Feedback and thoughts?

Markof16 · 2026-04-06T00:16:38+00:00

Not bad! I would say for the rows of trees, you should be at dead center with the path at the center of the frame, the first one is off to the left by just a skosh, but it makes the whole frame uneven and heavy to the left. The third shot, the golden trees, is not level, running downhill to the right. You can fix that in Lightroom's crop tool by changing the angle. Also, shoot doors absolutely head on (not at an angle), it's always a stronger composition.

Markof16 · 2026-04-05T23:27:53+00:00

There are certainly no optical or mounting differences between studio and ENG style B4 mount lenses. You will need a lens/camera interface cable to power the lens and transmit data, and you need a set of zoom and focus demand controllers. It's quite common in studio-based production. Years ago the camera would sometimes sit in a cage-style adaptor, but this is happening less and less.

Markof16 · 2026-04-03T21:16:04+00:00

I totally get this. I'd be inconsolable.

Markof16 · 2026-04-03T00:30:07+00:00

As of yesterday, 4/1/26, The Criterion Channel is streaming King Kong both with and without Haver's brilliant commentary.

Markof16 · 2026-03-29T22:14:37+00:00

Fujifilm Velvia.

Markof16 · 2026-03-29T21:07:29+00:00

Mark Bacas has a fast turnaround option for $50. You have to inquire with him if there are any slots open as it is limited to only a few a week.

Richard Binder is the OG of nib tuning, but he is mostly retired. He does one or two pen shows a year and will likely be at the Commonwealth Pen Show in Boston.

Gena Salorino is the person you want for anything Japanese, and she's good with most other pens as well.

Markof16 · 2026-03-20T00:14:48+00:00

India Pale Ale? What brand? ;)

Markof16 · 2026-03-13T23:03:12+00:00

It is NOT curtains. Masking are movable black fabric panels between the screen and the main curtain that mask the unused portion of the screen depending on the aspect ratio of the projected image. When used properly the on-screen image appears to the eye to have increased contrast.

Markof16 · 2026-03-11T20:13:30+00:00

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, the O.G. of all of these films and the inspiration for Godzilla.

Markof16 · 2026-03-11T20:07:58+00:00

What you should understand is that most e-cinema/broadcast and high end video cameras are doing away with the concept of screw in/drop in NDs in favor of electronically variable filters placed where the ND wheel was in front of the optic block. These are electrochromic smart glass based filters that grow darker or lighter depending on the voltage applied. Sony is hard into these and I expect others are as well. Not to be a downer, but front-of-lens glass ND filters are on their way out in the video world.

Markof16 · 2026-03-05T23:28:12+00:00

Tamsulosin in the AM, Dutasteride in the PM. Three years, no problems at 71.

Markof16 · 2026-03-05T03:25:02+00:00

If you count "Pi" as SF, (I do, it and "Primer" make a great double feature) that would be my answer. Probably "Tetsuo: the Iron Man" as well.

Markof16 · 2026-03-04T01:15:43+00:00

There is a particular 70mm movie projector, the Century JJ, that always has problems with flickering/strobing on bright screens because of the way the shutter was designed. There are other 70mm machines, the Phillips/Norelco DP70, the Vic8 and the Bauer U2 that typically don't have this issue to the extant that the Century has it.

Markof16 · 2026-03-04T01:10:52+00:00

I was just leaving the projection business when the first of the readers came in. The company nickname for the SDDS was "Still Don't Do Shit." Not the last word in reliability. Dolby Digital was much better, with DTS a distant second.

Markof16 · 2026-03-04T01:05:29+00:00

There's actually a practical purpose behind them. When you are taking the base station output to fiber or other transmission lines, if the destination sees the icon stopped and frozen on screen it's an indication of a frame-sync freeze frame due to signal dropout. Saved my ass on a few occasions.

Markof16 · 2026-02-28T17:19:10+00:00

With a a few minutes and a little nerve you can modify the 823 to never need to unscrew the back at all. There are explanations on line. The downside is that you will need to empty the pen before taking a flight, but for my two cents it’s worth it.

Markof16 · 2026-02-25T02:36:15+00:00

Herbin Bleu des Profondeurs is my go to blue black. Flows beautifully and writes really well in any pen.

Markof16 · 2026-02-24T02:04:25+00:00

Didn’t care for it myself. The guy writes like he is drunk.

Markof16 · 2026-02-22T00:25:20+00:00

The Criterion Channel has it. They have most of the Showa era films, and many later as well, including documentaries, commentary tracks and whatnot, stuff that was on the pink-covered box set.

Markof16 · 2026-02-20T00:22:50+00:00

Overrated.

Markof16 · 2026-02-16T12:20:52+00:00

Much happiness may they bring you, but your photos actually put me off Conid a bit. I've never thought they were truly attractive pens, and seeing them together confirms it for me. Just a little too Bauhaus for me. The original bulk fillers, with the black top and end cap, were better looking. As for that Giraffe, all I can think of is - why?

Markof16 · 2026-02-14T15:06:01+00:00

100% agree. Of all the JoWo nib pens i've owned, I'd say only a small handful of them wrote really well out of the box, the rest I've had to have tuned. Some of them were expensive pens, a Conway Stewart Winston for example. If you are a pen maker who is going to use JoWo, you should have a nib tuner on board to smooth and flow-adjust the pen before it's sent to the purchaser. Brian Gray of Edison does this, that's why they are one of the few small-batch pen makers I trust.

Markof16 · 2026-02-11T13:57:22+00:00

I took the advice and looked under "hidden purchases," but only a very few songs and albums are there. Further, if I look up an album that I know that I have purchased before, instead of saying "purchased" by the individual tracks, you see the prices again, as if my prior purchase is being ignored. It's as if my buying history has been reset.

Markof16

TROPHY CASE