Jim Domke

Continued from Part 1 . Surveying the hundreds of new products introduced at the Photo Marketing Associations (PMA) trade show (Feburary 27 ~ March 1, 2006) revealed that technology companies have finally ended their fight for "the largest mega ... pixel" camera. The truth is that an average shooter only needs a 6 mega pixel camera for 5x7 or 8x10 to develop quality prints. So what's next? There are too many choices when camera makers introduce 15 new models and the competition is increasing as Samsung introduces it's first SLR with interchangeable lenses at the PMA showing Orlando ... (view more)

I just got back from the 82nd annual Photo Marketing Association (PMA) trade show in Orlando, Florida, and I've got some new hot picks to share. With Kodak claiming that the digital photography market is now in "phase two," the rush to buy one is ... over, now we have to figure out how to track all the digital photos. WiFi is being added to cameras to enable images to be shared and stored in real-time. James Neal, GM for Digital Imaging at Sony boasts how Sony pioneered digital photography with the "first auto-focus body-integral SLR camera in 1985." Sony acquired Minolta's assets when they shut ... (view more)

Back in 1888, George Eastman started selling the new $24 “Kodak”, saying “press the button, we do the rest.” All a snap shooter had to do was shoot, then mail the “box camera” back to Rochester NY, where Kodak processed the film and sent back small black & ... white prints along with the reloaded camera. By the way: for the young photographers, cameras back then were all mechanical, without light meters, and were pre-set for taking pictures on bright sunny days. ;-) Fast forward 117 years to the digital age. We are still hearing “Press the button, we ...view more)

Photographers have always argued which camera lens is the sharpest. Speaking from experience (and I have 30 years of it!), Nikon's 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor lens ("Nikkor") is by far my sharpest lens; in fact, I use it all the time when taking portraits ... and still-life shots. The Nikkor utilizes a simple design that traces back to the famed pre-WWII German Zeizz lens. Surprisingly, the 105mm is still on the market. But, with the digital camera, the "Nikkor" just isn't practical (I.E.: you don't want to get any dust on the CCD sensor when you change lenses). That's why zoom lenses only belong on ... (view more)

A good picture needs to be in focus, but with the digital image we have to be careful not to OVER sharpen. With the old film camera, I want to count the hairs on the head in a portrait and this meant using a good sharp lens, and fine grain film. ... Things have changed with digital photography, the camera wants to blur the image, make it "out of focus" to hide "noise." Every manufacture has their own ideas on fuzzy photos, Canon likes a "softer" image to eliminate those spots in the picture, but Nikon doesn't mind the noice and keeps it sharper. However, most assume the first think to do when ... (view more)

Smile! Say Cheese! [ My Mug Shot ] The camera captures the moment, but if it is a digital image it can just as quickly be lost, deleted, compressed and corrupted. Many snap shooters are longing for a return to film, when you could see and touch a ... negative. My name is Jim Domke, and I've been taking photos for over 30 years. I have no longing to return to film and have discoverd that digital is a lot more fun! I started out shooting black and white for the school yearbook. It was fun, because I could be creative both in the taking and the printing. I've gone on to be a staff photographer at ... (view more)