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When it comes to fast Nikon Zooms, the modern trinity is the 14-24/2.8G, 24-70/2.8G and 70-200/2.8G (although I’m sure these have all been updated to the new E-Type lenses by this posting). However, a pair of these lenses have older versions; while the focal lengths are different, the constant f/2.8 aperture is the same. Now in my own lens catalogue I have only a pair of the G-Type in the trinity, the 14-24 and 70-200, but the cost of the 24-70 plus the word being it doesn’t work too well with film (I’ll have to test that) kept me from purchasing the lens. But theRead More →

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When it comes to assistance with long processing times or the need for constant agitation, there aren’t that many options out there today. Sure there is the original Jobo system, but these are completely closed systems that often carry a high startup cost. And on the opposite end of the spectrum are the Besler and Unicolor Cibachrome bases and tanks. But what about something new, using modern solutions. Last year I had the chance to try out one such system, the AuRA film processor, and it certainly made an impression on me and my processing. Sadly these aren’t yet for sale, and given the technologyRead More →

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Established in 2013 by MainStreetHost and taken on by Alex Luyckx Photography in 2015, #photochat is a community of photography professionals and enthusiasts who congregate to talk shop and discuss anything and everything photography. To participate in our weekly chat (every Thursday at 1:00pm) search the #photochat hashtag to see the conversation, or find me at @AlexLuyckxPhoto on Twitter for more info. Be sure to include the hashtag in your tweets to answer the questions and talk with the other participants. If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in #photochat, hop onto Facebook, Twitter, or good old fashioned Email and let me know!Read More →

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In: A Faded Glory
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Standing proudly at the edge of Ontario’s west coast, looking out over the beach, is a beautiful brick structure with an oversized patio and plenty of setting room. There’s no disguising that Goderich’s Beach Street Station is a former train station, as shown by the number of railway memorabilia and signage around the station. When the Guelph & Goderich Railway was completed, it terminated at the Goderich Harbour. The harbour has a long history with the railroad being expanded many times throughout history to accommodate larger lake ships and when Buffalo & Lake Huron showed up in the 1850s rail ferries. But these early railwaysRead More →

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It’s been a long road getting Silberra films; from their initial crowdfunding campaign, delays, communications blackouts, and other released products, I doubt I will ever see any of the 120 films I initially backed. But then I got word that I shouldn’t expect them, and I was offered up an alternative, replacing the rolls of 120 of Pan50 with rolls of 35mm. I’ve wanted to try this film for a while now, so I jumped. And the rolls arrived in a timely fashion; sadly, because there has been almost no stock reaching the wider world, there is not much information online, including processing times. Thankfully,Read More →

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After a long delay, we’re continuing our drive into the professional model Nikon SLRs. The third version, or Nikon F3, came out in 1981 and marked a significant shift in design and internals. The Nikon F3 relied on battery power, went with a sleek new all-black design and had a proper industrial design to back up the change! The 1970s saw the introduction of semi-automation in SLRs along with the inclusion of electronic features. Nikon did introduce semi-automatic (aperture priority) exposure with the Nikkormat EL, EL2 and FE cameras. But it was stuck to trusted mechanical and manual exposure in their professional model, the NikonRead More →

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Established in 2013 by MainStreetHost and taken on by Alex Luyckx Photography in 2015, #photochat is a community of photography professionals and enthusiasts who congregate to talk shop and discuss anything and everything photography. To participate in our weekly chat (every Thursday at 1:00pm) search the #photochat hashtag to see the conversation, or find me at @AlexLuyckxPhoto on Twitter for more info. Be sure to include the hashtag in your tweets to answer the questions and talk with the other participants. If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in #photochat, hop onto Facebook, Twitter, or good old fashioned Email and let me know!Read More →

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In: A Faded Glory
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Sitting in the shadow of the Old Mill Leather Store sits a red building; it looks shabby, with peeling paint and shingles. Still, it stands as one of the few surviving stations of the Canadian Pacific branch line that operated for only a short 82 years, bringing freight and passengers between Guelph and Goderich as a direct competitor to the Grand Trunk and later Canadian National lines. The first railway to pass through Blyth came in 1876 with the Lake Huron & Brantford Railway; However, it would eventually fall to Grand Trunk. It offered little to the community until the 20th Century, the only railwayRead More →

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In: Camera Review Blogs
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I’m not one for point-and-shoot, automatic everything cameras. I’m not knocking such cameras; they’re excellent and have introduced many photographers to the world of film through their ease of use, pocketability and appeal in popular culture. Not to mention the Instagram and Celebrity crowd. Sadly this has also caused the price of certain premium and even primary point-and-shoot cameras to skyrocket in price. However, I do love a good unique camera, and the Minolta Weathermatic 35DL certainly fits that criteria. There are two reasons for this; the first and most apparent is that the camera is designed for underwater applications, fully watertight but can alsoRead More →

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After the last TFS meetup I did in November 2021, it’s hard to believe I was able to get back to one so soon, especially one that’s in the city where the group takes its name. Since the birth of my son, I’ve been delegating some of my work out to trusted friends. The photo walks were given over to John Meadows and Bill Smith, who welcomed a couple of additional group members. As much as I enjoy planning out these events, it’s always nice to attend as an attendee. I don’t often drive in the city, relying on public transit to get around. ButRead More →