Digital Photography and Memory Cards

Re : the sidebar comment on compact flash card failure. I recently had a 256mb Lexar professional 24x card die. While transferring images (by a card reader) to a Mac, the card reader slipped off the keyboard tray. I immediately grabbed for the USB connection, which stayed in place. Don't know if there was any break in contact or not, but probably was since the card was found to be corrupted. Fortunately I'd already backed up on a PC so nothing was permanently lost. Tried Lexar Image Rescue to no avail. Tech folks @ Lexar checked out the card, couldn't repair it and replaced it with another. Can't say enough about their help and great service / turnaround time! Just want to let you know Murphy's Law also applies to CF cards...

Great and interesting article, 
Russ Poole

I use an Image Bank when I'm out shooting. It has a 20Gb micro drive and downloads the images in about 2 minutes from a 128MB CF or 128 Mb SM card. It is battery operated and I have had no issues with it for a year.

Just a thought. http://viewer.onlinesupply.net/phototainer-300p.html#portable%20storage Gregory Groess

I loved Moose's article on workflow. I don't use my digital camera very often - and always find it so hard to use when I am ready - that is remembering what steps I should take - and even trying to figure out what menu items or buttons make it so - Canon G2

So this time I'm writing down the steps outlined by Moose and maybe it will help me remember.

Thanks, 
Francis

OK, Moose, you've convinced me....thanks for freeing up space on my compact flash card by going back to highest jpeg. I'd love to see a more in depth discussion about white balance and exposure control.

Great article. 
Bruce Haley

D100 vs. SD-9

Finally an unbiased comparison of the SD-9 and a real world camera! (Sigma SD-9 vs. Nikon D100) Everything I've read about this camera talked about this wonderful new technology. Funny how they left out the low light and battery problems.

Henry

I've been a little skeptical about some of the magazines that fell all over themselves saying how wonderful the Foveon was and then fell all over themselves talking about how wonderful the new Canon and Kodak are. If the Foveon is such a giant leap forward why didn't subsequent reviews of other cameras reflect that their technology was now "behind the times".

Yours is the only head to head comparison I've seen, and it was "fair and balanced" to use a common phrase. I even appreciated your openness about how small things determined which camera you grabbed when things were moving fast - and how you didn't even realize you were doing it until after the fact. You guys are raising the bar.

Regards, 
Ed Horne

I've heard the Kodak 14n has problems in low light too.

Ken D.

I've heard that the Foveon chip has a problem with noise from heat. That might explain the more pronounced grain in the Sigma images. Did you notice if the images shot with the Sigma in the cold had any difference in grain that the Sigma's images shot in warmer temperatures?

MJF

Nope, and the images of the Statue of Liberty from the New York New York casino were shot while standing in the shade on a morning where the temperature was around 65 degrees. Not exactly harsh environmental conditions...

Now lets see if I add up the cost of a couple of 1GB memory cards, a bigger hard drive to hold all the images and the couple of thousand dollars extra I'll pay for a digital camera I can buy how many rolls of film and a brand new F100?

Just checking, 
Larry

Lennie Strikes a Chord

This is a bit late in coming, but Leonard Lee Rue's column on "What It Takes To Be a Wildlife Photographer" is a barrel full of no-nonsense, honest-to-goodness, straight from the heart, feelings from a man who possesses all that one should strive for in loving and photographing the wonderful creatures on this good earth. Kudos, Dr. Rue!! May you be with us for many, many more years.

Charles Slease

Black and White Film and Development

I have been making B/W photographs for quite a while and your dissertation regarding grain is certainly helpful. However, if grain is an issue, one way to control grain not mentioned is to keep the development temperature extremely constant, not only for the developer but for the fixer and wash cycles as well. Any temperature changes tend to expand or contract the grain and it never quite comes back in the same way. So, constant temperature control for all fluids is quite important.

I Hope this helps.. 
Richard

Thank you for not forgetting those of us who still play with chemicals. I understand that you're writing articles now that will lay the groundwork for more advanced stuff to come. I'm looking forward to more on darkroom techniques.

Thanks, 
Brian

For me the smell of a darkroom will always be part of photography.

Karen

Chemicals and papers!?! Does anyone under 80 still use that stuff?

Mad Mike

Judging by the email we've gotten quite a few people are still working in darkrooms. Is that what you're mad about?

Funny? NOT!

For sale Tripod third leg - human, middle $1,000,000 
Thirdleg@censored.com 

Joey

I hate to break this to you Joey but it's just not worth all that much. Anyone looking for that sort of thing can buy a plastic model at the mall for less than $20 and it will always be upright and ready to go. That would make yours worth, well, probably something less than a dollar. 

Sorry to burst your bubble.

Bikers

Great issue but you guys made one mistake. Gary took pictures of cyclists - not bikers. Big hairy guys with beards and tattoos would not look good in bicycle shorts! :-)

Sue Robinson

Oh no! I just got a mental image of McGee, Peterson and Hartley walking into the office wearing bike shorts. Please God make it stop!

Fine article with good suggestions. Enjoyed the pics. One small clarification. The term bikers usually refers to motorcycle riders. Bicycle riders prefer to be called cyclists.

Steve Horne

Does it matter if the bicyclists have tattoos and make vroom vroom noises while they ride?

Of Pictures and Politics

First, let me say that I look forward every month to receiving VLP. I think it is better than most any newsstand magazine. Keep up the good work.

Secondly, I am glad you are not getting into politics by commenting on the war in Iraq. It is enlightening to find someone sticking to their mission doing what they started out to do. You guys are the greatest.

Art Heiny

I think the line in your response about war editorials last month speaks volumes about where you stand on things "looking to a photo magazine for political advice makes about as much sense as actors thinking they actually have a clue about the real world." That tells me that you're pro-war. During the war the only common sense commentary I heard came from actors and actresses with enough boldness to step forward.

Karen Lynch

We all have our opinions outside the office but here at the magazine we're just pro-photography. 

As for getting life advice from actors and actresses, heck that's almost as dumb as getting life advice from photojournalists. 

There's no reason for commentary. It was obvious to anyone with a brain that the Hollywood types got it wrong. They all said Iraq would be another Viet Nam and that it would be a blood bath. They said that France was right and we should wait for the U.N. Well the war was over quickly. We didn't loose large numbers of troops and it's becoming obvious that France was opposed to us going in because they wanted the oil revenues for themselves as part of the oil for food program and that their hands were very dirty indeed. Looks like Hollywood got it wrong - again.

Proud American 
Sarah Peterson

Contest Controversy 

The penguins were the real winners! 

Carla Victor

Hey what were you guys thinking! I thought the penguins beat that bear hands down! 

Ellen

Dude you blew it! It was the penguins no contest! 

Adramski3291

Who was the dummy that picked the bear over the penguins? They're hysterical. What a great shot! 

Evan Maples

How could you pick the bear over the lion? He looks so regal sitting there.

Carol K.

Feedback on Feedback

I read with interest when some readers attack Vivid Light's editorial staff on comments and articles they present. Quite often I think these very readers are the single minded folk who won't consider any other opinion and frankly I think are trying to justify the purchase of some expensive gear in their heads (when some of them are better off with a disposable camera). These people should remember that every person has his own opinion, even if you try write the articles in an unbiased fashion. I say way to go Vivid Light (even if I disagree) and those that do disagree, let others know in a critical fashion, not scathing attacks.

Louis Titshall

Thanks Louis. We just "call 'em as we seem 'em". Sometimes that ticks somebody off but that's OK. I hope people keep calling us on things they disagree with. It keeps us honest and frankly we learn a lot from the feedback. It really has helped to shape the magazine.

When digital is wonderful? When the hell is it wonderful? As far as I'm concerned DIGITAL SUCKS.

Name withheld by request

Then again there's some feedback that we really don't learn anything from...

Hi. I just read the feedback section. In it, I saw a response to a feedback I had given several months ago. I had forgotten all about writing it. Anyway, even though you disagreed with me in the feedback, I just wanted to say "thanks" for actually reading it, and taking the time to respond. I was really surprised to see it there!

Nate Jones, 
Okinawa, Japan

We read every email that comes in, unfortunately time doesn't allow us to personally respond to everyone. But if you mail us check the feedback column the next month.

I read the feedback section first every month. It's my favorite section. 

MikeyP

Hey MikeyP, didn't you get killed off last year on the Sopranos?

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