Hi all, new member checking in

[Mick Howe]

My name is Mick Howe, I come from Newcastle upon-tyne England. I don't know if I'm a real photographer or not I just like making images.It all started back in the early eighty's when my wife and I went to a wedding and I was asked to take some photos by the grooms father with his camera as I didn't even have one at the time, and the rest is history as they say.While I was honing my technique and trying different cameras, oh I wish I had the money I spent on cameras and to some extent even now, but I think I have finally settled on my Merrills 1 2 3 and my Fuji kit Merrills for landscapes and Fuji's for everything else (street) and so on.I think I have a mug shot of myself somewhere I will upload onto my profile soon.
So by for now and thanks for having me.

Cheers Mick Howe

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Hi Mick. Good to see you here. Real Photographer's means, to me at least, photographers who use their real names. It tends to have the effect of making people behave better on a forum, and this place is very friendly.

Merrills anf Fujis make a good combination, for sure, and I look forward to your shots.

 

[Mick Howe]

Thanks Rob, will upload soon, hope you like b/w.

Mick

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I most certainly do. And I also think the Sigma Merrills and Quattros give some of the best b&w renderings.

 

[Brian Moore]

Welcome, Mick. I have a Merrill DP1. Ex-McKillop. It's my favorite digital camera. Looking forward to seeing some of your images.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Welcome Mick, A Merlin holder here also and have all three iterations. Fine machines they are.

 

[Mick Howe]

Welcome Mick, A Merlin holder here also and have all three iterations. Fine machines they are.

Hi Julian,
Yes they certainly are I've had mine for about a year now 1 & 3 I just got the 2 last week for a good price. I remember them when they first came out and I wanted one, but not at that price I think just under £1000, so fast forward 2015 £349 each I'll have them thank you very much.I often wonder how many were maid and sold?, I actually bumped into another photographer a few weeks ago and he was shooting a dp2, it was then I decided to buy one. Every time I take them out I have this stupid grin on my face because I know what kind of image quality to expect, I try and shoot them like film cameras, tripod iso100 compose check focus recheck and click.I might shoot 30-35 frames change film sorry I mean change battery and on I go.

 

[Mick Howe]

Welcome, Mick. I have a Merrill DP1. Ex-McKillop. It's my favorite digital camera. Looking forward to seeing some of your images.

Hi Brian, Thanks for the welcome I just love them I don't over use them as I have another system as well namely Fuji x, xe-1 with manual lenses Canon FD, Minolta and most recent just for a bit of fun, but it has turned out to be a cracking little lens Fijian cctv f/1.7 lens, I kid you not it's hardly been off the camera all for the grand sum of £26. My other Fuji is the XT-10 with the 16-50 and 35mm f/2.

Thanks Mick

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Hi Julian,
Yes they certainly are I've had mine for about a year now 1 & 3 I just got the 2 last week for a good price. I remember them when they first came out and I wanted one, but not at that price I think just under £1000, so fast forward 2015 £349 each I'll have them thank you very much.I often wonder how many were maid and sold?, I actually bumped into another photographer a few weeks ago and he was shooting a dp2, it was then I decided to buy one. Every time I take them out I have this stupid grin on my face because I know what kind of image quality to expect, I try and shoot them like film cameras, tripod iso100 compose check focus recheck and click.I might shoot 30-35 frames change film sorry I mean change battery and on I go.

Well we have a growing band of foveon users here. Five maybe more , possibly even a majority of regular posters. Not that everyone uses them on a regular basis though but for Rob and myself they appear to be our main camera. I was always curious about the foveon sensor, had handled some of the first dp's but took caution over buying one. It was the Dp3 which swung it for me after trawling through umpteen images on line. I did get the Dp3 at a lower price than the original £999 about £600 with cash back, then three months later got the Dp1&2 for the £349. A no brainer at those prices after experiencing the Dp3 which I still regard as the best output due to the lens. My most used though is the Dp1 for social documentary its 19mm (28mm) lens suits best.
I have issues with the Merrill's, mostly around the HDR look the images can have if not careful. Which I dont see as much viewing the Quattro images or the earlier iterations of Foveon sensors. Although I can see the Quattro has it's own issues. What sensor does not?
Like you I used to always carry a tripod, I find it harder to do so these days yet like to and why not take advantage of all the sensor has to offer by using one.
I still have the original batteries which are three years old next month, they do drain faster than they used to, the third party batteries I got are also still ok as well which surprises me. It will be interesting this winter if they have any juice when cold or how much. With the original batteries I'd get between 90/120 shots, which for me is fine.

 

[Milan Vjestica]

Welcome Mick. Apart from the Merrill fan club there are also a number of Fuji users one here. I look forward to your images regardless of the device used.

 

[Dave Farnes]

Greetings MIck. I too use a Fuji, look forward to seeing your pictures.

 

[Pete Askew]

Welcome to RPF, Mick and sorry for the delay in saying hello after processing your membership. I'm glad to see you are settling in just fine!

And to misquote Sir Henry, "If I had all the money I'd spent on cameras... I'd spend it on cameras!".

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

I have answered you already on the forum, but haven't had the pleasure of welcoming you. As you may have discovered by now, I reside ( hope that's proper ), in Norway as one of few vikings or norsemen. I love photography and people, well some and I try my best at whatever interests me to tuck away on the computer by means of my cameras. Occasionally I present them here, proper and not so proper. But I have already been properly engaged and excited about your photography, so a proper welcome to you sir!