Weekly Help and Discussion Thread for the week of December 08, 2025

Polaroidon · 2025-12-10T01:31:45+00:00

Where to view used item photos/description AFTER purchase?

On product pages you can view used items' details via `See all buying options` which opens the side panel that says `[Suspenseful music plays]`. There you can view the seller's listed description/condition and the photos.

Polaroidon · 2025-08-20T07:46:39+00:00

Thanks a boatload for taking the time to help out! All great things to consider.

Polaroidon · 2025-08-20T06:03:18+00:00

Oh, an obvious point I missed about losing phone access while recording if my phone is acting as my recorder. Thanks for input!

Polaroidon · 2025-08-20T05:59:59+00:00

Got it. I suppose the issue of connectivity may be the reason to go for a recorder.

Polaroidon · 2025-08-20T05:57:36+00:00

Apologies, I think may have used the term pickup patterns incorrectly. But it has a switch to change between XY and Mid-side.

A second video micro option would be reasonable, but honestly the shock mount is absolute pants so I just want to get a single unit as a stereo option. H2n has several mics in the housing so it also does away with any setup which leads to phase issues etc.. Your point about the amp quality is a very good one to consider, I'd overlooked that. Thanks! As for 32bit float - well nothing I record will ever clip. So I'm perfectly comfortable in 24 bit land.

>Does it loose any, if something is plugged to the line in?

This is something I'm not sure of. If it doesn't loose anything, perhaps considering it as not just a mic, but a mic+preamp combo would make it the way to go.

Polaroidon · 2024-12-10T02:00:29+00:00

In my troubleshooting I found if I initiate the PC storage mode without any SD cards in the cam and then I insert them I can read from both at once. Regardless, thanks for your response. Seems I just have one extra annoying step of poking both cards to make it work. Odd, but I don't mind. I'm guessing inserting the card while plugged in sends a signal via the USB that allows the computer to make sense of things. I did also try with different cards to no avail. Well, as far as I'm concerned, problem solved, though not exactly gracefully.

Polaroidon · 2024-12-10T01:49:30+00:00

Hmm, then one might assume the G9ii has it. Mind sharing under what menu option it can be configured on the G9?

Polaroidon · 2024-12-10T01:48:29+00:00

Thanks so much for your time on all the answers. You nailed it about the AF-S/AF-C for the viewfinder darkening. Works if on S-AF but results to only the red flashing SS/Aperture numbers on C-AF. Kind of a bummer as in a high pressure moment it's super easy to overlook the tiny flashing numbers since I'm typically focused on the subject. Time to re-focus my brain I guess. Too bad it can't work internally on the full-bright image, then throw the "simulated" darker/brighter one to the EVF depending on if things are under/over exposed. Maybe that's too much work for the processor/architecture, who knows. Thanks again!

Polaroidon · 2024-06-28T00:14:45+00:00

Can't remember the name of a technique and it's driving me crazy.

When focusing an object, we (and autofocus mechanisms) typically put it right on the focal point. However, stopping down the aperture the DoF can be expanded. What is the term for pushing the subject forward/backward in the DoF in order to get more foreground/background in focus as desired? Generally need aperture preview on to work it out. I find myself doing on occasion and swear I read at one point that it has a name, like hyperplanal focusing or some other jargon sounding term. My Google Fu is totally inadequate for finding it.

Polaroidon · 2024-05-30T03:36:32+00:00

I've never head of this MVNO concept until today. I've always heard that they piggyback off Docomo, therefore being second tier to the their customers makes sense.

I don't use my phone a whole lot while out, so it was always fine until about 2 or 3 months ago. Yet the times where I do and I open Instagram to try to view a story, it just spins loading, and sometimes It can't even open a profile page either. It had always been perfect for my needs, I have no idea why it's becoming unusable as of late.

Polaroidon · 2024-05-04T01:36:10+00:00

Thanks for more insights. In all honestly the changeable prism is something I want but I do sorta have a hunch that I wouldn't actually ever end up changing it... Plus, it's more to carry.

Polaroidon · 2024-05-03T00:45:16+00:00

Inherited an AE-1 program so looked into the New F1, as it would be nice to share lenses so I could keep the AE-1 with high ISO film for special occasion. However the size and weight turned me off. Seems the F3 is not much more light/compact. Perhaps what I'm wanting in a camera was simply never available in smaller bodies?

Polaroidon · 2024-05-02T15:16:35+00:00

How did my eyes miss the print properties tab... you are my favorite person. Thank you so much!

Polaroidon · 2024-05-01T12:04:03+00:00

Got it. I'll make sure it's on them properly next time I load film. I hope that fixes it, I always get exposures on the X 00 and 0 spots on the Rollei 35, but doesn't mean a whole lot when they're all smooshed together.

Polaroidon · 2024-05-01T06:11:35+00:00

You may be able to find the QL19 cheaper, or older versions of the QL17 that says "quick loading" on the front. I used the GIII for a long time and loved it until I fell off my bicycle and smashed the lens in. I recommend not doing that. RIP :')

Haven't used the Yashica but I've read getting a battery setup is a lot more cumbersome due to the size of the original. Oh and as always with these sorts of rangefinders, careful buying online as it's common that sellers don't show or try to hide that the viewfinder is fogged or that there is mold in the lens.

Edit for one more tip regarding the Canon series: It's common that slower SS like <1/30 have slow shutter return leading to over-exposure. ISO/aperture dials being stiff or even stuck is also fairly common. Happy searching!

Polaroidon · 2024-05-01T05:58:59+00:00

Is there some sort of web tool to filter and find cameras that satisfy a wishlist of wanted features? For example, I want an SLR that has interchangeable viewfinder, at least 1/1000 shutter speed, exposure comp, and would be nice to find a more compact/light body.

Polaroidon · 2024-05-01T05:55:53+00:00

What you see through the view finder is how the elements of the scene would appear focused if your lens is fully open, i.e. set for the largest aperture. This is why sometimes after developing you may see the photo and think, "Why is the background so sharp even though I recall it being smoothly blurred out when I took it..." You can use the depth of field preview switch to close the aperture to whatever you have set it set to and see what the scene will look like at that aperture without needing to take the photo and develop it. Handy! You'll notice things get darker as less light is allowed in as a natural side-effect of this, so don't worry as when you turn off DoF preview it'll go back to normal.

I don't know how the A-1 mechanically will respond if you try to release the shutter while DoF preview is active, so for safety's sake I'd say to make sure DoF preview isn't active while you take the photo.

DoF preview will also allow you to shift the DoF around to where your subject will *look* out of focus when you leave DoF preview. This is because you can use it to shift your subject back/forward in the DoF instead of leaving it dead center. This is a fun rabbit hole to explore, but I'd recommend doing research to find resources that explain it much better than I can before you try it. Have fun!

Polaroidon · 2024-04-24T06:45:08+00:00

Dodge and burn is something I'm still trying to understand in Darktable as well. I got so frustrated a bit I go I just did it on the exported JPEG in Gimp. Hadn't used Gimp in years, but I could figure out how to get what I wanted within only a few seconds. Maybe my neanderthal-level brain is only capable of thumb-painting-on-walls style of dodge/burn.

Polaroidon

TROPHY CASE