Trials and Considerations
Let me redo this...
The entry I made from 5 days ago was made shortly after the show I went to on July 19th. It was a fantastic show that I was very pumped for, as it would be one of my only shows I was paid to photograph (well, really one band). One thing I did NOT expect from that set was a genuine noise artist midway through that rattled everyone's ears. Being somewhat into noise, I was stoked as soon as I realized what was going on. That same day I did a short morning hike with my family, which warranted an afternoon Stewart's small $1.50 coffee.
This was gonna be my first time shooting with Canon raw files (.CRWs), just because I wanted some flexibility in post, getting the exposures down in RawTherapee. It certainly was worth it, because raws are immensely flexible, and the way how the 5D's firmware processes JPGs from raws makes them over-sharpened and over-saturated. The photos I took came out great (low quality jpgs of them will be posted to the show write-up), with added benefit of the RAW performance.
Which leads me into this... I'm trying to branch out into growing into a
photographer-for-hire. I'm looking for a 2nd gig for senior year of college
before Summer 2026, needing to make money to save up for a new (but old) car
I'll be buying in a year. I've already dropped $200 on reliable gear for my
Canon 5D mk I, which includes...
- Sigma 17-35 f/2.8-4 EX HSM
I was getting sick of using my cheap and gimmicky 28-80 kit lens that came with the ElanIIe when my mom bought it in 1997, so I needed a good and high quality wide zoom lens...
This is not the DG lens made for DSLRs in 2004. This is the original one released in 1999. What's insane is that this lens has equivalent optics and speed (even down to the 82mm lens thread) to the Canon 17-35 f/2.8 USM L lens which is about $400+ on KEH and MPB. I got this lens for $85 on KEH somehow! Checking eBay and MPB, it usually goes for $250. I think it was a mistake in how they listed the lens, saying it was "for film cameras only". Well, it's not. You can use EF lenses from 1990 on any modern digital EOS. I've been doing some landscape photography in the meantime testing out the lens' sharpness. It's insanely good, and I'm incredibly lucky to have gotten it so cheap.
On another note, I am realizing how much I love 35mm as a focal length. It's on the lower end of the Sigma's zoom. It's perfect, and now it's making me consider picking up a 35mm prime... I'm saving up!
- Canon Speedlite 430ex
I wasn't too happy with my 420ex's lack of controls and the fact that a wide-angle diffuser wasn't built in. Recent photoshoots were getting painful when I used it.
I was tossed up between getting a 550ex, 580ex, 430ex, and 430ex II. The 550ex didn't appeal to me because of its age and weight. I was really considering the 580ex, however some photography forums had posters dealing with this same dilemma and said that the weight of the 580ex would be a tad bit overkill and the the cycle time wasn't worth it over the 430ex. I couldn't really settle on a 430ex II because of the price. Even the cheapest ones were up to $60. So, I ended up settling with the 430ex.
And honestly, yeah, it's perfect! the one I bought came with one of those plastic diffusers you put on top. Honestly pretty top notch, just marginally better than the 420ex in terms of flash power, however, it was nice to use something slightly modern with dialed-in controls.
- Canon BG-E4 Battery Grip
My 5D handles battery power very well, so there's not much of a need for a battery grip, however, they do add a nice sense of ergonomics, added controls, and of course extended battery power. The only downside is the added weight, which is substantial.
Combined, this certainly makes my 5D Mk I an absolute tank, both figuratively and literally.
Some stuff I really want to purchase (with the help of saving up, of course) would have to be:
- Panasonic HVX200, Sony DSR-PD170 (VX2100), HVR V1U (FX7), or a consumer HDV unit
I'm very tossed up between these four. Right of the bat, I am very happy with my Z1U. It's an amazing HDV camcorder, records stunning pictures, and is immensely reliable. I also have a Panasonic DVX100 which I've owned for ages. It's semi reliable (usually get that auto supply reel error if a tape has been in it while it's gone unused) but still shoots perfectly with no dropouts or faults.
My A1U, only after 6 months of owning it, presented too many issues, which prompted me to sell it on eBay for parts. I do miss having a 3rd camcorder, especially one I can use as an HDV "burner unit" (a camcorder I can use as both a secondary camcorder and a capture unit). Also, in regards to having a secondary HDV camcorder, despite my love for the Z1U, it is a substantial unit. Like my 5D, it's also a tank, but UNLIKE 5D, it's a bit more of a tank and doesn't have the handy-ness that my 5D has. It's great for studio work, e.g. recording a studio performance with stationary camera setups in controlled environments, but ONLY okay for handheld run-and-gun video shooting. It's just far too heavy.
I need something between an A1U and Z1U-- not as janky, small, and problematic as the A1U (seriously, read DVinfo posts about it. It was problematic even since its release), but not as substantial as the Z1U.
The V1U / FX7 fits the perfectly, down to a T... However, somehow (and I DO mean somehow) the V1U is just a bit more expensive to be noticeable. The FX7 is slightly cheaper, however, DVCAM decks are insanely reliable, which makes me consider the V1U more, + the added benefits of the pro version of the unit. I'm leaning more into it, but it's certainly something to save up for. I wonder... Is the up in price due to it's legacy with the VX2000? It was marketed as an HDV successor to the DSR-PD170. I'm sure it's those skaters that want the HDV experience. LOL
The HVX200 is nice as well, and was considered due to my familiarity with the DVX100, plus the known reliability of Panasonic DV decks. However, it being a little too overkill and me not being familiar with DVCPro HD and P2's didn't really sell me on it. If I plan on getting an MRC1K, there's probably gonna be some weird proprietary compatibility issues (yknow, knowing how Sony works.).
I also thought about just straight up getting a professional DV unit, like the DVX100. The DSR-PD170 / VX2100 has been in the back of my mind for 6 years now, and was ONE of the last pro DVCAM camcorders made by Sony (that would go to the PD175, but it's incredibly rare to find). It's about $250, however, I can literally just get something like the V1U for the same price with HDV recording capability.
My last option (if I am tight on money) is just a basic HDV consumer camcorder, something like the HDR-HC9. For what it's worth, it would suffice. Not a fantastic sensor, but usable as a higher-quality-than-DV secondary cam. Worth noting that Canon HDV camcorders are significantly cheaper than Sony HDV camcorders for some reason. (probably that 'brand name' recognition schtick)
Moving on...
- Canon EOS Elan 7N/7NE/7s
Instead of buying all of my KEH gear, I was actually planning on buying this. What is the Canon EOS Elan 7NE you may ask?
...probably the best Canon EOS Film SLR ever made.
A facelift from the year 2000 Elan 7, the 7N came out in 2004, being one of the last mid-grade Canon EOS film SLRs to come out that year alongside the entry-grade Rebel T2. Being the last, it's got all of the modern amenities that any film SLR should have, which includes...
AF sequence / one shot performance THAT OF the Canon EOS 10D AND EOS 1V(!!), E-TTL II compatibility(!), improved eye-control AF...
I could go on... I need it to replace my aging EOS ElanIIe that's now presenting some issues. Every negative I've developed or have gotten back from a lab has noticeable horizontal scratches. I would see them after I personally scan them, and at first assumed it may be my aging Epson scanner. But nope! They're also present on the prints back from the lab, and in the same spot. Checked the negatives... they're there too. Hmph. I can only assume something funky is happening with the film transport, so I'm retiring it. Plus, who wouldn't want one of Canon's best film SLRs?
- Possibly getting a secondary good DSLR, like a 1Ds Mk. II, or 5D Mk. II
This lowest on my list of needs. My 5D Classic is a powerhouse that works just fine, minus a few annoying stuck pixels.
The only reason I have this up as a consideration is because I just sold my shortly-owned and old D60, which I bought a few months prior buying the 5D classic. It's not bad... and aging APS-C DSLR from 2002, but in-between buying these 2 cameras I had a bit of a mentality shift regarding the gear I have. I started considering actually GOOD and gear that isn't aging as much. I got the D60 more as a novelty than something I could do work with. The only actual serious work I've ever done was photographing last year's Bee Side Fest (genuinely some of my proudest work). It actually handles low light REALLY well, but due to its aging aspects, pre EF-S mount, and dealing with crop sensors, I just couldn't handle it.
Setting aside going on another rant regarding my gear (I'm beginning to realize this post is longer than a Ken Rockwell review), I'm 50-50 on getting either camera. The 1Ds is a respectable powerhouse, a genuine professional workhorse. I've always wanted to use one of these 1D's and this one is the most accessible, with the added benefit of being full frame.
the 5D mk. II is fairly modern, and still used by tons of people in professional settings. It's also got 20 megapixels, good for large prints (if I ever want to do them). I've also got all the necessary 5D gear (proper batteries, fitted battery mount). However, it being fairly new-ish, it's gonna be in the $250+ range.
Anyways, that's gonna wrap up gear talks. I haven't had a good time to actually sit down and write about the current state of the gear I have and want, so this went on for a bit.
Now for website talks...
Like I said in the previous post, I'm gonna gear this site towards a more documentary-style, take focus off of myself to a certain extent and turn this place into more of a site to document what's going on around me, even besides shows. Upcoming changes would probably be:
- Adding some new info to the 'about' page, a 'more about me' section to be exact just to have a section of the site dedicated to the webmaster.
- Renaming 'rants' to 'news'. Easier to understand and consistent, since I basically use this section for site updates, as well as personal life updates.
- Probably changing the 'people' section to just say 'links'. Something easier to understand and consistent as well, I suppose.
- Changing the name of the 'photography' section to just 'shows' or 'music', removing the personal section and moving it into the 'more about me' section in 'about'. adding some new photography into 'some fullres photos', including some of my non-show related photography (I really, REALLY like landscape photography. been a shame not to showcase some of what I have done...).
- Replacing the 'archival' section with something more in-tune. Maybe having it be the new 'photography' section, dedicated to personal pursuits and documenting stuff in and around Albany.
- Removing some personal blog stuff in 'misc.', potentially moving that into 'more about me'. the 'hiking' page is TBA, but it's something I want to do for sure.
I wont give some conclusion statement because this is all I need to say about the current goings of me and vibracobra.net. As for the site updates, I'm going to work on it all in one go on the backend and not in chunks, since I believe in having a finished product ready to go and nothing like 'site under construction'. I don't know what to consider the new version... 6.0 or 5.1? I'll ponder.
7.25.25Changing directions?
Let's talk about the (extended) history of vibracobra.net--
Despite the earliest archive.org snapshot being from 2021, the bottom of my about page says "Since September 2018".
I'm sure most of my followers have read the archive page, but just to recap, >I started this site under a completely different URL on webhostapp. I barely got any traffic, I even had a comment section that no one ever posted in or used. I moved to Neocities in 2021 and purchased the vibracobra.net domain in 2023. Ever since then, my site has been mostly centered around being a personal blog just to throw things up.
I guess as of recent (despite having been doing to show writeups since 2023) I've really revamped what my show writeups meant to me and my site, which is why I have been getting more documentative with them, talking about the culture of the area I live in and being more open about where I am in the world and who I am in the area.
With this recent change, I'm gonna be going through some of the nav pages (about, archival, etc.) and reworking them to how vibracobra.net is changing into more of a documentary of everything local and touring music.
I'm gonna try to be MORE open about moving into freelance photography. Need a side gig. I got a BUNCH of new gear recently (BG-E4 battery grip, 430EX speedlite, Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 aka the poor man's 17-35mm Canon L) strictly for getting more professional with my work. Hoping to also get a Elan 7NE when my wallet stops screaming in pain......... lol
P.S. I am typing this almost asleep at 1:45 AM after staying up for 18 hours awake good night lol
7.20.25Much to think about
Much to ponder
I guess there's some sort of healing power imbued into Summer.
If you've been following my website for a while, you would know how much I love Summer. While I do talk about the constant aspect of 75F+ (22C+ for those who are smarter than us Americans), beautiful sunny days, more outdoor oppurtunities, there's something else about it: A momentary return to monotony and constance.
Every year in mid-May, my schedule returns to a 40-hour-a-week basis, 9-5 every day, in or out of office. I can work from home whenever or come to the office whenever, no set guidelines. I've been working in one of those "people-centric" offices for over a year now, the ones that allow you to work from home or come into the office without the need for your boss's discretion, go for long walks in the middle of your shift, those kinds of things. While yes, I absolutely do take advantage of working from home whenever I feel like it, most of the time I try to come into the office to bring some structure to my workflow.
The work I do revolves around geographic information and dataset management, boring nerd stuff. No overt deadlines, just many many meetings and stuff. I like occupying myself with this degree-related busywork in the Summer and Some of Winter, as I have not much time to do it during college.
Now, some of you may hear this and think to yourself, "Office work? 9-5? And you enjoy doing that shit?" And yeah, I can understand it sounds a little crazy, but you gotta understand a few aspects of this mentality:
9-5 can kind of suck, especially if you miss a nice day out, but I'll take financial security and a guarantee I'll get paid for my day of work. I'll be honest, in the days I worked my supermarket job only on weekends, free weekdays kind of sucked. Everyone's freetime only existed weekends. Going to work straight 5 days in a row brings this sense of mental monotony, it kind of calms the mind down knowing that all work I need to will finish at 5 sharp and I can come home or close my laptop and focus on myself. No homework, no late night studying, just work when I need to work.
Now, like I mentioned before, I do frequently work from home. It's nice to wake up and clock right in. Coming to the office is nice too, and I have always been a fan of the hybrid model. I don't think I want to get into my liking for occasional office work without sounding like a pro-work-from-office shill.
Boring jobstuff aside, taking a step away from college is always a fantastic thing no matter what. Yes, even the social aspect. In fact, I argue the social aspect of college is just as bad as the academic aspect.
So, here I sit, working on this website more and more, picking away at the pages I forgot existed. I have one show from all the way back in April that I haven't published the photos from yet, which will be worked on soon. Of course, I also just went to one last night. That will come later. There's a hiking page in the misc section that I haven't touched in a year, so expect that to finally be live in the coming weeks. I've been hiking again finally! Except the weather just started getting shitty in late June. almost 100F tomorrow. Eugh. Thankfully I crammed some outdoor activities in May and early June.
6.22.25Yup!
Spring is momentous now. No more annoying cold, just rain. And warmth. Yeahahahahaha
Semester is almost over. What can I learn from it? You can't please everyone. Nope. Nuh-uh. You can do everything right in life, however, there will always be someone out there that will unconditionally despise you and do everything they can to ruin you.
Next year is senior year, which means I'm gonna be an oldhead. a veteran. elderly. What's nice about being 21 is drinking alcohol and not feeling like your some kid trying to fit in too much or seem like an adult, and getting drunk feels less "risky" I guess.
I just went a fantastic and very special show last night, which won't be posted until the 4.17 show goes up, which will be very soon.
tis tha updates
5.10.25Summer please come quick
As I type this, it's the beautiful month of April here in the northeast.
March has a special way of fucking us over, granting us 65F+ days on the regular. Hopeful start to Spring. And then April comes, and you know what the Earth does? Below freezing days. They call it "Fools Spring" up here for a reason. Please (early) Summer, come quick. My fatass is sitting here typing this up and I haven't hiked in months.
Weather aside, while I have been to many shows in the past month, I can safely say that for the first time in my life in years there's really not enough going on for me to go on a long tangent about it. Monotony is something you come to thank at this point in your life, as it speeds up days by an insane degree, but I'll admit, I do worry about how that will translate over at the end of college.
Which I suppose brings me to this next point-- I am almost done with my spring semester. Yes, that will mean no more B/W shots for a while (hoping I secure advanced in the Fall), but more importantly, it'll mean I am done with Junior year. I've already hit the age of 21. Now it's just downhill from here. No more milestones. Just riding shit out.
I'm worried for senior year. It'll be weird that the youngest people that I would go to school with will be at least 3 years younger than me. It'll be weird to think that I'm almost done with undergrad studies. If I don't get approved for the masters program, it'll just be pure adulthood. I don't really like how quick it's going now.
Enough existentialism.
I went to a show on 3.28.25. Be on the lookout for when that writeup/gallery (whatever I choose to do with it) goes up. There's awesome photos I want to share from it!
Also, not to brag, but I just secured a pair of made in USA Converse All Stars in my size for a very reasonable price. Perhaps I should do a page on my site solely dedicated to Converse collecting? Hmm...
4.8.25Exciting things are happening on vibracobra.net
This is something I wanted to do for a while...
I added a new photo gallery displaying my darkroom work from 2021-2025! Go to the 2025 tab to see some of my new work. I've been back in the darkroom again and I am sharpening my craft. One of those photos shows my face... oooo. Face reveal of the webmaster. If you had an image of me in your head, you'd be correct.
Of course there's a gap between 2023-2024 because I did not have access to a darkroom in that time. :<
More works to come in the future. I've only developed 4 rolls thus far but hope to take my setup to a show and get some exciting photos. Stay tuned!
3.6.25It's fine
I think that in life things happen and you got to learn and move on
Moving on as a concept can seem passive-aggressive if you're being told to do so but in a way it's the best possible way to let the water flow under the bridge
The past month has been rough for me, lots of severed ties. The one thing I leave with it all is the fact that I can further focus on myself, my pursuits, my ambitions.
Breakups are tough. But after a few days, you kinda forget that they happened. It's just life
I would frequently talk on this little blog about how terrible university is going for me, how I'm constantly 'mentally drained'... For the first time in a while, my academics are looking up. Perhaps this will be the semester I can above a 3.5 in? Alongside that, with my sudden departure from my massive college club as an administrative member, Life is quiet in a good way. No more needless responsibilities
My site has a heavy emphasis on photography, but for the past year, there had been times where I was genuinely not dabbling in photography because of my busy busy life. I could make a site dedicated to college-run radio stations, geography, urban planning... but who the hell wants to hear about my jobs? Respectfully I do love my internship in geography and in some ways still have a soft spot for college radio stations, but those are supposed to take up a different part of my headspace, and not some section on my little website.
2.25.25It's terrible again
So uh. Yeah
My relationship fell through, sudden break up. Don't know how I can respond. She just dropped it on me. She had her valid reasons I suppose, pleading to me that "it's not you it's me. you deserve someone better. I don't think I have enough time" I've had this happen to me before.
Which is why I am tired of it, drained of energy, and hopeless. I don't think I can tell her anything after her sudden message.
I will crawl back into my hole, get away from people, focus on myself more. It's miserable. The college station has already ruined me. I don't know who to lean on now.
Anyways, I have gotten rid of my PDX-10 and replaced it with a HVR-A1U. Little funny guy! I talk a lot about my video gear but I've never actually uploaded any of my work to here. I'll be placing some Vimeo links up soon in a new page once I create an account.
2.21.25Moving on
2025 so far has been a lot of changes, mostly positive.
After a couple failed relationships, I'm finally in one where it feels so genuine that I've never realized how much I needed it... :')
I've decided to forever part ways with the college radio station I was a part of. I talked about it much in 2023 when I was at my most active, but in recent months I was being actively mistreated and disrespected in my administrative role in the station, and decided that it was not worth it. Since I've left I've been in a much better mood overall. Thanks for the fun times and for wasting the first half of my time in university, I guess.
Some of my recent videography work got a lot of publicity and was praised by many people. Feels nice upgrading to the HVR-Z1U now, and I'm hoping to go exciting places with my much better set up. Purchased an HVR-A1U as a secondary HD camcorder and a capturing deck (wouldn't really want to use the Z1U strictly for field work and capturing). If you still use DV tape in the field, you'd understand the importance of having a deck as opposed to your main camera being your deck.
Positive things happen in your life and you feel like you have lots of control over the trajectory of things... like academics, job stuff...
Despite 2025 feeling globally like the U.S. is eating its own tail, so far the year has been good to me personally. Hopefully the year will be great for all of you as well. :)
2.10.25Yeah!!!
Everything is going very well!
Lots of good things are happening in my life. My birthday is tomorrow, turning 21 finally.
Getting new camcorder right now. PDX10 broke after 3 months of use. 0 hours on all of the use, only 50 threads on the settings.
I am getting a Sony HVR-Z1U (HDV) as a replacement. Finally moving onto HD in 2025 LOL
1.23.25New year... Kinda terrifying to think we're now mid way through the decade. Anyhow, wrote up a whole ass essay here. Read it if you want to waste your time!
nothing much to say
unrelated, but I got some cool records from constellation up in montreal. kicker in tow, hrsta, and dmst. they left me a thank you note but I cannot find it :<
1.3.25