My first journal - Focus on Imaging Show at NEC

I like to start by saying that I never really intended to write journals, but I have found reading others enlightening, funny, mad and entertaining.

Firstly to those on Darrins Photography course, then I need to tell you that we have now got two additional students who have just started posting some of their work, and they need a bit of support.

Liam - Rawlins Thursday - username "beefk" and Nathan "nayimac" please watch them.

I have had a real busy week with a few exciting things.

Firstly I went to the "focus on imaging" exhibition at the NEC, I sure many of you may have also been this year or in the past, but for me it was all new. I have always been interested in photography right from being a child, but the last year has seen meteoric rise in my interest, kit, capability and now with DA, showing my work to the wider world.

The exhibition for me was like being a kid in a candy store, but I made the big mistake of taking my cards, so I ended up coming home with some new toys, and considerably cash poorer.

Firstly I have decided to pension off my old tripod. It was just a cheapy thing, cost me just £19 about 10 years ago so it owes me nothing. Last Sunday whilst I taking photos at Old John at Bradgate Park, I was set up trying to get the tower without all the people below. this meant pointing the camera quite high, and this was achieved (wrongy) by not levelling my tripod. all was going well until I reached to my camera bag for something, as as I did I saw my tripod gradually starting to fall backwards with nearly £1000 worth of kit on it. Fortunately I was quick enough to save it from actually falling but I got a real scare.

Anyway the new tripod a shiny new Manfrotto 190XPROB with a super duper 804RC2 Basic Pan and Tilt head. I did my homework before I went to the show, and felt this would suit my needs down to the ground. £125 the lot, quite a bit cheaper than the high street. Suffice to say that I am as pleased as punch with it. It is so adaptable you can get your camera in every conceivable attitude, including hanging below and its rock steady. So now I am set up with my tripod right!, Wrong! no bag included, the matching bag just a mere £38, twice the cost of my original tripod AND bag. To be fair it is really smart and it is big enough to transport the tripod with the camera fitted, and there have been a few occasions in the past when I wished I could do it, like when it raining!

A new pop up flash diffuser that simply slips into the hot shoe was just £6 but it makes helluva difference to the harshness of the flash, so that was another good buy.

Next on the list was a set of Canon fit Kenko extention tubes. These, for those who do not know, are used between the camera body and your Macro lens, in my case that is the 100mm f/2.8 Macro (sadly not the new IS L version which still sells for over £650, maybe another day). the tubes come in 3 sizes 12mm, 20mm and 36mm, they have no optics so do not change the light path but simple move the macro lens away from the focal plane of the camera allowing greater magnfication, the down size you lose about 1-2 stops of light and depth of focus becomes very narrow, but the latter can be used to good creative effect.

I took some quick test photos of a penny, and gradually added the extention tubes in all permutations, the differnce between no tubes and all tubes is approx 3x additional magnification, will produce some proper shots and post the results.

Another little toy, was a Gorillapod lite, I already have a Gorillapod SLR with ball head compliments of Mum at Christmas. The SLR version is very useful and I got some great shots with my camera mounted on top of doors at Christmas dinners etc.

The light is just that, but gives you very controllable dimmable light when messing about with your gear in the dark. But guess what, last night after class, I was lurking in the undergrowth next to Barrow Bridge, trying to get a decent long exposure shot of the Barrow Football club lights, no torch, no tripod, but half decent photos, but could be better.

One item, I saw, wanted but did not buy was a wireless eyepiece that clips on the back or your camera. Once you set your camera up you can move up to 100' or Metres (not sure now), and you see on the remote control the view thru the viewfinder, it also has buttons allowing you to remotely fire the camera, great for wildlife etc.

When I got home my wife said why did you not get one?, with that I assume I had permission to get it. It was £200 at the show, but when I went online to the same company, it is miracoulsy £356, either I need to negogiate or do without.

I think it is fair to say I had a good day at the Photo show, cannot wait until next year.

Another big thing this week was my visit to Sheffield to see the "Star Wars live in concert", but I'll do this one in another journal.

Well I hope my ramblings have been of some interest, please let me know, as there is no point doing it, if no one is reading and hopefully enjoying it.

Thanks

Clive