Well after seeing Nick and Steve both present themselves, and given that its new Year, I'd better do the same.
Hello everyone, I'm Ian. Currently expatriated to San Francisco working for HP, I was born in Rotherham S. Yorkshire, and lived in Lyon, France from 1984-2000. Which makes me a heinz 57, brit-euro-frog-yank, somehow. During most of my early years, I learned on Kodak box cameras, Instamatics, Dad's old Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515 (which he has handed down to me, dunno if its works, but everytime I touch it I see Ansel Adams come in my mind's eye), an old Practika SLR, before investing in Olympus and Zuiko glass >From '78-2000. It was until after 2.5 years of messing with a Kodak DC280 digital between 2000- and May 2003, that I realised it was too early to go digital SLR and my budget doesn't allow for it. Also, life is too nice to spend in front of a monitor, which I find all too often happens With digital. I simply love messing with glass and accessories (like tubes, bellows and the like), but the Family budget doesn't support *istD -- yet -- keep playing the national lotto ian. So, when my Olympus Oms decided to die, the quote for repairs was 1/2 the cost of an old stock, new ex demo PZ-1P, & Tamron 28-300 AS-IR (not XR). The PZ-1P is a dream machine, the twin wheels are a delight. Bought these @ Keeble & Schuchat, Palo Alto and SMC-F 50mm/1:1.7, SMC-A F1:2, Extension Tube K, and AF280T off ebay. I'm seeking a 20 or 24mm fixed or decent 24-90mm, but pennies are short at Xmas, so I'll have to wait. This is all spare time stuff, last theme was macro/closeup work, just to get the feel for The extension tubes. http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=364748 Also did some downtown SanFran night work, but not 100% pleased with it. http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=364189 My current theme is early morn/late eve medium rise buildings. The bay area has some wonderful structures, that reflect superbly the sun's colours. I'll be posting some of these late feb Probably. I've been subscribed to this list since end of July '03 and it is nice as Steve says, full of experts, who spontaneously provide feedback, hints and tips. There are Some clear characters too, which makes for spicey e-conversation. I hope to meet some of them one day. Cheers Ian