Sumptuous.

I hate to add to your to do list but I am very interested in how much adjustment the sensor shift gives you. I am mainly thinking about macro work where getting the tripod in exactly the right spot can be a pain.

Thanks in advance!

Kris.

I had one of those and hated it. Much preferred my Canon G2 (am I allowed to say that on here?) but that got nicked. The Pro 1 cost me more than the K10D and the Sigma 50mm macro combined, and died when a student left it in direct sunshine on site.

I find for archaeological finds a big window/door/shady spot outside, a solid tripod and some homemade reflectors works very well. Who cares if you are using a 4 sec exposure? The only issue is how urgently you need the photos. Getting enough light mid-winter can be a problem I spent a few weeks in Italy in 1984 photographing finds using tungsten lights and the biggest problem was the sweat pouring off me dripping on the background paper and pooling in the viewfinder. Yuck!

I have found that wheel fiddly and awkward but it usually (always??) works. Sometimes it might take me an attempt or two to get it to do what I want but I have always put that down to my lack of manual dexterity!

I do end up taking photos (and teaching it a bit) as part of my job. Archaeological sites are heavily recorded photographically and lots of the finds are photographed too. The photos are, one the whole, mind-numbingly dull ("here is a patch of dark brown soil overlying a patch of light brown soil with bits in it..."). Also, archaeology has a tradition of having illustrated lectures. At 30 pictures a lecture x 20 lectures x 8 or 9 courses...

On-site, my biggest bugbear is that because everyone with a P&S thinks they are David Bailey they ignore my instructions. For example: "always set the shot up with the camera on a tripod..." Soon as my back is turned, back to hand-held snaps. Somehow they think I won't notice and then are surprised when I shout at them about it... (How did I know? The feet of the "photographer" sticking into the edge of the frame is usually a clue!)

What I was trying to say is "no", I'd rather carry on enjoying being an amateur.

Cheers, Kris.

Well I sent it off to them yesterday so we'll see what they say. I must say the email I had was singularly unhelpful as it just said "send it off to this address".

Believe or not things have got better. Just after 9/11 I flew to the US and was subjected to an extra spot check at Heathrow and at Charlotte. Why I wondered? I then observed that they were double checking everyone with a beard...

I was subjected to a "spot check" at Heathrow once and had a nice long chat with the man searching my camera bag about the relative merits of Pentax v. other makes.

The silliest thing I saw was a family who had their sunhats in a carrier bag. The security guard apologetically told them that they were only allowed one piece of hand-baggage but if they wore their hats that would be fine. Quite funny to see a family of five in the queue at Gatwick all wearing large sombrero type hats!

I agree with Gwyn though, I'd rather the checks than be blown up en route.

Cheers, Kris.

Small hands




K10D, Tamron 70-300mm zoom, taken today 10th June at 16.59pm, 1/125 at f/4.5. All PP in Lightroom 1.4.

I have my RAWs on a portable hard disk, then backed up onto a second external hard disk, and then periodically backed up onto DVD... Belt and braces is always best.

As to saving RAW v. jpeg, as I use Lightroom the edits are saved as XML sidebar files and I just create jpgs for specific purposed (e.g. posting on here or my blurb book).

Cheers, Kris.