-JAY- wrote:

Fancy scotch

are you suggesting i rob a liquor store?

(

D M E C K E R T wrote:

are you suggesting i rob a liquor store?

(

Shot By Adam wrote:
I just need to vent to some locals.  Two days ago I was in a motorcycle accident on Cheyenne and I-95. The good news is, the bike is in relatively good shape...mostly just cosmetic damage. The bad news is, I've got two broken ribs and a broken scapula which means I won't be able to even lift a camera up for over a month. If you haven't been on that overpass, the on-ramp headed northbound is blocked off for road construction. I was exiting I-95 North, waiting for the light to change. It turned green and the car ahead of me moved through the intersection. Because of the angle of the ramp as it connects to the overpass, you really don't have a lot of visibility and so I never saw what happened next until just a fraction of a second before impact.

A car ran the red light, thinking he was turning into the on-ramp to the freeway when he was actually turning into the OFF-ramp into oncoming traffic. Right as I moved into the intersection I saw the car on my left and leaned the bike over to my right knowing I was going to be hit. Thank heavens I did too otherwise I probably would have had a crushed leg too but I was thrown from the bike into the intersection and rolled around a bit. Lots of pedestrians jumped out of their cars and stopped traffic for me and also barricaded the guy's car. The offender? Illegal immigrant, no drivers license, no insurance.

According to the police, they told me that based on the reports they took, if I were in a car I'd actually be in worse shape as he would have T-boned right into the driver's door. Whether that's true or not I don't know but I'm just real happy to be in relatively one piece. I'm just REAL glad I was wearing armor, boots, full-face helmet, etc.

Anyway, let this be a warning to you guys. Everyone knows it but it's a good time for a reminder that there are LOTS of morons on the roads out there.

Glad you're okay. I'm on that overpass 3x a week going to Mt View hosp... it's a fucking nightmare.

-JAY- wrote:
Welp... just put 8 speedlites, 2 potato mashers, and 2 studio strobes, and a ton of wireless triggers into the wide world of interwebs selling... Wish me fast selling.

Email me a link to them as I might be interested in gearing up a bit.

-JAY- wrote:
Glad you're okay. I'm on that overpass 3x a week going to Mt View hosp... it's a fucking nightmare.

Thanks. I'm not really "OK" but I'm not dead so I'm not complaining. It's certainly a part of the Vegas roadway to be avoided right now, that's for sure.

-The Dave- wrote:
Damn, glad your ok Adam.

Jay, what's up with selling all the flashes? thought you were the flashman

Keeping 6 YongNuos... just don't need a billion of 'em. Been building up a more solid mono kit, sure it's heavier, but the benefits outweigh the weight

-The Dave- wrote:
One more week then it's Catalina Time!

Getting my cameras ready for some Scuba and Para-Sailing shots.

Sounds like a blast. I love Catalina. There's some great places to shoot out there. Have fun on the golf carts!

D M E C K E R T wrote:
on my way to phoenix in a few hours.

taking a holga and a dozen rolls of old abused portra.

good times.

Great idea!!!   Underwater Holga! Thanks!!!

-The Dave- wrote:

Great idea!!!   Underwater Holga! Thanks!!!

This is different forms regular Holga how?

Shot By Adam wrote:
I just need to vent to some locals.,...

Glad you're ok.  Just today I had some dumb-ass (female) cut me off on Eastern...going from the far left lane to the far right- guess where she was going?  St. Rose Hospital.  I slowed down in time.  She changed in the middle of the intersection at that.  I would have followed her in and made sure she was admitted to the ER....  I would have....

I need that mad smiley

j3_photo wrote:

Glad you're ok.  Just today I had some dumb-ass (female) cut me off on Eastern...going from the far left lane to the far right- guess where she was going?  St. Rose Hospital.  I slowed down in time.  She changed in the middle of the intersection at that.  I would have followed her in and made sure she was admitted to the ER....  I would have....

I need that mad smiley

I've decided the drivers here in Phoenix are even worse than Vegas. Shocking.

I was making a left with a green light, which means the other person had a red. I'm making my U-turn, and I'm looking, like you do...and dude making his right on red, looking the complete opposite direction of where he's going (there were no cars for at least a block), never even looked up as he slammed the gas and nearly plowed into me. I've never seen someone floor it to make a right turn on red, with their head backwards. If I hadn't been watching, and accelerated hard, clueless fuck woulda t-boned me. Similar assholery happens in Vegas, sure, but this was just so...flagrant.

That and they all drive too fast and too slow. I've had AT LEAST 5 drivers, 15+ car lengths back, floor it to try and close gaps when I was trying to merge. It was absurd enough that despite their efforts they only made it to normal following distance by the time I was done.

D M E C K E R T wrote:

I've decided the drivers here in Phoenix are even worse than Vegas. Shocking.

I was making a left with a green light, which means the other person had a red. I'm making my U-turn, and I'm looking, like you do...and dude making his right on red, looking the complete opposite direction of where he's going (there were no cars for at least a block), never even looked up as he slammed the gas and nearly plowed into me. I've never seen someone floor it to make a right turn on red, with their head backwards. If I hadn't been watching, and accelerated hard, clueless fuck woulda t-boned me. Similar assholery happens in Vegas, sure, but this was just so...flagrant.

That and they all drive too fast and too slow. I've had AT LEAST 5 drivers, 15+ car lengths back, floor it to try and close gaps when I was trying to merge. It was absurd enough that despite their efforts they only made it to normal following distance by the time I was done.

Phoenix drivers are pretty bad too...agree with you there. But Vegas has it's own unique problems. For example, drivers in Los Angeles take the cake for the worst drivers in the galaxy. They are so bad there #2 isn't even close. I've been driving in L.A. a lot the last few months and it's maddening. Seriously, I can never criticize Vegas drivers again after having driven in SoCal. But there is a big difference in how you rate "bad drivers" though.

See, in Cali, the drivers aren't bad, they're just all uncaring, selfish, ego-maniacal assholes who just assume drive over a grandma walking across the street so they can get to Starbucks on their way into a casting call. Seeing people cut you off from turning lanes (they are using as passing lanes), run red lights, make illegal turns, dodge the motorcycles splitting lanes, dart in and out of lanes, etc., is all the norm. And god forbid they actually use a turn signal! That's just how it is there. Finding a courteous driver in Los Angeles is harder to find than Bigfoot riding a unicorn.

In Vegas, it's a different story. Here you don't have asshole drivers, you just have Stupid-As-Fuck drivers. I'm convinced that most drivers out here lose 20 IQ points the instant the key goes in the ignition. The guy who hit me wasn't a rude driver, he was just dumb as a box of blond hair. Vegas is the only place in the world where I've ever seen two people get into a slow-moving, head-on collision at a 4-way stop sign. Compound stupid driving with roads with conflicting directions and redundant names, out of sync traffic lights, inconsistent road traffic signs, road construction every 100 feet that lasts for 3 years, and you've got a recipe for traffic messes.

j3_photo wrote:
Phoenix worse than Vegas?!  Adam I lived in L.A. for 8 years, rode for about 3 years...I think the drivers here take the cake at the worst.  Partly due to the fact the front windows are tinted here and they don't see as well.  At least in CA the front ones are clear by law..most everyone's are.  I am happy the phone law passed here finally...I did see improvement.

I think the law was a knee-jerk reaction to something that needed attention but certainly was unnecessary. We already have plenty of laws on the books that cover the issue. The cell phone law was literally nothing more than people playing politics to get votes. It does, literally, nothing. Still though, police should definitely be coming down harder on people who txt or yap away on their phones for sure. I can't even count the number of near misses I've had with people babbling away on their phone, oblivious to the fact that they are swerving their 3,000 pound killing machine around on the roadways.

As for the Vegas/LA thing, I really do think it's worse in L.A., but again for different reasons. They're just plain assholes there. I'm told that once you live there for a while you learn to get used to it, but it doesn't change the fact that people there just drive like they own the place.

In Vegas, you just have morons on the road. I guess ultimately that is worse though because at least you can predict asshole behavior but if you never know what the fucktard next you is going to do next, I guess the unpredictability of it all makes it more dangerous here.

I dunno, any way you look at it, it's a lose/lose. At least here though the police will actually respond to a call for a traffic accident. In California you call the police on a traffic issue and the only thing that will happen is you get laughed at by the dispatcher.

Shot By Adam wrote:

I think the law was a knee-jerk reaction to something that needed attention but certainly was unnecessary. We already have plenty of laws on the books that cover the issue. The cell phone law was literally nothing more than people playing politics to get votes. It does, literally, nothing. Still though, police should definitely be coming down harder on people who txt or yap away on their phones for sure. I can't even count the number of near misses I've had with people babbling away on their phone, oblivious to the fact that they are swerving their 3,000 pound killing machine around on the roadways.

As for the Vegas/LA thing, I really do think it's worse in L.A., but again for different reasons. They're just plain assholes there. I'm told that once you live there for a while you learn to get used to it, but it doesn't change the fact that people there just drive like they own the place.

In Vegas, you just have morons on the road. I guess ultimately that is worse though because at least you can predict asshole behavior but if you never know what the fucktard next you is going to do next, I guess the unpredictability of it all makes it more dangerous here.

I dunno, any way you look at it, it's a lose/lose. At least here though the police will actually respond to a call for a traffic accident. In California you call the police on a traffic issue and the only thing that will happen is you get laughed at by the dispatcher.

As for the phone/driving, I've noticed a difference.  I look for it.  Of course there's those aholes that still do it...and let them pay. 

As for CA traffic calls...yep!

-JAY- wrote:
Joined the cool kids club

LOL..very sweet. What did it set you back?

Shot By Adam wrote:

LOL..very sweet. What did it set you back?

A Sunpak 622 and an SB25

Deal of the week for the body, 120 back, WL and prism finders, 90mm, 180mm, and a large wheeled hardcase.

-JAY- wrote:
Joined the cool kids club

Welcome to the dark slide

Make sure that the shutter is cocked on the body & lens before removing or mounting the lens or else.

-The Dave- wrote:
Welcome to the dark slide

Make sure that the shutter is cocked on the body & lens before removing or mounting the lens or else.

ya... Theres a billion things to consider on this thing... Ill learn.

And for now, until my film gets here, im having fun



Anyone know of a good website that goes over everything about these in a easier to grasp way than the manual? Maybe with some tims thrown in? Like how many throw away shots to take before the film is ready, etc.

-JAY- wrote:
Anyone know of a good website that goes over everything about these in a easier to grasp way than the manual? Maybe with some tims thrown in? Like how many throw away shots to take before the film is ready, etc.

You should not have to toss any shots, line up the film to the line and the mark in the back, load the cassette into the back, close it, forward the film till it stops. You should get 10 shots per roll since you have a 120 back.

Careful with that lil lever next to the winder, that allows single or multiple exposures.

If you need the manuals, you can download them here...
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/mamiya/mam … _pro_s.htm

Oh one more thing, some peeps changed their 6x7 backs to 645, check yours to make sure you don't have a mask installed or you will be scratching your head for days trying to figure out WTF is going on. 

And another thing...  Sync voltage, stay under 24 volts, some RB glass has very thin contacts and will burn easy. 

Otherwise it's a simple, strait forward system that is very forgiving if you remember to completely pull your dark slide out before you take your shot.

Oh, DOF is a tad different too... you'll see...

As for websites? no idea but I can show you everything you could ever want to know about the RB in about 20 min's.  You could play with it yourself and learn it in 10 min's. 

-The Dave- wrote:
You should not have to toss any shots, line up the film to the line and the mark in the back, load the cassette into the back, close it, forward the film till it stops. You should get 10 shots per roll since you have a 120 back.

That's the only real question I had. I always learned to just burn the first two shots when loading 35mm, since there's so much extra space around the shutter... and since 120 is spooled without a case, I thought I'd have to allow extra space, seeing as TLRs and such it seems like you have to advance forever until the 1 shows up

-JAY- wrote:
And anyone want dibs on a ThinkTank Retrospective 20 before I toss it to the wolves of CL and the eBays?

You selling your purse?

-The Dave- wrote:

You selling your purse?

Got it as part of a trade. I'd keep it, but my backpack fits more... don't need a PJ / walkaround bag. It's nice and new, though.

D M E C K E R T wrote:
the RB is fun. nice big negs. nice sharp lenses. (never really loved the bokeh out of a mamiya product, but that's just me.)

shoot some chromes and be prepared to swoon.

got some Velvia on the way.

-JAY- wrote:

got some Velvia on the way.

mmmmm.

tasty.

if i ever shot landscapes, i'd throw some velvia in the gw690...but i don't...and i don't like fuchsia people. (though, in the right light, and context, velvia works for people...it's just random, seemingly)

D M E C K E R T wrote:

mmmmm.

tasty.

if i ever shot landscapes, i'd throw some velvia in the gw690...but i don't...and i don't like fuchsia people. (though, in the right light, and context, velvia works for people...it's just random, seemingly)

The Reala is for people... Beat damn skintones on the planet.

-JAY- wrote:

The Reala is for people... Beat damn skintones on the planet.

i'm in love with ektachrome 100SW for people. hella unrealistic...but warm and pleasingly just shy of oversaturated oompa loompa status. it's also defunct, hard to find, and now $10+ per roll if you can.

if i weren't so bereft of motivation, i'd probably go pick up a bevy of slide films and burn through 'em.

D M E C K E R T wrote:
i'm in love with ektachrome 100SW for people. hella unrealistic...but warm and pleasingly just shy of oversaturated oompa loompa status. it's also defunct, hard to find, and now $10+ per roll if you can.

if i weren't so bereft of motivation, i'd probably go pick up a bevy of slide films and burn through 'em.

I've been 'meh' lately as well. Hopefully this will give me a kick in the ass to go out and have some fun.

Been meaning to work with Ashley Liberty... Her + outdoors greenery + Reala... Thats some incentive.