From Robert Rotoloni:
With only one more issue of the Journal due out before NHS-Con L3 in Paris, I feel I must urge those of you planning to attend, or even just considering it, to get involved quickly. There is ample coverage of our plans on pages l0 & 11 for you to read, but I want to use this editorial space to remind you. and urge you, to make your hotel reservations as soon as possible.
Rooms are hard to come by in Paris during the time of the French Open so please do this soon. Also we need to know who coming so we can get a head count as early as possible. This needed to book certain things, such as the closing dinner, and to order other supplies, and also to plan br the meeting room. We cannot really assume you are attending until you actually send in your convention fee. So please everyone, May is not that far away and we need to know if you are coming. Contact us with your Convention soon and contact the hotels!
We start off #114 with an article on an aspect of the Nikon RF system I did not cover in my books at all and have hardy featured here in the Journal. That is the Nikon B.C.B. flash system. On page one I offer an introduction to the system, but one that barely scratches the surface of this system. I found this out after seeing what member Jell Felton knows about these flashes. Believe me, there is a lot more to them than I imagined and Jeff will cover them in detail in following issues including the rare "Walz" versions. They is actually a beautifully made and rather elaborate accessory, although one that is often overlooked. Quality and design was very high, as this series of articles will illustrate.
On page 8 we have the story about the beginnings of Nikon in the Netherlands including a a very interesting photo of the first Dutch importer and a group of people from Nippon Kogaku. Dutch member Jan Jonker did the research.
Page 12 has some unusual and interesting contemporary literature discovered by member Jim Emmerson. I have not seen these previously as Jim's source was one I had not thought of before.
This is followed by 3 pages of coverage of two recent auctions featuring Nikon equipment. Resides eBay. Auctions are currently the most visible source of pricing information as well as an idea of what is out there for the collector. Therefore I feel they are very important to the continued interest in camera collecting in general, thus I want to cover them as completely as possible. In addition, both gentlemen responsible for these two sales have agreed to be sponsors s of NHS-Con13 (Stan Tamarkin and PeterCoeln) and deserve our support. Look to pages 13-15 for complete coverage including hammer prices.
I received good feedback to Part One of my series on Nikon RF gear calibrated in meters. Enough feedback to run two more pages with some very interesting items.
Robert Rayzak and I are continuing our research into t internal numbers, found on the very early Nikon One bodies. So far we have had only one response but it is a beauty. See page 18 for details.
By the time you receive this issue it will be about 18 weeks before NtIS-Con 13 and the Holidays s will be history. I hope to see many of you in Paris and I also hope that ALL of you had a wonderful holiday season followed by a healthy and prosperous New Year!
