NikonGear'23
Introductions => Introduce Yourself => Topic started by: Seapy on January 31, 2016, 15:14:12
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I have kept putting this off! I am dithering between saying Hello! And a mini autobiography... Perhaps something in between. ;)
Hello!
In case you are wondering, Seapy is based on my two surname initials, C. P. It was my fathers pen name.
I love exploring, places and things. I love making 'stuff', I have built and renovated things throughout my life, houses, factories, metalwork, cars, toys, computers etc.
My early 'family' camera was a Kodak Box Brownie, I still have some prints from my childhood made with that camera. My first 'proper' camera was a Practika, bought from the local chemists. I used that on school trips and took the occasional community photograph for the local paper. When I started work I got an Exa 1a then a 2b and later an Exacta Varex. I also used my fathers Zeiss Contaflex, which had a semi interchangeable lens, you swapped the front elements to change the focal length. One day it dropped from it's hook on the back of the office door onto the floor, still in it's ever-ready case, the impact on the solid concrete floor resulted in the entire lens being ripped from the body. Some delicate surgery later I re-attached the lens and it worked well again. My father used the camera to photograph plants to illustrate his botanic writings for magazines like Popular Gardening and others. With my fathers keen interest in things botanic I had a background of flowers and plants which has stayed with me throughout my life, it isn't my prime interest but it's always there, in the background.
My first car:
A 1936 Austin Seven, which I created a wooden sports body for when I was about 14.
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8658/16601865656_d8d58c224d_o.jpg)
Now I am retired from construction and engineering I am pursuing my interest of creating things. I have built two cars and several other projects since retirement.
Marlin 1.
From this:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1447/24611528722_4b5bf502ac_o.jpg)
To this:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1711/24611530222_234c6e2660_o.jpg)
Little Land Rover.
The kids having fun with the little Land Rover I created for them:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1691/24635807411_746dd2a175_o.jpg)
Marlin 2.
From this:
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5513/11582379583_6dfa0606c1_o.jpg)
To this:
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/453/18675067311_ab379441c8_o.jpg)
I made my own English Wheel, to form body panels on my car projects...
English wheel.
My youngest, creating something on my English Wheel:
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7504/16036209171_55a098a747_o.jpg)
I am also working on publishing my late fathers last book on commemorative plant names, much of my photography is geared towards that end.
After my Nikon FE and Bronica S2a, my first Digital camera was a D1 in 2005 with a Micro 60mm f2.8 I had kept since selling the FE which was my only lens for nearly a year! Then I got an 80-200 f2.8, trombone type. Thanks to visiting Bjørns website I acquired a converted D1-IR from a friend in America, which I have enjoyed greatly. I had a D1x, or two, which I experimented with, then when I retired in 2007 I treated myself to two D200's, one of which I converted to full Spectrum, then I added a D200 IR.
When choosing lenses I always went for full frame 35mm lenses rather than DX, because I have always considered the DX format a temporary expedient until technical difficulties were overcome to allow the creation of full frame FX sensors, so all my lenses are full frame. I am planning to get a D3 later this year, for me that will be the perfect camera, I wouldn't thank you for a camera with more than 15,000 Mp. I see no advantage in ultra high resolution, only disadvantages, if I really need higher resolution for a particular image I can always stitch. I have a D3100 which I use for recording projects and for snaps, saving the good cameras from the rigours of my toolbox!
I recently had a major clear out of my D1 and some other unused stuff and did a deal, coming away with a D300s, which continues to astound me with it's high ISO/low light capability compared with my D200. Bring on the D3!!! ;D
I have found the UV aspect of photography challenging, both from a cost point of view and technically, given you are working beyond the visible spectrum you are working, literally in the dark! I have made my own UV lamp with a very expensive Nichia LED chip, I created my own control electronics and power pack. I am currently investigating a possible lens for my UV photography, so that interest is very active at present and has been re-kindled by discovering Bjorn's 'Ultra Violet Photography' website.
I am overjoyed at having found all you people who I have missed since I lost interest in the previous incarnation of NikonGear.com Dalas eMail just before Christmas was the best Christmas present I could have wished for, I had not a clue that you had re-formed here. I am so delighted that so many of the names I knew are still alive and clicking here? ;D
Which brings me to my computers, my first being a Sinclair ZX80 then an 81 followed by a Spectrum, Amstrad then growing tired and frustrated by the DOS interface and having seen and used the new Mac128 with it's vastly improved used interface, in 1988/9 I bought my first Mac, I have been using a wide variety of Mac's ever since, they occupy a large part of my life. I am privileged to have been invited to test various beta software and that occupies some of my time, NDA's apply! I also help run a small Nikon DSLR group forum (The original D1 board which evolved to become the D1 Forum, now nikondslr.net) with another member here.
So I lead a busy life, which has been spiced up by the revival of NikonGear.
I enjoy photographing motorsport, landscapes, waterscapes, local events, we have a very good local rugby team and my surroundings, I have tried my hand at wildlife but I don't have the fieldcraft skills to do it well. I greatly enjoy exploring botanic gardens and going on sorties around the country, seeking out new gardens and places of capture particular plants and flowers. I have made some very good friends through these forums which I greatly value.
I am so pleased Bjorn and the others get their heads together and made this move to revive the spirit we have here. The ethos is perfect, the variety and depth of personalities and skills here is wonderful.
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A long introduction. A long an interesting life full of projects. I am looking forward to what you do with all
the equipment. I managed to see a lot of great IR photos also some very interesting full spectrum shots.
But I could not yet find UV shots that satisfy me in a photographic sense.
Welcome!!!!
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Welcome to the forum.
Impressive introduction.
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Thanks Frank and Hans, I don't really see UV as an artistic medium, I am sure Andria would disagree... I have seen some wonderfully artistic results from her, IR and UV but I consider it more of a research, specific interest thing. In the right hands IR can be magic but it needs the right subject. One of the reasons I lost interest in the old NG forum was the endless succession of IR photographs of old US cemeteries in so many variants of IR I just was just bored with it.
The quality and variety of work here is astounding.
I doubt I can do the equipment justice but I can try!
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Seapy: Werner from Bonn ... he goes under the name of ALAUN ... did and does wonderful IR shots of birds and landscapes
in the Rhine valley. Yes. I know. Scientifically interesting UV-results and experimental shots by AndreaB.
But not much to inspire me.
No unique expression justifying another technique.
Another example as you spoke about stitching. Stitching added a new way of showing things for me.
A new tool in my toolbox to make a shot wide in all dimension up down left right without necessarily
going the fisheye way. I can also do planets and interiors, show small rooms in a way not seen before...
I feel UV should add to the toolbox and to the perceptible world.
PS. Macro and stacking also opened new ways of expression. See Erlewine for the latter.
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Welcome to the forum C.P.
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Thank you Gary, I enjoy your posts and photographs. :D
Frank, I'm sure I will have seen Alaun's photographs although I don't remember the name, I will keep a look out for him.
I think on the whole UV is mainly technical rather than artistic. Unless of course you are a bee or a kestrel? ;D
I don't do a lot of stitching but recently I have been given access to two local private view points. That and my natural inquisitive nature has prompted me to dig into the process. I very much fancy using a fisheye and making a total spherical (from the inside) image. I don't have a fisheye, but once I have a D3 it will widen my lenses considerably. A cheap Chinese fisheye may be on the agenda then.
Take a look in this gallery, some incredible pano's in there: https://www.ptgui.com/gallery
I do a little stacking with my flower photos but the time it takes for individual blooms and the impractical nature of the process outdoors in the wind makes that unattractive for my work. I tend to stack branches rather than multiple layers of one flower.
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Kolor.fr produces my favourite software for stitching and has amazing results in its showcase.
The Nikon D3 ... I bought her in April 2008 ... is still one of my favourite cameras.
BUT the D600 outcompetes her in every respect except for:
a. Framerate ... D3 is faster
b. Weight ... D3 is heavier
c. Ergonomics ... D3 is built into my hand
Tonality is better
HiISO is much better
Resolution is better
In many cases even AF is better
try before you buy. I got both in daily use.
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I have used a D600 but I want the larger body, not so much for the higher frame rate, although for some things it's arguably an advantage, I want the larger pixels, the greater mass and the robust build that comes with the D3.
I will have a look at the Kolor.fr software.
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Welcome! Very nice to have you here and looking forward to seeing more from you! And I hope you find a D3 soon, it's a wonderful machine ;)
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Hello Eric, thank you for the welcome, sorry for the belated reply. Looking forward to meeting you all in person at Killin in May.
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Yes indeed, the workshops are really something to look forward to! ;)
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Robert, will you bring along that tiny Land Rover to Killin so that I can play in May :)
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Welcome and what an introduction. Very impressive work you've done on the cars. Love the little Landrover!
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Thank you kindly I will try to bring the little Land Rover if the boys let me. 😀
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:lol:
Even though I have know you for so many years I always forgot to ask where Seapy came from. Now I know.
:-)
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Great introduction ! Nice to meet you CP
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Hi, Seapy, I enjoyed your detailed introduction. The cars you created and restored look great! Looking forward to seeing more of your images.
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;D Still learning after all these years Jonathan! ;)
Hi Armando and Akria, enjoy reading your posts, seeing your photo's. I love creating and solving issues with restorations. Creating the English Wheel was a huge step, I have a friend who has a special racing car which he is restoring, we plan to make some new panels for it on my wheel, it was I believe a prototype for a hugely successful but controversial three wheel racing car, the Greenwood Special, which won the world championship in the early 70's. The following year they changed the rules which outlawed it.
This is the 'Greenwood Special' #60, in the hands of a novice driver, hence the orange tabard, ditching his passenger out of the side, taken with the D1 in poring rain at Cadwell Park at a 'Historic Racing' meeting. Probably a contender for best least sharp image! I have the full sequence of the passenger not getting run over! All the other drivers managed to avoid him which was something of a miracle given the awful conditions.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1444/24798743685_544f5f7384_o.jpg)
This is what I believe is the prototype, almost tube for tube identical, but with some design faults which were rectified on the actual championship winning car. Once my boys had got themselves in it there was no getting them out!!! As you can see from their huge grins...
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1708/24170574784_3e788c9603_o.jpg)
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Wow they must love that one ;)
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Just found this
http://maximummini.blogspot.dk/2015/09/greenwoods-sidecar-at-its-prime.html
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I hat to resort to promises of ice cream and chocolates to get them out of the trike! ;D
Thanks for that link, I hadn't seen those photographs before.
Here is another link which even has a short video of the car trike in action.
http://www.mosquito-triad.com/The_origin.html The trike we are restoring is featured lower down the page. You will recognise the battered red bodywork. He is saying it's a later copy but my belief is it's a prototype.