Happy New Year AND a giveaway!

[Charles Hess]

Hello and Happy New Year from a once-active member here at PR. It's nice to see the forums still very active and with new and veteran members participating.

Me, I've slowed considerably, still with nagging physical problems, but managing to get out on the streets with my trusty Contax G2, a 1954 Rolleiflex 3.5F TLR, and occasionally, my D700, a great DSLR that I use for some paid work and for my workplace.

To the Nikon users here, I have a new, never used, Nikon DK-21M Magnifying eyepiece. It's a 1.2x magnification and helps with wide angle lens viewing on the smaller DLSR viewfinders. It fits the D40, 40x, 80, 90, and the D200 & D300. When I used a Leica M6, I had a 1.25x magnifier on the camera and loved it. Anyway, it's FREE for anyone who wants it. Email me via the PR network here, and I'll respond asap. Thanks!!! Take care, everyone.

Hi Liz. :-)

Charles

[Liz]

Hello and Happy New Year from a once-active member here at PR. It's nice to see the forums still very active and with new and veteran members participating.

Me, I've slowed considerably, still with nagging physical problems, but managing to get out on the streets with my trusty Contax G2, a 1954 Rolleiflex 3.5F TLR, and occasionally, my D700, a great DSLR that I use for some paid work and for my workplace.

To the Nikon users here, I have a new, never used, Nikon DK-21M Magnifying eyepiece. It's a 1.2x magnification and helps with wide angle lens viewing on the smaller DLSR viewfinders. It fits the D40, 40x, 80, 90, and the D200 & D300. When I used a Leica M6, I had a 1.25x magnifier on the camera and loved it. Anyway, it's FREE for anyone who wants it. Email me via the PR network here, and I'll respond asap. Thanks!!! Take care, everyone.

Hi Liz. :-)

Charles

Hey there Charles! It's great to see you posting - we miss you when you're not around. I'm glad you're still out there "on the streets" doing some shooting. I hope you will post some of your photos.

How's your job coming along? I know you had a lot of walking and/or standing previously, but if I remember correctly that got a bit resolved. At any rate, I'm sorry you still have some physical problems that slow you down. I can relate somewhat. I have back and neck problems that don't seem to get better - and I can't carry around heavy equipment anymore. However, I still have my XTi with 2 primes - the 50mm/f1.4 and 28mm/f1.8 which are great, but I had to sell my heavier "L" lenses which was difficult to do. They sat on the shelf for about a year before I could admit I wasn't going to use them.

I also have the G9 and the Panasonic LX3 which is a great little camera with a fast 2.0 - 24mm wide Leica lens. It also has a "dynamic b&w" setting which allows you to shoot while viewing the image and shoot in b&w mode without resorting to post process conversion. It does better with b&w images than any digital I've seen (personal opinion).

The Panasonic G1 looks pretty good, and I'd love to someday have a smaller camera with DSLR image quality. However, I'm waiting for the competition to start manufacturing some Canon and/or Nikon four-thirds cameras. I think this might be the year. Then I can resort to one (light weight) camera with (light weight) lenses and get the "L" quality images! Maybe!

I hope to see you around more with some of your awesome photos.

I will say a prayer that you will be blessed with good health and have a happy new year of 2009.

Liz

[Charles Hess]

Hi Liz...wonderful to hear from you. I've read great things about the LX3, and I guess you are learning that you don't need all that heavy gear to produce some nice photos.

Work is fine, getting to do a lot of shooting at press events, brochures, etc. The Clinton/Obama PA Primary debate was in my workplace back in April, and we are getting ready to welcome Bill Clinton on board as our new Chairman of the Board, taking over for George H.W. Bush!

I'll get some photos ready and will post some in the near future...still shooting a lot of film and a lot of b&w. :-) Take care.
Charles

[adina]

HEY!!!

Good to hear you are still shooting!

Your job always sounds so cool.

[Charles Hess]

Hi Adina...still waiting to roll out the red carpet for your trip to Philly! :-)

[adina]

It's so on my list!!! We have family that moved out to Maryland, when we head out that way, we are pit stopping in Philly. They are hoping for this summer.....

[Frog]

Glad to hear you're still shooting, Charles.
I know I like everything in your gallery.

[Speed]

And Happy New Year to you too!!!

Glad to hear you are still actively taking photo's. Please post some of it when you get the chance. Your photo's are so inspirational.

Take care and I hope to see more of you here on PR!

[Charles Hess]

Thanks, guys. I'm really going to try to hang around here more this year! It's good to see so many great people still here.