Archive for the ‘photography stores’ Category

B&H Insights: a new blog with some useful information

June 5, 2010

B&H Insights Blog

In a perfect world you don’t need a filter. Your lens, even the most basic of kit lenses, comes pre-coated to minimize flare and color aberration. And when not in use, every lens comes with a lens cap that protects the front element of your lens and never ever unknowingly falls off your camera as you stroll down the boulevard. But we don’t live in a perfect world so forget about all of the above. (And by the way, I think you just lost your lens cap)

Unlike film cameras, which are limited to an ever-dwindling choice of Daylight, Tungsten, or B&W film stocks, most all digital cameras can be programmed to a number of (usually) accurate preset color parameters. Custom white balance is a simple, menu-driven chore for most digicams, and there’s no shortage of affordable, easy-to-use white-balancing devices.

And while I’m a big proponent of getting things right the first time, in-camera, it’s still reassuring to know you can tweak your efforts days, weeks, months, or years after the fact in Photoshop, especially if you shoot RAW or better yet, RAW+JPEG. As for color and other ‘creative’ filters, many of these filters can be easily mimicked electronically using any number of digital filter kits we carry at B&H. So the question of the day is, in a digital world, who needs glass filters?The simple answer is … you, me, and everybody else running around with a camera. And the reason we need filters is because most unfiltered images fall short of what they can and should be in terms of clarity, contrast, saturation, and overall detail. But before we get into the details, let’s cover a few of the basics.

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letter reply from Canon CEO & President Mr. Adachi, 5D MK II

February 23, 2010

Your recent letter to Mr. Adachi has been forwarded to my attention for reply. I sincerely appreciate your concerns and would like to apologize for any misunderstanding you may have encountered during your visit at the 2009 Photo Expo.

The EOS 5D MK II is the first and foremost a still image camera, and offers the ability to make high quality video clips. Unfortunately, HDMI output at 1920 X 1080 is not possible as the camera is not capable of handling the massive amounts of data written to the card, and output an HD signal via the HDMI port at the same time. This is why Live View is limited to 640 X 480 resolution.

The firmware update you are referred to in your letter, is intended to be released sometime during the first half of 2010. There was no release scheduled for January. When the update is released, we will see what frame rates the firmware offers.

As for the other features you mentioned as being absent from the EOS 5D MK II, they may be considered for a future product.

I hope this information is helpful to you and once again appreciate your interest in Canon.

Miichael Schimmel
Customer Relations.

This is what happens when one sits down and actually writes a letter  to a company. this is how companies do business via written letters. what with all this tweeting, emails and blogging just communicating the old fashion ways still works.

Posted in canon, Canon cameras, dance photography, Photography, photography stores, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Letter to Canon about my 5D Mll software, feel free to use

January 22, 2010

Canon U.S.A., Inc.
One Canon Plaza
Mr. Yoroku Adachi
President & CEO, Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Lake Success, NY  11042
Ref: Canon 5D Mll software

Dear Mr. Adachi
I am writing to you concerning the perceived lack of support for your 5D M ll camera. At least that’s the way the general photographic community and users I belong to feels about this camera.

When is your R&R department going to issue an update on the firmware or software to bring this camera in line with the rest of your digital cameras video capabilities. I was told at 2009 Photo Expo that this software should be ready this month, January 2010, for download but so far I’ve received no such announcement.

To say I am quite disappointed that none of these missing features have been included for this camera is an understatement.

– Add / Improve: In Full HD (1920×1080) mode, allow these frame rates: 29.97, 25, 23.976 fps
FIX the current 30.00 fps to the standard NTSC 29.97 fps
Improve the video quality in 23.976 and 25 to minimize “jello” effect
– Improve AutoFocus algorithm in Live View mode (contrast detection mode)
– Add Focusing Aids in Video mode, maybe face reconnection?
– Add HD (1280×720) video mode with the above frame rates.
– Improve: Make HDMI output at FULL HD (1920×1080) and CLEAR of any overlay or information when recording and/or when just watching in Live View (if when recording is not possible)
– Add: a split video function to continue recording once the 4GB limit is reached in another video file without stopping the recording process.
-Allow Audio Manual Gain
-oh why limit recording time to 12 minutes?

This lack of support has me wondering why I’ve stayed with this company through my A1 & F1 cameras  right into the digital age, even after your company dumping the FD line of lenses. That was a sizable investment on my part while having to part with my favorite lenses.

So my question is when will your company wake up and take care of it’s customer base?

Sincerely
Mr. Jene Youtt
cc. https://fuzzypictures.wordpress.com

Posted in art, Artist, canon, Photography, photography stores, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

amazon jungle in B&H photo

August 28, 2009

well their at it again or should i say still.

Mary went down for a seminar yesterday and i asked her to pick up a firewire cable. same run around go to the back of the store wait in line, select the item, wait for the salesperson to print up an order form, then you take it across the store, wait in another line, see another clerk who then types the item into his computer, throws away the piece of paper you gave him, you and he wait, hopefully you have something to talk about while your item comes up from the basement, which he then scans into computer and prints out a payment statement.

now does this all seem like a waste of time and resources? it’s my personal opinion that B&H is trying to get rid of it’s ‘in person’ customers and just become the amazon of photography stores. it’s a jungle out there full of pitfalls and quicksand .

i for one have always opted for the personal touch, yes price is somewhat important but so is personal contact. i guess this comes from the artist in me, as i am not so much a photographer which captures something them moves on to the next. what is important to me is to be able to create in my images or have them express the feeling that others,my subjects create.

i work with dancers who’s art is so ethereal, gone in a puff of the moment, yet so beautiful in that moment. it’s hard to define as the perfect moment because so much work goes into it, all the class work, rehearsal, stretching and physical exertion, never mind the sweat and pain to achieve a nanosecond of form.

well i guess all this can be remembered as one stands in line after line waiting to spend your money and get on with your life. i could be reliving the ‘nutcracker’ before i get out of the store. well maybe only the first act.

hey made another store.

now if you’d like to express your opinion on this subject to B&H try here no purchase necessary.

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Posted in abstract dance images, Artist, dance photography, Photography, photography stores, theater productions | Leave a Comment »

Photographic super stores

August 26, 2009

yesterday i had to rearrange my desktop to accommodate my new acquisition a HP 9180 as my epson 1280 finally bit the dust. i do get to take it apart just to see if there is something i can do to fix it, i do so love dye prints. it took all day because of dust needed cleaning from surfaces and rerouting all the HD cables etc. now it’s all ready to go all i need is paper.ugh there comes the rub.

i would have thought nothing of walking down to B&H and picking up a box or two.but their new system has me dreading the thought of going there.

my personal feeling about shopping is smaller is better. i am not a costco type of person. it all started at cambridge camera down in the village, i needed my exacta llb looked at as something was wrong and looked in the yellow pages for camera repair. i saw they specialized in exacta’s and it was within walking distance so i went over. there i met norman

when he took the camera in hand i knew i was in the right place. he told me all about my camera, we had a relationship for years and i bought all my film & developing supplies from him. i then explored the camera district which in those days was located around 17th street. i used a couple of labs on the street and first met B&H before they moved and cambridge camera moved in the old location. something happen between norman and cambridge so he retired but not before we made a trade of my now unfixable exacta to a canon system, i think it was an AE1 but not sure.

i was at a loss where to go and floundered awhile until someone introduced me again to B&H. i found it large but reasonable to get around and i met some wonderful salesmen. i think one of the names was milton who always had a story joke and the time to listen to me. he helped me in so many ways from developing mixtures to camera uses. he grew up on a Graflex camera.

i’ve met other salesmen who would take the time to answer my questions and suggest solutions to my problems. if i wanted something that might not work they would suggest other solutions. that’s not what i find now in some departments, i am shocked that salespeople don’t take the time to know the application one is looking to cover. sometimes as i am waiting for my order to come upstairs i have to bite my tongue before i blurt out an answer. yes i did think i might want to work there but to take a job at this point in my life, no way jose.

now the shopping experience at this super store is getting out of hand. i don’t find the knowledgeable people there anymore. yes a few people are still there and it’s good to see them and say hello. but it seems everyone is looking for something for nothing. i want the cheapest price and i don’t care how you shove me around. or maybe it’s first time buyers who don’t know the difference. i’ve had problems with my canon camera that i’ve asked the canon counter people about who looked at me as if i was crazy. i did get some direction to go across the street to chrysler camera repair for a quick answer. that didn’t come from the counter people.

yes it’s got to be hard to find knowledgeable people to work there. i get overwhelmed at all the lines i might need to be in. so i look for alternatives to the super store. just as my clients come to me for personalized service and creativity i look for the same qualities in my suppliers. i get something more from this kind of service a personal connection.

so this is my quandary: where to start exploring for my photographic needs. i do vote with my pocket book

Posted in canon, dance photography, film cameras, Photography, photography stores, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

B&H Photo new purchasing system

August 21, 2009

boy is this store loosing it. i know they do most of their business on the internet but because of their location i can walk down there in 15 minutes. on a busy day that means i can get away from the studio, computer, to do list for at least an hour. half hour of traveling not thinking about work just observing things on the street. a lovely walk.

yesterday i walked down to pick up some printing paper as we are printing stuff this weekend for another show out in williamsburg brooklyn. simple task i’ve done so many times before.

well now the new system they’ve instituted is, you go to the paper section and have the salesman print up an an 8.5×11 paper which you now have to walk across the store wait in another line to see a clerk who then enters the sku number into computer. this gives you time to chat with the clerk who throws the paper in a waste basket behind him while the item comes up from the basement.

after it arrives it gets scanned into computer then you get a payment slip printed and go down stairs to pay & pickup the item. well the terminal i was at didn’t work and i got tired of waiting and cancelled the order.

i sent them a query on their survey page telling them what i thought about this new system.
1. it wastes electricity
2. it wastes ink
3. it wastes paper (a limited commodity)
4. most importantly it wastes our time.

if you’ve ever had the misfortune to be there on sunday and participated in the B&H zoo dance you know how crazy the place can be. Talking to a salesman friend who says nobody seems to fill out the surveys. i am sure some people do because they have winners every month, no i’ve never won i am sure the numbers are against that. but companies do read these surveys and if enough people said something smart companies react and change their behavior.

i get tired of fighting windmills but hate to see the bad guys win so many matches. i even showed up at a health care ‘single payer option’ rally today. but back to work now.

so you want to make a difference today, write to B&H, using their survey page, asking to go back to the old simpler system.

jene

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Posted in Photography, photography stores, Uncategorized | 14 Comments »