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Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection)
Taken in Buffalo, NY. I'm assuming this is the first P-40D built, but am not entirely sure.
This is one of those old Aeroplane Photo Supply prints... the small jobs that were so popular among collectors and enthusiasts during most of the latter half of the 20th Century. APS prints are still fairly common these days, as are those done by other similar outfits. But photos of the P-40D, in general, are pretty scarce... presumably because only 22 were built. So finding this print on epay for a low Buy it Now price was a super-groovy score...
For more images of the P-40 and other Curtiss aircraft, please check out the Curtiss Wright Aircraft group.
For more images of USAAF aircraft, please check out the USAAF group.
Fade to Black...
The Nikon FA is the most sophisticated member of the FM/FE series of medium compact Nikon semi-pro 35mm cameras. It was released slightly after the FE2 came to the market. It is similar to the FE/FM series in that it is built on the same chassis and is approximately the same size and weight. However, while the FE2 was an incremental improvement over the FE with a traditional Nikon design, the FA was a test bed for two major new technologies: (1) multi-segment exposure metering (called Automatic Multi-Pattern ("AMP") in the FA, but Matrix Metering on later bodies); and (2) multiple exposure modes including Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, and Program (High and Low), known as "PASM"). The FA was developed to take advantage of the new AiS series of manual focus Nikkor lenses that supported linear aperture control and more communication with the camera body. The FA is the only Nikon camera body ever made that can support both multi-segment exposure metering and all four PASM exposure modes with manual focus Ai or better Nikkor lenses. While the Nikon F4 and F6, as well as some Nikon digital SLRs, can support multi-pattern metering with Ai or better lenses, they don't support full PASM but only Manual and Aperture Priority modes. As such, the FA offers more functionality with Ai or better lenses than any camera ever made by Nikon. The FA was in production from 1983 to 1987, after which Nikon replaced both the FE2 and FA with the N8008 (F801) and the advent of auto focus and built-in automatic film winders. Thus, the FA is important even today as both a historical landmark for Nikon, and also as an excellent choice for users of manual focus lenses when shooting film.
The FA was available in silver chrome and black. Although the chassis of the FA is metal like the rest of the FM/FE series, the top and bottom covers are made out of composite material. I have the silver version. On superficial inspection, the top and bottom covers almost appear to be metal and look very nice. However, if you look very closely and tap the covers, you can tell that they are not metal. Although it is somewhat disconcerting to hold a non-metallic body for the first time after having used all-metal bodies for so long in prior generations, as a practical matter, you can hardly tell the difference. Anyway, today virtually all cameras are covered in some type of composite material, so from a modern standpoint, the FA's cover material seems completely normal. My FA has been to the shop a few times for regular maintenance, but it has thankfully never experienced any breakdowns. I have heard that early samples of the FA had problems with electrical interference affecting exposure accuracy. However, Nikon quickly fixed this problem on future production and also repaired defective early models under warranty. Naturally, the sophisticated functionality of the FA requires more electronic circuitry that its predecessors in the FM/FE series. Since new replacement electronic components are no longer available, should a critical part break down, your repair tech may need to cannibalize another FA sample, or else the FA might become a paperweight.
Just like the cameras of the related FE/FM series, the FA uses either a 3V lithium battery, two 1.55V silver oxide batteries, or two 1.5V alkalines. Quite standard for Nikon bodies of the that era. I usually prefer to just go with a single 3V lithium to enjoy the long shelf life, but of course the other two types work fine too. Even though the small batteries control both the light meter and electronic shutter (but obviously not film advance or any autofocus), they still seem to last forever. On the FA, like the FE2, the only way to check the batteries is to pull out the wind lever to turn on the camera and look through the viewfinder to see if the LCD display is activated.
The FA is built with a copper-aluminum-silicon (copper-silumin) alloy body, the same as the the other members of the FM/FA series, even though the top and bottom covers are composite material. I find the size and weight of the FA to be excellent, especially with wide-angle through medium telephoto Nikkor manual focus prime lenses. The body size is not too big or too small. Its size is large enough to hold securely, but still smaller than full size professional bodies like the F2AS or F3HP. It is not as small as the (mechanical) Contax S2, Pentax MX, or even the Olympus OM-3, which are considered small compact bodies and sometimes feel a bit too small to get a good grip. The FA is available with a small removable grip that screws onto the front right of the body. The grip is just the right size to catch your third and fourth fingers and makes it easy to grab the camera securely. The FA weighs in at only 625g, without lens, slightly more than the FE2's 550g, but still less than the F3HP's 715g and certainly less than later all-automatic film and digital SLRs. When holding the camera, it is easy to imagine that Nikon chose to use composite material for the top and bottom covers to keep the weight down to as close to the FE2 as possible. Of course the weight of the batteries is insignificant, compared with the multiple AA batteries or other larger batteries in future electronic bodies. You can still hang the FA with a small lens around your neck or shoulder for extended periods, but the increase in weight over the FE2 is noticeable. The FE2 fits great into a dedicated case, or a spongy snug-fit case, or a small camera bag with a few lenses. Like the other members of the related FM/FE series, the FA is an excellent size for travel use.
The FA, with its slightly increased heft, does not feel as insubstantial as the FM/FE when held without a lens attached. However, even when a lens is attached in the wide-angle to medium telephoto size range, especially those AiS Nikkor manual focus primes, the lens/camera combination still has excellent balance, with a very reasonable size and weight. Even with the composite top and bottom covers, the FA has a highly luxurious and precision feel and sound when held in your hands and used, although the sound is definitely not as pleasing as that of the FM2n or even the FE/FE2. In addition to the sound of the electronic shutter and mirror movement, there is also a mechanical sound that I guess may be attributable to the mechanism required to communicate between the camera and lenses for the PASM exposure modes. I most often use AiS primes from 20/2.8 to 200/4 and the system is wonderful to operate with all of those lenses. However, once you start getting into bigger and heavier lenses such as, for example, the 80-200/2.8, the camera feels a bit too light and out of balance. Also, on fatter lenses, you may need to use a rubber tripod filler ring to keep the lens rings from touching the tripod head.
Operation of the FA is really smooth. The shutter speed ring is large and has an easy to turn knurled grip, although it is not quite as tall as that on the FM2n. However, the shutter speed dial, shutter release button and exposure mode switch sit on top of a slightly raised platform that makes it a bit easier to reach those controls. The shutter speed dial on the FA, like the FE2, offers noticeably more resistance than the dial on the FE due to the more robust click stops on the FA. But still, it is easy to grab the shutter speed dial with your thumb and forefinger when the film advance lever is pulled out to turn on the camera. There is no "Auto" position on the FA's shutter speed dial. Since the FA supports all four PASM exposure modes, there is a separate switch attached to the spindle of the shutter speed dial to pick your mode. For safety purposes, a release button is still needed to turn the shutter speed dial onto M250 and B. However, on the FA, the release button is on the back of the camera just below the dial instead of in the middle of the dial itself like the FE/FE2. Actually, this position is not as convenient as the release button on the FE/FE2 because you need to use two hands to adjust the FA, whereas you can use the release button with only one hand on the FE/FE2. Like all Nikons, the film advance lever motion is amazingly smooth, although the lever is single-stroke only, unlike the levers on the F, F2 and F3. But the stroke is not very big, so a quick easy stroke quickly winds to the next frame. ASA/ISO setting is set by a ring that surrounds the rewind lever. You lift and turn the ring to set the ISO. The exposure compensation setting is located on the same ring as the ASA/ISO setting, and has a range from -2 to +2 EV in one-third stop increments, just like the FE2. Shutter speed and ISO markings are clear and easy to read. The ISO range of the FA (and also the FE/FE2) is 12 - 4000, wide enough to handle virtually all situations, though slightly narrower than the FM2n, which reaches up to 6400. The small multiple-exposure lever is still located under the film advance lever, out of the way but easy to turn when you need it. The shutter release button is located at just the right location near the front of the body. It takes a standard mechanical cable release. The shutter release button on the FA (and FE2/FM2n) is a more modern, wider design compared with the relatively narrower release on the FE. The shutter release button on the older FE seems to have a slightly shorter travel than the FE2 and FM2n, and therefore feels slightly more instantaneous. The shutter release on the FA is kind of the opposite, and you need to push it part way down to activate the exposure meter, then further down to release the shutter. (The throw of the shutter release is even further when using the mechanical shutter speed M250). I ultimately purchased a soft shutter release button to screw into the cable release socket on the shutter release button and improve the perceived responsiveness of the shutter release action. The film counter is just in front of release crank and is easy to read.
One of the biggest advantages of the Nikon film SLR lens mount (the "F mount") is that it is the only SLR camera mount that has stayed virtually the same from the time of the first Nikon F and Nikkormat FS/FT through to the most current small and full frame Nikon digital SLRs. Except for the requirement that relatively newer Nikon film SLRs require Ai or Ai-converted lenses, all manual focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on autofocus bodies, and most full-frame auto-focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on all old manual focus bodies. I don't know of any other manufacturer that can make such a claim. Thus, it is convenient to use the FA together with a modern Nikon autofocus film or digital SLR because you can often use the same lenses on both bodies (except for the newest G-type lenses). By the way, you can find lots of used manual focus Nikkor lenses. But if you want to buy your manual focus lenses new, Nikon still manufactures some of their most popular Ai-S manual focus lenses, or you can select the new Carl Zeiss manual focus prime lenses in Nikon F mount.
The FE and FM were the last bodies in that line to directly accept unmodified pre-Ai lenses because they included a retractable meter coupling lever. Of course, with pre-Ai lenses, you still need to use stop-down exposure metering. Still there are many excellent pre-Ai lenses on the market, and to use any such lenses that have not been converted to Ai, the FE and FM cameras would be a better choice than the FA, FE2 or FM2n. Alternatively, you can probably still get an independent camera technician to convert any pre-Ai lens to Ai using scavenged parts, although Nikon itself presumably long ago stopped providing such service.
Loading Nikkor lenses onto the FA, or any FM/FE series body, is quick and positive. Just line up the black dot on the lens with the dot on the camera body and twist the lens counter-clockwise. Of course, their is no need to line up the claw on Ai Nikkor aperture rings with an exposure meter pin on the body; this old system became obsolete after the Nikkormat FT2/EL-W generation. To remove a lens, just press the lens release button on the left front of the body and twist clockwise.
Of course the most unique benefit of the Nikon FA lens mount is the camera's ability to do multi-segment metering (and center-weighted metering) as well as all four PASM exposure modes with manual focus Ai lenses and better. The FA performs even better with AiS and better lenses. AiS lenses, which were released in 1981, have even better performance with the FA. According to the FA user manual, AiS lenses, when used in Program mode, provide either normal or high-speed program depending on the focal length of the lens in use. Furthermore, in Program and Shutter Priority mode, AiS lenses give uniform exposure control in any lighting situation due to their linear aperture control. One very important step to remember is that you must set the aperture on your lens to the smallest available aperture when you are in Shutter Speed Priority or Program exposure mode. If you don't do this, the camera won't have access to the full aperture range of the lens. However, even if you forget to stop down the lens, the exposure meter will attempt to compensate by adjusting the shutter speed if a proper exposure can be achieved within the available range of apertures and shutter speeds.
To load or unload film, twist the back opening lever counter-clockwise and put the rewind crank upwards to open the camera back. Film loading is traditional style and almost foolproof. Like many Nikon and other cameras of this generation, you need to stick the film leader into a slot on the take-up spool and insure that the sprocket in the spool engages a film perforation. In my experience, this system is slower but more reliable than that on newer Nikon bodies where you simply lay the film leader flat next to an index line. Similar to the FE2, the FA prevents you from accidentally loading the film with the exposure mode set to one of the automatic modes and ending up with very long shutter activations if you try to wind to the first frame with the lens cap on. I can't count how many times I ran into this problem on my old FE. The FA defaults to M250 until the first official frame is reached. The slight downside is that you are unable to squeeze a few extra exposures off the beginning of the role (unless you use 1/250 sec. and Sunny 16 or an external exposure meter!).
The focusing screens of the FM/FE Series were improved and brightened with the release of the FM2/FE2/FA. The original screens on the FE are about 1 stop dimmer than the later second generation. (Note: first and generation screens are interchangeable with exposure compensation). A slight disadvantage of the FM/FE series viewfinders is that, unlike the 100% frame coverage of a pro-level Nikon F series camera, the FA's frame coverage is only 93%. This is not unusual in a prosumer level camera, but you need to be aware that objects that are outside the field of view in the viewfinder will be captured on your film. The viewfinder contains all of the information that you need for convenient camera setting. In fact, the FA was only the second Nikon after the F3 to use an LCD readout in the viewfinder. Thus, the FA has a completely different viewfinder display compared with earlier Nikons (except the F3). The display configuration changes slightly depending on what exposure mode you are using. In Manual mode, you see the aperture setting in the ADR window, just like on other cameras in the FM/FE series. However, the selected shutter speed appears in the LCD. Also appearing in the LCD are the selected shutter speed and various combinations of the - and + symbols depending on the exposure setting. The exposure is set properly when both -+ are visible at the same time, just like on the F3. Also in Manual mode, an "M" appears just below the -+ indicators. In aperture priority mode, you see the aperture setting in the same ADR, and the automatically selected shutter speed in the LCD. The LCD displays HI or LO if the light conditions are outside the available range. In Shutter priority mode, the ADR is covered up and you see the selected shutter speed as a mechanical numerical display in the top right of the viewfinder. The LCD indicates "F" followed by the selected aperture in whole stop increments (even though the exact aperture is selected steplessly). Finally, in Program mode, the LCD displays the automatically selected shutter speed; there is no indication of the selected aperture. Note that the FA has lost the red LED that used to light up on the right side of the FE2's viewfinder when exposure compensation is set to other than "0". You will need to remind yourself to turn off exposure compensation when it is no longer needed.
The FA, like the FE, FE2, FM2 and FM2n exposure meters, uses a pair of silicon photodiodes (SPDs) for exposure measurement. This is the latest generation of exposure meter technology, after Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) technology in the Nikkormat FT (1965) through the FT3 (1977) and gallium-arsenide-phosphide photodiodes in the FM (1977). Silicon photodiodes provide quick response and stability, and apparently lower manufacturing cost for Nikon, compared with the prior generation. Exposure measurement range of the FA is different from the other FM/FE series cameras. In AMP metering, the EV range is 1-16, while in centerweighted metering, the EV range is a wider 1-20 at ASA/ISO 100 and with a 50mm f/1.4 lens (compared to EV 1-18 on other FM/FE series cameras). The FA is still not not as sensitive as the EV -2 to EV +17 range on the F2 Photomic AS, or the EV 0 to EV 21 range of the later Nikon F4. By the way, unlike the FE and FE2, the FA incorporates an eyepiece shutter, which can be used to keep extraneous light from affecting the SPDs when remotely using the FA in the automatic exposure modes.
The center of the viewfinder display, with the standard K-Type focusing screen, contains a small central horizontal split image, surrounded by a microprism donut, which is further surrounded by a large matte donut and a 12mm diameter circle. But utilizing both the split-image and microprism collar, you can manually focus on almost any subject very quickly. Turn the camera at a slight angle when focusing if necessary to find a straight line. I can't resist pointing out that with well-maintained manual focus Nikkor primes, such as AiS lenses, focusing ring operation is buttery smooth, with just the right amount of viscous resistance. With the no-slip knurled focusing rings on the AiS lenses, focusing is quick and accurate. The FA provides three different interchangeable focusing screen types for various applications. There screens are the same ones that are designed for the FE2. I never needed to use any except the standard K2-Type screen. The B2 type screen removes the split image and microprism focusing aids, while the E2 type is the same as the B2, except with horizontal and vertical etched lines. As indicated previously, FM/FE series focusing screens were improved (from the "K" series to the "K2" series) to provide a brighter viewfinder image starting with the FM2/FE2/FA generation.
As mentioned already, the FA is the first SLR in the world to offer a multi-segment exposure metering system. The pattern includes a segment in each of the four quadrants, as well as a central segment, for a total of five segments. The FA uses specially developed software to analyze the scene and pick the best exposure setting for the situation. The AMP system works better than mindless use of the traditional centerweighted exposure system, but is still not perfect. After all, the FA incorporated the very first version of multi-segment exposure metering software. In addition, the FA does not incorporate a mercury switch to determine whether the camera is held horizontally or vertically. Thus, for example, the FA could fail to compensate properly for a bright sky in a vertically framed photograph. An additional shortcoming of the FA's design is that it does not include an exposure lock lever. Nikon would argue that exposure lock is not needed since the newly developed AMP system is so accurate. One must be impressed with Nikon's faith in their new multi-pattern system, but it was certainly premature to remove exposure compensation in this early version of a multi-pattern system. Still, we should not be so hard on Nikon as we look back on the deficiencies of their very first "Matrix" exposure system in 1983. Although Nikon's multi-segment exposure meters and their software have steadily improved with successive generations of film and digital SLRs, the system did not reach its pinnacle until the introduction of the F5, F6 and later digital SLRs with their color matrix meters.
The FA can be switched from AMP exposure metering to traditional centerweighted metering by operating the Metering Control Button on the bottom right of the lens mount. Push the button in and turn clockwise to set centerweighted metering. Turn the button counterclockwise and allow it to pop out to select AMP metering. The Metering Control Button is not as convenient to operate as modern exposure metering selector switches, especially if you have wide fingers. But it works fine. As with centerweighted metering in other FM/FE series cameras, the outer circle in the viewfinder encloses the central area which carries a 60% exposure meter weight, with the area outside the circle comprising the remaining 40%. The most important thing to know about a centerweighted exposure measurement system is how it weights various areas of the viewfinder image so that you can determine how to use it in each situation. The 60/40 system works fine for most situations. It is vast improvement over the classic full-frame averaging system, which was used on a Pentax Spotmatic models, the earliest Nikkormat FT, and other cameras. For these averaging systems, if you wanted a proper exposure, you could not include a bright light or big sky in any area of the frame. Still, with the 60/40 system, you need to determine where to point the camera when manually setting the exposure. Find an areas that is representative of the subject, but which is not overly influenced by a bright light, a bright sky, a dark background, etc. Also make sure to select an area that approximates 18% gray, such as a dense area of green trees in a landscape image. If you cannot find an area that is equivalent to 18% gray that fills the 12mm circle, for example, inside the Haleakala volcano crater on Maui, HI, or a bright snowscape, then you need to compensate the exposure by appropriately changing the aperture or shutter speed in Manual mode, or by changing the exposure compensation dial in Auto mode. Note again that multi-segment metering was conceived to automatically adjust for these difficult exposure situations, although you can not rely on it 100% in this first generation AMP system.
Note that the contemporaneous Nikon F3HP had a different exposure metering pattern. The F3HP, with its 80/20 heavy centerweight, makes it easier to find an area that is 18% gray, without surrounding high-contrast areas influencing the exposure reading too much. The F3HP's strong centerweight was probably the better way to go to obtain accurate exposures in the days before multi-segment metering became sufficiently advanced. However, the F3HP's 80/20 weight could be difficult for amateurs to use properly if they just point and shoot. Modern Nikon bodies generally use a default 75/25 weight in their center-weight metering modes.
Note, by the way, that the FA did not offer spot exposure metering, but only AMP and centerweighted. The successor body to the FA, the N8008 (F801), which came out in 1988, had essentially the same exposure metering system as the FA. Finally, in 1991, the N8008s (F801s), which was an update to the N8008, added a spot metering mode, in addition to multi-segment and centerweighted metering.
The FA incorporates a vertical-travel, metal focal plane shutter with honeycomb titanium or, later, aluminum curtains. Shutter speed range on the FA is not as wide as that of the FE2. The FA can only operate from 1 sec. to 1/4000 sec., while the FE2 operates over an expanded 8 sec. through 1/4000 sec. Of course, like the FE and FE2, the FA's electronic shutter can select any intermediate shutter speed in Aperture Priority or Program exposure mode. In Manual and Shutter Priority mode, you can only select the standard shutter speeds that are indicated on the shutter speed dial. The FA has one mechanical shutter speed, 1/250 sec., which is a separate selection on the shutter speed dial. Given the FA's great reliability and long battery life, I have never had a need to use the 1/250 sec. mechanical shutter speed.
There are just a few more features that I want to mention. On the right front side of the body are located a depth-of-field preview lever and a self timer lever. Like many other cameras, you can check actual depth of field at the set aperture by pressing the depth-of-field lever. The image darkens if the lens is not set for maximum aperture, but you can get a good idea of the expected DOF with your lens/aperture combination. Actually, this lever is not really required with manual focus Nikkor lenses, because such lenses include an easy to read DOF index on the lens barrel. Many AF Nikkor lenses also have DOF index marks. The FA bodies have a mechanical self-timer with a delay of up to approximately 10 seconds. While these cameras do not have a mirror lock-up switch per se, you can simulate MLU by using the self-timer lever. When the shutter release button is pressed after the self-timer is set, the mirror swings up at the start of the timer count.
Finally, a hot-shoe contact is installed on top of the prism housing for flash photography. The FA supports automatic TTL flash control with a four-contact hot shoe and has the same flash capabilities as the FE2. The FA's maximum flash synch speed is 1/250 sec. This maximum synch speed is still current today. On the FA, like the FE and FE2, one of the flash contacts communicates the flash charging status to the camera and lights a red diode "ready light" in the viewfinder when the flash is ready to shoot. Of course, the FA works with any Nikon flash unit. I use my SB-24 and SB-26 and they work great.
In addition to the vast selection of Nikkor and third-party lenses that are available for the Nikon F mount, the FA also accepts various other useful Nikon accessories. One of the most useful is the MD-15 motor drive (and also the MD-12 and earlier MD-11). The MD-15 has the advantage that its battery can also power the camera itself, while the MD-12 and MD-11 cannot. These motor drive units allow rapid fire or remote shooting up to 3.2 frames per second. In my youth, I used to keep the MD-12 attached to my FE and carried it around much of the time. However, the MD-12 (like the MD-15) is quite heavy, especially when loaded with the eight required AA batteries. These days, it would obviously be better to use a more modern camera is you want portable and higher-speed motor drive. Other useful optional accessories (which work with all FM, FE and FA bodies) are the MF-16 data back, the DB-2 Anti-Cold Battery Pack, the DR-3 and DG-2 viewfinder eyepieces, and various eyepiece correction lenses.
Copyright © 2016 Timothy A. Rogers. All rights reserved.
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The Nikon FE2 is a significant upgrade to its predecessor, the Nikon FE. The FE2 came out in 1983, about five years after the release of the FE in 1978. Like the FM2N, the design of the FE2 was highly refined over two generations and various other upgrades. The FE2 is a great travel camera for film. It is relatively small and light, compared with both large fully-automated film SLR cameras and large full-frame FX or even crop sensor DX digital SLR cameras. However, the quality of the images it can produce are the same or better than those of a full-frame digital camera, especially when the film is scanned with a commercial-grade scanner. You can fit the camera with two or three small prime lenses and an electronic flash in a regular size fanny pack. The FE2 has most of the advantages of the FE and then some. The main improvements in the FE2 over the FE, which will be discussed in more detail below, are (1) TTL flash metering capability, (2) maximum shutter speed increased from 1/1000 sec. to 1/4000 sec., (3) 1/3 stop exposure compensation instead of only 1/2 stop, (3) brighter viewfinder than the FE, with improved focusing screens, and (4) flash synch speed and mechanical shutter speed both increased to 1/250 sec. from 1/90 sec. for mechanical shutter speed and 1/125 sec. maximum flash synch speed on the FE.
I became a constant user of the original FE soon after it came out in 1978 as a backup body to my pro-level Nikon F2 Photomic AS. Then, for a long time, I variously used an F3HP, F4 and F90X together with an FM2N for a second body. Of course, after that, digital SLRs started to take off and film became obsolete for most applications. However, for travel, especially in the modern age of restrictions on flight check-in and carry-on baggage, I like to keep my travel camera system as small as possible but still keep maximum image quality. The fully mechanical FM2N itself is almost the perfect travel camera. However, may people like to use flash with film lots of in addition to shooting landscapes and street images, may shooters like to take pictures of my friends and family, sometimes inside a building or at night. So the ability of the FE2 to support TTL flash is a big advantage over the FE or FM2N.
The FE2 was in production from 1983 to 1987, concurrent actually with the experimental and more high-tech FA. Finally, in 1988, both the FE2 and FA were replaced with the new style F801 (N8008), which had the metering system of the FA plus autofocus and built-in auto-wind. There was actually one additional major upgrade to the FM2N/FE3, and that is the FM3A, which was released much later (2001-2006; 1991). The FM3A is the most advanced of the FM/FE Series, with a hybrid mechanical/electronic shutter, an FE2 style metering indicator, and all of the other features of the FE2.
The FE2 was available in silver chrome and black paint. I have the black paint version, and the finish still looks great today, with only a bit of very minor wear and tear. When I compare the black finishes on the FE and FE2, the finish on the FE's black metal plates and dials is significantly more matte than the relatively shiny finish on the FE2. Comparing side by side, the matte finish on the older FE is definitely cooler. I have not looked closely at a chrome FE and FE2, but I have read that the chrome FE's finish is also slightly nicer than the chrome finish on the FE2. Anyway, the black FE2 also looks great. Although my FE2 has been to the shop a few times for regular maintenance, it has thankfully never had any breakdown. Some might argue that the all mechanical FM series is more repairable than an electronic camera like the FE2 over a multi-decade lifespan, and that may be true. But the FE2 is relatively simple compared with later advanced electronic cameras, so I am hopeful that my favorite camera technician will be able to keep my FE2 running for a long time to come.
All FM/FE-style bodies work great today with a wide variety of old and modern Nikon F mount lenses. Some people prefer the FE over the FE2 due to its ability to shoot more images per roll, slightly more convenient battery check, and most importantly, ability to mount pre-Ai lenses with the camera’s retractable meter coupling lever.
Unlike the single large 6 volt battery in the older Nikon EL-2, the FE and FE2 alike take either a 3V lithium battery, two 1.55V silver oxide batteries, or two 1.5V alkalines. This was standard for Nikon bodies of that era. I usually prefer to just go with a single 3V lithium to enjoy the long shelf life, but of course the other two types work fine too. Even though the small batteries control both the light meter and electronic shutter (but obviously not film advance or any autofocus), they still seem to last forever. I really liked the battery check lever on the back left of the FE, which is missing on the FE2. On the FE, you just need to push the lever down with your left thumb, and if the batteries are good, the red diode will light; no need to look through the viewfinder to check the batteries. On the FE2; you have to check battery power by movement of the viewfinder needle instead.
The FM/FE series is built with a copper-aluminum-silicon (copper-silumin) alloy body. I find the size and weight of the FE2 to be perfect, especially with wide-angle through medium telephoto Nikkor manual focus prime lenses. The body size is not too big or too small. Its size is large enough to hold securely, but still smaller than full size professional bodies like the F2AS or F3HP. It is not as small as the (mechanical) Contax S2, Pentax MX, or even the Olympus OM-3, which are considered small compact bodies and sometimes feel a bit too small to get a good grip. The FE2 weighs in at only 550g, without lens, even less than the FE's 590g. Of course, the weight of the batteries is insignificant, compared with the multiple AA batteries or other larger batteries in future electronic bodies. You can actually hang the FE2 with a small lens around your neck or shoulder and almost not notice the weight. The FE2 fits great into a dedicated case, or a spongy snug-fit case, or a small camera bag with a few lenses.
The FE2 body, like all cameras in the FM/FE series, feels a bit light and even insubstantial when held without a lens attached (The FE2 weighs virtually the same as the FM2N, which is only 10g lighter at 540g). However, once a lens is attached in the wide-angle to medium telephoto size range, especially any Nikkor manual focus primes, the lens/camera combination has the perfect balance, size and weight. It has a highly luxurious and precision feel and sound when held in your hands and used, although the sound is perhaps not as pleasing as that of the FM2N. I most often use Ai-S primes from 20/2.8 to 200/4 and the system is wonderful to operate with all of those lenses. However, once you start getting into bigger and heavier lenses such as, for example, the 80-200/2.8, the camera feels a big too light and out of balance. Also, on fatter lenses, you may need to use a rubber tripod spacer ring to keep the lens rings from touching the tripod head.
Operation of the FE2 is really smooth. The shutter speed ring is large and has an easy to turn knurled grip, although it is not quite as tall as that on the FM2N. The shutter speed dial on the FE2 offers noticeably more resistance than the dial on the FE due to the more robust click stops on the FE2. But still, it is easy to grab the shutter speed dial with your thumb and forefinger when the film advance lever is pulled out to turn on the camera. For safety purposes, you need to push the central button on the shutter speed dial to turn it off of "Auto". The film advance lever motion is amazingly smooth, although the lever is single-stroke only, unlike the levers on the F, F2 and F3. But the stroke is not very big, so a quick easy stroke quickly winds to the next frame. ASA/ISO setting is set by a ring that surrounds the rewind lever. The exposure compensation setting is located on the same ring as the ASA/ISO setting, and has a range from -2 to +2 EV in one-third stop increments, an improvement over the half-stop increments on the FE. Shutter speed and ISO markings are clear and easy to read. The ISO range of the FE2 (and also the FE) is 12 - 4000, wide enough to handle virtually all situations, though slightly narrower than the FM2N, which reaches up to 6400. The small multiple-exposure lever is located under the film advance lever, out of the way but easy to turn when you need it. The shutter release button is located at just the right location near the front of the body. It takes a standard mechanical cable release. The shutter release button on the FE2 (and FM2N) is a more modern, wider design compared with the relatively narrower release on the FE. The shutter release button on the older FE seems to have a slightly shorter travel than the FE2 and FM2N, and therefore feels slightly more instantaneous. Anyway, the shutter release on the FE2 works well with just the right amount of resistance to allow you to half press for an exposure reading, with just a short continued push to achieve an immediate shutter release. The electronic shutter on the FE2 has about the same loudness as the mechanical shutter on the FM2N, but the character of the sound is different. My FE2 has a honeycomb titanium shutter. Apparently, on later serial numbers, the FE2's shutter was changed to an even more improved aluminum design. The film counter is just in front of release crank and is easy to read.
One of the biggest advantages of the Nikon film SLR lens mount (the "F mount") is that it is the only SLR camera mount that has stayed virtually the same from the time of the first Nikon F and Nikkormat FS/FT through to the most current small and full frame Nikon digital SLRs. Except for the requirement that relatively newer Nikon film SLRs require Ai or Ai-converted lenses, all manual focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on autofocus bodies, and most full-frame auto-focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on all old manual focus bodies. I don't know of any other manufacturer that can make such a claim. Thus, it is convenient to use the FE2 together with a modern Nikon autofocus film or digital SLR because you can often use the same lenses on both bodies.
The FE and FM were the last bodies in that line to directly accept unmodified pre-Ai lenses because they included a retractable meter coupling lever. Of course, with pre-Ai lenses, you still need to use stop-down exposure metering. There are many excellent pre-Ai lenses available on the used market, and to use any such lenses that have not been converted to Ai, the FE and FM cameras would be a better choice than the FE2 or FM2n. Alternatively, you can probably still get an independent camera technician to convert any pre-Ai lens to Ai using scavenged parts, although Nikon itself presumably long ago stopped providing such service.
Loading Nikkor lenses onto any FM/FE Series body is quick and positive. Just line up the black dot on the lens with the dot on the camera body and twist the lens counter-clockwise. Of course, there is no need to line up the claw on Ai Nikkor aperture rings with an exposure meter pin on the body; this old system became obsolete after the Nikkormat FT2/EL-W generation. To remove a lens, just press the lens release button on the left front of the body and twist clockwise.
To load or unload film, twist the back opening lever counter-clockwise and pull the rewind crank upwards to open the camera back. Film loading is traditional style and almost foolproof. Like many Nikon and other cameras of this generation, you need to stick the film leader into a slot on the take-up spool and insure that the sprocket in the spool engages a film perforation. In my experience, this system is slower but more reliable than that on newer Nikon bodies where you simply lay the film leader flat next to an index line. Unlike the FE, the FE2 prevents you from accidentally loading the film with the shutter speed dial set to "A" and ending up with very long shutter activations if you try to wind to the first frame with the lens cap on. I can't count how many times I ran into this problem on my old FE. The FE2 defaults to M250 until the first official frame is reached. The slight downside is that you are unable to squeeze a few extra exposures off the beginning of the role (unless you use 1/250 sec. and Sunny 16 or an external exposure meter!).
The focusing screens of the FM/FE Series were improved and brightened with the release of the FM2/FE2. The original screens on the FE are about 1 stop dimmer than the later second generation. (Note: first and generation screens are interchangeable with exposure compensation). A slight disadvantage of the FM/FE series viewfinders is that, unlike the 100% frame coverage of a pro-level Nikon F series camera, the FE2's frame coverage is only 93%. This is not unusual in a pro-sumer level camera, but you need to be aware that objects that are outside the field of view in the viewfinder will be captured on your film. The viewfinder contains all of the information that you need for convenient camera setting. There is an aperture direct readout (ADR) at the center top of the viewfinder, same as on all FM/FE series cameras. The exposure meter uses a match needle system on the left side of the viewfinder. I actually prefer the three red light emitting diode system of the FM series, which is easier to see in all light conditions. However, the match needle system on the FE2, like the FE, is perfectly fine and is just as easy to see in most normal lighting conditions. The viewfinder of the FE2 is exactly the same as the FE, except that the shutter speed display range has been expanded beyond 1/1000 sec. to 1/4000 sec. Also, the FE2 adds a red LED on the right side of the viewfinder that lights up then exposure compensation is set to other than "0". This fixes a problem on the FE, where you could easily set exposure compensation then forget to turn it off, since there is no indication in the viewfinder that it is still on.
I often use both Manual exposure measurement and Aperture Priority exposure measurement on this camera, depending on the situation. In Manual metering, you simply adjust the shutter speed and aperture until the green and black needles line up. The black needle indicates the recommended shutter speed for the given aperture, and the green needle indicates the set shutter speed. In Auto metering (Aperture priority) you set the shutter speed dial to Auto which causes the green needle to lock on "A" in the viewfinder. The camera automatically selects the appropriate shutter speed, and the black needle indicates that speed in the viewfinder. While the match needle system is nice and clear in bright light, it is almost impossible to see the display to adjust exposure in dark environments. On the other hand, an advantage of the match needle system is that you receive direct visual confirmation of a wider range of exposure divergence, compared with the LED system.
The FE2, like the FE, FM2 and FM2n exposure meters uses a pair of silicon photodiodes (SPDs) for exposure measurement. This was the latest generation of exposure meter technology, after Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) technology in the Nikkormat FT (1965) through the FT3 (1977) and gallium-arsenide-phosphide photodiodes in the FM (1977). Silicon photodiodes provide quick response and stability, and apparently lower manufacturing cost for Nikon, compared with the prior generation. Exposure measurement range of the FE2 is the same as all FM/FE series cameras, i.e., EV 1 to EV 18 at ASA/ISO 100 and with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. This supports an aperture/shutter speed range of 1 sec. at f/1.4 through 1/1000 sec. at f/16. That range is pretty good for most situations, and a step up from the Nikkormat FT - FT3's range of EV 3 - EV 17. The FE2 is exactly on par with the Nikon F3HP. However, it is not as sensitive as the EV -2 to EV +17 range on the F2 Photomic AS, or the EV 0 to EV 21 range of the later Nikon F4.
Exposure lock is one thing that is slightly inconvenient on the FE/FE2. I sometimes find it easier, even on these cameras with aperture priority mode, to just use manual exposure mode and set the exposure directly. I find it quicker and more comfortable than pointing the camera to where you can measure the proper exposure, pushing the exposure lock button an holding the button in while recomposing and shooting. However, exposure lock on the FE2 is certainly usable. On the older FE, while locking exposure locks the shutter speed at the time the lock button is pressed, the black shutter speed needle in the viewfinder continues to move. This situation was fixed in the FE2, where the black shutter speed needle locks in place when the exposure lock is pressed. By the way, I am more apt to use Aperture priority exposure measurement and exposure lock with electronic Contax SLRs, which allow you to turn on the exposure lock by turning a switch after you achieve the proper exposure setting, and it stays on at a fixed EV until you turn it off. In other words, in the Contax world, after locking the exposure, changes in aperture affect the shutter speed and vice versa in order to keep correct exposure. The Nikon exposure lock only locks the shutter speed, so any changes to the aperture after the shutter speed is locked will change the exposure.
The center of the viewfinder display, with the standard K-Type focusing screen, contains a small central horizontal split image, surrounded by a microprism donut, which is further surrounded by a large matte donut and a 12mm diameter circle. But utilizing both the split-image and microprism collar, you can manually focus on almost any subject very quickly. Turn the camera at a slight angle when focusing if necessary to find a straight line. I can't resist pointing out that with well-maintained manual focus Nikkor primes, such as Ai-S lenses, focusing ring operation is buttery smooth, with just the right amount of viscous resistance. With the no-slip knurled focusing rings on the Ai-S lenses, focusing is quick and accurate. The FE2 provides three different interchangeable focusing screen types for various applications. I never needed to use any except the standard K2-Type screen. The B2 type screen removes the split image and microprism focusing aids, while the E2 type is the same as the B2, except with horizontal and vertical etched lines. As indicated previously, FM/FE series focusing screens were improved (from the "K" series to the "K2" series) to provide a brighter viewfinder image starting with the FM2/FE2 generation. Focusing screens on the FM3A were further improved so that their split-image rangefinders don’t go dark with lenses that have maximum aperture of f/5.6 or less.
The outer circle in the viewfinder encloses the central area that carries a 60% exposure meter weight, with the area outside the circle comprising the remaining 40%. The most important thing to know about an exposure measurement system is how it weights various areas of the viewfinder image so that you can determine how to use it in each situation. The 60/40 system works fine for most situations. It is vast improvement over the classic full-frame averaging system, which was used on a Pentax Spotmatic models, the earliest Nikkormat FT, and other cameras. For these averaging systems, if you wanted a proper exposure, you could not include a bright light or big sky in any area of the frame. Still, with the 60/40 system, you need to determine where to point the camera when manually setting the exposure. Find an areas that is representative of the subject, but which is not overly influenced by a bright light, a bright sky, a dark background, etc. Also make sure to select an area that approximates 18% gray, such as a dense area of green trees in a landscape image. If you cannot find an area that is equivalent to 18% gray that fills the 12mm circle, for example, inside the Haleakala volcano crater on Maui, HI, or a bright snowscape, then you need to compensate the exposure by appropriately changing the aperture or shutter speed in Manual mode, or by changing the exposure compensation dial in Auto mode.
Two contemporaneous Nikon bodies with the FE/FE2, the F3HP and the FA, had different exposure metering patterns. The F3HP, with its 80/20 heavy centerweight, makes it easier to find an area that is 18% gray, without surrounding high-contrast areas influencing the exposure reading too much. The FA is the first Nikon body to include, in addition to 60/40 centerweight, a multi-segment metering pattern (called AMP or "Automatic Multi-Pattern" in the FA; in later Nikon bodies, this metering pattern is referred to as "Matrix Metering"). The 5-segment pattern on the FA and its first generation software were the first Nikon attempt to correct the weaknesses of the traditional center-weight averaging system. While early multi-pattern systems on cameras such as the FA, F4, F800 and F90/F90x did a pretty good and steadily improving job in most normal situations, in difficult situations, they still didn't work as well as the center weight system with appropriate exposure compensation, as is utilized on the FE2. Of course, you have to know what you are doing in such situations! Newer film cameras, such as the F5 and F6, as well as advanced digital Nikons, with their advanced color matrix systems, finally do a good job even in difficult lighting situations. Modern Nikon bodies generally use a 75/25 weight in their center-weight metering modes.
The FE2 incorporates a vertical-travel, metal focal plane shutter with honeycomb titanium or aluminum curtains. Shutter speed range on the FE2 is an expanded 8 sec. through 1/4000 sec, which is acceptable even today. This is a big improvement over the shutter on the original FE, which maxed out at 1/1000 sec. On the slow end, the longest 8 sec. shutter speed (same as the FE) is a convenience to those of us who were previously used to using a shutter release cable for any exposure longer than a second. One advantage of the FE2's electronic shutter over the FM2n's mechanical shutter is that when in Auto (Aperture Priority) mode, the FE2 can select any intermediate shutter speed. In manual mode, you can only select the standard shutter speeds that are indicated on the shutter speed dial. The FE2 has one mechanical shutter speed, 1/250 sec., which is a separate selection on the shutter speed dial. The single mechanical shutter speed on the earlier FE is 1/90 sec. Users might argue whether it is better to have a backup speed of 1/90 sec. for available light, or 1/250 sec. for bright daylight. In any event, given the FE2's great reliability and long battery life, I have never had a need to use the 1/250 sec. mechanical shutter speed.
There are just a few more features that I want to mention. On the right front side of the body are located a depth-of-field preview lever and a self timer lever. Like many other cameras, you can check actual depth of field at the set aperture by pressing the depth-of-field lever. The image darkens if the lens is not set for maximum aperture, but you can get a good idea of the expected DOF with your lens/aperture combination. Actually, this lever is not really required with manual focus Nikkor lenses, because such lenses include an easy to read DOF index on the lens barrel. Many AF Nikkor lenses also have DOF index marks. The FE2 bodies have a mechanical self-timer with a delay of up to approximately 10 seconds. While these cameras do not have a mirror lock-up switch per se, you can simulate MLU by using the self-timer lever. When the shutter release button is pressed after the self-timer is set, the mirror swings up at the start of the timer count.
Finally, a hot-shoe contact is installed on top of the prism housing for flash photography. As already mentioned, the FE2 supports automatic TTL flash control with a four-contact hot shoe. The older FE only had a two-contact hot shoe for manual and non-TTL auto flash exposure. The FE2's maximum flash synch speed is 1/250 sec. This capability is still basically current today, significantly better than 1/125 sec. on the FE, and an improvement over all prior Nikon bodies except the FM2. On both the FE and FE2, one of the flash contacts communicates the flash charging status to the camera and lights a red diode "ready light" in the viewfinder when the flash is ready to shoot. Of course, the FE2 works with any Nikon flash unit. I use my SB-24 and SB-26 and they work great. If you will be doing a lot of flash photography, the FE2, along with the FA and FM3A, with TTL flash support, are better choices than the FE and prior Nikon bodies.
In addition to the vast selection of Nikkor and third-party lenses that are available for the Nikon F mount, the FE2 also accepts various other useful Nikon accessories. One of the most useful is the MD-12 motor drive (and also the earlier MD-11). This motor drive unit works on all FM/FE series bodies (and even the Nikon FA) and allows rapid fire or remote shooting up to 3.2 frames per second. However, the MD-12 is quite heavy, especially when loaded with the eight required AA batteries. These days, it would obviously be better to use a more modern camera is you want portable and higher-speed motor drive. Other useful optional accessories (which work with all FM and FE series bodies) are the MF-16 data back, the DB-2 Anti-Cold Battery Pack, the DR-3 and DG-2 viewfinder eyepieces, and various eyepiece correction lenses.
Copyright © 2013 - 2016 Timothy A. Rogers. All rights reserved.
(DSC_6194fin2)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
Douglas Adams
The King thought that he had come up with a brilliant idea. He would put his castle in a boat so that he could travel anywhere he wanted without even leaving his bed chambers. It seemed like a foolproof plan. That is, until his Castle Boat sprung a leak . .
This was built for the Trial and Error category of CCCXI. I decided to try something new with this build. It was a lot of fun. Thanks for viewing! :)
Yelp's Foolproof April Foolery Elite Party in Minneapolis on April 2, 2012 with HUGE Theater, Gai Gai Thai, Sonny's Ice Cream Cart, Cake Pop Ladies, Roggenbuck Winery and Tallgrass Brewing Co. Photo credit: Canary Grey photography
View behind the scenes footage of this shoot here! phlearn.com/bts-newfangled-pinup
Concept
We’ve wanted to do a pinup shoot for a long time, but we also wanted to make it stand out from all of the other pinup photos out there by adding a concept to it. While looking through images of classic pinups, we realized that the technology from that era has all been rolled into one device, the smartphone. This sparked the idea for a concept showing the contrast between then and now with some beautiful pinups.
Lighting
It was important that our lighting was interesting, yet almost foolproof since the models would be moving around and changing poses quickly. This led us to use primarily large light sources that would create even lighting with no harsh shadows.
Post Production
When editing a series, it’s extremely important to make sure the editing matches from photo to photo and really ties them together. Combining textures with dodging and burning was a huge part of making these photos appear old, yet new. Not only have the colors and textures been processed in the same way, but the images have also been cropped with the same aspect ratio.
Classic Cola
We had a vintage Coca Cola cooler on set, and couldn't not use it for a shot. Although the prop stands alone from the series, we ended up getting an amazing shot out of it.
Yelp's Foolproof April Foolery Elite Party in Minneapolis on April 2, 2012 with HUGE Theater, Gai Gai Thai, Sonny's Ice Cream Cart, Cake Pop Ladies, Roggenbuck Winery and Tallgrass Brewing Co. Photo credit: Canary Grey photography
View behind the scenes footage of this shoot here! phlearn.com/bts-newfangled-pinup
Concept
We’ve wanted to do a pinup shoot for a long time, but we also wanted to make it stand out from all of the other pinup photos out there by adding a concept to it. While looking through images of classic pinups, we realized that the technology from that era has all been rolled into one device, the smartphone. This sparked the idea for a concept showing the contrast between then and now with some beautiful pinups.
Lighting
It was important that our lighting was interesting, yet almost foolproof since the models would be moving around and changing poses quickly. This led us to use primarily large light sources that would create even lighting with no harsh shadows.
Post Production
When editing a series, it’s extremely important to make sure the editing matches from photo to photo and really ties them together. Combining textures with dodging and burning was a huge part of making these photos appear old, yet new. Not only have the colors and textures been processed in the same way, but the images have also been cropped with the same aspect ratio.
Classic Cola
We had a vintage Coca Cola cooler on set, and couldn't not use it for a shot. Although the prop stands alone from the series, we ended up getting an amazing shot out of it.
During lockdown, along with many people, I have been experimenting with making my own bread.
My first allegedly foolproof bread actually tasted nice but would have been useful as building material. Not to be deterred, I moved onto sourdough as I do love that. I know , I know, it’s difficult. My starter did not work or at least so I thought, so I threw it away. I realise now that it was probably fine. It had taken 8 days of caring and feeding so quite an investment. I was determined not to let that be a set back, but I know it’s not guaranteed. Not to be deterred I did a lot , a lot, of reading and studying and I made another starter . I knew a little more about what to expect at least. So I was very impressed with loaf number 1. The outside was great, the inside was rubbery. I toasted it as breadcrumbs and it was therefore not wasted. . However, I’m now making a weekly loaf and I’m no expert but things are improving. My learning will continue and I’m experimenting. Today’s loaves number 6 and 7 from this morning, shown here, were two such experiments, two larger quantities, different proving, different baking, different outcomes.
I’m learning and my pleasure is as much the learning as the eating.
MaYBe MaDaMe aBSTRaCT iS BeHiND THiS DooR ツ
I did not noticed, when I was waiting for my date with my friend, that I am on the wrong rail.
So I waited in front of this door, sometimes surprises are behind such doors.
The surprise was an old worker came out…………..haha
Soon to be continued
So relax and………
Chinese Tallow in fall and beautiful fall color is why people love these highly invasive wetland loving trees. This tree in the Settlement, LBJ National Historical Park, was killed - girdled - by a rutting White-tailed Buck using the tree as a blade sharpener, which gave me an idea of a foolproof method for girdling Tallow trees that seems to hold over time;-)
Homemade, from-scratch pizza on the grill. Preheat the stone to about 600°F and slide the pizza on. Done in about 8 minutes.
Bobby Flay's dough recipe is foolproof. Highly recommended.
1.Cream the butter & sugar, 2. Slowly add the eggs & beat until smooth, 3. Add the lemon juice & zest (the mixture will curdle), 4. Cook the mixture over a low heat, 5. Cook the mixture until it becomes smooth, 6. You know it's ready when it leaves a path on the back of a spoon
I was always afraid of making lemon curd, but this recipe is incredibly simple, quick and it always works. Apparently, by mixing all the ingredients together first, like you would for a cake, there's no way it can go lumpy. After I posted some lemon curd cupcakes I got lots of requests for the recipe, so I promised to do a how-to.
Recipe & method by Elinor Klivans
1. Cream the butter & sugar
2. Slowly add the eggs & yolks and beat until smooth
3. Add the lemon juice & zest. This will curdle the mixture, but that's normal
4. Cook the mixture over a low heat. I used a double boiler, but you can put the mixture straight into the saucepan if you want to
5. As the butter melts the mixture becomes smooth. When it's smooth turn the heat up to medium. Stir occasionally and cook for around 15 mins until it thickens
6. The lemon curd is done when it leaves a path on the back of a spoon
The lemon curd will thicken up more as it cools down. You can keep it well covered in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for 2 months... if there's any left!
I haven't shared this aspect of my treatment yet, but there's no time like the last time, I suppose.
Two days after I take my last "breakfast of champions," I must self-administer an injection of Lapelga (pegfilgrastim), which helps my bone marrow produce white blood cells needed to help my body fight infection.
It's one of those foolproof injectors that doesn't require much skill - just jab it into belly fat and squeeze. Given I have an overabundance of belly fat, there's no problem finding a suitable injection site.
The side effects are kind of strange, though. Because it stimulates the bone marrow, about 24 hours after the injection I get what can only be described as growing pains - that strange sensation we all felt as teenagers when our long bones were growing rapidly. It's not painful, just strange and mildly unpleasant.
This is it. At this stage, I have no more treatment to take... just some bloodwork and a CT scan in about 6 weeks, with regular follow-ups every 3 months after that.
Done & dusted!
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxjYTQeSQqY Tip that waitress]
After discovering that “window dresser” was not, in fact, their dream job…
they pivoted.
“Of course we’ve served food before.”
Simple. Elegant. Foolproof.
For a brief moment, it even looked that way—
pressed uniforms, steady hands, a dining car glowing in gold.
And then—
Ruckus made a decision.
Not a mistake.
A decision.
One paw up.
One cart over.
One very expensive cascade of red wine.
Tommy tried to save it.
Hope already knew he wouldn’t.
That look on her face?
That wasn’t surprise.
That was recognition.
And just like that…
their entire hospitality career lasted
seven minutes.
They did, however, leave an impression.
today has been so awesome! i am so happy, my mind is anywhere but my schoolwork and usually on my love!
I'm at the point in the year where I start to get bombarded with things to do, UCAS forms are flying out of my ears and people are pulling me in every direction possible, telling me whats best for me. In the car home today from the parent/rosie/teacher/uni meeting I had a million and one things to think about, and then my mum asked me where I was going to base myself in 5years time and what my plan was.
I'm just sat there thinking to myself... I'll be doing whatever makes me happy, I'll be wherever I want to be and whatever happens I'll be doing what I love. Its great to have a foolproof plan of your future, but my heart isn't in planning and decision making. My heart lies with love and whatever the weather is outside and even though i sound like a raving hippy when I say that, its all I need in life.
62/365
Just a swag of simple piped flowers. This cake is really simple to do, foolproof to make and really looks good done in deep colours that are otherwise hard to coordinate into a cake.
The Nikon FM2n is the best medium-compact mechanical shutter SLR camera ever made. There are other bodies from other manufacturers that have been favorably compared, such as the Olympus OM-3 and the Leica R6.2. These other cameras indeed have certain features, e.g., spot metering capability, that are not found on the FM2n. However, they have disadvantages, too. The Olympus system is smaller than Nikon, and lenses and accessories are presumably less abundant on the used market. The Leica system is substantially more expensive used, especially the lenses, and the Leica R series never became that popular (as opposed to Leica's M-Series). The design of the FM2n has been highly refined over several generations of the FM product line. It is part of the enormous Nikon system of manual focus and auto focus cameras. Many Nikon bodies are available on the used market. And the FM2n is just an absolutely great camera.
The FM2n is the final all-mechanical version of the FM Series that began with the FM in 1977 as an upgrade to the classic Nikkormat FT3 (early 1977). The FM was subsequently updated and modernized with various versions of the FM, FM2 (1982) and FM2n which were developed over the years, with the FM2n finally introduced in 1984. The FM2n remained in production until 2001. There was actually one additional major upgrade after the FM2n, which was the FM3A (2001-2006; 1991). The FM3A is the most advanced of the FM Series, with a hybrid mechanical/electronic shutter, an FE2 style readout, and all of the other features of the FE2. From a technological point of view, the FM3A is really cool and unique. However, due to some of the feature advantages that I will discuss below, the FM2n is still a very attractive option for all manual film shooting . The FM3A is relatively more expensive on the used market, with relatively high prices for the occasional NIB sample, or even very clean used camera.
Check out the FM3A here:
www.flickr.com/photos/trphotoguy/23145338649/in/album-721...
The standard FM2n was available in silver chrome and black paint. Both look great.
There were a few special versions of the FM2n that were introduced. The most interesting one is the FM2/T (1993-1997). The FM2/T is exactly the same mechanically as the latest FM2n, except that the top and bottom covers are made out of titanium. Please refer to my separate page on the FM2/T, which is one of the most beautiful SLR cameras ever made:
www.flickr.com/photos/trphotoguy/16514084188/in/album-721...
My own experience with the FM line actually started with the FM2n. Previously, I had been using the Nikon F2 Photomic AS and Nikon FE combination; my F2 was the reliable all-mechanical body, and I used the FE as an electronic backup when needing something smaller than the F2, or when wanting to shoot quicker with the FE in aperture priority mode, or just for a different kind of film. (Back then, photographers still looked askance at electronic cameras compared with tried and true mechanical ones.) However, when I finally upgraded from the F2 to the new F3HP, it was time to switch around and get the FM2n as a mechanical backup to the electronic F3HP.
Since my experience with the FM Series started with the FM2n, and given that the FM2n would be the best body of the series to go with on the used market today, I will focus my comments on the FM2n.
As with the prior models of the FM Series, the FM2n takes either a 3V lithium battery, two 1.55V silver oxide batteries, or two 1.5V alkalines. Quite standard for Nikon bodies of the that era. I usually prefer to just go with a single 3V lithium to enjoy the long shelf life, but of course the other two types work fine too, as needed. Since the small batteries are used only for the light meter, they seem to last forever and are not necessary for camera operation at all shutter speeds.
The FM series is built with a copper-aluminum-silicon (copper-silumin) alloy body. I find the size and weight of the FM2n to be perfect, especially with wide-angle through medium telephoto Nikkor manual focus prime lenses. The body size is not too big or too small. Its size is large enough to hold securely, but still smaller than full size professional bodies like the concurrent F3HP. It is not as small as the Contax S2, Pentax MX, or even the Olympus OM-3, which are considered small compact bodies and sometimes feel a bit too small to get a good grip. The FM2n weighs in at only 540g without lens, and of course the weight of the batteries is insignificant, compared with the multiple AA batteries or other larger batteries in future electronic bodies. The FM2n fits great in a dedicated case, or a spongy snug-fit case, or a small camera bag with a few lenses. It is an excellent size for travel use.
The FM2n body by itself, like all those in the FM Series, feels a bit light and even insubstantial when held without a lens attached. However, once a lens is attached, the lens/camera combination has the perfect balance, size and weight. It has a highly luxurious and precision feel and sound when held in your hands and used. I most often use Ai-S primes from 20/2.8 to 200/4 and the system is wonderful to operate with all of those lenses. However, once you start getting into bigger and heavier lenses such as, for example, the 80-200/2.8, the camera feels a big too light and out of balance. Also, on fatter lenses, you may need to use a rubber tripod filler ring to keep the lens rings from touching the tripod head.
Operation of the FM2n is really smooth. All of the top controls are on the right side of the camera. The shutter speed ring is tall, large and has an easy-to-turn knurled grip. It is easy to grab with thumb and forefinger when the film advance lever is pulled out to turn on the camera. The film advance lever motion is amazingly smooth, although the lever is single-stroke only, unlike the levers on the F, F2 and F3. But the stoke is not very big, so a quick easy stroke quickly winds to the next frame. ASA/ISO setting is embedded into the top of the shutter speed dial. Shutter speed and ISO markings are clear and easy to read. The ISO range of the FM2n is 12 - 6400, wide enough to handle virtually all situations. The small multiple-exposure lever is located under the film advance lever, out of the way but easy to turn when you need it. The mechanical shutter release button is large and located at just the right location near the front of the body. It takes a standard mechanical cable release. The shutter release button has a fairly long travel, but it works well with just the right amount of resistance to allow you to half press for an exposure reading, and then make a short continued push to achieve an immediate shutter release. The shutter has a relatively quiet, pleasing and precision-like sound. The film counter is just in front of release crank and is easy to read.
One of the biggest advantage of the Nikon film SLR lens mount (the "F mount") is that it is the only SLR camera mount that has stayed virtually the same from the time of the first Nikon F and Nikkormat FS/FT through to the most current small and full frame Nikon digital SLRs. Except for the requirement that relatively newer Nikon film SLRs require Ai or Ai-converted lenses, all manual focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on autofocus bodies, and most full-frame auto-focus Nikon F mount lenses (pre-G type) can be used on all old manual focus bodies. I don't know of any other SLR manufacturer that can make such a claim. Thus, it is convenient to use the FM2N together with a modern Nikon autofocus film or digital SLR because you can often use the same lenses on both bodies.
Loading Nikkor lenses onto any FM Series is quick and positive. Just line up the black dot on the lens with the dot on the camera body and twist the lens counter-clockwise. Of course, there is no need to line up the claw on Ai Nikkor aperture rings with an exposure meet pin on the body; this old system became obsolete after the Nikkormat FT2/EL generation. Unfortunately, the FM Series lens mount lost the retractable meter coupling lever after the original FM body; thus the FM2n won't accept (in stop down mode) any pre-Ai or non-Ai's lenses that you might own. To remove a lens, just press the lens release button on the left front of the body and twist clockwise.
The only control on the top left of the camera is the film rewind/back opening mechanism. Twist the back opening lever counter-clockwise and put the rewind crank upwards to open the camera back. Since the camera only has a manual exposure meter mode, unlike the FE/FE2, the rewind crank mechanism includes no exposure compensation dial. Film loading is traditional style and almost foolproof. Like many Nikon and other cameras of this generation, you need to stick the film leader into a slot on the take-up spool and insure that the latch in the spool engages a film perforation. This system is more reliable than that on newer Nikon bodies where you simply lay the film leader flat next to an index line. With the FM2n, if you are careful when you load the film, you can get an extra exposure on frame 0.
The viewfinder of the FM Series has been gradually improved over the life of the series, but remains essentially the same in the FM2n version. A slight disadvantage of the FM series viewfinder is that, unlike the 100% frame coverage of a pro-level Nikon F series camera, the FM's frame coverage is only 93%. This is not unusual in a pro-sumer level camera, but you need to be aware that objects that are outside the field of view in will be captured on your film. (Maybe it wasn't a problem with mounted slides?) The viewfinder contains all of the information that you need for convenient camera setting. There is a mechanical readout for the selected shutter speed on the left side of the viewfinder. There is also a aperture direct readout (ADR) at the center top of the viewfinder. The exposure meter indicator on the right of the viewfinder utilizes three red light emitting diodes. This is my favorite type of exposure meter readout design, which I learned to like on the earlier Nikon F2 Photomic AS. It is also the same system as that on cameras such as the Leica M6TTL or current MP. First of all and most importantly, the diodes are easy to see in all lighting conditions, light and dark. The LEDs are bright enough to be clearly visible on a sunny day, but also not so bright that they blind you in a dark location. Also, exposure adjustment is extremely rapid and precise.
I normally set the shutter speed first, depending on what I am trying to do. Then push the shutter release button down half way and twist the lens aperture ring on the lens until only the center LED circle lights up. As you move away from correct exposure, the LED display changes to a combined +o or o- (when you are over or underexposed by between 1/5 and one stop-), and finally to a single + or - (when you are over or underexposed by more than one stop).The three-diode system of the FM Series is superior to the match needle system of the aperture priority capable FE Series and the hybrid FM3A. While the match needle system is nice and clear in bright light, it is almost impossible to see the display to adjust exposure in dark environments - although the meter itself is very sensitive. On the other hand, an advantage of the match needle system is that you receive direct visual indication of a wider range of exposure divergence, compared with the LED system. Also, you can directly see intermediate shutter speeds in Aperture Priority mode.
The FM2 and FM2n exposure meter uses a pair of silicon photodiodes (SPDs) for exposure measurement. This was the latest generation of exposure meter technology, after Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) technology in the Nikkormat FT (1965) through the FT3 (1977) and gallium-arsenide-phosphide photodiodes in the original FM (1977). Silicon photodiodes provide quick response and stability, and apparently lower manufacturing cost for Nikon, compared with the prior generation. Exposure measurement range of the FM2n is EV 1 to EV 18 at ASA/ISO 100 and with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. This supports a aperture/shutter speed range of 1 sec. at f/1.4 through 1/4000 sec. at f/8. That range is pretty good for most situations, and a step up from the Nikkormat FT - FT3's range of EV 3 - EV 17. The FM2n is exactly on par with the Nikon F3HP. However, it is not as sensitive as the EV -2 to EV +17 range on the F2 Photomic AS, or the EV 0 to EV 21 range of the Nikon F4.
Since the FM Series cameras have manual exposure mode only, there is obviously no exposure lock button. Exposure lock is one thing that can be frustrating on cameras like the F3HP and FE/FE2. It is often easier, even on these cameras with aperture priority mode, to just use manual exposure mode and set the exposure directly. It is quicker and more comfortable than pointing the camera to where you can measure the proper exposure, pushing the exposure lock button an holding the button down will recomposing a shooting. Anyway, you don't need to worry about any of that on the manual mode only FM2n.
The center of the viewfinder display, with the standard K2-Type focusing screen, contains a small central horizontal split image, surrounded by a microprism donut, which is further surrounded by a large matte donut and a 12mm diameter circle. But utilizing both the split-image and microprism collar, you can manually focus on almost any subject very quickly. Turn the camera at a slight angle when focusing if necessary to find a straight line. I can't resist pointing out that with well-maintained manual focus Nikkor primes, such as Ai-S lenses, focusing ring operation is buttery smooth, with just the right amount of viscous resistance. With the no-slip knurled focusing rings, focusing is quick and accurate. The FM2n system provides three different interchangeable focusing screen types for various applications.Mostly, the standard K2-Type screen is sufficient. The B2 type screen removes the split image and microprism focusing aids, while the E2 type is the same as the B2, except with horizontal and vertical etched lines. FM/FE series focusing screens were improved (from the "K" series to the "K2" series) to provide a brighter viewfinder image starting with the FM2/FE2 generation. Focusing screens were further improved on the final FM3A to avoid split-image blackout with lenses with maximum aperture of f/5.6 or less.
The outer circle encloses the central area which carries a 60% exposure meter weight, with the area outside the circle comprising the remaining 40%. The most important thing to know about an exposure measurement system is how it weights various areas of the viewfinder image so that you can determine how to use it in each situation. The 60/40 system works fine for most situations. It is vast improvement over the classic full-frame averaging system, which was used on Pentax Spotmatic models, the earliest Nikkormat FT, and other cameras. For these averaging systems, if you wanted a proper exposure, you could not include a bright light or big sky in any area of the frame. Still, with the 60/40 system, you need to determine where to point the camera when manually setting the exposure. Find an areas that is representative of the subject, but which is not overly influenced by a bright light, a bright sky, a dark background, etc. Also make sure to select an area that approximates 18% gray, such as a dense area of green trees in a landscape image. If you cannot find an area that is equivalent to 18% gray that fills the 12mm circle, for example, inside the Haleakala volcano crater on Maui, HI, or a bright snowscape, then you need to manually compensate the exposure by appropriately changing the aperture or shutter speed.
Two contemporaneous Nikon bodies with the FM2n, the F3HP and the FA had different exposure metering patterns. The F3HP applies a heavier weight of 80% to the viewfinder's 12mm circle, making it easier to isolate an area that is 18% gray, without surrounding high-contrast areas influencing the exposure reading too much. The FA is the first Nikon body to include a multi-segment metering pattern, in addition to 60/40 centerweight. The 5-segment pattern on the FA and first generation software were the first Nikon attempt to correct the weaknesses of the traditional center-weight averaging system. While early multi-pattern systems on cameras such as the FA, F4, F800 and F90/F90x did a pretty good and steadily improving job in most low contrast situations, in difficult situations, they still didn't work as well as the center weight system with appropriate exposure compensation, which was found on the FM2n. Of course, you have to know what you are doing in such situations! On later-generation cameras, the more highly refined high-tech multi-pattern (matrix) systems, such as on the F5, F6 and the newest digital SLRs, finally do a good job even with difficult lighting. Modern Nikon bodies generally use a 75/25 weight in their default center-weight metering modes.
The latest FM2n incorporates a vertical-travel, metal focal plane shutter with aluminum curtains. Older versions of the FM2N have shutters with titanium curtains. Shutter speed range on the FM2N is 1 sec. through 1/4000 sec. For those of us who started back when the fastest shutter speed as 1/1000 sec. or even slower, 1/4000 sec. sounds amazingly fast. In fact, 1/4000 sec. is plenty fast enough for most situations with film. On the slow end, the camera itself can only operate up to 1 sec., but it is an easy matter to calculate and shoot exposures of any length at the Bulb setting, using a tripod, a standard shutter release cable, and a hand-held light meter. Of course, since the camera has a mechanical shutter, you can shoot exposures of any length and never worry about draining your battery. One slight disadvantage of the FM2n's mechanical shutter is that it cannot be set for intermediate shutter speeds. On an electronic body such as the FE2 or FM3A, you can utilize any intermediate shutter speed in aperture priority mode. (Of course, unlike the FE/FA series, the FM-series meters can't measure Bulb setting shutter speeds.)
There are just a few more features that should be mentioned. On the right front side of the body are located a depth-of-field preview lever and a self timer lever. Like many other cameras, you can check actual depth of field at the set aperture by pressing the depth-of-field lever. The image darkens if the lens is not set to maximum aperture, but you can get a good idea of the expected DOF with your lens/aperture combination. Actually, this lever is not really required with manual focus Nikkor lenses, because such lenses include an easy to read DOF index on the lens barrel. Many AF Nikkor lenses also have DOF index marks. The FM Series bodies have a mechanical self-timer with a delay of up to approximately 10 seconds. While these cameras do not have a mirror lock-up switch per se, you can simulate MLU by using the self-timer lever. When the shutter release button is pressed after the self-timer is set, the mirror swings up at the start of the timer count.
Finally, a hot-shoe contact is installed on top of the prism housing for flash photography. The FM2n does not support automatic TTL flash control. You need to use an FE2 or FM3A if you want that feature. (If you know how to use guide numbers and manual flash, you can still do full-flash or fill-flash photography without any problem, of course). However, the FM2n, like the FE2, has a very fast maximum flash synch speed of 1/250 sec. There is an extra contact on the hot shoe that communicates the flash charging status to the camera a lights a red diode "ready light" in the viewfinder when the flash is ready to shoot. Of course, the FM2n works with any Nikon flash unit. The contemporaneous SB-24 and SB-26 work great. However, if you will be doing a lot of flash photography in the FM line, the FE2 and FM3A are more useful as they both offer automatic TTL flash control.
In addition to the vast selection of Nikkor (and third-party) lenses that are available for the Nikon F mount, the FM2n also accepts various other useful Nikon accessories. One of the most useful is the MD-12 motor drive. This motor drive unit works on all FM Series bodies (and even the Nikon FA) and allows rapid fire or remote shooting up to 3.2 frames per second. Years ago, I used to keep it attached to the camera and carried it around much of the time. However, the MD-12 is quite heavy, especially when loaded with the eight required AA batteries. These days, it would obviously be better to use a more modern camera is you want portable and higher-speed motor drive. Other useful optional accessories (which work with all FM and FE series bodies) are the MF-16 data back, the DB-2 Anti-Cold Battery Pack (particularly useful for the FM2n, which would be the perfect camera to take on a dog sled expedition to the North Pole!), the DR-3 and DG-2 viewfinder eyepieces, and various eyepiece correction lenses.
Copyright © 2013 - 2016 Timothy A. Rogers. All rights reserved.
(DSC_1616fin1)
So far I haven't killed this rose bush, so this is a good thing! Planted in 2018. It's small still because I cut it way back last fall .I won't prune it so much this season, and we'll see what it can do.
My previous track record with roses has been dismal. People told me this variety were nearly foolproof. Well, I am that fool so I guess they were right!
Garden views.
June 12, 2021.
IMG_0692
A recent addition to Gauntlet Birds of Prey at Knutsford, at least I haven't seen them before but they do also have a centre at Knowsley Safari Park so they could have been hidden there. Photography not as easy here as whilst the centre has improved with new housing for the birds, a lot of them are behind wire (hence the slight cast in the bottom left corner). If you know of a foolproof way of fading out the wire could you please let me know as the only other opportunity is to photograph them during the flying display.
Harfang des neiges
ENGLISH
The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a large, white owl of the true owl family. It is sometimes also referred to, more infrequently, as the polar owl, white owl and the Arctic owl. Snowy owls are native to the Arctic regions of both North America and the Palearctic, breeding mostly on the tundra. It has a number of unique adaptations to its habitat and lifestyle, which are quite distinct from other extant owls. One of the largest species of owl, it is the only owl with largely white plumage. Males tend to be a purer white overall while females tend to more have more extensive flecks of dark brown. Juvenile male snowy owls have dark markings that may appear similar to females until maturity, at which point they typically turn whiter. The composition of brown markings about the wing, although not foolproof, is the most reliable technique to age and sex individual snowy owls.
Most owls sleep during the day and hunt at night, but the snowy owl is often active during the day, especially in the summertime. The snowy owl is both a specialized and generalist hunter. Its breeding efforts and entirely global population are closely tied to the availability of tundra-dwelling lemmings but in the non-breeding season and occasionally during breeding the snowy owl can adapt to almost any available prey, most often other small mammals and northerly water birds (as well as, opportunistically, carrion). Snowy owls typically nest on a small rise on the ground of the tundra. The snowy owl lays a very large clutch of eggs, often from about 5 to 11, with the laying and hatching of eggs considerably staggered. Despite the short Arctic summer, the development of the young takes a relatively long time and independence is sought in autumn.
The snowy owl is a nomadic bird, rarely breeding at the same locations or with the same mates on an annual basis and often not breeding at all if prey is unavailable. A largely migatory bird, snowy owls often wandering almost anywhere close to the Arctic sometimes unpredictably irrupting to the south in large numbers. Given the difficulty of surveying such an unpredictable bird, there was little in depth knowledge historically about the snowy owl's status. However, recent data suggests the species is declining precipitously. Whereas the global population was once estimate at over 200,000 individuals, recent data suggests that there are probably fewer than 100,000 individuals globally and that the number of successful breeding pairs is 28,000 or even considerably less. While the causes are not well-understood, numerous, complex environment factors often correlated with global warming are probably at the forefront of the fragility of the snowy owl's existence.
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FRANÇAIS
Le Harfang des neiges (Bubo scandiacus) est une espèce d'oiseau de la famille des strigidés. Il est aussi appelé ookpik par les Inuits. Il est l'emblème aviaire du Québec depuis 19871,2. En France, on l'appelle Harfang, même si, en réalité, il appartient au même genre Bubo que les hiboux grand-ducs. Comme ces derniers, il possède de petites plumes sur sa tête appelées aigrettes, mais très peu visibles puisqu'elles sont très petites et repliées sur sa tête.
Ce grand oiseau blanc aux yeux jaunes est très reconnaissable. Le mâle est d'un blanc pur alors que la femelle et les jeunes sont légèrement tachetés ou barrés de brun. Leur plumage blanchit avec l'âge, les mâles pouvant alors devenir d'un blanc immaculé. L'été, le plumage est plus foncé que l'hiver, le plumage est plus blanc l'hiver pour se camoufler dans la neige. Les mâles sont en général plus petits que les femelles. Leur envergure est de 170 à 177 cm pour les femelles adultes et de 160 à 170 cm pour les mâles adultes. Leur masse varie de 1 à 2,5 kg.
Le harfang est un très grand oiseau, pouvant atteindre jusqu'à 70 cm de longueur. Ses yeux sont très grands proportionnellement à sa taille : en effet, ils ont environ la même taille que ceux d'un homme. Ils sont d'une couleur jaune et disposés vers l'avant. De plus, ils sont fixes, ce qui oblige le harfang à devoir souvent tourner sa large tête aplatie pour pouvoir regarder autour de lui (il peut la tourner d'un angle de 270°)
Source: Wikipedia
We follow the steep,slippery path from the forest out onto the open moor,There is no mistaking the path which climbs clearly onto the plateau of Live moor.The route is now straightforward and foolproof...just keep plodding ahead...My Red woolen mittens were no match for this icy blast...Although i love these wintery conditions today i would have prefered clear skies and the view.
Photo taken and edit on iphone3gs, apps: ProCamera, Halftones, TouchRetouch, Foolproof, Noir Photo, Superimpose, IcoloramaS, Photo Power.
IG and EyeEm: @adesantora
Ina Garten is an engineer and chef extraordinaire!
She worked for Admiral Hyman Rickover in DC, helping develop our nuclear-powered submarine. When she saw an ad in the New York Times that the Long Island deli and specialty shop "Barefoot Contesse" was for sale... 😍
Did you know that the beautiful Ina Garten, the fabulous Chef, and Engineer, worked for Rickover before purchasing "The Barefoot Contessa," a delicatessen on Long Island? I will have to do a series on her. She used her engineering experience to perfect recipes for her Deli.
Wikipedia doesn't mention that but it has a wealth of detail about Ina:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ina_Garten
Ina Rosenberg Garten (/ˈaɪnə/ eye-nə; born February 2, 1948)[1] is an American author and host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa, and a former staff member of the White House Office of Management and Budget.[2]
Garten had no formal training in cooking and baking; she taught herself culinary techniques with the aid of French and New England cookbooks. Later, she relied on intuition and feedback from friends and customers to refine her recipes. She was mentored primarily by Eli Zabar, owner of Eli's Manhattan and Eli's Breads, and food-show host and author Martha Stewart. Among her dishes are cœur à la crème, celery root remoulade, pear clafouti, and a simplified version of beef bourguignon. Her culinary career began with her gourmet food store, Barefoot Contessa; Garten then expanded her activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded convenience products, and a popular Food Network television show.
Contents [hide]
1Early life
2Career
2.1Barefoot Contessa store
2.2Barefoot Contessa cookbooks
2.3Barefoot Contessa on Food Network
2.4Barefoot Contessa Pantry
2.5Barefoot Contessa other publications
3Personal life
4Criticism
5Works
5.1Books
5.2Magazine columns
5.3Television
6Notes
7References
8External links
Early life[edit]
Born Ina Rosenberg[3] to a Jewish family[4] in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Stamford, Connecticut,[1] Garten was one of two children born to Charles H. Rosenberg, a surgeon specializing in otolaryngology, and his wife, Florence.[5] Encouraged to excel in school, she showed an aptitude for science, and has said she uses that scientific mindset while experimenting with recipes.[6] Garten's mother, an intellectual with an interest in opera, refused her daughter's requests to assist her in the kitchen and instead directed her to concentrate on schoolwork. Garten described her father as a lively individual with many friends, and has commented that she shares more characteristics with him than with her mother.[7]
At 15, she met her future husband, Jeffrey Garten, on a trip to visit her brother at Dartmouth College.[5] After high school, she attended Syracuse University but postponed her educational pursuits to marry.[1]
Career[edit]
On December 22, 1968, Rosenberg and Garten were married in Stamford and soon relocated to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. She began to dabble in cooking and entertaining in an effort to occupy her time while her husband served his four-year military tour during the Vietnam War; she also acquired her pilot's license.[8] After her husband had completed his military service, the couple journeyed to Paris, France, for a four-month camping vacation that Garten has described as the birth of her love for French cuisine. During this trip, she experienced open-air markets, produce stands, and fresh cooking ingredients for the first time.[9] Upon returning to the U.S., she began to cultivate her culinary abilities by studying [ [Note 'the volumes of' should be deleted] Julia Child's seminal cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.[9] Her weekly dinner party tradition began taking shape during this time, and she refined her home entertaining skills when she and her husband moved to Washington, D.C., in 1972.
In Washington, Garten worked in the White House and took business courses at George Washington University, eventually earning an MBA,[2] while her husband worked in the State Department and completed his graduate studies. Garten was originally employed as a low-level government aide, and climbed the political ladder to the Office of Management and Budget; eventually, she was assigned the position of budget analyst, which entailed writing the nuclear energy budget and policy papers on nuclear centrifuge plants for Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.[10][11]
Strained by the pressures of her work and the stressful nature of Washington, Garten again turned to cooking and entertaining while also buying, refurbishing, and reselling homes for profit in the Dupont Circle and Kalorama neighborhoods.[10] The profits from these sales gave Garten the means to make her next purchase, the Barefoot Contessa specialty food store.
Barefoot Contessa store[edit]
Garten left her government job in 1978 after spotting an ad for a 400-square-foot (37 m2) specialty food store called Barefoot Contessa in Westhampton Beach, New York "My job in Washington was intellectually exciting and stimulating but it wasn't me at all," she explained four years later.[2]
She made a hasty decision to purchase the store after traveling to view it, and moved to New York to assume ownership and management. The store had been named by its original owner in tribute to the 1954 film starring Ava Gardner; Garten kept the name when she took over, as it meshed well with her idea of an "elegant but earthy" lifestyle,[12] but as of 2006 she had not seen the film.[13]
Within a year, Garten had moved Barefoot Contessa across Main Street from its original location to a larger property. The shop quickly outgrew this new location, and in 1985 Garten relocated the store again to the newly vacated premises of gourmet shop Dean & DeLuca in the prosperous Long Island village of East Hampton. In contrast to Westhampton's beach season atmosphere, East Hampton is a year-round community, providing a larger, wealthier demographic as a customer base. In East Hampton, Garten expanded the store from its original 400 square feet (37 m2) to more than 3,000 square feet (280 m2), over seven times its original size. In this new, larger space, the store specialized in delicacies such as lobster Cobb salad, caviar, imported cheeses, and locally grown produce.[14]
While doing much of the cooking herself, Garten also employed local chefs and bakers as the business grew, including Anna Pump (who later established the Loaves & Fishes bakery and Bridgehampton Inn). Garten has credited Eli Zabar with the inspiration for her main cooking method, in which "all you have to do is cook to enhance the ingredients."[15] The shop was praised in the press by celebrity clientele such as Steven Spielberg and Lauren Bacall.
In 1996, after two decades of owning and operating Barefoot Contessa, Garten again found herself seeking a change and sold the store to two employees, Amy Forst and Parker Hodges, while retaining ownership of the building itself. Unsure of what career step to take after selling the store, she took a six-month sabbatical from the culinary scene and built offices above the shop. There, she studied the stock market and attempted to sketch out plans for potential business ventures. Her website, Barefoot Contessa, became high-profile at this time as she began offering her coffees and a few other items for purchase online.
By 2003, Barefoot Contessa had become such a landmark gathering place for the affluent New York town that director Nancy Meyers chose to use the store as one of the settings for the Jack Nicholson-Diane Keaton film Something's Gotta Give.[14] However, the store was permanently closed in 2004, when the lease expired on the property and negotiations failed between Garten (the owner of the building in which Barefoot Contessa was housed) and the new owners.[16] It has been reported that Garten's refusal to meet lease negotiations was actually a tactic for reclaiming control of the store after Forst and Hodges lost business to competitor Citarella.[17] Ultimately, Garten did not reopen the shop, and instead retained the property for potential new tenants.
Barefoot Contessa cookbooks[edit]
Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
After consulting with her husband, Garten reemerged in 1999 with her attention turned to publishing. She carried on the Barefoot Contessa name in her 1999 sleeper bestseller, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Containing the recipes that made her store successful, the book far exceeded both Garten's and publisher Clarkson Potter's expectations. After an initial pressing of 35,000 copies, a typical number for a debut cookbook, it immediately required second and third print runs and eventually sold over 100,000 copies in its first year.[18] In 2001, she capitalized on her new-found fame and released Barefoot Contessa Parties!, which also produced high sales and garnered good reviews, and followed this with Barefoot Contessa Family Style in 2002. The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and Parties! were nominated for 2000 and 2002 James Beard Awards, in the Entertaining & Special Occasion Cookbooks category. Parties! was a surprise entry, as she was considered inexperienced and untrained to compete with fellow nominees, revered French chef Jacques Pépin and international wine expert Brian St. Pierre.
Her cookbooks avoid an encyclopedic format, and are modeled on coffee table books. With many color photographs, including a full-page picture facing each recipe, some critics argue that this method sacrifices space that could be used for recipes. Nevertheless, her cookbooks have received positive reviews; in 2005, fellow chef Giada De Laurentiis named Garten one of her favorite authors.[19] As of 2008, Garten's cookbooks have sold over six million copies combined.[citation needed] As of October 2014 she had published nine cookbooks.
Her newest cookbook, titled Cooking for Jeffrey was released on October 25, 2016.
Barefoot Contessa on Food Network[edit]
See also: Barefoot Contessa
Garten established herself with her cookbooks and appearances on Stewart's show, and then moved into the forefront in 2002 with the debut of her Food Network program.[14] After the success of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and Barefoot Contessa Parties!, Garten was approached by Food Network with an offer to host her own television cooking show. She rejected this proposal several times, until the London-based production company responsible for the Nigella Bites was assigned to the deal. She acquiesced to a 13-show season, and Barefoot Contessa[20] premiered in 2002 to a positive reception.[21]
Her show features her husband and their friends and generally only hosts celebrities who are her friends.[22] Barefoot Contessa has approximately one million viewers tuned in per episode, and has posted some of Food Network's highest ratings.[5][23]
When Martha Stewart was incarcerated in 2004 on charges connected with obstruction of justice in a stock trading case, the press singled out Garten as a possible successor.[24]
In 2005, the show was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the category of Best Service Show.[25] In 2009, the show and Garten were once again nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards in the categories of Best Culinary Program and Best Culinary Host, and Garten won her first Emmy in the latter category.[26]
That same year, Garten announced that she had signed a three-year contract with Food Network to continue her cooking show, and will release two more cookbooks following Barefoot Contessa at Home. Garten was reportedly awarded the most lucrative contract for a culinary author to date, signing a multimillion-dollar deal for multiple books.[27] She has also been approached several times to develop her own magazine, line of furniture, set of cookware, and chain of boutiques (reminiscent of Stewart's Omnimedia), but has declined these offers, stating she has no interest in further complicating her life. Between 2004 and 2005, Barefoot in Paris sold almost 400,000 copies and rose to number eleven on the New York Times bestseller list.[28]
Barefoot Contessa Pantry[edit]
In 2006, Garten launched her own line of packaged cake mixes, marinades, sauces, and preserves, branded as Barefoot Contessa Pantry, with her business partner Frank Newbold [29] and in conjunction with Stonewall Kitchen. These convenience foods are based on her most popular from-scratch recipes, such as coconut cupcakes, maple oatmeal scones, mango chutney, and lemon curd. Pricing of these items is comparatively expensive (for example, the suggested retail price for a single box of brownie mix is ten dollars) and they are only sold through upscale cookware and gourmet shops such as Crate & Barrel, Sur La Table, and Chicago's Fox & Obel Market Cafe. She plans to expand this brand in the near future if the first line of products is very successful.[30]
Barefoot Contessa other publications[edit]
After critical acclaim and high sales of her first three cookbooks, she went on to write Barefoot in Paris and several columns for O, The Oprah Magazine. She also serves as the entertaining, cooking, and party planning consultant for the magazine. House Beautiful, a shelter magazine, featured a monthly Garten column entitled "Ask the Barefoot Contessa" until 2011. In this column, she gave cooking, entertaining, and lifestyle tips in response to letters from her readers.[31] She launched a small line of note cards and journals to complement her books, and wrote the forewords for Kathleen King's Tate's Bake Shop Cookbook and Rori Trovato's Dishing With Style. One of her recipes, 'lemon roast chicken with croutons', was featured in The Best American Recipes 2005–2006. Another of Garten's dishes was selected for Today's Kitchen Cookbook, a compilation of the most popular recipes featured on the daily news program The Today Show. For Thanksgiving 2010, her recipes were featured by Google on their homepage[32] In June 2012, she started a Facebook blog and three weeks later had over 100,000 followers.[29]
Personal life[edit]
Her husband Jeffrey Garten was Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade and dean of the Yale School of Management. He is now the Juan Trippe Professor in the Practice of International Trade, Finance, and Business at Yale. He can also frequently be seen on her cooking show, assisting his wife with simple tasks or sampling the dishes she has created. They divide their time among Manhattan, East Hampton, and Paris.[9]
]
Garten served as hostess of the 16th Annual Hudson Peconic benefit for Planned Parenthood. Her Food Network show frequently features appearances by her openly gay friends and their partners. Though she has made no explicit statement regarding gay rights or the gay community in general, she did write in one of her books:
...We all know that families now aren't necessarily like Ozzie and Harriet (it turns out Ozzie and Harriet's family wasn't all Ozzie and Harriet)... family has a traditional context, but today it's not as simple as two parents with 2-3 kids... it's about relationships... it's about people who are bound together by love and a sense of being responsible for one another... it's spouses with no children, like Jeffrey and me... it's a group of women who meet to cook dinner together once a month... it's a one-parent family with adopted children... it's two men who've made a life together... at the end of the day, all we have is love... getting love, but even more, feeling love...[34]
Registered in New York as a Democrat, Garten has contributed to the presidential campaign funds of George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, John Kerry, and Barack Obama.[35]
Garten also sits on the Design Review Board for East Hampton, a panel that grants building permissions and approves architectural and design elements of the village. The board seeks to protect the historical district and further the overall aesthetics of the area.[36]
Criticism[edit]
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has criticized Garten's cookbook Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? for its use of high-fat, high-calorie, and high-cholesterol meat and dairy ingredients.[37][38] In response, Eric Felten of The Wall Street Journal called the report "an assault on cookbooks that dare to venture beyond lentils".[39]
Works[edit]
Books[edit]
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999), Clarkson Potter, ISBN 0-609-60219-5
Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes For Easy Parties That Are Really Fun (2001)
Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family (2002)
Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Make at Home (2004)
Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again (2006)
Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients Clarkson Potter. 2008. ISBN 978-1400054350.
Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? Clarkson Potter. 2010. ISBN 978-0307238764.
Barefoot Contessa: Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust. Clarkson Potter. 2012. ISBN 0307464873. OCLC 776519282 .
Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Clarkson Potter. 2014. ISBN 978-0-307464880. OCLC 875771003 .
Cooking for Jeffrey: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook Clarkson Potter. 2016.
Magazine columns[edit]
"Entertaining is Fun!" (Martha Stewart Living 1999–present)
"Entertaining." (O, The Oprah Magazine 2003–present)
"Ask the Barefoot Contessa." (House Beautiful 2006–present)
1970 Dodge Charger RT / SE
The Dodge Charger R/T was arguably the most luxurious member of the Dodge Scat Pack lineup for 1970, especially when equipped with the SE option.
The SE designation was short for Special Edition, and on the 1970 Charger, it included leather and vinyl bucket seats, a woodgrain steering wheel and matching woodgrain instrument panel, shiny pedal trim and a special lighting group with turn signal indicators built into the hood.
Of course, this was on top of all the standard equipment for the Charger R/T: 440 Magnum V8 with four-barrel carb and dual exhaust, R/T suspension package, heavy-duty brakes, 14-inch wheels with F70 polyglas raised white letter or white-sidewall tires and a bumblebee or longitudinal stripe.
While the 440 Magnum was standard equipment on the Charger R/T, the 390 horsepower 440 Six Pack could be had for a few dollars more. If you wanted be Buddy Baker or Dick Landy, the awesome 426 HEMI® engine was also available packing 425 horses under that long hood. With both the 440 Six Pack and 426 HEMI®, buyers had to choose between comfort or speed as air conditioning was not available on these multi-carbureted beasts. Strange but true: Standard (non-R/T) Charger models could be ordered with the economical Slant Six for power. Not surprisingly, few buyers equipped their Chargers that way, and it’s rather unusual to find one today.
While the 1970 Charger is visually similar to the ’68 and ’69 models, there’s a foolproof way to tell them apart. The ’70 version has a heavy chrome front bumper that fully encircles the grille and hidden headlamps that form a single large rectangle. The ’70 R/T models also came standard with a rear-facing nonfunctional scoop on the door. In this regard, the ’70 Charger stands alone, making it easy to identify in a crowd of classic Dodge muscle cars.
If you have an interest in Automobiles, why not take a look at my collect of images "here"
Count Albert De Dion commissioned Messrs Bouton and Trépardoux, brothers-in-law and jobbing engineers, to build light steam carriages for him as early as 1882. In 1895 attention was switched to the fashionable new internal combustion engine and De Dion Bouton et Cie were marketing a diminutive petrol engined tricycle. These early tricycles were powered by Bouton's new, high speed, single cylinder, vertical engine which revved at almost twice the speed of the contemporary Daimlers. By 1899 the company was marketing a 3 1/2hp Voiturette, an all new generation of four wheel motor car with rear mounted engine driving through a system of gears to the rear wheels. With the new car came the renowned De Dion rear axle – then years ahead of its time. A larger 4 1/2hp engine was offered in the vis-à-vis models from 1900 and with this power unit the car had a comfortable running speed of 25mph although braking ability was a limiting factor. By 1904 De Dion Bouton was firmly established as France's most prolific motor car manufacturer, their fast-revving engines having set new standards in engine design at the turn of the century. Early rear-engined models gave way to a new generation of front-engined cars for the 1902 season, again single cylinder models with atmospheric inlet valve and mechanical exhaust valve. These engines were so successful that De Dion sold them to many other manufacturers and had they simply sold engines alone, the De Dion Bouton operation would still have been a very substantial enterprise. De Dion's gearbox was virtually foolproof for the first time car driver, the fast-revving engines were supremely reliable and De Dion back-up and service was second-to-none. The number of surviving cars is testimony to their popularity and build quality and the single cylinder 8hp model of 1904 was the undoubted leader in its peer group.
"365: the 2017 edition","365:2017","Day 278/365","5-Oct-17"
These blue paper curtains, are used to separate the beds in this hospital. If everyone plays nice, they create an illusion that everyone will not be able to hear whatever is said on the other side of the curtains.
1973: National Gallery of Australia purchaseEdit
The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) purchased Blue Poles in 1973 for A$1.3 million.The gallery's director at the time, James Mollison, was not able to authorise purchases over $1 million, so the acquisition was approved by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.
I remember the time very well. The purchase elicited a great deal of public discussion; according to art historian Patrick McCaughey, "never had such a picture moved and disturbed the Australian public". The debate centred on the painting's record selling price, at the time a world record for a contemporary American painting, as well as the perceived financial ineptitude of Whitlam's Labor Party government and debate over the relative value of abstract art In the conservative climate of the time, the purchase created a political and media scandal, the likes of which had never been seen before or since. Eventually it was the straw that brought down a government.
The painting has become one of the most popular exhibits in the gallery, for both its value as a major work of 1950s abstract expressionism, and its significance in Australian politics and history.The painting's present value is $350 million, but its increased value has at least shown it to have been a worthwhile purchase from a financial point of view.
Wiki provided some material. Day 2 (3) hospital.
■■■This is the third time I have written these notes. I wish I knew a foolproof way to modify them without the risk of them all disappearing again. I'll be back to edit the again after breakfast. Until then, sorry for the lumpy text.
One of the few images I captured on the day of such bad visibility due to the fog. The Met line also suffered a few delays because of this (drivers applying a bit more caution / slower speeds to be able to sight signals in good time), so here I was stuck somewhere on the Uxbridge branch for a good while, waiting for things to get moving in front of me.
The worst part of the day consisted of having the fright of my life whilst approaching every station platform. People leaning out and over the yellow lane and platform limits in order to try and see their train in the fog; they don't seem to realise that I have the same problem, but with the station and platform edges, and latterly, the same people leaning over that yellow line peering over the yellow line wondering when the vague shape that is approaching might materialise into a train...
North of Neasden, this remained much a familiar sight for pretty much the whole of the day, with no real respite even during the middle of the day. It is quite possibly the worst day's driving I've ever experienced, purely because of the completely lack of visibility. All the usual fixed reference points that I use to inform myself of where I am (bridges, posts, man-made structures) so that I know where signals are were completely gone in the fog, so relied a lot on signal repeaters and fog repeaters (though at one point that wasn't exactly foolproof as for some reason we have had a whole bunch of fog repeaters out of action, though funny how they were all miraculously working *after* the foggy day). Add general low rail adhesion due to the moisture and extended leaf fall to the mix... super fun times. Not.
I did have some pictures from when I was stopped at stations where I was going to show how many car markers you could just about see up to, but I think it will be better if I can get comparison shots and display them as a diptych so you can see how visibility is normally.
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Make dinner at home a bit more special this holiday season with this foolproof filet mignon recipe! The results are melt-in-your-mouth delicious and will challenge any expensive steakhouse's filet!
For this recipe, please go to:
creativeelegancecatering.blogspot.com/2024/12/filet-migno...
For hundreds more delicious recipes and mouthwatering food images, please go to:
Annales de la Société royale d'agriculture et de botanique de Gand :.
Gand [etc.] :Société royale d'agriculture et de botanique,1845-1849..
I believe this is Gahnia and I've never seen it variegated before. No inflorescence present which is my only foolproof method to ensure this isn't some long bladed form of Carex.
Kamanaiki Ridge via Lanihuli
Si se usa adecuadamente.... ;-)
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If properly used... ;-)
I loved photographing the outrageous lighted signboards along Dotonbori, Osaka.
The fugu lantern of the Zuboraya restaurant is my fave.
This is a handheld shot, the 16-35GM certainly has better color fidelity than the Sony Zeiss f4 version and crispier with better contrast.
Personally, fugu is mostly hype as it is said that eating it is akin to playing Russian roulette since fugu poison is 1,000x more poisonous than cyanide with no known antidote! Fact is, it is actually quite safe in the hands of qualified/certified chefs but as a dish, it has no real character making it rather overpriced.
Fugu fins are usually dried and sold separately, some prefer to soak them in Japanese sake for the unique flavor it imparts to the drink.
Very interestingly, due to climate change, there has been an increase in the incidence of puffer fish hybrids making identification difficult especially when external clues are not foolproof. The location of the poison is uncertain in the hybrids so the risk of eating this may well increase unless they have a foolproof method for identifying the specific species going forward.
The fugu's tetrodotoxin comes from eating other animals infested with tetrodotoxin-laden bacteria, it can be farmed poison-free by keeping them away from the bacteria.
In a period of time distant from ours, in a remote corner of far flung space, an idea was born. An idea that would change the way humans would look at the galaxy, and everything in it.
The idea goes something like this.
Phase one: GO TO SPACE.
Phase two: DISCOVER THINGS.
Phase three: PROFIT?
It was a foolproof plan, a plan that could hardly fail.
As such, Si-industries was born. A corporation tasked with creating the finest in space traveling technology and equipment.
First off the production lines was the Catfish, a chubby and unfortunately disaster prone craft that, even after four iterations, was still terrible.
Wave five brought with it the Lionfish, and the Tigerfish. Two craft that could rival even the most expensive models of racing craft in speed and agility.
With a fascination for puke green, and retractable flappy bits, the Tigerfish's designer was hailed as a genius innovator within the company for years, before it was realized that he borrowed the design cues and tech from SF3D laboratories and failed to credit them whatsoever.
The Tigerfish was a favorite among the classic-space fleet, particularly the jockeys that were on muscle stimulants who had an urge to shout somewhat random things while going way too fast
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Thanks for my man Evan for the fancy photowork <3
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Built for the 14x14x6 Small Star Fighter contest.
Tenerife
Botanical Gardens Puerto de La Cruz
www.tenerife-information-centre.com/botanical-gardens-pue...
Although known officially as Jardín de Aclimatación de la Orotava, or "JAO", this installation is actually in Puerto de La Cruz (there is a smaller one actually in La Orotava).
Billbergia pyramidalis, commonly known as the flaming torch and foolproof plant, is a species of bromeliad that is native to northern South America and parts of the Caribbean.