the LS-1000 using Silverfast ai v5 from the 1990s was way better - so I messed around with the Vuescan scanning software on the LS-4000 until it looked about the same. I basically turned off grain reduction, sharpening, and infrared dust removal (Vuescan's version of Nikon's digital ICE), and viola - that is more like what I expected. Subject - A cheap well worn Casio watch I use to wear many years ago.
LS-4000 @ 4000 dpi (cropped to match the LS-1000's perspective)
I have never liked the "digital ICE" or equivelent feature on any of my scanning attempts going back to using the Nikon Coolscan. Maybe user error on my part.
James Markus wrote:
Turns out the grain that bothered me on the 125 ISO Ilford FP4 was the scanning software. Same frame on the LS-1000 using Silverfast ai v5 from the 1990s was way better - so I messed around with the Vuescan scanning software on the LS-4000 until it looked about the same. I basically turned off grain reduction, sharpening, and infrared dust removal (Vuescan's version of Nikon's digital ICE), and viola - that is more like what I expected. Subject - A cheap well worn Casio watch I use to wear many years ago.
GeorgeBo wrote:
As a show car/classic car novice, what is the purpose of the mounts where a traditional rear bumper would be?
George, as a poor aficionado I know that Cobras came with real bumpers in different shapes, the ones you saw in this photo are replica racing bumpers, meant not to bump but as jacking points for quick tire changes. (If you jack my Stingray from the bumper, the fiberglass would break off; Cobras must be different)
The heat is keeping me indoors until later, even though much of California and my town are under heat warnings, we are lucky in that the maximum has been 85F and it cools down to 60F at night, my problem is the sun which beats one down even at 85F.
So having nothing else to do, here is an study of one of my favorite looking cars: (Grandma had one in turquoise).
rafaelcasd wrote:
On a topic dear to my heart, for a lot of my photos, I brighten the shadow area a lot, meaning a lot, 3 to 5 stops. Was eagerly awaiting newer cameras thinking that they would raise the dynamic range - but they do not - according to DXO Mark, my D800 and D810 are as good as or better than the Z6 and Z7- but the surprise is that all those cameras are a little better for dynamic range than the Z8, Z6II, Z7II and noticeable better than the Z6III. Improvements to in sensor focusing and video are a compromise to pure photo performance, I guess. So I will keep waiting, as I do not like video, do not like the camera to focus for me, and take only one photo at the time.
Some from Nippi's visit out to Baltimore's waterfront yesterday. It was a muggy, sweltering mid morning when I got there and not a whole lot of people other than a few runners, very few people walking their dogs, and Nippi, Z7 II, and I.
saph wrote:
Some from Nippi's visit out to Baltimore's waterfront yesterday. It was a muggy, sweltering mid morning when I got there and not a whole lot of people other than a few runners, very few people walking their dogs, and Nippi, Z7 II, and I.
Nothing special here but testing the wide open aperture for Nippi and the bench lighting up bright red in the Z7 II's highlights, to match the heat radiating from the brick walkway.
A distance view from the same walkway looking across the water at the landmark Domino Sugar sign, and to the left, part of the Port of Baltimore, which was closed after the catastrophic bridge collapse and has now been fully reopened. Lifted contrast since the original picture was very hazy in the distance.
milt wrote:
I am back home! I still have plenty of pictures to edit, but I have plenty of time to do so. In 20 more days, I can walk without the orthopedic boot!
Df, 24mm f2.8
Pátio do Colégio (School Yard). Historical Jesuit church and school in São Paulo city.
Jim, that's quite a story, you have been in the middle of some history!
I came across the Kodak/Nikon DCS Pro 14N https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodak_DCS_Pro_14n about a year ago for the first time, and got hold of one, along with battery and battery charger. Did try it out for a few pics last year. It really seemed ancient but I am sure back then those cameras were quite a technological achievement.
James Markus wrote:
Samy.
The N90 was the SLR body upon which the first portable professional digital camera was based. It took Kodak (the sensor), Nikon (the body), and the associated press (the software plugin) working together to make it happen. The two guys from the "skunk works" that cooked up the AP NC2000 hand delivered "the 2nd prototype in existence" to me at the newspaper and I never gave it back. It was on it's 4th body (N90s) when I moved onto the brand new D1X. I ended up changing the bodies myself, because the turn around time was 2+ weeks. The three bodies that quit were all shutter failures at approximately 150k.
You could just hold the shutter button down and squeeze off 3, 5, or 7 shots while the camera adjusted either aperture or shutter speed over - on- and under the meter reading in increments all configurable in the menu. It use to be more critical to get the exact right exposure back then, and It was reassuring to have a minimum of three shots of everything. By the time I got my D2X I quit bracketing, and every Nikon body since then have had excellent metered exposures.
Bet it feels good to be back in your own bed even with the boot. The heat is something fierce with those liners, hope you have a couple spares to wash out between wearings. My brace needs a washing but takes quite a while to dry out afterwards, and I hate sleeping with a soggy brace.
milt wrote:
I am back home! I still have plenty of pictures to edit, but I have plenty of time to do so. In 20 more days, I can walk without the orthopedic boot!
Df, 24mm f2.8
Pátio do Colégio (School Yard). Historical Jesuit church and school in São Paulo city.
We have not visited Eastern Europe but that may change. The traveling began in the 1990s and it sort of became an addiction, the learning experience trounces any university course(s) We both feel fantastic during and after these trips, I call it spiritual cleansing.
The trips are responsible for developing my interest in photography.
Great photographs and good to see you back on a roll. I have never spotted a boat with three outboard motors, interesting.
Serge
saph wrote:
Serge, where in Europe have you not made it yet? Excellent travel pics as always!
NightOwl Cat wrote:
Bet it feels good to be back in your own bed even with the boot. The heat is something fierce with those liners, hope you have a couple spares to wash out between wearings. My brace needs a washing but takes quite a while to dry out afterwards, and I hate sleeping with a soggy brace.
Thanks, Laura. The heat is the worst, but I am coping.
George, great shots at Raleigh airport and storm clouds.
Scott, great capture of the barn with the 100/2.8.
Ocean, terrific color photography, you have an super copy of the W-Nikkor 2.8cm.
Rafael, excellent classic auto photography as usual. The good old days when designers kept pushing the envelope, today most vehicles look way too similar.
The Alhambra:
The main attraction of Granada is The Alhambra, tickets must be purchased well in advance. The massive complex is Arabic dates to 1238. After the Reconquista in 1492 it was here Queen Isabella Ferdinand granted Christopher Columbus the endorsement for his expedition.
It is located at the top of a substantial hill overlooking Granada, part of the Sierra Nevada range. It was a long and hot uphill trek to get to the entrance.
It was designed as a military fortress with living quarters for the troops.
Nippi visited Washington DC today, still attached to the Z7 II/MB-N11. This area is called the DC Wharf, in southwest DC. The Wharf is on the banks of the Washington Channel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Channel#/media/File:EastPotomacParkAerial1935.jpg
The channel flows into the Anacostia river and then the waters meet the Potomac river seen on the left side of the photo.
Somehow I had heard the name, but never made it down there. Nice waterfront strip. It was just a tad cooler this morning, helped by some clouds and the tall buildings that are along the waterfront cobblestone walkway.
