About Me

My photo
Photography isn't a hobby- it's a lifestyle. Bought my first 35mm Camera at the age of 15, and haven't put in down since. Have shot over 200 weddings. http://normthephotoguy.com

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Photography & Digital Camera Forums - Canon EOS 5D 12.8-Megapixel, Full-Frame Digital SLR - Press Release

New Canon EOS 5D is a Premium Digital SLR at an Affordable Price Offering a Full-Frame Sensor with 12.8 Megapixels of Resolution

Combining the High-End Specs of the EOS-1 Line and the Ease of the EOS 20D Model, The New Canon EOS 5D Camera Is a Premium DSLR for Under $3,300
http://forums.photographyreview.com/showthread.php?t=13852

Saturday, August 13, 2005

I94 Bridge1


I94 Bridge1
Originally uploaded by Normthephotoguy.

The Paving of the new I94 Bridge over Telegraph!

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad | Allegany County, Western Maryland


The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad | Allegany County, Western Maryland
Recapture the Romance
of Railroading’s Golden Era

Our restored early 20th century
train steams on a round trip
through the mountains between
Cumberland and Frostburg.
Enjoy three centuries of
transportation history, scenic
excursions, first class dining
cars, murder mystery/dinner
trains and Santa’s Express
holiday specials.

Friday, July 22, 2005

GRAY MARKET WARNING! You’ll pay for that “great” deal… eventually

You’ll pay for that “great” deal… eventually: "READ THIS- before buying any camera on the internet!

You’ll pay for that “great” deal… eventually.

Almost all of the “amazing deals” found on the internet are gray market products. These are products that are made by a popular, reputable manufacturer, and intended for and shipped to a foreign market. They are purchased by a dealer that accepts gray market products, and then resold in the US, usually at a discount. While it may seem like a bargain to buy the “same” name brand at a lower cost, the risks and headaches that come with it usually far outweigh the few dollars saved, and you could end up with a camera you can’t even use.
Warranty? What warranty?

Aside from manuals and menus that may not be in a language you even recognize, and cords that won’t plug in to American systems without some adapter, these purchases maintain one overriding risk. They do not come with a US warranty from the manufacturer. This means that if something, anything, goes wrong with that camera, you may be completely out of luck. In fact, some manufacturers will not service gray market cameras in the US at all, even if you are willing to pay for it yourself. So if you want to get that camera fixed, it may require shipping it to a foreign country and hoping for the best. To learn more about the problems of gray market products click here for FAQ’s.

How can I spot Gray Market deals?
* US Manufacturer’s Warranty- This is the first tip off. If the product advertised does not come with its manufacturer’s US warranty (make sure it actually says it’s both a US warranty and a manufacturer’s warranty), chances are you are getting gray market.

* Authorized Dealer- If the site is not an authorized dealer for that brand, you don’t know what you are getting. Authorized dealers usually stay away from gray market products, as this tends to hurt the manufacturer, jeopardize the camera retailer’s dealership, and most importantly, hurts the consumer.

* Fine print- Many websites will attempt to cover themselves by burying details about the nature of their products in the fine print descriptions. Any site that mentions “May be missing original packaging, cables, manuals etc.” should be avoided, unless you want to risk buying an incomplete camera.

* Ask- Not many people bother to ask about gray market products. If you see a deal that seems “too good to be true” take the time to call them and ask. Most sites will be up front about it, if asked directly, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
MyCamera.com’s gray market policy."

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Norman Koren photography: images and tutorials

Norman Koren photography: images and tutorials: "Making fine prints in your digital darkroom


Light & color | Pixels, images, & files | Getting started | Scanners | Digital cameras | Printers | Papers and inks | Monitor calibration and gamma | Printer calibration | Scanning | Image editing | B&W printing | Matting and framing | Tonal quality and dynamic range in digital cameras

Image editing with Picture Window Pro


Introduction | Making and using masks | Contrast masking | Tinting and hand coloring B&W images | Example: Sunset, Providence

Understanding image sharpness and MTF


Introduction | Film and lenses | Scanners and sharpening | Printers | Lens testing | Depth of Field | Digital cameras vs. film | Grain

Color management


Introduction to Color science and Color management | Implemention part 1: Setup, working color space, profile anatomy | Implemention part 2: Monitor profiling, workflow details | Obtaining ICC profiles and using MonacoEZcolor | Evaluating color in printers and ICC profiles

Digital cameras vs. film | Part 2 | Canon EOS 10D Digital SLR | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Workshops Pt. Lobos/Big Sur Jan. 2004 | Monument Valley/Hunt's Mesa April 2004 | Part 2

A simplified zone system for making good exposures

Photographic technique Part 1: equipment, mostly | Part 2: vision, panoramic, travel

Canon FS4000US 4000 dpi scanner | Epson 2450/3200 Flatbed scanners

Eliminating color fringing (lateral chromatic aberration)"

Norman Koren photography: images and tutorials

Great web site check it out! Norman Koren photography: images and tutorials

Sunday, July 10, 2005

The Bush 1/2 penny


The Bush 1/2 penny
Originally uploaded by Normthephotoguy.

Coin Collectors Divided over New Bush Half-Penny
Enthusiasm for the Thomas Jefferson buffalo tail nickel has not carried over to the George W. Bush horse's ass half-cent.

The majority of numismatists quickly gave a big thumbs up to the new five-cent piece. But the half-penny, dubbed simply "The Bush" by hobbyists, has sparked a bitter debate.

"Each half-cent will cost about 0.81 of a cent to mint, creating an unnecessary deficit every year, detractors of The Bush complain. And it looks so much like a penny, The Bush will facilitate widespread dishonesty. The Bush is doomed to be a miserable failure.

These will come in very handy when the President's Social Security reforms pass," insist supporters of The Bush. "Once the program is forced into bankruptcy, each retiree will get one in the mail every month. Or they can just feel around under the sofa cushion.

The traditional slogan "In God We Trust" is replaced by "Trust Me" on The Bush, which will make it highly sought after by collectors of U.S. coins with oxymorons.

The new Iraq currency


The new Iraq currency
Originally uploaded by Normthephotoguy.

Thursday, June 30, 2005

The top ten lists

The top ten lists are determined by review page visits. They're updated daily and posted on the Home pages of PCPhotoREVIEW.com and PhotographyREVIEW.com.
Top Ten Digital Camera Review Pages
1) Canon EOS 20D - (Digital SLRs)
2) Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT / 350D - (Digital SLRs)
3) Nikon D70 - (Digital SLRs)
4) Canon PowerShot A95 - (4 to 5 Megapixel)
5) Panasonic PV-GS32 MiniDV Digital - (Digital Camcorders)
6) Canon_PowerShot S2 IS - (4 to 5 Megapixel)
7) Sony_Cyber-shot DSC-T7 - (4 to 5 Megapixel)
8) Canon_PowerShot A520 - (4 to 5 Megapixel)
9) Pentax_*ist DS - (Digital SLRs)
10) Nikon_D50 - (Digital SLRs)
PCPhotoREVIEW.com Top 200 Products >>
(list compiled 06/28/2005)
Top Ten PhotographyREVIEW.com Review Pages
1) Canon EOS 20D - (Digital SLRs)
2) Canon_EF 17-40 f/4L USM - (35mm Zoom)
3) Canon_EOS Digital Rebel XT / 350D - (Digital SLRs)
4) Nikon_D70 - (Digital SLRs)
5) Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM - (35mm Zoom)
6) Canon_EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM - (35mm Zoom)
7) Sigma_70-200mm f/2.8 APO EX HSM - (35mm Zoom)
8) Sigma_18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC - (35mm Zoom)
9) Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM - (35mm Zoom)
10) Sigma_70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO Macro Super - (35mm Zoom)
PhotographyREVIEW.com Top 200 Products >>
(list compiled 06/28/2005)

Sunday, June 26, 2005

ZigView Turns SLR Viewfinders Into Live Feed LCD Screens


Zigview-1
Originally uploaded by Normthephotoguy.
June 7, 2005 - South Korea’s Seculine Corp. has unveiled the ZigView Digital Angle viewfinder which mates a 1.9-inch LCD and CMOS sensor to the optical viewfinder of digital and analog SLRs. The small wedged shaped ZigView connects to the optical viewfinders of SLRs and allows a live view of the image from above or below the camera. The ZigView was introduced in South Korea in late March and is already on sale in Europe, with North America expected to follow in short order.

Seculine has designed this accessory because SLR users have to deal with certain low or high angles, which make composition through the traditional optical viewfinder tough. When mounted with the screen facing upwards, the ZigView allows users to look straight down at the image taken at a lower angle. The ZigView can also be rotated to face down, to allow a photographer to raise the camera at a high angle while still being able to compose the shot.
According to the manufacturer, the ZigView will work with most digital and film SLR cameras. The ZigView ships with an eyepiece adapter for Nikon, Fuji, and Canon cameras. Adapters for Konica-Minolta and Pentax cameras are only available as accessories.

The ZigView is retailing in Europe and Korea in the $220 range. The accessory adapter sells for around $13.

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Five Master Photographers!


Five Master Photographera!
Originally uploaded by Normthephotoguy.

The DWF is proud to offer members a special discount on The Masters of Wedding Photography. A 2 hour DVD documentary produced for the BBC, featuring five of the best wedding shooters in the world at work: Yervant, Denis Reggie, Joe Buissink, Martin Schembri, and Jeff Ascough.

Details inside!

We're proud that the best wedding photographers in the world are members of the DWF. Join us!
http://www.mastersofweddingphotography.com/

Sunday, June 05, 2005

Canon EOS 20Da Announced


Canon EOS 20Da Announced
Originally uploaded by Normthephotoguy.

http://www.photographyblog.com/index.php/weblog/comments/canon_eos_20da_announced/
Canon EOS 20Da Announced

Canon EOS 20DaCanon EOS 20Da is announced. The Canon EOS 20Da is a new version of the 20D that is optimised for astrophotography. The Canon EOS 20Da was first announced in Japan a few months ago. The 20Da features live preview on the LCD screen, a modified low-pass filter and enhanced noise reduction for long exposures. The EOS 20Da is only available to order from selected European dealers; no news yet on availability outside of Europe and Japan.

Canon Europe Press Release