It may be hard for some of you viewing this blog to understand how nice it is to see rain, even on a Sunday. This is the first rain of any amount this summer and I was not the only one excited by it. Two photos today, the first one, count the geese, and then there is Mr. coyote.

Hi there –

My name is Leif. I'm Bill & Sandra's nephew. Currently I'm in Iceland,
learning Icelandic, having fun, and taking LOTS of photos with my
Pentax K10D, which I got back in February of this year. Bill invited
me to post here.

Here's a bit of information about what I'm using:

I have the extra battery & grip – this is a must-have if you're
traveling or camping. I just got back from a three-week camping trip
and only had to recharge twice, after taking more than 6GB of photos!
Sometimes I take the battery pack off when I'm doing day-hikes or
walking around downtown in Reykjavík, and the camera is really small
and easy to carry about.

I also use the infrared remote for sensitive tripod shots, like
puffins, sunsets, and fireworks. It´s much quicker and steadier than
using the 12 or 2 second countdown timers, and you can get just the
shots you want exactly when you want them. The remote cunningly fits
into a slot inside the extra battery pack, along with a space for an
extra memory card: feels very Star Trek-ish! The remote is also nice
for close group photos with yourself included! I used the remote just
last night to get this shot of the fireworks to celebrate Reykjavík´s
birthday. (ISO 100, F8.0, 18mm, 8s.) Reykjavík is the capital city of
Iceland, about 150000 people, with some 300000 in the whole country,
give or take 50000 tourists . . . and far more cameras! Icelanders
love technology, and digital cameras are BIG here.

I met an Icelandic (professional) photographer last night at the
fireworks, and we compared shots. Mostly the same, although he´s done
fireworks photography before (I haven´t) so knew more about which
settings and framing devices would serve best. Anyways, he was using a
Canon DSLR (can´t remember which one – sorry!), and Canon is really
popular here. I only ever see Pentax cameras with foreigners. Because
he already had an idea that 1-3 seconds was a good shutter speed for
fireworks, he got more ideal shots than I did. But our best shots were
almost identical. The major difference in our photos last night was in
how they were made, not what they looked like. He had a wire remote –
I had the wireless. His camera was much bigger and heavier, with a
tripod that could hold a ton and weighed just about a ton – I had been
walking around the festival-filled town all day, so my camera without
the battery pack is small, and my tripod is quite lightweight, fitting
nicely in the holding straps of my Lowpro camera bag.

I use a 28-200 Pentax lens from my Pentax MZ-5n film SLR, and the
18-55 lens that Pentax makes specifically for its DSLRs. I was very
tempted to get the 12-24 or something with a wider angle, and I´ve
regretted not doing so several times. Sometimes you just need a wider
angle to bring context to a shot, or simply to get the building,
glacier or mountain entirely into the shot. Some of these things are
not possible with the 18-55. I brought my MZ-5n with me to get some
wider-angle shots with the 18-55, but that camera broke on my first
shot with it here in Iceland. (Good reason to always have more than
one camera if you can . . .) So I´m using the K10D for all my shots,
and missing some wider-angle opportunities. That said, changing lenses
is a hassle, particularly in dusty environments or in the field, and
although Pentax has a great dust-removal system, I still hate to
change lenses in dusty or windy situations. So it is VERY nice to have
the 18-55, since it is very versatile and suits many purposes, and I
never feel restricted when I´m going out in bad weather with it on. I
know I would feel restricted with the 12-24, since I wouldn´t be able
to get the higher zoom shots.

The powerful & versatile zoom on my 28-200 lens is great for wildlife
shots and landscape shots at a distance. This is a shot I got of a
puffin just last week. (ISO100, F5.6, 200mm, 1/90s.) It was on the
edge of a cliff (as puffins usually are) and I too was on the edge of
the cliff, with difficult angles to get around for a line-of-sight, in
a high-wind situation, over the crashing waves of the ocean . . . So
there was no way I was trusting any tripod to keep my camera from
flying off into the northern Atlantic! I barely trusted myself to keep
myself on the cliff! So I was shaking a bit, and using maximum zoom on
a subject that was in the shade. Pentax´s Shake-Reduction feature is
priceless in such situations! I also took some photos of two puffins
together from a greater distance, using my tripod and the remote. Got
some nice shots with the tripod, although from farther away and with
less detail and not as nice lighting. Otherwise there is no real
difference between the shots with and without the tripod, except that
without the SR feature I would never have been able to get a crisp
close shot in that situation.

That´s all for now!
- Leif

If you have been reading my blog for the last year you will know that my favorite camera this year has been the Pentax K10D. It has just won another award, the EISA, this one is for the best European D-SLR of the year. This goes with two other awards one in Japan, the CJPC award and another in Europe, the TIPA award. If you are one of the many people using this camera you will understand why. For me the right camera has to do more than produce a good file to print. How it fits in the hands, as well as how well the controls are thought and laid out to how easy it is to do what you want it to do, is just as important. The right camera for you is the one you want to carry with you to catch that special photo. I take mine home every night and carry it on my back to work each day because I just might see a photo I would like to capture. People caring a camera often comment that they see things they might not other wise notice. Yesterday my K10D was in the bag and not ready when I saw a skunk running across the lawn, I will be ready next time but I really hope I don't see him again. If you haven't checked out the Pentax K10D it may be something to consider and yes I do have stock.

Here's looking at you, fawns are getting big too

One month and four days and the ducks are a little bigger than the last photo posted. These two photos were taken this morning, August has been very busy so far. Bill

Another day in paradise, hot weather is back. This photo is taken with a Pentax 12 to 24 zoom that we have in stock. 6:30 am and the temp. is pushing 20c

Cooler weather is here for awhile and for most of us that is a good thing. For some it doesn't mean an end to swimming lessons. This photo is taken with a Pentax K10D and a Sigma 70 to 300 APO lens. We have lots of cameras and lenses in stock today, maybe too many. It is also a good day to buy a new camera. Bill

As you may know it has been very hot in Grand Forks. On our deck in the shade it is 40c plus every day. Leif, in Iceland, these are for you, Laura's pictures of Gus and Oliver, which may give you a feel for how hot it is.

Time for a new photo or two. These fawns have been in the yard most days.

We see this mother and her ducklings often, but not with good light and when I am ready with a camera. Just another photo opp. that starts with 'while washing the dishes'.

Young bucks, morning light. Another deer photo, there are several young bucks out in the morning kicking up their heels. Their antlers are growing and some of them will be quite large come fall.

We were making changes to our web site that took longer than planed. Its good to have everything working. This weekend I took home a Nikon D40x with a Nikon 70 to 300 VR lens to test. This photo, my nephew Stefan took of one of our many dear. Dpreview.com have posted their review of this camera which is very small and light and with a VR lens very nice to use. Its priced right too. Bill

Bob the beaver is still around he swam by last night, but while I was looking for him the other morning this raccoon ran by. Sandy has a story to tell of going out on the lawn in the middle of the the night to chase away a stray cat but it was no cat, but Bob, when she got within three feet he sort of growled a little. She came to find me and he was gone. This is her story but remember it was in the middle of the night.

While walking to work through the cemetery today, I was surprised by this fawn beside the path. I have started taking my camera home every night for the wild life out the window so it was on my back with a long zoom lens. I was able to take a photograph without getting too close. I didn't see Mother deer but she could not be to far away.

We are back from a short break and there is always many things to do. Here is a photo I thought you just had to see, Looking out the back window, the front of the house faces the river the back of the house the road, I saw my first fawn of the season.

Update, this camera will be here soon and we are taking pre-orders at a cost of 849.00 cnd. www.contactphotoarts.com

Hello All, Bill is on a well deserved vacation so I felt it necessary to make one of my oh-so-scant blog posts.
Sigma Photo, a leader in the making of glass, has announced the introduction of a compact camera. Now, many people do not know that Sigma makes SLR bodies, but the truth is that indeed they have and continue to. They have been quite good too, but for a long time the SD series lacked the appeal of the major markets outside the fashion industry. The new DP1 should change that, as it uses the full 14mp Foveon X3 chip, giving the camera very good overall image quality. Maybe I can convince our favorite camera guru to order one...

Two more bird photos today, panning or moving the camera with the birds is fun because you can never be sure what you have until you view the photos. The action says more than the detail and the surprise one finds in the detail when frozen in time.

Before the sun was up this morning, out of the woods came a group of geese and their goslings. They were different colour and size because of their age. As a group they made their way up the river looking for their breakfast so after a few photos I left them to enjoy the bugs while I finished my bagel. Bob the beaver swam by yesterday but he didn't stop for a photo. Bill

Something I think I relearned this weekend is always have a camera ready. There have been a few photos I have missed because the camera was in the camera bag with the wrong lens. Not this one, we hear pheasants all the time, often see them fly by, but they are very hard to photograph. This was taken through the window as he was running away. Bill

This photo was taken for our ad in this week's Weekender Magazine. For people finding their way to my blog because of that ad, welcome, if its your first time here. The info you may be looking for on photo printing and print fading can be found by going to the bottom of the page and clicking on old posts. For other people the ad I am referring to has very many words and when I am able to link it, it will be here. I need Max's help first. Here is the link Bill

Here is a photo of two customers, Mrs Robertson and her daughter using our photo ordering station. We are very proud of what we have accomplished by building our own software solution so it is easy to order digital photos from your cameras memory card. After years of looking at software solutions from photo companies and being frustrated at what they had to offer, the solution was to build our own. For most photo labs this would not be possible but they wouldn't have someone with the talent of our IT person Max Milaney on staff. The ease of use and features our order station offers can not be easily described, but something I would like to show you if that was possible. The next step for us is to add it to our online photo order web site as option # 3

The first light this time of the year is so nice. This photo is taken with a Pentax 10 to 17 fish eye zoom at 10mm. It is about 180 degrees and has been fixed a Little for distortion. I haven't seen Bob the beaver lately but there are deer in the photo. Bill

Happy Mother's Day Mom. Today was our first family day in the store for the season. I know you don't need a new camera and I'm hoping my sister gives you flowers, so I thought a family photo of us would be nice. Also, you were just the 1001 visitor to my blog. Hope to see you in June. Your son Bill

While filing my photos today I found this one. How many deer do you see in the photo? Clicking on the photo will enlarge it on your screen.

The deer and I were watching for Bob the beaver today, we did catch a glimpse of him swimming by. By watching these deer it should not be to long before we see the first fawns of the Spring. Bill

Here is today's best of Bob, I named him Bob. The river still will come up another meter or so, and this might change Bob's eating habits. The goose just kept flying by until I took his picture, I think he may be jealous of Bob. Bill

Better camera, Pentax K10D, better lens, Sigma 70 to 300 APO, same beaver. Hand held at 1/90 of a sec. Love that in camera stabilization. Bill

It does pay to get up early, one photo today of my friend the beaver and two ducks, and one of just the beaver. I think I should get a better lens and take home a better camera if my friend the beaver and I are going to keep sharing our breakfast time.

Two photos today, one of the beaver across the river that I have been trying to photograph for the last week, and one of the goose that wakes me up early so I can look for the beaver. The photo of the beaver was after the sun went down, I'm looking for a photo of him in the morning. Bill

Panasonic SDR-S10 is here. Video recording will never be the same. For a very long time people have been predicting the end of tape for video recording and this Spring with new products from many companies the end is near. The S10 is small enough to fit in your shirt pocket, has a big screen, 10x zoom, stereo sound and records MPEG2 on a SD card. A camera like this would also easily fit in a camera bag along with an DSLR. With travel there are times good video and sound would be something I would use. Places that come to mind are a Spanish crowded morning coffee shop where you can't talk over the sound of china plate being tossed about or that sound of a French police car on a Paris street. Here is a link to Panasonic.

Mother's day is coming soon and a survey commissioned by Circuit City Stores in the U.S. has discovered what Mothers really would like. You may have guessed, 20 per cent would like a new digital camera, with 16 per cent wanting a new camcorder. And flowers, 16 per cent would enjoy flowers. In the same survey it was discovered the chief family historian 58 per cent of the time is the Mother with Father at 26 per cent and the kids 15 per cent. Looks like this Mother's Day you can't go wrong by giving a new camera and fresh flowers. Candy was only one per cent but at only one per cent I don't think they included chocolate, but there is always Father's Day. Bill

Nikon Coolpix P5000 is a new compact now in stock. I was waiting to see a review before stocking it but I have a soft spot for high quality small cameras with an optical view finder and I couldn't wait any longer. Here are two of the first photos I have taken with it. At first glance there is more noise than I would like to see but it is a small sensor 10mg camera. Second thought it wasn't too long ago I would take this test shot to see if I could see the bricks in the City Hall. I plan on carrying this camera in my pocket for awhile and I will keep you posted. Here is a link to Nikon. Bill

Pentax K10D's now in stock, we have more coming this week with one on the shelf, that is when it is not in my hands. Bill P.S. more of the Panasonic FZ 8 and TZ 3 are coming on Wednesday as well

Here is an ad we are running in the new Boundary Creek Times news paper. We would like everyone to know of our new Crumpler and Lowepro bags. They are not just for cameras but just about everything. If you have never looked at the Crumpler web site here is a link, there is nothing quite like it. Bill

Here is an up-date for my fade test that I began four weeks ago. If you look back in the blog it will explain. The best this test can do is try and show the comparison between two different ways you have to print your digital photos. The Fujifilm thermal photo paper is their dye-sub paper used in their quick print kiosks that are starting to appear mostly in stores other than photo labs. Some photo labs also use dye-sub printers with kiosks for a quick print. The only surprise for me was that there is a slight shift to magenta in the silver halide print which is our glossy paper. I am going to compare our gloss to matte next. The change in the thermal print started on day two and is very significant. If you would like to see the prints I have them in the store. If you do go back and read the earlier post please read the comment posted from a reader as the person makes a good point. Also I would like to read what you think about this topic if you would like to add something. P.S if the photo looks a little odd it was taken with a fish eye lens. Bill

Sigma 135 to 400 APO lens on an old Pentax IST D with no stabilization in the body or lens but a tripod still works fine. This eagle is quite far away and was last week so I am slow posting it. This lens has been discounted by Sigma as it is not their new digital model. This one will also work on a film camera as the len's designed for digital SLR's don't cover the area required to expose a complete 35mm negative.

The Nikon 18 to 200 VR lens is a very nice lens and as you may know very hard to find one to buy. I have one in stock and just had to take it home for a test run. This what I saw when I woke up and as you can see the deer got an earlier start on the day than I did.

Spring is here and also new camera models. With digital cameras there has become a pattern of new models every six months. Yesterday after what seemed a very long wait we received two new Panasonic cameras, the FZ8 and the TZ3. Both are very exciting as is opening a box and selling a camera before putting it on the shelf which happened twice yesterday. Don't worry I have more than one of each. The FZ8 is an update from the 12x zoom FZ7 and is a little better than the top of its class FZ7. It has been reviewed here by dpreview. The TZ3 is very different from the TZ1 with a bigger screen, 10x lens with a nice wide angle for travel, and will fit in a pocket. There has not been a review that I have found at this time. I think this will be our most popular small camera for the next six months or until something better comes along. BIll P.S Checked with my Pentax rep. yesterday and I would like to brag just a little, as I think I have sold more than most of the K10d. As of today I know [14] now 15 happy people enjoying this very fine Pentax SLR.