Photoclub Alpha

Photoworld 2008 #2 is now being mailed to subscribers!

Our Spring edition features -

Online trade photographic supplier www.photomart.co.uk is to hold a bumper day of photo workshops in its huge London showrooms on November 28, 2007. Billed as an “Anniversary Day”, the day-long programme of workshops is to celebrate the second anniversary of the opening of this major photographic venue.

TEMPORARY website pages on the afternoon (GMT) of September 5th managed to leak the entire specification sheet and several new PR images of the advanced amateur Alpha model, along with its name - the Alpha 700. You wouldn’t pick a wife or husband on the basis of their on-paper specification, so remember, the only way to partner up with a DSLR and be happy is to try it in your hands first.

To save a few dollars, whoever assembled a double page advert for Sony-sponsored photo workshops which (I gather) has just appeared in the US magazine Popular Photography went to cheap online stock library iStockphoto and downloaded this image:

NORTHUMBERLAND AND THE BORDERS
Hotel based, 7 nights
Free minibus travel to & from destination
Saturday 10 November to Saturday 15 November 2007

During this week we will explore the superb coastline and inland landscape of unspoilt Northumberland. The beaches on the north east coast are some of the loveliest in the U.K., but as well as these, there are the Cheviot Hills, Roughting Lynn waterfall and several castles. The week will include a visit across the causeway to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) and either Les Mclean, or David Lane will lead a landscape workshop on one of the days, as well as giving an evening talk. There will be plenty of subject matter to photograph, and the evening social activity will, as with all Quest trips, include showing and sharing our own work.The minibus will leave Sussex early Saturday morning, and will collect passengers en route where this is practicable. This may be at your home or nearby, but if you live far off the route, special arrangements will be made.

Price £645, single supp. £50. (deposit £100), 8 – 10 places.
Price includes full board accommodation, with packed lunch. Price is based on sharing a twin room. Single room accommodation is available but a supplement of £60 is payable. If you require a single, you must make this clear when booking, Minibus travel is free from pick up, put down, and for travel during the week.

A 2008 programme will be listed shortly!

Contact detailsLight and Land
Tel: 01432-839111.
Email: contactus@lightandland.co.uk
Web: www.lightandland.co.uk

Inversnaid Photography Centre
Tel: 01877-386254.
Email: info@inversnaidphoto.com
Web: www.inversnaidphoto.com

Duncan McEwan directly
Tel/Fax: 01505-612673
Email: mcewan@dunarden.fsnet.co.uk
Web: www.dmcewanphotography.co.uk or contact:
Duncan McEwan
Dunarden, Horsewood Road
Bridge of Weir
Renfrewshire PA11 3AT

Colin Westgate’s QUEST workshops, sponsored by Photoworld, are now based at Stable House, 2 Carriers Close, West Mersea, Mersea Island, Essex CO5 8NY. Tel 01206 384584. Mobile 07887 887101. To receive the 2008 program, email questphoto@btinternet.com

We have a Photoworld day in Edinburgh on February 10th 2008, to which all Photoclubalpha registered members are welcome (it is strictly by prior arrangement, so please do not turn up on the day). It starts at 10.30am and ends around 4.30pm, and will be held at Edinburgh Photographic Society. Please email david@photoclubalpha.com for a copy of the programme and information on how to contact Duncan McEwan, the organiser, to arrange admission. There is a small fee for refreshments.

Icon Publications Ltd sponsors Colin Westgate’s QUEST series of photographic workshops, photo shoots, and photo holidays in the UK. A full year’s program is available by contacting Colin directly. He is a long-term Minolta system user and one of the UK’s best tuition organisers, recruiting the help of top names including Les McLean, John Blakemore, Clive Tanner, George McCarthy and others. Many of Colin’s chosen course leaders are Fellows of the Royal Photographic Society which he has been actively involved with for a long time.

Photoworld Club Scottish Regional Organiser Duncan McEwan - himself one of the UK’s most highly regarded experts - runs a series of courses in Scotland which are open to photographers from all round the world. He works in conjunction with Charlie Waite’s Light and Land programme, and with the Inversnaid Photographic Centre on Loch Lomond. Duncan is a stock photographer, author, lecturer and exhibition judge. He has used Minolta throughout his career. Each year in early March he organises an open day for Club members at the Edinburgh Photographic Society which is attended by 40-50 photographers and with guest talks and discussion of submitted images.

For many years Camera Repair Workshop, based in Milton Keynes close to the original Minolta UK service department, handled the repair of classic SRT, X, Vectis and later film cameras for Minolta UK.

They have obtained many of the spare parts and KM’s stocks of older ‘cannibalisation cameras’ like 7000 and 8000i. Their proprietor is David Boyle, and his two technicians are Minolta trained. As an independent repairer they will specialise in film and digital, and hold parts going back to models like the XM. The Dynax 9 is an exception, previously serviced by a special European centre, and must be sent to JP (see post on UK official details). No VAT is chargeable at present, and they offer Photoworld magazine subscribers a 10 per cent discount on prices which they say are already better than former retail repair charges. This enables the club to continue with its 10 per cent service and repair discount offer.

The Photoworld Camera Check scheme will be operated by Camera Repair Workshop, though in absence of Konica Minolta’s former bulk shipping arrangements, the return carriage costs have increased and a charge of £25 per camera/standard lens combination is now required.

Your equipment is bench-tested for shutter speed, metering, focusing and aperture accuracy, externally cleaned and adjusted (this includes mirror box and film track, and all accessible parts or adjustments). If performance is below standard, a quotation will be issued for optional servicing. A certificate is completed showing the test results and functions checked, and returned with the camera. Camera Repair Workshop were actually responsible for most of the Club Camera Check work, and hold a stock of original ‘Minolta Club’ certificates along with all the necessary bench testing equipment.

They are based at:
Unit 9, Wharfside, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2AZ.
Telephone 01908 378088, fax 08712 427677.
Email: cameraworkshop@tiscali.co.uk