I agree with kodak processing with HI REZ cd as well but with Kodachrome also ! the advantage of processing digital prints !!

In my darkroom printing Cibachrome images was where Kodachrome was great !!

I personally have and use this lens for the greater amount of my photography . I am just a hobby person but have many sharp images ! I was concerned about the f 4.o to start with but the IS makes it great !

AMEN ON KODACHROME !!!

[quote=paccmps]From experience having local is really great if and when you need help talking face to face about technical problems or quick turn around on repairs etc. Unless your shop is large enough the costs to do business can not compete with the "big stores" in larger cities ! Telephones and getting along with big city folks is good but I miss the hometown associates !![

/quote]ThoughI would add my vendor of choice is B&H in New York because there is always inventory to satisfy my needs ! All phone orders are handled with my needs and never high pressure . Most items are shipped that day and as general rule show up two to three days without extra charges ! My wife and I was on a bus tour to New York and stayed in a hotel near to the B&H facility ! I was like a kid in a candy storer ! I spent three hours there ~ ~ ~ and did not want to leave then !

My kind of story ~ ~ ~ he no doubt deserves a couple bucks more than others in the area ! It is almost makes me believe i wouId like living there !!

From experience having local is really great if and when you need help talking face to face about technical problems or quick turn around on repairs etc. Unless your shop is large enough the costs to do business can not compete with the "big stores" in larger cities ! Telephones and getting along with big city folks is good but I miss the hometown associates !!

With me quality was admirable and was the good choice for the lens. The only problem was it was a little on the heavy side and my age ! Had a friend who was into wedding business of photography tried it, loved it and bought it and uses tt as his best overall choice ! I just got old to soon for the walk around weight on my neck i suppose !!

I use Photoshop 5 for all my processing and it has the B&W conversion that I think is great ! i expose in the RAW . When it opens in Photoshop there are sliders that you can use to tweak the image if needed . Raw images are more detail and makes image much nicer !

Continue to be considerate of all people and their feelings about all things that are important to them . A goal that I will try hard to do is master HDR as a means of processing on my computer !!

Welcome Tim !!Can you train 81 year olds to do the boards in the ocean without safety rails ??? I might move down there where the weather is warmer !! Enjoy your craft of Photography !!

Use a full frame Canon and the 24 x 105 is on the camera most of the time except for when the 14mm or macro required !!I do not use long telephoto lenses any more ! Welcome to the HOG !!

Me as well ~ ~ ~ turned out to be my favorite ! kodak quality that you could process your self ! I used it in medium format as well and printed Cibachrome

Congratulations on all things ! I have been retired for several years my self and converted from a full film / print home darkroom to digital some years back and dearly love it . Now my darkroom is my iMac computer and 21 megapixel full frame Canon ! I have a Canon Pro1 printer ! I can print 13 x 19 images that are as good as I received from custom lab before ! With the camera you can view images as shot at any time at variable ISO ! The learning curve can be a short time to get started but you will keep learning to sharpen your skills . Other folks willl let you know their procedures that will help you and you will find many who love to do it ! Another thing with me and darkroom stinking chemicals and temperatures are not concerning and reprints are much less ! You do not need "dark" !! Good luck and appreciate your craftt !!

There are differences around here as well !! I had and used a darkroom for many years and processed many photograph of very good quality . Chemical handling and use problem and had to be disposed of. Although I loved my darkroom there came a time to switch I did not switch until could get satisfactory quailty "photographs" ! Digital caught up enough until I advertised and sold my complete darkroom !! Had withdraw for quite a while but finely the buyer did show up and hauled it away ! Did not know how labor intensity it was ! Funds were there to get me into full frame camera and an Apple computer and a Canon Pro 1 printer ! I print on Canon Pro Platinum "Photo" Paper. I just let them call it whatever and go loving what I do ! after all I age 81+ and still love this new way a lot better than the OLD way ~