CGrindahl wrote:
As I've said often along the way, I may have started this thread thirteen years ago, but it has always belonged to everyone who chooses to hang out here... and there have been a great many women and men who have done so over the years. I've been AWOL for most of the last four years for reasons I won't go into here... but when I have dropped in it has been reassuring to find so many familiar names still sharing photos and encouraging others who are drawn to these remarkable lenses.
I've done a bit of shooting over the last year but having given away the iMac computer that was still able to run Adobe products I'd purchased and installed on a series of computers, I was left without familiar software to process images. I've resisted the demands of Adobe, have dabbled with Affinity Photo and now am playing a bit with Nikon's free software, NX Studio. I'm now able to do enough that I feel I can actually share images again. I don't know how active I'll be on this thread, but I still own 46 manual focus Nikon lenses, so it would be a shame if I NEVER used them...
I'll share two... the first my most recent shot. I noticed the moon just before it slid behind a nearby tree. I dashed to get my Df, mounted the 300 f/4.5 AI-s ED-IF, opened the door of my cottage and grabbed this shot... wide open at 12,800 ISO... not great, but I'm glad I caught it...
Then one more... with a sad story. This was taken along a trail I often hike in the watershed near where I live... a two mile loop. On June 29, 2023, I walked this trail and took a very bad fall... breaking off my two front teeth when I fell down a slope... my face smashing against the rocky trail. I was fortunate that rock didn't hit the middle of my forehead because it probably would have killed me. But I came away with no other broken bones. A week from today I go in for oral surgery to remove the roots of those teeth and to have a bone graft required for me to eventually have two implants. I won't be walking on these trails again, simply because at age 81... 82 next month... I don't have the agility or balance I did when I was younger. I also am wearing glasses for the first time in my life... but I still seem to be able to find focus with the little green light in the viewfinder. Life goes on... I'm happy to say.
Congratulations to everyone still participating in this conversation. Like Leighton I'm surprised it is still going on... but then we know turning the focusing ring makes photography a joy. Perhaps I'll see you all a bit more often in the coming months. Happy anniversary everyone! ...Show more →
Glad you found your way back to the family. I'll call you again next week after your surgery, if you can talk.
I will keep the mystery going until I get it to make sure it is in the advertised condition. But lets say it is small and Nikkor but not F mount and not for Leica use either
leighton w wrote:
And as Curtis would say, "inquiring minds...".
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GroWeb wrote:
I just did the same thing. That Curtis is a powerful man indeed!
For the benefit of those "inquiring minds," the lens I just bought is a 55 f2.8 Ai-s micro.
GeorgeBo wrote:
I will keep the mystery going until I get it to make sure it is in the advertised condition. But lets say it is small and Nikkor but not F mount and not for Leica use either
Curtis I can only say I feel your pain. In a milli-second I broke both legs and my D700 and the folks in this thread got me whole in the months I struggled. . Hope we all can do the same for you. Keep on trucking as age is what you let it do to your spirit.
CGrindahl wrote:
As I've said often along the way, I may have started this thread thirteen years ago, but it has always belonged to everyone who chooses to hang out here... and there have been a great many women and men who have done so over the years. I've been AWOL for most of the last four years for reasons I won't go into here... but when I have dropped in it has been reassuring to find so many familiar names still sharing photos and encouraging others who are drawn to these remarkable lenses.
I've done a bit of shooting over the last year but having given away the iMac computer that was still able to run Adobe products I'd purchased and installed on a series of computers, I was left without familiar software to process images. I've resisted the demands of Adobe, have dabbled with Affinity Photo and now am playing a bit with Nikon's free software, NX Studio. I'm now able to do enough that I feel I can actually share images again. I don't know how active I'll be on this thread, but I still own 46 manual focus Nikon lenses, so it would be a shame if I NEVER used them...
I'll share two... the first my most recent shot. I noticed the moon just before it slid behind a nearby tree. I dashed to get my Df, mounted the 300 f/4.5 AI-s ED-IF, opened the door of my cottage and grabbed this shot... wide open at 12,800 ISO... not great, but I'm glad I caught it...
Then one more... with a sad story. This was taken along a trail I often hike in the watershed near where I live... a two mile loop. On June 29, 2023, I walked this trail and took a very bad fall... breaking off my two front teeth when I fell down a slope... my face smashing against the rocky trail. I was fortunate that rock didn't hit the middle of my forehead because it probably would have killed me. But I came away with no other broken bones. A week from today I go in for oral surgery to remove the roots of those teeth and to have a bone graft required for me to eventually have two implants. I won't be walking on these trails again, simply because at age 81... 82 next month... I don't have the agility or balance I did when I was younger. I also am wearing glasses for the first time in my life... but I still seem to be able to find focus with the little green light in the viewfinder. Life goes on... I'm happy to say.
Congratulations to everyone still participating in this conversation. Like Leighton I'm surprised it is still going on... but then we know turning the focusing ring makes photography a joy. Perhaps I'll see you all a bit more often in the coming months. Happy anniversary everyone! ...Show more →
Ohh, I missed the grand marshal's appearance by an afternoon. Of course it's followed up by a sudden unexplained rise in acquisitions. Mere coincidence no?
Best wished for a full recovery Curtis. Glad you were not more seriously injured. Be careful out there, but I hope you keep getting out!
Just sharing a picture of the mighty mac, nothing too special (the picture that is). 28mm f2.8 AIS.
About 11 years ago I went a forest lake ringed in Cardinal flowers in bloom. For some reason the lake was about 3 feet lower than normal, and it left a cleared perimeter about 50 feet wide around the lake full of flowers and grasses. I have never seen the Cardinal flowers again.
Ken Hill wrote:
Curtis I can only say I feel your pain. In a milli-second I broke both legs and my D700 and the folks in this thread got me whole in the months I struggled. . Hope we all can do the same for you. Keep on trucking as age is what you let it do to your spirit.
Dear Ken... I remember it all and it was very painful to consider as you told your story. When i tell folks about what happened to me there is invariably the grimace as folks think about what that might feel like for them. Honestly, if I've learned anything from this experience it is the simple fact a great many people are confronted with profound challenges in life. Sometimes it is physical but it can also be emotional. Losing two teeth is not that significant compared to losing a loved one. Telling my story often elicited the story of someone else. I told a fellow at our incredible farmers market. We've bought apples from him for years. He responded telling me about the auto accident that left him with multiple steel plates in different parts of his body. Okay... I get it. I don't have a corner on pain. Your story is another that makes the same point.
And so we go on with life as best we can... right Ken? Great to hear from you my friend.
Laura was the one who kept insisting it was all MY fault that people kept buying lenses. This was my response to her. No doubt, there is something seductive about this whole adventure. These lenses are beautiful and in many instances remarkably affordable. How can we resist? We don't need to. Yes, there are those like Leighton who have the ability to constrain themselves... but for most of us that is not the case. I began building my kit after moving from Canon to Nikon simply because the prices were so sweet I couldn't resist. Those who've been around for some time know how THAT turned out...
mp356 wrote:
Hello Curtis!!! So glad to hear from you and to see some posts of yours. We all owe it to you for starting and nurturing this thread, and for promoting a welcoming atmosphere and camaraderie. From my perspective, you certainly brought me along in my knowledge of these lenses and my comfort level to join in here. So many interesting people from around the world, sharing not only sharing a common interest, but sharing parts of our lives and developing friendships. Who can forget "Nikki".
Best wishes for your upcoming dental work.
Don't be a stranger and don't let those Nikkors collect dust.
Scott...Show more →
Those months with Nikki were magical no doubt. During those months we were amassing over 100 posts every day! The thread moved so fast it made my head swim. And I recall how you spread your wings over time on this thread. It was wonderful to witness Scott. You've joined George and a few others in becoming mainstays of this thread. I'm so happy you're still helping to keep this thread alive.
GroWeb wrote:
It's great to see you Curtis, along with your feline friends! Sorry to hear about your fall; I hope the restoration and recovery process goes well for you. I'm having some oral surgery next Wednesday that is a bit less extensive than yours, but will likely be followed in a few or several years by something almost identical to what you are having done. I guess this all just makes the aging process a richer experience, right?
As of a couple of months ago, I no longer have any AF lenses left in my possession. Maybe you could develop selling skill by unloading the AF lenses, then start reducing the MF burden by selling the redundant ones to people like us. Sounds like a win-win to me! ...Show more →
Thanks Glen. I've encountered quite a few people who've had challenging journeys with their teeth. I'm still a bit confused about how my fall, which resulted in two teeth being snapped is NOT a condition that warrants treatment under my medical insurance... but apparently not. I think I'll make a more serious inquiry with Medicare. As it stands, I'll be spending more to repair my broken teeth than I spent over a decade in building my kit. Yes, I'm fortunate that I have the resources to pay what it costs, but I'd much rather do something else with that money.
I checked your bio and tip my hat. You've been VERY serious in your kit building. It is also nice to read about the work you're doing in B.C, I remember when you were making the move to that region. Life seems to take us where we need to be. Glad you're still participating with the usual suspects on this thread.
