Ebay update

These are Hoya brand Macro Lenses.  As you can see by the markings, they are plus 1,2,& 4 in strength.  With these lenses I can take very good close up photos that I might not otherwise be able to.  I won these at an ebay auction. The price was .99 (yep, that's ninety nine cents).  Of course the shipping costs pushed the actual price to around $7, but that's still a big difference from the retail value of $55.00.
When I started this blog I had (what I considered to be) one good camera, a Minolta Maxxum 3XI 35mm film camera.  Today, I have seven cameras.  Three are point and shoot view finder models, and four are Single Lens Reflex (SLR) models.  Of the total seven, 5 are Minoltas.  If you've been following this blog at all, you know I'm a big fan of Minolta cameras (even though Sony, the company that bought them out years ago no longer makes Minolta cameras).  You can still find bargains on Ebay.

Now, a word of caution about dealing with Sellers on Ebay.  Before you plunk down your money to buy anything on Ebay, please look at the Seller's rating.  If He / She has a rating of less than 10, proceed with caution.  The reason for this is that a Seller can easily accidentally set up their account incorrectly.  If you win an auction and attempt to pay for the item, but the Seller's account is incorrect, your payment WILL NOT register (especially through Paypal), and (If the Seller complains to Ebay) you will be given a "Non-Payment" strike.  That means that you will have a non payment mark against you, and if you try to buy or sell anything on ebay in the future, the person you're trying to buy from or sell to, will see that you have a strike against you, and they may be unwilling to do business with you.  Generally speaking, Ebay(ers) who've done at least 10 transactions have been around the block enough times to know what they are doing.  Having said all of that, I concede that I personally have purchased from people who have ratings lower than ten.  I've not had a problem, but I wanted you to be aware of what can happen.  Also, you want to pay close attention, to the pictures of the items you're bidding on, especially if that item is coming from another country.  Be sure the item description matches the photo.  I recently bought a tripod from Hong Kong.  I was excited because I had seen the same tripod for sale at Walmart for $58.  I bought it on Ebay for $15, or so I thought.  When the box arrived I eagerly opened it only to find an inferior model that looked similar.  I decided to check the ebay listing again, before sending the Seller a "Nasty-gram".  To my dismay, the tripod I received was exactly what I had bid on.  I remembered seeing a sturdier model, which is what I really wanted, but in the rush of bidding  (I was bidding during the last few minutes of several auctions simultaneously) I bid on the wrong model.  Ebay can be a good place to find bargains if you either don't have a lot of money, or like me, you're just cheap.  Check it out, see for yourself, and drop me a note and tell me how you did in your search for bargains.                                   

Cotton

This is "Cotton".  A Lab and (I forgot what else) mix.  She's about 10 weeks old, very docile around children, yet playful with adults.

 Cotton and Ali playing catch me if you can.

Playing in the grass

 Responding to, "come here girl"

Sitting next to my daughter

Film speeds

Film is film...right?  Wrong.  Depending on what kind of conditions you're shooting under, you want either faster or slower film.  The chart above specifically applies to Fuji brand film, but is a good general guide to use when planning a shoot.  Because I usually use my 300mm zoom lens most of the time, I keep a supply of  800 speed film.  I also have 200 and 400, and occasionally use them, but my personal preference is faster film.  As you can see from the chart above, faster film can be used in any situation.  Slower films have more limitations, and if you use multiple cameras as I do, it can be difficult to remember which camera has which kind of film in it.  I have a Minolta HTSi, a Minolta Maxxum 3000, and a Minolta Maxxum, 300si.  The Htsi always gets the faster film because that's the camera I use the most.  I don't like having to change lenses, so the 300mm zoom stays on that camera.  When it's time to reload, I know the long lens means 800 speed film.

400 speed film is a good all occasion film, but if you're going to be using a telephoto lens, or taking action pictures of any kind such as sports, it sometimes doesn't perform as well.  It will be cheaper than faster film, but if it can't perform as well, how much did you really save?

200 speed film works wonderfully...under specific lighting conditions.  Usually outdoors, or when a flash is used.  It is even less expensive than 400 speed film.  But it comes with limitations that make it a good choice only under the conditions above.

It doesn't matter what kind of film camera you have. (I'm personally partial to Minoltas)    Kodak, Fuji, and even store brand films will usually work quite well as long as you remember to buy film based on the conditions under which you'll be shooting.  Happy Shutter bugging! 

Golf, the thinking Man or Woman's Sport

   Without question, golf is one of the most frustrating, yet satisfying sports I've ever played.  And, while I have to admit, I haven't been to the course yet this season, I'm looking forward to playing at least once a week beginning in June.  These are not my photographs, but my love of the game insists that I include them in the absence of photos of me playing.  I usually play the St. Ann Municipal course in my area.  Most of the course is relatively flat, but it is still challenging, and it will make you use virtually every club in your bag.  Later, I hope to add some pictures of me playing (hopefully not digging my way out of the sand trap).

Marmaduke?  (Tied to a pole in the center of the picture.  Left click on the picture to enlarge it).  This picture was taken in St. Louis's Central West End area, near the Medical Complex of Barnes Hospital, and Washington University Medical Center.  A financially and socially upscale area where an eclectic, cross section of society is the norm.   

Central West End sidewalk

Small flower garden outside a Condominium complex.  Why the Owner chose to plant all the same kind of flowers is a bit puzzling to me.  But I thought this "mini-floral sea" would make a good shot.  All three pictures were taken with a Minolta Maxxum 3XI 35mm film camera.  Using, Fuji 800 ISO film. The lens used was a 35-80mm zoom lens.

Felukke Egypt

Abu-Simbel

Egyptian Pyramid & City

Bin Laden's last hide out

Eiffel Tower

Big Ben

Dunce

Can't truthfully say I took this one, but I wish I had.

More of my Sunday pictures...

This is a homeless lady I met Sunday evening while I was shooting my pictures.  She had a "homeless, please help",  sign as she stood by the street corner.  We spoke briefly and I handed her "coffee money" as we parted company.                                              

This shot of George "the shoe man" Hutchings' trailer was a "must have photo" for me.  Mr. Hutchings collects pairs of used shoes.  He then sells the shoes for 35 cents per pound on the 3rd world market.  The shoes go to people who cannot afford new shoes.  And the 35 cents per pound he collects goes toward building or digging wells in impoverished areas like Haiti and Kenya.                                                                                             

Squirrel

I caught this little guy Sunday afternoon in the Park.  Thanks to the 300mm zoom lens, and his cautious curiosity about me, I was able to get this close up without actually getting too close to scare him away.  

Minolta Htsi 35mm film camera

 These pictures were all taken with the Minolta Htsi 35mm film camera I won on an Ebay auction.  The camera came with a 35-80mm zoom lens and a 70-300mm zoom lens.   These pictures were all taken with the larger lens.  

 This is part of the St. Louis "Earth Day" celebration in Forest Park.  The temperature was a pleasant 70 degrees.  Families came out in droves for the free music concerts.  And of course there were Vendors like the one above. 

 A "poor" couple out for an evening drive in the park.

While I did not see a badge, usually when you see one of these fellows on a horse, riding through the park, you're observing an officer.  The horses make it easier for the police to get to "trouble" spots if someone has had a little too much to drink.
I'm very happy with the camera.  I hope you'll consider trying the Ebay auctions to purchase your equipment too.  Having said that, I hasten to add, the equipment you purchase at this type of auction usually is NOT of professional  quality.  Also, the sellers themselves tend to be novices who don't really know much more about the equipment they're selling than you or I do.  So, if you're looking for weekend hobby purchases at bargain basement prices, Ebay may just be what you're looking for.  If you want Professional Quality equipment, you're probably better off dealing with your local camera professional.  He or She has a vested interested in making sure you're happy with your purchase, and that you tell your friends.  

*Correction;  The pictures above were taken with the Minolta HTsi camera.  But, the camera I recently won was actually a Minolta 300si.  I accidentally put the large zoom lens on the wrong camera.  So, I still have to  try 300si.  I'll post the pictures here too.