In answer to the idle question, my wife has been doing that for several years. It's worked for her because she can always get another card from me. 8-) 16GB card, say 2 thousand images, equal to 55-36 exposure rolls of film, for $12.00, seems a no brainer, though it does raise the knotty question of card archiveabilty. (sp?)

Mike, "woulda, coulda, shoulda" is dangerous fun, The subtle, quiet voice of your imagery, is that same voice of TOP, with it's range of topics, from aesthetics through ethics, some tech seasoning, tea,and a reverence for the discussion. I view you as a huge success, not by the metric of money or fame, or a few images, but by the educational and influential voice of your creation, TOP. Another thank you! Be proud of the wonderful masterpiece that TOP is, especially for a medium that is still an infant.

What, Fenton did move the cannon balls?

More stuff, but since you understand the the charms of readers, I would vote for a color device, Nook, Kindle Fire, iPad Mini; they do monochrome just fine, but they also have ...color, in a very intimate, book like package. Of course, battery life is dismal.

Thanks for the blurb, Mike! As Ken says, the newer A-R glazing is amazing stuff; enough that I'm saving my nickels and dimes for museum glass for my own work. For those not wanting an over mat, there are archival products, "spacers", that separate the glazing from the art work, hidden by the lip of the frame rabbett. The mat material used by Micheal Smith at Lodima Archival, from Nielson-Bainbridge is well liked by framers at The Picture Framers Grumble: http://thegrumble.com Waiting to hear what Hugh Phibbs, a Grumbler, and preservation expert at the National Gallery, D.C. has to say. __________________ Bron http://bronislausjanulis.com/Site/Home.html http://frame-notes.blogspot.com http://pictureframelabels.blogspot.com

Read the book after your post about it; quite good. It even got me to look more at the work of Curtis, which I seem to have pointedly avoided. Exceptionally hard worker, Curtis.

Ctein, A superb explanation of the complexities and problems associated with digital, and how good it can be if one is willing to invest in the process. And now, I think I'll go slather a mixture of egg yolk, water, and dry pigment on a gessoed panel.

I don't care about the film ... no film cameras around, but is that not a 59 Chevy?

A fantastic gift to the nation. Though "pinchbeck" the brass alloy of the frames has become a synonym for cheap and tawdry, these, especially in person, are very much small jewels. Thanks for the post.

The FBI screwed up and left his name visible? That is the biggest problem I have with this story, though it all lacks credibility. Why is Mr. Withers being so seriously investigated at this point in time? A 2 year investigation of a guy dead for 3 years; somebody got an ax to grind, so to speak? I'm sorry, but this seems an effort to denigrate the whole movement. Glen Beck, what are you up to now? Sorry, there is a very strong odor about this one.

You had me going there, I'm looking at classic M Leicas, lenses, thinking about Porches, ... came to my senses, sorry, camera, nor car marque, is what's true. Still, the driver.

Mr. Mike, Get thee progeny to a driving course as well. I learned on the street, though I was around street racers who were still walking and talking. I hate it when I carefully charge the battery, and leave, with it still in the charger. (Current camera is first I have not bought extra battery for, only a problem, see above.)

Mike, Your last paragraph rang very true. I have no regrets that my personal photography for the first 20 years, was a single camera, single lens, and mostly B&W film, though I sometimes used different cameras. A Nikon F, sold to buy a motorcycle, replaced by Haminex Praktica, replaced by the longest running, Pentax HV1, 50mm f2, no meter. No nostalgia, either, though I basically only use one camera, an antique G9, Canon. That is so weird that the 3-4 year old G9 is an antique. Some of the beautiful B&W images, though have me mulling a return to B&W, though probably digital. Thanks Mike, another batch of nice posts!

Mike, OT, but one of my favorite paintings for many years is the "St. George ..." by Martorell at the Art Institute. Well worth looking up, if for no other reason than to see what a 15th. c. painter can do when he quietly throws his entire repertoire at you. Very much in the spiirt of the "printing" posts. Bron

Another great post, and another great portrait, of a guy you'd like to be listening to, over lunch. PT's image of Voya.

Well, I don't care about any of the tech stuff, as it is a delightful portrait, and from this portrait, I think it would be a delight to sit down with this gentleman, and find out what he knows. It is a delightful portrait. Go, Osterbergs! (Some of my cousins are Osterbergs)

Mike, I'm sure Ms. Osterberg, is happy for the notice, as all the rest of us would be, and more than willing to indulge some tech speak. It is a wonderful portrait of the gentleman.

A similar situation in Chicago, with the Terra Museum's holdings now at the Art Institute, where very few of his very "personal" collection are on view. Before he built his museum, he had been in negotiation with The Art Institute, and decided to build his own museum, so that his art would be on view, not in storage. It's in storage, now, mostly.

Mike, keep up the fight ... **** critters. It has really been a wet, hot, humid and buggy summer.

I don't know ... but this is a site I found here, on TOP: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/ 5 minutes there and you would see far more than you ever would in any print medium. Maybe the economic model has changed, but I'm not sharp enough to explain that. JC, nice forward. Ahh, as the old tentmaker said, the moving finger having writ, moves on. We can bark, the parade passes.

Mr. Ironside, apologies if I have offended; though it should be obvious that I've owned my share of British machinery, and am very fond of the British brewing arts. And the Ducatti was far worse electronically; also from that time: "on a quiet night you can hear a chevy/ford rust". Brand preference optional. An aside, I love my digital doo-wahs, have no desire to revert to film, but if any body goes to my web site, I practice a multi-thousand year old craft, in the way it has always been done ... by hand. Go figure. Though I've integrated the computer into the craft. http://bronislausjanulis.com/Site/Home.html

Well, let's see, the Nikon F from the late 60's, built like a tank, and sounded and drove like one, too. The BSA Victor 441, Ole Thumper, ripped the heel off my Frye, square toed boots, way too many times, not to mention the Ducati 250 Scrambler, whose electronics were even worse than the british efforts of Lord Lucas, the Prince of Darkness. Love my plastic fantastic digital cameras, and really appreciate a vehicle with 155,000 miles on it, plastic all over, but still runs just fine. Then there is wonder gadget, that obsolete 2G iPhone, plastic, metal and glass, that tells the time, the weather, takes phone calls, and allows me to read TOP when I'm out and about and have some time. Shows traffic conditions, too. Any nostalgia I have is for the women I didn't chase down, not the gadgets I used to own. PFUI, real men drove MG-B's, with electronic overdrives, or BSA's; little old ladies drove triumphs.

Rob, I misspoke; thinking of thumb locks/screws, though the issue of fouling and noise is still there with levers. Having all three on various support devices, I tend to prefer twist collars, especially outdoors.

Lever locks are noisy, easier to foul in sand, etc., and with the twist locks you can loosen all of them at once.

In small tripods, the differences between CF and ALU are minimal. I've found the softer collars on my Giottos to be easier to use than the harder collars on the Gitzos; legs are smoother on Giottos, too. Price is "smoother", too. Good technique trumps equipment every time. The newer IS systems, seem to work well even when tripod mounted, from my own "trials", and the mouth of Canon tech support. A light tripod might vibrate in the wind, but the IS might compensate. I see no discernible difference, even at pixel peeping enlargement, from my Canon G9.