Engine Company 12 Temecula

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I shot this in April of 2024. I am just getting around to posting the blog entry and the video. Watch the video as it reviews everything.

Engine Company 12 Temecula

Tag Name Data
Title Engine Company 12 Temecula
Image Description Engine Company 12 Temecula. This is a drum scan of a 6x17 negative.
Keywords 6x17 film, drum scan, engine company 12, film scan, fire station, kodak ektar 100, old town temecula, panorama, temecula
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Chamonix
Camera Model Name Chamonix 57Fs-2
Lens Model Nikkor-SW 90mm f/4.5
Focal Length 90.00mm
Focal Length In 35mm Format 19.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/60 second
Aperture Value 25.00
ISO 100
Date/Time Original Sunday April 07, 2024 02:17pm
City Temecula
State California
Country United States
GPS Altitude 310 meters (1017.1 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.4967576300639
GPS Longitude -117.150588239995
Map Google Map Link

Large Format Photography On Location - 6x17 Chamonix - Old Town Temecula, California E13

**Title**

Large Format Photography On Location - 6x17 Chamonix - Old Town Temecula, California E13

6x17 photography

6x17 Camera

Film photography

Large Format Photography

**Description**

Film photography and large format photography with a Chamonix 6x17 camera.

I head to Old Town Temecula, California where I shoot the Engine Company 12 Fire Station.

**Film Camera Gear**

Nikkor-SW 90mm f/4.5 Lens

Chamonix 57Fs-2 View Camera

Kodak Ektar 100 Color Negative Film

DAYI 6x17 Roll Film Back for 5x7

eTone 6x Focusing Loupe with diopter adjustment

Vello TSR-40 Threaded Shutter Release Cable (15.75")

Sekonic L-758DR DigitalMaster Flash Meter

Manfrotto 3021N Tripod Legs

Manfrotto 3029 Pan Tilt Tripod Head

Let me know if I missed something you are interested in

**Video Gear**

EOS R with Canon Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens

Manfrotto 190CX3 Carbon Fiber Tripod Legs (Black)

Manfrotto MH804 3-Way, Pan-and-Tilt Head with 200LT-PL Quick Release Plate

DJI Mic 2-Person Compact Digital Wireless Microphone System

Shure MOTIV MVL Omnidirectional Lavalier Microphone

**Bags and Cases**

Think Tank Photo Airport Accelerator Backpack for large format gear

Lowepro CompuTrekker Camera Backpack for video gear

**iPhone apps**
Mark II Artist's Viewfinder - https://www.artistsviewfinder.com/

**Computer software and scanner**

Adobe Creative Suite

Epson Scan with Epson Perfection V850 Pro Scanner

**DISCLAIMER**

Not affiliated with any brands. No paid products or sponsors. This video contains no paid endorsements of any kind.

If I wear/show/talk about a brand, I like/own/use that brand in real life and get nothing in return.

I paid two artists to create the logo animation at the beginning of this video.

This was done with my direction and design instructions. It is 100% original.

00:00 - Intro animation

00:07 - Intro

01:08 - Composing

02:50 - Door opens and comments

03:08 - Camera position and leveling

03:49 - Metering

06:18 - Mount roll film back

07:45 - Take the shot

08:13 - On location rap

08:32 - Equipment

09:22 - Processing

7-Eleven Winchester

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This is a 6-foot wide digital watercolor. These are fun to make and print. They look really good up close in person. The 7-Eleven in Winchester is great to shoot. This is a single shot. Not stitched.

7-Eleven Winchester

Tag Name Data
Title 7-Eleven Winchester
Image Description This is a 6-foot wide digital watercolor. These are fun to make and print. They look really good up close in person. The 7-Eleven in Winchester is great to shoot. This is a single shot. Not stitched.
Keywords 6x17, 7-Eleven, Winchester, convenience store, digital watercolor, gas, gas pump, gas station, morning, panorama, store
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Canon
Camera Model Name Canon EOS R5
Lens Model EF16-35mm f/2.8L III USM
Focal Length 16.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/125 second
Aperture Value 5.60
ISO 6400
Date/Time Original Tuesday December 16, 2025 05:19am
City Winchester
State California
Country United States
Location French Valley
GPS Altitude 410 meters (1345.1 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.5975805832694
GPS Longitude -117.117094615002
Map Google Map Link

Coachella Valley Vista Point

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I was driving from Camera West in Rancho Mirage back home and decided to take the scenic way back. When driving from the Palm Springs area back home, I can drive the main freeways back, or take the winding roads over the mountains. I took the winding roads. The shot is an 8-shot stitched panorama. I used my 85 prime, and it is very sharp. The file is gorgeous to look at up close. It always amazes me how much detail is resolved when I use a long lens and stitch several files to build a 6x17 shot.

Coachella Valley Vista Point

Tag Name Data
Title Coachella Valley Vista Point
Image Description From the Coachella Valley Vista Point you get a great view of Palm Desert and the surrounding area. This is an 8-shot stitched panorama. The resulting file is over 24k pixels wide after cropping and gorgeous to look at up close
Keywords 6x17, Coachella Valley Vista Point, desert, mountains, palm desert, stitched panorama, view, vista point
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Canon
Camera Model Name Canon EOS R5
Lens Model RF85mm F2 MACRO IS STM
Focal Length 85.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/500 second
Aperture Value 8.00
ISO 100
Date/Time Original Saturday January 10, 2026 12:45pm
City Palm Desert
State California
Country United States
GPS Altitude 720 meters (2362.2 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.6495150849944
GPS Longitude -116.400724858327
Map Google Map Link

iPhone shot

Books read in 2025

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In 2025 did not read as much as usual. I still finished 16 books. Most were good. Some were not. If you are interested in my reviews on each book, then click the “books” link in the main menu of this website to see my profile on Goodreads.

16 books read in 2025

In-N-Out Burger Hemet

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I have been creating digital watercolor paintings that are 6 feet wide. This particular shot was shot in raw with my iPhone. Shows to go ya that Chase Jarvis was right. The best camera is the one you have with you. The paintings are fun to do. They look really cool up close. I will have to print one large to enjoy.

In-N-Out Burger Hemet - Digital watercolor

Tag Name Data
Title In-N-Out Burger Hemet
Image Description I was eating lunch at In-N-Out Burger and decided to take an iPhone raw shot of the sign. I then created a digital watercolor. Fun to do.
Keywords In-N-Out, In-N-Out Burger, california, digital watercolor, fast food, hemet, hemet california, restaurant, sign, watercolor
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Apple
Camera Model Name iPhone 16 Pro
Lens Model iPhone 16 Pro back triple camera 6.765mm f/1.78
Focal Length 6.80mm
Focal Length In 35mm Format 48.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/4000 second
Aperture Value 1.80
ISO 80
Date/Time Original Wednesday December 10, 2025 10:57am
City Hemet
State California
Country United States
GPS Speed 0.03 kmh (0.02 mph)
GPS Altitude 468.1 meters (1535.8 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.7472083333333
GPS Longitude -117.001983333333
Map Google Map Link

Clayton A Record Jr Viewpoint

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It was a nice day up at the Clayton A Record Jr Viewpoint. I took this with my 85mm. One of the few non-L Canon lenses that I like. I shot 11 images but only used 8 in the final image. It is a shame that this view is only open a few days a week,

Clayton A Record Jr Viewpoint

Tag Name Data
Title Clayton A Record Jr Viewpoint
Image Description It was a nice day up at the Clayton A Record Jr Viewpoint. This is 8 vertical shots.
Keywords 6x17, Clayton A Record Jr Viewpoint, dam, diamond valley lake, lake, mountains, panorama, pump, reflection, stitched panorama
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Canon
Camera Model Name Canon EOS R5
Lens Model RF85mm F2 MACRO IS STM
Focal Length 85.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/125 second
Aperture Value 8.00
ISO 100
Date/Time Original Sunday December 21, 2025 03:39pm
City Hemet
State California
Country United States
GPS Altitude 560 meters (1837.3 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.6829315516167
GPS Longitude -117.066964636667
Map Google Map Link

Linhof Technorama 617S at Harveston Lake

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I shot this at my test location - Harveston Lake in Temecula. I needed to test the film loading and winding of my new-to-me Linhof Technorama 617S. This is a quick and crude scan. Definitely not for publishing. The light was not the greatest and I really don’t like it. Good thing this was just a test.

The test was successful. The Technorama is ready to be deployed. Stay runed for more images from this legendary camera.

Linhof Technorama 617S test shot

Tag Name Data
Title Linhof Technorama 617S
Image Description I shot this at my test location - Harveston Lake in Temecula. I needed to test the film loading and winding of my new-to-me Linhof Technorama 617S
Keywords 6x17 film, harveston lake, kodak portra 160, linhof technorama 617S, morning, panorama, temecula
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Linhof
Camera Model Name Linhof Technorama 617S
Lens Model Schneider 90mm f/5.6 Super-Angulon
Focal Length 90.00mm
Focal Length In 35mm Format 19.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/30 second
Aperture Value 16.00
ISO 160
Date/Time Original Sunday November 23, 2025 08:25am
City Temecula
State California
Country United States
Location Harveston
GPS Altitude 330 meters (1082.7 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.5374266500028
GPS Longitude -117.157116816672
Map Google Map Link

Harveston Lake Park Temecula California

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Harveston Lake is one of my go-to places to shoot and test new gear. It is full of color and people. I recently took some shots with my new RF 15-30. I came to the conclusion that I am going to relegate this lens to just video and stick to my EF 16-35. Too bad, I was hoping for a lighter native wide zoom, but Canon continues to put out lenses with inadequate coverage. Canon would rather force software stretching than build lenses with the correct coverage. They are showing their greed and making me less likely to buy Canon glass.

Here are a few shots from that day.

2025 Ford F-150 in Hemet California

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I took this shot of a 2025 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercrew XLT at a Ford dealership in Hemet, California. I was testing my X-700 to make sure my new 50mm was working well. The photos came out great. I liked this particular shot of the tailgate of one of the trucks on the lot.

2025 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercrew XLT

Tag Name Data
Title 2025 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercrew XLT
Image Description 2025 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercrew XLT at a Ford dealership in Hemet, California
Keywords 35mm film, Ford truck, Ilford FP4 Plus, black and white, black and white film, film scan, ford, minolta, minolta x-700, truck
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Minolta
Camera Model Name Minolta X-700
Lens Model Minolta MD 50mm f/1.7
Focal Length 50.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/250 second
Aperture Value 11.00
ISO 125
Date/Time Original Friday October 31, 2025 02:02pm
City Hemet
State California
Country United States
GPS Altitude 450 meters (1476.4 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.7406003450139
GPS Longitude -117.03093625665
Map Google Map Link

2014 Mac Mini with pfSense

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I have two 2014 Mac Minis running pfSense at home. I run two physical networks, one inside the other for obvious reasons. If you have to ask, then you wouldn’t understand. What is important here is that you can buy these computers for dirt cheap, and with pfSense and a USB NIC, bob’s your uncle. Yes it can be done, and they work great. I am not using virtual machines, pfSense is running on the metal.

2014 Mac Mini with pfSense

Duffy Electric Boats Sales and Rentals

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Last summer, I took my immediate family to Newport Beach, California to Duffy Electric Boats Sales and Rentals. I have wanted to buy a boat more than once, but I always remember the old saying about the two best days in a boat owner’s life. As an alternative, I rent boats whenever I want to go out on a boat. I rent either a speed boat, or a put-put boat if we just want to cruise around. Newport harbor is a fun harbor to put around in and Duffy Electric Boats Sales and Rentals is a great place to rent a boat. The staff was helpful, and courteous. I had a great experience.

The photos were taken with my iPhone in raw mode. I don’t carry a camera when I am out just for fun with the family.

Historic Hemet Theatre

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The Historic Hemet Theatre is a movie theater in Hemet California built in 1921 by William Martin. It is one of the oldest movie theatres in the country.

It took about 10 trips to this location to get this shot done. After choosing the best time of day to shoot, then I had to deal with parked cars on both sides of the street. When I finally arrived on a day where there were no cars in my way I got this shot. The funny thing was, after setting up my 4x5, I forgot my film in the car and had to go back to the car and get it. When I got back, there was a car parked in the spot I needed to shoot from. Luckily, I was able to position my tripod in the correct spot in the street and still not touch the car, or have any part of the car in the frame.

This was shot on Kodak Portra 160 with a 150mm lens and drum scanned. The resulting file is huge as always with a 4x5 film drum scan. I don’t like a few things in the photo, but as always with urban scenes, there are trade-offs, and for me they add to the story of the image.

I also shot this on 35mm Ilford FP4 (black&white film), and digital. The 4x5 is my favorite, but the FP4 shot is a close runner-up. I don’t like the digital shot.

The theater manager had seen me with a camera outside on one of my first scouting trips and asked if they could have a photo, so naturally I agreed. They have no idea how much time went into this including film developing, drum scanning etc. The good news is that I love this and would have done it anyway.

Hopefully the theatre gets restored at some point. If my photos help their social media, then all the better.

Historic Hemet Theatre - 4×5 film version

Tag Name Data
Title Historic Hemet Theatre
Image Description The Historic Hemet Theatre is a movie theater in Hemet California built in 1921 by William Martin. It is one of the oldest movie theatres in the country.
Keywords 4x5 camera, 4x5 film, california, film scan, hemet, hemet california, historic hemet theatre, kodak portra 160, morning
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Toyo-Field
Camera Model Name Toyo-Field 45CF
Lens Model Schneider 150mm f/5.6 Apo-Symmar
Focal Length 150.00mm
Focal Length In 35mm Format 45.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/250 second
Aperture Value 16.00
ISO 160
Date/Time Original Saturday December 06, 2025 10:45am
City Hemet
State California
Country United States
GPS Altitude 480 meters (1574.8 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.7477622416889
GPS Longitude -116.969867274989
Map Google Map Link

Historic Hemet Theatre - 35mm film version

Tag Name Data
Title Historic Hemet Theatre
Image Description The Historic Hemet Theatre is a movie theater in Hemet California built in 1921 by William Martin. It is one of the oldest movie theatres in the country.
Keywords 35mm film, Ilford FP4 Plus, black and white film, california, film scan, hemet, hemet california, historic hemet theatre, marquee sign, morning, movie theater, sign, theater
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Canon
Camera Model Name Canon EOS-3
Lens Model EF24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Focal Length 40.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/320 second
Aperture Value 11.00
ISO 125
Date/Time Original Thursday November 27, 2025 11:42am
City Hemet
State California
Country United States
GPS Altitude 480 meters (1574.8 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.7477622416889
GPS Longitude -116.969867274989
Map Google Map Link
Historic Hemet Theatre

Historic Hemet Theatre - Digital version

Tag Name Data
Title Historic Hemet Theatre
Image Description The Historic Hemet Theatre is a movie theater in Hemet California built in 1921 by William Martin. It is one of the oldest movie theatres in the country.
Keywords california, hemet, hemet california, historic hemet theatre, marquee sign, morning, movie theater, sign, theater
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Canon
Camera Model Name Canon EOS R5
Lens Model EF16-35mm f/2.8L III USM
Focal Length 35.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/250 second
Aperture Value 16.00
ISO 160
Date/Time Original Saturday December 06, 2025 11:09am
City Hemet
State California
Country United States
GPS Altitude 480 meters (1574.8 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.7477622416889
GPS Longitude -116.969867274989
Map Google Map Link

Winchester Mailboxes

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I was driving back from Diamond Valley Lake along Newport Rd. and I saw this cool line of mailboxes along the road. I did a quick U-turn and here is the result. This is an eight shot stitch that will print over 6 feet wide. I used my Nodal Ninja head for a perfect stitch. My 85 prime created a tack sharp image.

Winchester Mailboxes

Tag Name Data
Title Winchester Mailboxes
Image Description I was driving back from Diamond Valley Lake along Newport Rd. and I saw this cool line of mailboxes along the road. I did a quick u-turn and here is the result.
Keywords 6x17, Winchester, country road, mail box, panorama, road, stitched panorama, sunset, telephone poles, tumbleweeds
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Canon
Camera Model Name Canon EOS R5
Lens Model RF85mm F2 MACRO IS STM
Focal Length 85.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/125 second
Aperture Value 11.00
ISO 100
Date/Time Original Sunday December 21, 2025 04:00pm
City Winchester
State California
Country United States
GPS Altitude 450 meters (1476.4 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.6855507399917
GPS Longitude -117.077412635006
Map Google Map Link

White Wall Premium Photo Printing

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I have tried many print labs over the years. White Wall has been my go-to lab for several years now. They produce impeccable work. They will allow me to upload 16 bit tiff files in almost any color space. With my files, they produce color-correct prints every time. They are located in Germany. They ship fast at a very reasonable price. My favorite feature is the “test print” feature where they will ship you a real print at a fraction of the cost with a watermark. This allows me to print several images at a much lower price before I commit to a final print. White Wall photo printing lab is hands-down the best.

Harveston Temecula Sunday Morning Watercolor

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I took this on a Sunday morning when the sun was casting beautiful light through the trees. After looking at the photo, I thought it had the makings of a painting. I spent a few hours converting the photo to a line drawing painted in watercolor.

The final image is about 80 inches wide and can be printed over 6 feet in length. It is cool to look at up close.

Harveston Temecula watercolor digital painting

Closer look

Tag Name Data
Title Harveston Temecula Sunday Morning Watercolor
Image Description I took this on a Sunday morning when the sun was casting beautiful light through the trees. After looking at the photo, I thought it had the makings of a painting. I spent a few hours converting the photo to a line drawing painted in watercolor.
Keywords grass, harveston, houses, morning, sidewalk, temecula, trees, watercolor
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Canon
Camera Model Name Canon EOS R5
Lens Model RF15-30mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM
Focal Length 15.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/160 second
Aperture Value 8.00
ISO 100
Date/Time Original Sunday November 23, 2025 09:06am
City Temecula
State California
Country United States
Location Harveston
GPS Altitude 340 meters (1115.5 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.5378775366694
GPS Longitude -117.155623139997
Map Google Map Link

1966 Ford Mustang in Newport Beach

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I shot this in the summer of 1999. I was in Newport Beach, California and I had just gotten out of the car. As I started walking towards the beach, I shot this photo. Not the greatest shot, but I have always liked it,

1966 Ford Mustang

Tag Name Data
Title 66 Mustang
Image Description I shot this on a sunny day in Newport Beach in 1999. Digital was not available, so I was shooting film back then. This is one of my favorite shots from that time period.
Keywords 1966 Mustang, car, film scan, ford, red
Copyright ©ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Minolta
Camera Model Name Minolta Maxxum 3xi
Lens Model Minolta AF 35-70
Date/Time Original Thursday July 01, 1999 01:00pm
City Newport Beach
State California
Country United States
GPS Altitude 0 meters (0.0 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.6085119832889
GPS Longitude -117.929225250006
Map Google Map Link

Schneider center filter thread sizes

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I recently bought a Schneider Center Filter. Inside the box it came with, was this chart of helpful information regarding Schneider Center Filter thread sizes. Here is a scan of that document. If you are looking for Schneider Center Filter thread sizes, or what center filter was designed for what Schneider lens, this document may help.

Schneider center filter thread sizes

Car Cats

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I was in Hemet this morning, and noticed the way the light was hitting the east side of this abandoned building. The building had a sign on top of the roof that said “Car Cats”. Apparently it used to be a used car dealer.I am a sucker for light and lines. Naturally I had to pull over and take a shot.

This was a used car dealer in Hemet. The morning sun was hitting the east side of the building just right. Shot this with a 15mm lens. I love the 3:1 aspect ratio.

Tag Name Data
Title Car Cats
Image Description This was a used car dealer in Hemet. The morning sun was hitting the east side of the building just right. Shot this with a 15mm lens. I love the 3:1 aspect ratio.
Keywords 6x17, black and white, chain link fence, hemet, house, morning, panorama
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Canon
Camera Model Name Canon EOS R5
Lens Model RF15-30mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM
Focal Length 15.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/400 second
Aperture Value 8.00
ISO 200
Date/Time Original Friday November 07, 2025 07:41am
City Hemet
State California
Country United States
GPS Altitude 460 meters (1509.2 feet) above sea level
GPS Latitude 33.7447667934083
GPS Longitude -117.015142115017
Map Google Map Link

Manfrotto 3021N Tripod

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As noted in my previous post, I am replacing much of the gear that I sold in 2024. This tripod, I found at KEH. It was marked as “Excellent Plus”. I wish KEH took photos of each item. I think they would sell more if they did. I have in fact chosen to buy an item that I found at KEH elsewhere, several times now, because the other seller had photos of the actual item. Nonetheless, I bought this tripod from them. I think their description was accurate. The photo they posted did show an accessory that I didn’t get with the tripod. It was a plastic piece that appeared to hold some sort of tool. It would have been nice to get what was in the photo, but it wasn’t the end of the world. KEH could do so much better if they took high-res photos of the actual item. I will continue to shop there. I will also continue to buy elsewhere when the same item is available with photos of the actual item. It is worth noting that B&H does not post photos either, but the difference is, they will send me photos of the actual item when I request them.

Manfrotto 3021N Tripod from KEH

Tag Name Data
Title Manfrotto 3021N Tripod
Image Description I bought this used from KEH. Was in excellent shape just as they said it was.
Keywords gear, manfrotto, tripod
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Canon
Camera Model Name Canon EOS R
Lens Model EF50mm f/1.2L USM
Focal Length 50.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/100 second
Aperture Value 2.00
ISO 800
Date/Time Original Saturday October 25, 2025 02:40pm

Minolta MD 50mm 1.7 For Sale

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At the end of 2024, I had to sell off almost all of my photography gear. It broke my heart. I was nearly in tears when the owner of a local camera store and his wife were leaving my house with a truckload of my life’s gear acquisitions. I did not have much of a choice. I was out of work. I had major health problems, and I thought I would never shoot again. I held out one digital body and a couple of prime lenses on the off chance that I would need to take a few family photos. It all went. All of my film and digital gear. From my 8x10 down to all my 35mm cameras and all of my support gear.

The good news is that after almost a year of pain, I was able to recover enough to get back to work. The recovery was unexpected. I thought I was doomed. It had gotten worse every day for many months. I had trouble walking without pain. I had to use a cane. Then it slowly started to get better. I worked very hard at just getting out of chairs for several months. I was able to recover enough to get back to work. Thank you Jesus.

As of this blog post I am spending a lot of time searching the net for the gear I need. I don’t really need to replace everything that I sold. I did sell quite a bit of gear that I wasn’t using. For now, I am just looking for the gear I need to get out shooting again. If there is a good side to this, it is that I am making better decisions on what to buy. I am doing my best to avoid the buying mistakes I made in the past. In some cases, I am replacing what I had with gear that I really wanted and should have held out for the first time. I continue to exercise every day to help me gain enough strength just to pick up my camera bags. I plan to get out shooting soon. I also have plans to restart my YouTube channel. God willing.

The lens you see here is the lens I used in high school. Not the exact lens, but the same model. I owned a new one back in 1984, and this lens is near perfect. It was a good find.

The lens I used in high school 1984-85

Tag Name Data
Title Minolta MD 50mm 1.7
Image Description This was the lens that I used in high school circa 1985. It was brand new back then. While this is not the exact lens, It is in near perfect condition.
Keywords 50mm, black and white, camera lens, lens, minolta, nifty fifty
Copyright Copyright ExpertPhoto.com All Rights Reserved
Artist ExpertPhoto.com
Make Canon
Camera Model Name Canon EOS R
Lens Model EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Focal Length 100.00mm
Shutter Speed Value 1/100 second
Aperture Value 2.80
ISO 4000
Date/Time Original Saturday October 25, 2025 03:43pm