DP2 bling

[fordfanjpn]

First of all I'd like to thank the lovely and talented Don Ellis for "inspiring" me to spend even more money on camera stuff over the weekend. I think that I am now done.

I had been using an Artisan&Artist case with the DP2, and I really liked the look of the camera in the case. However, it makes the camera larger (though easier to hold) and you have to remove the case every time you want to access the battery or memory card. So I switched from the case to Richard Franiec's grip. So far so good, but I haven't really had a chance to try it out yet.

I also got the Sigma VF-21 finder to replace the Voigtlander 40mm finder I had been using. The Sigma finder is considerably smaller and looks better on the camera. It's also very bright and seems to work well even when wearing glasses. The only downside I can see so far is that the framelines seem to be smaller than the actual captured image. I imagine I'll get used to that fairly quickly, and in any case I don't see it as a big problem, but it's something to keep in mind if you tend to rely a great deal on the accuracy of the framelines when shooting.

Overall, I think I'm done dressing up my camera, and I guess it's time to take it out and actually shoot something with it. Now if it would just stop raining for a little while!

Bill

 

[Streetshooter]

Bill, don't forget the piece of rubber washer
under the focus wheel...

 

[fordfanjpn]

Bill, don't forget the piece of rubber washer
under the focus wheel...

Actually, I never dared to try that. I was afraid I would get glue inside the camera and end up with a permanently focused camera. The DP2 is better in that regard, but you can still move the wheel accidentally.

Bill

 

[Don Ellis]

First of all I'd like to thank the lovely and talented Don Ellis...

It's hard to argue with a well-reasoned, articulate statement.

... for "inspiring" me to spend even more money on camera stuff over the weekend. I think that I am now done.

Spendthrifts love company. I'm near the US$1200 mark on mine... which you may be, too, considering Japanese prices. But, like you, I think I'm near the end.

Don't forget you still need a Vikuiti ARMR200 screen protector.

I also got the Sigma VF-21 finder to replace the Voigtlander 40mm finder I had been using. The Sigma finder is considerably smaller and looks better on the camera. It's also very bright and seems to work well even when wearing glasses. The only downside I can see so far is that the framelines seem to be smaller than the actual captured image. I imagine I'll get used to that fairly quickly, and in any case I don't see it as a big problem, but it's something to keep in mind if you tend to rely a great deal on the accuracy of the framelines when shooting.

Yes, I've found that to be true, as well. I'm surprised in all the gushing about this viewfinder -- which is worth a few gushes -- that no one has mentioned that. It's not a negative, and might even be a positive, but it's one of those nice-to-know things before you buy.

Overall, I think I'm done dressing up my camera, and I guess it's time to take it out and actually shoot something with it. Now if it would just stop raining for a little while!

Bill

Nice camera photo. Thanks, Bill.

Don

 

[fordfanjpn]

Spendthrifts love company. I'm near the US$1200 mark on mine... which you may be, too, considering Japanese prices. But, like you, I think I'm near the end.

Don't forget you still need a Vikuiti ARMR200 screen protector.

As a rough calculation it seems I'm at about $1100. But, I don't have the screen protector yet, and I have no idea where to get the one you mentioned. Got any advice on that? The only ones I can find here are generic Japanese-made ones.

Bill

 

[Don Ellis]

As a rough calculation it seems I'm at about $1100. But, I don't have the screen protector yet, and I have no idea where to get the one you mentioned. Got any advice on that? The only ones I can find here are generic Japanese-made ones.
Bill

That sounds about right. I also bought a Markins quick-release plate, which you don't need. And a 46mm UV filter and a couple of lens caps. And three extra batteries at huge expense.

I like the screen protector and even managed to put it on without adult supervision. It's a bit of a matte finish but nice, and unlike the cut-down iPhone screen protector I tried, it doesn't seem to want to come off just because I looked at it.

I ordered it from Amazon UK and it was shipped from Germany. Arrived pretty quickly. It's about 2,320 Yen and you'll find it by clicking here.

Here are the 3M claims for their Vikuiti (what's that "visual acuity"?)...
- Durable - helps protect display from scratches and scuffs
- Anti-reflective coating - helps improve clarity and readability
- Easy to clean - markers and fingerprints wipe away easily
- Removable - non-tacky adhesive removes easily with no residue
- Matte surface - for less slippage when writing with a stylus
- Ultra thin - ideal for screens requiring a stylus

Having said that, if you can find a DP2 protector locally, you might try that first.

Don

 

[fordfanjpn]

That sounds about right. I also bought a Markins quick-release plate, which you don't need. And a 46mm UV filter and a couple of lens caps. And three extra batteries at huge expense.

I like the screen protector and even managed to put it on without adult supervision. It's a bit of a matte finish but nice, and unlike the cut-down iPhone screen protector I tried, it doesn't seem to want to come off just because I looked at it.

I ordered it from Amazon UK and it was shipped from Germany. Arrived pretty quickly. It's about 2,320 Yen and you'll find it by clicking here.

Here are the 3M claims for their Vikuiti (what's that "visual acuity"?)...
- Durable - helps protect display from scratches and scuffs
- Anti-reflective coating - helps improve clarity and readability
- Easy to clean - markers and fingerprints wipe away easily
- Removable - non-tacky adhesive removes easily with no residue
- Matte surface - for less slippage when writing with a stylus
- Ultra thin - ideal for screens requiring a stylus

Having said that, if you can find a DP2 protector locally, you might try that first.

Don

I already had filters and batteries from the DP1, so that saved me a bit. On the other hand, I also have a DP1! So I guess that puts up a bit higher in terms of money spent, especially considering that I bought the DP1 back when they were about $800.

I don't have an account with Amazon UK, and for some reason Amazon in the US doesn't have the screen protector (even though it's a 3M product). So I think I'll look around a bit here before I order from Amazon. Thanks for the info though.

Bill

 

[Don Ellis]

I already had filters and batteries from the DP1, so that saved me a bit. On the other hand, I also have a DP1! So I guess that puts up a bit higher in terms of money spent, especially considering that I bought the DP1 back when they were about $800.

I don't have an account with Amazon UK, and for some reason Amazon in the US doesn't have the screen protector (even though it's a 3M product). So I think I'll look around a bit here before I order from Amazon. Thanks for the info though.

Bill

3M has a big presence in Japan... you might call them...
http://solutions.3m.com/ja_JP/WW2/Country/

I bought my Canon Pro 1 when it was $800, as well. Doens't matter... look how many nice shots we got out of them.

Speaking of excesses... I purchased the Toshiba 5200 laptop (a stretch of marketing imagination for a 20-pound computer with a suitcase handle) with its 100MB hard disk and eerie orange gas-plasma VGA display at a 20% discount for US$8000.

On the bright side, I loved it. And I still remember a guy getting into my lift, glancing at the gray beast and asking, in a hushed, reverential voice: "Is that the one with 100MB hard disk?" That was worth a couple thousand right there.

Don

 

[fordfanjpn]

3M has a big presence in Japan... you might call them...
http://solutions.3m.com/ja_JP/WW2/Country/

I bought my Canon Pro 1 when it was $800, as well. Doens't matter... look how many nice shots we got out of them.

Speaking of excesses... I purchased the Toshiba 5200 laptop (a stretch of marketing imagination for a 20-pound computer with a suitcase handle) with its 100MB hard disk and eerie orange gas-plasma VGA display at a 20% discount for US$8000.

On the bright side, I loved it. And I still remember a guy getting into my lift, glancing at the gray beast and asking, in a hushed, reverential voice: "Is that the one with 100MB hard disk?" That was worth a couple thousand right there.

Don

3M is actually one of our biggest clients (I work for a patent law firm), but that doesn't do me much good when it comes to needing something they make.

I remember those Toshiba laptops with the plasma displays. I never owned one myself, but I worked for a guy who did and I got to play with it quite a bit. The good old DOS days. :ROTFL:

Bill

 

[Don Ellis]

3M is actually one of our biggest clients (I work for a patent law firm), but that doesn't do me much good when it comes to needing something they make.

Yes, I know that feeling. I'll let you know if I have to order another.

I remember those Toshiba laptops with the plasma displays. I never owned one myself, but I worked for a guy who did and I got to play with it quite a bit. The good old DOS days. :ROTFL:

Bill

Those were good old DOS days... WordPerfect 5.1 was the greatest word processor of all time. And I still use ZTree... the file management program that Kim Henkel created when the XTree owners decided to stop developing it. I run it nearly every day on my XP machine. (Thank you, Kim.) It still does things no other file management program can do -- such as show all the files on your hard disk as though they're in a single folder so you can sort them or work on them together.

Don

 

[fordfanjpn]

Those were good old DOS days... WordPerfect 5.1 was the greatest word processor of all time. And I still use ZTree... the file management program that Kim Henkel created when the XTree owners decided to stop developing it. I run it nearly every day on my XP machine. (Thank you, Kim.) It still does things no other file management program can do -- such as show all the files on your hard disk as though they're in a single folder so you can sort them or work on them together.

Don

I used WP5.1 for a long time before the company finally switched over to Windoze and Word. But personally, I've been a Mac user since 1984, and have always felt that Bill Gates and the whole Microsoft clan are the Devil's spawn, and will receive their "just deserts" on 12/21/12.

Bill