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Claims photographing the moon is a snap with a 300-500mm lens, single focal length or zoom. Comments on long exposures; Moon eclipse exposure suggestions; Bracketing exposures; Recommendations.

Describes how to turn off autofocus on a single reflex lens camera and use manual focus. When a photographer needs manual focus; Situations where manual focus is better than autofocus; Manual-focus cameras; Autofocus SLRs; Recommendations. INSET: Use the old zoom trick..

Provides pointers on using teleconverters, and notes there are three penalties: you lose lens speed, finder brightness dims and image quality suffers. Recommendations on converters that fit only one lens, converters designed for specific focal lengths of one particular brand lens and converters designed to fit lenses of just about any brand; Temptations of 3X teleconverters; Few converters for autofocus SLRs; Getting good results.

Considers the new deluxe series of Domke bags from The Saunders Group with leather trim, in emerald green canvas. Contention of the author that the bag was a magnificent forest or hunter green; His blue canvas Domke Camera Satchel with white trim; Shots of the green bag; Comments on the color.

Announces Pentax is offering an 11 1/2 inch square piece of microfiber cloth for lens cleaning for $5. It comes packaged in a disposable cardboard envelope. Microfiber cleaning cloths are washable and reusable practically forever and should be carried in a zippered plastic bag or other container to prevent contamination with pocket or bag debris.

States that Minolta's home-market versions of the Maxxum 5xi and 3xi will not only be available with midroll panoramic change but will also have a switch to turn off or on the autozoom feature that automatically determines the position of the zoom focal length. Why these Maxxums will not be offered in the US; Available possibly in the future.

Recommends for an accurately framed picture, the use of an SLR, not a point-and-shoot. Frame lines seen in a point-and-shoot camera viewfinders often cruelly inaccurate; Example of a Christmas door taken with a point-and-shoot.

Asks why camera makers don't provide a better autofocus system on inexpensive AF SLRs. Purchasers of these cameras most in need of foolproof AF systems; Trading up to a more expensive AF SLR with a more sophisticated AF SLR system.

Considers the Laminizer Machine, which promises to do a professional job of plastic-laminating photos and membership cards or luggage tags up to 4 X 6 inches. The Laminizer is a neat, well-made plastic machine that laminates a photo in less than a minute. Cost of the machine and laminating sleeves; Contact point for more information.

Gives the technical aspects of changes made to three SLRs. The Leica R6, now out in as R6.2, has four changes: nameplate, top shutter speed boosted, frame counter repositioned, a flash indicator at the `B' setting. Canon's EOS Rebel and E OS Rebel S got new designations, Rebel II and Rebel S II: new top speed, quieter wind and rewind, a self-timer, and a red-eye reduction pre-exposure light. Cost; Lenses available.

Evaluates several single-lens reflex cameras. Price; Flash system; Focusing system; Lens.

Presents updates on photography as of June 2002. Goal of Lives Out of China nonprofit organization; Creation of the book 'A Day in the Life of Africa'; Acquisition of the oldest known photograph by Musees de France for France's National Library.