A beauty. Please tell us a bit about the vellum/gold printing.

Send me a PM with your name and phone number and I'll call you tonight.

Apologies - the date is April 9-12.

The spring shoot is still scheduled for April 16-19. I will publish a proposed agenda of places to shoot around April 1. If you have specific questions I'll answer them as well as I can.

I shoot both.

I use the JPGs for review, internet, etc. Most get flushed.

I use the RAW files for archiving, serious processing for prints, and special applications.

The Slik 340DX is a lightweight 4-section legset that is very thin and supports just 4kg. It also has a column which I would not recommend for such a lightly built tripod.

The Manfroto 496RC2 supports 6kg. That is more than the tripod and it does not support the more popular Arca-Swiss style camera and lens plates.

Will it support the weight of your gear adequately?

These only sell for a few bucks. Many thousand were made and many of them survived. Made from 1939 to 1943 when it became part of the Cadet series. It used either 120 or 620 film. I forget which.

Anytime macro photography is the subject, especially lenses, lots of opinion, myth, fact, and fallacy get kicked around.

My take on a few features of "macro" photography:
1)Macro photography is really taking images that are life size or larger in the frame (film or sensor).

2) Most of us buy macro lenses to do close focus work on florals, small animals, still lifes, etc. and not true macro work. We throw the term "macro" around indicriminatly when we really mean "close focus".

3) OS/VR/IS work just fine for many types of close focus imaging. Testing and practice are important. I use OS for butterflies and florals frequently at 1/500th or slower.

4) Most macro shooters use manual focus only. That's not what they tell me. I do both. For true macro imaging and focus stacking I find manual focus works best and AF is not always reliable. For general close focus work I use AF 90% of the time.

MFD refers to the distance from the front element to the film plane/sensor. Pretty sure you refer to the subject to lens distance in your post here, which is useful.

I've found that Sigma designs seem to have created a set of macro primes that are not only outstanding macro lenses, but superb general purpose lenses as well, not generally true of macro lenses. The 150 and 180 are excellent with the Sigma 1.4X teleconverter too.

Sigma EX 105mm f2.8 HSM OS (1:1)
Close Focus – 12.3”
L-W – 3.1x5.0”
Weight – 25.6oz
Filter – 62mm
9 Blades

I have all the Sigma macro primes. I acquired this lens about the time it was released but never owned its non-OS predecessor. I find the 105 to be another outstanding macro lenses. This lens stacks up to and bests the micro-Nikkor 105 VR and, at the current discount Sigma is offering, it is a good choice and a great value in this focal range. Resolution is superb, but borders could be better. Bokeh is excellent with a few hard edges noticed from time to time. I see a bit of vignetting in this lens wide open. Image stabilization (OS) is very good. As you approach macro (1:1) it is not as effective (to be expected) due to the angular shake. Among the best of the 100-105 macros available and very very good. Highly recommended.

There are a few who have expressed interest right here in this thread. Contact them and see if there is interest. I am not keeping a list.

Harry and Others Who Are Interested -

The house being rented by the regulars who generally come is full. We have been doing this a long time and they plan well ahead so the bedrooms are all taken.

I suggest you consider getting together and rent a vacation home. They are all over town. Check out Vacation Rentals By Owner vrbo.com.

If your images are important to you, do your homework and buy the best lenses you can afford or save for them. Inexpensive lenses may carry you for years if you're a casual shooter. If you shoot a lot these cheaper lenses may hold you back. Buy once and you'll never be disappointed.

Go to your user settings and add you gear to your signature block.