So, here we are... Or better yet, here I am. I'm BJ, or at least on here, Beej.

 

Feel free to have a look around. Leave a comment if you'd like. Feedback, good or bad is always appreciated. Most of the photos here are from the last few years. Mostly all of them would be from my Canon 5D MKii. Some older ones (and recently due to a wet 5D KMii - sent out for repairs - some new ones) are from my Digital Rebel.

 

I have been doing photography since I was in high school, on and off over the years. Some years more on, some more off. Back in the film days... Started with B&W in school of course and did darkroom work then too (nothing beats that feeling of seeing your prints come alive in a darkroom!). Saved my money, and bought myself a Russian Zenit 35mm camera at Woolco (still have it!). I had a Bell & Howel 110 diving camera too, but the Zenit was my "Good" camera. Yes, I still have that one too... Old yellow 110 film dive camera... Both it and the Zenit are non functional, but they are a gas to have around still.

 

Later after going a few years without doing much with a camera, I got the bug again. Living up north and making good money, I bought myself a Minolta Maxxum 8000i. At that time, it was a pretty serious camera. I think it came with a 28-85mm zoom. I picked up a 70-210mm next (twice actually - a cheap Sigma then later the Beercan Minolta lens). Then I picked up some used primes, a 50mm and a 135mm I think. Next I picked a 500mm AF mirror lens (catadioptric/reflex). Very cool lens to say the least. Had a pair of flashes, off camera cables and some umbrellas. Shot slides, shot print film, B&W once in a while and loved it all.

 

Loved to shoot very slow fine grain film (tripod...), 25 ISO/ASA. Always had a roll of 400 or 1000 in the bag for those special needs sitting next to a few rolls of 100 or 200 for everyday needs. My bag had those foam film canister holders, where you put the end flap off the film box in a clear pouch so you knew what film was what in your bag. Right under that was the pouch that had all of your filters... Coloured filters, starburst effects, special focus and other effects too. Still have all that gear...

 

Bought a full darkroom setup, colour and B&W. It was fun, but never could keep it setup full time. Never had the dedicated space, or worse, the time to always set it up and tear it down. Yes, you guessed it, I still have all that gear these days. Maybe one day.

 

Then digital came along. Computers, not cameras. Now I can preserve all my images. Scan all my photos and save them forever. That was the plan at least... Bought a scanner and a PC - a small fortune. The scanner came with a cool program called Photoshop, like it was meant to be! No, sorry to disappoint, but the PC is gone. Couldn't keep that... The 1.2 gig drive filled up ages ago. Oh yes, still have that $1,000.00 scanner though!

 

Now they have digital cameras. They are not very good though. Low resolution and not so great quality. Lots of fun, but Digital will NEVER replace a film camera. I mean come on, the prints don't compare to film at all. Still fun, especially if you have a photo printer at home. Was given a free digital camera. Free, it worked, and didn't work, thus free. Sort of got it to work, but it ate batteries like crazy. Digital will NEVER replace film. Picked up a slide scanner to go along with the scanner. Still have to scan all the photos, and the slides now as well.... One day.

 

Digital cameras are getting better. Bought a Sony CD Mavica. Waited a while to actually buy a digital camera, but this one is 2 megapixel and can make decent 8X10 prints so it's time to go digital. Another small fortune. Seriously, a small fortune, but hey, it's 2 megapixel and I doubt that they will ever go bigger than that! Too slow on the shutter, lots of delay. Not very good for any kind of action. Digital will NEVER replace film, but it is still fun.

 

A few years go by and I am still shooting film, for anything more serious at least; but sure do like the instant gratification of the digital. Not only do you not have to wait for the prints to come back, but it sure helps when you aren't sure if the results will be as expected. This digital does have some perks, but it will NEVER replace film. Seriously.

 

Minolta came out with a digital body, can't remember the specs, but I was fresh out of small fortunes. Nikon and Kodak had better stuff, and I'm sure others did too, but

I was a Minolta guy and not a working pro. Digital will never replace film, certainly not for the everyday enthusiast. Maybe some pros will money to burn will fool around with it, but it will never replace film.

 

Over the years I was given some Canon film gear when my father passed away. I won a nice Nikon camera kit (film) at a camera workshop event. Still a Minolta guy though, and digital will still never replace film.

 

Now my wife and I are expecting our first child. Canon has just introduced the Digital REBEL. Minolta has nothing to compare against. Not sure what Nikon had, but I had more Canon gear than Nikon. So, with a baby on the way, time to part with yet again another small fortune (albeit less than that Mavica...). Wow! Six megapixels! Lots of megapixel now, but no real features on the body, and not a super great quality kit lens. Digital full time pretty much now. I still have film, at least four film bodies and they haven't been replaced by this digital body yet. The features are not strong enough to replace film, not this body at least. There are some nice features though. Run out of light? No problem, change your ISO mid roll, opps, I mean mid card or shoot. There might be some benefits to digital after all.... Slide film, tungsten film, colour print and B&W film....

 

Ok, so the Digital Rebel is getting older. It's too small in my hands as well, I am a big guy. Time to upgrade, again. One more small fortune. Not a Minolta guy anymore, serious Canon guy now. This time I'll go big, go serious and not have to do it again. Not right away at least. Canon 5D MKii. 21 megapixels. Now this is a camera. I have had that for almost three years now I think. Added more gear. Good lenses, good flashes, good studio strobe gear... I still have my film.

 

The last few years I have been making a stronger move to hone my skills and step out and try different things outside my comfort zone as well. I work full time, have two beautiful kids and my wife, so time is tight. Glad I don't have to wait for my prints to come back from the lab, time is tight.

 

Digital is good, I think I might stick with it for a bit and see what happens. Maybe digital will replace film. One day. I still have my film though, and all of my older gear...

 

Beej