Hi Jeff, awhile back you posted sort of a tutorial showing a example of cropping and doing some minor color adjustments. If you can do something like that again that would be great. Thanks
First, I agree with your assessment of Sushicam Friend Finder. It’s a legit site and I havde met some good friends there the past few years.
However, my pointin writing today is that I have been unable to access it since yesterday–wondering if it has anything to do with your site -re-design?
I am looking at buying a new camera and it is very useful to hear from you in your blog what your views are as you use the D700 vs the D5. nice post. thanks, like your photos.
When I forwarded the Sushicam.com url to this new wordpress.com account I had forgotten to update the link and it had gotten stuck in a circular reference. My sincere apologies to all of you.
At the end of the day a camera is just a tool. But, there are differences between them. The hard part is figuring out what features you need and then finding the right tool for the job.
Thanks Jeff,
and as always, I love your pics! I like the approach you take to “documentary photography” as it gave me that “homesick” feeling in teh first place.
By the way, I am seeing a japanese lady in London at the moment (yes, thanks to sushicam friendfinder!), so there may be a chance I will come to Japan this year ^_^
You may well find that the D700’s low-light prowess changes how you approach photography, because it changes the boundaries. It’s just counting photons, so eventually technology will advance such that people will find it quaint that there was once a time where exposure selection was not purely artistic.
I have had a D700 since the summer, and have been loving it, and have posted a lot about my experiences with it. You may find these two of particular interest:
But I was really hoping that the 5DII was going to have improved autofocus, and excellent high ISO image quality. (compared to the 5D) I was not interested in more pixels.
Because Canon bumped he pixel count, but did nothing about the autofocus I decided to give it a pass. High ISO quality is improved over the original 5D, but not to the same extent as the D700 (which has excellent auto focus).
All in all th D700 was a better fit for my needs.
(I’m not totally ruling out getting a 5DII though, once the price starts to come down, or it I can find a good deal on a used one)
Yes, you nailed it. Those are the exact reasons why the D700 was a better choice for me.
In good lighting, and when I don’t need auto focus the 5D produces better images than the D700. But when I need to crank the ISO up to 3200+, then I reach for the proper tool on my tool box (D700).
Hey Jeff, Thanks for working to open the link back up–have gotten ina few times, but still having a lot of trouble linking in…maybe once out of every six or seven tries. Maybe the site in messed up, but wanted to let you know the update.
I have had your photoblog as my homepage for quite some time now and am a little disappointed that the format has changed. is there any way I can change the link so that I continue to see ‘today’s photo’ everytime i open up my browser? I really love being greeted by one of your photos everyday and would like for it to continue to happen.
Hay friend, I just bought my 2nd D700 as a back up or 2nd lens body. It’s by far the finest digital I’ve ever used. Your friend in Ann Arbor and the Eagle Harbor. I hope your mom is doing well.
I think that you can still see Jeff’s photo of the day if you select his photostream at flickr as your home page. Try this one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sushicam/
Yes, the D700 is a very competent tool. The more I use it, the more I like it.
My Mom is doing well, thanks for asking. I just talked to her earlier today, and they have recently gotten a bit of relief from the normal winter bitter cold.
Sorry about the disruption, but the best I can do for you is the link to my Flickr account that J. was kind enough to share.
I’m getting away from hosting Sushicam on my own server (to prevent the hacking problems) and this has caused me to move my photo of the day to Flickr.
I’m looking into customizing this theme to give it more of a classic sushicam feel, but I need to get a lot smarter with CSS in order to make that happen.
Right now I have the following lenses for the D700: 50mm f1.4G, 60mm f2.8 Micro, 28-80mm f3.3-5.6, and Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 VC.
The Tamron gives me plenty of reach on the long end, and the vibration compensation is incredibly effective, and though it does focus a bit slow. It’s definitely not a sports lens.
The 60mm Micro is great. I founda used one for only 15,000 yen, and I love it.
The 50mm f1.4 G was also found used for a good price. but it does not focus as fast as the older D lenses, so i may trade it in.
Probably my favorite lens so far, oddly enough, is the 28-80mm f3.3-5.6. It’s a cheap kit zoom that was sold with older film bodies. It’s plastic, even the lens mount is plastic, and only cost me 3,500 yen. But it’s plenty sharp, focuses extremely fast, and weighs next to nothing.
My current lightweight kit is the 28-80 with the fast 50.
The next lens I get will be either the 35/2 or 20/2.8, depends which one I first find for sale in the used camera shops I like to frequent.
Yes, the 5D has better per-pixel sharpness compared to the D700. But, sharpness is not the only thing that’s important to me. Time will tell which one I end up liking better, but so far I am leaning towards the D700.
How about rubbers? It sounds odd, but you’ll be amazed what they can be used for! Water sacks for one.protection against dust (yep that’s why the army wears them on the barrel of their weapon).
As for camera’s why not a hand-cracked one ^_^
More seriously, you may want to consider good’ol film.
Hand ax and hunting knife should also be part of a basic survival kit.
Some rope (hemp or nylon), both for contruction purposes (thin rope) and more heavy duty stuff (eg when you need to climb out of your window)
And most importantly: Toilet paper! never leave home without the stuff!
something to purify the water might be a good idea unless you thoroughly boil it and and somehow decontaminate the containers it is stored in, it could “go bad.”
Of course you could replace it once a month but that’s a pain in the ass.
And adding on to the film comments above, perhaps a camera that does not require a battery to take pictures (one that just uses it for the light meter.) My old Minolta XD-11 and Himatic9 both fit that bill.
With what Jeff D said about purifying water, you should have some matches (waterproof) or a lighter with extra fluid, and a little camping stove and extra fuel or Sterno to boil the water.
Also I think you need more duct tape, it’s the handyman’s tool. ‘Silence is Golden, Duct Tape is Silver’.
Jeff, how about sticking some of those “glow sticks” (100 yen store) in your disaster kit. One thing that I had neglected to do is to learn how to use NTT’s 171 service which is voice bulletin board for use in an emergency to communicate with family members if you can’t get through http://www.ntt-east.co.jp/saigai_e/voice171/index.html. Also, one never knows what time of the month the earthquake will strike so some sanitary items for that special person might be a good idea.
Rubbers came to mind, just as ksporry already mentioned.
The backpack survival kit I have under my desk at work (provided by the company) contains a helmet. Could be very useful in case you are surrounded by high buildings with broken windows and other sharp and/or pointy objects which are subject to gravity.
lol an idea for a book is moby dick and or some language book to help you learn a language (in case your rescuer doesnt speak either english or japanese/ what ever language you dont know better to be prepared)
Thank you for your thoughts. Too many times life becomes mundane and we miss what is special about just being alive. Also, would you be able to post the show here or on utube so all of your fans could see it.
Yo Jeff!
You are totally right here! I can completely relate to what you are saying.
I dislike to follow others around, as I don’t really like the idea, and prefer some originality. Your point applies to about all I know. For example, I do not follow fashion at all. My brother commented on that, but honestly, I don’t care what;’s fashionable. Most stuff I wear is timeless anyway. On teh other hand, when dressing similar to others that follow the current fashion, you can relate to people, and that opens up discussion points, and may even make you feel a little more at home.
In England I experienced many of such moments. Finding the quickest route: you learn from others initially, but then under certain circumstances you experiment, which could lead to utter failure, or a new, more efficient route.
But also teh queueing thing in england: Queueing happens everywhere, which can be both good and bad. Bad is that everyone follows each other (the brits are good at not thinking for themeselves). teh good thing is that in some cases, like shops, there is an honest approach to who comes first!
For photography, well, it’s people’s photos that teach me new points of view. As you know you have been my number one example for photography style, and when my previous gf comemnted that my pics look very similar is style to yours, I couldn’t get a better compliment! But like most photographers, I also like to learn new stuff. recently a friend of mine did some portrait/studio photography. Something I would not quickly do myself. but seeing his results and being presented with an opportunity to do so myself, changed that state of mind.
I guess you couyld summarise it as a learning process. Something we do every day.
However, one point i think you don’t need to worry about, when you pick your route to the next location, it can seem a trip of epic proportions when you analyse every move and action CONSCIOUSLY, in reality most of these acrtions we do UNCONSCIOUSLY, making our trip les sof an ordeal….
Nice topic Jeff, gives something to philosophise about… ^_^
I had thought the program featured people who had only been in Japan for 6 months or less. But TV is like that, I guess. Looking forward to seeing/hearing your perspective!
Voilà ce qu’on peut faire quand on se rebiffe et je le conseille à chacun qui peut avoir des ennuis avec ce gros connard de sarkozy ou sa clique de clowns de flics minables : je suis en train de régler un petit problème du genre détail avec cette grosse tache de si peu président de la république Française, en lui envoyant un avocat pour mises sous surveillance illégales, lynchage inspiré de bonnes vieilles méthodes qui ne déplairaient pas au ku ku klan, lynchage qui n’a mobilisé personne sur le web ou dans la presse et plagiat vulgaire et ridicule qui passe à la télé. Avis à la population et merci pour l espace d’expression. Voilà, ceci est également une tentative de gros scandale public parce que ça calme pas mal les gros connards.
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Quels Pétochards gerbants à Dotclear de la ” blogosphère ”
Quant a sarkozy, s’il n’aime pas le web, et s’il n’aime pas la rue qui sait, la preuve, très bien se défendre, qu’il la quitte !
You hit all of my top pet peeves!!!! #1 and #10 are my top of the list.
I would add:
11. If the only open seat on the train happens to be next to me it is OK to sit next to me. I will probably be the only guy not reading porno manga, drinking chuhi, sucking on his teeth, offensive body odor, falling asleep and head butting you.
It is really OK, I have been certified rabies free…Or I could just shaddup and enjoy the extra space, spread my legs and scratch myself.
hmmm, unfortunately do I not have those channels on my TV, so I won’t be able to see it. Unless somebody posts it on youtube afterward…
By the way, do you spell your name as “raitara” (ライタラ) in Japanese? That is what I saw on the photo of the name badge. I would have thought it to be spelled as raitira (ライティラ). To me that would seem closer to the original version.
I actually get the NHK World channel in Hong Kong so I am going to try to catch that show.
They usually have the same group of guests on multiple times, does that mean you will keep going back to be a guest?
I just stumbled upon your page because you were featured on the flickr blog for the ume blossoms. I really love your photostream – you have a very unique perspective. I was in Yokosuka for two years aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, but now I’m back in the US. I’ve taken tons of pictures, so feel free to browse my photostream – flickr.com/photos/randylane
I think your copyright is being pirated in the US:
I may have found something that concerns your photographs being pirated. There is a a seller on eBay who is downloading photos from all over the web, mostly from Flickr, and offering them as art prints. I have already found him to be doing this with other Flickr users so I decided to check him out. If this is not the case then I am sorry for bothering you.
I may have found something that concerns your photographs being pirated. There is a a seller on eBay who is downloading photos from all over the web, mostly from Flickr, and offering them as art prints. I have already found him to be doing this with other Flickr users so I decided to check him out. If this is not the case then I am sorry for bothering you.
Thanks for the heads up. Yes, some of those are my photos, and the person doesn’t even have the brains to remove my copyright statement from the images. Wow. Time for me to contact eBay and lodge a complaint.
The thing that really pisses me off is that they downloaded 72 dpi images and are selling prints with my name on them that will end up looking like crap.
Excellent site sushicam.com and I am really pleased to see you have what I am actually looking for here: this .. as it’s taken me literally 1 hours and 31 minutes of searching the web to find you (just kidding!) so I shall be pleased to become a regular visitor
I was about 20km away from the big 7.0 quake on the border of Miyagi/Iwate last June. It was rather scary. Luckily there wasn’t too much damage in my town, but the phones were out for several hours and a neighboring mountain village was taken over by JDF as a rescue base.
You should have a subset of supplies compact and light enough that you can easily grab and carry it with one hand. If the quake is that bad you’ll be evacuated, and you need to grab and go. The above list is pretty good, but separate it out into critical and useful sets. Put the critical stuff in a bag or knapsack with a pullstring that you could theoretically use to retrieve it. Copies of identification should go in there, along with flashlight, gloves, basic food for a day or two, first aid kit, and maybe max 4 liters of water (aside from the 20 you already have); remember a pullaway kit needs to be light enough that if you break an arm you’ll still be able to lift it.
One modification, use iodine tablets instead of bleach. They are much easier to use safely.
In a big quake, your bookcases and tall furniture WILL fall over if you haven’t secured them properly. Heavy items WILL “walk” out of high shelves, open drawers and doors, and smash themselves on the floor, and you if you’re underneath them. Avoid storing heavy items up high, and secure your tall furniture with L clamps and screws– especially bedroom furniture. Ask at your local hardware store, they’ll know what you’re talking about.
Your prefecture or city publishes an earthquake preparedness guide. Almost all are available in English (or at least Engrish) these days. Read it and take it to heart.
If you check out my Flickr page (through the image links on the left hand side of this page) you will find some more information about this. Just browse through the images until you get to some that are screen shots.
Jeff man, that sucks doggy d!ck…
Indeed I cannot understand people would even try such things out! If the photos are on smugsmug, then he is violating copyright laws and can be prosecuted for that. Since you have the original ones you have nothing to worry about. However, the seller, if he is based in any western country, does have a LOT to worry about. Basically he gave an invitation for you to empty his pockets. I’m gonna have a look now and place some remarks I think ^_^
personally i don’t even frame other people’s photographs in my house at all. Simply because people know I like photography and will assume I made them. I do not want to take any credit for other people’s work ever, so I prefer to put up my own work. At least I can then brag about it “legally”, heheh.
The only thing I sometimes do is use Jeff’s POTD as a background for my PC. At work people always start asking questions, and I can then proudly say I know this great photographer in Japan who made the image. ^_^
Also, sometimes I borrow other people’s work for my blog, but exactly because of copyright, I always refer to the source.
Jeff, Since you are using the D700 a lot these days, can you say that the colour rendition is better than that of the 5D? In case of the photo I mentioned earlier, i would almost believe the colour rendition is awfully close to that of Velvia!
Actually, I think it is the lens that provides that unique signature.
It has been my experience that between the 5D and D700, unless you are shooting at the upper range of the ISO scale, the 5D has the better image quality.
Although, unless one is doing some sever pixel-peeping, the difference will not really be noticeable.
It just proves that the lens is the most critical link in the image making chain. (Other than the idiot pressing the button, that is…)
sorry to hear about that, jeff. i notice that you’re kind enough to use a creative commons license on your work, too, but that guy blatantly violated it.
but, in a way, it’s kind of a compliment. this person thinks your work is very good. presumably, better than he could do himself.
Awhile back, when your old site got hacked, I recall you mentioning that you’d managed to recover your original articles? If this is the case, I was just curious if you ever posted them back online – I was going through my bookmarks the other day and found a whole folder of “Sushicam Articles I Really Like”, all of which are now dead URL’s…I was just wondering if this info is lost-and-gone-forever, or lingering somewhere I’m not aware of
Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo
good to hear that you’re enjoying the nice weather. I recently had a hanami party with some friends at Inokashira koen. It was fun.
Are there any new developments on the “stolen photo’s”? I saw all the comments at your Flickr account but there are no recent additions anymore.
Hello !!!! ^_^
My name is Piter Kokoniz. oOnly want to tell, that your posts are really interesting
And want to ask you: what was the reasson for you to start this blog?
Sorry for my bad english:)
Thank you!
Piter Kokoniz, from Latvia
Hey Jeff, I am wondering if it possible to reblog the missing tutorial you have done on May 22, 2008, it was gone due to the hacking problem you have experianced with. I like to see some tips again. Much appreciated. =)
Keep updating, you were pretty less active during 2008 and 2009. I miss your works.
Dude your pictures are awesome….like always. how do you do it? ive been following this site since 2003 and ive been in Japan since then and i am always amazed with your work. stunning as always. keep up the work.
Jeff! Whats up with all the old pictures? Only one newish one? The older ones are nice, but get out there and take some new stuff! Those others are 5 years old!
you forgot to mention the most obvious one feature on Japanese mobile phones: TV reception!
I recently discovered that I’m the only one among my colleagues who does not have 1-seg TV on his keitai. Embarrassing.
Hey , i know this may seem very random, but i was looking at your photos of the day and the one of Saori sent me to flickr. anyways, i just wanted to say that the pictures with the umbrella were incredible. something about those pictures grabbed so many different emotions in me. sorry, i hope you dont think im being gross or anything, because its nothing like that at all…just very down to earth, beautiful pictures. like always your pictures are amazing.
-C
This blog is what initially got me interested in Japanese culture. I’ve been following it for years. However, the layout of the site as of late is very unpleasant on the eyes…
Is there any way I can help polish sushicam’s look? I know my way around WordPress and have experience with web design. Do let me know!
You have a wonderful blog and I think it’s design should reflect that.
You are one lucky guy Jeff! And I guess that your GF is now envious as hell seeing all these pictures of your “private beach”.
Heck, I wouldn’t mind being there for a month or so.
I just got back from Japan. I went for Kobe Samba like I do every year. This year they cancelled it because of the flu. Just like the Japanese to over react to a situation.
I have also heard the stories of how Japanese people will ignore someone you has fallen down. I think I have even heard the reason for this is to not cause any more embarrassment to the person. Like they are doing that person who has fallen down a favor by ignoring them.
My personal favorite is when it is assumed that a gaijin does not understand the language, and is verbally insulted by one of those Japanese of power or prestige (usually after a drink or two).
I’m not saying those situations arise often — but when they do, rest assured that the Japanese will always, always, ALWAYS pretend to not understand the gaijin’s quick comeback in their native language, no matter how sharp or fluent. It is a way of saving face, as understanding will truly make the make the insulting party look like an ass in front of the friends they are trying so desperately to impress.
Interesting story. reminds me of something I experienced as well. Not so extreme though.
I was on a KLM flight from A’dam to Bristol, and during landing I spotted a rivet sticking out about an inch or so. I shook my head, blinked a couple of times, but the rivet was still sticking out. Then when we touched down, the rivet fell back in place.
So after taxying I warned the flight attendant. She didn’t really seem to understand the technical crap that was coming out of my mouth so she brought me to the captain and I explained him what i saw. One rivet out is not as big as a 6k lbs fuel leak, but you do need the damn things to keep the plane together!
I wish you well and luck everywhere you go. Different place means different culture and tradition. This site might interest you or any of your Japanese friends. Thanks.
There’s a photo club in Japan? Can you contact me with the details? I’ve been looking for something like that for a long time – as long as it’s OK for English speakers to join.
I first saw the “Shinjuku Rickshaw” on POTD. You suggested large, but that’s nothing compared to the original size on your Smugmug. Amazing clarity all the way out to the edges.
Pretty dang amazing for eight year old technology.
Once I entered a Tokyo subway station only to find the line was temporarily stopped and would not be running for a while. Deciding instead to grab a taxi, I started back out. But to get back out through the gates without having boarded a train there was only one gate with one Tokyo Metro agent available, and by now a line had formed there. The problem kept getting worse, as more people kept entering and, seeing the situation, joining the line to get out. I noticed that nobody was doing anything to stop more people from coming in. If it had been New York, the people on the inside would have been informing those on the outside that the trains had stopped and they should not come in. Yes, it’s one of the quirks about Japan to go along with the more positive aspects of living here.
Hi Jeff,
Read the comment that I made at sushicam.com. I found your content from Jan 2006.
)
Steve McA
Hi Jeff, awhile back you posted sort of a tutorial showing a example of cropping and doing some minor color adjustments. If you can do something like that again that would be great. Thanks
Is this the new face (and address) of the ol’ sushicam website? Im a bit confused! is it ’cause it was hacked?
jeff, my friend, what happened to teh sushicam friendfinder site? the URL used to be friends.sushicam.com , but now I cannot access that anymore…
First, I agree with your assessment of Sushicam Friend Finder. It’s a legit site and I havde met some good friends there the past few years.
However, my pointin writing today is that I have been unable to access it since yesterday–wondering if it has anything to do with your site -re-design?
Thanks for any clarification you can provide.
hello
Nice design, but excuse me what about the sushicam friends finder!
I got this message all the days
Not Found
Sorry, but you are looking for something that isn’t here.
Thanks
Is there a way to access the archives?
I am looking at buying a new camera and it is very useful to hear from you in your blog what your views are as you use the D700 vs the D5. nice post. thanks, like your photos.
Sorry bout the Sushicam friend finder glitch.
When I forwarded the Sushicam.com url to this new wordpress.com account I had forgotten to update the link and it had gotten stuck in a circular reference. My sincere apologies to all of you.
It’s now working just fine.
SushiJeff
David,
I’ll be posting the archives to this account. It will take some time but eventually it will all be back up and running.
shibuya246,
At the end of the day a camera is just a tool. But, there are differences between them. The hard part is figuring out what features you need and then finding the right tool for the job.
Thanks Jeff,
and as always, I love your pics! I like the approach you take to “documentary photography” as it gave me that “homesick” feeling in teh first place.
By the way, I am seeing a japanese lady in London at the moment (yes, thanks to sushicam friendfinder!), so there may be a chance I will come to Japan this year ^_^
You may well find that the D700’s low-light prowess changes how you approach photography, because it changes the boundaries. It’s just counting photons, so eventually technology will advance such that people will find it quaint that there was once a time where exposure selection was not purely artistic.
I have had a D700 since the summer, and have been loving it, and have posted a lot about my experiences with it. You may find these two of particular interest:
Impossible Photography: No Light, No Tripod, No Hope. D700 and a 50mm f/1.2
http://regex.info/blog/2008-09-15/935
Pushing Lowlight-Photography Limits: The Atta Terrace Hotel at Night
http://regex.info/blog/2009-01-15/1114
Especially as a street shooter, you’ll really dig what you can do with this camera.
Hi, cool site, good writing
I gotta ask the obvious:
What about the 5D Mark II?
- Paul
Paul,
The HD video capability is pretty sexy.
But I was really hoping that the 5DII was going to have improved autofocus, and excellent high ISO image quality. (compared to the 5D) I was not interested in more pixels.
Because Canon bumped he pixel count, but did nothing about the autofocus I decided to give it a pass. High ISO quality is improved over the original 5D, but not to the same extent as the D700 (which has excellent auto focus).
All in all th D700 was a better fit for my needs.
(I’m not totally ruling out getting a 5DII though, once the price starts to come down, or it I can find a good deal on a used one)
Jeffrey,
Yes, you nailed it. Those are the exact reasons why the D700 was a better choice for me.
In good lighting, and when I don’t need auto focus the 5D produces better images than the D700. But when I need to crank the ISO up to 3200+, then I reach for the proper tool on my tool box (D700).
Hey Jeff, Thanks for working to open the link back up–have gotten ina few times, but still having a lot of trouble linking in…maybe once out of every six or seven tries. Maybe the site in messed up, but wanted to let you know the update.
Thanks
hi,
I have had your photoblog as my homepage for quite some time now and am a little disappointed that the format has changed. is there any way I can change the link so that I continue to see ‘today’s photo’ everytime i open up my browser? I really love being greeted by one of your photos everyday and would like for it to continue to happen.
thanks for all the pictures,
hilson
Hay friend, I just bought my 2nd D700 as a back up or 2nd lens body. It’s by far the finest digital I’ve ever used. Your friend in Ann Arbor and the Eagle Harbor. I hope your mom is doing well.
@hilson:
I think that you can still see Jeff’s photo of the day if you select his photostream at flickr as your home page. Try this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sushicam/
J.
Hi Jeff,
It’s nice to see that sushicam is coming back to life after the hack.
Are you/ can you use the very nice template that you had on sushicam before with wordpress.com?
I’m also interested to know how can you combine wordpress and pixelpost (your POD).
Back to your post,
Can you tell us which lenses you got with your D700? A 50mm for sure. The new AF-S? If yes do you like it? Something else like old manual nikkors?
You also said that the 5D produces better files at low ISO than the D700. What makes them better to your eyes? Sharper?
Thanks.
Cheers,
Nicolas.
Hi Stan,
Yes, the D700 is a very competent tool. The more I use it, the more I like it.
My Mom is doing well, thanks for asking. I just talked to her earlier today, and they have recently gotten a bit of relief from the normal winter bitter cold.
Hello Hilson,
Sorry about the disruption, but the best I can do for you is the link to my Flickr account that J. was kind enough to share.
I’m getting away from hosting Sushicam on my own server (to prevent the hacking problems) and this has caused me to move my photo of the day to Flickr.
Nicolas,
I’m looking into customizing this theme to give it more of a classic sushicam feel, but I need to get a lot smarter with CSS in order to make that happen.
Right now I have the following lenses for the D700: 50mm f1.4G, 60mm f2.8 Micro, 28-80mm f3.3-5.6, and Tamron 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 VC.
The Tamron gives me plenty of reach on the long end, and the vibration compensation is incredibly effective, and though it does focus a bit slow. It’s definitely not a sports lens.
The 60mm Micro is great. I founda used one for only 15,000 yen, and I love it.
The 50mm f1.4 G was also found used for a good price. but it does not focus as fast as the older D lenses, so i may trade it in.
Probably my favorite lens so far, oddly enough, is the 28-80mm f3.3-5.6. It’s a cheap kit zoom that was sold with older film bodies. It’s plastic, even the lens mount is plastic, and only cost me 3,500 yen. But it’s plenty sharp, focuses extremely fast, and weighs next to nothing.
My current lightweight kit is the 28-80 with the fast 50.
The next lens I get will be either the 35/2 or 20/2.8, depends which one I first find for sale in the used camera shops I like to frequent.
Yes, the 5D has better per-pixel sharpness compared to the D700. But, sharpness is not the only thing that’s important to me. Time will tell which one I end up liking better, but so far I am leaning towards the D700.
How about rubbers? It sounds odd, but you’ll be amazed what they can be used for! Water sacks for one.protection against dust (yep that’s why the army wears them on the barrel of their weapon).
As for camera’s why not a hand-cracked one ^_^
More seriously, you may want to consider good’ol film.
Hand ax and hunting knife should also be part of a basic survival kit.
Some rope (hemp or nylon), both for contruction purposes (thin rope) and more heavy duty stuff (eg when you need to climb out of your window)
And most importantly: Toilet paper! never leave home without the stuff!
A crossbow, fishing pole and dynamite. Let’s you be self-sufficient by hunting your own food or convincing people who have food to give you some…
something to purify the water might be a good idea unless you thoroughly boil it and and somehow decontaminate the containers it is stored in, it could “go bad.”
Of course you could replace it once a month but that’s a pain in the ass.
And adding on to the film comments above, perhaps a camera that does not require a battery to take pictures (one that just uses it for the light meter.) My old Minolta XD-11 and Himatic9 both fit that bill.
With what Jeff D said about purifying water, you should have some matches (waterproof) or a lighter with extra fluid, and a little camping stove and extra fuel or Sterno to boil the water.
Also I think you need more duct tape, it’s the handyman’s tool. ‘Silence is Golden, Duct Tape is Silver’.
Gear required to do work after an earthquake includes a good fitting pair of pull on boots, and stow a pair of good socks in the boots.
Jeff, how about sticking some of those “glow sticks” (100 yen store) in your disaster kit. One thing that I had neglected to do is to learn how to use NTT’s 171 service which is voice bulletin board for use in an emergency to communicate with family members if you can’t get through http://www.ntt-east.co.jp/saigai_e/voice171/index.html. Also, one never knows what time of the month the earthquake will strike so some sanitary items for that special person might be a good idea.
Rubbers came to mind, just as ksporry already mentioned.
The backpack survival kit I have under my desk at work (provided by the company) contains a helmet. Could be very useful in case you are surrounded by high buildings with broken windows and other sharp and/or pointy objects which are subject to gravity.
J.
lol an idea for a book is moby dick and or some language book to help you learn a language (in case your rescuer doesnt speak either english or japanese/ what ever language you dont know better to be prepared)
That is pretty cool…although even if there were no cars probably the pedestrians alone would kill all the grass…
I’m not usually a person that would take the time to reply on a blog but that post was very well done.
Bob Doyle
Shelf Companies Inc
Haha damn that’s a trickers dream for sure.
yeah! i saw this at the japan media art festival last week. i was enthralled. but i thought exactly the same thing that brian (above) posted.
Hmm, very cognitive post.
Is this theme good unough for the Digg?
Thank you for your thoughts. Too many times life becomes mundane and we miss what is special about just being alive. Also, would you be able to post the show here or on utube so all of your fans could see it.
Yo Jeff!
You are totally right here! I can completely relate to what you are saying.
I dislike to follow others around, as I don’t really like the idea, and prefer some originality. Your point applies to about all I know. For example, I do not follow fashion at all. My brother commented on that, but honestly, I don’t care what;’s fashionable. Most stuff I wear is timeless anyway. On teh other hand, when dressing similar to others that follow the current fashion, you can relate to people, and that opens up discussion points, and may even make you feel a little more at home.
In England I experienced many of such moments. Finding the quickest route: you learn from others initially, but then under certain circumstances you experiment, which could lead to utter failure, or a new, more efficient route.
But also teh queueing thing in england: Queueing happens everywhere, which can be both good and bad. Bad is that everyone follows each other (the brits are good at not thinking for themeselves). teh good thing is that in some cases, like shops, there is an honest approach to who comes first!
For photography, well, it’s people’s photos that teach me new points of view. As you know you have been my number one example for photography style, and when my previous gf comemnted that my pics look very similar is style to yours, I couldn’t get a better compliment! But like most photographers, I also like to learn new stuff. recently a friend of mine did some portrait/studio photography. Something I would not quickly do myself. but seeing his results and being presented with an opportunity to do so myself, changed that state of mind.
I guess you couyld summarise it as a learning process. Something we do every day.
However, one point i think you don’t need to worry about, when you pick your route to the next location, it can seem a trip of epic proportions when you analyse every move and action CONSCIOUSLY, in reality most of these acrtions we do UNCONSCIOUSLY, making our trip les sof an ordeal….
Nice topic Jeff, gives something to philosophise about… ^_^
Oh! I’ll watch for you!
I had thought the program featured people who had only been in Japan for 6 months or less. But TV is like that, I guess. Looking forward to seeing/hearing your perspective!
Congratulations! Now you’re a TV star!. Hope it does well and that it will be available for viewing somewhere on the net.!
Yes, congratulation with the NHK broadcast!
Once its air’s, is there anyway you may be able to post it up on sushicam?
Cool forum hope to pick up some tips here later, could be really interesting.
Voilà ce qu’on peut faire quand on se rebiffe et je le conseille à chacun qui peut avoir des ennuis avec ce gros connard de sarkozy ou sa clique de clowns de flics minables : je suis en train de régler un petit problème du genre détail avec cette grosse tache de si peu président de la république Française, en lui envoyant un avocat pour mises sous surveillance illégales, lynchage inspiré de bonnes vieilles méthodes qui ne déplairaient pas au ku ku klan, lynchage qui n’a mobilisé personne sur le web ou dans la presse et plagiat vulgaire et ridicule qui passe à la télé. Avis à la population et merci pour l espace d’expression. Voilà, ceci est également une tentative de gros scandale public parce que ça calme pas mal les gros connards.
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Quels Pétochards gerbants à Dotclear de la ” blogosphère ”
Quant a sarkozy, s’il n’aime pas le web, et s’il n’aime pas la rue qui sait, la preuve, très bien se défendre, qu’il la quitte !
You hit all of my top pet peeves!!!! #1 and #10 are my top of the list.
I would add:
11. If the only open seat on the train happens to be next to me it is OK to sit next to me. I will probably be the only guy not reading porno manga, drinking chuhi, sucking on his teeth, offensive body odor, falling asleep and head butting you.
It is really OK, I have been certified rabies free…Or I could just shaddup and enjoy the extra space, spread my legs and scratch myself.
WORD. I’m not sure why it is that a lot of Japanese people would rather sit next to a some passed out dude who has puked on himself rather than me.
I try to not take it personally …
hmmm, unfortunately do I not have those channels on my TV, so I won’t be able to see it. Unless somebody posts it on youtube afterward…
By the way, do you spell your name as “raitara” (ライタラ) in Japanese? That is what I saw on the photo of the name badge. I would have thought it to be spelled as raitira (ライティラ). To me that would seem closer to the original version.
I actually get the NHK World channel in Hong Kong so I am going to try to catch that show.
They usually have the same group of guests on multiple times, does that mean you will keep going back to be a guest?
I just stumbled upon your page because you were featured on the flickr blog for the ume blossoms. I really love your photostream – you have a very unique perspective. I was in Yokosuka for two years aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, but now I’m back in the US. I’ve taken tons of pictures, so feel free to browse my photostream – flickr.com/photos/randylane
Hello Jeff,
I think your copyright is being pirated in the US:
I may have found something that concerns your photographs being pirated. There is a a seller on eBay who is downloading photos from all over the web, mostly from Flickr, and offering them as art prints. I have already found him to be doing this with other Flickr users so I decided to check him out. If this is not the case then I am sorry for bothering you.
Please read below.
Best,
Someone concerned against copyright violators
copyrightprotection1@gmail.com
===============
eBay user offering your photos: azul-trading
eBay link to his sales:: http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/azul-trading
Your photo that is being sold by him on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/JAPAN-japon-GEISHA-MAKEUP_W0QQitemZ330308051377QQcmdZViewItemQQptZArt_Photo_Images?hash=item330308051377&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A4%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A200
Hello Jeff,
I may have found something that concerns your photographs being pirated. There is a a seller on eBay who is downloading photos from all over the web, mostly from Flickr, and offering them as art prints. I have already found him to be doing this with other Flickr users so I decided to check him out. If this is not the case then I am sorry for bothering you.
Please read below.
Best,
Someone concerned against copyright violators
=======
eBay user offering your photos: azul-trading
eBwy link to his sales:: http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/azul-trading
Your photo that’s being sold by him:
http://cgi.ebay.com/JAPAN-japon-GEISHA-MAKEUP_W0QQitemZ330308051377QQcmdZViewItemQQptZArt_Photo_Images?hash=item330308051377&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A4%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A200
Antipiracy Watchdog,
Thanks for the heads up. Yes, some of those are my photos, and the person doesn’t even have the brains to remove my copyright statement from the images. Wow. Time for me to contact eBay and lodge a complaint.
The thing that really pisses me off is that they downloaded 72 dpi images and are selling prints with my name on them that will end up looking like crap.
Thanks for the notification.
Jeff
Jeff,
Please check your g-mail inbox. I sent you a message detailing everything.
All best,…
Excellent site sushicam.com and I am really pleased to see you have what I am actually looking for here: this .. as it’s taken me literally 1 hours and 31 minutes of searching the web to find you (just kidding!) so I shall be pleased to become a regular visitor
All the stuff that can be pimped nowadays… it’s amazing.
Also check: http://pimpeverything.com
I was about 20km away from the big 7.0 quake on the border of Miyagi/Iwate last June. It was rather scary. Luckily there wasn’t too much damage in my town, but the phones were out for several hours and a neighboring mountain village was taken over by JDF as a rescue base.
You should have a subset of supplies compact and light enough that you can easily grab and carry it with one hand. If the quake is that bad you’ll be evacuated, and you need to grab and go. The above list is pretty good, but separate it out into critical and useful sets. Put the critical stuff in a bag or knapsack with a pullstring that you could theoretically use to retrieve it. Copies of identification should go in there, along with flashlight, gloves, basic food for a day or two, first aid kit, and maybe max 4 liters of water (aside from the 20 you already have); remember a pullaway kit needs to be light enough that if you break an arm you’ll still be able to lift it.
One modification, use iodine tablets instead of bleach. They are much easier to use safely.
In a big quake, your bookcases and tall furniture WILL fall over if you haven’t secured them properly. Heavy items WILL “walk” out of high shelves, open drawers and doors, and smash themselves on the floor, and you if you’re underneath them. Avoid storing heavy items up high, and secure your tall furniture with L clamps and screws– especially bedroom furniture. Ask at your local hardware store, they’ll know what you’re talking about.
Your prefecture or city publishes an earthquake preparedness guide. Almost all are available in English (or at least Engrish) these days. Read it and take it to heart.
Jeff,
I am surprised you didn’t leave a link to the ebay web site of the moron.
David,
If you check out my Flickr page (through the image links on the left hand side of this page) you will find some more information about this. Just browse through the images until you get to some that are screen shots.
Jeff
Jeff man, that sucks doggy d!ck…
Indeed I cannot understand people would even try such things out! If the photos are on smugsmug, then he is violating copyright laws and can be prosecuted for that. Since you have the original ones you have nothing to worry about. However, the seller, if he is based in any western country, does have a LOT to worry about. Basically he gave an invitation for you to empty his pockets. I’m gonna have a look now and place some remarks I think ^_^
personally i don’t even frame other people’s photographs in my house at all. Simply because people know I like photography and will assume I made them. I do not want to take any credit for other people’s work ever, so I prefer to put up my own work. At least I can then brag about it “legally”, heheh.
The only thing I sometimes do is use Jeff’s POTD as a background for my PC. At work people always start asking questions, and I can then proudly say I know this great photographer in Japan who made the image. ^_^
Also, sometimes I borrow other people’s work for my blog, but exactly because of copyright, I always refer to the source.
Contact eBay, they should force him to take it down and might ban the seller.
By the way, I absolutely love “Yukka Bokeh – Yokosuka”! What lens+settings did you use?
That was the 40mm Ultron @ f2. To see the setting, just click the “photo info” button that pops up when you mouse-over the image.
Some people say the bokeh of the Ultron is not very pleasing, but I beg to differ.
I love today’s photos. Especially the lantern photo and the vegetable stand photo.
Jeff, Since you are using the D700 a lot these days, can you say that the colour rendition is better than that of the 5D? In case of the photo I mentioned earlier, i would almost believe the colour rendition is awfully close to that of Velvia!
Actually, I think it is the lens that provides that unique signature.
It has been my experience that between the 5D and D700, unless you are shooting at the upper range of the ISO scale, the 5D has the better image quality.
Although, unless one is doing some sever pixel-peeping, the difference will not really be noticeable.
It just proves that the lens is the most critical link in the image making chain. (Other than the idiot pressing the button, that is…)
Jeff:
I bought some of your prints at a bazaar at Yokota Air Base. I am now back in the US and am looking to buy more.
Do you sell them online, and if so, where can I find them?
Thanks.
Marcus
Marcus,
A ton of Jeff’s photos can be viewed and purchased through his smugmug account
https://sushicam.smugmug.com/
All the best,
Jeremy S.
sorry to hear about that, jeff. i notice that you’re kind enough to use a creative commons license on your work, too, but that guy blatantly violated it.
but, in a way, it’s kind of a compliment. this person thinks your work is very good. presumably, better than he could do himself.
Jeremy,
Thanks for answering the question from Marcus. I had not noticed there was a new question posted here.
Hey Jeff,
Awhile back, when your old site got hacked, I recall you mentioning that you’d managed to recover your original articles? If this is the case, I was just curious if you ever posted them back online – I was going through my bookmarks the other day and found a whole folder of “Sushicam Articles I Really Like”, all of which are now dead URL’s…I was just wondering if this info is lost-and-gone-forever, or lingering somewhere I’m not aware of
Hello!
Very Interesting post! Thank you for such interesting resource!
PS: Sorry for my bad english, I’v just started to learn this language
See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo
The guy who made this was on the 60th PechaKucha night in Roppongi last night talking about his idea. Very neat.
Hi Jeff,
I’m trying to remember, how far is Kamakura
from Akiya Beach?
Your shots are getting better.
Steve McA
Hi Jeff,
good to hear that you’re enjoying the nice weather. I recently had a hanami party with some friends at Inokashira koen. It was fun.
Are there any new developments on the “stolen photo’s”? I saw all the comments at your Flickr account but there are no recent additions anymore.
Hello !!!! ^_^
My name is Piter Kokoniz. oOnly want to tell, that your posts are really interesting
And want to ask you: what was the reasson for you to start this blog?
Sorry for my bad english:)
Thank you!
Piter Kokoniz, from Latvia
Joe,
yes, I will likely be doing it again.
You’ve got a great blog here, and I love your post. Thanks, keep it up!
Where do you go to be a guest on the show? Or just be a part of it in general?
Hey Jeff, I am wondering if it possible to reblog the missing tutorial you have done on May 22, 2008, it was gone due to the hacking problem you have experianced with. I like to see some tips again. Much appreciated. =)
Keep updating, you were pretty less active during 2008 and 2009. I miss your works.
This topic is quite trendy on the Internet at the moment. What do you pay attention to while choosing what to write ?
I read your posts for quite a long time and should tell that your articles are always valuable to readers.
Not that I’m totally impressed, but this is a lot more than I expected for when I found a link on SU telling that the info is quite decent. Thanks.
Sounds like a lovely day to me.
HELLO JEFF. This time I am FIRST one.
Dude your pictures are awesome….like always. how do you do it? ive been following this site since 2003 and ive been in Japan since then and i am always amazed with your work. stunning as always. keep up the work.
Hmm.. That is interesting.. But, what about dealing with it going through the airport security that can consider as a weapon?
use ebay’s VERO. Nothing else will work. Strange, photos don’t really make money on ebay. Can’t have much of a brain, this scammer.
Jeff! Whats up with all the old pictures? Only one newish one? The older ones are nice, but get out there and take some new stuff! Those others are 5 years old!
Jeff,
you forgot to mention the most obvious one feature on Japanese mobile phones: TV reception!
I recently discovered that I’m the only one among my colleagues who does not have 1-seg TV on his keitai. Embarrassing.
J.
You have a great blog here and it is Nice to read some well written posts that have some relevancy…keep up the good work
Truly awesome photos. Thanks so much for sharing!
Apparently a class action lawsuit has been filed against Ebay for failing for failing to protect visual artists from copyright infringement.
Here is a link where you can submit your complaint to see if you would qualify for damages or remedies that may be awarded in the case.
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/case/ebay.html
Jeannette, if even nail clippers are considered as dangerous weapons, then the owner of this phone would be executed on the spot!
Heheh, the method of shaving is probably to set the fone to vibrate and then call yourself, heheh
Love the site, Great photo’s!! Keep up the good work Jeff
I would love to see more of your wonderful pictures of japan.
That is great. Thanks for sharing.
Hey , i know this may seem very random, but i was looking at your photos of the day and the one of Saori sent me to flickr. anyways, i just wanted to say that the pictures with the umbrella were incredible. something about those pictures grabbed so many different emotions in me. sorry, i hope you dont think im being gross or anything, because its nothing like that at all…just very down to earth, beautiful pictures. like always your pictures are amazing.
-C
Some guys just take it too seriously! Come on! All in good spirits and totally innocent. It’s just supposed to be funny you millitant dumbasses!
This one is really scary!
Hope that the boy is sound
What happens in Alabama,
Hopefully stays there!
[...] Source of swine flu discovered Sushicam __________________ Vergeet niet je lachspieren te trainen. [...]
Wow, this is a godsend for all us hairy gaijin living in Japan.
Diego Garcia, a wonderful place. Unless of course you get stationed there for 2 years, gets old from what I understand!
This blog is what initially got me interested in Japanese culture. I’ve been following it for years. However, the layout of the site as of late is very unpleasant on the eyes…
Is there any way I can help polish sushicam’s look? I know my way around WordPress and have experience with web design. Do let me know!
You have a wonderful blog and I think it’s design should reflect that.
good for you Jeff, sounds wonderful!
You are one lucky guy Jeff! And I guess that your GF is now envious as hell seeing all these pictures of your “private beach”.
Heck, I wouldn’t mind being there for a month or so.
J.
I just got back from Japan. I went for Kobe Samba like I do every year. This year they cancelled it because of the flu. Just like the Japanese to over react to a situation.
I have also heard the stories of how Japanese people will ignore someone you has fallen down. I think I have even heard the reason for this is to not cause any more embarrassment to the person. Like they are doing that person who has fallen down a favor by ignoring them.
My personal favorite is when it is assumed that a gaijin does not understand the language, and is verbally insulted by one of those Japanese of power or prestige (usually after a drink or two).
I’m not saying those situations arise often — but when they do, rest assured that the Japanese will always, always, ALWAYS pretend to not understand the gaijin’s quick comeback in their native language, no matter how sharp or fluent. It is a way of saving face, as understanding will truly make the make the insulting party look like an ass in front of the friends they are trying so desperately to impress.
“Those of you who have experienced the culture know exactly what I am talking about. ”
Indeed!
Nice photo’s of Saori in today’s album. I am starting to get worried about her being indoctrinated by you and grabbing a SLR…
That is a scary story. Have a safe trip!
Saori-chan get herself an SLR? You’ll have to bring her along to the next camera club meeting. Nice photos, by the way.
Interesting story. reminds me of something I experienced as well. Not so extreme though.
I was on a KLM flight from A’dam to Bristol, and during landing I spotted a rivet sticking out about an inch or so. I shook my head, blinked a couple of times, but the rivet was still sticking out. Then when we touched down, the rivet fell back in place.
So after taxying I warned the flight attendant. She didn’t really seem to understand the technical crap that was coming out of my mouth so she brought me to the captain and I explained him what i saw. One rivet out is not as big as a 6k lbs fuel leak, but you do need the damn things to keep the plane together!
I wish you well and luck everywhere you go. Different place means different culture and tradition. This site might interest you or any of your Japanese friends. Thanks.
Ha ha – fantastic!
There’s a photo club in Japan? Can you contact me with the details? I’ve been looking for something like that for a long time – as long as it’s OK for English speakers to join.
Wow!!!
I first saw the “Shinjuku Rickshaw” on POTD. You suggested large, but that’s nothing compared to the original size on your Smugmug. Amazing clarity all the way out to the edges.
Pretty dang amazing for eight year old technology.
Excellent GAS attack!
Wow…absolutely stunning!
I think it was 2 or 3 month ago that I forecasted this to happen
Congratulations!
And BTW, you bought the 10D in 2003
Cheers,
Marco
Bill,
Yes, it’s pretty incredible.
*****
Thanks Heather
*****
Marco,
Has it been that long?! Yes, you were right. So, what will I get next?
Wow, cool stuff Jeff! I’m amazed!!!
Does the back come separately as well, or is it matched with the body?
Once I entered a Tokyo subway station only to find the line was temporarily stopped and would not be running for a while. Deciding instead to grab a taxi, I started back out. But to get back out through the gates without having boarded a train there was only one gate with one Tokyo Metro agent available, and by now a line had formed there. The problem kept getting worse, as more people kept entering and, seeing the situation, joining the line to get out. I noticed that nobody was doing anything to stop more people from coming in. If it had been New York, the people on the inside would have been informing those on the outside that the trains had stopped and they should not come in. Yes, it’s one of the quirks about Japan to go along with the more positive aspects of living here.
Great photos as always.
Cheers,