I like Jan use a simple table top set-up.

There is a south facing window behind the camera and there is an LED light bar on the ceiling above.

Like Jan I ALWAYS use a tripod and have all the settings on the camera to manual.

Dave

Dave and Jan--Thanks for the tips on lighting and camera work in general. I presently have a photo area set up upstairs that has plenty of room for me to work and a large table area, but has very little natural light. The only real options for me to use natural light are either go outdoors, which many days is bright sunlight, or use our breakfast nook, which has windows on two sides, and may end up working.....I will have to try it and see.
I also use a tripod and have been setting my camera for max depth of field, but using auto settings for exposure. I know you use manual setting....do you use a handheld light meter then?
Thanks again to you both for tutoring an amateur........hopefully my efforts will improve! The subjects we all have all wonderful in their own right. I would also like to experiment including some of my American Flyer trains....I have both freight and passenger cars, steam and diesel locomotives. They are S gauge, meaning 1/64" scale, which is too small for many of the Dinky's to really look right, but some of the smaller trucks such as the Austin Wagons, and the Fordson Flat truck and trailers will work just fine.
Not sure I want to delve into Photoshop....it appears to be a very complex program, needing quite a bit of instruction and/or help.
Terry

I use an SLR which has a built-in lightmeter, like Jans, so I use this for the exposure.

A lot of the proprietary camera download systems, I use Nikon Capture, contain most of the essential adjustments such as Exposure, Lightening, Darkening, Contrast etc.

I have used Photoshop for over ten years now and it is absolutey fantastic but complex and expensive (£750).

Corel's Paint Shop Pro is a much cheaper and, very good, alternative image manipulation programme.

Dave

I had an illegal copy of Photoshop which was fantastic but did not run on the latests Mac OS. I bought also from Adobe Photoshop Elements which is much cheaper and I can't see the difference. Sorry, I do not remember the price but it was nothing like £ 750.

Photoshop Elements does a lot of things that I am not even aware of or I do not know what it is about and the help file donot help much. Anyway, it does every thing that I need and does it well and easily. What is rearly needed is a day of training at a reasonble price and distance.

Top secret.

If you or somebody that you know and can buy it for you, work for a charity or teaching you can negotiate the software at half price.

Referring back to the discussions on the 660 Tank Transporter and which insignia it should carry I have the answer.

I have spoken to DTCA member Major Bev Stevens who served for seven years with the Royal Tank Corps and has first hand experience of the Mighty Antar.

There were three variants of the Antar:

The first was the Mark I which was a trial vehicle and only about six were produced and these were probably operated by the Royal Armoured Corps. This was the vehicle Dinky based their vehicle on so the Red/Yellow insignia of the early versions is correct.

The Mark II is also the Dinky vehicle but this was the production vehicle and was operated by the Royal Army Service Corps. This means that Dinky were correct to change it to the Blue/Yellow insignia. The Mark III has a different body and was not modelled by Dinky.

Dinky never made any announcement of this change but I assume it will be on the Assembly Drawing for the 660 Mighty Antar. This drawing is not listed in The Great Book of Dinky Toys so it is possible it does not exist any longer.

It looks as if we have unwittingly discovered another enigma from Binns Road.

Dave

Hi David,

This is very interesting. So the Tanks Corp badge should be found on the models with the trailer marked Dinky Toys and possibly onthe early Supertoys.

To confirm this, we should make a list of all the tank transporters available with all the possible variations :

• Marking of the trailer
- Dinky Toys Tank transporter 660
- Dinky Supertoys Tank transporter 660
- Dinky Supertoys transporter no ref. number
• Badge
- red / yellow
- blue / yellow
• Detachable trailer yes / no
• Radiator with or without "lever" or what ever it is.
• Driver yes / no
• Windows yes / no
• with transformer supports for 908 yes / no.

By the way, what are these "supports" called in English ?

This discussion should be on the 660 thread and I will post it ther as well.

The Red/Yellow insignia is the Royal Armoured Corps not the Tank Corps

Dave

Thanks to all of you for your replies to my photography questions. For sure it will be a work in progress, so hopefully it will improve in the coming months. In the meantime, here is a "meeting of Foden Tankers"...........

Terry

Very nice pictures as usual.

Thank you Jan.

A Dinky Toys Military Ambulance Depot.

Dave

I had it confirmed sometime ago by a couple of military historians, one in the REME museum, that the military never used the Daimler Ambulance.

However when Dinky made some 'extra' military models for H Hudson Dobson in USA this was the only ambulance they had available at that time.

It does look nice in the military colours.

Dave

What is the connection between the Aston Martin and the 7.2" Howitzer?

The barrel elevator wheel on the Howitzer is also used as the steering wheel on the Dinky sports cars such as the 110 Aston Martin etc.

Dave

The Dinky Toys Concorde mock up taking off over he M 40.

A 977 Commercial Servicing Platform doing some tree lopping work.

All performed without a safety net!!!!!! Nowadays the health and safety inspectorate would make things a lot different.

Dave

Topping up the tanks…

I have an extensive collection of American Flyer trains, made by A.C. Gilbert about the same time that Dinky's were in existence. I used to have quite a few of them out on a table I had made, but years ago that space lost out and they have been wrapped in storage for many years. I got the idea of taking some of them out and displaying with my Dinky's. Many of the Dinky's are too large of scale, but some work quite well. Here are a few shots I took today...........I now need to acquire some simulated loads and cargo to better complete scenes...........

Terry

some trucks have arrived to help with freight

the Mechanical Horses come in handy for smaller loads

and we have passengers departing!

I have an extensive collection of American Flyer trains, made by A.C. Gilbert about the same time that Dinky's were in existence. I used to have quite a few of them out on a table I had made, but years ago that space lost out and they have been wrapped in storage for many years. I got the idea of taking some of them out and displaying with my Dinky's. Many of the Dinky's are too large of scale, but some work quite well. Here are a few shots I took today...........I now need to acquire some simulated loads and cargo to better complete scenes...........

Terry

some trucks have arrived to help with freight

the Mechanical Horses come in handy for smaller loads

and we have passengers departing!

Very nice Terry !
You gave me some ideas ! I have to find where are my Hornby trains and stations ! and then I will shoot !

Cheers

Richard

Thanks Richard....it was fun to dig out the old trains and play with them a bit. Something about model trains when we were young boys.........always a big attraction!
By the way, I apologize for the double posts that are occurring for me. I am not sure why, and have contacted Dave Kaun of the site to try and find out why. He has said he will delete any extra ones, as I cannot. There should be a delete button for an original poster to use...........

Terry

Jan, Great presentation of your atlas, I love the idea.