is red oak firewood always extra smoky

[Martin Eastburn]

The sub-species here dumps twice a year. Never any peace.

Mart> Mart>> I have half a dozen of these beauties (in the winter). However,

[Ed Pawlowski]

We see a lot, but comprehend little. Cameras change the way you see things. Especially once you learns what "depth of field" is and how to control it. That was a big step in my photography.

[Leon]

I took a physics class in college and several of the classes covered "light". Several years before getting my first decent camera, a Canon TX, followed by an AE-1, A-1, EOS 659, EOS 630 and finally the leap to digital, I knew all about hows and whys on the filtering of light and exposure.

I sort'a feel sorry for those that never had manual focus or manual metering.

[Mike Marlow]

I agree. My first decent camera was a fully manual Yashika TL-Electro X. If you wanted to double expose a frame in that camera, you had to actually (try to...) rewind the film after cocking the aperture for the second shot. But - that was an early '70's camera and lacked any of the modern conveniences. You had to learn about taking pictures to get anything more than snapshot quality out of it. That's why we read books by people like Ansel Adams...

[Leon]

The Canon TX, AE-1, and IIRC A-1 had a button on the bottom of the camera to release the advance lever so that it would not advance the film and that release allowed the crank to rewind the film into the canister. The advance lever also set the shutter for the next shot. Double, triple exposure etc was simple.

Today I use Fugi brand cameras with non removable lenses. I really really miss the fast lenses, fast compared to today's standards. DOF really comes into it's own when you have the aperture wide open and your are shooting closer to you vs. focused closer to infinity.

I am however considering going back to a Canon DSLR, probably one of the Rebels. I still have my old EOS 630 and IIRC my old lenses will work on the new EOS DSLR's.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Then you had the fun of the darkroom. I spent more time printing a shot than it took to take it with the camera. Once I went to digital I never turned the lights off again.

[dadiOH]

Ditto. Many/most have no idea what they are doing or how to do it again.

I messed with cameras for more than 50 years, from sub-niniature to 11 x 14. When I retired, I kept three...a Canon A-1 with a few lenses and two Rolleiflexes. The Rolleis aren't very versatile but they were far and away my favorites although they got little use after the early 60s.

Now, I use a Fuji "bridge" camera, spend an inordinate amount of time trying to remember how to access what I want in the menus. Easier in the old days...SAFE (shutter, aperture focus, expose),

[Mike Marlow]

Yes - I sure did. Started at it when I was stationed in Okinawa, and spend many hours in a blacked out bathroom. It was fascinating turning out some really cool pictures - generally somewhat tweaked. Used to have a supply of paper free from a buddy that worked in the photo lab, so I got to play and experiment to my heart's desire.

[Leon]

My current is a Fugi F100FS whick looks a lot like a typical 35mm SLR. Lens goes, 35mm equivalent, 28-400mm optically and will double that digitally. I don't digitally zoom for any other reason than to see something closer, never for actual printing. ;~) Unfortunately its fastest F-Stop is 2.8, not really slow but I had 1.8 years ago and that was significantly faster. and that might explain why most digital cameras don't go below 100 on film speed. I remember when ASA 160 was HOT! LOL I mostly used 64 or 120 and occasionally 25.

And you are right about the menu's. I can never remember how to view a picture and zoom or crop it and save on the camera.

[krw]

I had a Canon FTb when I was in college. I put around 20-36exp rolls of Tri-X and perhaps 10 x 20exp rolls of infrared B&W though it a week. After I graduated, some moron swiped it (and everything else of value in our apartment). I replaced it with a AE-1 that I absolutely hated. Too automatic and too difficult to use manually (no match needle but that was only the obvious loss).

In later years I bought a bunch of very nice black-body FTbs and lenses that cost more than my annual salary, at the time. Of course I generally use my cell phone as a camera now. ;-)

[G. Ross]

My first "real" camera was a Rollei. Using a light meter you set the exposure value and the aperture and speed rings locked together. Loved that feature--if you needed a fast exposure the aperture was automatically right for that speed.

[Electric Comet]

the smoky oak i bought last time i think was red oak but not sure

maybe the prevalence of tannins caused more smoke

[dpb]

More than likely was still green. I know of no oak that won't burn cleanly if dry and in sufficient draft.

[Brewster]

I resemble this!

I have (still) an A-1, Built like a tank, made with RTL (resistor transistor logic), precursor to TTL (transistor-transistor logic).

I "upgraded" to a digital Rebel with the same idea of using my old lenses as a bonus, that doesn't work. If I recall correctly, the old mounts have some doo-wah-jabber that interferes.

I have been buying lenses for my Rebel that are for full frame sensors so I can still use them when I upgrade to a more professional body.

-BR

[Leon]

My old lenses fit my EOS 630, they are EF lenses and should work. Once I finally sold my A-1 the lenses went with it.