It will never be any different. Back in the 70's people argued over Pentax Canon and Nikon. Minolta did not seem to come into the issues?

Aperture priority (Pentax ME) or Shutter priority (Canon AE 1). History repeats itself......

Regards

Prices are not UK here. Fuji print film is just under a pound a roll (36) if you buy 10+, development is 50p a roll (5+) and prints are 8p each at 6x4 which is the size that the competitors get (free from the club). Suppose it's all in the entry cost? The above works out at 4.28 including the film per roll of 36.

Regards

No way that the wife would do the printing in the back of a car. I was lucky to get to the shop to drop the rolls of film off. They were then collected by the wife two hours later while I sorted the digital shots to email to the paper.

Typically I would shoot between eighteen to twenty five rolls of film as the shots also included the individuals T off the first. Also two bodies with film, my MZS and Minolta Maxum 7, both gripped. Sigma 70-200 on the MZS and the 24-105 (polarized)on the Minolta.

Regards

Just ordered the grip and a battery from Adorama. The "bay" has Chinese variants but I'll not risk it. Can't understand the pricing above? Bit like buying a printer for 20 quid but replacement inks are 25 quid a set!

I do use Adorama K10D batteries and they fit my Minolta 7D

Never any issue with them. Also use the Power 2000 chargers which are auto mains and 12VDC.

Regards

I'm just happy to be able to make images that are acceptable to others (commission work). I use one photo developer here in Qatar, a Fuji Lab. I only use them as they allow me to tell them my preferences. Whilst in Bahrain, I covered the Bahrain Open Golf comps officially. The first days shots required film as the next morning, each group got a group photo. I would never be able to precess the images after the days work and have them printed for 7:30 the next morning! Film and prints saved the day! The digital shots on day one were freelance stuff that went to the local paper. The second days shots were mainly digital with only the prize giving being on both. Finally, a DVD was produced.

I think that if we only had darkroom processing these days that there would be a lot less photographers. Digital re-invented photography for me but I can't let go of my roots in photography. (K1000 and HP4).

Regards

Very good images and congratulations with the Bigma. Had mine since 2004 and I smiled when you mentioned the heat. It gets down to 38'C at night here in Doha at the moment, 45'C in the afternoon. I use long glass for golf competitions and cricket out here and without shade, the lens will hit 65'C plus, as will the camera!
As you say, it does atract attention, don't be pointing it at uniforms in the UK.

Regards

Sorry for making the assumption that all else was correct. As you say, the neg has to be flat. That practise I still use today when I scan negs & slides. I use a Minolta scanner and always had issues with neg/slide curvature. Then, remembering my glass carrier on my Durst, I now use a single Gepe glass mount for negs and slides. WHAT a difference in the results. Down side is the extra time and effort to scan a number of images.

Regards

Sat thinking about all of the different blogs around where different opinions were expressed over lenses. Back when my darkroom was active (circa 1990) regardless of the optic on the camera body, it was the enlarger lens that controlled the final image quality.

Yes or No :

Regards

Caution?
http://photo.net/neighbor/view-one.tcl?neighbor_to_neighbor_id=321319

Generally, only deal with B&H, Adorama, Tri State, 17th Street Photo and Willoughbys.

Regards

We get lots of rubber problems in the Gulf, high temps and plenty of UV. For years, I have used ArmorAll to protect door rubber etc. Even use it in the UK to prevent doors seals freezing in winter. I have used it on camera external rubber. It is non greasy and buffs up or not if you buy the matt finish (good for dashboards). It will not atract dust.

Regards