When digital SLRs came around, I sold my medium format gear. That was back in 2002. I've lost count of how many digital SLRs and mirrorless cameras have come and gone since. This summer I got a wild hair (I really don't know where the urge came from) to look at film cameras again. I ended up getting a Mamiya 645 Pro TL kit off eBay from Jack's Camera in Indiana. I dug out my Sekonic light meter and gave the Mamiya a spin. All the good memories came back: the large viewfinder, taking time to see before clicking the shutter (those frames are precious). When these cameras were new, I could never quite afford Mamiyas, to say nothing of accessories. Now, at used prices, I have an RZ67 Pro II in addition to the 645 and each with several lenses. I am seeing differently again, something I lost in all those years with the smaller digital cameras. I'm quite happy back with 120 film.

Yes, the photographer of that tintype is Victoria Will and the darkroom processing is by Josh Wool. See http://joshwool.tumblr.com/post/75670551256/phillip-seymour-hoffman-park-city-utah-4x5

I see the D800 has a 1.2 crop mode in addition to a DX crop. A 1.2 with your 28 would get you 33.6 mm.

The monument is still closed due to last year's earthquake.

I bought a Fire one weekend when I suddenly needed an electronic photo portfolio device. Given the price, it does a good job but one characteristic about it annoys me: Posterization in images with sections of subtle gradation (such as a seamless studio background) using the supplied Gallery application. Note that in most images you would never see this. Contrast and color saturation are also a bit higher than I would prefer. My Fire serves other uses such as an e-Reader, portable web browser and email device, MP3 player and movie player so I find it quite handy for the money. Just wish it didn't posterize so much on some of my photos. Jeff

I like.

I'm not much for Photoshop plug-ins but Nik's Silver Efex Pro 2 is one I use often and is my sole method for b/w conversions. It comes with a good set of starting profiles that you can then tweak and save as your own. I didn't even read a manual or look at a tutorial to use it. I just started fiddling with the settings.

This reminded me of Material World: A Global Family Portrait, a 1995 photo book showing families the world over in front their abodes with all their possessions displayed about them.

My limit used to $1200 but usually my comfort zone is much lower, with the exception of the D700 that I bought years ago. Thankfully, my current set of Nikon mount lenses suit me well so I often don't hear the siren call of a new lens. A $1500 lens better fit me like a glove and wash my car. A $2000 lens is simply a bridge too far. There are also a few viable alternatives. I don't mind manual focus and consider my Rokinon (Samyang) 85mm 1.4 to be a bargain. I'm so pleased with it that I'm looking at Samyang's 35mm 1.4. Then there is my 'small' Micro Four Thirds camera which can use excellent and usually reasonably priced MFT lenses and all manner of used or inexpensive alternate mount lenses.

Unvarnished info for the want-to-be model: http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/

How I would love to try this lens or its rumored Nikon competition but my bank account will have none of it. Seems like overnight all the great lenses are hovering at the $2000 mark. Guess I'll make do with my Zeiss ZF 35mm f/2 which is quite wonderful.