tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84226586216717046872024-03-23T06:13:40.796-04:00A Quirky Guy with a CameraAdam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.comBlogger304125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-49210625011716387792018-07-20T08:00:00.000-04:002018-07-20T08:05:18.565-04:00Digitalesque: The Kodak Advantix Preview<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's 2018 - Picture your typical consumer taking snapshot photos today on both their every day outings and special moments. In the vast majority of cases, their tool of choice is a smartphone, and the typical post-photo tendency is often to look at the screen of the phone to see how the image came out, should it need to be taken again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Now let's dial the clock back a bit shall we? </i> Nine years to be exact to 2009. The Smartphone is certainly present, but its still largely in its infancy, while the more common flip phones are often used for taking rudimentary digital snap shots in a pinch. However, a more established tool of choice is the digital consumer camera, often offering up a healthy zoom and an inflated megapixel count. These are typically the tag along of many a consumer who wants to be able to take photos that may be worthy of printing. And, just as today, the typical post-photo tendency is often to look at the screen on the back of the camera to see how the image came out, should it need to be taken again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Now let's dial the clock back just ONE more time. </i>Going back another nine years brings us to the year 2000. The consumer smartphone is little more than a dream in its designer's mind, while the digital consumer camera prevalent in 2009 is largely in its own infancy, with 2 or 3 megapixel sensors offering up paltry image quality hardly suitable for keepsake printing or enlarging. In this era, just 18 years removed from our present landscape, film is still king, offered readily across a range of retail outlets. Minilabs are found in nearly every shopping center and general big box store, and the majority of the photos taken by your every day consumers are done on a variety of compact film cameras.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, unlike 2009 and 2018, the typical post-photo tendency is NOT to look at the screen on the back of the camera to see how the image came out <b><i>since no such screen existed</i></b>, leaving the consumer to wait until the film was developed to see how an image came out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But for one very odd exception...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From the front, the Advantix Preview looks largely in line with many similar compact cameras of the era, offering a modest zoom on a rather slow lens primarily for taking snapshots.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Released in the year 2000, the Kodak Advantix Preview can be described as many things: a digital camera that wasn't, a <a href="https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/a-bridge-to-nowhere.478965/" target="_blank">bizarre bridge of two worlds</a>, or a poorly executed hybrid concept for which demand never really existed. For a handful of us film-happy dreamers, it can be considered as a foundation for a future which could have conceivably existed, but which never came to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In short, it is a APS format film camera that offers a "preview" glimpse of the last image taken by way of a small LCD screen, and allows the user to designate at the time how many prints of this image should be printed. Do 4 people want a copy of that last group shot? Okay, lets choose to print this one four times. Did Uncle Arnold blink at the wrong time in that first try? Okay, lets choose not to print that one, and try another shot!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The concept has some merit, but also poses some perils as well. It works in reverse to a camera like the Fuji Instax Square that captures a digital image and allows the user to elect to print it to the Instax film medium. In the case of the Instax, if you don't like the photo, you can simply erase it and try again. In the case of the Advantix Preview, the image is captured to film regardless. You are only making the call on whether the negative created makes it to print, and if so, electing a quantity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There is also no removable media upon which the "digital" image is recorded at all, with the non-film image being routed separately through the viewfinder using a half-silvered mirror. Some opine that the image visible on the screen of the Advantix Preview is really not digital at all in the sense that we know it, and is simply a display of sort of buffer, something akin to the LCD viewfinder image one sees on an older camcorder. Regardless of how the "magic" of this camera is fully accomplished, the last image taken is always the only one available to view. And it seems the last image taken on a roll is rewound before any option exists to preview it at all. From a technical standpoint, this makes some sense since the quantity aspect was to be recorded on a magnetic strip on the film itself.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiP8dqFt4E9KFSdwM-z94J4qrRtfFMLdfH575PupOIraWQ-Gez2QUXExesvDdxWVoEZfhKgSq1exu42HO88RE_nBPNoNaJv7jg_LUcq2zWrLaMVHlTwUQjqk3wxFopeTR46kqLlSGEL910/s1600/IMG_5071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiP8dqFt4E9KFSdwM-z94J4qrRtfFMLdfH575PupOIraWQ-Gez2QUXExesvDdxWVoEZfhKgSq1exu42HO88RE_nBPNoNaJv7jg_LUcq2zWrLaMVHlTwUQjqk3wxFopeTR46kqLlSGEL910/s640/IMG_5071.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From the back however, the Advantix Preview looks far more like a typical early digital camera, particularly given the APS camera's bottom loading film door. You could perhaps call this the Harvey Dent of cameras. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a result, the usage as intended winds up being limited for the very consumers for whom it was intended. Should you suddenly remember that Grandma wanted a couple extra photos of her grandbaby with the dog like that shot you took 4 frames ago, you will have to wait for later and order separate reprints. Should there be some sudden drama between your son and his prom date a few days later, you can't cancel the 8 prints you ordered from that front porch photo when all was still bliss.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With all of the limited discussion of the Advantix Preview largely focused upon its unusual usage and hybrid features, the actual features of the Kodak Advantix preview as a film camera are often overlooked. Specification wise, the Advantix preview is pretty typical of mid-grade consumer film cameras of the time. It sports a 25-65mm lens that opens only to f/4.3 on the short end and a dismal f/10.4 on the longer end of the focal range. Shutter speeds, automatically selected, range from 1/2 second to 1/400, and minimum focusing distance is about 2 feet. The interface outside of the preview aspect is fairly typical of the genre, with the camera defaulting to an auto-flash mode, and allowing limited controls to flash and photo settings. I generally stuck with the spot focus mode with flash forced off for most of my trial roll.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But otherwise, the Preview is very atypical from the typical point and shoot of the era with the preview function that admittedly is something of a post-view. In today's world where everyday photos are so often shared via text messages and social media, it can be a bit tough to immediately recollect just what the world of 18 years ago was like, which honestly makes a camera like the Advantix Preview a bit of an enigma in today's context. But search your now distant memories and review the above timeline, and you may be able to see where Kodak was trying to go with this, in trying to maximize the advantage of the new APS format, and deliver a photo taking experience for film shooting consumers that would be appreciated in a way that other mediums weren't able to offer. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The APS format was only about 4 years old at the time, and was still the topic of a marketing blitz by camera and film manufacturers. Meanwhile, digital photography was making its first encroachment on the consumer market. With Kodak standing much to lose from their very recent investment in the new format from the inroads of digital imaging, the Advantix Preview could be touted as a way to try to offer some advantage to film, given that few at the time expected the digital mediums to make the inroads they would in such a rapid fashion, sharply reducing consumer film usage, and finally decimating APS as an active film format. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a collector's item, the Advantix Preview hardly equates with such classics like an original Kodak Brownie or first generation Polaroid SX-70 as an item that ultimately wound up launching a vast new world of photography. Rather, it feels like an dead-end outlier of sorts, comparable to photographic deviants like the <a href="https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/the-abominable-traid-fotron.197208/" target="_blank">Traid Fotron</a> and the <a href="https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/the-amazing-fotochrome-camera.223545/" target="_blank">Fotochrome</a>. Yet unlike these oddballs, it is still quite easy to pick up an Advantix Preview and fire off a roll or two of still pretty plentiful APS film. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And photographically, the Advantix Preview surprised me in that it performed better than I expected. Though its images never elicited much in a way of a wow factor with me, this camera still managed to deliver shot after shot, focusing just as hoped in some tricky situations, and reliably letting me know if it couldn't handle the close focusing distances presented before it as I strove to push it beyond its boundaries. Negatives from the camera that were home developed looked sharp and well exposed, even on stale Kodak Advantix 200 film.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In presenting these photos, I tried where possible to record as many of the "previews" as I could on a mobile phone camera (the irony!) before it was overwritten by the next shot, to offer some sort of comparison between the pseudo-digital results and the actual images committed to film. In most cases, the exposure recording of the on-screen version of the images falls remarkably close to the image "written" to film. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First shot taken on the Advantix Preview and we are off to a great start, even if my developing method caused a light leak on this frame only. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With a measurably smaller negative size than 35mm, and a particularly slow lens, most shots taken on the Advantix Preview will not have especially shallow depth of field. Despite a bit of blur to the backdrop, it is still pretty close to being in focus as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A somewhat closer subject distance on the near part of the waterfall still renders the distance with only a bit of blur. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In addition to the preview image visible on the LCD screen, one of three icons will be shaded in green to denote the general focusing distance. Here, a focusing distance of about 8-10 feet can be interpolated. The camera itself did just this, as desired with this scene as well, and the final film image is pretty faithful to that shown on the screen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A near focus shot, as depicted by the icon admittedly looks a bit blurred on the screen, but in reality is quite sharp. I have to wonder how many close focused shots may have never made it to print from being rejected based upon the preview on the LCD.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVT_Sftegl1oV6yTCa9nuVd6ziyPpJsffuqftEhXOwOSXhMG6pw8XTzOUn7-BX7pOgsOj8lvRY10Z4bqhjN4YvdPce0zckQytiVucT-DuAXaRteyS9X9pC1kWY5wYmok2Qssufdkhxmvfn/s1600/200advkodadvpvwkod109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1469" data-original-width="1182" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVT_Sftegl1oV6yTCa9nuVd6ziyPpJsffuqftEhXOwOSXhMG6pw8XTzOUn7-BX7pOgsOj8lvRY10Z4bqhjN4YvdPce0zckQytiVucT-DuAXaRteyS9X9pC1kWY5wYmok2Qssufdkhxmvfn/s640/200advkodadvpvwkod109.jpg" width="514" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With little in the way of exposure tools and a slow lens, this shot was a gamble that almost paid off. Considering the specs, it actually came out better than expected.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT32xs7DhjNxCt-kbjLnWjlxErQ9RLM3BKB_bKMjbAKyp1JhyImo4a-Ciu7yJMekzk-KS3yE1WnLotqr3zsXTGi9bgVu4tzeZgWCQjp9MsCz5YAbtymwPIlhE0vX4xsmKFqDGa4wbA3uzm/s1600/IMG_5001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1125" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT32xs7DhjNxCt-kbjLnWjlxErQ9RLM3BKB_bKMjbAKyp1JhyImo4a-Ciu7yJMekzk-KS3yE1WnLotqr3zsXTGi9bgVu4tzeZgWCQjp9MsCz5YAbtymwPIlhE0vX4xsmKFqDGa4wbA3uzm/s640/IMG_5001.jpeg" width="450" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the few examples I've seen in my years of photography where my haste may have led to a telling confirmation. Quickly snapping a photo from roadside of the flowers a few feet away, I missed that the camera lens was a bit obscured by the blurry weeds in the near view. Comparing the film and screen versions, I note that this obstruction is in different places in the frame, thus validating that the screen version is recorded through the viewfinder.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_BY2KR3gBZS6Ph7XtBUjff4FTGbZZsfVPHeHc7lgmDKJRJzsVVsBx_hZmhzA65gXVlIaznY7E_BroOC8Ap5Fhsclv5sDYOaoCvh8JJQDEvgzp1b7htgHvEP4xD6Y49vN8mZBzyDLVbcp/s1600/200advkodadvpvwkod110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="1159" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_BY2KR3gBZS6Ph7XtBUjff4FTGbZZsfVPHeHc7lgmDKJRJzsVVsBx_hZmhzA65gXVlIaznY7E_BroOC8Ap5Fhsclv5sDYOaoCvh8JJQDEvgzp1b7htgHvEP4xD6Y49vN8mZBzyDLVbcp/s640/200advkodadvpvwkod110.jpg" width="476" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkYIN7Emwl54j4SmMiMqghtuxlYBwjjGGtkWcDBdo6CX-SBvI7KHwcZW3Ze1qksKrTzjkAlGRocfOQASv0leXUQAROl1seqH7DMgahQtP2bK5FZY-NLEdQvqRxihttcjjU1kYoxglK47b/s1600/IMG_5002.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1176" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkYIN7Emwl54j4SmMiMqghtuxlYBwjjGGtkWcDBdo6CX-SBvI7KHwcZW3Ze1qksKrTzjkAlGRocfOQASv0leXUQAROl1seqH7DMgahQtP2bK5FZY-NLEdQvqRxihttcjjU1kYoxglK47b/s640/IMG_5002.jpeg" width="470" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For a second time, the LCD's rendition seems a bit fuzzy compared to the film version. Also interesting is how the highlights tend to wash out on the LCD but look natural on film.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS14733Q1tLTO8xUVJS1IY6lfmcOCrmo3fU6nEuRiItXTtouRRn_SSp5ofwkmxAAsIKzRqLgZSbADa8lv_WVHQIr6sm7xZo2j08wglzgUeKgZDrV5RoqDSLF9cltrYRag-nzfrHdv3KpZw/s1600/200advkodadvpvwkod103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1252" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS14733Q1tLTO8xUVJS1IY6lfmcOCrmo3fU6nEuRiItXTtouRRn_SSp5ofwkmxAAsIKzRqLgZSbADa8lv_WVHQIr6sm7xZo2j08wglzgUeKgZDrV5RoqDSLF9cltrYRag-nzfrHdv3KpZw/s640/200advkodadvpvwkod103.jpg" width="500" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAcxI8P_qvgV9_KBM6LvJn1HBHvmZBx1BkrksdChojglUxyeatLpe_lJvTroThkqcuzOzsd9HIv6V9JJTcMC46p243L0DiYgxm2AY7Z2RIPkaYZKcTajxChefQ7tpVYz_t_T6Ft2r_piQ/s1600/IMG_5004.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1091" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAcxI8P_qvgV9_KBM6LvJn1HBHvmZBx1BkrksdChojglUxyeatLpe_lJvTroThkqcuzOzsd9HIv6V9JJTcMC46p243L0DiYgxm2AY7Z2RIPkaYZKcTajxChefQ7tpVYz_t_T6Ft2r_piQ/s640/IMG_5004.jpeg" width="436" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A third and final confirmation of some discrepancy between focus on film and "digital" versions. On the LCD, the leaves near top right appear to be in focus, while the film version fortunately has the near flowers in proper focus, and those same leaves are indistinct. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltTt5DX79vRCUjDB7o5kKbc03QmUxxlGPNEn8Jk0bRCONZguNWxFr1vF2qcBREihbaIDULtRhklPT9QXHnrTUlcGlJ4JcyAtifuTaDQL1yGe90Aa1iyz-LX2DUoQkxNrNlxTq3fKaKS2e/s1600/200advkodadvpvwkod111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1529" data-original-width="1179" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltTt5DX79vRCUjDB7o5kKbc03QmUxxlGPNEn8Jk0bRCONZguNWxFr1vF2qcBREihbaIDULtRhklPT9QXHnrTUlcGlJ4JcyAtifuTaDQL1yGe90Aa1iyz-LX2DUoQkxNrNlxTq3fKaKS2e/s640/200advkodadvpvwkod111.jpg" width="492" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FoaACEZGD49rggsfJGZ-1MTFiEoZVjJsfVXrS9yEm_Sj5e115xGVctqIF0a0Vrfer9glGWu_pkAh_Y371jMN42aoqg9Ebj1SOBMx-Pbgid3l__ITTvIbL4keq1cXTplpzXv1pbmKn4Sd/s1600/IMG_5008.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1117" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FoaACEZGD49rggsfJGZ-1MTFiEoZVjJsfVXrS9yEm_Sj5e115xGVctqIF0a0Vrfer9glGWu_pkAh_Y371jMN42aoqg9Ebj1SOBMx-Pbgid3l__ITTvIbL4keq1cXTplpzXv1pbmKn4Sd/s640/IMG_5008.jpeg" width="446" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My only bit of playing with the flash was this shot. Interestingly, the red laser image that was the fixation of the two cats, while barely discernible on the film scan appears to vanish on the LCD version. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffb65AgKENI1l3PwJFCfNrJTPBx2wF9MkdA2WWueDnePmHBbIQeEeqGS-12hQ6lHfRtW7BDdIaMY9cHpwJlw7q9M2Fug5py4DqtsQUmsjH2qUbH5dGtrexHcSD6bkACqZC-MwRm8jSSrz/s1600/200advkodadvpvwkod112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1495" data-original-width="1149" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffb65AgKENI1l3PwJFCfNrJTPBx2wF9MkdA2WWueDnePmHBbIQeEeqGS-12hQ6lHfRtW7BDdIaMY9cHpwJlw7q9M2Fug5py4DqtsQUmsjH2qUbH5dGtrexHcSD6bkACqZC-MwRm8jSSrz/s640/200advkodadvpvwkod112.jpg" width="490" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sunny landscapes appear quite similar between versions. Note how the APS frame includes more image area than that of the LCD preview. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeNqscCIFtCOzxq9XExUinYdPreGjC6QSMACobSr66slZqaTb-KOvnwnjbaXgjDLSdBnWsBJnc5RzLJx4XsEyPwnvJPx56qXRyWQviWoodj9CV0fHLA6NHVuxa-iUDLnEbiXWmgevKnE7/s1600/200advkodadvpvwkod113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1511" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeNqscCIFtCOzxq9XExUinYdPreGjC6QSMACobSr66slZqaTb-KOvnwnjbaXgjDLSdBnWsBJnc5RzLJx4XsEyPwnvJPx56qXRyWQviWoodj9CV0fHLA6NHVuxa-iUDLnEbiXWmgevKnE7/s640/200advkodadvpvwkod113.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNtuWEvZeaxfZgYHReCJWRTYlBDHllJlBupC85qgSOrAqDOmXZmdzCXGaVLeCk922wR8sJgV3plhtmcHfmnd6z1iNsRADfSL4rUkpnU6f0w9Xw9eNIVIiXiQTePDK2qkl9Nons2gIU34n/s1600/IMG_5014.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1600" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNtuWEvZeaxfZgYHReCJWRTYlBDHllJlBupC85qgSOrAqDOmXZmdzCXGaVLeCk922wR8sJgV3plhtmcHfmnd6z1iNsRADfSL4rUkpnU6f0w9Xw9eNIVIiXiQTePDK2qkl9Nons2gIU34n/s640/IMG_5014.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shadow details, while often limited in the film rendition are often mired in darkness on the screen version. The film certainly shows a better dynamic range. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Rm6Sivp2QLqT6bs6L1bUigmLcGsFHTzd25ma9HOw2T3ApEd7HRnshTlwf0QTAYPfAN9ZMbsn8JRdUvpEMLrWtMSLre4-Gh7Y708UiBkUMq9GeI_0EaXQoljdTftk9oMTVIsWSz86VsNh/s1600/200advkodadvpvwkod114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1534" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Rm6Sivp2QLqT6bs6L1bUigmLcGsFHTzd25ma9HOw2T3ApEd7HRnshTlwf0QTAYPfAN9ZMbsn8JRdUvpEMLrWtMSLre4-Gh7Y708UiBkUMq9GeI_0EaXQoljdTftk9oMTVIsWSz86VsNh/s640/200advkodadvpvwkod114.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35Jy_S0kpJyG_iR3PpyTy8lT-t5VUaVkN4Bre0D6BbM-LC87DVeUQiQhrSWPx7KvEHe4QRcVsJKkaCDg-u7UvDmHSTioJb6zeyg195ObTKwhsi0asTcldOqGvArqXFScrV-_O7wG4uC_X/s1600/200advkodadvpvwkod102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1248" data-original-width="1600" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35Jy_S0kpJyG_iR3PpyTy8lT-t5VUaVkN4Bre0D6BbM-LC87DVeUQiQhrSWPx7KvEHe4QRcVsJKkaCDg-u7UvDmHSTioJb6zeyg195ObTKwhsi0asTcldOqGvArqXFScrV-_O7wG4uC_X/s640/200advkodadvpvwkod102.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Grain on the APS film was most evident in shots with large expanses of fairly even color, leaving a rather ruddy appearance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once you learn to trust the focus confirmation light that your closely focused subject is good, you become less concerned with the sometimes fuzzy rendering of the LCD.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The last shot, which I was no able to to compare to the screen. Generally a very good result on the small negative. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With a still attainable price tag, a novel and unorthodox interface among film cameras, and the availability of expired APS film still pretty plentiful on a certain auction site, I certainly wouldn't say that a Kodak Advantix Preview is the worst way to spend one's disposable income. It quite plainly has no equal out there, and may one day become a prized and rare collectible in much the same way as surviving examples other electronics of the last 40 years that were dumped en masse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or perhaps one day, <a href="https://www.thephoblographer.com/2018/06/27/contax-t2-price-tag-skyrocket-asgard/" target="_blank">a famous young celebrity will discover this camera and appear on video promoting how much they love taking film photos on it</a>, causing its value to skyrocket and leading to surge in demand, and causing the APS film lines to fire back up to accommodate the surge in demand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Regardless, the years that have followed since the introduction of the Advantix Preview have occasionally seen a host of ideas, <a href="https://petapixel.com/2017/10/17/im-back-new-digital-back-old-35mm-cameras/" target="_blank">some sincere</a>, others <a href="https://petapixel.com/2011/04/04/35mm-cartridge-that-transforms-film-cameras-into-digital/" target="_blank">more prank-like</a> in nature that manage to marry digital and film into a single consumer market platform through the use of special inserts or backs to allow use of either medium. And while these concepts have largely quelled in recent years, to date, the Kodak Advantix Preview has been the closest concept to simultaneously yielding a film and digital type image from the same photograph in a consumer based camera.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is certainly an interesting PREVIEW into what could have been.</span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-51102413420736713532018-06-21T11:00:00.000-04:002018-06-21T11:49:58.084-04:00Wet Weather Warrior: Pentax Zoom 90WR<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oh Pentax Zoom 90-WR, it wasn't supposed to lead to anything...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In my mind, you were supposed to be a one time thing, a flight of fancy, a spontaneous "sure why not" amid a flurry of other priorities that were more in line with my typical tastes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To my way of thinking, you were a consolation prize, as the second-best item of a half-hearted pity bid on a multi-piece lot that I snapped up at a low opening bid simply because I could, and since the main item of interest, the Pentax SF-1 SLR, was to be nothing more than a spare to me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But when the package was laid upon my doorstep, that spare SF-1 was DOA. You knew that didn't you? And you must have somehow known that I hate complete failure, and that I'll do what I can to make the best out of a tricky situation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I gave you a good look over, and supplied you with some fresh batteries, and unlike your SLR cousin, you rewarded me with what appeared to be functionality. I wanted to know more about you, but you were and are decidedly enigmatic. I failed to track down a users manual for you online, but at least a few other souls had some tales to tell of what sort of things you were in to. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I loaded you up with one of my favorite color films, and using a piece of painting tape, I even tricked you into thinking it was a 25 speed film. But you didn't judge me. You simply seemed happy to have the opportunity again to record moments, and you made me just as happy to record those moments with you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You gradually tell me more and more about you each time, though to be perfectly honest, I monitor the small bits of gossip shared by a few others to learn some of these things. I had no idea you had a remote control cleverly laid into your one side. Even sneakier on your part are those two handy concealed buttons that sit beneath this remote, and enable different flash options, as well as slick features like your multi-exposure capability and an intervalometer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still other things I've learned with you over three successive rolls of trial and error, such as the wise decision to use your Spot AF function quite regularly, particularly when using your macro function. Or that when I leave you on and let you turn off on your own, you'll recall my last settings for about 20-30 minutes or so when I turn you on again. Well played. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You seem to like Kodak's Tri-X, and it seems to like you. You may underexpose a shot or two here and there in dim light when I force your flash off, but you manage to give me some very good and very sharp results.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You've taken me out of my comfort zone, a little more each time I use you. When my other cameras see rain and know it'll be a day off for them, you ask me "Wanna go out and shoot some photos?" and I surprisingly oblige to the point where I actually look forward to rainy days spent with you. You may not be my sexiest camera, but you are fast becoming a companion that I take to places and settings that I'd never waste my time with others in my collection.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You're not perfect. You've occasionally fooled me - telling me you'd gotten macro focus when you hadn't, which has led to me learning to use the Spot function more regularly. And let's not forget that you started the roll of Tri-X at around shot 9 - what was that about?!? I also wish you had some form of exposure compensation, even if only a backlight control or manual ISO setting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But in spite of your occasional lapses, I now find you to be awesome. If for some reason, I want to do multiple exposures in an late evening rain on Bulb setting with red-eye reduction flash turned on, you'll willingly oblige me. But more fittingly, you're at the ready to pull off quality shots through a wide range of settings. Loaded with the proper film, you can pretty much handle everything I might toss your way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And when I load you with the newly re-introduced Kodak TMAX P3200, you absolutely rock, cementing your place as the most "anywhere, anyplace" camera in my entire collection. I can shoot the same roll of film in a driving rain at night, in a subway station, or in a meadow on a sunny afternoon. You can handle it all when you're paired with this film to become my "dream team" of sorts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I figured you might do well with some faster color film, and I dissected a disposable camera to extract the Ferrania 800 film buried within. You handled this film pretty well, though to be fair, I wasn't exactly on my A-Game as I shot through the roll. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And just to give it one more go, I dropped a short roll of Superia 800 in you, which you seemed to like a lot better than the Ferrania, delivering some generally great results, though you still like to tease me into thinking you've got that close focus thing down, though not quite. Some day I'll master that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I know I push you past your limits at times, but I can't help it. I'd love a bit better way to confirm focus of something close, or some display to tell me that I need to hold REALLY still for this shot you're about to take, but you seem to like to live a bit dangerously, and don't care to offer reassurances. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You've got a sibling in the Zoom 105R that is supposed to have bested you in a number of features - a longer zoom, exposure compensation, and a Super Macro that locks focus at 19" albeit while locking the flash on, but your weather resistance and easy operation have me loyal and happy with you by my side, with no need to look further. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's still a bit early to use the "L" word when referring to you, though I am willing to profess an extremely strong liking to you that only seems to get stronger with each passing roll. I look forward to some long walks on the beach, some moonlight strolls, and some fun times spent getting doused in some passing showers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm very glad to have met you! </span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-72062488923691972032018-04-01T08:00:00.000-04:002018-04-23T07:15:43.858-04:00Small Format Size, Big Format Results: One Ten Camera Guide to 110 Cameras! <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">...or maybe 11 or more, depending on how you count. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Could one of this band of misfits be coming to a pocket near you soon? </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's that one day of the year when our collective cynicism abounds more than any other, particularly online, as websites and blogs get into the spirit of April Fools Day, unleashing a wide array of spoof or parody articles, done tongue-in-cheek, in the hopes of generating some chuckles, while ultimately managing to confound and bewilder the unsuspecting reader who has yet to check the date, or whose morning coffee has yet to really kick in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I flirted with the idea of doing such a post in the spirit of April Fools Day (as I once did a bit of a fantasy piece one Halloween), either lavishing enormous praise upon a pretty terrible camera, or going through the effort to write a review that might "trash" a very capable camera. I could have tried spurring speculation about the re-release of a once beloved film like Kodachrome, but felt that would be a bit cliche. I even thought of doing a sappy parody of an opinion post in which I go to great lengths to opine that every self-respecting person should carry a 3A box camera in the primary interest of making a statement to others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But instead of doing a post that ultimately isn't to be believed, I thought I'd instead post about something that something that I myself find difficult to believe, specifically that one can use the terms "110 camera" and "shallow depth of field" in the same sentence. Heresy you say? Read on! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Typically, 110 cameras tend to elicit anything from a disinterested yawn to comments of haughty derision among many film camera collectors and shooters, often with good reason. The film cartridges provide a small negative size of 13x17mm without a secure film plane. Add to this, that in most cases, a 110 camera found for sale typically fits the mold of a poor shooter, often with little more than a single speed shutter and fixed focus lens in a blocky form factor with the design aesthetic of a 1980 Chevrolet Citation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But dig a bit deeper and you may discover some diamonds scattered about a field otherwise strewn with drab grey blocks. Not only are there rangefinders and SLR models, but also a handful of surprisingly capable viewfinder cameras that offer some excellent specifications in some particularly pocketable form factors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've comprised the following list spotlighting 10 such examples of the finest that the 110 film format has to offer. In selecting these for this article, I chose the following criteria. First of all, I skipped models using obsolete batteries that are difficult to replace. In the case of the 110 format, this would typically be the K battery, which was unfortunately used by a number of Kodak models. I also wanted to spotlight models that allowed for focusing at near distances specifically, to allow compositions with an in-focus foreground subject combined with a surprisingly shallow depth of field for a small 110 negatives Finally, I limited the field to models that are typically found available for under $50, if for no other reason than the acquisitions costs of this summary are entirely coming from my pockets, and I just don't have the disposable income that others may have. Fortunately, only a select few cameras out there in 110 format don't make this list based upon price. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Without further adieu, I present the following round up, arranged alphabetically. The alternation in text color between models is nothing more than an attempt to make a very long feature more easily separated out into segments...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Canon 110ED</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUSG4P_BMHlIcRzuok0cCpADMUdr_iVr-i7FuIUkib3peskBVaN7Zfz0Dn10LGh7AkmG3Fyu9tzmTDeMU9Z4nhyphenhyphenIlSPX5PZRtt5fllAIohLoJ0yq6s3xpZP7W9pzrj4ZjoA7W7Ir7JOI-/s1600/IMG_4175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUSG4P_BMHlIcRzuok0cCpADMUdr_iVr-i7FuIUkib3peskBVaN7Zfz0Dn10LGh7AkmG3Fyu9tzmTDeMU9Z4nhyphenhyphenIlSPX5PZRtt5fllAIohLoJ0yq6s3xpZP7W9pzrj4ZjoA7W7Ir7JOI-/s640/IMG_4175.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Little did Canon know in the mid 1970's when releasing the 110ED that it's name could be the subjects of jokes pertaining to the failure of its shutter to fire. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Canon is not typically the first brand that comes to mind when one thinks of 110 film cameras, as they never furnished a wide complement of models using the small film format. Their small contribution to the world of 110 cameras was impressive however, offering an evolving trifecta lineup built upon the same platform, the most common of which is the middle sibling, marketed as the Canon 110ED.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This portable powerhouse is a 110 format rangefinder complete with an f/2 lens. Add to this the ability to select aperture combined with automatic exposure, and you've got a pretty competent little camera. The 110ED focuses nicely down to just 2 feet, providing some good chances to separate foreground and background details on the small 110 negative size. And this camera is a comparative cinch to most other 110 cameras in that it readily will shoot and advance reloads of unperforated film if a notch is cut out from the side flange of the cartridge.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By specification, there is little at issue with the Canon 110ED. It focuses close (though you'll have to be careful to avoid parallax error), it lets you select the aperture, and it takes care of the rest. The aperture selection is a bit indistinct, but hardly problematic. The 1/500 top shutter speed will make it tricky to use "normal speed" film at wide open apertures in bright light, but there are filters that can help with that. My main issue with the Canon 110ED was specific to my example, and involved a shutter that would stay open as long as the release button was depressed, and an aperture that wouldn't open up wider than about f/4 with close subjects, which is set using a diamond shaped aperture that can leave some funky bokeh. I managed to improvise using a tripod, filters, and really slow mediums, but I do look forward to trying the 110ED in a way far closer to how it was intended. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still, my methods to pull images from a hobbled specimen of this camera were generally successful. It certainly helped that I used slow speed microfilms that are of very fine grain to reduce the "small negative look" often synonymous with 110 images, but the camera's close focusing and excellent lens really were crucial in making some surprisingly rich images. And even with the aperture not opening further than about f/4, backgrounds were still nicely muted, even if awash in a cross hatching pattern from the shape of the aperture opening. This only further prodded me to get a fully functional example of this camera, which allowed me to use hand held speeds and open up to f/2. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And since I little excuse, I finally did. The Canon 110ED and its successor, the <b><i>Canon 110ED 20</i></b>, are regularly spotted on eBay, at prices typically ranging between $15 and $30 in usable condition, though as I found in my original example, "usable" and "working shutter" involved a bit of innovation on my part to yield images. Both models feature a date back, and with a little innovation, you can find a very 70's evocative scene and try to "suggest" it was taken in 1977 as a little bit of fun - something that this camera certainly offers. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite a small negative size, some very fine grained film and a good lens can combine in a camera like the Canon 110ED to create a surprisingly deep image. This is Kodak Direct Positive 2468 Microfilm, an orthochromatic film which rates at ISO 0.7 and develops to a positive image in normal black and white developing. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQbxMugjaxFSulA4rHOfIBulioSQ4EoNwV1d-woRA3Gs03FoPOSa9GKxlOyAxspQewdBwhGFT_aQKOxi8Kt-zFooPXA1xu0cWWscSYwRkbEncggBXM5GsTN2soU3yF__EkW47NIglX7lj/s1600/25ACSDataLink110edCanon103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1156" data-original-width="1600" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQbxMugjaxFSulA4rHOfIBulioSQ4EoNwV1d-woRA3Gs03FoPOSa9GKxlOyAxspQewdBwhGFT_aQKOxi8Kt-zFooPXA1xu0cWWscSYwRkbEncggBXM5GsTN2soU3yF__EkW47NIglX7lj/s640/25ACSDataLink110edCanon103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Using slow speed microfilm and a green filter, I snapped the following shot on a drizzly day. The background elements are still detectable but very indistinct. With the diamond shaped aperture opening, shots like these taken at about f/4 will give off diamond shaped bokeh.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once I finally replaced my hobbled version of the 110ED with a fully functional one, I was blown away to see the results possible. Taken on an overcast day with ACS Data Link microfilm, aperture set to f/2. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Fujica Pocket 350 Zoom</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv874T-kkaOiQ1SQFue5i0RGlHL45TlBFTSRtas8SjCyusq6XP0jBSD5ua67pvx2i1a9qobWNTn-tTCG8a7dYOdTcWPbUZKlnPNRk4TUyXPlP6rH7xMru1npQ_GeqXcG8MUiBf8cPNOWXm/s1600/IMG_4187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv874T-kkaOiQ1SQFue5i0RGlHL45TlBFTSRtas8SjCyusq6XP0jBSD5ua67pvx2i1a9qobWNTn-tTCG8a7dYOdTcWPbUZKlnPNRk4TUyXPlP6rH7xMru1npQ_GeqXcG8MUiBf8cPNOWXm/s640/IMG_4187.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Fujica Zoom 350 likes to hang out - of your pocket that is. The less than symmetrical camera has a few nice tricks up its sleeve though! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Fujica Pocket 350 Zoom, for being so readily overlooked today, is actually pretty noteworthy as far as cameras go, being the first 110 camera to feature a zoom lens, and according to some accounts is the first compact camera of any format to have a built-in zoom lens. If true, a lot of cameras made since 1977 share a lineage that leads to this camera. Regardless, it's evident in holding a Fujica Pocket 350 that this is a camera that is leaps and bounds over your typical 110 format brick, with features such as a tripod mount and cable release socket. It's somewhat lopsided form factor makes it among the least pocketable of the cameras featured here, and its design leaves the front element of the lens vulnerable, but it is still more pocketable than some of the mini-SLR models.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I did mention that I wasn't going to list any cameras that used obsolete battery types in this feature, and the Fujica certainly qualifies, as it does not take ANY battery. It is quite possibly the most recent camera with upgraded capabilities to not use any batteries. The shutter is a fixed mechanical type serving up snaps of 1/125 of a second at three selectable apertures. An external accessory flash can be added for indoor shooting. This camera also excels in that it can be readily "tricked" into shooting non-perforated film stock reloaded into 110 cartridges, simply by cutting a squared notch in the lower side rail of the cartridge so as not to trip a cartridge sensor that will only let the shutter trip upon detecting the registration perforation used in 110 film. This allows the cheap and easy reloading of slit 120 film as well as 16mm microfilm stocks, enabling shooting for well under $1 a roll! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shooting the 350 requires that you are good with distance estimation, as this camera is guess focus with no aides at all. The rather bulky lens assembly only opens up to f/5.6 and its minimum focusing distance is a pretty disappointing 5 feet at all focal lengths, counting this camera out for anything resembling true macro work. My particular copy tends to experience some lens wobble that may be indicative of the design and age of the camera.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shots taken "close up" on the 350 with the telephoto lens extended can be a bit challenging to compose with its limitations, but do tend to eschew the stereotypical tendencies of the average 110 camera, showing a nice blurring of distant details. In most cases, film grain is the only real telltale sign that a photo taken with the 350 was shot on a format smaller than 35mm. I do notice a general degree of softness on photos taken through the lens of this camera, but such rendering is actually pretty typical of most early zoom lenses, regardless of format. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Fujica Pocket 350 Zoom is reasonably common, and pretty readily found at online auctions at the sub $20 range. Just beware that a 300 model, as well as a Bell and Howell rebadge exist that seem to lack the ability to focus. As for the 350, it's neither the fastest, most compact, nor most versatile camera in this listing, but its lack of flash and batteries make this mechanical marvel a refreshing entry in the field that does make for a pretty fun shooter. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My biggest challenge in shooting the Fujica 350 Zoom in such a way that capitalized on its ability to create muted backgrounds was in creating compositions that worked at the 42mm end, but still had subjects at the 5 foot minimum focusing distance. Here is one example that worked from a roll of Fuji Superia 200 film.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">The Fujica needs no perforations to work properly, so it was comparatively easy to reload some Delta 100 slit to 16mm width for a replacement roll. With a flat overcast, I snapped this image that truly shows the capabilities of this small camera.</span> </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fujica Pocket Flash 450</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSHr9CzogM-YKbppSkjN94PNwfH6i0t3X0VAyWo7rQVICXELX6SCt2aHkQqCZr0E6zAezf2o_aMj1AwzfOaeUyA6PYMS6nUtTvweA1Q2UCdbFg_cvUWjaZT0rdk2TNdUsJlLPm92joWzQ/s1600/IMG_4177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSHr9CzogM-YKbppSkjN94PNwfH6i0t3X0VAyWo7rQVICXELX6SCt2aHkQqCZr0E6zAezf2o_aMj1AwzfOaeUyA6PYMS6nUtTvweA1Q2UCdbFg_cvUWjaZT0rdk2TNdUsJlLPm92joWzQ/s640/IMG_4177.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While it looks like a standard 35mm camera in form, the size of the 450 flash actually does comply with the word "Pocket" in its title.<b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While the Fujica 350 Zoom mentioned above broke molds with its zoom lens design in a 110 camera, its sibling, the Pocket Flash 450, breaks entirely with the typical look of 110 cameras of the era, bearing more resemblance to a small 35mm compact model than the long bar design common among 110 cameras. The camera shares this form factor with other Fujica models in the lineup such as the 250 and the 350 (non zoom), as well as some rebadges from Hanimex and Sears, but the 450 is the only one that I know of that allows the user to set the focus. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though the 450 doesn't share the trait of its 350 sibling in lacking a battery compartment, the shutter remains completely mechanical with a 1/160 speed, leaving the pair of AA cells to power the built-in pop up flash unit, the presence of which is pretty impressive given the small size of this unit. And while the lens on the 450 offers only a single focal length, it makes a refreshing break from its sibling above in being able to focus as close as 24 inches through it's f/4 lens that is slightly on the wide side at a 20mm focal length. Despite a fixed shutter speed, a few apertures can be selected using the weather symbols.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As with the Fujica 350 Zoom, the focusing of this unit is strictly a guessing game, with an added extra complexity for an American like myself given that the focusing distances are metric, but the distance estimation doesn't take too long to conquer. The main sore spots for the 450 Flash compared to the 350 Zoom are a decrease in build quality (mine has a bad door latch and needs to be taped shut to use) and the abandonment of the easily tricked cartridge detector located in the flangeway for a rocker arm sensor in the film takeup side. This arm can be bent back and forth until it snaps to readily allow the use of non-perforated refill stocks, but doing this precludes the easy use of true 110 cartridges with the pre-printed frames on the film stock. Choose wisely.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The single wider focal length and close focus distances possible with the Fujica 450 not only result in a pretty fun shooting experience of near objects, but also culminates in some especially nice results through the lens. I like using this camera with microfilm and shooting close subjects wide open, and this combination results in some remarkably fine grained photos with excellent blurring of background elements. Contrast in the microfilm is able to be tamed using color filters and dilute developers, and the lens of the 450 shows some impressive sharpness even on the corners.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Fujica Pocket 450 Flash, while not outright rare, is one of the less commonly seen models seen for sale, which can make the "snap decision" of modifying it to use non perforated film something to weigh carefully. Like it's zoom sibling above, some downgrade variants often show up such as the AW that do not offer the ability to focus. Still, with patience, this specific model does surface for sale periodically, and does not carry an excessive premium despite being fairly scarce. The small size and simple mechanical operation make this a great camera to easily tote along for some fun shooting.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shooting under bright light but with "cloudy" settings (for 100 speed film) and a cartridge refilled with ACS Datalink microfilm produces great chances to open up the Fujica 450 flash up to f/4 on a sunny day and have some shallow focus fun. I also held an 80B filter over the lens to control contrast, resulting in a nice tonality overall. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With the backdrop reaching out far into the distance, the widest aperture settings of the Fujica 450 Flash worked well to mute the background, with the intermediate elements rendering nicely to the point where a smoother backdrop was portrayed. ACS Datalink microfilm. </span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Kodak Ektramax</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENl5cU9q7nGtvIDpPYVnQ4j4o1dEuQvb0egiBiYwWsoA6Txypz3UsmmqeAotDu80D5Csl4Td1zRhLdNPLSBDmUsVnsx8dOPo-QM6Or5Dy-b2p29cG8DYxPH2Ly_NGE15Fsm2ygQRA0GgZ/s1600/IMG_4211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENl5cU9q7nGtvIDpPYVnQ4j4o1dEuQvb0egiBiYwWsoA6Txypz3UsmmqeAotDu80D5Csl4Td1zRhLdNPLSBDmUsVnsx8dOPo-QM6Or5Dy-b2p29cG8DYxPH2Ly_NGE15Fsm2ygQRA0GgZ/s640/IMG_4211.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Little Camera on the Prairie! If advertising is any indication, this was Michael Landon's favorite camera model. Given the anachronisms in his show at the time, it wouldn't surprise me if it appeared in an episode!<b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It would certainly seem to be a snub if a Kodak model were not among the options listed here, given that Kodak introduced the 110 film format in 1972. However, finding a Kodak model that is neither overly simple in operation and specs, or one that doesn't require the long-discontinued K battery is something of a task. Fortunately, there is <i><b>ONE</b></i> Kodak model that makes the cut, offering a blazing fast f/1.9 lens and abandoning the electronic shutter for a mechanically operated one - the flagship Ektramax! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Kodak Ektramax is the only American made camera in this list, debuting in 1978. Its lumenized 25mm f/1.9 lens contains an aspheric element unheard of for a 110 camera. Curiously, this highly regarded lens does NOT carry the "Ektar" branding that other high end Kodak 110's such as the K-powered Pocket Instamatic 60 and Trimlite 48 models do. However, among the few people aware of this camera, its fast lens is very highly regarded. As a nice plus, the shutter on the camera is entirely mechanical, and varies with each of the 4 different settings. As a nice plus, the camera shoots wide open at f/1.9 on both the "XL" (Existing Light) and Flash settings, with the speeds differing between 1/30 and 1/100. The camera will readily shoot using the flash setting even if batteries are not inserted into it, which allows some extra versatility for those of us who like to shoot wide open.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When shooting the Ektramax, make sure your distance estimation skills are on par, or carry something with you to help estimate distances, the Ektramax has no rangefinder, offering only a neat sliding scale of varying portrait type icons in the viewfinder to assist in distance estimation. Even with those skills, the Ektramax doesn't get in as close as most of the other models in this list, with a pretty meager 4 foot minimum focusing distance. And despite the impressive specs listed above, the Ektramax still carries all the "clunky charm" of a typical 110 camera of the era, with the "long box" form factor.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The rather ordinary physical appearance of the Ektramax only seems to make its results all more the more stunning however. Combine this camera with some slow speed microfilm and you've got yourself one amazing photo taker, complete with sharp details that blend wonderfully into nicely muted backdrops. This camera may well be one of the very first ones made that can embody the term "Plastic Fantastic." A roll of excellent results taken with the Ektramax will certainly kick start the desire to shoot more images with this surprising little shooter.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most searches for a chance to buy the Ektramax online will simply result in Michael Landon staring back at you from the advertisements of the era for this model. It is an interesting situation to have advertising for a camera model be far more readily available today than the actual camera itself. With some patience, however, these cameras do surface periodically, and at prices around the same as those of much lesser grade Kodak 110 cameras. It seems that the demand for these models is almost as scarce as sellers who are aware of the significance of this model, which allows the savvy pocket shooter a chance to pick this camera up for a fraction of what it sold for 40 years ago.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I knew not what to make of how the Ektramax and its aspheric lens might render, but from initial indications, this is one sharp shooter. The lettering in the foreground is definitely well rendered, while the distant backdrop details are definitely muted in comparison. This was taken on ACS Datalink microfilm, at the f/1.9 at 1/30 setting.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another shot taken on the ACS Microfilm shows more of the same tendency to render in-focus details with exceptional sharpness while nicely muting the background. This is definitely not your typical Kodak 110 camera, despite its initial appearance.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I feel compelled to include the 110 border printing to try to prove that this image really is 110. Using Agfa made color film, I overexposed this view in the Ektramax to get some phenomenal colors as a result! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Minolta 110 Zoom SLR</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Two particularly different cameras bearing the same name! Choosing between these two can be a bit of a challenge! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Imagine the confusion that would arise if a well known SLR camera model (let's just pick a Pentax K1000) could be found with two completely distinct form factors while bearing the same name. Well this is just the case with Minolta's "110 Zoom SLR" model, which comes in Mk 1 and Mk 2 variants. While certainly not as well known as the K1000, both of these models are among the most distinctive 110 film offerings, and may well have as many differences as common traits. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both models are fixed lens, true SLR type cameras with a built in Zoom with macro function. Both offer aperture-priority auto-exposure and exposure compensation as well as Flash sync and Bulb settings. Both have film advance levers on the bottom of the camera. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The differences between the two models range from radical to more nuanced, starting with their appearance. Calling these two cameras by the same model name is akin to calling Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger "Twins." The <b><i>Mk. 1 version</i></b> seems to have migrated into an SLR from a standard 110 camera with a standalone meter, while the <b><i>Mk. 2 version</i></b> seems to have migrated into a 110 camera from a standard SLR with TTL metering. The viewfinder in the Mk. 1 uses LED arrows to denote exposure issues, while the Mk. 2 has LEDs aside shutter speed settings. The Mk.2 zooms further, has a faster lens, and focuses closer than its predecessor. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both models are quite enjoyable to use, and the lack of a need for parallax correction in using an SLR form is a huge help in composing images compared to a viewfinder camera. The close focusing macro modes of both models are an amazing extra feature, particularly given the small size of these cameras, and opens up a lot of creative possibilities beyond the usual compositions. And while both sort of push the realm of being "pocketable," either will manage to fit into a coat pocket - though you'll be pretty well aware they are there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both models are challenged by some unique build issues to me. I have two of the Mk. 1 version, and both have had the need to be disassembled to reset the shutters, and one of them has an aperture that won't stop down. My Mk. 2 has a particularly wobbly lens that doesn't inspire a huge degree of confidence. These items aside, the main pain points in these cameras consist of zones between the macro and normal lens settings for which focus can't be achieved, limiting creativity to some degree. In addition, the Mk. 2 version doesn't readily take unperforated film, while its older brother will, provided the cartridge has the helpful notch. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Results from these cameras however can be nothing short of stunning. I was particularly amazed at how well the Mk. 1 version handled an improvised roll of Microfilm. A handful of shots hurriedly taken on the commute home actually came out looking far more planned and executed, and definitely elevating at least one of these cameras as a fun and easy go-to when I want to take some dramatic scenes on a mild day coming up. If anything, I actually lament not pushing the Mk. 2 version more to its limits prior to publishing this article, but I certainly have faith that it would at least equal the Mk.1 in performance. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Either of these cameras can be readily found online, though the Mk.1 version is probably at least 10 times more common than its sibling, and as a result, tends to be the more affordable of the pair, often being sold for under $10. The Mk. 2 is still pretty easily found, but also tends to be the more coveted of the pair, so it may require some steady searching and patience to find a good working example at a reasonable price. I managed to scoop up both of these in a cheap sale listing, and while my specimens are hardly mint, they certainly do the job when it comes to getting good images. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Focused close, and opened up all the way to f/3.5. the Minolta 110 Zoom SLR can do some wonderful things with softening backdrops. I snapped this under mixed light, using the "X" sync setting and simply loved the dramatic tonality that resulted on the ACS Datalink microfilm.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another shot on the Mark I using the same methods and settings as above offers a broader look at how this Minolta handles itself. Foreground elements are nicely sharp while the backdrop is pleasingly muted. Again, I find the tonality especially dramatic. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Mark II version is equally impressive for its ability to isolate subjects on a small negative. A shot on Lomography Orca BW 100 shows the potential of this camera. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4ypH70DSY1svtNRJG5B-nr7vNT9HVqFxxT2_ohFEKhD0f-0UxijD1RvG_TMpcIOP-R1lvN_ccbdGRne3ah_WvGCGs_rszvc9Aco8SdvLCQ1RQWug40Y4XJbN3mWcb8sFpi_Rl04PIRhE/s1600/100LomoOrca110ZSLRMinolt109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4ypH70DSY1svtNRJG5B-nr7vNT9HVqFxxT2_ohFEKhD0f-0UxijD1RvG_TMpcIOP-R1lvN_ccbdGRne3ah_WvGCGs_rszvc9Aco8SdvLCQ1RQWug40Y4XJbN3mWcb8sFpi_Rl04PIRhE/s640/100LomoOrca110ZSLRMinolt109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Another image on Lomo 100 shows the focus at its sharpest on the tractor nameplate, and then gradually softening as the distance from the camera increases. </span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Minolta Pocket Autopak 460TX</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9QV4-Ax-E1_jFH2WY3Eh97YuBln3wnB37b6LmtqwkuKiDQvvN-g_wxSaYG3p22Gf09VvJjxIOreEKFNIn39F99DQV_AJRiO4jDOhSV1NsFPaHmt9uUEQnjoytg6hFKynoPIWvzrEYCTl/s1600/IMG_4173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9QV4-Ax-E1_jFH2WY3Eh97YuBln3wnB37b6LmtqwkuKiDQvvN-g_wxSaYG3p22Gf09VvJjxIOreEKFNIn39F99DQV_AJRiO4jDOhSV1NsFPaHmt9uUEQnjoytg6hFKynoPIWvzrEYCTl/s640/IMG_4173.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Emulating the silver and black tones common on SLR cameras of the day, the Minolta 460TX tries at least to some degree to keep the TX from being short for "tacky."</span></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As with most genres in film photography, the world of the 110 film format is no exception. Even if you don't seek to find it, it may ultimately find you. Such was the case when I pulled the trigger on a cheap bulk camera lot as I took interest in a Minolta-16 camera model, only to have a handful of 110 cameras come along as part of the deal. Though hardly elated at first at entering this format, I was impressed enough with one of the cameras to give it a try, leading to a surprising liking for the small cartridge format. As such, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the camera that first gave me an appreciation of what was possible in 110 format: the Minolta Pocket Autopak 460TX. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 460TX can manage to create its shallow depth of field imagery through the use of a telephoto lens. Combine this forced perspective with a nice 3 foot minimum focusing distance and the pairing is one that can lend itself to sharp foreground details combined with pleasantly muted backdrops. Another user controlled switch allows you to open the aperture up fully in combination with the fixed shutter speed to try to maximize the separation of field between foreground and backdrop.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You'll need these tricks however, as the 460TX only opens up to f/5.6 on the long end, while the Telephoto setting is handled by a simple switch rather than a zoom, and drops additional elements in place to change the focal length. Though the Minolta styling of the camera is among the better of the type, the form factor of the camera is still that of the ubiquitous box, leaving a rather awkward camera to pocket from place to place. And while the 460's preference for perforated film won't discourage most, an added extra challenge comes in that the 460TX is a "guess focus" camera with no focusing aids.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Play it right though, and the 460TX will reward you nicely. The telephoto setting combined with the wide open setting offer just enough to provide some especially nice results that don't look like photos taken on a 110 camera at first glance. While backgrounds are still distinguishable, they are usually nicely softened creating a wonderful look on a black and white or color 110 film stock.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 460TX is essentially the cheapest and most readily available camera on this list, with working examples readily found for as little as $10 shipped. As such, it really does make a great introduction into the 110 film format for a minimal investment. Consider seeking one out in a multi-camera lot with a more limited 110 camera model to really appreciate the surprising versatility that this model offers. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of my first results to make me realize that the 110 film format isn't so crappy after all. Shot on Lomo Orca 100 using the Telephoto setting, closest focusing distance of 3 feet, and with the aperture wide open ("cloudy") to maximize the effect. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Using the cloudy setting when it really was cloudy yields an image with less contrast, but still one that offers a good separation between near and far elements. This rainy day shot was snapped on Lomo Orca 100.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Minolta Pocket Autopak 470</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiwYvIXDTjCAoD4R92YKzgjOmwznwpMUp9_kghb2thfweW7wmJ7QxB3UfrpTGiinq0iS7o4fufjouQYKKVlWfR8-wn7JbHhnLdf8JI97fog5U60hZgLFcF2PxXvVppmu_HE0K11e4wmCX/s1600/IMG_4201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiwYvIXDTjCAoD4R92YKzgjOmwznwpMUp9_kghb2thfweW7wmJ7QxB3UfrpTGiinq0iS7o4fufjouQYKKVlWfR8-wn7JbHhnLdf8JI97fog5U60hZgLFcF2PxXvVppmu_HE0K11e4wmCX/s640/IMG_4201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hooray! The flash is gone, resulting in one really nicely sized little camera that offers some nice specs in one of the most portable packages around! </span></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One thing that becomes readily apparent in looking at 110 camera offerings is that Minolta was a major player in the market, offering everything from basic 110 snappers to the pair of 110 SLR models featured above. Given the myriad of models, it can be tough to distinguish the distinctions between them, and overlook a gem in the process. One such camera that certainly should not be overlooked in the massive Minolta lineup is the diminutive Pocket Autopak 470. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By lacking a built in flash, the 470 definitely embodies the "Pocket" aspect of its moniker, carrying an appearance that is more reminiscent of the its Minolta-16 format predecessors than its contemporary 110 format models. And of all the non-SLR type models in this list, the 470 focuses the closest, thanks to a built in close-up lens which combines with one of the preset focusing distances to create an 20" stated closest focusing point, that actually creeps closer to 15" if a closer focus setting is used in combination with the lens. All exposure is handled automatically, with shutter speeds ranging from 2 seconds to 1/1000th. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As with most of the compact cameras in this list, "guess focusing" skills are important to have in using this camera, though it is no coincidence that the carry strap for the 470 happens to be 20" long to assist in focusing using the close-up lens. The fully automatic exposure means there is no ability to adjust aperture, and I noticed that my attempts to trick the sensor into longer exposures so as to use slow speed microfilm on my specimen resulted in underexposures. As such, I elected to stick with film speeds of 100-200 on this model.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When I've stayed within normal film speeds, my results from the Pocket Autopak 470 have been excellent on both and near and distant subjects. I have, however noticed that the bokeh on close focus shots is far nicer using the nearest focus setting and positioning the subject 13" from the film plane, rather than using the suggested setting where the subject is 20" from the film plane, which seems to result in too much background definition and a more harsh rendering of the backdrop. With some care to measuring, foregrounds can render with excellent sharpness on this tiny camera. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the Minolta Pocket Autopak 470 came along during a decline in the 110 film format, their numbers are not nearly as abundant as the cameras of the same type which came before this model: namely the <b><i>Autopak 70 and 270 models</i></b>. However, the 470 holds the advantage of using common button cells for power rather than the now obsolete K-battery that the earlier models relied upon for power. Examples of the 470 as of this writing can be found for under $25, not quite the dirt cheap price of many 110 cameras, but given its ease of use and small size, a decent deal still. This may be a model that is more cheaply found on a Goodwill listing instead. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Using the handy carry strap to measure out the 20 inch focusing distance using the close up lens, it's pretty easy to get some impressive closeups such as this. taken on Konica Centuria 200. Background details, while muted nicely, still retain a good deal of their original shape. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite the stated minimum focus of 20 inches using the close up lens combined with the 10 foot focusing distance, I found that about a 15 inch minimum was possible using the 3 foot setting plus the close up lens. This actually created a significantly more muted backdrop as as seen here on this shot taken on Ilford Delta 100, and makes depth of field very narrow.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Another try to ease the minimum focusing distance inward worked quite well here, offering some especially amazing results and great highlights in the distant out-of-focus areas. Film is Walgreens (Agfa) 200 110 film. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtRtZkAM8FSr4S0tAnZsh0Tv_h66kKOtr3AzakR6FBFZJuvDvPR5ghah80aEezTQT-GutH_-UnQV9vG3rQ1r9tuBY35bupmPpOYYzvvgWePo8kf773rkl47mhyHNQSAI91rVX3SY1FXQG/s1600/IMG_4190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtRtZkAM8FSr4S0tAnZsh0Tv_h66kKOtr3AzakR6FBFZJuvDvPR5ghah80aEezTQT-GutH_-UnQV9vG3rQ1r9tuBY35bupmPpOYYzvvgWePo8kf773rkl47mhyHNQSAI91rVX3SY1FXQG/s640/IMG_4190.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If there is any "April Fools Day" tomfoolery at play here, its simply that this really isn't a 110 camera, or that all the flowers I'd hoped to shoot for this article were stymied by a late Spring.<b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>One of these things is not like the others, one of these things doesn't belong.</i> So, granted, <u>the Minolta 16-QT is NOT a 110 format camera</u>, and if you do as I tried to do back in the Fall and adapt true 110 film stock to it, you're likely to be disappointed. But if you are perusing this list and contemplating the 110 cameras listed here for your next small size image maker, the Minolta 16-QT does merit your consideration, even if it doesn't technically count in the tally. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, the 12x17mm negative size that the 16-QT produces is literally a hair smaller than the standard 110 image size, and it checks off all of the other boxes above. It is focusable, its mechanical shutter doesn't rely on a battery, and while the meter uses a pair of the long-abandoned PX-825 cells, improvising power using a 2024 and spacer coins is a cinch. It also offers the greatest degree of manual control of ANY of the cameras listed here, which makes the use of slow speed mediums such as microfilm an easy and affordable option. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Regrettably, the somewhat rudimentary focusing control only goes as close as 3.5 feet, while the Rokkor lens only opens up to f/3.5, putting forth some creative limitations that hamper this model more than some of the others in the list. The use of Minolta-16 film cassettes, which most users tend to reload themselves may also deter those who simply want to buy film, drop it in, and shoot, but may also be a plus for others. And as with many of the cameras on this list, focusing of the 16-QT comes with nothing in the way of confirmation of focus, but merely icon guides. One other minor quibble is that while the QT will easily shoot microfilm with its manual control, it only meters down to ISO 50, a stop or two above the typical rating of microfilm used in pictorial applications, requiring a bit of manual compensation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The results from the 16-QT were really pretty impressive to me - not the best of the batch, but certainly among the better half, which is especially good given the limitations in aperture and minimum focusing distance. The Rokkor triplet rendered subjects sharply, while softening backgrounds to where they were discernible but still pleasantly softened rather than distracting. While the fate of the Minolta-16 format wouldn't have been saved with a higher-spec version of this model, the use and results of the 16-QT does tend to make one long for the existence of a QT-S variant, which could have offered an f/2.8 lens, closer focusing, and a couple more shutter speeds to really make a pocket rocket! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Minolta 16-QT was not a predecessor to the 110 format, but rather the last attempt of Minolta's to compete with the format prior to conceding and putting their apples into the 11o cart. As the most recent example of the format, it is typically found online for around $25 - which is a bit higher than most other Minolta-16 cameras, but still reasonable. Given that this is the ONLY Minolta-16 model that truly does focus rather than rely on accessory lenses for close focus, it certainly is worth considering if you're open to the idea of the small format, but would rather stick to a single example. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtT_Nm0tGUchN5cYHqPmaPlEKWW7t2Oght2znCqlI-Zw5KWfeP0mV2uk-P-aVrailWpcSCEKQczE8PzK6GVQWXBlKEt8lZ6_DONFhRQseo079crokCRn_REfWs0SVwDq1_AYI_QhlRXUI-/s1600/25ACS16QTMin104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1137" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtT_Nm0tGUchN5cYHqPmaPlEKWW7t2Oght2znCqlI-Zw5KWfeP0mV2uk-P-aVrailWpcSCEKQczE8PzK6GVQWXBlKEt8lZ6_DONFhRQseo079crokCRn_REfWs0SVwDq1_AYI_QhlRXUI-/s640/25ACS16QTMin104.jpg" width="454" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With a Minolta-16 cassette loaded with ACS Datalink microfilm, I opened the aperture all the way up and shot some images at either the 1/30 or 1/250 settings to see what the Minolta 16-QT could do. While hamstrung to a large degree by a modest minimum focus distance, the results were still pretty impressive. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9svuKN5SSeKsFpXhF6Ds34AjYkW-BePqLeX11J7WfvfVQpl5l89L4qrKL0-Zsmja_6XM8B-86OwLG6sPqgjXaIS4yrdE-G0sGWuEBGydk5-ojlEUs5OQdty84YznGxJgRsOcaFLorkWOo/s1600/25ACS16QTMin106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1140" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9svuKN5SSeKsFpXhF6Ds34AjYkW-BePqLeX11J7WfvfVQpl5l89L4qrKL0-Zsmja_6XM8B-86OwLG6sPqgjXaIS4yrdE-G0sGWuEBGydk5-ojlEUs5OQdty84YznGxJgRsOcaFLorkWOo/s640/25ACS16QTMin106.jpg" width="456" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A particularly lucky composition that I stumbled across nicely shows how background details progressively blur as the distance beyond the focusing distance increases. I'm actually curious to use this easy camera in som</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">e more settings to see what it does, particularly on the ACS microfilm.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTEbNf9R_KZ_hxDcAYwgQONLIPStyuU3Gmsr22FwL0gTsbDLOslF-WD1Wdd_gs_o_14mr2E4Tn1fUtZgIdf-gQ-AEbxB0mil9A5mMN7TaQoAkltJanNYxg8aezlgvbgim23OJIB1vRlcF/s1600/25acs16qtminolta109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1162" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTEbNf9R_KZ_hxDcAYwgQONLIPStyuU3Gmsr22FwL0gTsbDLOslF-WD1Wdd_gs_o_14mr2E4Tn1fUtZgIdf-gQ-AEbxB0mil9A5mMN7TaQoAkltJanNYxg8aezlgvbgim23OJIB1vRlcF/s640/25acs16qtminolta109.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An f/3.5 aperture doesn't seem like much on a small negative, but the Minolta 16-QT seems to do a great job of stretching it somehow. Shot wide open on ACS Datalink, the distant road seems to increasingly blur out while the near subject is nice and crisp.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Pentax Auto 110</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jJkeOYKIWnH3lMpe1LHhGv0Tx40JOfhIIWTtKjWpDnTO6zeBUssIUUQClg0Ir3bF7dUIzhGQcdhBgGe2YZfH6CgOt3pgdxlZLmUhSu7J6w4GtDi4xCpyEzopPQb1Zv9Lcgnk5QJ_X1_g/s1600/IMG_4184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jJkeOYKIWnH3lMpe1LHhGv0Tx40JOfhIIWTtKjWpDnTO6zeBUssIUUQClg0Ir3bF7dUIzhGQcdhBgGe2YZfH6CgOt3pgdxlZLmUhSu7J6w4GtDi4xCpyEzopPQb1Zv9Lcgnk5QJ_X1_g/s640/IMG_4184.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It totally looks like a camera key chain, but in this small shell lay one of the most amazing of 110 cameras you may ever pick up! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Pocketable" and "SLR Camera" are two terms that tend to run directly counter to each other in the world of photography. Yet in 1979, Pentax proved that the two terms could be used in the same sentence when the Auto 110 debuted. Not only had Pentax released the world's smallest SLR cameras with the Auto 110 model, but they also created the only 110 camera with interchangeable lenses, with lens offerings ranging from 18mm on the wide end to 70mm on the long end. There was even a 20-40mm zoom! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So yes, this really is an SLR camera in the context of the 98+% of SLR camera models made, whose interchangeable lens permit a versatility that enables the shooter of this 110 camera to create images that look as if they were taken on a 35mm camera, particularly when using the longer focal lengths. It helps that the Pentax is built with the shutter/aperture in the camera body, and that all lenses for the model open up to f/2.8! Rounding out the upside is the TTL metering system that allows the user to simply focus and shoot.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But even that upside comes with a hiccup. The TTL metering system means there is no practical way to "trick" the Pentax into using slow speed microfilm, which is a bit of letdown, as such a medium would wonderfully squeeze the most out of the small format. A bit more troubling is that despite being an interchangeable lens SLR, the Pentax is essentially the <a href="http://www.everyothershot.com/a-hipsters-guide-to-eos-film-cameras/" target="_blank">Canon EOS 750</a> of the 110 film format, meaning there is only program mode - no Aperture priority, no manual mode, not even a Bulb mode. It's certainly understandable that its tiny size wouldn't make such extras affordable or even practical, but the result makes for some rather "plain vanilla" shooting. The follow up model: the <b><i>Pentax Auto 110 Super </i></b>offers a few improvements on this, such as an exposure compensation switch, a brighter viewfinder with a microprism collar, and even a self timer. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In spite of these limitations, as I was shooting the Pentax Auto 110, I wasn't left feeling like I was having to make much in the way of sacrifices. The lens offerings really did offer a well rounded complement of focal lengths, and given some of the small subjects I was choosing, it was nice not to have to do any compensation for parallax error, as required with the non-SLR models. The viewfinder was bright, and the split image finder was a huge help in critical focusing. The results bore out this ease of use, showing crisp and well focused subjects and backdrops that were especially smooth and indistinct. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The original Pentax Auto 110 is readily available on the used market today at prices averaging about $30, but at times less. I managed to score one with the three original lenses for $20 off an Etsy sale! This camera along with the Mk. 1 Minolta SLR and the Minolta 460TX would be the three models from this list that are the easiest to locate for sale. Lenses for the lineup are a mix when it comes to availability - the original trio of the 18mm, 24mm, and 50mm are pretty easy to locate, but the 18mm pan-focus, 20-40mm zoom, and 70mm prime that were released in 1980 tend to be fewer and farther between. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLy7w8gRBG-POvZkkWDz1CI6L96EIhJyjzG4E357jAZjl5rcorlzrmcP6PguHa_5_GRN_2PIpSiIJY7jZAFu3TyYv8bGTpm1oz7ABWh0Hslcc0TYTQMTUlLwx2VbmAqVUjW5LTBRS7ZgYo/s1600/100OrcaLomo110autopentax101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1276" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLy7w8gRBG-POvZkkWDz1CI6L96EIhJyjzG4E357jAZjl5rcorlzrmcP6PguHa_5_GRN_2PIpSiIJY7jZAFu3TyYv8bGTpm1oz7ABWh0Hslcc0TYTQMTUlLwx2VbmAqVUjW5LTBRS7ZgYo/s640/100OrcaLomo110autopentax101.jpg" width="510" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Scenes taken using the 50mm lens offer great potential to separate foreground subjects from the backgrounds, even when not taken at the closest focusing distance, such as here. There is even a slight bit of swirl in the background bokeh, but nothing too dizzying.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBKBjFrktZnSWQIpJ22lmz2f0994_mXyty-BWBFDYMIvGt8Bt70wglVKVmhLfA136zWS2DndabNm35U7g2eT2unBr6C1e7l22_mIThzXyyM6Wr1utuXlFSaOXeBhhgANSSV_r-hNnIMNQ/s1600/100OrcaLomo110autopentax103.tif.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBKBjFrktZnSWQIpJ22lmz2f0994_mXyty-BWBFDYMIvGt8Bt70wglVKVmhLfA136zWS2DndabNm35U7g2eT2unBr6C1e7l22_mIThzXyyM6Wr1utuXlFSaOXeBhhgANSSV_r-hNnIMNQ/s640/100OrcaLomo110autopentax103.tif.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bring a subject up as close as possible to the lens with the 50mm lens and you'll get a stellar rendition of a sharp subject complemented by a smooth and creamy backdrop. I used a #11 Green filter on this shot to reduce the light coming in to open up the aperture more and get some richer contrast in the final image. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4yTB-5h_tD85gTqtrI0Vkb2uU-o4PjeNGAHBdtp5k0ZI4SwXrJEcAbkNnxJV7Cp56B4xqD4kHTHXhkqCptjGxu9MXIyqzm3u_YcYZfMLJpogYt4SaWeLjY00C8u822BVoehasqvF_0jm/s1600/100OrcaLomo110autopentax104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1188" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4yTB-5h_tD85gTqtrI0Vkb2uU-o4PjeNGAHBdtp5k0ZI4SwXrJEcAbkNnxJV7Cp56B4xqD4kHTHXhkqCptjGxu9MXIyqzm3u_YcYZfMLJpogYt4SaWeLjY00C8u822BVoehasqvF_0jm/s640/100OrcaLomo110autopentax104.jpg" width="474" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Pentax admittedly seems to be the most versatile of the offerings creatively, between the lens offerings, the ease of image focusing, and precise compositions. An aperture priority version of this camera would have been astounding. Lomo Orca BW 100 with #11 Green filter. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcV1DRbkxsfPFdCzQWAAGkkku8V_bNGqP04OXIFNMQPEvYLPFdPy-JrSI_MlwxrTMiuoGYkc-vwm3-6kBcRaHOc73mi1C-wN6Eit7cGw1OH6Lo_GoVRyXgnmGZyT9BfUXvt5PkdgQTZR2f/s1600/100OrcaLomo110autopentax106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="1600" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcV1DRbkxsfPFdCzQWAAGkkku8V_bNGqP04OXIFNMQPEvYLPFdPy-JrSI_MlwxrTMiuoGYkc-vwm3-6kBcRaHOc73mi1C-wN6Eit7cGw1OH6Lo_GoVRyXgnmGZyT9BfUXvt5PkdgQTZR2f/s640/100OrcaLomo110autopentax106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The great separation effects of the Pentax Auto 110 are not simply limited to the use of the 50mm lens. A shot through the "normal" 24mm prime does a great job as well in pleasantly blurring the backdrop to a nicely indistinct rendering. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXG3r1BecZJGHtK4QUEEmxj5UwPO_c6ynjrYQNTb91nCWw1brDPvXlVKYwmM2tDdOzY7G4AkFgr2yjaV13VyAQjVWbdNBX-m3qxyf4AedWCXcMp5Czy6uI-hb3nMZHkiyllZA6zC9mSzj/s1600/100OrcaLomo110autopentax107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="1600" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXG3r1BecZJGHtK4QUEEmxj5UwPO_c6ynjrYQNTb91nCWw1brDPvXlVKYwmM2tDdOzY7G4AkFgr2yjaV13VyAQjVWbdNBX-m3qxyf4AedWCXcMp5Czy6uI-hb3nMZHkiyllZA6zC9mSzj/s640/100OrcaLomo110autopentax107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Background details using the 18mm wide-angle tend to be the least obscured, but are hardly well defined. However, one can easily detect a church and statue among the backdrop elements. The 18mm lens focuses to under a foot! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMGMQwoF6C9oPtr3A7aNMokdfYBtHHrev0oUxwRxi7060CrFVQBranYXcgjT62u86ffw6ePgDdW0ZlUAi9WEZlNDieOY42iFab8adyCghjTo6xl7pAellGSl61BG_BxgKh2QiIbIB8t4A/s1600/200agfa110pentax109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1107" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMGMQwoF6C9oPtr3A7aNMokdfYBtHHrev0oUxwRxi7060CrFVQBranYXcgjT62u86ffw6ePgDdW0ZlUAi9WEZlNDieOY42iFab8adyCghjTo6xl7pAellGSl61BG_BxgKh2QiIbIB8t4A/s640/200agfa110pentax109.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A color image taken through the 50mm lens shows some excellent rendition on Agfa 200. The background tree in the upper right corner has some fairly distracting bokeh though. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Rollei A110</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While many 110 camera models seemed to competing in the length department, the miniscule Rollei contentedly put forth a such smaller footprint.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of the more interesting aspects of the "flavor of the decade" debuts of new film formats during the later part of the 20th century was the arrival of premium spec models made by long-respected makers. The 1970's certainly spared no exception to this practice, as the 110 film format's introduction in 1972 spawned a flurry of enthusiasm at the 1974 Photokina show, when a tiny and tenacious competitor was announced: the Rollei A110. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sporting a 23mm, f/2.8 Tessar lens and an ultra compact size, the Rollei packages a pretty potent starting point in a small size package. The camera offers fully programmed auto-exposure, and a particularly nice viewfinder given its diminutive size. Sturdy metal construction of this model round out its impressive feature set, making it seem a slam dunk among the choices here. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With its functional weaknesses limited to a guess focusing arrangement and still reasonable 3.5 foot minimum focusing distance, one would expect the Rollei reputation for quality would place it as top choice upon this list. Not so much. For starters, its use of an all but discontinued 5.6V PX27 battery raises the question of whether it belongs on this list to begin with given the criteria I laid out above, but I elected to cover it since I was able to improvise power to this model using a pair of 357's, an 1130, and a 675 to put out 5.85V, which seems to satisfy the camera. Beyond this however, the camera's reputation for long-term reliability is poor, and the example which I borrowed for this review was no exception, usually refusing to release the shutter when the button was depressed, despite the battery indicator stating that all was a go. It seems there was some issue with the linkage between the external release button and the actual internal release, and I eventually got slightly better performance by gently holding down the shutter button as I pulled the camera case open to an instant fire. Even if this camera were working fine, I did feel it wouldn't be ideal for my usage of 110, since I often reload old cartridges and tape the area around the film door to keep it light tight. With the design of the Rollei that has the user compressing and extending the camera body to advance film between exposures, this simply isn't possible. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With shooting the Rollei A110 being such an endeavor to make it work, I think the only time I'd have been happier to see the number "24" would be after waiting at a #24 bus stop for over half an hour on a cold, windy, rainy night. My first hope was that my trick to snap images on this camera worked, followed by a second hope that they were decent. The negatives emerged showing promise on both fronts, and I could see upon scanning that sure enough, the Tessar lens delivered plenty of sharpness. However, it would be my opinion that the backgrounds of photos taken on the Rollei didn't soften nearly as nicely as the other cameras. Either the lens was a bit too sharp, or I had too much light in the scenes, as it seemed I wasn't getting close enough to f/2.8 on my exposures. Despite it's "cool factor" combined with the Rollei name, I feel this to be the least practical of the cameras featured here.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The A110 is readily available at prices ranging as low as $25, though it seems most examples seen for sale are of the "untested" variety, so given my own trials with this camera, I'd say that "Caveat Emptor" applies. Ironically, the A110's "budget" sibling, the <b><i>Rollei E110</i></b>, also can be readily found online, but usually at a higher price, curious in particular in that the E110 doesn't have programmed auto-exposure, but aperture priority AE, which in my mind is actually a plus over its higher-end counterpart. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> There is no denying that the Rollei A110 snaps a sharp photo, but I found that my best attempts to diffuse the background fell short. A shaded scene taken on Delta 100 looks great, but I got more distraction in the distance than I had hoped. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Under even gloomier light, the A110 still didn't render a nicely muted backdrop using only Ilford Delta 100. The spots are from my poor choice of reusing the backing paper from a roll of Lomo 110 film and not covering the window, but given the challenges of getting the shutter to fire, I found it necessary to keep an eye on the frame number. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Vivitar 742XL</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One thing this Vivitar camera is not "on the fence" about is quality. The 742XL stands out among the pack. The snippet of negative film taped over the light sensor, while tacky looking, is a great trick to get the camera to shoot slow speed microfilm.<b> </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While 110 cameras in and of themselves are often scorned by film shooters, those sold by Vivitar are particularly admonished for being especially simplistic and devoid of features. While the brand has some standouts such as the Series-1 lens lineup, its camera offerings across all formats have a tendency to eschew robustness in the interest of simplicity and affordability. So it may come as some surprise to see that one of the most capable cameras in this listing carries none other than the Vivitar name. This, my friends is the Vivitar 742XL! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Combine a fast 5-element 24mm f/1.9 lens of similar speed to that on the Kodak with the 2 foot minimum focusing distance of the Fujica and a high-contrast rangefinder that tops that on the Canon and you've got the Vivitar 742XL, which offers electronic auto-exposure with speeds ranging from 1/800th to 5 seconds. This is definitely a well made camera which feels substantial, and includes provisions for cable releases and tripod mounting. Shooting the 742XL is certainly impressive for a Vivitar 110 camera.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The few downsides to this camera are the inability to select aperture and the inability to trick the camera into taking non-perforated film. However, with a bit of prep to replicate perforations, I've fed microfilm through this camera while obscuring the light sensor with a bit of blank color negative film. The shape of this camera, like the Ektramax, looks very much the part of most common 110 cameras of the era, but this can be beneficial in scooping one up at a good price, as at a glance, it looks much like its more mediocre Vivitar siblings such as the 600 model. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Photos taken with the Vivitar 742XL are nothing short of wonderful. When properly focused, the lens is capable of remarkably sharp images even wide open, and the Vivitar lens seems to provide some of the more pleasing bokeh of the batch. My microfilm shots taken with the 742XL have come out exceptionally, and the fast lens makes it easy to shoot this slower speed medium with color filters and still have well exposed hand-held shots in a variety of settings. Some fringing can be noted in some color shots, however. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finding a Vivitar 742XL for sale can be a bit of a challenge however. Soon after learning of this camera, I took to hunting for one, and managed to find one online in a bulk Vivitar auction at Goodwill. Since then, I've kept my eyes open for a spare, poring through bulk listings on multiple sites and have come up dry. This is a model that will test your patience to find, but one that I feel is well worth the wait. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Under an overcast sky and armed with some Fuji 200, the Vivitar 742XL rendered quite nicely., Though my focusing may be a bit off on this try, the rendering of the background lights is especially light and whimsical for a 110 format camera. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With some blank developed color negative film taped over the sensor, the Vivitar 742XL handles microfilm wonderfully. Focus on the foreground is dead on while the background rendering truly does not look like something taken on a 110 camera! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With an orange filter taped over the lens, and an evenly lit setting, the Vivitar 742XL manages to really shine, definitely giving off far more of a "fine art" vibe instead of a "110 film snapshot" feel. I used ACS Datalink microfilm to get the smoothest grain I could.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One more color shot on Agfa 200 taken after this initially posted offers yet another glance at what this underappreciated gem can put forth! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So there you have it...somewhere between 10 and 17 models that are worthy of your consideration for some especially pocketable shooting fun with warm weather approaching. Each offers some surprisingly good specification or two that make it a prime choice for anyone with a little extra space in their pockets that may want a unique and capable little shooter. Keeping track of all of these models is admittedly a big challenge so I prepared the following chart showing key specs of all the models featured above. You can click on it for a better view.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Given the wide variety of 110 models I've had to use, the obvious question emerges about picking a favorite of the batch, which gets tricky given that each camera has some specific quirk that keeps it from being the hands-down favorite. I used green and red shading in the blocks of the above table to spotlight good and bad traits of these cameras respectively, and admittedly only the Canon 110ED and Minolta 110 Zoom SLR Mk. 1 lack any negative ticks. Still, the easy manual operation of cameras like the Fujica 450 and Kodak Ektramax, the small size and close focus of the Autopak 470, the easy operation of the Vivitar 742XL, and the wonderful results that come forth from the Pentax 110 Auto make them all serious contenders. And let's not forget the focusable 110 camera that isn't a la the Minolta 16-QT. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And While the models above certainly cover as wide a variety of options than one might expect from the 110 format, they are far from being the only capable or versatile 110 format cameras out there in the wild. Also worth keeping an eye out for are the following models that are certainly more capable than your average pocket snapshooter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Agfamatic Makro Pocket 5008/6008</i></b> - An attractively packaged small compact design and the ability to focus as close as 20 inches make these auto-exposure German models especially attractive, though they are a more common find in Europe than the rest of the world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Chinon Pocket 77/ Argus Pocketpak</i></b> - Another guess-focus model that surfaces only occasionally is this model from Chinon and its Argus rebadge. The Pocket 77 offers close focus from 2.5 feet through a 24mm f/2.7 lens, adjustable aperture shooting, and a very pocketable form factor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Cosina 510</i></b> - Electronically controlled autoexposure, with a 26mm f/2.7 lens that focuses down to about 3 feet, this rarely seen Cosina actually uses flashbulbs instead of electronic flash, helping cut down on its size.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Kodak Tele Ektra 2</i></b> - Another of the few Kodak models that doesn't use the K battery, the Tele Ektra 2 seems to hover on the periphery of top tear, offering a switchable telephoto lens and a pretty compact form, but opens up only to f/5.6 and focuses only as close as 5 feet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Hanimex VXL</i></b> - Similar in build to a 35mm compact, the VXL looks like a bit like an bulbous Fujica 400 Flash (without the flash) but offers guess focusing down to three feet and selectable apertures down to f/1.9. This is an example of another scarcely seen model. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Minimax 110EE</b></i> - Perhaps the most unusual 110 camera ever produced, the large sized Sugaya Minimax 110EE has a 32mm f/2 lens, and selectable ISO speeds from 64-400. Few were made, and when they surface, they command a collector premium. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Minox 110S </b></i>- For those with deeper, not cheaper pockets comes this offering from the world renowned leader in miniature cameras. A "Barn door" type enclosure protects a 25mm f/2.8 lens that uses aperture priority AE and a rangefinder to focus down to 20 inches. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Ricohmatic 110X </b></i>- Small and scarce, the Ricohmatic 110X is a guess focused camera equipped with a 25mm f/2.8 lens and a +/-1 EV adjustment knob but little else in the way of exposure control.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The "Elephant in the Room" of this entire exercise however may well be one simple question. With so many affordable and portable film options available in 35mm and 120 readily available, why would someone actually want to shoot 110 (or Minolta-16) film, given its often spotty availability and the overall limitations in the smaller negative size?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The answer to that question personally comes down to an element of fun for me. I find that many of the challenges in creating good images with these cameras, that can extend all the way from film selection and preparation to modest post-processing, to be involved and rewarding in a way that is lacking in a "mainstream" format like 35mm, where I'd be more inclined to simply choose a slow film and fast lens and camera to create shallow depth of field shots with much less effort. Finding a handful of 110 cameras that can actually push the boundaries of the small negative size while often using some interesting mediums has turned the format from overlooked to embraced in my eyes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The format, and some of the means to get the most from it, are admittedly something that may only appeal to a very small fraction of film shooters, but if you are someone who enjoys a challenge, and who likes a pocketable and capable shooter, you'll find some surprisingly wonderful tools in the text above. You may well be surprised at what the 110 format can offer you should you try one or more of these capable and cute little cameras! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have some fun and give it ago, unless of course you still think that the 9000 or so words above are all just an elaborate hoax for April Fools Day! </span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-61528539072188210102018-03-08T09:00:00.000-05:002018-03-08T09:09:01.038-05:00Triple Take Thursday 3: Plates, Film, and Digital<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Variety is the slice of life. While I continue to shoot traditional film stocks lately, I've been dabbling in some other mediums at the same time. I've become increasingly involved in the use of dry plates coated by Jason Lane, that have allowed me to use a number of cameras designed for such plates, while also improvising their use into a many other roll film cameras as well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm also doing a little bit more with digital cameras, between early models with decent specifications and more recent ones with more bells and whistles. While it's no replacement for a film camera, it does make a pretty easy tag along on my film (and now plate) photo outings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here and there, as I shoot some plates, I'll be supplementing them with the same scene shot on both film and digital to allow for an interesting comparison between the blue sensitive media of the plates, the panchromatic, ortho, or color media of the film, and one or more settings on a digital camera that may mimic or differ from that of the non-digital media. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Following are three takes of another scene in Baltimore. Today's trip makes a stop at the Union Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and was taken the day after last week's shot along Linden Avenue. Unlike the previous day, this Sunday emerged vivid and sunny, with remnants of the snow of the evening before still lingering. The 109 year old monument has stood at this spot since 1959, after a relocation from nearby Druid Hill Park necessitated by highway construction. The site near the Wyman Park Dell works well for this monument, and it has since seen its surroundings changed in ways more befitting it, as the southbound lanes of nearby Charles Street that used to curve into 29th Street encroached more upon this monument than they do today. The change in traffic pattern has made this site more pleasant and relaxing as a result, and its a periodic stopping point for me to do for some quick photographic wanderings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With a few hours to burn as a loved one was at a medical appointment, I elected to make the stop past this monument to do my "triple take" as it glimmered resplendent in the noon day sun. My plate camera was a 6.5 x 9 Zeh Zeca which has been something of a guinea pig among my plate cameras. It came to me in a bulk auction sporting a basic lens mounted on a worn out shutter that was salvaged from a Univex TLR. I'd tried a couple of "transplant" lenses upon this camera before electing to give the Meyer Gorlitz Trioplan 10.5cm f/4.5 from my Balda Pontina an indefinite home upon this platform. Supplementing this was the same rediscovered Yashica 35MC stocked with Eastman Double-X film that was featured on last week's entry, and the same Nikon J1 that I'd recently snapped up. I fired off shots of the bright scene using all three cameras, with only the Zeca tripod mounted to accommodate the slow speed of the dry plates. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Zeh Zeca 6.5 x 9 cm plate camera with Meyer Gorlitz Trioplan 10.5cm: J. Lane Dry Plate (Sixth Plate) shot at ISO 2, f/8 at 1/10 seconds, developed in HC-110 and scanned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Yashica 35MC: Eastman Double-X shot at ISO 250, Automatic Exposure at f/8, set to near infinity focus, developed in HC-110, and scanned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Nikon J1 with Nikon 10-30mm lens: Vivid Photo setting, ISO 100, f/7.1 at 1/500</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Unlike last week's entry in which the presence of color detracted from the image, the first thing I notice is that I actually can't help but favor it here, which actually came as something of a surprise to me. It's also apparent to me that the plate version of the image is flawed. I didn't give it enough exposure (at least for scanning), so the details of the monument are rendered indistinct. As well, a bit of a light leak is evident across the left side. These flaws unfortunately leave the plate exposure as the least liked of the three in my eye. Yet again, the Yashica delivered some wonderful results on the Double-X film stock, albeit with some softness around the corners. It is just a really nice rendering to me. However, the color version on the J1 just seems to give off something pleasing to me that the monochrome versions lack, and which just seems to give it the slightest edge in my book. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So in this case, the digital version takes the gold, the film version takes silver, and the plate gets bronze. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though all three cameras did a commendable job, the medal count after this second round is:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plates: 1 <span style="color: #bf9000;">Gold</span>, 1 <span style="color: #cccccc;">Silver, </span><span style="color: #cccccc;">1 <span style="color: #b45f06;">Bronze</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Film: 1 <span style="color: #bf9000;">Gold</span>, 2 <span style="color: #cccccc;">Silver</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Digital: 1 <span style="color: #bf9000;">Gold</span>, 2 <span style="color: #b45f06;">Bronze</span></span></div>
Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com12900 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA39.3237392 -76.61753049999998713.801704699999998 -117.92612449999999 64.8457737 -35.308936499999987tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-71529593548532823872018-03-01T08:00:00.000-05:002018-03-01T08:00:00.184-05:00Triple Take Thursday 2: Plates, Film, and Digital.<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Variety is the slice of life. While I continue to shoot traditional film stocks lately, I've been dabbling in some other mediums at the same time. I've become increasingly involved in the use of dry plates coated by Jason Lane, that have allowed me to use a number of cameras designed for such plates, while also improvising their use into a many other roll film cameras as well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm also doing a little bit more with digital cameras, between early models with decent specifications and more recent ones with more bells and whistles. While it's no replacement for a film camera, it does make a pretty easy tag along on my film (and now plate) photo outings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here and there, as I shoot some plates, I'll be supplementing them with the same scene shot on both film and digital to allow for an interesting comparison between the blue sensitive media of the plates, the panchromatic, ortho, or color media of the film, and one or more settings on a digital camera that may mimic or differ from that of the non-digital media. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Following are three takes of another scene in Baltimore, this time on a fascinating remnant of Linden Avenue, once a pretty vital arterial street that was almost entirely swallowed up to redevelopment beginning in the mid-1950's. The 1700 block has managed to survive, complete with streetcar tracks that have been dormant since 1955. Since the block is punctuated with an island in the middle, the east side of the street acts as auto parking, and the streetcar track remnants abruptly end, the vintage photo possibilities are somewhat limited in composition, but with careful cropping, an image of nostalgic nature is entirely possible with this scene. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a wet snow began to fall, I stopped past this favorite haunt one Saturday afternoon with three cameras in tow. Instead of using a "proper" plate camera for plates, I was using the Kodak Bantam f/4.5 that I'd inherited from my father, with a pre-seated J. Lane "35mm" size plate as a recording medium. Supplementing this was my newly rediscovered Yashica Electro 35MC stocked with Eastman Double-X film, and the Nikon J1 that I'd recently snapped up. I fired off close focus shots of the scene using all three cameras, with the Bantam tripod mounted to accommodate the slow speed of the dry plates. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kodak Bantam 4.5: 36x50mm J. Lane Dry Plate shot at ISO 2, f/8 at 5 seconds, developed in HC-110 and scanned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yashica Electro 35MC: Eastman Double-X shot at ISO 250, Automatic Exposure at f/4, set to 4 foot focus, developed in HC-110, and scanned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nikon J1 with Nikon 10-30mm lens: Standard Photo setting, ISO 100, f/5 at 1/200</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Looking at the three images, the first thing that is evident to me is that the presence of color actually detracts a bit compared to the black and white images. I can also see where the shots taken on the J1 and Bantam are identical in composition, but the Yashica is shifted a bit. As much as I like the result on the plate, I actually admit to liking the Yashica's rendering on the Double-X film the most of all. Unlike the other two photos where it can be seen that the trolley tracks are punctuated by the mid-block "island," the tracks in the film version actually seem to blend or vanish into the backdrop. The shutter speed of this version seems to perfectly show the frenetic falling of the snow, unlike the other versions where the snowfall either disappears or appears placid and calming. The extra snap of contrast in the Yashica version just ices the cake for me, combined with the most significant fall off in focus in the distant elements. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So in this case, the film version takes the gold, the plate takes silver, and the digital version again gets bronze. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though all three cameras did a commendable job, the medal count after this second round is:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plates: 1 <span style="color: #bf9000;">Gold</span>, 1 <span style="color: #cccccc;">Silver</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Film: 1 <span style="color: #bf9000;">Gold</span>, 1 <span style="color: #cccccc;">Silver</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Digital: 2 <span style="color: #b45f06;">Bronze</span></span></div>
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Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com01701-1799 Linden Ave, Baltimore, MD 21217, USA39.307793748754072 -76.628935933113139.307601748754074 -76.6292509331131 39.307985748754071 -76.6286209331131tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-53897736667157172732018-02-22T08:00:00.000-05:002018-02-22T08:00:32.684-05:00Triple Take Thursday 1: Plates, Film, and Digital<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Variety is the slice of life. While I continue to shoot traditional film stocks lately, I've been dabbling in some other mediums at the same time. I've become increasingly involved in the use of dry plates coated by Jason Lane, that have allowed me to use a number of cameras designed for such plates, while also improvising their use into a many other roll film cameras as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm also doing a little bit more with digital cameras, between early models with decent specifications and more recent ones with more bells and whistles. While it's no replacement for a film camera, it does make a pretty easy tag along on my film (and now plate) photo outings. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here and there, as I shoot some plates, I'll be supplementing them with the same scene shot on both film and digital to allow for an interesting comparison between the blue sensitive media of the plates, the panchromatic or color media of the film, and one or more settings on a digital camera that may mimic or differ from that of the non-digital media. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First up in a scene taken in Patterson Park in Baltimore. I'd known for some time that there was a small lake there, but had never taken the time to visit it until earlier this week. Along with me for my visit were a Kodak Recomar 33 plate camera that shoots 9x12cm size plates, a Kodak Signet 35 kindly lent to me by Mike Eckman, and a Nikon J1 that I recently picked up. As a gentle drizzle began to threaten, I managed to shoot a closely focused scene along the banks of this small pond on all three cameras to compare. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFevZoj6VTUtoCloO98KJYPJlGdsE7nltRonvhtLtErqSBYOrWAdaE0D16t0nawkcXUgUDd5Vr6unREhkHwKxfAJcCmKeVXPJ0NYUi8uD3p26HubZu-4fJHhpZVlx8elUVJrCJdNAfbHg5/s1600/25kodakimg126cricoh121.tif-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1168" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFevZoj6VTUtoCloO98KJYPJlGdsE7nltRonvhtLtErqSBYOrWAdaE0D16t0nawkcXUgUDd5Vr6unREhkHwKxfAJcCmKeVXPJ0NYUi8uD3p26HubZu-4fJHhpZVlx8elUVJrCJdNAfbHg5/s640/25kodakimg126cricoh121.tif-001.jpg" width="466" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kodak Recomar 33: 9x12 J. Lane Dry Plate developed in HC-110 and printed on Ilford Multigrade IV RC paper. Shot at f/8 for 4 seconds</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymrslOC6f2hDVRa7UsrB7YTN4ybYnnN3LWQhi9_UMxe4srLpgSBzEUhYb_gScjUm5bBmI_fixVyhrT6X9VzTT7YsiZ_NlJcsI55bLvQqp5Uy5nHqTzwaGwwMNJSlyFHKFWy2uDr41l9YJ/s1600/25kodakimg126cricoh120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1491" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymrslOC6f2hDVRa7UsrB7YTN4ybYnnN3LWQhi9_UMxe4srLpgSBzEUhYb_gScjUm5bBmI_fixVyhrT6X9VzTT7YsiZ_NlJcsI55bLvQqp5Uy5nHqTzwaGwwMNJSlyFHKFWy2uDr41l9YJ/s640/25kodakimg126cricoh120.jpg" width="596" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kodak Signet 35: Kentmere 100 developed in HC-110, and scanned. f/4 at 1/50 second. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5JYt6VzV3BsDdoAgoGPsoUl3jnlSYjheN21jzo0ggDSNkkqmsfr14NQ0FzdjV11u9qK_m2s7hJ55b2tnDHViZ2Mpl3c_pbtJyB-0h-TZoUE4Kti-gISVFc1jEaIk6xTEHyzRpwcpwlTx/s1600/DSC_3161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5JYt6VzV3BsDdoAgoGPsoUl3jnlSYjheN21jzo0ggDSNkkqmsfr14NQ0FzdjV11u9qK_m2s7hJ55b2tnDHViZ2Mpl3c_pbtJyB-0h-TZoUE4Kti-gISVFc1jEaIk6xTEHyzRpwcpwlTx/s640/DSC_3161.JPG" width="428" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nikon J1 with Nikon 10-30mm lens: Vivid Photo setting, ISO 100, f/5 at 1/200</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Looking at the three images, the plate image is my definite favorite. The smaller sensor of the Nikon doesn't do much to differentiate depth of field on the limbs in the foreground, while the use of the muted color actually detracts a bit. The Signet 35 certainly does better in the regard of narrowing depth of field, and offers a really sharp rendering, but it falls short of the rendering put forth by the Recomar 33, which delivers a very creamy print with great toning and definition. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though all three cameras did a commendable job, the medal count after this first round is:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Plates: 1 <span style="color: #bf9000;">Gold</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Digital: 1 <span style="color: #b45f06;">Bronze</span></span></div>
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<br />Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com02426 E Baltimore St, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA39.287774199058447 -76.58101624846801839.286238199058445 -76.583537748468018 39.289310199058448 -76.578494748468017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-5148294629547210842018-01-19T08:00:00.000-05:002018-01-19T08:00:04.541-05:00Film Hacking: Instaxperiments with the Polaroid J66<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm stubborn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There's just no other way of putting it. One would think that after <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/08/trying-to-get-instant-kicks-polaroid-j66.html" target="_blank">several less than successful tries of trying to use Fuji FP-100C pack film in a handsome but otherwise obsolete Polaroid J66 camera</a>, I'd simply toss in the towel and be content to hand this camera over to my wife to strictly be a display item for the house. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Not I" said the rabbit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If nothing else, my increasingly frustrating experiments with this forlorn folder proved one thing: that film placed into its chambers was exposed in proper focus. The main issue with the pack film was the film speed combined with an apparent reciprocity failure that left repeated exposures of the same scene to have little effect on the exposure. After 14 repeated exposures of a sunny scene that still came out dark, it was apparent that 100 speed film was ill fitted for a camera whose design called for the use of 3000 speed film. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But what about 800 speed? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was this thought that dawned upon me one bitter morning as I began to embark on a few different "Instaxperiments" as I like to call them. I'd managed to make Instax Wide film work properly in a <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2018/01/film-hacking-not-your-typical-polaroid.html" target="_blank">Kodak Brownie 2C,</a> but had to do some work to throttle down the higher speed Instax film. As I had a decent supply of this medium, I figured I'd give the J66 one last try, and carefully placed a single sheet of Instax wide (puffy side to the front) into the film chamber under the veil of darkness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With bright sunny skies in seeming contrast to the frigid temps, I set out on an errand, and in the midst of it, made a quick stop Downtown to attempt this last ditch effort to salvage a decent image from the J66. I set the focus to the "portrait" setting, found a close subject well bathed in sunlight, opened the aperture fully by using the lighten-darken dial fully to lighten, and fired away. Scurrying home and returning to my fully darkened room, I then removed the film from the camera and gently fit it into an empty Instax film cartridge, inserting it into an Instax 210 camera I picked up a while back with a faulty lens but working film ejector, and fired away to see how the J66 fared.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Expecting little after all of the previous trials and tribulations with this camera, I approached this last ditch try with almost no fanfare or anticipation, so I was pretty much speechless to see this image develop before my eyes! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqig22RZPRzSxELYQZ6MFrde5m4W4nEjetHAEuGqeEudYRU2v3l7IAan2mESDmgL4aGu3Ylhw7tFCDBfEdFJkON4_Cb3w7C_SOH1ZyZfBghqXyVQOzbHqvdVVSTLBLOtqKOpHTasKwFGWF/s1600/800InstaxJ66Pola101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="1600" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqig22RZPRzSxELYQZ6MFrde5m4W4nEjetHAEuGqeEudYRU2v3l7IAan2mESDmgL4aGu3Ylhw7tFCDBfEdFJkON4_Cb3w7C_SOH1ZyZfBghqXyVQOzbHqvdVVSTLBLOtqKOpHTasKwFGWF/s640/800InstaxJ66Pola101.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My first try at using Instax Wide in the Polaroid J66 was actually a last ditch try to see if I could salvage an image from this camera. I was in utter shock to see this develop before my eyes.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It would appear I had managed to find the perfect medium for the J66. While all of my previous tries with the 100 speed FP-100C had resulted in varying severity of underexposure, the Instax Wide film actually had the slightest bit of overexposure! The results were remarkably pleasing, and shooting of this camera "wide open" under full sun managed to give some unexpectedly nice separation of foreground subject and blurred backdrop. There was certainly some room for improvement but this was a far better first try than that using the pack film. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9KdPP8mR-kHsvANuz5aGschbZ19lZTIQbws2SpQsTs0zKB22FHwby8_nh4O1OQLA1JnT6x1bvAA9nMF0ym2-Ci36LHhsoKzdiwmX44wAM7b5kseQOXcmoy0ZnWGYMPJuyUHNUNrPKlwP/s1600/IMG_3365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9KdPP8mR-kHsvANuz5aGschbZ19lZTIQbws2SpQsTs0zKB22FHwby8_nh4O1OQLA1JnT6x1bvAA9nMF0ym2-Ci36LHhsoKzdiwmX44wAM7b5kseQOXcmoy0ZnWGYMPJuyUHNUNrPKlwP/s640/IMG_3365.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As seen above, the unfolded J66 not only dwarfs the shot of Instax Wide film it holds, but also the storage container upon which it sat to snap this illustrative photo. Ideally, the film should be upside down with the "print" side facing away from the lens. After some trial and error, I discovered that I actually needed to stop the lens down (turning the dial towards darken) a bit in bright sun, so that the aperture opening looked like the photo below. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SJxlDVDHqb4vLSWqdWH_xNO0VRoBBp5sfwaKpv4ntUpWQzU7DUaSa5Ze1-z78mLtyBaNx83RO4kGbivr1JySEGNUPs_GanmESjXXN2SoP_XZASxbIURKKdkqbFiOAdMs9p49G0xzIm-r/s1600/IMG_3368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SJxlDVDHqb4vLSWqdWH_xNO0VRoBBp5sfwaKpv4ntUpWQzU7DUaSa5Ze1-z78mLtyBaNx83RO4kGbivr1JySEGNUPs_GanmESjXXN2SoP_XZASxbIURKKdkqbFiOAdMs9p49G0xzIm-r/s640/IMG_3368.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Within a few weeks, I had slipped another sheet of Instax Wide film into the J66, and included it on a photo trek to Antietam National Battlefield. With cloud cover increasing, I was barely able to fire off an exposure under only slightly muted sun, again electing to try to nail the focus of the "portrait" setting. And nail it I did. The cannon wheels in this image are amazingly well defined, showing the grain of the wood as well as the painting marks, while the distant backdrop is very nicely blurred. Again, a slight hint of overexposure is evident, but nothing that can't be toned down a bit with a little bit of post-processing. What shows below is the raw scan of the print.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTC1gZTSBnKMSuxGnl-EXC-5zYtuEThibT2ZbICI0QomJUbCg0tjLYhQZeHhy6XN2vbTV0Fd2Tsnt49KZKGQY1xsZSF-jh8aqjx6_7w1faXokmmxK-9gF60onqLFm4_bV5JpUJghLQxNCy/s1600/800instaxj66pola102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1600" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTC1gZTSBnKMSuxGnl-EXC-5zYtuEThibT2ZbICI0QomJUbCg0tjLYhQZeHhy6XN2vbTV0Fd2Tsnt49KZKGQY1xsZSF-jh8aqjx6_7w1faXokmmxK-9gF60onqLFm4_bV5JpUJghLQxNCy/s640/800instaxj66pola102.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Approached with a tad more confidence, I was able to begin to actually enjoy using the J66, and fired off this image of cannons at Antietam with the countryside behind nicely blurring in the distance. Initially I had only hoped to get an acceptable image from this camera, but I was actually using it with the idea of getting good results. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, I elected to give the rather expensive medium of "Instax Wide Monochrome" a trial whirl in the J66 given my first two good tries. With the lessons I'd learned to create some best practices, and with a bright sun overhead, I actually stopped down the lens a little bit to something right around the aperture shown above, and fired away, again with the distance set to "portrait." On returning home, the J66 delivered me a photo EXACTLY how I'd hoped, and further confirming that this is a camera that I can get decent and consistent results from as long as I stick to a bit of a script. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwYdy-II_JNU3liYLJkk1xzKBZSN01ysjDF5wYnuKo4wlor2aSE8UnUlDiiTgx3T9TAt7mBmpbKVpiISYAEYFRlnrC4PIdEDnO2HKkr2Z-J8mw38b3ro9FIA8CvrR6KgbyQe0yR5dT3mW/s1600/800instaxj66pola103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1262" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwYdy-II_JNU3liYLJkk1xzKBZSN01ysjDF5wYnuKo4wlor2aSE8UnUlDiiTgx3T9TAt7mBmpbKVpiISYAEYFRlnrC4PIdEDnO2HKkr2Z-J8mw38b3ro9FIA8CvrR6KgbyQe0yR5dT3mW/s640/800instaxj66pola103.jpg" width="504" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My most recent image from the J66 was this one using the new Instax Wide Monochrome Film. Though I wish the film had a tad more snap in it, I am quite pleased with how the J66 handled this scene. The magenta "design" at the one corner is a side effect of how my worn Instax 210 "processor camera" performs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All told, the preceding experiment is approached largely as a novelty, though it carries with it a far more profound feeling of satisfaction than simply loading a common 35mm SLR with readily available film and firing away on Program or Aperture priority, due in large part to the degree of involvement that this requires, in carefully extracting and positioning the "sheet" of film in the camera, taking the shot (using some trial and error to get a feel for the settings), and then carefully redepositing the exposed film into the Instax cartridge for development. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As well, the feeling of being able to record an image, and a decent one at that, through the lens of a camera that has laid dormant for decades carries with it a unique air of satisfaction as well. And while not quite "instant" in the nature in which it was intended, the ability to do this on a one-shot basis without the need to invest the costs for an entire roll of film and developing is actually a nice bonus. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And interestingly, I'd expected that even if my first try of Instax Wide film in the J66 were successful, I'd have claimed victory in my pursuit of a decent image from its lens and resigned it to the shelf as an example of a working but impractical camera. But as can be seen here, I've actually chosen to lug this lumbering beast of a camera back out at least a few more times, and actually enjoy the experience of taking a photo through it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even with the fast 800 speed Instax film, the J66 seems very much a fair weather friend, seeming to work best in "cloudy-bright" conditions to "full sun." I've yet to attempt a multiple exposure flurry similar to those I tried with FP100C under less optimal lighting conditions, or even an attempt at a truly deliberate traditional multiple exposure, but there's time for all that. For now though, the J66 has gone from "Near Zero to Hero" in my book.</span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-20543947600012570592018-01-10T10:00:00.000-05:002018-01-12T14:47:26.903-05:00Film Hacking: Not Your Typical Polaroid <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A number of months ago, I snapped a photo on Fuji FP-100C Instant Peel Apart Film, and was particularly pleased with the results that I obtained. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DU-VAQpM-syP8jS-9O8zkeob1zW_3tXCuXsjkQ5qcXOlF3RoYWsmLc0LJdPyVOSuFsZgL8sSCEfIW3VSwImzMepBxG5JD8yHvsja-iGrOsc6spsxN0_r4IZs0wR4RF0of2-xI7I8Szj9/s1600/FP100CFuji2C101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="1600" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DU-VAQpM-syP8jS-9O8zkeob1zW_3tXCuXsjkQ5qcXOlF3RoYWsmLc0LJdPyVOSuFsZgL8sSCEfIW3VSwImzMepBxG5JD8yHvsja-iGrOsc6spsxN0_r4IZs0wR4RF0of2-xI7I8Szj9/s640/FP100CFuji2C101.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Would you care to guess which camera model shot the photo?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Might it be the Polaroid 100? The original article, that I have recently acquired?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Perhaps it is the Polaroid 360, a well equipped model complete with Zeiss finder, that I've also recently picked up?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There's also the possibility of the responsible camera being <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/05/polaroid-440.html" target="_blank">the 440 model</a>, that I recently was less than elated with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It could also be the<a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/05/late-to-polaroid-party-colorpack-ii.html" target="_blank"> Colorpack II model</a>, the first peel apart Polaroid model I tried, which became an unexpected favorite to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Or might I have found a way to finally adapt my <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/08/trying-to-get-instant-kicks-polaroid-j66.html" target="_blank">otherwise obsolete J66</a> model that uses roll film to be able to use pack film instead?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well, none of these answers are correct, though the last one is the closest to being correct. Here is the camera that shot the above photo...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStUnRQqEYi4j9MImmH6-IRyyaENVw5EfwzH9qTMdPKEsxeCafcgkp_H3mGsB_2Eu3XRzA7D3y7vy15GdukmqCRuH4WgGrePayF3GOWKhoEsEKMP19Q8P8V5vPSC0YzffyrjqybpfD5bTS/s1600/IMG_3279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStUnRQqEYi4j9MImmH6-IRyyaENVw5EfwzH9qTMdPKEsxeCafcgkp_H3mGsB_2Eu3XRzA7D3y7vy15GdukmqCRuH4WgGrePayF3GOWKhoEsEKMP19Q8P8V5vPSC0YzffyrjqybpfD5bTS/s640/IMG_3279.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a Kodak Brownie 2C, a model that looks like the typical 116 or 120 format box camera, but this model is designed to use 130 size film. I picked it up at a nearby antique store for under $20, if only to round out my box camera collection that already had examples in 116, 120, 124, 125, and 127 formats. It was clean and solid, and had a healthy working shutter. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But then there was the matter of film, which had been discontinued in 1961. Typically I'd do as I'd done on some other cameras using discontinued film formats, and either find a roll of the film on ebay and after first use, recycle the backing paper with 120 film stock taped on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, the 130 format film that I was spotting wasn't exactly cheap. It was actually costlier than the camera itself, so I improvised and taped a pair of 120 backing papers together to create a 2 7/8" wide backing with handwritten numbers. This was something that worked only so well given the challenges of keeping the papers parallel and slack free. I then took a roll of Orwo NP15 in 120 format and taped it upon this impromptu backing paper, and tried some test shots.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWW2SvR6nTku48Z96eShPFoR5CtH5HnBHbV34I5r_w9rjgx7sA9A7HPVeRTWSUxxyQbZxX-dldkOd6tFnFylf6M9CkPNQBZDz4xPzFDC-fMKtB7tC0EHxRKgfSo8u_uXDuJkqEsBMDKrmY/s1600/Np15Orwo2CKodak101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="1600" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWW2SvR6nTku48Z96eShPFoR5CtH5HnBHbV34I5r_w9rjgx7sA9A7HPVeRTWSUxxyQbZxX-dldkOd6tFnFylf6M9CkPNQBZDz4xPzFDC-fMKtB7tC0EHxRKgfSo8u_uXDuJkqEsBMDKrmY/s640/Np15Orwo2CKodak101.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A pair of shots of 120 Orwo NP-15 film placed onto a homemade 130 backing showed me not only that this film had encountered a hard life before I got it, but also that the Kodak 2C Brownie is a decent camera! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mwlYJd9pr3o2wjy3IZTQK4HoZ8jZB76JLIVmOAzoZI1rJck-gccNIAb_fBA2L_Ugdtsa6jYedwSotvjnXfiot0lNw3s7V68urGZMgBXw7I4D7tARf_wCrDzh2kl35V1O7J5z1HVKffq2/s1600/Np15Orwo2CKodak102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="1600" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mwlYJd9pr3o2wjy3IZTQK4HoZ8jZB76JLIVmOAzoZI1rJck-gccNIAb_fBA2L_Ugdtsa6jYedwSotvjnXfiot0lNw3s7V68urGZMgBXw7I4D7tARf_wCrDzh2kl35V1O7J5z1HVKffq2/s640/Np15Orwo2CKodak102.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The results were dreary (and certainly aged in appearance) to say the least, but this was more due to the extreme fogging present in the 1980's Orwo film stock. Looking at the details of the photos that I could make out, I was actually pretty impressed with the details evident from the simple lens. I certainly wanted to try this camera again, but before grafting another roll of 120 stock onto my homemade 130 backing, my curiosity got the best of me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had previously loaded up the aforementioned Polaroid 360 with a fresh pack of Fuji FP-100C, and upon taking the first shot, experienced a jam in the camera that simply would not clear. Apparently this is a common issue due to the pressure of this camera's electronic timer mechanism. The issue typically occurs with the first 2 or 3 shots in a pack before clearing up. As I cleared the jammed exposure from the film pack in the dark, a light bulb went off. Fortunately that light bulb was in my head so it did not fog the film. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Taking the jammed exposure and examining it, I was able to see that with a bit of maneuvering, it fit PERFECTLY in the film area of the Kodak 2C. Since I wanted to clear a few more exposures from the FP-100C film pack to be able to use it readily in the Polaroid 360, I elected to pull another shot from the pack and carefully lay it with the negative facing the lens of the 2C. I then lightly placed a cut piece of black card stock over the whole arrangement (to both block light from the red window on the back of the camera and to help keep the film negative flat. I then reassembled the camera. All of this was done IN DARKNESS.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmtQDMZapfGb7pakExHNTMgO0lc57E89zLvcGAJcTkBATwYVkpDrhHVnXC8MdNpaZpcF2ZMrCotfgiCkZ6ez17jf_bpMasuFgB17UqjyPmL38ZE0kIyZiJDCtMeg0p7NEes2rpamivGyG/s1600/IMG-1677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYmtQDMZapfGb7pakExHNTMgO0lc57E89zLvcGAJcTkBATwYVkpDrhHVnXC8MdNpaZpcF2ZMrCotfgiCkZ6ez17jf_bpMasuFgB17UqjyPmL38ZE0kIyZiJDCtMeg0p7NEes2rpamivGyG/s640/IMG-1677.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A cross section of how one shoots a piece of pack film in a Kodak 2C Brownie. The camera's dimensions fit perfectly around the carefully folded piece of unexposed pack film, negative facing toward the lens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With the lights now able to be turned on, I headed out and found a sunny scene to test my experiment,. Following the exposure, I came home and went back to my dark room. With the lights out, I carefully disassembled the camera and removed the film, taking care to then realign the packet so that the exposed negative could be pulled through my Colorpack II camera and transfer the image from the negative to the paper. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The results are what you see at the top of the page. I was elated with the results, being a vast improvement from my ill fated first roll from the Orwo film. I actually found myself dipping into the film pack a few more times to recreate this experiment, some samples of which are seen below. While I hit a few technical stumbles on the way, particularly with getting good film pulls through the spreader bars of the Colorpack camera, I was still quite pleased with what was coming forth through the lens of the old Kodak Brownie 2C.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTcF8QAHcjGLH9NRG03t6mn6J4BpIQmW2O179fZay-MdSx8A2pR6InA8aHaBNV8qKN1rKHYsayvDiO0b4MnL2HIfRuBNOAyTkaXEsiUQuWC6FmJLyd3xEHK56pEW5UEvpBM5vxK0Ceyk9/s1600/FP100C130Kodak103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="1600" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTcF8QAHcjGLH9NRG03t6mn6J4BpIQmW2O179fZay-MdSx8A2pR6InA8aHaBNV8qKN1rKHYsayvDiO0b4MnL2HIfRuBNOAyTkaXEsiUQuWC6FmJLyd3xEHK56pEW5UEvpBM5vxK0Ceyk9/s640/FP100C130Kodak103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One challenge of going out for a drive in new territory with one sheet of film in your camera that you can't swap out until returning home is finding the ideal chance to use it. A trip west through Boonsboro revealed this old lime kiln that seemed as good a photo op as any. Note the crimp in the paper at left top indicating an issue with the pull, as well as a blur and light leak on either side of the center. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxBZXguk25pEzAr4FUseu73kqCn2KjUGlTASg5lCOGRjJpJiveh4vM6hX3y9O0Agds1SqKin-qlVG_vD5Wh9CHLepnd4IVslYUzM-tut0FHn3aYZ_faqs_TEuIk1DntahKx1gTRA0xSGJ/s1600/FP100CJ66Pola105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="1600" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxBZXguk25pEzAr4FUseu73kqCn2KjUGlTASg5lCOGRjJpJiveh4vM6hX3y9O0Agds1SqKin-qlVG_vD5Wh9CHLepnd4IVslYUzM-tut0FHn3aYZ_faqs_TEuIk1DntahKx1gTRA0xSGJ/s640/FP100CJ66Pola105.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Exposure controls on the Brownie 2C are pretty basic, but are there, but you must remember to use them! On a separate day from the photo above, I drove for a while and finally elected to snap this farm scene, hastily stopping on the shoulder and hustling up a hill for the quick snap, only to realize AFTER I fired the shutter that I hadn't used the aperture setting I wanted on this bright day. Despite some over exposure, the result still looks nice! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just as 130 film vanished over 50 years, time is running scarce to use fresh FP-100C in a Kodak 2C, given its discontinuance by Fuji. And while this sort of experimentation isn't for everyone, for the film hackers out there like myself who enjoy getting recorded images from long dormant lenses, this little improvisation works amazingly well for the time being. And what to do for the longer term?!? Well there is always Instax Wide!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMga33E69G7MNM-j-7ymNgSEtO5h8cM5536ouHfeu8w5dAdTBeRJu3FMgYOmfgU6_qy5KPH9eZieO7gFm4sw8Oz2KZEW0titDtifAWBTWvOKlP_oHI873diCnZoJddt9ItQzuASi9HSai/s1600/800Instax1302CKodakB102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="1600" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMga33E69G7MNM-j-7ymNgSEtO5h8cM5536ouHfeu8w5dAdTBeRJu3FMgYOmfgU6_qy5KPH9eZieO7gFm4sw8Oz2KZEW0titDtifAWBTWvOKlP_oHI873diCnZoJddt9ItQzuASi9HSai/s640/800Instax1302CKodakB102.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A pair of exposures in the Kodak Brownie 2C using Instax Wide film. Using polarizing filters and the diaphragm to tame the Instax film speed, I was able to get some promising results that got my curious mind wandering again. In the shot below, I used the "Close Up Lens #1" over the lens of the Brownie, just as I did with 120 film a few weeks ago, to create a close focused image through the box camera. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzD1hijOg_BIIZo4nXzd0OGzqdeOGBG9peXFIV44q07a0gUufkWFqI_uAeM5gEsQf_ZD9mxgc91g0bWpr0ArxHbpiVDu7-C7F563gLAmmrLMfPpTGhd09mJl5bMbbfK_SL4eX4-53j46za/s1600/800Instax1302CKodakB103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="1600" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzD1hijOg_BIIZo4nXzd0OGzqdeOGBG9peXFIV44q07a0gUufkWFqI_uAeM5gEsQf_ZD9mxgc91g0bWpr0ArxHbpiVDu7-C7F563gLAmmrLMfPpTGhd09mJl5bMbbfK_SL4eX4-53j46za/s640/800Instax1302CKodakB103.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This experiment served to me as a really great example of a win-win. Not only was I able to bring new life into this 130 film format camera to see that it was capable of quite a lot more than anyone might expect, but it also opened my eyes into doing more experimental things with different instant film media, eventually resulting in my own fun little breakthrough only days later that will be shared shortly! Stay tuned! </span><br />
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Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-13477149143251303952017-12-28T09:00:00.000-05:002017-12-28T09:49:23.424-05:00Dutch Date - Part 6: The Minolta Autopak 700 and the GAF Anscomatic 726<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Every so often, I'll get really frugal and ask a couple of cameras to share a roll of film. Though there are problems here and there, they'll usually agree. I call these "Dutch Dates" and usually try to pair cameras with something more than simply the film format in common. Below is a look at just one such pairing...</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8YwFzp2XCYBH0bisysjtQHH7LtN_9lf5qCxlTuK0WQmUoqTvkT28MQC72wdWAMKF6B0XunG_C_fJMvjMLx-6pK6SWL7HGcGAeR_nPxhhlY6PN8OTW7SiIFrUrDN3yQMXiai_jkrc-iwm/s1600/IMG_3059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8YwFzp2XCYBH0bisysjtQHH7LtN_9lf5qCxlTuK0WQmUoqTvkT28MQC72wdWAMKF6B0XunG_C_fJMvjMLx-6pK6SWL7HGcGAeR_nPxhhlY6PN8OTW7SiIFrUrDN3yQMXiai_jkrc-iwm/s640/IMG_3059.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So would the two early Gen X'ers find that their classic American staple tasted like a finely aged Bourbon or stale beer? Read on to find out!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Camera Models: </b>Minolta Autopak 700 (ca 1966) and GAF Anscomatic 726 (ca 1969)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Similarities:</b> Both are Japanese made 126 format auto-exposure rangefinders of early 1970's vintage with the capability of full manual control. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Differences:</b> The GAF has a higher top speed (1/500) than the Minolta (1/250) and, from limited previous experience, is much more accomodating to use of 35mm film spooled into a 126 cartridge. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Film Shared: </b>Expired Kodak Gold 200-126 expired in January 1992. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was just last May when I first elected to pick up and use a camera in the favorite format of my mom: none other than 126 cartridge. Though it seemed my initial tries with this film and format encountered more challenges than conquests, I ultimately discovered a new love and respect for this largely forgotten film format, and some of the machines designed to utilize it. With cameras in 126 format available for next to nothing, I snapped up a small sampling of various "Instamatic" type cameras to get a better feel of all that the 126 format once was. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amid this spree, I picked up a Minolta Autopak 700 and a GAF Anscomatic 726 to see how they compared to the Kodak Instamatic cameras in the 700 and 800 series that I was quickly becoming enchanted by. Both of these seemed to have a full feature set that was comparable to the typical 35mm Japanese rangefinder cameras of the same period, something lacking in the quirky Kodak versions. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>In these pickups, I hoped to find a suitable alternative to the Kodak's that married the best features of these cameras into a single body, in particular, the ease of rangefinder assisted focusing, and a manual stroke advance that was receptive to using 135 stock in the 126 cartridges. The addition of full manual controls would make the perfect trifecta of features that could make either of these models perfect to allow the use of film speeds not really possible in the Kodak models. For this experiment, I'm using a scarce roll of original 126 film, a cartridge of Kodak Gold that expired in early 1992, the scarcity of which offers a good justification for splitting between two cameras. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Minolta Autopak 700 is a compact rangefinder camera that is apparently built upon the same platform as the Minolta Rapid 24, which is a similarly square format 35mm camera using rapid cassettes. The 700 offers a reasonably fast f/2.8 lens, shutter speeds from 1/30 to 1/250 including B, and an automatic mode that selected shutter and aperture based upon light conditions detected by the meter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The GAF Anscomatic 726 is a Petri-made product branded under GAF that seems at initial glance to be a distinct product of its own merit, and not a rebadge of an existing Petri product. It too sports a modestly fast f/2.8 lens, and the availability of a shutter priority automatic mode, but it benefits from a faster top speed of 1/500. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both cameras are fairly commonly found for sale on sites familiar to vintage camera collectors, and typically can be had for about $10, though the Minolta seems to have better brand-esteem than either GAF or Petri, so it seems more is written online about the Autopak than the Anscomatic, based on its name recognition.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Minolta Autopak 700</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just a few clues are evident at first front glance that this is NOT a 35mm rangefinder.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At first glance, the Minolta Autopak 700 can easily be mistaken for a 35mm rangefinder, but at closer look, telling clues become evident, from the square viewfinder and wider focal length of the lens on the front to the cartridge based back.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The availability of manual aperture and shutter speed settings were the main drawing points of the Autopak 700 for me. As I looked about the marketplace for the various offerings of 126 format cameras, the full manual operation of the Autopak 700 and its affordable price was certainly a bonus. I looked forward to seeing if this could be a great alternative to the aforementioned (and rarely seen) Rapid 24 that I could use to shoot square format 35mm shots on any film stock when spooled into a recycled 126 cartridge. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, this model and I got off on a bad start. The first example, picked up for about $15 online, would not advance film when the door was shut. I had written the model off as a loss, when I was lucky enough to see one on an auction listing in tandem with an Instamatic 800 I already wanted. Fortunately, the advance on this camera dropped into place properly on closing the door, and I thought I was in business to shoot respooled 135 film. Until I got to my second shot. The film advance moved forward and the shutter wouldn't fire unless I opened the back and re-set the pin. I managed another shot or two on the camera before giving up on the folly, electing to use it simply as a vessel for the occasional cartridge of true 126 film I might happen across, of which this would be its first. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A look at the top of the Autopak 700 reveals my least favorite aspect of it, the offsetting display scales and use of tabs to adjust them. Distance scale is actually on the underside of the barrel. Note the EV scale window that correlates with the right side of the bright rangefinder with a clear contrast patch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Unfortunately, even with a true 126 cartridge, the shooting experience from the Autopak 700 left something to be desired. This seems to be a camera intended to be set to Auto, as adjusting manual controls on it is arduous at best, particularly for anyone who is used to shooting a 35mm fixed lens rangefinder of similar vintage. As while all of the settings such as aperture, shutter speed, and focal distance are set on the lens barrel, most require using inconveniently located tabs to adjust, resulting in a shooting experience that hardly feels intuitive. And while I'm sure that the typical buyer of this camera at the time simply got used to it after shooting cartridge after cartridge of 126 film, I find its odd layout to be a challenge to adapt to under occasional use, after having shot so many other cameras that stay closer to a uniform layout. I also notice that the film door on this model tends to have a fair amount of play, suggesting some concessions in build quality. However, I had little to no issues in seeing the rangefinder patch, which, once I figured out the focusing tab on the bottom of the lens barrel, made for rather easy work of focusing subjects. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When the 126 format negatives of this long expired Kodak Gold film returned from the photofinisher, I was pleased to see a remarkable amount of definition, detail, and contrast in them, indicating that they would have no issue on scanning. Sure enough, the results from the roll that began to emerge in the scanning process indicated that not only had the film aged remarkably well, but also that this camera took full advantage of it to produce photos indicative of its capabilities. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gallery:</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCP0fCa3hREaf-srwWDN6xYoN8v43nA-5F_iLcpmwqz8RHl1B2cb3Gul-Lqb5mUTJC8UbcShkHViaeLYBokhs0JA1l8lwMk3j7y8V67IPJCVkwrcQ26ZdEbL_RUkM6Dc3vRCIIqBug3y2L/s1600/200KodakGold700MinApk101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1546" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCP0fCa3hREaf-srwWDN6xYoN8v43nA-5F_iLcpmwqz8RHl1B2cb3Gul-Lqb5mUTJC8UbcShkHViaeLYBokhs0JA1l8lwMk3j7y8V67IPJCVkwrcQ26ZdEbL_RUkM6Dc3vRCIIqBug3y2L/s640/200KodakGold700MinApk101.jpg" width="618" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Taking a backlit photo on 25 year old film for my first shot in the Autopak was likely a terrible idea in hindsight, but damn if this camera didn't perform admirably given the conditions. A sharp rendition and surprisingly good color and contrast are present in the inaugural snap on true 126 film for this camera. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some bluish shifting was evident in shadowy scenes, but the results are still pretty incredible. Despite a fairly wide aperture, the sharpness in the plants in the outcropping is impressive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the nearer end of the focal range, I snapped this image in golden hour light, resulting in a shockingly good rendition. The bokeh on this image has some swirl and shows the diamond shape of the aperture opening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jaw Dropper. This is film that expired before Justin Beiber was born, and without any post processing enhancements, put forth this phenomenal result that looks more like a color slide than a scan from a negative. The Autopak masterfully eeked out every bit of fidelity in this film for an amazing result! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JiefzILlWXT-anEzfNxju7UXYcR242pihaC5Gm1kc6I_HUumq4Rd8yOpLbv_UrayqmAQoo1-G3Gm2up0h-GFXKeZD4ao0W-Il2MkggdFsRJ4csvjHP47K_ns-wWROBXcFWsKTHy7jgG0/s1600/200KodakGold700MinApk107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1572" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JiefzILlWXT-anEzfNxju7UXYcR242pihaC5Gm1kc6I_HUumq4Rd8yOpLbv_UrayqmAQoo1-G3Gm2up0h-GFXKeZD4ao0W-Il2MkggdFsRJ4csvjHP47K_ns-wWROBXcFWsKTHy7jgG0/s640/200KodakGold700MinApk107.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And oddly, for a follow up image taken moments later, there is a slight red shift to the result. Still, quite good though. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ93U0Bl-qPfhdF2AwJBDvlvhzc6oDNVman07E7maoMAHTnzA-UI9BUfVdpw41pjYkB1BGVQm5gHGssZxpycF11lPc6kJ5jX2JrjFAma5UtEKNkkMa4T7pcfhSSqV53SPhSZCZ-duXt0lK/s1600/200KodakGold700MinApk108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1573" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ93U0Bl-qPfhdF2AwJBDvlvhzc6oDNVman07E7maoMAHTnzA-UI9BUfVdpw41pjYkB1BGVQm5gHGssZxpycF11lPc6kJ5jX2JrjFAma5UtEKNkkMa4T7pcfhSSqV53SPhSZCZ-duXt0lK/s640/200KodakGold700MinApk108.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Had I known that this film was so well preserved, I'd have likely spent it on more vivid scenes than this, but still, the Autopak worked well in this setting as well. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAlOSoQN3n8UD5uNNXaIuSShqQzWb2ecnaC3hqZmzt2xj0BJGptee8flapgEu6DPOMugI7QNLTXVdV4oLHRxkCJ2QG3yDYIguC038C8J0D57je-b6tVC5xWB18OjK0NGPPkJt-7p90LUg/s1600/200KodakGold700MinApk111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1572" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAlOSoQN3n8UD5uNNXaIuSShqQzWb2ecnaC3hqZmzt2xj0BJGptee8flapgEu6DPOMugI7QNLTXVdV4oLHRxkCJ2QG3yDYIguC038C8J0D57je-b6tVC5xWB18OjK0NGPPkJt-7p90LUg/s640/200KodakGold700MinApk111.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Afternoon shadows and low sun cast a start look on this scene, which was easy picking for the Autopak 700. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One final close up scene that mirrors one done in Dutch Date #3 shows a rather interesting case where the smaller format 110 camera offered better background muting than this 126 camera, despite similar exposure settings. A little hint of light leak is evident in this image alone, though it may have resulted during the attempted dark room transfer of the film cartridge to the Anscomatic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>GAF Anscomatic 726</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcUeI1RGekxr3JDmHy_4GMu5MKenSPiFQaLeCLZMkVQF67dzwJcOG4T84SVvtCVQWu9S0EdnBA4Lgy2m6U900wsoSVMvvttHawxyGiGpEgu0aetCr800fJyXdPZA6GvOGEOjYaZW_h-zG/s1600/IMG_3067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmcUeI1RGekxr3JDmHy_4GMu5MKenSPiFQaLeCLZMkVQF67dzwJcOG4T84SVvtCVQWu9S0EdnBA4Lgy2m6U900wsoSVMvvttHawxyGiGpEgu0aetCr800fJyXdPZA6GvOGEOjYaZW_h-zG/s640/IMG_3067.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The "26" suffix to the model number, square rangefinder patch and viewfinder window, and front mounted shutter releases are the few telltale clues that the GAF Anscomatic 726 is something other than a 35mm rangefinder. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just as with the Minolta, the GAF Anscomatic 726 certainly favors a Japanese 35mm rangefinder in appearance as well. Given that it is made by Petri, this should come as little surprise. Most of the tell tale signs of being a 126 format camera also stem from the peculiarities of that format, including the rear film cassette door and the flash cube mount atop the camera.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My interest in this camera sprang from an antique store stop, in which I discovered an example of an Anscomatic 626, sister model to this camera which lacks the rangefinder assistance for focusing. I was quite impressed by this camera, though it showed signs of a tough life, with a bad ding in the lens ring, and a rear door that simply would not latch. A glance online led me to discover the 726, also available at a very modest price, and expecting the camera should be an improvement on the 626 that I came away with a favorable impression of, I opted to add it to my collection. Fortunately, the Anscomatic 726 didn't try to reinvent the wheel in its design. The ring arrangement atop the camera with the its trifecta of settings aligning to a center indicator, is in line with the vast majority of 1960's rangefinder cameras, and will look instantly familiar to anyone who has used these types of cameras previously. Though the two toned black and silver camera may use a plastic material instead of a leatherette for its finishing, the camera feels particularly well made, with the entire camera having the perfect amount of heft for its size, and the metal finishings feeling particularly well secured. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was actually difficult to find something I didn't like about this camera, but I did find the brightness of the rangefinder patch to be on the marginal side. Another slow shutter speed slower than 1/30 might have been nice as well, but these speeds were becoming increasingly less common on many rangefinder models as it was, in order to keep costs down and shutter mechanisms less complex. As such, the overall feature set of the Anscomatic 726 is one that seems of equivalent capability as most comparable 135 format cameras of the era. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw80gpXYbHFI15x_2JnPbfcS489WYv4kNs7Cp3sb2wZ9vx3OgR5SS0eBEI2qx25u25863xbqCjefCP792kebo4gjNzTCD_4GxMC8C6ghDZf4slpuQuSLrPmppiUvSDHhskplthgE_prfJx/s1600/IMG_3068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw80gpXYbHFI15x_2JnPbfcS489WYv4kNs7Cp3sb2wZ9vx3OgR5SS0eBEI2qx25u25863xbqCjefCP792kebo4gjNzTCD_4GxMC8C6ghDZf4slpuQuSLrPmppiUvSDHhskplthgE_prfJx/s640/IMG_3068.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The display and alignment of all settings to the top of the lens barrel on the Anscomatic 726 is a welcome difference from the arrangement on the Autopak 700. Clear and easy to read markings make the difference. Rather than use an EV system, the 726 uses basic settings, which are suggested in the easy to see viewfinder with its equally nice rangefinder patch. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8n4cJ_AAgLueEHPPkJ4fv5JFMkUA2Qt94Zh4mjoGjeOsXFlaeMtoAkOiAri4z7ic5OzKLweeaTV0AzvhS7RKQTgKTO8yMpQ2y-E8dYj6ZEup2XNANUG6_zg9vEXfyKxSIdSqdg39hORJv/s1600/IMG_3069+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="1600" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8n4cJ_AAgLueEHPPkJ4fv5JFMkUA2Qt94Zh4mjoGjeOsXFlaeMtoAkOiAri4z7ic5OzKLweeaTV0AzvhS7RKQTgKTO8yMpQ2y-E8dYj6ZEup2XNANUG6_zg9vEXfyKxSIdSqdg39hORJv/s640/IMG_3069+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Using the Anscomatic 726 was a very enjoyable experience. While the rangefinder brightness did make focusing on some closer foliage a challenge, the majority of my shots were smooth as silk. Settings were able to readily adjusted on the fly, focus was supple and smooth, and the shutter release and film advance all worked with satisfying precision, seeming to defy the notion of this being a camera that was made half a century ago. Having the 1/500 shutter speed was a welcome plus that allowed me to open up the lens a bit more than I could when using the Minolta. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just as with the negatives shot with the Autopak, I could see that shots 13-24 on the roll of Kodak Gold seemed to look just as good. In my scan, I realized I hadn't varied the compositions as much on this part of the roll, but what was shot was quite pleasing, and the scans bore this out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gallery:</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8qbwvuFU6XRmBvqHVBNFdsbX2DnDWtacN9APYb5TZ7WT66-wxXjWMmV61Rd6Z9WDfick2Ou5Tczk3ppv14qx6KKJ3XxlZBUzr6oeIlwDiOCWe1VQTcqE7rE4hKrb9CAmUStIXkILz405/s1600/200KodakGold726Ansco101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1573" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8qbwvuFU6XRmBvqHVBNFdsbX2DnDWtacN9APYb5TZ7WT66-wxXjWMmV61Rd6Z9WDfick2Ou5Tczk3ppv14qx6KKJ3XxlZBUzr6oeIlwDiOCWe1VQTcqE7rE4hKrb9CAmUStIXkILz405/s640/200KodakGold726Ansco101.jpg" width="628" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A bit of internal haze in the GAF's lenses presents a more dreamy look than that of the Autopak 700. A similar diamond shaped bokeh is evident in the backdrop. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgormpMzfhatDIMykmZUBRJGaVlJAVSK7tcuGoc0AzOANX7MeAfrEBpD1qkmS1D1NZ6WBIsqgrzTUmuvj66bMZaZAy07JdHfYfN1_1Pw6feVfjSQ08p0Y3Z6s68lTAc3Dlls44q-FJRFdBD/s1600/200KodakGold726Ansco102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1573" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgormpMzfhatDIMykmZUBRJGaVlJAVSK7tcuGoc0AzOANX7MeAfrEBpD1qkmS1D1NZ6WBIsqgrzTUmuvj66bMZaZAy07JdHfYfN1_1Pw6feVfjSQ08p0Y3Z6s68lTAc3Dlls44q-FJRFdBD/s640/200KodakGold726Ansco102.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A wider scene shot of the same location shows the slightly softer rendition to a great degree. Still a wonderful result. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTm1qGJSdC9cvoFGzhNNeZP-pEGTddTiEYYv9mH5dbIu25GOBJEEUcMUOkZsiUzsNsqD8wNjSch18o-T-lBql3mRowOdiMFTmaoi7Em78rv4ABS8xzSx-r93oEy96urkKoPZ89ri7OPmQ/s1600/200KodakGold726Ansco103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1572" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTm1qGJSdC9cvoFGzhNNeZP-pEGTddTiEYYv9mH5dbIu25GOBJEEUcMUOkZsiUzsNsqD8wNjSch18o-T-lBql3mRowOdiMFTmaoi7Em78rv4ABS8xzSx-r93oEy96urkKoPZ89ri7OPmQ/s640/200KodakGold726Ansco103.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Focus on the Anscomatic was pretty much spot on, and colors, while seemingly not as vibrant as those taken on the Minolta, still portray beautifully. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDpDO53BCVBp4E9QTPR_TVIQU0ADvPj9_g0GCtOeFXgt7XqEFWsukwSJd0I0D8ANRHEdbif1-CX0pY_bUmmFpnY6eGczYcBTtZoLgQZMMlMCpJ7BoAKRVh-29E0rqeRQbWPpduc0OiiUC/s1600/200KodakGold726Ansco104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1572" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDpDO53BCVBp4E9QTPR_TVIQU0ADvPj9_g0GCtOeFXgt7XqEFWsukwSJd0I0D8ANRHEdbif1-CX0pY_bUmmFpnY6eGczYcBTtZoLgQZMMlMCpJ7BoAKRVh-29E0rqeRQbWPpduc0OiiUC/s640/200KodakGold726Ansco104.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One enemy of the Anscomatic was flare, which did not render well in this snapshot of some of the nearby cows.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIdHF4s8Pyxxw80B3C2QCzpx0JVgYtdUk_UV5gMisqNZKQHC_y95gGQZn7b5nsiSGLSFGI_SCfTW-VUde5I94wsuR9E8JTYzUdYs4OYoTDqAzsWDBDYXOX8tC8qkQ61rPSQziNutK14Lp/s1600/200KodakGold726Ansco106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1573" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIdHF4s8Pyxxw80B3C2QCzpx0JVgYtdUk_UV5gMisqNZKQHC_y95gGQZn7b5nsiSGLSFGI_SCfTW-VUde5I94wsuR9E8JTYzUdYs4OYoTDqAzsWDBDYXOX8tC8qkQ61rPSQziNutK14Lp/s640/200KodakGold726Ansco106.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In this instance, the near branches were very well isolated from the muted backdrop, to which a very pleasant swirl is evident. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCjVYR8a64LGOP9FNyb5de20h2raZK9gXl6qTLqEDKQl8UuPojuhnyKlUhODNDawJepGjU0O6cod1b0oVozbEIkiF7pekBtxcf9NoLa9kdRsC7v9Qib9Yy2ecQjXmz2de0RUcUzjC0hO-/s1600/200KodakGold726Ansco108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1573" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCjVYR8a64LGOP9FNyb5de20h2raZK9gXl6qTLqEDKQl8UuPojuhnyKlUhODNDawJepGjU0O6cod1b0oVozbEIkiF7pekBtxcf9NoLa9kdRsC7v9Qib9Yy2ecQjXmz2de0RUcUzjC0hO-/s640/200KodakGold726Ansco108.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Having a bulb mode with full control of aperture is a great feature on both of these cameras. The GAF's settings were easy to use and delivered a lovely result here. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6vqq5jcy_7xptmVTg7Fuq5ker1dvu9zFA1r7HVVXvQibyVOGVDXi8VzVGdD4-bwdHoTA4pUhy7nbtnAXt1Tbor6UAnRGHLrJox8JnEPJt6vv-i8hia3mRZ3WPqLW-CgmHw8zxaOWemxY/s1600/200KodakGold726Ansco109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1572" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6vqq5jcy_7xptmVTg7Fuq5ker1dvu9zFA1r7HVVXvQibyVOGVDXi8VzVGdD4-bwdHoTA4pUhy7nbtnAXt1Tbor6UAnRGHLrJox8JnEPJt6vv-i8hia3mRZ3WPqLW-CgmHw8zxaOWemxY/s640/200KodakGold726Ansco109.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Managing to capture this image as both Autumn and daylight rapidly descended into cold winter darkness, I got a generally good result, with a hint of banding and flare near the top of the frame. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FbN4qbofqTT12ld0PmUPgXMkDHc5wVA6eFr0AE26c8xMvhiz8PU36p_wdMabCiTFeKXm9DLNmjuLKwW6vDv_GNy1Dsc4yaYKrr_WwzQw8NjZi4tObAU9EDrTd3S-2CsOaU0GqDitcRYz/s1600/200KodakGold726Ansco113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1572" data-original-width="1600" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FbN4qbofqTT12ld0PmUPgXMkDHc5wVA6eFr0AE26c8xMvhiz8PU36p_wdMabCiTFeKXm9DLNmjuLKwW6vDv_GNy1Dsc4yaYKrr_WwzQw8NjZi4tObAU9EDrTd3S-2CsOaU0GqDitcRYz/s640/200KodakGold726Ansco113.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One final capture, taken wide open (note the circular bokeh pattern) and at closest focus, rendered a somewhat grainy, but still pleasant and dreamy result from the Anscomatic 726.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Thoughts:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After focusing on the usage of the cameras, and hoping that the film would carry decent images, the true Wow factor from this roll came more from the remarkable vibrance present in the images across the roll. It really was as if this cartridge of film had passed through a time warp.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When that elation subsided, I realized that I had two very capable cameras at my disposal that could put forth some exceptional images. Despite being very similar in specification, both cameras were quite distinct in their usage as well as the qualities of their rendered images on film. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Minolta put forth a often blistering sharpness combined with an amazing color rendition. The GAF offered a softer color rendition and a nicer swirl the bokeh in its images. Of the two, GAF was certainly the easier of the two to use, giving it the slight edge over the Minolta if I were pressed to pick a favorite. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But the GAF Anscomatic 726 will likely never see another cartridge full of 126 film, while the Minolta Autopak 700 almost certainly will. This is by no means a damnation of the camera - quite the opposite. With supplies of decent 126 film being especially finite, and with the GAF being so especially tolerant of respooled 135 film in its chambers, the GAF will likely be treated to more usage with fresher film stocks while the Autopak will make it out here and there when I have an original 126 cartridge that I can supply this picky camera. </span></div>
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Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-55221847972027852992017-12-20T09:00:00.000-05:002017-12-20T13:33:19.808-05:00Dutch Date - Part 5: Ricoh Singlex TLS and Ricoh 35 Flex<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Every so often, I'll get really frugal and ask a couple of cameras to share a roll of film. Though there are problems here and there, they'll usually agree. I call these "Dutch Dates" and usually try to pair cameras with something more than simply the film format in common. Below is a look at just one such pairing...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As they settled in to enjoy an English delicacy, the 35 Flex asked the Singlex if the battle wounds were real or self-inflicted. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Camera Models: </b>Ricoh Singlex TLS (1967) and Ricoh 35 Flex (1963)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Similarities:</b> Both are 1960's Ricoh SLR cameras under their own brand name.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Differences:</b> The Singlex is a conventional focal plane shutter SLR with interchangeable lenses, while the 35 Flex is a leaf shutter SLR with a fixed lens. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Film Shared: </b>Ilford FP4+, Fresh Dated </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 1960's might be considered to be the prime period for Ricoh's camera models. Though the Japanese camera maker certainly had a pretty lengthy run of producing some very capable, and often quite unique film cameras, the Sixties seem to be when Ricoh made a name for itself in a pretty crowded industry. Though the maker continued creating some excellent cameras in the decades to follow, it seemed to be increasingly marginalized, at least in the US, as Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Minolta, and Olympus took the top spots in the remaining field.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Two cameras from the Ricoh-rich 60's are the Singlex TLS and the 35 Flex. The Singlex reprised a badge from earlier in the decade of an SLR camera designed to use Nikon mount lenses. Call this camera a "reboot" from a time when such a term was literally unheard of in the wider world. This later version uses an M42 mount instead. The 35 Flex was a more short lived variant from earlier in the decade, released amid other leaf-shutter SLR cameras of various makes, and offering a basic set of controls on a fixed lens body. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both of these cameras had been sort of spontaneous pickups on my part, costing little, but giving me no benefit by simply collecting dust. I had some concerns on the overall functionality of both cameras, and both briefly made it out to nearly taking a maiden roll, only to be shelved again. Finally, I figured it high time to dedicate a roll of good film shared between the two to see how I liked the shooting experience and results from each, making this approach a perfect avenue to see results without too much effort.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Ricoh Singlex TLS reflects the basic "final product" of most SLR products of the late 1960's, including interchangeable lenses, battery powered metering, selectable apertures on the lens ring, and selectable shutter speeds as fast as 1/1000 on the camera body itself. The actuation of the shutter itself is mechanical, allowing the camera to be operated without batteries. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By comparison, the Ricoh 35 Flex represents a more embryonic version of an SLR camera, with a fixed 4-element f/2.8 lens, leaf shutter, and selenium powered cell metering. Shutter speeds on this camera only go as fast as 1/300 of a second, representing the limitations and complexity of leaf shutter SLR models to a large degree. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today, the Singlex TLS has maintained a respectable, and still somewhat well known reputation for being a well built mechanical SLR that has aged quite gracefully. The 35 Flex on the other hand has become an obscure footnote in the Ricoh history, carrying with it the general tendency of leaf shutter SLR cameras to be problematic as the years pass, and all but impossible to fix. Views of the typical sales outlets of the time of this writing show dozens of TLS models available, but only three of the 35 Flex models.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Ricoh Singlex TLS</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The broken lugs would likely rate it at something less than "Minty" for any reputable seller, but given that this $3 as/is truly does function, I'm fine with its somewhat worn appearance. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I first stumbled across the Ricoh Singlex TLS as a possible acquisition as I explored a possible upgrade to my Mamiya MSX-500, whose shutter speed topped at 1/500. I wanted a cheap pickup that offered a faster top shutter speed, making it easier to shoot lenses like the Helios 44-2 at wider apertures for fun bokeh. My browsing for such an upgrade was pretty casual, until I came across an auction listing for one for $3. I figured it worth a try to see if I could score it, and was surprised when the morning expiration time of the auction came and went with no other bidders. I was the new owner of a $3 SLR, complete with a Vivitar 50mm f/1.9 lens. I only hoped that it worked!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And work it did! Well... mostly - more on that in a minute. I was pleased to see that this camera was a hefty solid build with a pretty clear and easy to focus viewfinder. All the basic elements that one might ask for in a camera were well represented by this sharp Ricoh camera. Focusing, shooting, and winding all felt like they should. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Metering? Not so much on this camera. The Singlex TLS offers it, but this meter gave no response. I certainly couldn't find room to complain given what I had paid. Less specific to my specimen however was the shutter speed dial, front mounted, similar to the Ricoh 126-C Flex. With more shutter speed choices on this ring than the 126, it seemed that the dial might easily be jostled to another setting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Using standard M42 lenses, such as the Vivitar 50mm f/1.9 used for the photos below, the Ricoh Singlex is nicely minimalist in its design, but is a well built camera to say the least. The viewfinder of the camera is fairly ordinary, and typical of its era, but is still very easy to focus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sure enough this would happen in practice. I would take a shot at 1/500 and pick up the camera moments later to find the ring had been moved over to 1/125. As there are no indicators of shutter speed in the viewfinder, it quickly became apparent that I'd have to check the camera each time I picked it up. Another odd quirk to this particular camera was one that tended to waste film. It seemed that every time the camera would sit for an extended period, the first shot taken would have a much longer shutter speed than marked. Perhaps the shutter lost tension as it sat after winding. I meant to test to see if waiting to wind until just before shooting made a difference after the camera sat, but never could seem to modify my ingrained habits of winding directly after shooting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Peeking at the negatives from the Singlex TLS, I was greeted with sharp and well exposed negatives for the most part, but always could tell the "throwaway" frames that started off a series of shots after a pause. Of about 18 photos taken, 4 fell into this category. The rest however showed great contrast and sharpness from the unremarked Vivitar lens that came with this camera. It seemed that once "warmed up," the Singlex was well worth the $3 purchase price. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gallery:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Nation's smallest train station? I doubt it, but Harmony Grove is certainly among the more spartan "stations" I have seen. After firing off the warm up shot, the Singlex took to action and competently performed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Knowing this camera's issue, I found myself wanting to shoot more images while the shutter "was still warm" to minimize waste. Fortunately in this case, I didn't simply reallocate that waste. Striking tonality makes for a good second effort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Under a bit more direct light, the Singlex and the FP4 combined to create some sharp images through the Vivitar lens. Some grain is evident, but it is of the pleasant variety. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Subject isolation, even in marginal lighting was actually pretty good on the Singlex, with the husks being clearly defined from the details in the distance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Close focusing in windy conditions is a challenge, and results in very little of this image being in focus, particularly the leaves near center. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The somewhat friendly neighborhood cows weren't entirely resistant to having their photos taken by the intrepid quirky guy and his 1960's SLR camera on Thanksgiving. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stopped down, the Vivitar lens gives off about the expected look from a "normal" SLR lens. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NYDl9yLVxqyAwpK6mpdVW8c-iWvncNs68-IDtGQ9tPDbaYXmDwPNjfN1kzE_p8S0nJ2435nUTJGXdBIL72aJqa5PB1i_MHlrzB6EL2oZlD0M9fUsl_kyXttHd1-y1iW5twsywkqywELx/s1600/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1030" data-original-width="1600" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NYDl9yLVxqyAwpK6mpdVW8c-iWvncNs68-IDtGQ9tPDbaYXmDwPNjfN1kzE_p8S0nJ2435nUTJGXdBIL72aJqa5PB1i_MHlrzB6EL2oZlD0M9fUsl_kyXttHd1-y1iW5twsywkqywELx/s640/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Contrast heavy scenes tended to be render a bit harshly through the Vivitar lens. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KOz6ygnFxmv_-77PcpU_olJlfHEWU8LhDRI9Dfy1KE_iTy6f8VWQTNW8q_3JkImeomBeUUrkDgtFtoTY5ok5rzCD0y1dKOJikhkqpggqRlmBwOp2ExM2lyrY0NJnxZcs3E56_ux1hadz/s1600/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1600" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KOz6ygnFxmv_-77PcpU_olJlfHEWU8LhDRI9Dfy1KE_iTy6f8VWQTNW8q_3JkImeomBeUUrkDgtFtoTY5ok5rzCD0y1dKOJikhkqpggqRlmBwOp2ExM2lyrY0NJnxZcs3E56_ux1hadz/s640/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh110.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Softer scenes however, really worked well for the Singlex and Vivitar combination. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhY8U8UdRWnoFCeH7yMM-oaJagX2qxii9H_48gnOGnzwLdkNMJnKuiFNReR0qHnWkTd8ENFkTep_MnOSV9TIBEFGBZu9mVYGrFl167S6e3Vx-9hNZYCApycIlZoqisedDmyKlqXozMoAf/s1600/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="991" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhY8U8UdRWnoFCeH7yMM-oaJagX2qxii9H_48gnOGnzwLdkNMJnKuiFNReR0qHnWkTd8ENFkTep_MnOSV9TIBEFGBZu9mVYGrFl167S6e3Vx-9hNZYCApycIlZoqisedDmyKlqXozMoAf/s640/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh112.jpg" width="396" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Backlight was quite well tamed by the twosome. Though some details wash out in the process, there is no flare to obscure the details of the close leaves. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13cbTwKwsZ3mNFEsUMQCBVAtWKLxSS9xnNo_a-SROqy-B4J7NE4r7vRoG4EKpWB0Y-DhOG8y1Y9bgEHehG5gwzETsGvrCtI-w24YvRrOCRALfEpSA0jHCKCDg-Fx2uv89f7-7YFTgQtJI/s1600/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="1050" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13cbTwKwsZ3mNFEsUMQCBVAtWKLxSS9xnNo_a-SROqy-B4J7NE4r7vRoG4EKpWB0Y-DhOG8y1Y9bgEHehG5gwzETsGvrCtI-w24YvRrOCRALfEpSA0jHCKCDg-Fx2uv89f7-7YFTgQtJI/s640/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh113.jpg" width="550" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though I largely bought this camera to use the Helios on, I have to admit I'm pleasantly surprised by the painterly bokeh that the Vivitar 50mm f/1.9 offers, as seen here. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZeQ-ggheEBR-4gZZcec-PuuanKSzgNoqtuMy_8VGOKLCEt4DHFU-50kX6W8_DJpvc0w_8fNAfTT4RjwxmBgct6tQI-SgoLq__Hw77shTGGxHaErsShuf0IE72vhcGPYtQS2psswBJZ6t/s1600/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZeQ-ggheEBR-4gZZcec-PuuanKSzgNoqtuMy_8VGOKLCEt4DHFU-50kX6W8_DJpvc0w_8fNAfTT4RjwxmBgct6tQI-SgoLq__Hw77shTGGxHaErsShuf0IE72vhcGPYtQS2psswBJZ6t/s640/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another example of a "sun in shot" scene that the Singlex handled admirably with its supplied lens. In cases like this, it may be better that I guessed exposure rather than trust a meter. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4qKF10WYk2tEnzwYDND3X2PTTzZRPsaHuupjHsZBpt_OAnz6_7QO72DCR1Jv2wpCXRVNGpKZbwxetsRZ5l-ZfraXNNwiMPDWCPihg_zvQdO4kbd-2EkEzhs0PHNA6WAfqCYNQupOONBw/s1600/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4qKF10WYk2tEnzwYDND3X2PTTzZRPsaHuupjHsZBpt_OAnz6_7QO72DCR1Jv2wpCXRVNGpKZbwxetsRZ5l-ZfraXNNwiMPDWCPihg_zvQdO4kbd-2EkEzhs0PHNA6WAfqCYNQupOONBw/s640/Fp4IlfordSinglexRicoh111.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Scratch off the handful of losses from this set from the flaky shutter, and the Singlex delivers some very good results with each well thought out composition. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Ricoh 35 Flex</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwirPUjr8u_ZliUTnBWqjJSpyjj-rEUSRtW2WSbrHtJ6OwhQzLoX7LpK-EOpuq-FFsv8kC-5q5EoiHc4RaEGxc3FSWXy4I52X_lnd3vgIrgLE5VJSu4muiqtbuqL7grDOOfJxWUXPwji7/s1600/IMG_3004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwirPUjr8u_ZliUTnBWqjJSpyjj-rEUSRtW2WSbrHtJ6OwhQzLoX7LpK-EOpuq-FFsv8kC-5q5EoiHc4RaEGxc3FSWXy4I52X_lnd3vgIrgLE5VJSu4muiqtbuqL7grDOOfJxWUXPwji7/s640/IMG_3004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With the pentaprism carrying the array of selenium cells, the Ricoh badge of the 35 Flex sits off to the side on this fairly uncommon leaf shutter SLR camera.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Around the same time as I picked up the Singlex TLS, I have having a bit of an infatuation with leaf shutter SLR models, particularly after I managed some good results with the Mamiya Autolux 35. The 35 Flex is a close contemporary of that camera, and offers up much of the same type of features, along with its own version of the distinctive shutter sound that only a leaf shutter SLR can offer. Given that the camera cost under $20, it was not a huge gamble, that happened to pay off when the camera arrived in working condition. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The top deck of this camera is very spartan compared to the "cluster-fork" that comprises most modern SLR cameras. To a degree, this is quite refreshing. All settings are done on the lens barrel itself, leaving a frame counter as the only indicator on the top of the camera. I had little issue using the camera in this fashion, I did occasionally grumble at trying to find the nubs that changed these settings under the small window in which they were seen. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While I certainly expected little to nothing from the selenium meter that was now more than 50 years old, I did find that this camera's settings tended to slip into "A" modes a bit too readily. Given that there seemed no response from the meter, I tried to shoot the entire roll manually, but it seems the last couple shots were accidentally taken in auto exposure mode. Surprisingly, they seemed to turn out OK. Disengaging the automatic modes could be a bit cumbersome - if both aperture and shutter were set to "A," one could only disengage the shutter speed first, then the aperture to move back to full manual control. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-thJ1pcUF53J_0k73Lea1M_wHt3jmTxMASv4hwjkG1kHGDAaFeCnKhSAhcKxEDagbJqfFlBskznnuLT4cfOCxzvG-LKnRTXEcTROCkoE7bXRRlGeicFWlfGIGTKNFDbtMl6_rtO0bfQZ/s1600/IMG_3005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-thJ1pcUF53J_0k73Lea1M_wHt3jmTxMASv4hwjkG1kHGDAaFeCnKhSAhcKxEDagbJqfFlBskznnuLT4cfOCxzvG-LKnRTXEcTROCkoE7bXRRlGeicFWlfGIGTKNFDbtMl6_rtO0bfQZ/s640/IMG_3005.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aperture, shutter speed, and focal distance are all set on the lens barrel, resulting in a very lightly populated top deck to the Ricoh 35 Flex. The settings for aperture especially close together, but stepless. The viewfinder of this fixed lens leaf SLR is hugely impractical to clean, and shows the signs of its age, but was bright in spite of the dust. Though the meter on this version is busted, I did love the little arm with the small red "lantern" that would raise upward to alert of improper lighting.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxLU4yUHGvm2zOGjGgvFfzMt408DmVW4VhF5Oh6xO1KvPe11dOjkIdTyQzXYPF-ZnxZi7IEOELl1G_5JGSV3d89qei3n6YuoSOhqGRZ1oHUYIE8ZNnc9V-w1sD2XJWEBTEHeEux-7bmV-/s1600/IMG_3008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXxLU4yUHGvm2zOGjGgvFfzMt408DmVW4VhF5Oh6xO1KvPe11dOjkIdTyQzXYPF-ZnxZi7IEOELl1G_5JGSV3d89qei3n6YuoSOhqGRZ1oHUYIE8ZNnc9V-w1sD2XJWEBTEHeEux-7bmV-/s640/IMG_3008.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aside from the quirks mentioned above, the only other pain point on the Ricoh 35 Flex was the film advance, which on this example was particularly tight. Though manageable, I did worry it might tear the film. Fortunately, that concern was not well founded. Focusing and firing the 35 Flex seemed to work just as planned, though the long multi-layered noise of the shutter release gave me some concern that the shutter was firing slow, as guesstimating the performance of a leaf shutter by sound is a bit a challenge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And fortunately that concern was not well founded as well! As I developed four rolls of film at once, I found myself continually drawn to the negatives shot by none other than the Ricoh 35 Flex, astonished to a large degree that a camera that I had only modest confidence in, had delivered such sharp, clear, and contrasty negatives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gallery:</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPF_5_lPLtbydBg5XiCmsYa1SYtAN3JC6WgkH5zMwomyFnBj9XSuQyUoQ7KKDuQ-ZPGfa0phXqaNcIcElLFAvIaQdejWfBDdYxEHbyBpoesW6F9QdRKtoZC_NUdgwJ_2pebK_Vrhz-OY4F/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1015" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPF_5_lPLtbydBg5XiCmsYa1SYtAN3JC6WgkH5zMwomyFnBj9XSuQyUoQ7KKDuQ-ZPGfa0phXqaNcIcElLFAvIaQdejWfBDdYxEHbyBpoesW6F9QdRKtoZC_NUdgwJ_2pebK_Vrhz-OY4F/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh103.jpg" width="406" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't typically do "texture" shots, but couldn't resist this one. The 35 Flex focused where desired and gave me this result. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9PlPkQ0BJlrCNp_yXSfPV0jUBLdx-wj69QSoYKzEFpfwV8S7RKC1qjo21zm5z1R8spmsoBf7H4uCNkaM8HReQSwjBThDqY0Hyduc37ehyn51HourY3Vhzp1QEz36YmdZxr8QAHpf5u1l/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9PlPkQ0BJlrCNp_yXSfPV0jUBLdx-wj69QSoYKzEFpfwV8S7RKC1qjo21zm5z1R8spmsoBf7H4uCNkaM8HReQSwjBThDqY0Hyduc37ehyn51HourY3Vhzp1QEz36YmdZxr8QAHpf5u1l/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It didn't take me too long to realize that the f/2.8 wide aperture was actually pretty adequate to isolate subjects, and that this camera was a bit better than expected. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_sxa5IfXVphCgQ5ycXLM8NFODgTc1H9jnvtbv3cJwTpySOZo7wFKRQL5_de_Z2uIBuQJO-utJ1F5FXH_fKj58KPCV1AtUFbdf6gmQMQPOt7m3Kswg79HAitmKZT7ndw02Gk0SGFF3UsR/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="1063" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_sxa5IfXVphCgQ5ycXLM8NFODgTc1H9jnvtbv3cJwTpySOZo7wFKRQL5_de_Z2uIBuQJO-utJ1F5FXH_fKj58KPCV1AtUFbdf6gmQMQPOt7m3Kswg79HAitmKZT7ndw02Gk0SGFF3UsR/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh106.jpg" width="440" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The sharpness of the 4 element Rikenon lens is quite good for most subjects and worked quite well with the FP4 film. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeTcUgyub7ICwXskHetxHNY0tlamumDMbH_QZmY9DG96aqYnBKRu1fSehBFhvZ-bIY4r3LDtz485iRN-smK3WdPlPfCTUijWffH5GwGE61GUfmSrUKLB2-MBcOi-6rHfz2bISYy086le7/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeTcUgyub7ICwXskHetxHNY0tlamumDMbH_QZmY9DG96aqYnBKRu1fSehBFhvZ-bIY4r3LDtz485iRN-smK3WdPlPfCTUijWffH5GwGE61GUfmSrUKLB2-MBcOi-6rHfz2bISYy086le7/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had only limited hope for this photo taken at close focus wide open, given the comparatively slow lens, but the 35 Flex shattered my expectations in an amazing way and won me over with this image.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDy0KbFE8N6mRdhnu85GEJ44KSWbKJhklrrn0sVY1lJL1F4o9xn0AdygOUK3PhM71PSupyBEcvxq68HF69GVeGmlOMzG9fqwcoC3v_WojfbY8jy4sWfySsMl5929f-kfGA7neLHhyyTH-/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1018" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDy0KbFE8N6mRdhnu85GEJ44KSWbKJhklrrn0sVY1lJL1F4o9xn0AdygOUK3PhM71PSupyBEcvxq68HF69GVeGmlOMzG9fqwcoC3v_WojfbY8jy4sWfySsMl5929f-kfGA7neLHhyyTH-/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh108.jpg" width="406" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Contrasty scenes were all very well contained by the 35 Flex and the FP4 film combination. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirsIAKGtOFaJY2C1nW1mHlfCg8tg9KaZ6dpovQgF7m8Sm-8DzDEmj025SjyxaWPoHjWGoHlxOElkiOMZCZHlFvVOL1krlA7Y4BAq7nN8D1xKIlYZ374VIXQfX8Q4atnQ8m3oA2Btz0sYLd/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirsIAKGtOFaJY2C1nW1mHlfCg8tg9KaZ6dpovQgF7m8Sm-8DzDEmj025SjyxaWPoHjWGoHlxOElkiOMZCZHlFvVOL1krlA7Y4BAq7nN8D1xKIlYZ374VIXQfX8Q4atnQ8m3oA2Btz0sYLd/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On occasion, when trying to focus in narrow scenes, I was a bit off. Focus on the near tree is imperfect, and something to keep an eye on for future use. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmDV-DVYBZNJG6z7Nxm2IgVLiWhooXeKow3_UdEjH4J_eeedYV2CA61JP-y7sLu3hJgbog3ZaGlhyphenhyphen1C_pBQ6rBeCe9JCeakQ2kyvMnr7Yuir9APhej6iELQE-nf3XdpelpTsGhOvQb-BG/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmDV-DVYBZNJG6z7Nxm2IgVLiWhooXeKow3_UdEjH4J_eeedYV2CA61JP-y7sLu3hJgbog3ZaGlhyphenhyphen1C_pBQ6rBeCe9JCeakQ2kyvMnr7Yuir9APhej6iELQE-nf3XdpelpTsGhOvQb-BG/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh111.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Largely though, the 35 Flex did about what I hoped, if not more. This however, may have been focused at too far a distance to really blur the backdrop. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQK6lBdbO0jUqzkTCCA7CEleTkeFKrAwUgskUMejUgGORqGz6Y7v5wQZJRyHi-L_C2CJrx3rpv3dIQR9rkKTQqFbQQcnR8mc1QBYxqUYWsQcQDgJpKLh1J2zOOoeD6el02aASQEiePCX-9/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1051" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQK6lBdbO0jUqzkTCCA7CEleTkeFKrAwUgskUMejUgGORqGz6Y7v5wQZJRyHi-L_C2CJrx3rpv3dIQR9rkKTQqFbQQcnR8mc1QBYxqUYWsQcQDgJpKLh1J2zOOoeD6el02aASQEiePCX-9/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh112.jpg" width="420" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A lot of iron and brick captured by a camera that evokes an era of heavy build quality itself.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTluragLYKAYrzEL9vmTkfcNgaEvxl3gyzlQvqIhz7lcnXuofFVVrKkCd5B1su-ad0P0BdIEK3S0YfX-NLZdnQGE1QZvOm4RfUEDrcBKl3QuVGpAYEw3-FDAoG-LcMaKT3nb6y0Z-SDl9S/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTluragLYKAYrzEL9vmTkfcNgaEvxl3gyzlQvqIhz7lcnXuofFVVrKkCd5B1su-ad0P0BdIEK3S0YfX-NLZdnQGE1QZvOm4RfUEDrcBKl3QuVGpAYEw3-FDAoG-LcMaKT3nb6y0Z-SDl9S/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh113.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Scene shots all seemed to give some great results on the 35 Flex, with sharp details and pleasing contrast. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8QF0m9LYldNlKuVUF-NlqAyzw3NF7LG2CVQDJP5Uxdfgqio4oUqmVazX4YL_fkWwpS_0ruJpJkeTew4JbPQtQF31yZoSSxqwPyLeoc6C-tXpS4sw76wctz-sgS8YjY6_iihRK1Pyz1Gl/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8QF0m9LYldNlKuVUF-NlqAyzw3NF7LG2CVQDJP5Uxdfgqio4oUqmVazX4YL_fkWwpS_0ruJpJkeTew4JbPQtQF31yZoSSxqwPyLeoc6C-tXpS4sw76wctz-sgS8YjY6_iihRK1Pyz1Gl/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh114.jpg" width="404" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A little bit of banding on one side of this frame offers a bit of mystery to an otherwise well exposed frame. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CzKEylxqr61QRYzGaVFpAkLhGJT7npWN8SbcQOmTfn89WigwIIyFGetIk57gwHDa97uEyy4Ml0nq6ROEtF6MXV9SkWA3wgO7Up5nEtzrNs_HttNUz1jFpsoUCC8AomJbKOinGx9DMlTh/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CzKEylxqr61QRYzGaVFpAkLhGJT7npWN8SbcQOmTfn89WigwIIyFGetIk57gwHDa97uEyy4Ml0nq6ROEtF6MXV9SkWA3wgO7Up5nEtzrNs_HttNUz1jFpsoUCC8AomJbKOinGx9DMlTh/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh115.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The poshest looking abandoned "Snack Shop" I've ever seen. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivIW1UlcuiIbdY7vKnCPfvSuAzzIavyVKj9N6oeubik9gCSlQ26IN81TQgaWRgODPWiFupXgIFk-bSR3sQSQZgzoCa14Cg5s5pzQHzylNq9kTAiu4O7Bgygv5jCORfxA3Y8imigUZPAsd/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivIW1UlcuiIbdY7vKnCPfvSuAzzIavyVKj9N6oeubik9gCSlQ26IN81TQgaWRgODPWiFupXgIFk-bSR3sQSQZgzoCa14Cg5s5pzQHzylNq9kTAiu4O7Bgygv5jCORfxA3Y8imigUZPAsd/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh116.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Great fine line details and crisp edges combine with pleasing tonality to create some wonderfully sharp images on the Ricoh 35 Flex.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjaR7WcmhFi4mbrRnCRM2hCFklMJGXiuYy863x6IllycPrjJpy3oAu9r7jz5hYLjVKfZqrGxuyy66uZ7wl98cnvSSZchmY8t3Hz84XXEUW9HAMMDxnBPlIAos79sjjEmL0KK0qBouG_Zp/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjaR7WcmhFi4mbrRnCRM2hCFklMJGXiuYy863x6IllycPrjJpy3oAu9r7jz5hYLjVKfZqrGxuyy66uZ7wl98cnvSSZchmY8t3Hz84XXEUW9HAMMDxnBPlIAos79sjjEmL0KK0qBouG_Zp/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh118.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With my point of focus being the letter "M" here, the Ricoh 35 Flex did exactly as I'd hoped, and put forth a nicely muted backdrop in the distance. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHMPYVBD2iFiA3ziEZaOAokFfxSqYKQpaB6MAAHs45Jofczr2k9yOyiQ092J8hh-3kNxWkhBGLfzRcFqMUTLJcDT-0tBET9PjYWSIJa6HJbQz6tW_MaQts8qPGiMXp9tTdPjs3PoK8LZS/s1600/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHMPYVBD2iFiA3ziEZaOAokFfxSqYKQpaB6MAAHs45Jofczr2k9yOyiQ092J8hh-3kNxWkhBGLfzRcFqMUTLJcDT-0tBET9PjYWSIJa6HJbQz6tW_MaQts8qPGiMXp9tTdPjs3PoK8LZS/s640/Fp4Ilford35FlexRicoh119.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yet again, good separation of a sharp subject and a progressively muted backdrop. I really had my modest expectations exceeded by this camera. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Thoughts:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As if almost by deliberate design, a pair of cameras from which I expected little, both came through with some very consistently commendable, and occasionally stellar results. There were times during the shooting in which I wondered if I was wasting my time and energy in attempting to photograph with this pair of old cameras, and I'm pleased to discover the answer to that query is a distinct "NO!" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While both cameras had their kludgy points, and metering had to be done manually, both came through with solid results that did make me interested in using both again this Winter. Both have some limitations, and a few challenges, but seem to be fine for taking out for a pleasant afternoon on the town as a dependable tool for shooting negative films. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of the two, the Ricoh 35 Flex tended to offer me the best feeling while shooting, despite the somewhat stiff film advance. Looking back at the results, it is nice to know that I can pick this camera up any time and fire away for a good result, without wasting a frame as I would ultimately have to do with this particular Singlex. And with a fairly modest wide aperture of f/2.8, the lens of the 35 Flex does a great job of subject separation at closer distances. That said, the Singlex does offer the advantage of interchangeable lenses, and a faster top shutter speed, so if a frame or two is expendable, the Singlex is likely to be a good choice when shooting through a roll of film on a single outing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite some skepticism in their performance, I am very glad I put the effort into using both of these cameras, and largely made sure to put effort into my composition and shooting with both of these cameras to really see what they might be able to do, rather than half-heartedly shoot a bulk of scene shots at near infinity focus. While neither is anything near a dependable professional grade machine, both are great pickups that I will welcome to tag along in the not too distant future! </span></div>
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Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-73128049724955488362017-12-18T10:00:00.000-05:002017-12-18T10:01:05.817-05:00Innovation Station: Medium Format Macros for the Frugal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shooters of the 35mm format seem to get all the perks cheaply. For under $20, one can easily pickup any of a wide number of choices for a competent used shooter taking 135 stock that will pretty much do about all that one can expect, including a wide range of shutter speeds and the ability to close focus on even some of the most basic of cameras, allowing for some great shots with wonderful separation of field.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the world of medium format however, this wide array of choices quickly vanishes. For those of us who love working with the larger negative sizes that 120 film offers, securing a decent 120 camera for anywhere under $100 often seems like something of a challenge. And whether one's 120 camera of choice is ultimately is a TLR, a guess focus folder, or a something more along the lines of the "<a href="https://www.casualphotophile.com/2016/10/31/fuji-gw690-medium-format-camera-review/" target="_blank">Texas Leica</a>," the ability to get close can be especially elusive on medium format altogether. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, with a little bit of ingenuity and some stubborn determination, one can pretty readily be up and about shooting macros in medium format after having spent less than $20 in equipment for camera and accessories, while having a tremendous amount of fun and involvement in the process! This is the hobby of photography at its most enjoyable and affordable. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv20rofqPaqyzWaN9zUukpUiOISaaPK7_rIPCC29lA8ebqwzQXPQm__4eG4tOY8x5L4emDyvbfoTZugG70o6D9gw4QHMyLQuaAR3XqViyYzC7dHDw2pYdkDsxAQ-99nZtHft9XtCdDmREt/s1600/BrownieCF001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv20rofqPaqyzWaN9zUukpUiOISaaPK7_rIPCC29lA8ebqwzQXPQm__4eG4tOY8x5L4emDyvbfoTZugG70o6D9gw4QHMyLQuaAR3XqViyYzC7dHDw2pYdkDsxAQ-99nZtHft9XtCdDmREt/s640/BrownieCF001.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So let's start with a shot taken on Ilford HP5 with focus around infinity. Pretty decent stuff, though this gate in foreground is completely out of focus. It'd be great to pull the focus a bit closer...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfw82R_O_1A03GZVyWXLlN4oEyyqYqDI6faypkhA3FlOXoVQL2UlFhArYJKWs76xdfTo-dux66ZQtojJFHYnOkIBEXwGqGwSbc06NGA_w8IsA80Mt4n-XKgy4FGS3ki30MQOWI09eqiw1M/s1600/BrownieCF002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfw82R_O_1A03GZVyWXLlN4oEyyqYqDI6faypkhA3FlOXoVQL2UlFhArYJKWs76xdfTo-dux66ZQtojJFHYnOkIBEXwGqGwSbc06NGA_w8IsA80Mt4n-XKgy4FGS3ki30MQOWI09eqiw1M/s640/BrownieCF002.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hey, now we're getting somewhere, though the ornament is still a bit shy of the sweet spot...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgii6A5TqyQkmo2Xl9blsJ8KKZODNq1lZLQYAt4dmgmW7Gc0fcQY6kADfvdKrBKljEjg65UnyOnKTUg9mc1w4x_xUiJ9HT8vMM1satn9Ov5qPAAXJESi0pOUfsBf2iSBldj-4i18vLJncQq/s1600/BrownieCF003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgii6A5TqyQkmo2Xl9blsJ8KKZODNq1lZLQYAt4dmgmW7Gc0fcQY6kADfvdKrBKljEjg65UnyOnKTUg9mc1w4x_xUiJ9HT8vMM1satn9Ov5qPAAXJESi0pOUfsBf2iSBldj-4i18vLJncQq/s640/BrownieCF003.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now that's better! Any chance focus can be pulled in even further?...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1173LXnQ8-v8eJnPEQ1ZU95dT55P8GsbwZRyExfFmZNRDrpsCoe6W9wy-MeQaodhG9iKLs23LVSzMMnDYBsGT0PUqRIzCFvKDwj_iASTcqiD0XSUv4-eNrGc4pIFsRy70MWYGtS4I0fx8/s1600/BrownieCF004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1173LXnQ8-v8eJnPEQ1ZU95dT55P8GsbwZRyExfFmZNRDrpsCoe6W9wy-MeQaodhG9iKLs23LVSzMMnDYBsGT0PUqRIzCFvKDwj_iASTcqiD0XSUv4-eNrGc4pIFsRy70MWYGtS4I0fx8/s640/BrownieCF004.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now this is closer than one typically sees from medium format cameras. Just how close can we pull in focus?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYuErasoHV5e2LAyESPcIugM_fW4sH4L567itwGYYmGZnqCVkaDC5BloJaD_hr48l_T47rFKzXD5NAjoScQNfr26QpZK1xWeXxf4hv-xWQrMdhNQh6qC04LX9dJlCW5dk8mW2rc-QhR6n/s1600/BrownieCF005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYuErasoHV5e2LAyESPcIugM_fW4sH4L567itwGYYmGZnqCVkaDC5BloJaD_hr48l_T47rFKzXD5NAjoScQNfr26QpZK1xWeXxf4hv-xWQrMdhNQh6qC04LX9dJlCW5dk8mW2rc-QhR6n/s640/BrownieCF005.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All the way to the nearest bar in the gate! By now that once crisp backdrop has been wonderfully muted in the distance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The camera used to produce these images cost me just $15 in a second hand shop, and is readily found in antique stores or online auction sites at around the same price in ready to use condition. So what did I use for these medium format macro photos? This! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGNdAdvLZwAD5uIL0PwXPgLiJGfLU1q5WJbNgS3_xP6q9t7kh9mmmU1hTIWoEYd-S9zhygUaE6tteyJ-E5BKNQsakVvlIY_F7yCD17Q5fG45aPsKkojL0gECJBM9Z-SAzZbOUH-bI_rpw/s1600/IMG_3011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGNdAdvLZwAD5uIL0PwXPgLiJGfLU1q5WJbNgS3_xP6q9t7kh9mmmU1hTIWoEYd-S9zhygUaE6tteyJ-E5BKNQsakVvlIY_F7yCD17Q5fG45aPsKkojL0gECJBM9Z-SAzZbOUH-bI_rpw/s640/IMG_3011.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A simple Kodak Brownie Number 2 was used to create all of the images above, by means of a pretty simple technique.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A Kodak Brownie Number 2 was indeed used for all of the above images. I achieved this "Brownie Bliss" simply by using a number of close up filters (designed for use typically on SLR cameras) placed before the lens to achieve a closer focus point than the typical hyperfocal distance of a Brownie covering from about 10 feet to infinity. The five images above were taken using (1) no filter, (2) an Ansco Portrait Attachment, (3) a screw in Close Up Filter #1, (4) a screw in Close Up Filter #2, and (5) a screw in Close Up Filter #3.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHtKxJMG8wqlWHaVToBhwlcFRSAB4AH4rNUOJnR_uH_M93KsjzOyb1eJ8Qyqv9IQjc1qspE1tvIm9Dip0F3_NYlU2iCmiyWHk3Gh-dOCUZVppW5KYZEuQFoAMSk7DTtIbTgvTsaRgz9P_/s1600/close+up+lenses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHtKxJMG8wqlWHaVToBhwlcFRSAB4AH4rNUOJnR_uH_M93KsjzOyb1eJ8Qyqv9IQjc1qspE1tvIm9Dip0F3_NYlU2iCmiyWHk3Gh-dOCUZVppW5KYZEuQFoAMSk7DTtIbTgvTsaRgz9P_/s640/close+up+lenses.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Using a handful of "Close Up Lenses" I had on hand that I placed over the lens of the Kodak Brownie Number 2, I was able to achieve a nice little bit of Box Camera Magic! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The idea for this admittedly took far longer than I might want to admit. A great book of vintage cameras and the photos they take turned me on to the Mayfair Portrait camera, a British made box camera that featured an accessory lens that could snap on to focus more closely for portrait images. Intrigued as I was at this camera, samples surviving with the accessory lens intact were few and far between, and I soon after forgot about this model. A few months later, I made another pickup of a collapsible box camera (to be featured soon) that came with its original manual, and made mention of the availability of a "Portrait Attachment" to enable this camera to do the same thing. Regrettably, searches online for this specific attachment came up empty handed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But I came to discover there were a number of other portrait attachments readily available as low as $3, and with little to lose in such an investment, I snapped up an Ansco Portrait attachment designed specifically for a Folding Buster Brown model. Even after its arrival, it took a few days for me to really get a good look at this lens and what it could do, and by this time, the brain child finally hit me to see what I could do by pressing the close up filters (and even discarded elements of broken rangefinder cameras I'd tried to fix without success) to the front of the box camera. With the camera on the time setting, and a piece of frosted negative strip holder taped into the film plane, I was both delighted and astonished to see some amazing images through the lens of the Brownie Number 2. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqr-wsbMT-RRzMh_y28-2FYOSjcWqNbxa7xTY8buvz1dt4wpy2z8_MQsilIYkxxQyxOVIM4SOYkQ6ORmCzJE-HLHgB5P2hp8EyuwQR9Ss5ld-1tQrwgrOYU0GTX4p7ZQtdF7pUFttvSH_/s1600/IMG_3013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqr-wsbMT-RRzMh_y28-2FYOSjcWqNbxa7xTY8buvz1dt4wpy2z8_MQsilIYkxxQyxOVIM4SOYkQ6ORmCzJE-HLHgB5P2hp8EyuwQR9Ss5ld-1tQrwgrOYU0GTX4p7ZQtdF7pUFttvSH_/s640/IMG_3013.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Deriving optimal focusing distances was accomplished by taping a piece of negative holder along the film plane, opening the shutter, and pointing the camera at a light fixture, while moving fore and aft until achieving focus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After taking some notes of what the approximate "perfect" distance was from front of camera to subject using each of the lenses and filters, I came away with a decent set of options for a versatile set of filters that I might be able to use in the field for some photographic fun that would put my guesstimating skills to the test, while also requiring me to frame images with little in the way of visual aids from the camera itself. I determined that the "Portrait Attachment" seemed ideal for subjects that were roughly 5-6 feet from the front of the camera, while the "Close Up" lenses numbered 1, 2, and 3, were best at distances of just under 3, 2, and 1 feet respectively. Naturally, the closer one gets to the subject, the less margin for error there is. I also did a quick test of "Close Up #10" filter and found it achieved focus with subjects about 6 inches from the front of the camera. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After the initial "safe" examples (where there was a possibility of desired subject paced at any distance from the camera) that are shown above, it was time to cut the cord and try see what I could do with less ambiguous compositions. After some surprisingly good results with the last three shots from the pilot roll of HP5, I did another trial using a roll of Bergger Panchro 400. While there were some misses on my part on the second roll, the results were still remarkably encouraging, delivering large 6x9 negatives focused closely like nothing else I had ever shot before.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBhIsXmheNlGyNk4-wtbrwiPTVZhHNgl_RUlqMFsTXAktFb58oXjkkZs4WoIJAOvAAByJlVjUt_qw8s48_lrXcHgcJt6-_wTEVrztRUZinaXDR3NEpNmPamuYiQ0BxQVuJwmMn5tmL66v/s1600/IMG_3016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBhIsXmheNlGyNk4-wtbrwiPTVZhHNgl_RUlqMFsTXAktFb58oXjkkZs4WoIJAOvAAByJlVjUt_qw8s48_lrXcHgcJt6-_wTEVrztRUZinaXDR3NEpNmPamuYiQ0BxQVuJwmMn5tmL66v/s640/IMG_3016.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">120 film negatives of HP5 and Bergger Panchro 400 showing the possibilities of close focus using this method.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUgU-QiZSkVb-XqLQoiYk6Mfz7yWjCfdbEJHLAbueHeSq9UO4VC9iqekxmwLmMIuT0EasGDK5JMiXrTENIOepkogAmDuL2lehGnpgTfRUuGplRx67bWPfCn5sDgI1m1n9owR76RW7xmM9Z/s1600/BrownieCF006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUgU-QiZSkVb-XqLQoiYk6Mfz7yWjCfdbEJHLAbueHeSq9UO4VC9iqekxmwLmMIuT0EasGDK5JMiXrTENIOepkogAmDuL2lehGnpgTfRUuGplRx67bWPfCn5sDgI1m1n9owR76RW7xmM9Z/s640/BrownieCF006.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Using the Close Up Filter #1, and guessing a distance of 2 feet and 10 inches from the front of the camera, my first standalone try using this method met with some pleasing success. A hint of softness and a light leak create a very nostalgic look.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQq9ab2WqTgjBHV7kRQYmh41OudDlbkpw92xEk_QBjvBqAU1YedSwUt3zeK4JIvdg58H7-Zc_47Sr0tP6pbQS4bAvK91o519eMAg15nAS_ttY3MYyy1IeZpxFwpZUSxWLfeaRNfYj99_V9/s1600/BrownieCF007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQq9ab2WqTgjBHV7kRQYmh41OudDlbkpw92xEk_QBjvBqAU1YedSwUt3zeK4JIvdg58H7-Zc_47Sr0tP6pbQS4bAvK91o519eMAg15nAS_ttY3MYyy1IeZpxFwpZUSxWLfeaRNfYj99_V9/s640/BrownieCF007.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stepping it up with Close Up Filter #2, and a subject sitting 1 foot and 10 inches from the camera, I managed to accomplish this image, which truly does set off the subject from the muted backdrop.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawrGeTRBo2ONnBli4A3TE8HMrKmzaqeUIiW3-uxioOPHVGzCEPAK6EhpBByJLO1XtdvgcQlPR4XSaa3NEK1NT-L7pb9R_nhBQ9i1k_7xsWREPCyE-ueyzCGoXbRUPr3RXkQ_UqIrhaxA6/s1600/BrownieCF008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1023" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawrGeTRBo2ONnBli4A3TE8HMrKmzaqeUIiW3-uxioOPHVGzCEPAK6EhpBByJLO1XtdvgcQlPR4XSaa3NEK1NT-L7pb9R_nhBQ9i1k_7xsWREPCyE-ueyzCGoXbRUPr3RXkQ_UqIrhaxA6/s640/BrownieCF008.jpg" width="408" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The nail biter was this one, resting the Brownie on the ground, and hoping that my use of Close Up Filter #3 would pull off a decent image of this prominent leaf. While I expected some softness to result from the razor thin sweet spot, I was elated to see this image come forth from my attempt. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDa1cwZjMNkpXtHPsJgdSv2UwoVgJEOIK2Xtw020jBt1QcuK-IKFXx7A3zngp8w9tHg21X198JctYOwmrKUP4rg5R4bZlmiUvJwd94rFBjAmzmU3v4dtSc55uNx-Q13tQgQIVQRrRiJAT/s1600/BrownieCF201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDa1cwZjMNkpXtHPsJgdSv2UwoVgJEOIK2Xtw020jBt1QcuK-IKFXx7A3zngp8w9tHg21X198JctYOwmrKUP4rg5R4bZlmiUvJwd94rFBjAmzmU3v4dtSc55uNx-Q13tQgQIVQRrRiJAT/s640/BrownieCF201.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My 3 for 3 on the remaining exposures on the HP5 led me to quickly load up another roll of film, a roll of Bergger Panchro 400 that I'd been saving for the right opportunity. With my enthusiasm refusing to be muted by an overcast day, I set out to achieve more Box Camera Magic. However, this attempt using the Close Up Filter #1 missed the mark, as I was apparently a hair too far from the subject. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2CGTWehqPdl8n-nNOCPq2DhRLRqom6ypiadrdwWppO6pI69Z5C5RaWKcZSttY_P78DC9ou_SmdpJ83JtdwBCo9SsfJ1_JAUxIz7cI_V0Z96ru5EkA-izfxYMCLlLbSBNdYZcUz4Y7St0/s1600/BrownieCF202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1023" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2CGTWehqPdl8n-nNOCPq2DhRLRqom6ypiadrdwWppO6pI69Z5C5RaWKcZSttY_P78DC9ou_SmdpJ83JtdwBCo9SsfJ1_JAUxIz7cI_V0Z96ru5EkA-izfxYMCLlLbSBNdYZcUz4Y7St0/s640/BrownieCF202.jpg" width="408" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even worse was this attempt using the Close Up Filter #3. I just wasn't able to replicate my luck on the leaf shot above</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKdT5svN1kXBwd0D0d99cA1jDPLL5kQ5N9R_Lvn0dlHNeUfjdQyv-cpvBYt8XCyB3AZxJWffrYREuvOwMwbU3zDzTBBVKvWRLuZku8Zj_Qbb858LCCf5hyIhR9KLLbgimhFY-0MSkDKzU/s1600/BrownieCF203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKdT5svN1kXBwd0D0d99cA1jDPLL5kQ5N9R_Lvn0dlHNeUfjdQyv-cpvBYt8XCyB3AZxJWffrYREuvOwMwbU3zDzTBBVKvWRLuZku8Zj_Qbb858LCCf5hyIhR9KLLbgimhFY-0MSkDKzU/s640/BrownieCF203.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Originally I eyed using the same close up filter as the one above, before ultimately settling on using Close Up Filter #2. The result is a little soft, but nicely nostalgic. I struggled a bit in composing this one, with the subject offset so far from center. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMOYD2t9z5NxarHhTslR1nbwzjOSRdWWtTsAP2Tuc_O2d8OVAWo9QpgXsAubhqctuYRF9Dkbgyt0OMsu4GrCcZ7Wa9XwMnqXwfhTQDuU3i_UVsil6IZP12bMXLI3GF0XC2IWA27yL-d0H/s1600/BrownieCF204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdMOYD2t9z5NxarHhTslR1nbwzjOSRdWWtTsAP2Tuc_O2d8OVAWo9QpgXsAubhqctuYRF9Dkbgyt0OMsu4GrCcZ7Wa9XwMnqXwfhTQDuU3i_UVsil6IZP12bMXLI3GF0XC2IWA27yL-d0H/s640/BrownieCF204.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Portrait lens that inspired this whole experiment was brought back into use for more than just the trial shots above, and in this case, it seemed to work spot-on in delivering just the result that I'd hoped for. Given that the subject distance from the camera was not so great, I was able to compose this image in the small viewfinder of the Brownie without worrying of extreme parallax error. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmfa9zroaAaPmLKrssJySTI63LeSBB9ynCjmhRpgvT25cSCi7s2H2nkbiXyZr_KjcFNfHPLStCkdV44P03clCjpl8N_TlXZ4TWMz01JlVMRGb_SnYwyzPZf52cW4uQtvjJCcm5kpEOpFd/s1600/BrownieCF205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmfa9zroaAaPmLKrssJySTI63LeSBB9ynCjmhRpgvT25cSCi7s2H2nkbiXyZr_KjcFNfHPLStCkdV44P03clCjpl8N_TlXZ4TWMz01JlVMRGb_SnYwyzPZf52cW4uQtvjJCcm5kpEOpFd/s640/BrownieCF205.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On further review, it may be that the usefulness of Close Up Filter #3 is especially limited. I was hoping to achieve focus on the fence post 1/4 of the way from the right border, but instead accomplished proper focus on the board at far right. A little review may be in order, as I certainly like the out of focus rendering of these images most of all. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-7-S_Pqh2MpB61dlS3rhpfxKRcg618q4_HHeu8tCaIv-pY75-TKVzUCQ9ML9WFVenciRPUM60IuoRg-xQz8a4FQ4vPJTfbd4Qb3gbQzkdm7PZvdBiTTl6mJD7nDNmpDARm4jhe81wikQ/s1600/BrownieCF206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1023" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-7-S_Pqh2MpB61dlS3rhpfxKRcg618q4_HHeu8tCaIv-pY75-TKVzUCQ9ML9WFVenciRPUM60IuoRg-xQz8a4FQ4vPJTfbd4Qb3gbQzkdm7PZvdBiTTl6mJD7nDNmpDARm4jhe81wikQ/s640/BrownieCF206.jpg" width="408" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Trying to line up a backdrop in an image without a viewfinder while also guessing close focus in the same image is a huge challenge, and one that I didn't quite accomplish in this case. Though I managed decent focus on the two dark leaves near the center of the frame using Close Up Filter #2, they don't stand out enough to be an effective subject. And my hope of having the church steeple occupy the left side of the frame largely separated from the foreground didn't come to pass. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDaJK49mChH5-tMlWXniKlIIX1dn4s9TPXgvA968dZzYMKSA2L8VSWYTuWghivvhuMzaEe8ELF2y4tT6mpZmJxlQmcSlghr1JT1m0anOgJ_sUqtOsDjccSIi9HTHH-YxLTZQJaMvwtywU/s1600/BrownieCF207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDaJK49mChH5-tMlWXniKlIIX1dn4s9TPXgvA968dZzYMKSA2L8VSWYTuWghivvhuMzaEe8ELF2y4tT6mpZmJxlQmcSlghr1JT1m0anOgJ_sUqtOsDjccSIi9HTHH-YxLTZQJaMvwtywU/s640/BrownieCF207.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All told, it seems that Close Up Filter #1 manages to hit the happy medium of enabling a sharp in-focus subject that can be effectively framed on the Brownie, while still muting the backdrop for better isolation. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UaovwE3Oqaw7RZC9BG22WgG_HDZdLdFGKE-3LtwcndAk9U8-AOoW3DKp2kYEk996ECzMqAp5ctpdKF9t3_u0WJFi_Zygy6XrVbNZPw0iWbQMa4_K2KkSXhwyOGf330-P8ATDum7u1tB0/s1600/BrownieCF208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1023" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4UaovwE3Oqaw7RZC9BG22WgG_HDZdLdFGKE-3LtwcndAk9U8-AOoW3DKp2kYEk996ECzMqAp5ctpdKF9t3_u0WJFi_Zygy6XrVbNZPw0iWbQMa4_K2KkSXhwyOGf330-P8ATDum7u1tB0/s640/BrownieCF208.jpg" width="408" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But that doesn't mean I won't try to use the trickier lenses at times too. This is a result using Close Up Filter #10, focused at a bit less than 6 inches from this bulb. I pre-focused this shot using the method shown above, marked the positioning using two pieces of tape, loaded film, stopped down the diaphragm on the camera, and took this 2 second time exposure, that delivered a truly mind boggling result for a Brownie Box Camera.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If I was the kind of film camera blogger that thrived on creating "Top 5" lists, this experiment would certainly be among the five most interesting and quirky film related things I've done in the year 2017. It involved little in the way of expense, while managing to create a feeling of involvement in the photo taking process that is so often lost or minimized using the "Do Everything" tools that are are so readily available to film photographers in smaller formats. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But I can safely say that this won't simply be something I've done in the year 2017. With frost having killed off some of the best subject matter for macro photography a few months before I had this revelation, I can easily see that this is something I'll be trying more of as warmer weather unfolds in 2018. Meanwhile, if you are looking for something fun and challenging to add a twist to your photographic routine, I would wholeheartedly suggest this as a possibility to create your own Box Camera Magic! </span></div>
Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-27607020569076494852017-12-12T09:00:00.000-05:002017-12-12T09:00:43.048-05:00Dutch Date - Part 4: The Minolta 460Tx and the Minolta-16 MG<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Every so often, I'll get really frugal and ask a couple of cameras to share a roll of film. Though there are problems here and there, they'll usually agree. I call these "Dutch Dates" and usually try to pair cameras with something more than simply the film format in common. Below is a look at just one such pairing...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span id="goog_1975163993"></span>As they devoured their Chinese fare, the lively discussion between the two often turned into heated exchanges, as both tried to best each other. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Camera Models: </b>Minolta Autopak 460Tx (1979) and Minolta-16 MG (1966)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Similarities:</b> Both are Minolta made products that shoot a 16mm wide film stock, albeit using different cartridges.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Differences:</b> The 460Tx uses perforated 110 film, has adjustable focus and aperture, but a seemingly constant shutter speed. The 16 MG offers fixed focus, with an integrated sliding filter for closer focus. Aperture and shutter on the 16 MG are both adjustable, albeit on a scale resembling a program exposure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Film Shared: </b>Lomography Orca 110BW, fresh dated. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the popularity of film photography increased, and the capabilities of photographic film improved, the decades from the 1930's onward increasingly sought ways to improve on the portability of cameras while still providing versatility and good image quality. The miniaturization of cameras hit a certain stride in the later part of the 20th century, with many cameras easily fitting into pockets to have at the ready at any time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These two Minolta cameras represent two iterations of some of the "miniature" options available through the decades, and both represent more than just simple snapshooters, offering some degree of control of exposure, and ways to achieve a degree of focus on subjects of varied distance. The formats themselves were competitors to some degree in the early 1970's, with 110 ultimately supplanting the Minolta-16 format.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was certainly curious to see if either of these two cameras might offer a glimpse of what is possible from a smaller frame size, in spite of the limitations inherent in such small negatives. I expected to see excessive amounts of unpleasant grain in my results as well as a wide depth of field that offered little photographically. Intrigued as I was, I was also quite a bit cynical as to what I might get. In order to use the same 110 film in both cameras, I would have to shoot the 110 camera first, put a "tape marker" onto the film surface temporarily, and then open the cartridge in the dark and transfer the film stock to a Minolta-16 cassette, with the already exposed portion securely on the "take-up" side.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Minolta Pocket Autopak 460Tx is a late 1970's product created at the height of the 110 format boom. It features a switchable normal/telephoto lens, adjustable focus down to 3 feet, and a pair of aperture settings that can be set as well. The shutter works at a constant 1/200 second speed, and the camera has a built in flash, which when used, will vary the aperture based on the distance of the subject set on the focusing scale. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By comparison, the Minolta-16 MG represents a camera created during the latter years of the production of the Minolta-16 lineup. It offers a single focal length lens, fully adjustable aperture, and a pair of shutter speeds that allow it to be used in a wide array of lighting conditions, and films. Exposure assistance is provided by a battery powered meter that provides a readout atop the camera body. Focus is fixed, but a built in accessory filter can be used to optimize focus for closer subjects at portrait length. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the decades have passed, the legacy of the Minolta-16 format has likely acquired a bit more of a dedicated fan base that of 110 film, largely due to the sheer numbers of true toy cameras produced in 110 format over the years. Thus, the prevailing sentiments towards these two specific cameras will tend to reflect the views of the bulk of cameras in their respective formats. Still it is difficult at the onset to say one camera has an edge over the other, given that one has more versatility of exposure and the other has more versatility of focus. Both of these cameras can be pretty readily acquired for comfortably under the $20 mark, and neither qualifies as rare.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Minolta Pocket Autopak 460Tx</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHiXjVc6NFyz2qwW8PMSsan75V0HADiqb_khIwMr1mhyphenhyphenmWbdFLojnfRLSstt9mLeIdYywb9KxYVi3OvdgSLm4PHRBRumIY_7I4_YCAAq2vvtAbhhso1tzbCm2wDxA6XJGBAyR3Lhr0Z1H/s1600/IMG_2754+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHiXjVc6NFyz2qwW8PMSsan75V0HADiqb_khIwMr1mhyphenhyphenmWbdFLojnfRLSstt9mLeIdYywb9KxYVi3OvdgSLm4PHRBRumIY_7I4_YCAAq2vvtAbhhso1tzbCm2wDxA6XJGBAyR3Lhr0Z1H/s640/IMG_2754+%25283%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Minolta 460TX looks much like typical 110 cameras of its time, but upon further review, begins to show its surprising prowess. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At first glance, the form factor of the Minolta 460Tx looks like the sheer majority of 110 cameras from the 1970's and 1980's, consisting of a long slender box camera form with a viewfinder at one end, and a flash on the other, with the actual "camera" sitting between the two. As such, it is easily dismissed at first glance as yet another 110 camera typical of the genre. This camera came to me as part of a multi-camera lot, so I paid about $5 for it, less than (the still quite reasonable) the cartridge of fresh 110 film from the <a href="https://filmphotographystore.com/" target="_blank">Film Photography Store</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On further examination however, one begins to notice that this camera offers a bit more than initially meets the eye. Sure there is a switch to go from "bright" to "cloudy" to "flash" that results in different apertures while activating the flash, but the most promising aspect of the 460Tx lay in two other controls. The first is a sliding orange tab to estimate focus distance, and ranging from about 3 feet to infinity. The second is a black switch that allows you to swap between "Normal" and "Telephoto" settings. Deploying this switch to telephoto completely pushes the normal lens out of the way and replaces it with a different lens set further from the film plane, with the viewfinder adjusting as well. Sliding the focusing scale, one actually sees this lens unit move inward and outward. It's an ingenious design, and one that makes for some fun. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My main dislike about the 460Tx was its bulky length, largely a by-product of the built in flash. Personally I'd have preferred a design where the flash was a separate attachment, but I'm sure the majority of consumers in 1979 liked having a single unit to carry for all their photo needs rather than fumbling for an attachment. A rangefinder (which some 110 cameras did have) would have been nice, but may have been unfeasible due to the dual focal lengths. No big deal given how distance estimation gets easier with practice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Controls are all conveniently located, from the switch between "Normal" and "Telephoto" to the two sliders to control aperture and focus. The viewfinder however, while not terrible, leaves a bit to be desired. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite my curiosity, it took a bit to embrace the 460Tx. I loaded the film, and shot a few images, and the camera sat for a while before I shot off the rest of the first 12 shots of the roll of film. Much of this was due to having few chances to shoot, particularly in the conditions the 460Tx is designed for, but part was due to the camera's girth making a bit of a bulky pocket companion, and thus being relegated to my bag with a handful of other shooters. In a couple of grab chances, the protective lens cover didn't slide open with all the ease I'd hoped, and I lost a couple of shot chances as a result. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The switch from Normal to telephoto was easily done, and the viewfinder would offer a red light warning if the camera felt that light was inadequate, suggesting use of flash. Said </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">flash didn't seem to work, but that was fine with me, as I wanted to shoot with natural light, and there were a few shots under sun that I deliberately shot with the cloudy setting to see if I could muster any shots with limited depth of field. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Being as I expected little from the 460Tx, I was quite surprised when I began to scan the negatives. Grain was definitely more evident than with a comparable 35mm film, but it was actually quite pleasant. More startling was that separation of field was excellent on this Minolta 110 camera. Subjects in focus rendered with excellent sharpness, while shots of close objects had a surprisingly pleasant blur to the background. Due to the film stock width, I had to develop the shots in a makeshift tank arrangement that didn't fully allow for better agitation, so some shots exhibit bromide drag, but the capabilities of the camera were still fully evident. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Set on telephoto and the closest focusing distance, the 460TX quickly quashed my cynicism about 110 film and its image quality. The focal point is incredibly sharp while the backdrop is surprisingly muted. Add in some wonderful silvery tonality from the film and I'm a sudden 110 convert! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGzhDNO4BdUFwgiMerEaRxy0DtXHkWmHsHhSmmI7lG7pjqw3ANMweu82GjWWe0EyTgN2iQ94-AzVS2KkYgn7W5RI9o_XhojYEQr5bQsnc91vCPQm70g3FvEpGbdLaVd0d3yCt3ge8nIOb/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGzhDNO4BdUFwgiMerEaRxy0DtXHkWmHsHhSmmI7lG7pjqw3ANMweu82GjWWe0EyTgN2iQ94-AzVS2KkYgn7W5RI9o_XhojYEQr5bQsnc91vCPQm70g3FvEpGbdLaVd0d3yCt3ge8nIOb/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta114.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Are those the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thousand_points_of_light" target="_blank">thousand points of light</a>" that George H.W. Bush once talked about? Nope. Turns out it is a light leak, not from the camera, but from the <a href="https://austerityphoto.co.uk/holy-lomo-moly-the-curious-case-of-light-spots-on-lomography-110-film/" target="_blank">Lomography film backing paper</a>. Shot at normal range, the depth of field is not nearly as shallow, yet this image does offer a good look at the the sharpness of the lens.. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPOiDvIFiVWdtd69st87YX_SsQYrwA24PNZsLGUL4qvv9EDWomm90BRac_c8h3RuIqoHSFQ8Eo8B7fq_unVwlN5wtmEh8fJg02cB3Bp_tXDBuCyDgF4MzZJ8Js8cLaAp6eRgc9OkyzuEc/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPOiDvIFiVWdtd69st87YX_SsQYrwA24PNZsLGUL4qvv9EDWomm90BRac_c8h3RuIqoHSFQ8Eo8B7fq_unVwlN5wtmEh8fJg02cB3Bp_tXDBuCyDgF4MzZJ8Js8cLaAp6eRgc9OkyzuEc/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta115.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I took this photo, set on Telephoto, and focused on the near end, I recall the man at left walking into the frame, and wondering how indistinct he would be in the frame when the film was developed, It turns out that the 460Tx did a wonderful job of muting the background for this image.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMz4LnPY7UgyM5igtIHlaQcIJgxT1hxZorwhIaUx825frAAzVnp_EH5o5S3v08PADm7NXoK2Rk5yjAyZClF7hnLEhj2sP561dT53JISWJY2q21ydeaQIvlGTVJjDMmOl4lM57FD940e4nI/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMz4LnPY7UgyM5igtIHlaQcIJgxT1hxZorwhIaUx825frAAzVnp_EH5o5S3v08PADm7NXoK2Rk5yjAyZClF7hnLEhj2sP561dT53JISWJY2q21ydeaQIvlGTVJjDMmOl4lM57FD940e4nI/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta116.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Faced with backlighting, the deeply recessed lens of the 460Tx had no issues with flare, and pulled together a nice image, even with the hiccups of the light leak.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7ANGN9f_2to_qORREZkcdjxzm0bv3t-MY2Y1FmeEq-1Ain2Xxf65fi-aHevacEjJkYVkoVb7txTivHwNxVtWkZWN91sAf2HMNHo9W2EGi9o-9d_4nE65GrNVpyNbYyqS3eCPRp5gVloj/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7ANGN9f_2to_qORREZkcdjxzm0bv3t-MY2Y1FmeEq-1Ain2Xxf65fi-aHevacEjJkYVkoVb7txTivHwNxVtWkZWN91sAf2HMNHo9W2EGi9o-9d_4nE65GrNVpyNbYyqS3eCPRp5gVloj/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta117.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shot through a train window, this image leaves much to be desired, but is essentially the worst of the set.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6Y8AeFFfWfDGNUoT2NYJJMTt3C7UDNpLNlVjwZmgHR_CMit8i9XoD4dpBRDqW1S3E1k9KhNQxVB_fp8co2T3AYVxChBdtGArbLSGrdzFMNRxq7S3JOXW8qj78O_j9ITOFx7mJ48I96N3/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU6Y8AeFFfWfDGNUoT2NYJJMTt3C7UDNpLNlVjwZmgHR_CMit8i9XoD4dpBRDqW1S3E1k9KhNQxVB_fp8co2T3AYVxChBdtGArbLSGrdzFMNRxq7S3JOXW8qj78O_j9ITOFx7mJ48I96N3/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta118.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a distant landscape shooter, the 460Tx does OK, though the small film format does little to separate details in the distance. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjln4NqnORVDDYrVH10jLsfRTLDoDKTuBIXtTJWGy3yj8aqTcIV8ByUBoHt6h-fvRa6jSksolUuFaLjHRWeA5O4PolDiQo91XAmWOkQLBfgAC6keDiI-3KuKjS89eD9wGCEXMjCqTGcDeNk/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjln4NqnORVDDYrVH10jLsfRTLDoDKTuBIXtTJWGy3yj8aqTcIV8ByUBoHt6h-fvRa6jSksolUuFaLjHRWeA5O4PolDiQo91XAmWOkQLBfgAC6keDiI-3KuKjS89eD9wGCEXMjCqTGcDeNk/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta119.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shot under rainy skies, the 460Tx had some issues with underexposure, which were partially correctable in post processing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpWYNVpB_fpP41fpkNDZKWNb3yvx6fYEhxoVzmUqmNhKLdrzuMh2a0wVzP6vXTKCn-IspWCD5jirxhJSxZK_4JXyZ6vy-ya-SYqjErxE5ZKARQqqJ1YvJRtJMFH3ZvKGNQ20nwx-qTg69/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghpWYNVpB_fpP41fpkNDZKWNb3yvx6fYEhxoVzmUqmNhKLdrzuMh2a0wVzP6vXTKCn-IspWCD5jirxhJSxZK_4JXyZ6vy-ya-SYqjErxE5ZKARQqqJ1YvJRtJMFH3ZvKGNQ20nwx-qTg69/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta120.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another close up shows the sharpness of the Rokkor lens, and the quite remarkable shallow depth of field present on the small negatives. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnL87254CPe3chyphenhyphen7uXF_t2z5AT8Q7brySk_F1lJX6_XKIgA_MCpHsYhx_kKOEhOy-2YclY79PHKYjJlKnbnkEnYUSKr3KE3NJr7CbbQfTJNZaHyCrePXJfPx6UY6hlOpcL8rRckdZxWVMr/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnL87254CPe3chyphenhyphen7uXF_t2z5AT8Q7brySk_F1lJX6_XKIgA_MCpHsYhx_kKOEhOy-2YclY79PHKYjJlKnbnkEnYUSKr3KE3NJr7CbbQfTJNZaHyCrePXJfPx6UY6hlOpcL8rRckdZxWVMr/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta121.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Critical framing for closer subjects was a particular challenge with this camera. See the head of the eagle peeking into the frame? It was supposed to fully be in the frame, but I failed to compensate for parallax. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRLfEGcxK2xej8AUbdMOsl2Drk-k_dkUEG6Cx_l6tfbWk4vTUQLmCIwEiQ5terxNkacsjN1idZJ6kmrBYwk1k4M0gghIXetl4U41Wbxb7UWZYlPQ-nWj5WPedV_bN5AmsrZJtd78xhKzS/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRLfEGcxK2xej8AUbdMOsl2Drk-k_dkUEG6Cx_l6tfbWk4vTUQLmCIwEiQ5terxNkacsjN1idZJ6kmrBYwk1k4M0gghIXetl4U41Wbxb7UWZYlPQ-nWj5WPedV_bN5AmsrZJtd78xhKzS/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta122.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A better framing result, albeit focused at about 5 feet. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4S4AcEJf-GPPrOL-0g5gTfxoPU3KWEiV9I1mtMsWV6mvgWCHCfco4i9F7EN0jYkXyLwq5gFxQwUN57jY_xWcvkJxxqgAZ5s6t5Scg1r4S24SdPI4Pajt7QfU1iUCcY30q8fHVT29ajG1/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1264" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4S4AcEJf-GPPrOL-0g5gTfxoPU3KWEiV9I1mtMsWV6mvgWCHCfco4i9F7EN0jYkXyLwq5gFxQwUN57jY_xWcvkJxxqgAZ5s6t5Scg1r4S24SdPI4Pajt7QfU1iUCcY30q8fHVT29ajG1/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta123.jpg" width="504" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When light leaks from the Lomo film don't invade the frame, the 460Tx can take a very nice scene photo.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPef1KR2V_mVz-9dDZ-tgwhHZS-COYue29qOY_17hvp7K1zcZhDsl7GC-Lkdefg_i9ETmNasxZPgme33_qkbBdqSWjjUr3LaxxeMYRvqnRsY6cM8zjRXLzC2wA-9D1tEPUqhyphenhyphenFFY5LpXXe/s1600/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="1600" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPef1KR2V_mVz-9dDZ-tgwhHZS-COYue29qOY_17hvp7K1zcZhDsl7GC-Lkdefg_i9ETmNasxZPgme33_qkbBdqSWjjUr3LaxxeMYRvqnRsY6cM8zjRXLzC2wA-9D1tEPUqhyphenhyphenFFY5LpXXe/s640/100LomoOrca460TXMinolta124.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An attempt to pan the bus here didn't quite work as hoped, thanks in part to the fairy peppy 1/200 shutter speed of the 460Tx.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Minolta-16 MG</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O2g0AATF52-c5jhiOEuhzrZrByLUL8qjb-mMbnWn9sAy90qRU1xH62zG9vo49GGN1V1S1wO3lJ0ZCA0L3KAh9KE1KyD3wrkKoHroKB99oBMN25cbJa9L4F0C1HaQzWKWfkz7q0tc2juB/s1600/IMG_2757+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O2g0AATF52-c5jhiOEuhzrZrByLUL8qjb-mMbnWn9sAy90qRU1xH62zG9vo49GGN1V1S1wO3lJ0ZCA0L3KAh9KE1KyD3wrkKoHroKB99oBMN25cbJa9L4F0C1HaQzWKWfkz7q0tc2juB/s640/IMG_2757+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The compact form factor of the Minolta-16 MG is a very attractive attribute that may certainly give it points for both the collector and shooter.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lacking a built-in flash unit, the Minolta-16 MG is noticeably more svelte that its successor in the marketplace, taking up roughly half the volume of the 460Tx. As such, it seems far more of a "sub-mini" than a "consumer compact," thus making it a more attractive item for most film camera collectors. And while it uses a 16mm film stock, just as the 460Tx does, its shutter and advance are not dependent upon a registration sprocket. Image size from this model is a modest 10 x 14 mm compared to 13 x 17 mm (about 37% smaller) for the 460Tx. Though I already had a Minolta-16 type camera, I lacked the film cassette, which sent me looking about for one. With prices of cassettes at about $15, it simply made sense to pay a few dollars more for an additional camera that included the cassette, which is how this model landed in my lap. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This small size of the 16 MG was a major attraction to it, combined with the presence of a battery powered meter to enable accurate settings of aperture and shutter, the use of which was remarkably easy. There was something to be said in having such a tiny pocketable camera that could shoot in a rather wide range of lighting conditions. And despite its small size, the viewfinder on the 16 MG is quite an improvement over that of many larger 35mm models in size and brightness. Another neat accessory in the 16 MG is an integral filter for portrait distance shots, which most other models in the Minolta-16 lineup had as separate attachments. This makes one less thing to lose! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXVvvUksTem8wTAPJVyF6fbS1f91owXIhiwpte7y0o934rz2N2FFq3iO0tg8XCVDmBbCoDVmkb5qNeAgIVN0bejQ2oJIyJXw0jOWcS12wq2fFgfPLfZ6YX0Kh6Gpt2ctsyqeP0zQti6TJ/s1600/IMG_2758+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXVvvUksTem8wTAPJVyF6fbS1f91owXIhiwpte7y0o934rz2N2FFq3iO0tg8XCVDmBbCoDVmkb5qNeAgIVN0bejQ2oJIyJXw0jOWcS12wq2fFgfPLfZ6YX0Kh6Gpt2ctsyqeP0zQti6TJ/s640/IMG_2758+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Setting exposure is a snap, and consists of rotating the dial until the the silver "fork" is lined up with the orange needle. Figuring whether the shutter speed is 1/250 or 1/30 is a bit of an enigma. The shutter release is understated and pretty nicely protected against accidental tripping. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bGjWR2GTX0AjCB-V58VEmpNA1a_ZDzhQMBkqeqgnvbqunfOPRedZKQLJt4ZrGL_U5pZAZIsoUChoavljYDbyAtD7OqB81KFNP_xuYd7N4ZWKsgCjt0ACkRkuxEfknhhzFbb-EN1L9leJ/s1600/IMG_2759+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bGjWR2GTX0AjCB-V58VEmpNA1a_ZDzhQMBkqeqgnvbqunfOPRedZKQLJt4ZrGL_U5pZAZIsoUChoavljYDbyAtD7OqB81KFNP_xuYd7N4ZWKsgCjt0ACkRkuxEfknhhzFbb-EN1L9leJ/s640/IMG_2759+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, the use of a portrait add-on is something of a compromise from having a true focusing lens, and I worried that it might be tough to really get the look I wanted from a shot taken with the 16 MG. Add to that the even smaller negative size, and my initial concerns of image quality from 110 stock were only magnified. Finally, the meter and dial settings on the 16 MG were a breeze to use, but not a cinch to understand with regards to shutter speed. While apertures were marked along this dial in ascending opening size as the light reading from the meter increased, the corresponding shutter speed was only marked on either end of this scale. At intermediate apertures like f/5.6 or f/8, it wasn't apparent if the camera was using the faster or slower shutter speed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These concerns aside, usage of the 16 MG could not have been easier, at least in brighter light. Snapping a shot was a simple matter of reading the meter, aligning the dial and then composing and firing on the well placed shutter release. Using the portrait filter was a simple matter of sliding it out in front of the lens and retracting it afterwards. A transparent red line indicator will show up in the viewfinder to denote the usage of the close-up filter, though its color seems to suggest inadequate lighting conditions at first glance. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5cQImdgdlSesk2UAKgG2b5rQ0raXUOXSCJ4b9DsNMiR2G7l8KbU3_E5aJkj2V2w_rq7M4tJ43b-u8KerqfH5RyaOEllzngDHUkvHNZuU-1GIv8Yf1v1M4llYTm632Vz0WSKb1JqwJ5Ru/s1600/IMG_2760+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5cQImdgdlSesk2UAKgG2b5rQ0raXUOXSCJ4b9DsNMiR2G7l8KbU3_E5aJkj2V2w_rq7M4tJ43b-u8KerqfH5RyaOEllzngDHUkvHNZuU-1GIv8Yf1v1M4llYTm632Vz0WSKb1JqwJ5Ru/s640/IMG_2760+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Viewfinder on the 16 MG is admittedly the nicer of the two, with much less of a "tunnel effect" when looking though it. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the negatives from this roll hung to dry, it quickly became apparent why it is something of a fool's errand to use 110 film stock in a Minolta-16 (or other 16mm miniature camera) and that pertains to the pre-printing of masks on the film to assist printing equipment. I'd completely forgotten about this aspect of the film when I envisioned this experiment, so it was a rude surprise to see negatives, otherwise perfectly exposed, obliterated by the overlaid mask. It seems that about only 1 in every 6 or 7 shots was completely free of interference by the mask, while other pairs lined up with most of their image areas intact. I only hoped for the best from what was salvageable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gallery:</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpii-DetL_RIdNB9L5f_QscAvCF-s_4q_BZzybab60Ua4z96LSrJgi_WPRcqRBJCPFfJWOhrWb2UqfIhXVVDJUijUcErdrI16AFo06pYSUGfpJ1vM0d8fDrXkhAaemImJMnPD3HmodZf8j/s1600/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="1600" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpii-DetL_RIdNB9L5f_QscAvCF-s_4q_BZzybab60Ua4z96LSrJgi_WPRcqRBJCPFfJWOhrWb2UqfIhXVVDJUijUcErdrI16AFo06pYSUGfpJ1vM0d8fDrXkhAaemImJMnPD3HmodZf8j/s640/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta101.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This scan shows the issues with using 110 stock in a 16mm submini camera. Preprinted frames on the 110 stock obscure, obliterate, or compromise the majority of exposures taken. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgtwoXtlH04eDwGmM22vY2K7ip8KgsLuDrVLz39Fw-os11CDwi-7ODVi_aV1ph_gP0Uwi0leedB9t_2o4J6j026u-U__7gJwYlbYjZlMmBMcEtfXjCSJnpeMkk4bu_N0SDhKGk24iKYSD/s1600/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="946" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgtwoXtlH04eDwGmM22vY2K7ip8KgsLuDrVLz39Fw-os11CDwi-7ODVi_aV1ph_gP0Uwi0leedB9t_2o4J6j026u-U__7gJwYlbYjZlMmBMcEtfXjCSJnpeMkk4bu_N0SDhKGk24iKYSD/s640/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta102.jpg" width="466" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the lucky exposures that did remain free of framing overlays, I can't say I was impressed at the resulting images. Even with the developing issues with the film, the 110 images look smooth, but these shots from the 16 MG look jagged and muddy. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxZovDLJZqgVhsh0FrPLUEwt0MzyP66_xcqyTvK8jt7J4m0Ovz_zQIvUDgV0-mrLP5iDWjW1eXH9bk1Tn_Wm4grLXKEAiCUxkC8invMDPfSWilFalQzOedSe-einL0JcTDo4JOcBevwkB/s1600/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="1296" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxZovDLJZqgVhsh0FrPLUEwt0MzyP66_xcqyTvK8jt7J4m0Ovz_zQIvUDgV0-mrLP5iDWjW1eXH9bk1Tn_Wm4grLXKEAiCUxkC8invMDPfSWilFalQzOedSe-einL0JcTDo4JOcBevwkB/s640/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A better result than the one above, even with the obscured portion of the image, and making good use of the close up filter, but still a bit disappointing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzAmVovmA8zDT-YadL0u9RDpEQjLJdEo-c76ZQ2pJcnpwEas2YE7ncAvXCu3GTwJlYVTXj8Tvsey-fruNihTMHuMqh0ORhbaAtbz0VEASGzaEZK6YdAKRb1PUqHxn7nZKTjdYJ_3HcFWq/s1600/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1209" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzAmVovmA8zDT-YadL0u9RDpEQjLJdEo-c76ZQ2pJcnpwEas2YE7ncAvXCu3GTwJlYVTXj8Tvsey-fruNihTMHuMqh0ORhbaAtbz0VEASGzaEZK6YdAKRb1PUqHxn7nZKTjdYJ_3HcFWq/s640/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As my luck would have it, the only shot on the roll with a piercing light leak on the frame happens in one of the few frames not impaired by the 110 film imprinting. These facets aside, I still can't say I'm especially impressed by the film results. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaArj2X9HG1VmnCeLxYKdUWsK-vXufkFIUKq-W8ISVv8-h0i4_eFZnVCh_JZ8PdW1k1MFzYFHwNYV2anThxYyhV6DG5B6PlyisbpVqH1zdUzEPvbC9S_E2UoT4lG_tPuiQWLE4wQcllNbT/s1600/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1308" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaArj2X9HG1VmnCeLxYKdUWsK-vXufkFIUKq-W8ISVv8-h0i4_eFZnVCh_JZ8PdW1k1MFzYFHwNYV2anThxYyhV6DG5B6PlyisbpVqH1zdUzEPvbC9S_E2UoT4lG_tPuiQWLE4wQcllNbT/s640/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta105.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another wider scene shot has its details garbled by the small format, resulting in an overall muddy effect.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtOXCU5KSQbKjbqJC4DqwT4pvsJm2naeNreUn8SNG6n-js7-yekMOu4yq0wbI3m2jAFY51L7l9_o3NwzwYy25qILT828D4OeAKQChVCE4G5Bfuxq0w-Uv-fCYBM81MMeZtbq9YxUJp3vF/s1600/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1165" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtOXCU5KSQbKjbqJC4DqwT4pvsJm2naeNreUn8SNG6n-js7-yekMOu4yq0wbI3m2jAFY51L7l9_o3NwzwYy25qILT828D4OeAKQChVCE4G5Bfuxq0w-Uv-fCYBM81MMeZtbq9YxUJp3vF/s640/100LomoOrca16MGMinolta106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another close up shot. The background details don't nicely blur in scenes like these but just look harsh and distracting to me.</span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Thoughts:</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My oversight of the impracticality of 110 film as a medium for 16mm cameras aside, this experiment served to show the distinction between good usage and good results. The 460Tx, while not a chore to use by any means, was certainly not giving the enjoyable compact camera experience provided by the Minolta-16 MG. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yet, it delivered results that were not only far better than those from its smaller predecessor, but far better than I ever expected to see from a 110 camera at all! As a postscript, I have also since shot and scanned a roll of film through the much beefier Minolta Mk. 2 Zoom 110 SLR, and I still find the images from the 460Tx to be nicer, when used within its operating range. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Having seen what each camera is capable of, I'm certain of which of these two cameras I'll pick up next: the 460Tx. With its ability to swap between normal and telephoto modes, and set focus with precision, it simply manages to do a lot with the capabilities it has, while the 16 MG simply seems to act as a passable image recorder whose images are on the marginal side. I'm certain to get around to the 16 MG again, but will use respooled microfilm on its next pass, to improve grain and to avoid the issues from the 110 film mask. Perhaps better results will be had on its next pass. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I highly doubt that the Minolta 460Tx was designed for more than keepsake snap shots, yet it somehow manages to produce images with a surprisingly artistic feel when shot within the proper lighting conditions. Had the 110 frames been cropped out, and I'd have seen the images from the camera online, I'd have easily presumed they were from a decent 35mm camera. Having seen these results, I can say this camera, with all of its clunky grace, has made me revisit my one time distaste for the 110 format. </span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-61127060513004275272017-12-05T09:00:00.000-05:002017-12-05T09:00:29.243-05:00Dutch Date - Part 3: Minolta Freedom Dual C and Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Every so often, I'll get really frugal and ask a couple of cameras to share a roll of film. Though there are problems here and there, they'll usually agree. I call these "Dutch Dates" and usually try to pair cameras with something more than simply the film format in common. Below is a look at just one such pairing...</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzT4bmrqgdEDGB70hKVZHXZgxbxkohDLzPQrgo-quzD2s-byJ7T2IliTMxBqhszVJ5NuS7JqzB_w3JU5lgSsrgJqUXPkTsz8zpgJOdvZYl9KG3f8CKREDhmtQFBwkUcUYuscq0qO_9Rs0/s1600/IMG_2902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="1600" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzT4bmrqgdEDGB70hKVZHXZgxbxkohDLzPQrgo-quzD2s-byJ7T2IliTMxBqhszVJ5NuS7JqzB_w3JU5lgSsrgJqUXPkTsz8zpgJOdvZYl9KG3f8CKREDhmtQFBwkUcUYuscq0qO_9Rs0/s640/IMG_2902.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They scarfed down their British fare with reckless abandon, and remarked, how of their contemporaries coming up in the 90's, they were some of the few who could really see the "big picture."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Camera Models: </b>Minolta Freedom Dual C (1991) and Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer (1999)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Similarities:</b> Both are Minolta made point and shoot models with multiple focal lengths that have the fairly rare ability to shoot at the 28mm focal length on the wide end of their focal length range.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Differences:</b> The Freedom Dual C, an earlier model, is actually a dual lens camera rather than a zoom like the Freedom Zoom Explorer. It offers special buttons only to turn off flash or to use a self timer. The Explorer however has a burst mode, night portrait mode, red-eye reduction flash, and macro mode among its options. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Film Shared: </b>Ilford Delta 400, fresh dated, <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/09/darkroom-diaries-ilford-pan-f-50-and.html" target="_blank">developed in TFX-2.</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the 1990's progressed, point and shoot cameras continued to try to reach new and impractical levels of focal length, as the typical 35-70mm range began to expand ever upwards with each successive year. As the decade closed, and a consumer digital era crept imminently close, the longest of these super zooms stretched to a 200mm focal length! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Far fewer camera models in this age of length inadequacy crept inward, typically leaving 35mm (or more often 38mm) as the widest focal length offered, and in effect leaving snapshooters in close quarters with few comparative choices. Minolta was one of the few makers to crack the semi-wide ceiling on some of their models, with a couple of models reaching inward to be operable at a wide 28mm focal length. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These two Minoltas show wide angle capabilities in point and shoot cameras from both the beginning and ending of this tumultuous decade for point and shoot cameras. Both hit that seldom reached 28mm threshold on the wide end, thus providing the potential to be a versatile and portable shooter in ways that the bulk of point and shoot models just can't do with their limited inner focal reach. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I picked both of these up with the intention of using them as good landscape shooters that were pocketable. Admittedly, one of the models is more versatile than the other, but I was certainly curious what both were capable of, particularly in close quarters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By and large the Minolta Freedom Dual C <u>is</u> a 28mm point and shoot that has a mechanical feature that extends the elements outward and swings in two additional elements in to result in a 40mm alternate focal length, which differs from many other "dual" models that had a rotating lensboard that the user could "switch" between focal lengths. The 28mm triplet lens goes as wide as f/4 while the addition of the two additional elements to make the lens a 40mm slows it down to f/5.6. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By comparison, the Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer is a true zoom camera covering the entire focal range between 28mm and 70mm. Its lens has a pair of double aspheric glass elements, and while fairly fast on the wide end at f/3.5, this slows to an f/8.9 lens on the long end. The camera adds a handful of mode options in comparison to its older sibling, that either add fun or complication to the shooting mechanics of this late 90's shapshooter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today, neither camera carries anything in the way of following compared to other beloved point and shoot models, so it comes as no shock that I managed to snap both of these examples up for $2 at local thrift stores, and one had a fully working battery inserted! I quite honestly paid more for the single roll of film that these two cameras shared than I did for BOTH of these cameras combined!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Minolta Freedom Dual C</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujCoV99i4Z1jp9EMcA2j7v5lmzpIqRHzvS4M6rAFqr-eqyvnlt8ffIRjqT0FolVaJkDJjTwR6C4GJcMba4VOKpUn6_rwcToPCyDNG48PPuyRMR0eOKnkhQ2D-to2YvZTWm-AkBZYt_lM2/s1600/IMG_2879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujCoV99i4Z1jp9EMcA2j7v5lmzpIqRHzvS4M6rAFqr-eqyvnlt8ffIRjqT0FolVaJkDJjTwR6C4GJcMba4VOKpUn6_rwcToPCyDNG48PPuyRMR0eOKnkhQ2D-to2YvZTWm-AkBZYt_lM2/s640/IMG_2879.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Minolta Freedom Dual C shows an appreciable degree of early 90's styling in its contours. The only front controls are the sliding lens cover and a small button below the flash to disable it. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This and another unrecalled point and shoot were up for grabs at the local Goodwill, and I nearly passed on both, before taking a second look at this one and realizing how oddly quirky it was, and that it covered the wider focal length. I had <i>originally</i> eyeballed pairing the Freedom Zoom with another wide angle point and shoot, a Pentax IQ Zoom 928, only to find that camera was a dud, leaving this as a really neat alternative, that coincidentally was from the same maker. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aside from the focal length, I really liked how solid this camera felt. Despite being made of plastic, the camera had nary a give nor creak anywhere in its construction. I also liked how simplistic this camera's interface was, as well as the easy location of the flash override button. On seeing how the switch from 28mm to 40mm worked, I actually marveled at the intricacy involved in making such a modest bump in focal lengths. </span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyFvoBs-iNIf4sosDdkzNccN6PZPAAnW-35abR-KV7Kk8O7JLrtID4_rL3EPMth5jezMeKpbdFpIA1k0gS2yg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A short video showing the internal conversion from 28mm to 40mm and back again.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If there was something negative that I found myself feeling with this camera, it was that I worried that I liked this camera more than it liked itself! Reading the manual that came with the camera to scout specifications, it seems the low end of the EV scale goes only as low as 6 (comparable to EVs of about 3 on most point and shoot models). As well, the film only uses a very few film speeds in conjunction with the DX coding. As in TWO! This camera will rate film at only 100 or 400 based upon the DX codes. It becomes evident that this truly was not a camera designed for the enthusiast market, such as the Yashica T2.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shooting the Freedom Dual C was admittedly a bit of a mixed bag. The viewfinder is reasonably large, clear, and bright, and all buttons worked just as they should without fail. The flash override button was indeed perfectly located and impossible to confuse with anything else, while the shutter dutifully fired off shot after shot in humble, almost thankful precision. But the big trick with the Dual C for me was not really knowing if focus was achieved prior to pressing the shutter. Most autofocus point and shoot cameras have some indicator, usually a green light or symbol in the viewfinder that, upon depressing the shutter partially, either glows green to denote focus being achieved, or blinks if focus is not possible. This same light also allows you to lock focus on a non-centered object and recompose. The Dual C offers no such confidence builder. Depressing the shutter button partway simply... fired the shutter! And there seemed no way to compose a photo where the center of the image was not the point of focus. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9RMonREL40WJDtlc_10RIGVRpC7cl3MeUATUgVYkThKeyMad8WbHQYfmv9ZakATGjqg4KNXVcHVCR7UKdQOxL0xvdkvZy1ysMiIa_hhibdYb0DMRD3WexfCVgUI_n2mxk_kQutm-tK3A/s1600/IMG_2880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9RMonREL40WJDtlc_10RIGVRpC7cl3MeUATUgVYkThKeyMad8WbHQYfmv9ZakATGjqg4KNXVcHVCR7UKdQOxL0xvdkvZy1ysMiIa_hhibdYb0DMRD3WexfCVgUI_n2mxk_kQutm-tK3A/s640/IMG_2880.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The spartan top deck of the Freedom Dual C is actually pretty refreshing in the view above. A self timer button and lens switch are the only controls aside from the shutter release, while an analog counter window is clear and easy to read. The view through the viewfinder is refreshingly large and bright as well.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteqjTs4dP1SpdbyAtlKZbvtQmJKnqriKMyY-5paI6ThrP5JP7UcmfqTfuO7llHOp5R1Wa7vv9PVIsEurt7mvpnAkn8K3GFaMyjm_C_7oHHEb36GcrHUipqMsuNurlYLEPZzNOAYUZyyh8/s1600/IMG_2904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1600" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgteqjTs4dP1SpdbyAtlKZbvtQmJKnqriKMyY-5paI6ThrP5JP7UcmfqTfuO7llHOp5R1Wa7vv9PVIsEurt7mvpnAkn8K3GFaMyjm_C_7oHHEb36GcrHUipqMsuNurlYLEPZzNOAYUZyyh8/s640/IMG_2904.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As Delta 400 can be a bit heavy on contrast, I elected to try using <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/09/darkroom-diaries-ilford-pan-f-50-and.html" target="_blank">Photographer's Formulary TFX-2</a> for developing this roll, electing to use a stand developing formula I've seen online. This time, I didn't get the blotchy skies of my first tries of this developer with Pan F+, but I did find the developed negatives to have a discoloration on the lower half. My only guess is that the mixed solution resettled near the bottom of the tank during the stand developing, or that the temps in the tank were uneven. Still, the negatives were passable, and I was pleased to see that nearly every shot with the Freedom Dual C had emerged in clear focus and seemingly sharp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gallery:</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUNDUpke39Js1pRm5WM2yzk2pLLo7gCh6_evDtwO19wvIjiFnOTmzYuxRedQr0NOEcyiomsmGglzk5wpGQndjSVLcWHLMhq8mKHhM9L-v89YRjS_G3zUFk6TGTnYA_XCXJjdXLgtTsbzl/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUNDUpke39Js1pRm5WM2yzk2pLLo7gCh6_evDtwO19wvIjiFnOTmzYuxRedQr0NOEcyiomsmGglzk5wpGQndjSVLcWHLMhq8mKHhM9L-v89YRjS_G3zUFk6TGTnYA_XCXJjdXLgtTsbzl/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta101.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In fading light, the Freedom Dual C was able to make a sharp and well exposed image despite some challenge of backlighting from the sky in the distance. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez6hfFg30DdwRpcQxKvBaDY6ZpFrWrtoh8lVFmIkbJywcM7wjZJA_2gxIa5PID1uEWgjo0x46CMf0wXAEDK6__XMGOeDPAGaxbmSvuhdSm3lr0BotfHogAIbSwNJCiq9sjHUYEtwWM6y7/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez6hfFg30DdwRpcQxKvBaDY6ZpFrWrtoh8lVFmIkbJywcM7wjZJA_2gxIa5PID1uEWgjo0x46CMf0wXAEDK6__XMGOeDPAGaxbmSvuhdSm3lr0BotfHogAIbSwNJCiq9sjHUYEtwWM6y7/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta102.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The difference between 28mm and 40mm can be seen in the two images above and below. The widest angle version is seen above, with the 40mm version below. Both seem to show decent sharpness, but the above one looks generally sharper. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvGPCaB8uVUrMjCPUYk4thFzRc3s7tVGRj68gBmCH439D5k8hyphenhyphenlvaiPI4M8T8Ppg8_8n5FAfNF4UIRuvhPxT9VMvUgyyVUsWb9shrQMtr5ll5mouyPKZ2snpI7-YoS5_lze06ESKwZ8jC/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvGPCaB8uVUrMjCPUYk4thFzRc3s7tVGRj68gBmCH439D5k8hyphenhyphenlvaiPI4M8T8Ppg8_8n5FAfNF4UIRuvhPxT9VMvUgyyVUsWb9shrQMtr5ll5mouyPKZ2snpI7-YoS5_lze06ESKwZ8jC/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VIty-S6uqp_kmyhv4NWZtAs8copL5EbyDeipBnCZsfO-42_Mazj7AmuzLvS_iKOxdM5NDAg0kCFIlt-uLw46_8S49QcpfwG3UVdcquKkMdPQSsPl2UjfeQ9HRiVyx-diXrohdKZGBYbP/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VIty-S6uqp_kmyhv4NWZtAs8copL5EbyDeipBnCZsfO-42_Mazj7AmuzLvS_iKOxdM5NDAg0kCFIlt-uLw46_8S49QcpfwG3UVdcquKkMdPQSsPl2UjfeQ9HRiVyx-diXrohdKZGBYbP/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A quick attempt to close focus shows a background that is only somewhat muted in the process. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-x5QuhhzbQLvWY-jwY7GUsN3GpdiCsX68pGT_CPtWrQP5Z2Vgukuw4VZOX5gn33CtypmlzZ5QZX3XcJjVv_Uxrq5bGuNfyDsR9VFvrV8hJ7WFSGcq6frM_WcOB8xp4OT_VU2LW6jiLDK-/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-x5QuhhzbQLvWY-jwY7GUsN3GpdiCsX68pGT_CPtWrQP5Z2Vgukuw4VZOX5gn33CtypmlzZ5QZX3XcJjVv_Uxrq5bGuNfyDsR9VFvrV8hJ7WFSGcq6frM_WcOB8xp4OT_VU2LW6jiLDK-/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta105.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had to improvise a bit to keep the subject here within the center of the frame to get proper focus, but the result is a sharp rendering through the modest triplet lens. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxG5wz7xKZhqe6w4PgwqcGlXOrf3QwHQErU2q5c21snGdGVD0bGCUkURkfeCN2ap8y0gUVTGXxmYiZSFJLIoyKhE5Rv9X1oSydS83jhKE9h5zeZXbvYJOkNh0wMS1si85Ik7VBs5g-0Uz9/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1073" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxG5wz7xKZhqe6w4PgwqcGlXOrf3QwHQErU2q5c21snGdGVD0bGCUkURkfeCN2ap8y0gUVTGXxmYiZSFJLIoyKhE5Rv9X1oSydS83jhKE9h5zeZXbvYJOkNh0wMS1si85Ik7VBs5g-0Uz9/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta106.jpg" width="428" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The effects of the film developing are pretty evident across the left side of the image. Still, a good result and minimal distortion are apparent in this wider angle framing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwK0QqjOrXt0SOFHEwOXxWxFd5AaJ7pZY2E3OtrcyNkgdnP88KMyHX4-EiG8SIMTrDiT6joPe2QIo9iMVH4fbAzT6C0_082DGLM8Ym6-jY4WdAosuryo6KiSFk7gh_vPtLY-M-uqc2T187/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwK0QqjOrXt0SOFHEwOXxWxFd5AaJ7pZY2E3OtrcyNkgdnP88KMyHX4-EiG8SIMTrDiT6joPe2QIo9iMVH4fbAzT6C0_082DGLM8Ym6-jY4WdAosuryo6KiSFk7gh_vPtLY-M-uqc2T187/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sometimes, the need to "center focus" spoiled the desired outcome. I'd have rather had focus on the closest parts of the fence with decreasing focus leading into a blurred background. Instead, only the less prominent parts of the fence are in focus, with the rest of the frame being only mildly indistinct.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJ0pdgAKZxUrodRDT0uBvDEKBdUNnaTYmIG4W2Dqjx4IkDJPwC7QSPgQ0mjrfXRWZQOXVanQVMlFqCJ7oqQWNjXU7Xk6wXjTDcpMkA8M6SSiJbxnGcLqI6t-6c9Dc2shi7hMUuRhO0yHt/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKJ0pdgAKZxUrodRDT0uBvDEKBdUNnaTYmIG4W2Dqjx4IkDJPwC7QSPgQ0mjrfXRWZQOXVanQVMlFqCJ7oqQWNjXU7Xk6wXjTDcpMkA8M6SSiJbxnGcLqI6t-6c9Dc2shi7hMUuRhO0yHt/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta108.jpg" width="436" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite a supposedly primitive DX coding and limited exposure system, I can't say I had complaints with most exposures on the Auto C. Both highlights and shadows in this image show adequate detail. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbFP4jEy5uDIi2xe4e0ZYbSE85X4MNVcXknY83jqwXw-vRNSPA-aK-Muv-DVKC_EhA-H6FQw9qLgU5_XjVR2MAoE7RWlcu98FdD0zXGWIs8jaLwuPKH15jthxvOYmwiBF9Rokp7jgDKA6/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbFP4jEy5uDIi2xe4e0ZYbSE85X4MNVcXknY83jqwXw-vRNSPA-aK-Muv-DVKC_EhA-H6FQw9qLgU5_XjVR2MAoE7RWlcu98FdD0zXGWIs8jaLwuPKH15jthxvOYmwiBF9Rokp7jgDKA6/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, the need for balanced exposure sometimes leads to less than dramatic exposures in some challenging lighting situations. The doorway area is too obscured in this case. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Kgd8fT0xc1faFu5HMSsqUfcUTiokoiMbb9L4cTfpuHb0ql49oZWNqI7iXkoLQSDR6ttQfrLcgQ-unGJBAMaqTrnG64-GkJ6qYQ-w8z0VJBSfNDAIQWpHbyVAYQP_hjCuOGVYVtaLFSuO/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Kgd8fT0xc1faFu5HMSsqUfcUTiokoiMbb9L4cTfpuHb0ql49oZWNqI7iXkoLQSDR6ttQfrLcgQ-unGJBAMaqTrnG64-GkJ6qYQ-w8z0VJBSfNDAIQWpHbyVAYQP_hjCuOGVYVtaLFSuO/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta110.jpg" width="436" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Knowing I was pointing into a backlit scene, I wondered if the steeple would be mired in a silhouette, but the Auto C gave me a shot with decent detail, and some character to the sky as well. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF3zOt7YKv28mvkxQXqx4rweDMrRJnOuw1J8MPEbrlBKmMsW96VdNkHfMIkaQJ5L45NxU_pmeA7JVHX9PpA0yU2apiTJYqitXRZj1KYRmw7CQe6aE7XIimTrcLuGjLoH-IEwyz2MBL2ZD/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYF3zOt7YKv28mvkxQXqx4rweDMrRJnOuw1J8MPEbrlBKmMsW96VdNkHfMIkaQJ5L45NxU_pmeA7JVHX9PpA0yU2apiTJYqitXRZj1KYRmw7CQe6aE7XIimTrcLuGjLoH-IEwyz2MBL2ZD/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta111.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shooting with a 28mm point and shoot, it can be interesting at just how much of a scene can be taken in by the lens. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTBSv8KxDhNWspBBMDGrufroXA8U04i9Keq10fYE4Qk_1JVuw4tB01AHDbF4gLbyU2Nx_WrS7jUL-JbnuuoSmjENNBGMSqaEXM-C-kmLMOGcikuucBg2PNf96WbcBhhPCYY9LouNsisy1/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTBSv8KxDhNWspBBMDGrufroXA8U04i9Keq10fYE4Qk_1JVuw4tB01AHDbF4gLbyU2Nx_WrS7jUL-JbnuuoSmjENNBGMSqaEXM-C-kmLMOGcikuucBg2PNf96WbcBhhPCYY9LouNsisy1/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta112.jpg" width="436" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Swapping to the 40mm setting, I was able to get a bit of separation of focus in this one instance. The Auto C never approached anything resembling "blissful bokeh." </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZKiKUwmXJo2HJ92Vy4pqghnX70-EF2FwUSQNu32bmgiNESdFCKTv7K9SrpDT0_VraotYQYt3Rni5uBUWknE1z1l1eYYoBA_5CKWZEj3EHqOfV6lXrUb9a9uaBm6ZpLwH0GYfljCJrgY1/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZKiKUwmXJo2HJ92Vy4pqghnX70-EF2FwUSQNu32bmgiNESdFCKTv7K9SrpDT0_VraotYQYt3Rni5uBUWknE1z1l1eYYoBA_5CKWZEj3EHqOfV6lXrUb9a9uaBm6ZpLwH0GYfljCJrgY1/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta113.jpg" width="436" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A 28mm comes in handy in those instances where you want to get a large church and a "small church" in the same frame. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44pJuDS-L9mowa08XGSXoZvEspoxjvbw-rtSpWPhgM-0kjORNSbkChSguH-Au_dejdQipGV4F9Cu39HQ-ToYUgrKVNhGA2HTr16ld_8zqbn4PtelJ_gt2AkYAGUoIyGAkgq62Y1oZ1vKT/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44pJuDS-L9mowa08XGSXoZvEspoxjvbw-rtSpWPhgM-0kjORNSbkChSguH-Au_dejdQipGV4F9Cu39HQ-ToYUgrKVNhGA2HTr16ld_8zqbn4PtelJ_gt2AkYAGUoIyGAkgq62Y1oZ1vKT/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta114.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another example of the Auto C dutifully handling exposure in a very backlit scene. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjT0eS1kNNNlKJF1EadH8tX3pWMi_7b-u7z1t-3atoSphAvW3_X1qnRqfqUwRDrPyn_RLJg7-iTju7Glh0Peuw32KOvXwkTtcD8I-v4AQsPmVc60aCI1YmZpfIPrnhHHCzGsiwXYhsPHE/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjT0eS1kNNNlKJF1EadH8tX3pWMi_7b-u7z1t-3atoSphAvW3_X1qnRqfqUwRDrPyn_RLJg7-iTju7Glh0Peuw32KOvXwkTtcD8I-v4AQsPmVc60aCI1YmZpfIPrnhHHCzGsiwXYhsPHE/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta115.jpg" width="436" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shot through a fence, the insistence on center focus tends to hamper the best focal points for some compositions.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihynG7_7Inm_7rQoLOtxi26OCKet4v4_rPVfUphpNHMJFls1oUt1zCD1XJDg3LiqGQ-rbJSXON6mjYAXnPVlYnkLgXKAMbM6y4tGd0Zg32S6Kjx2GW3HhTBnIHETRXg49Iqq_e5sIjhiKs/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihynG7_7Inm_7rQoLOtxi26OCKet4v4_rPVfUphpNHMJFls1oUt1zCD1XJDg3LiqGQ-rbJSXON6mjYAXnPVlYnkLgXKAMbM6y4tGd0Zg32S6Kjx2GW3HhTBnIHETRXg49Iqq_e5sIjhiKs/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta116.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 28mm angle was wide, but was still a bit restrictive and claustrophobic in some instances.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-9FKvG0Dwjm7iKUISCWLlIiGbyfyfp5vKKk44d5WowMFBKP6ZuNhRkeHpOM59sl8ouloaeCWBHwwsaLTGXXEyUtlHKD7milXHb2B4PxPQorw7mQ_pEuv2-tgwMPNsfVIwZa13maKhU2k/s1600/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-9FKvG0Dwjm7iKUISCWLlIiGbyfyfp5vKKk44d5WowMFBKP6ZuNhRkeHpOM59sl8ouloaeCWBHwwsaLTGXXEyUtlHKD7milXHb2B4PxPQorw7mQ_pEuv2-tgwMPNsfVIwZa13maKhU2k/s640/400DltaIlfDualCMinolta117.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As light fades and shadows stretch, I eeked out one more shot from the Auto C. It came out OK, but was challenged by the inability to lock focus and recompose. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AatujwFtbTxFtLSZ6CRgHFHqptRLhUFSyCkGfk_4qZkrE0vR-Ou7kzMBWqSNg6ol67r7bcZySnPj4LvWyVFBsJwQV_GonEK0Uici-a3ZqCWWBLX6DTUv4t4qw0rYjeNH42Zn8UN7VUTP/s1600/IMG_2887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AatujwFtbTxFtLSZ6CRgHFHqptRLhUFSyCkGfk_4qZkrE0vR-Ou7kzMBWqSNg6ol67r7bcZySnPj4LvWyVFBsJwQV_GonEK0Uici-a3ZqCWWBLX6DTUv4t4qw0rYjeNH42Zn8UN7VUTP/s640/IMG_2887.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By the late 1990's the Minolta models began to carry a smaller and more streamlined appearance, as seen in the Explorer Freedom Zoom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I stumbled across the Freedom Zoom Explorer over a year before finding the Dual C. In much the same fashion, the camera was sitting in a small batch of consumer point and shoot cameras in a nearby thrift store. Half-desperate for something cheap and new to play with, this camera stood out on account of its wide angle capability, small size, and protected clam shell design. And at about the cost of a soda, it seemed like a very low risk gamble. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The versatility that this camera offers in such a compact package is instantly likable. It certainly isn't the beefiest of point and shoot cameras in its arsenal of features, but it covers the basics, plus adds a distinct macro mode (automatically zoomed to 70mm), and a night portrait mode. Obviously, being able to choose focal lengths ranging from 28mm through and including 70mm is a big advantage over simply having 28mm and 40mm such as found on the Dual C.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Easily, my biggest gripe about the Freedom Zoom Explorer is the viewfinder. I found it tiny, poorly placed, and fairly unclear. However, it DID had the focus confirmation light that I craved on the Dual. Otherwise, I was a bit bummed that this camera with a pretty sophisticated starting point and nice focal range lacked tools for longer exposures, given that other makers were putting Bulb modes into their point and shoot models around this same time. It seemed this camera stopped just short of having the perfect suite of shooting features for its era.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSh20DKGB7w5kI1SfaQ3KilPRYIVKJ65zDilwZQQqxpggjqhiiENMyG-kmbU1eI9XPbKnb_UwofUz3dVItWpimdhr9wF4trsw-bVgXbLsRLgCQ4jvyvZlILHRPlMRZEizgY4o6PYunsdyQ/s1600/IMG_2888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSh20DKGB7w5kI1SfaQ3KilPRYIVKJ65zDilwZQQqxpggjqhiiENMyG-kmbU1eI9XPbKnb_UwofUz3dVItWpimdhr9wF4trsw-bVgXbLsRLgCQ4jvyvZlILHRPlMRZEizgY4o6PYunsdyQ/s640/IMG_2888.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Top deck of the Freedom Explorer Zoom is considerably more cluttered that its older sibling. "Auto Flash" mode is set each time the camera is started up, generally requiring disabling using two taps of the long button in the center of this console. The viewfinder is smaller and dimmer than the Auto C, making for a much less pleasant shooting experience. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjayp9mm3JCQz_HNbR2K2GkjZpHQu0cvsbOxcxdKs-4aIqqC6TIUQJgpgGBfN90Qk-HjF0mLZburA4pzy5kxpYKBfTyebs6bBWuEnhmgjxHSCZrz3FvONip0dC9wm5vhM3W0ZFsh4FIPF-/s1600/IMG_2905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1600" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjayp9mm3JCQz_HNbR2K2GkjZpHQu0cvsbOxcxdKs-4aIqqC6TIUQJgpgGBfN90Qk-HjF0mLZburA4pzy5kxpYKBfTyebs6bBWuEnhmgjxHSCZrz3FvONip0dC9wm5vhM3W0ZFsh4FIPF-/s640/IMG_2905.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In use, the viewfinder was my biggest headache with this camera. It seemed I would have a tendency to pull the camera to my eye with the expectation of lining my right eye up with the viewfinder, only to be staring at black plastic at close range. And while I loved having a Macro mode, I found that when used on this setting, the camera seemed to struggle with achieving focus in some scenes. Still, the small quibbles aside, the Freedom Zoom Explorer did just as it was told in most cases, and operated in a manner free of major issues. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A glance at the discolored negatives on the Freedom Zoom explorer side of the roll revealed some decent, but not delightful negatives. I was pleased to see generally well exposed scenes, but nothing that really stood out as something that I couldn't wait to get under the scanner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gallery:</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxAqY9-vYZUJOp0QElrbCV6tTjAenUHR7oTLhKsuMuDct1OZW0R1VUSO1htbqkE4lTdoHPoqFZwYqvWc2g20mUPBHYscvgrUL5wDAzJF5Bu3eTHHxVPAOOq-yCC1rirxP8eB9HRhde91j/s1600/400DltaIlfFrdmZmExplMin101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxAqY9-vYZUJOp0QElrbCV6tTjAenUHR7oTLhKsuMuDct1OZW0R1VUSO1htbqkE4lTdoHPoqFZwYqvWc2g20mUPBHYscvgrUL5wDAzJF5Bu3eTHHxVPAOOq-yCC1rirxP8eB9HRhde91j/s640/400DltaIlfFrdmZmExplMin101.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A typical wide angle view taken with the Freedom Zoom Explorer. The wide angle setting can accomplish compositions that few point and shoots can. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0nqCtQnlbEOdR7Zg0nlorHU4K22IxMiA90icRl_XB8O9mOP4YZu-QDqlNNSsvyQfmjnGsxCTDSW0CNHGJ7tJlvHYOADSmnqbft3aPl792EKO4J3HWcRlPVOI1pDTCkAYu8x7c6mtg2Bs/s1600/400DltaIlfFrdmZmExplMin102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0nqCtQnlbEOdR7Zg0nlorHU4K22IxMiA90icRl_XB8O9mOP4YZu-QDqlNNSsvyQfmjnGsxCTDSW0CNHGJ7tJlvHYOADSmnqbft3aPl792EKO4J3HWcRlPVOI1pDTCkAYu8x7c6mtg2Bs/s640/400DltaIlfFrdmZmExplMin102.jpg" width="436" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The perspective of the Explorer Zoom at wide angle seems slightly more distorted than that of the Auto C, but not excessively so. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQ7g2WpvsPdAO-LforwoSd1wsZHGVRnt6PUoiwEG82rYfaODhWG859Qn-YV_6hYh-Dnl9alq08HRZxt6_V7scDw2QLKflfKKFcL-M_1xeo6FO-zSgHmvfG9ARHPiME9hQRxspWa-5xb6F/s1600/400DltaIlfFrdmZmExplMin104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQ7g2WpvsPdAO-LforwoSd1wsZHGVRnt6PUoiwEG82rYfaODhWG859Qn-YV_6hYh-Dnl9alq08HRZxt6_V7scDw2QLKflfKKFcL-M_1xeo6FO-zSgHmvfG9ARHPiME9hQRxspWa-5xb6F/s640/400DltaIlfFrdmZmExplMin104.jpg" width="436" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Composing a shot with an off center focal point is much easier on the Explorer Zoom than the Auto C, and results in a much more versatile shooting experience.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCjSrODrPVJoLh3cZHBDyk6wqJIq_gkGWNr7C43A8D1TMx9Wcpm4pGiwfCihp2H-8ZjeXdPQSNF_2W-W6YSMrf5N5R2Y8OlhOJbhJYh7MbYZ24uWuNA2m9_TMBFbJha77yWKyMOlTEVPI/s1600/400DltaIlfFrdmZmExplMin105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCjSrODrPVJoLh3cZHBDyk6wqJIq_gkGWNr7C43A8D1TMx9Wcpm4pGiwfCihp2H-8ZjeXdPQSNF_2W-W6YSMrf5N5R2Y8OlhOJbhJYh7MbYZ24uWuNA2m9_TMBFbJha77yWKyMOlTEVPI/s640/400DltaIlfFrdmZmExplMin105.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I wouldn't have even tried this scene on the Auto C, but the Explorer Zoom did a respectable job with it. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjsxHAWbW6hyK0qvQjcxlUwpKoUlz3Sik6XPvkPqWnfCvKbLrX7tgeLKqtqDRI5zbum8pD2h6F44bPPiXqgEolgdyfCwLvRcXxJ30WpPtDiatCUC-NuNbo17T1U_zP49BUFQhJoqYn8I6/s1600/400DltaIlfFrdmZmExplMin106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjsxHAWbW6hyK0qvQjcxlUwpKoUlz3Sik6XPvkPqWnfCvKbLrX7tgeLKqtqDRI5zbum8pD2h6F44bPPiXqgEolgdyfCwLvRcXxJ30WpPtDiatCUC-NuNbo17T1U_zP49BUFQhJoqYn8I6/s640/400DltaIlfFrdmZmExplMin106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Having a zoom allows for a bit more license creatively than exists on the dual focal length Minolta Freedom Auto C. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Longer shutter speeds are possible with the Explorer C, provided that flash is turned off and camera kept steady. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Interestingly, the Freedom Zoom Explorer seemed to do a poorer job with backlit exposures than the Dual C, resulting in a complete lack of detail in the wreath.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Admittedly, I expected more from the Explorer, so I pushed it a bit more than the older camera. While the sharpness of this image seems pretty good, the exposure seems a bit saddled by a loss of detail. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Framing in the small viewfinder was a bit of an error prone exercise. The film actually had a wider view than the viewfinder, as I recall columns occupying both edges of the frame in this shot. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Zoomed all the way out with light fading, I actually expected camera shake from this exposure, but was surprised to see it held up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In softer afternoon light, I found this exposure to be a bit muddied. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While the macro function didn't seem to render the sharpest result here, it does show something that I was not able to accomplish with the Auto C, a decently muted backdrop.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Thoughts:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most of my dismay in this roll tends to lay with some of the challenges that occurred after the film had been pulled from the second camera, and loaded into the developing tank. I seem to have gotten results from the TFX-2 that didn't repeat the odd tendencies for blotchy skies as I saw with the Pan-F Plus film, but the uneven development is something of great concern for future rolls. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As to the cameras themselves, each had their charms and curses, and each showed inherent limitations in what they could do when compared with an SLR camera with a wide angle lens. While both had a few distinct tricks up their sleeves in differing challenges to lighting, both seemed most at home in scene shots in brightly lit conditions, with more distant points of focus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Certainly, the Freedom Explorer Zoom is the more "capable" of the two, given its ability to accommodate more speeds of film and offer longer exposures, and the presence of a much more encompassing zoom range, a macro mode, and an ability to recompose images after locking focus, but it is also the less charming of the two cameras, and seemed to be easily tricked by backlit scenes. The Auto C offered a much simpler operation, vastly brighter viewfinder, and it surprisingly managed to handle challenging lighting better than its newer replacement. It's wide angle images also seemed a tad snappier and less distorted, but its inability to pre-focus and recompose combined with its limited exposure range drag an otherwise fun camera into "limited use" territory. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A $2 a pop, both cameras certainly were nice additions to my collection of affordable film cameras, which often offers few pocketable options when it comes to wide angle shooting. I only wish that for the $4 I paid for the two of these cameras, I had a single camera that combined the best facets of both models, though it wouldn't have allowed me the fun of this two camera experiment. Given the limited amount of wide angle point and shoot film cameras on the market, I'm pretty doubtful of finding that perfect wide angle point and shoot at a reasonable price, even today. </span></div>
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Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-4499561442250451912017-11-28T10:00:00.000-05:002017-11-28T10:53:54.198-05:00Darkroom Diaries: Ilford Pan F+ 50 and Photographers Formulary TFX 2<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Challenging one's comfort zone admittedly is a good thing. As big of a fan of HC-110 as I am, I did have to wonder what else was out there in black and white developers that might work well to give me. As my supply of the syrup was winding down, I began to explore what other options might be out there, and was wondering what I might find to vary my stable of developers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ultimately I selected <a href="http://stores.photoformulary.com/tfx-2-high-definition-developer/" target="_blank">Photographer's Formulary TFX-2</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The desire to try a new developer actually goes a bit beyond simple caprice as I imply. As much as I love HC-110 as a general purpose developer, I wanted to see what I might be able to find that might be a lower contrast developer, particularly for <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/search/label/Microfilm" target="_blank">use on microfilm</a> as well as <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/search/label/Ferrania%20P30" target="_blank">Ferrania P30</a>, both of which tended to have higher contrast in HC-110. I'd seen some results of P30 in the <a href="http://www.pictorialplanet.com/advanced_photography/Beutler.html" target="_blank">Metol based Beutler formula</a>, which really looked promising, and was about to pull the trigger on the needed powders when, on perusing the wide array of options from Photographer's Formulary, elected that TFX-2 was the perfect choice. Similar in makeup to the Beutler formula, but in a 2 part liquid formula that could be used as a one-shot developer, <a href="http://photo.ribnar.com/2015/11/minimalists-darkroom-bw-film.html" target="_blank">TFX-2 also had some at least one follower who was using it as a stand developing solution</a>! It was just like taking my existing practices and just changing the ingredients! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rather than jump directly into microfilm developing with TFX-2, I elected to do my first tries of stand developing of this developer using a couple of rolls of <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/search/label/Ilford%20Pan%20F%2050" target="_blank">Ilford's Pan F+ film</a>, a 50 speed emulsion known for being a bit heavy on contrast. Using 12.5ml of both solution A and B in the 400ml tank for a 30 minute stand, I was quite curious to see what I'd get. My first roll was a roll of 120 shot in a newly acquired Zeiss Ikonta 515/2, and my second roll was a cut down roll of 127 taken in my newly beloved <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/09/zeh-not-meh-zeca-zeh-goldi-camera.html" target="_blank">Zeh Goldi</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My results show a mix of promise and concern. Some are simply wonderful, while I find there are a few challenges that can result when using this developer, at least on the somewhat temperamental Pan F film...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From the Zeiss folder, I'm instantly impressed by the first frame developed in TFX-2. Though the sky shows some rather odd developer artifacts around the steeple, the tonality in the statue is nothing short of wonderful to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But moments later, I get this. Interesting to say the least, but the soft areas around the bright spots are rather odd. As I had just gone from a car to this scene, I do wonder if a bit of condensation occurred on the lens to result in this sort of misty image. The real concern however with the development process here is the sky, which will continue to plague me off and on through the roll.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Guess focusing of mine was a little bit off, but still shows some elements of sharpness. As this was a test of both camera and developer, I wasn't overly concerned with perfection. The mix of sharp contrast and pleasing tonality is a really nice attribute of this image.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Under partial shadow, I didn't get quite enough light to fully expose the headstone. Still, I find the tonality really nice in comparison to HC-110. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmp5kJoJG2f6jeTk9v4qtHB-QQtJjfostH8tNk_mO1BUHuktsmGufUP1AB4aaOCoFYVUSM0FVt8LVTH2q4kRg-Xfp_D_G8yNERXDkQXEwoBIRkM0bcNzxTNKob2xwp_zZtGcqzba1K6Fxt/s1600/50PanFIlfNettarZeiss105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmp5kJoJG2f6jeTk9v4qtHB-QQtJjfostH8tNk_mO1BUHuktsmGufUP1AB4aaOCoFYVUSM0FVt8LVTH2q4kRg-Xfp_D_G8yNERXDkQXEwoBIRkM0bcNzxTNKob2xwp_zZtGcqzba1K6Fxt/s640/50PanFIlfNettarZeiss105.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The safe bet shot of a railroad track at closest focusing distance pays off in this example. Once again, I really like the tonal range of this film with this developer, but there are some problems in the distance...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlvD3_tOp8lJEcy5euf5P36WJLeSDV0K3iu58gEOHmVBlKIf9Zp27fv7Z783maQSsAsJinJ6HAt1DN8GLG89OwEWj47aa18GC_gfZV1Xj8G7dhtSTkmusQEG-wLP_Ct6rIHg7nlhhu_yA/s1600/50PanFIlfNettarZeiss106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlvD3_tOp8lJEcy5euf5P36WJLeSDV0K3iu58gEOHmVBlKIf9Zp27fv7Z783maQSsAsJinJ6HAt1DN8GLG89OwEWj47aa18GC_gfZV1Xj8G7dhtSTkmusQEG-wLP_Ct6rIHg7nlhhu_yA/s640/50PanFIlfNettarZeiss106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">...literally. The bridge in the distance of the preceding shot is the subject of the next shot. While the exposure was likely a bit generous, and the foreground is washed out, the mottled look of the sky is the most concerning part to me, as the mottled texture was not evident in the original scene.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zhy_L6eBDF7Cj7ePuwG60atXErodbTqP85LT10Y0oMcSDmwFDqQIOgV2uHK_GXp_cWGWM3EBqVDiLiWP0F_YjnUMkcy-H5UfiCXbjb9Q3_hMMtNomMDplAwb-TCq79zJMWs4QlMfBKXI/s1600/50PanFIlfNettarZeiss107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zhy_L6eBDF7Cj7ePuwG60atXErodbTqP85LT10Y0oMcSDmwFDqQIOgV2uHK_GXp_cWGWM3EBqVDiLiWP0F_YjnUMkcy-H5UfiCXbjb9Q3_hMMtNomMDplAwb-TCq79zJMWs4QlMfBKXI/s640/50PanFIlfNettarZeiss107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Condensation again? Sort of doubtful given I'd taken another shot only 5 minutes prior to this. Developer issue? I'm not quite sure. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1sOzLyTex7T-UPXwjW1JbqDXa2UnY-XHUoRIOW7NDmeW9JSm41wd2Tk8lKlOLsxEcchbL0Zu6vVPgLnyMnBAHEnE3e9sFsjIlvwd1oJJI5xVjEGaTGPRXArR4uCiBzZ2eXzGjBYa3uw5/s1600/50PanFIlfNettarZeiss108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1sOzLyTex7T-UPXwjW1JbqDXa2UnY-XHUoRIOW7NDmeW9JSm41wd2Tk8lKlOLsxEcchbL0Zu6vVPgLnyMnBAHEnE3e9sFsjIlvwd1oJJI5xVjEGaTGPRXArR4uCiBzZ2eXzGjBYa3uw5/s640/50PanFIlfNettarZeiss108.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A rather odd result here, particularly across the top of the image. Contrast in this one area seems reduced and the light colored walls show the same mottled appearance of the sky in other images.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIxc0hlLmtWnHZ0YFgRh5D0JEbvt-VeR6rt7BOKcRUqemWdyhQyRHoZZo0GNhfo0vNJ558NjRq-GXdRJq0-Awmp4BkSFy7aVTmFB8AZ6r3i-lXmq2H9ZbkO08ZehwLYTNyMERxG-U_06Y/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1314" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIxc0hlLmtWnHZ0YFgRh5D0JEbvt-VeR6rt7BOKcRUqemWdyhQyRHoZZo0GNhfo0vNJ558NjRq-GXdRJq0-Awmp4BkSFy7aVTmFB8AZ6r3i-lXmq2H9ZbkO08ZehwLYTNyMERxG-U_06Y/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh102.jpg" width="524" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Goldi started off on a high note as well. Contrast isn't excessive, and the sky areas, out of focus here, seem to lack the issues of the roll taken in the Ikonta. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4voC1ednROBpiWsN0wmi0YPI819wH1ucsn0jbNeFu3Shp_W2Hm0MzRxNylL5RBU6gz-D2keF4eOD9nFeM7G4hsGs-LNolUdq0qWxl-cjvRFcuuHigRmxShpv3voCmXoJX9bYJwXtmSsQL/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1314" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4voC1ednROBpiWsN0wmi0YPI819wH1ucsn0jbNeFu3Shp_W2Hm0MzRxNylL5RBU6gz-D2keF4eOD9nFeM7G4hsGs-LNolUdq0qWxl-cjvRFcuuHigRmxShpv3voCmXoJX9bYJwXtmSsQL/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh103.jpg" width="524" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once again, some great tonality is evident, particularly on darker colored objects. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgdyEycqd5pQG7zR9fsa_oh1vLhFp7X6GRHYlypGGqqooY8BxYMMYARBepw_LCIPY9F7O32RapWj5uAJEQYVrXwkwP27owHy-VzsfS_8EltUe46dtjqGfj7j78VobSzUz-XmqJbJWclT4/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1314" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgdyEycqd5pQG7zR9fsa_oh1vLhFp7X6GRHYlypGGqqooY8BxYMMYARBepw_LCIPY9F7O32RapWj5uAJEQYVrXwkwP27owHy-VzsfS_8EltUe46dtjqGfj7j78VobSzUz-XmqJbJWclT4/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh104.jpg" width="524" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A backlit subject offers a nice degree of separation, and highlights from the image are very nicely rendered. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJ5OnK2dg8QMNQeQXq0_k5N7az8jcT5ZlswXCDVRfHU2CxMmKueZY52CmFiiMYR6cSLYUM1nGWEGQ3QIWGl4BF6VzlyHw2FOGhiT0seYW2ksqfRjv4T0sohCskH8sMXpOmCQhZ8o5Ut_Z/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1283" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJ5OnK2dg8QMNQeQXq0_k5N7az8jcT5ZlswXCDVRfHU2CxMmKueZY52CmFiiMYR6cSLYUM1nGWEGQ3QIWGl4BF6VzlyHw2FOGhiT0seYW2ksqfRjv4T0sohCskH8sMXpOmCQhZ8o5Ut_Z/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh105.jpg" width="512" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just one of many reasons I love this camera. Focused at the closest distance, the result is just wonderful, and the film and developer choices help round out the great result.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb3fY-pnSns3E_uvGYjZO1yre_qt8fRKUDtA4KrAgh9OHPrI6CBC5x0d461f3yy2YPlbZUNt5ST5AW4W_RX4gVFoOcGG1xS2_wM8KipQYxsD1n1FuXo0LvBpEWbinHFuUuwwpgV2PcjFP/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1600" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb3fY-pnSns3E_uvGYjZO1yre_qt8fRKUDtA4KrAgh9OHPrI6CBC5x0d461f3yy2YPlbZUNt5ST5AW4W_RX4gVFoOcGG1xS2_wM8KipQYxsD1n1FuXo0LvBpEWbinHFuUuwwpgV2PcjFP/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bring the sky into focus however, and the odd mottling returns to rear its ugly head. Though a smaller percentage of shots on the Goldi suffered this fate, they did occur. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqR2eUkN03mixzFbPKYgh3v-hZbzK54drosyFsUe5NiDTNEKj1VAB6dJXq-_pvW3Lz9Z-4Ju01HpTIE4FaviCyRDBDn0ckoEWg9MxUyDyI_hL8oORw91yWkexzy5i5NJpLoDii90xLXGs1/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1600" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqR2eUkN03mixzFbPKYgh3v-hZbzK54drosyFsUe5NiDTNEKj1VAB6dJXq-_pvW3Lz9Z-4Ju01HpTIE4FaviCyRDBDn0ckoEWg9MxUyDyI_hL8oORw91yWkexzy5i5NJpLoDii90xLXGs1/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Perhaps the best look at what this developer can do to open sky. Disappointing, given that it carries such wonderful results across the rest of the subject matter. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYBFCG_uiLDtSkgrOlqtY8HOBxqkyZfshAbW70UIF3qWcoEQjPjle57_spWcm3XjnCXsfBBFpzghV2fXyiONAqfXRdKlVla7qD67G9MV2G2R1a83rCri85p_ShmUfg_w-dNFVqNkQ8ybF/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1283" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYBFCG_uiLDtSkgrOlqtY8HOBxqkyZfshAbW70UIF3qWcoEQjPjle57_spWcm3XjnCXsfBBFpzghV2fXyiONAqfXRdKlVla7qD67G9MV2G2R1a83rCri85p_ShmUfg_w-dNFVqNkQ8ybF/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh108.jpg" width="512" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The effect is minimized here thanks to a closer focusing point, allowing the focus to be back upon the great tonality and sharpness this trio can provide.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XVx0VGwJ8jTr-yxutpySp9C1NSiTVIgOTh2vERA8cwgPx3KbLzyfU3ckbv7NlGCGA6cOFVp1yftf7_1QfKabVb2ztONDKLjO5UxfqzhVGvipiQzVo0uYubH-Hjosar2LzV0ooSnXVkW7/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1600" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XVx0VGwJ8jTr-yxutpySp9C1NSiTVIgOTh2vERA8cwgPx3KbLzyfU3ckbv7NlGCGA6cOFVp1yftf7_1QfKabVb2ztONDKLjO5UxfqzhVGvipiQzVo0uYubH-Hjosar2LzV0ooSnXVkW7/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Curious is that the result is more notable in some frames and less in others. Though evident here, the mottled sky is not nearly as visible here in this result. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJAzhl0GLudAJiLOlD5a79EMYC5j6r4qnmBrClPWkMXIA9k6zPQDsSU22R_DVkaYGchV71ac-i63P4CCuWPUuoOfcy9Cu45o6364BbBaU73XuU31yCqkuBc05q1YJfoDpLLiSfWxQFxgA/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1133" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJAzhl0GLudAJiLOlD5a79EMYC5j6r4qnmBrClPWkMXIA9k6zPQDsSU22R_DVkaYGchV71ac-i63P4CCuWPUuoOfcy9Cu45o6364BbBaU73XuU31yCqkuBc05q1YJfoDpLLiSfWxQFxgA/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh110.jpg" width="452" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Returning to a more whimsical rendering, my focusing of the Goldi is a hair off, but still the result comes out looking lovely to me. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFb7PB_HEPYE_Cj5ZParbCzpjuP5Z9Ua_uIqQRkn0VlifYuecb9_rZuLUd0riHJ7B3WMO8oVWLrhQGehIqBZ7M1ULJW_DtgQjVi9-LBLexMkEfLs7G2tJzxKtdcgTChyphenhyphenESGdfDgnxLxRT/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1234" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFb7PB_HEPYE_Cj5ZParbCzpjuP5Z9Ua_uIqQRkn0VlifYuecb9_rZuLUd0riHJ7B3WMO8oVWLrhQGehIqBZ7M1ULJW_DtgQjVi9-LBLexMkEfLs7G2tJzxKtdcgTChyphenhyphenESGdfDgnxLxRT/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh111.jpg" width="492" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Among my favorite of local subjects, a simple neon "RESTAURANT" sign.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdjgc5uvOxS6fkNd3YGzLrUI1EPHdjx1L6CRiLpMvHQn6eAuflxtl1Ga76uSprjmmLnXDWrdPTBOmZJWkWzOPzwe81sZc3kTRKe_2bzBUOEoLytrqP_X6gI3I78WiCBMapab8lRZShJF_/s1600/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1234" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdjgc5uvOxS6fkNd3YGzLrUI1EPHdjx1L6CRiLpMvHQn6eAuflxtl1Ga76uSprjmmLnXDWrdPTBOmZJWkWzOPzwe81sZc3kTRKe_2bzBUOEoLytrqP_X6gI3I78WiCBMapab8lRZShJF_/s640/50PanFIlfGoldiZeh112.jpg" width="492" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Missed the focus by a bit. Had I nailed it better, I'd have come away with a great result. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One last try, one last good result from the Ilford film and the Goldi, thanks in large part to TFX-2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a couple of initial rolls, I'd almost call TFX-2 a "Jekyll and Hyde" potion. In nearly all cases where I avoided landscapes and skies in focus, the combination of TFX-2 and Pan F delivered some great, often jaw dropping results. But when the subjects turned to wider views of landscapes, there seemed to be an inconsistent tendency to give some oddly developed skies in some scenes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All told, I really like TFX-2 and look forward to using it again soon, particularly to try to tame microfilm to get a pictorial contrast level. Fingers crossed however, about the results in sky areas! </span></div>
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<br />Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-73557318299127034352017-11-17T09:00:00.000-05:002017-11-17T09:00:23.794-05:00Dutch Date - Part 2: The Detrola Model HW and the Falcon Model F<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Every so often, I'll get really frugal and ask a couple of cameras to share a roll of film. Though there are problems here and there, they'll usually agree. I call these "Dutch Dates" and usually try to pair cameras with something more than simply the film format in common. Below is a look at just one such pairing...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The two Seniors noshed on some Japanese fare, while recalling the days when their format wasn't at all obscure!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Camera Models: </b>Detrola Model HW (1939) and Falcon Model F (1937)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Similarities:</b> It's as if someone built the shell of this camera for both makers to utilize in putting their own finishing touches and features on their version, as they are that similar. Both are Art Deco era American Viewfinder collapsible 127 cameras whose design is rich in Art Deco lettering and design work, and as it so happens, both have tended to have a particular dislike of "homemade" 127 film, from previous experience. Both also have Wollensak 2 inch Velostigmat lenses that have unit focusing instead of front element focusing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Differences:</b> The models come from different manufacturers, and have slight differences in top shutter speed, as well as expected differences in trim. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Film Shared: </b>Rerapan 100 in 127 format, fresh dated. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you have read more than a few of my posts, you'll soon note that I'm a bit of a sucker for what are often known as "obsolete" formats. After successfully cutting down 120 film to feed old 828 format cameras, my attention later turned to 127 format models, and I began to expand my film cutting adventures to this format as well. However, I discovered some 127 cameras weren't the most enthusiastic about using this custom slit film, often slipping in the film advance, or simply having many issues with film plane flatness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Detrola Model HW and the Falcon Model F were two such cameras for me. I'd previously tried a roll of cut 120 in each of these cameras. The Detrola had some difficult light leaks that spilled across the exposed frames, while the shots from the Falcon showed troubling blurs symptomatic of improper film flatness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I certainly wanted to achieve more from these cameras, and thought a fresh roll of true 127 format film was worth trying, while using some care and attention to ensure the leaks of the Detrola were sealed while the film was in the camera, and taking care to ensure the film in the Falcon was pulled taunt. With any luck, I'd have a roll with good samples from two cameras as a result. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Detrola Model HW is a late 1930's product of Detrola, a Michigan based maker of both cameras and radios. The half-frame 127 format camera is awash with art deco details including tin embellishments and a rear exposure "calculator" (resembling an astrological chart of sorts) designed to work with the top mounted extinction meter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By comparison, the Falcon Model F, a product of Utility Manufacturing in New York, is (true to its maker's name) more utilitarian in nature, with less use of silver contrasting elements to the black bakelite body. There is no extinction meter or exposure guides to assist in selecting exposure - you are on your own. The shutter on the Falcon is less versatile than that of the Detrola, topping out at 1/100, compared to the 1/200 top speed on its midwestern counterpart, and though many Falcon Model F cameras have a faster f/3.5 lens, my example has an f/4.5 Wollensak identical to the Detrola. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both of these models fall in the sweet spot of being models that are visually attractive, not excessively popular, not too often seen for sale, and not excessively priced when spotted. I did not exceed my typical $25 comfort zone price point with either of these pickups. Of the two, the Falcon would appear to be the less common, if anecdotal perusing of internet auctions can be considered a good indicator. At any time, at least one Detrola can typically be spotted on ebay, while examples of the Falcon are fewer and father between.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Detrola Model HW</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Looks like it is ready for shooting, and will totally fire the shutter, but the lens has to be extended first!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Detrola Model HW is a camera that you notice before you even pick it up, and this suits it well. As a fan of 1930's Art Deco styling, I couldn't help but be drawn to the form of the Detrola, to the point where its functionality bordered on irrelevant. Despite the lovely form, all the basic functions one needs in a camera are present in the Detrola, including selectable apertures and shutter speeds as well as functioning (helical at that) focus from 3 feet to infinity. The lens is an f/4.5 Wollensak Velostigmat, presumably a triplet formula. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There was something particularly nice about using a 1930's camera that embraced the era in which it was made. All too often, the cameras of this era came in display boxes that radiate with Art Deco styling, but the camera bodies themselves are rather pedestrian by comparison. As well, it was nice to have all of the settings radiating from the lens where they could be set in one place, making it pretty easy to set the exposure settings based on available light levels, and then simply compose, set focus, and shoot. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The attractiveness of this model was not enough to save it from a few functional quirks that made things a bit challenging. I was unlucky enough to have an example of this model whose rear viewfinder eyepiece had come loose in the viewfinder housing. The design of the Detrola doesn't make it terribly obvious how to remove the unit to resecure the glass. Not wanting to damage this 80 year old camera, I elected to leave it. Otherwise, my main issue with the design of this camera lay with the way it nests when collapsed. To close the camera, one turns the focus to around 6 feet to line up a trio of openings to a corresponding trio of raised bumps on the lens barrel before pushing the lens barrel down and turning it to lock the lens barrel in the "collapsed" position. To shoot with the camera, one reverses this motion, turning the focus to that same position and letting the lens barrel pop out for shooting. The problem with this is that when collapsed, it isn't readily apparent that the camera is not extended, and it can be easy to mistakenly pick it up, turn the focus ring anywhere from 7 feet to infinity, and fire away shot after shot. Fortunately, I didn't have this problem, <a href="http://www.mikeeckman.com/2017/07/detrola-model-e-1939/" target="_blank">but a friend of mine did</a>, and I can see how easily such an error is to make. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once extended, using the settings on the Detrola is pretty straight-forward and no-nonsense. As seen above, all settings are set in a single location. The rear of the camera includes a neat exposure calculator that doubles as a cover for the two red windows. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite its outward beauty, picking up and shooting a Detrola isn't commensurate with its appearance. The fit of the camera parts feels a bit cheap compared to the models coming from Germany from the same era, though given the prices and specifications, this is certainly expected. Focusing the Detrola is smooth enough, and unlike many 127 cameras on the lower end of the price spectrum, winding film is a breeze. If anything, the film winding almost feels a bit too easy, precipitating some worry on my part that the film chamber had too much slack that might lead to film plane flatness with this roll of film. One other minor headache with the Detrola is that the shutter speed selector moves very easily. I set it to 1/100 at one point, briefly put it in my bag, and pulled it out a few minutes later to discover it was between B and 1/25. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My worries about the film flatness proved unfounded. And by using electrical tape around the majority of the back plate to seal out light, my results had little to no light infringing on the negatives. The use of "true" 127 film rather than "home made" 127 certainly helped to ensure I was getting the best possible images from this camera. I found that the Detrola generally focused properly and its shutter worked as advertised. Below are my results. My last shot indicates one of the problems with self-cocking shutters on old cameras, as in handling the Detrola, I clearly pressed the shutter at some point in addition to the intended exposure, resulting in the less than effective double exposure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The use of 127 film and some precautions on light leaks worked to get some workable shots from the Detrola, even if the film stock was a bit less than optimal. A corridor shot at Union Station. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Framing with the viewfinder lens having fallen into the housing was a challenge, but I managed. Despite the somewhat fuzzy rendition put forth by the film, I can detect some decent sharpness from the Wollensak lens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Focusing distances on the Detrola seemed to be spot-on. While out of focus rendering wasn't anything poetic, the camera does take a nice photo. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A bit of fuzziness evident here despite focusing at the proper distance.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGhdcjzKZAgO4zitqPaelxkjfYU_AN4zbXMjBLYMIz_86_CaAcdrjR4Ga8v4p1eHw-EU-KDPbUYUDHXbs553Uusx_pPO7jBSQNuYVHTZ2LzJHzCLyWmFvqLFi5269UQqPHYi7byi2Pu6f/s1600/100ReraPanHWDetrola106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGhdcjzKZAgO4zitqPaelxkjfYU_AN4zbXMjBLYMIz_86_CaAcdrjR4Ga8v4p1eHw-EU-KDPbUYUDHXbs553Uusx_pPO7jBSQNuYVHTZ2LzJHzCLyWmFvqLFi5269UQqPHYi7byi2Pu6f/s640/100ReraPanHWDetrola106.jpg" width="516" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Focused at the close focusing distance of 3 feet however, I was pleasantly surprised to get this result. This is one case where the soft look of the film works to the advantage of the image. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7s4rL_3fwqp4o2vY5lXU2ZdbmovtZVL6Coea09C4PbDRBEFWWLUJO2H_3P92IuRsB3VNLHHdQyS_VVDEzB-MWclkkxhs2UkcGYTfsxN_Eac3Tdj7IY2f-4lTz2oYqJDd8tt3FfZreavo1/s1600/100ReraPanHWDetrola107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7s4rL_3fwqp4o2vY5lXU2ZdbmovtZVL6Coea09C4PbDRBEFWWLUJO2H_3P92IuRsB3VNLHHdQyS_VVDEzB-MWclkkxhs2UkcGYTfsxN_Eac3Tdj7IY2f-4lTz2oYqJDd8tt3FfZreavo1/s640/100ReraPanHWDetrola107.jpg" width="516" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another good result from the Detrola can be seen here, giving off a particularly vintage feel. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewNV8CRd9s0xzhcuhyphenhyphenSKZNzLbFIkpetoKoxhVsfLIQ5hgMawMyJuyAj7D6wfQd5QvUZSIsqaHlSkSSBrc1ER_tHwztlwvephcRBPLAhgZKx9LDsPvBXLK_Qy_ZjPFyQr9NlEFRMiDe9Df/s1600/100ReraPanHWDetrola108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1600" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewNV8CRd9s0xzhcuhyphenhyphenSKZNzLbFIkpetoKoxhVsfLIQ5hgMawMyJuyAj7D6wfQd5QvUZSIsqaHlSkSSBrc1ER_tHwztlwvephcRBPLAhgZKx9LDsPvBXLK_Qy_ZjPFyQr9NlEFRMiDe9Df/s640/100ReraPanHWDetrola108.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A disadvantage of a self-cocking shutter is seen in this image. I captured one more image of the stream bank in a back lit setting, only to accidentally depress the shutter again when putting the camera away, resulting in an unintended double exposure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Falcon Model F</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32zBhXkJ0IACv-U_vE5dTLxN5TJbXaQxZxE28a-JCupCNiuYkfy6ifDNlbsQmraoz-eL0vXa4YcLE6a01VOfKnoE09Jo7i_g_YUJzd4QSWzNnLL6r4H6e1xe2XHIj20jfJPJ91WWHqy0I/s1600/IMG_2743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32zBhXkJ0IACv-U_vE5dTLxN5TJbXaQxZxE28a-JCupCNiuYkfy6ifDNlbsQmraoz-eL0vXa4YcLE6a01VOfKnoE09Jo7i_g_YUJzd4QSWzNnLL6r4H6e1xe2XHIj20jfJPJ91WWHqy0I/s640/IMG_2743.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Also in its collapsed state, the Falcon has a focus indicator at top that will only point to a focusing distance when the camera is properly extended.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While the Falcon isn't as snazzy as the Detrola, it certainly has its charms. The engraved Falcon typeface around the lens barrel seems like it is only slightly different from that used by the Detrola. Usage of the Falcon is quite similar to that of the Detrola, with all settings set in one main area around the center of the lens using easy to read indicators. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I honestly expected very little from the Falcon, given the maker's tendency to create only most basic cameras for the budget end of the market, so I was taken aback to discover some particularly nice touches that were unexpected. The collapsible design of this camera is far more pragmatic than that of the Detrola, in that the focus indicator is rotated around beyond the infinity mark to a docking point. The shutter can still be fired in this position, but unlike the Detrola, one won't pick up a collapsed Falcon and see a focus indicator pointing to infinity that makes it appear as if the camera is ready to shoot. Releasing the camera from the collapsed position requires one to depress a round latch and rotate the lens to extend it to align the focusing distances with the marker on the top of the barrel. Each of the set focusing points has a detent, resulting in click stops at each point. While some Falcon users found this to be a pain, I had no issue at all with it. The Falcon also shared the same problem as the Detrola in having the rear viewfinder glass loose in the housing. The simpler design of this housing made removing and reseating the glass a very simple process. One other nice touch about the Falcon was that the winding knob would click as the film was being wound. This at least gave the impression of a degree of precision build that wasn't quite there in the Detrola.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My pet peeves about the Falcon lay mostly with my previous results that didn't inspire confidence in this example, that I had hoped would be solved by using a roll of true 127 film. Otherwise, my misgivings centered around the lens and focusing assembly. The Wollensak lens on my example was VERY wobbly in comparison with the Detrola, and I tried my best not to prod it much when using the Falcon. Additionally, the focusing helical is cast metal (apparently aluminum based) rather than machined metal, so turning the focusing ring is a bit stiff on a camera body of this age. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyOGq8zZ2OrJupWVpSKyBY3eov1MmgxH8oI5yWKACMYvs0YdJ2cxjwDXM9BwH-CCH5xp_1IkHIiK_uyFg_fJI8ie2suJ6k2d67n4grGoT68Z0auFNKRRABD8VazXz9epaFO4nA_aoS51d/s1600/IMG_2745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyOGq8zZ2OrJupWVpSKyBY3eov1MmgxH8oI5yWKACMYvs0YdJ2cxjwDXM9BwH-CCH5xp_1IkHIiK_uyFg_fJI8ie2suJ6k2d67n4grGoT68Z0auFNKRRABD8VazXz9epaFO4nA_aoS51d/s640/IMG_2745.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some might find the click detents on the focusing dial annoying, but I actually like them. I did find the ring a bit tricky to turn though. The rear of the Falcon lacks the cool touches of the Detrola, opting for a very ordinary back plate. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzp4MiItGj7WzliJRPi3u8Dr7hTw1VAXkrfDawn95BRzdofm7FuHXYSPp5HK7epa-U9olIZZ0oib75h_o08cvgVjjR6lWd7myF0pAZgT6ZctfQBsbnInO9FHM-bak1i82pVcBasUayI4bK/s1600/IMG_2746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzp4MiItGj7WzliJRPi3u8Dr7hTw1VAXkrfDawn95BRzdofm7FuHXYSPp5HK7epa-U9olIZZ0oib75h_o08cvgVjjR6lWd7myF0pAZgT6ZctfQBsbnInO9FHM-bak1i82pVcBasUayI4bK/s640/IMG_2746.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Having a fully working viewfinder made using the Falcon much easier, though it was evident in shooting that the viewfinder was seeing only some (maybe 75%) of what was reaching the film, making framing a bit of a challenge. The detents in the focus ring and clicks in the winding mechanism were certainly appreciated, though there were at least a couple of times where I wished I had a 1/200 shutter speed on this camera (such as on the Detrola) to be able to open up the lens a bit more to test the focus. One thing I recalled from my previous roll is that the Falcon's viewing windows on the back are a bit imperfect, tending to clump each pair of exposures together. I had to deliberately space the numbers so that the first appearance of a number was positioned in the beginning of the window, and the second appearance of a number was near the end of the window. The Detrola did not have such an issue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When my negatives emerged from the tank, I was generally pleased with what I saw. I could make out distinct details across the frame, unlike my previous effort which resulted in an awkward abstract of focused areas and blur. It seems that the use of a film stock cut with greater precision was just what the Falcon needed to return improved results. Below are the scans of these results. A couple were taken with the slowest shutter speed of 1/25, which proved too slow for hand holding.</span><br />
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<b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gallery:</span></b></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloe6upDh-J7QL44kI4HDriNidcAtVU-3hYRa5dBf4iTWmpxRURcVFUh3cQKOKtehJQhwk1Z2Vw4uWmEIc6895bPwcGzflYN1d84HBIY35Et6an90mPheffJZglRv5VNhq2dBa3Qvf8B6I/s1600/100ReraPanFFalcon101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloe6upDh-J7QL44kI4HDriNidcAtVU-3hYRa5dBf4iTWmpxRURcVFUh3cQKOKtehJQhwk1Z2Vw4uWmEIc6895bPwcGzflYN1d84HBIY35Et6an90mPheffJZglRv5VNhq2dBa3Qvf8B6I/s640/100ReraPanFFalcon101.jpg" width="516" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With the Falcon, composition was a bit easier due to its viewfinder glass being intact, but there are still challenges with a viewfinder camera, as the door in the background was centered as I composed it through the glass, but the result was anything but. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEmi6RJycJivWPiU-r7p8k52L_nleOQufi5fhRNGmYjCjWAJ5KdjgDVi4E_LeU5rwVULo68dd3XDWGRv_zVHZy9A6KEsjatXGmQtBCe_3GVbUZ8HmkgmWdmMDNcq4AcBY2io48u6WXoNe/s1600/100ReraPanFFalcon102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEmi6RJycJivWPiU-r7p8k52L_nleOQufi5fhRNGmYjCjWAJ5KdjgDVi4E_LeU5rwVULo68dd3XDWGRv_zVHZy9A6KEsjatXGmQtBCe_3GVbUZ8HmkgmWdmMDNcq4AcBY2io48u6WXoNe/s640/100ReraPanFFalcon102.jpg" width="516" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Under less precisionate compositions though, the viewfinder did a decent job. More importantly, the camera itself was able to capture subjects in accurate focus, as seen here. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXm3ZPJzejBqc5BU5feCp2eiBkLmHdb9HYy5YLAjHY-uIspDwJ0KZmCJsQ2abhOXeUEy1oZ5gnZ90zMESGpkUQcQ3lCz3QpVCIKWZe-GtMbl9Arvw06O47BKEmOQa0T7I16DXXYpTA8i1f/s1600/100ReraPanFFalcon103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXm3ZPJzejBqc5BU5feCp2eiBkLmHdb9HYy5YLAjHY-uIspDwJ0KZmCJsQ2abhOXeUEy1oZ5gnZ90zMESGpkUQcQ3lCz3QpVCIKWZe-GtMbl9Arvw06O47BKEmOQa0T7I16DXXYpTA8i1f/s640/100ReraPanFFalcon103.jpg" width="516" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With a focus at the near end of 4 feet, the Falcon didn't quite seem to nail the focus as hoped, as can be seen here in the mushy and indistinct details. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UZxNlbTpoHzQG3ANpGQYelrnUws-7Vjdt6q4a-RAkeFM2-MQdiH0njI0JbeA4Pim8Vvkdd5IWWAIbnqck5I8jZuvANNJrE3zTREQPxJLQeZBagJSa_Pn_D3fv2wGUmfzC7UiGaRRtoJR/s1600/100ReraPanFFALCON104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1600" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UZxNlbTpoHzQG3ANpGQYelrnUws-7Vjdt6q4a-RAkeFM2-MQdiH0njI0JbeA4Pim8Vvkdd5IWWAIbnqck5I8jZuvANNJrE3zTREQPxJLQeZBagJSa_Pn_D3fv2wGUmfzC7UiGaRRtoJR/s640/100ReraPanFFALCON104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Using slow shutter speeds on the Falcon wasn't the easiest of endeavors. Though legible, there is definite evidence of camera shake in this image. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0ZMgeOzg9ZlDCU9NAnzg7NjXN18RClVNBbblSjNqSPkTb_U4fRSO7Mfxt90m3mEhC6dcLZkSDUuYgMl7yp9wl40EK-E4_8Gt3btFO9oC8AJuxs0gvu5cqZyG1xnyI_Yim2bwebkzxMq2/s1600/100ReraPanFFALCON105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0ZMgeOzg9ZlDCU9NAnzg7NjXN18RClVNBbblSjNqSPkTb_U4fRSO7Mfxt90m3mEhC6dcLZkSDUuYgMl7yp9wl40EK-E4_8Gt3btFO9oC8AJuxs0gvu5cqZyG1xnyI_Yim2bwebkzxMq2/s640/100ReraPanFFALCON105.jpg" width="516" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With faster shutter speeds, the camera does a decent job of getting a photo. There is some softness evident in the lettering however. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikykl-zuwrcrku9TZpmthTdT1_Ix4wBvJBgQitEA0KvMdNvkThY76yh6paBIGyxhvyNRQYN_pVtyy5SXuU_csdY3GcjXq3FfSfr2f7gxKhTbx3OLN5Fyw4p54nq7sZ3hqEGT22hFYOcjwv/s1600/100ReraPanFFALCON106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1290" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikykl-zuwrcrku9TZpmthTdT1_Ix4wBvJBgQitEA0KvMdNvkThY76yh6paBIGyxhvyNRQYN_pVtyy5SXuU_csdY3GcjXq3FfSfr2f7gxKhTbx3OLN5Fyw4p54nq7sZ3hqEGT22hFYOcjwv/s640/100ReraPanFFALCON106.jpg" width="516" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here, the center of the image came out displaying nice sharpness. Out of focus rendering in this example is rather ordinary. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwq17btN7Wzoc3N-AYi-D0epcLmS8bTVjcZA1xo5uao3xKWv6AXujmqUad-C7Hvw-yYVBJw5pK16iahABxYCiBDhvbwd8pNUoF-1HCB3L6RvU0Xy61AWv09vJl09V6h5BA-dskfy5Ofxjc/s1600/100ReraPanFFALCON107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1290" data-original-width="1600" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwq17btN7Wzoc3N-AYi-D0epcLmS8bTVjcZA1xo5uao3xKWv6AXujmqUad-C7Hvw-yYVBJw5pK16iahABxYCiBDhvbwd8pNUoF-1HCB3L6RvU0Xy61AWv09vJl09V6h5BA-dskfy5Ofxjc/s640/100ReraPanFFALCON107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shots taken wide open at longer focusing distances tend to be soft, as seen here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A good example to close the samples is this one, in which the foreground is properly focused and crisp, with the backdrop giving off a softer rendition. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Thoughts:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both of these cameras showed that they are still adequate performers after 80 years, able to properly focus and expose images, particularly when stocked with properly cut film. So it may sound odd when I can say that I still have issue with the results while using a true 127 film. The stock used above was fresh-dated Rerapan 100, but I'm less than thrilled with how this film looked after developing. Tonality is decent on scenes of varied lighting, but when viewed at anything other than snapshot size, the grain of this film looks particularly harsh, and shots with deeper hues of sky show light colored specks that stand out in a bad way. I honestly wonder if I would have gotten better results from shooting 40 year old Verichrome Pan rather than this "fresh" film.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Given that the lenses on both cameras are identical, the results from both seem more or less indistinguishable. Sharpness is good particularly in the center of the images, while the slow lenses yield nothing terribly memorable in the form of out-of-focus rendering. The main differences between the cameras thus come from the shooting experience, and to that degree, I'd have to give the nod to the Falcon as the better "shooter" of the pair. Still, the distinction between both models isn't significant, as both were able shooters with some modest pain points that require some attentiveness to maximize image quality.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now that I know these cameras CAN take good images, I'm curious of trying this experiment again, perhaps risking fate by trying another roll of home made film of better quality than the Rerapan that passed through their chambers this time. I can't help but wonder how a slow fine-grained film would render through a classic Wollensak Velostigmat. </span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-80027249452697036342017-10-24T09:00:00.000-04:002017-10-24T09:00:50.274-04:00Dutch Date - Part 1: The Nikon N75 and the Maxxum HTSi<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Every so often, I'll get really frugal and ask a couple of cameras to share a roll of film. Though there are problems here and there, they'll usually agree. I call these "Dutch Dates" and usually try to pair cameras with something more than simply the film format in common. Below is a look at just one such pairing...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The two Japanese millennials sat and reminisced on their youth as they partook in a shared roll of a newer American classic: Kodak's TMAX 100.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Camera Models: </b>Minolta Maxxum HTSi (1997) and Nikon N75 (2002)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Similarities:</b> Both are "mid-entry level" SLR cameras dating from the last 10 years of film's dominance that are largely overlooked today by film enthusiasts, who instead opt for higher end models of the era. Both were acquired as an extra of a multi-camera lot, and happened to function perfectly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Differences:</b> The models come from different makers, and have different button locations for some similar functions. The Minolta allows for manual setting of ISO speeds and has a faster top shutter speed of 1/4000 second. The Nikon has five illuminated focus points that can be easily selected using a pad on the back of the camera.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Film Shared: </b>Kodak TMax 100, fresh dated. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a world of camera collecting and shooting, you're bound to acquire a few extras you'd never intended to snap up. Typically, these come in the form of an extra camera body bundled in with a multi camera lot that contains something else of interest. All too often, these extra pieces are either something broken, something that you already have, or something that is just not terribly interesting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Of the last of those classifications, there is often room for a slight change of heart, one that happens when you pick up that camera, load it with batteries (if it requires them), and fire off a few test shots, only to realize "You know what?!? I don't hate this!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Two such cameras for me were the Nikon N75 and the Minolta Maxxum HTSi. Each was included in a multi-piece lot that I snapped up as a means of picking up a coveted camera. In the case of the Nikon, this was a Ricoh SLR, and in the case of the Maxxum, my primary item of interest was an SRT series SLR. In both cases, I gave these bonus cameras a once-over and elected that they certainly warranted some attention as time allowed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But given that my entire collecting and film buying budget is one of my own financing, since that this blog (which came in a tie for #51 for the Top 50 Film Photography Sites) has no advertising, I simply wasn't ready to dedicate an entire roll to each of these periphery cameras. Ultimately, I elected to do a "dutch date" in which these two cameras would split a roll of Kodak TMax 100.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What I hoped to achieve in this small scale test would be to get a feel for which of these two cameras that are fairly similar in vintage and genre compare to each other. For each of these models, I would make no attempt to look through their manuals to learn their feature set and usage, relying only on my past experience with cameras like the Nikon N60 and Minolta Maxxum 5 as a primer to try to learn how to use each in a "seat of the pants" experience. I did however give a quick look to the specifications of each just to get a quick snap shot of the feature availability of each.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Nikon N75 is a 2003 vintage model and represents the last consumer level autofocus film SLR introduced by Nikon. It was designed to be an entry-level model, but includes a few technological advances not typically seen in earlier entry level models. For example, the camera is equipped with 5 focusing points that are user selectable, and which illuminate directly on the viewfinder screen. The camera has advanced matrix metering that was similar to some of Nikon's higher end cameras. Limitations of the model include a lack of manual ISO setting an a fairly modest 1/2000 top shutter speed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By comparison, the Maxxum HTSi is a 1998 model and is a "middle child" of Minolta's lineup. Though also an entry level model, it is more capable than its QTSi and STSi contemporaries. The HTSi was also refreshed with additional flash capabilities and redubbed the "HTSi Plus." My version lacks this upgrade, but comes with three different focusing points whose focus confirmation is located in the border of the viewfinder rather than the field. Metering is typically matrix, through spot metering can be used as well. Film speed can be pretty easily over-ridden and the top shutter speed of the HTSi is respectable 1/4000 of a second.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For a anecdotal comparison of the popularity of each of these models today, one need only turn to the popular photo sharing app <b><i>Instagram</i></b> and do a hashtag search. A quick glance revels that "<i>#nikonn75</i>" returns 772 results, while "<i>#maxxumhtsi</i>" returns only 2, and one of those is mine. It is readily apparent just which camera is more in vogue today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Popularity contests aside, let's get to it and have a look at these cameras and how they handled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Nikon N75</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOGtOmIJY04V7MTz1nHD43xK2nJjF-EK4nSjNIAVd3nstpNVCvtcm5Ww1OS8aUY0QkqvpR2iNzRHc2QgfxFseKiarRj3d736RRMSQH9da3SwrboIgbyTxVPwrUeZoW4sqNUFZ4hYQKkp0/s1600/IMG_2610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOGtOmIJY04V7MTz1nHD43xK2nJjF-EK4nSjNIAVd3nstpNVCvtcm5Ww1OS8aUY0QkqvpR2iNzRHc2QgfxFseKiarRj3d736RRMSQH9da3SwrboIgbyTxVPwrUeZoW4sqNUFZ4hYQKkp0/s640/IMG_2610.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Nikon N75 has a crisp look that has aged nicely, though the grip handle tends to be sticky, making for a less than sightly appearance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Picking up the N75 for the first time, the first thing I notice is how light it is. Sure, given that I've used numerous cameras from this era, the featherweight is expected, but still offers a small surprise each time I pick up a new example. The viewfinder display is particularly nice, including a red flashing icon at lower left to indicate the lack of film in the camera. Also in the viewing field are the focus indicators with a nicely illuminated display beneath the viewing field with basic exposure information, such as aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation settings. True to many Nikons. the LCD display uses "lower case" zeros.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some of the touches I like on the N75 include a pretty straight forward external interface to selecting the focus points. Also, I like the use of a switch rather than a button to change between AF and MF, and appreciate separate settings on the nicely styled main dial to select between scene modes and traditional P-A-S-M modes. Rather than a pair of dials to toggle control settings, particularly in manual mode, the N75 uses a single dial, and an aperture "iris" button on the top deck to enable changing the aperture manually. Next to this button is one to enable EV compensation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Top deck of the N75 shows a clean and fairly uncluttered layout, with most controls accessed via either the main control dial or a complement of buttons. The use of "engraving" on the aperture and EV compensation buttons make them a bit tricky to make out. On the back is a dial for changing of settings, an exposure lock button, and a nicely designed d-pad and dial combination to control focusing points. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What I found less than optimal on the N75 was the inability to change film ISO settings manually, something which becomes increasingly vital as more films emerge lacking this functionality. Another disappointment was that 1/2000 was the top shutter speed. Even in subdued light, I am likely to have times where I want to shoot wide open to really blur a background, and appreciate the extra ability of a 1/4000 shutter speed. Finally, despite the niceties in the display, the viewfinder tends to feel a bit dim and claustrophobic compared to other models of similar vintage I've used. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shooting the N75 though, I encountered few issues. I was using 100 speed film with a DX code and didn't encounter the need for the higher shutter speed as light was marginal during my time spent shooting this camera. Focus on the AF-D 50mm/f1.8 prime was just as a breeze, just as it has been when I've used it on other Nikon models. Being a lens in the D lineup, this prime has an aperture ring, but the N75 insists that you lock it at f/22 and set the aperture through the settings. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The viewfinder of the N75 is a tad claustrophobic, but offers up good information, including illumination of focusing confirmation at the five points, as well as a minder that the camera is in need of film. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I encountered only a few scenes that presented some challenges, particularly in exposure, where my subject in foreground shadow was likely to be lost due to bright background. The matrix metering handled this quite capably, and in the couple of instances where I thought it might fail, I easily centered the subject in the viewfinder and used the AE lock to recompose and shoot, giving excellent results. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gallery:</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Minolta Maxxum HTsi</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Dressed in black, the Minolta Maxxum HTsi offers a pretty sleek look, particularly when paired with the swift "nifty fifty" prime lens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Picking up the HTSi, it feels more or less as light as the N75, but seems a tad bulkier by comparison. The all black body looks sleek, but does have a bit of a dated appearance to it, while the main control dial seems a bit cheesy in comparison to that of the Nikon. Whereas the Nikon has its program modes upon the dial, the Maxxum requires the user to use buttons to the right side of the top deck to select the desired mode. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some of the touches I like on the HTSi were the easy ability to change the ISO speed of the film, as well as the location of the EV compensation button that more readily allows the right hand to dial in the changes while a finger on your left depresses the button. I also rather like the way exposure information is displayed in the viewfinder, which I found a bit easier to read than many modern SLR cameras. It was also nice to know that the shutter fires as fast as 1/4000 of a second on this model. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The top deck layout of the HTSi is fairly well done, aside from leaving 60% of the function dial at left empty yet clumping the commonly used Program/Aperture/Shutter/Manual settings clumped together in a single place to be sorted out by use of the center function button. Rear of the camera is sparse, but straight forward and not intimidating, with a spot metering and AF toggle button the only controls to learn. </span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What I found less than optimal on the HTsi, particularly in comparison to the Nikon was the way in which the focusing point is denoted. Rather than a confirmation within the viewfinder screen itself, the focusing point is shown with the information on the left side of the viewfinder, and is particularly small. Therefore, validating focus over what is seen on screen requires one to look in two separate places. I'd have also preferred the dial been segmented into distinct P-A-S-M settings, rather than clumping them together and requiring a press of the center FUNCTION button to scroll through the 4 modes. Otherwise, the only other dislike of the camera is its plastic lens mount, which equates to a downgrade </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shooting the HTSi, I found it to be quite similar to that of another Maxxum camera that I'm particularly fond of, the oft-0verlooked Maxxum 5. Though not quite as slick as the 5, the HTSi does act in many ways like an embryonic version of its successor. Focus was quick and despite bright conditions during my time with this camera, I was never unable to use a desired aperture due to limitations of the camera. All Maxxum lenses lack an aperture ring, so all settings of the aperture are done within the camera body itself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aside from the very subtle denotation of the focusing point, I really like the clarity of the viewfinder on the HTSi, in particular the exposure information along the left side of the screen. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I encountered scenes that were mostly evenly lit, but used exposure compensation a few times for backlit scenes, even leaving it set by accident for a later shot, but with little issue. For some other scenes with modest back lighting, the matrix metering easily handled exposure, and for a few other shots, I was able to use a particularly likable feature of depressing the shutter button part way to lock focus and exposure on an off center subject and then recompose the shot. In each case, it worked just fine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gallery:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Thoughts: </b>Both cameras are examples of tremendously capable autofocus SLR cameras that can be had for a ridiculously low price, and both showed off their ability to create excellent imagery through examples of some of the best affordable autofocus prime lenses out there. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Given the choice between one or the other, I'd be more inclined to take the HTSi. Though some of the touches of the Nikon seemed more polished than its Minolta counterpart, the Minolta just felt a bit easier to use to me. Add in that this camera allows for manual film speed setting and has a faster top speed over the Nikon, and any bits of finesse that the N75 may have to its advantage seem more an aspect of form over function. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Either way, a working example of either of these cameras, paired with an equally capable lens will provide the film shooter on a budget a capable performer, if not necessarily a work horse. Both can easily be recommended as an easy and affordable entry into the world of film photography.</span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-32389389681567335952017-10-16T09:00:00.000-04:002017-10-16T09:00:12.270-04:00Inst-amour! The Kodak Instamatic 700-800 Series<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In most cases, I'm a terrible "Collector."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though I may pick up vintage film cameras to a large degree, there have been few if any genres at which I've collected the entire set. I don't need to have every Univex AF folding model. Nor am I pressed to have the all black variant of the Pentax ME Super as well as the "SE" edition with diagonal split prism to round out my arsenal of that model. And I'm never about to try to collect every lens offered for even the most meager SLR camera models.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But yet, I took an odd departure from my historical tendencies to snap up an example of each in one of the most endearing camera series that I've happened across this year...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFfwoLS-10CMKt9tvLloEKc0MAq1DgDr8ttIiih2n3v-pZrliS4OsSMC57d2EEVluaxuOmyWvvyXe5Xifze32bvbar84kco_x9JhpRc_1VyHJGUduvUiLB7ovateHsFK2T_GcP2mrkrv-/s1600/IMG_2508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFfwoLS-10CMKt9tvLloEKc0MAq1DgDr8ttIiih2n3v-pZrliS4OsSMC57d2EEVluaxuOmyWvvyXe5Xifze32bvbar84kco_x9JhpRc_1VyHJGUduvUiLB7ovateHsFK2T_GcP2mrkrv-/s640/IMG_2508.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In formation is the entirety of the 700/800 numbered series of Kodak Instamatic cameras. At the top of the stack are the 700 and 800, with the 704 and 804 in the middle, and the 714 and 814 making the foundation for this heavy stack of American cameras.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Kodak Instamatic 700 and 800 series stood at the top spot of the American-made Kodak 126 cameras, and embody a remarkable sense of quirk and flair packaged in a durable housing with a surprisingly usable feature set.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though the years don't really coincide, the Instamatic 700 and 800 series cameras tend tend to dovetail nicely with another American institution - The Brady Bunch. Six models comprise the series, similar to the number of children Mike and Carol had on the show. And there's even a "Cousin Oliver" that showed up as the series was getting stale to try to freshen it up a bit longer. And while I could beat the horse of Brady-based analogies for the remainder of this write-up, for my own sanity and yours, I'll largely try to resist.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One thing that all the models share in this series is a stepped design housing made from cast aluminum. Each model is a shutter priority automatic camera with at least three selectable shutter speeds between 1/60 and 1/250, with a fourth "hidden" slow shutter speed that is chosen if the 1/60 setting is too fast for a specific scene based upon available light readings. On each model, focus is selected from a range between 3 feet and infinity, and the lens is a fairly fast f/2.8 aperture lens of either of two Kodak lines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Slight variations exist from line to line, but most 700 series viewfinders look like the one above, while the 800 series models appear as seen below. Note the golden rangefinder spot on the 800 series, which provides quite adequate, if not stellar isolation of the rangefinder spot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 700 series models vary from their corresponding 800 series counterparts in having Zone "guess" focusing whereas the 800 series employ a coupled rangefinder to assist in precise focusing. 800 series models also "benefit" from the innovation of a spring-tensioned automatic film advance, while the 700 series models have a lever film advance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The following chart breaks down the feature distinctions between each model, as well as giving a timeline of availability:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 126 film format has passed into obscurity, but some of the cameras made for this format are still quite usable today, using 135 film stock with a little bit of resourcefulness. The 700 and 800 series models are fortunately among the models most amenable to adapting for using 135 stock, for reasons that are mildly complicated to explain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a nutshell, the 126 format relied on a registration hole for proper film spacing. Each frame had a single registration hole, which lined in a location somewhat similar to the sprockets of 135 film, and which was aligned with a longer hole in the backing paper. All 126 cameras have a simple "pin" that catches this hole to stop the film from advancing, and this pin retracts after the next frame is released to allow the film to advance to the next frame. With some 126 camera, the shutter is tensioned in the same motion as the film advance. Since the hole in the backing paper for each frame was about 3 times the length of the hole in the 126 film, 135 film placed on this backing usually results in 2 sprockets overlaying the hole in the backing paper. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a result, winding film from the first shot will usually result in the film stopping almost immediately, as the pin catches the next sprocket that isn't covered by the backing paper. If the shutter of the 126 camera is tensioned during advance, the camera will often "lock" when using 135 film, where the shutter can't fire, and the film advance is waiting for the shutter to fire to release for advancing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fortunately, all of the 700/800 series do not employ this method. I've had great luck in simply covering the lens to fire a blank exposure, then advancing the film to the next frame. To further help in frame spacing, I've annotated some of my 126 backing papers to have suffix letters A-E to the five repeating numbers on each frame, helping to prevent overlap from frame to frame. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A "top down" look at the models, consisting of, from top to bottom, the 700, 800, 704, 804, 714, and 814. A number of slight variances can be noted, including the 804 being the sole model in the entire series to have a silver colored focusing ring. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Admittedly, the 700 series cameras, with the winding advance are easier to control than the "automatic" advance of the 800 series models. Since the 126 registration holes and 135 sprocket holes don't precisely coincide, an 800 series model may zip past an entire sequence of frames if the advance is fully tensioned. I've found that only tensioning the advance a little bit at a time helps keep the 135 film advancing at a reasonable clip in these models, though skips can still be possible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #999999;">The Instamatic 700</span></b>: "The Silver Pioneer"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">The Instamatic 800</span></b>: "The Gold Standard"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Instamatic 700 at left, Instamatic 800 at right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The series started off in 1963 with the introduction of the Instamatic 700. While not the most full featured model of the lineup, this model set in place a foundation that would be carried over for more than a decade in subsequent variants. The model was joined a year later in 1964 by the 800 model which added coupled rangefinder focusing and the spring wound automatic advance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both of these models featured shutter priority shooting with three selectable shutter speeds using a dial at the lower left front of the camera, with a fourth hidden shutter speed of 1/30 selected automatically by the camera in the event that 1/60 at f/2.8 was inadequate for the giving lighting situation. Metering was done via a built in selenium cell above the lens, with an option to use single bulb flash bulbs powered by a pair of N cells placed in the underside of the camera body.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Both cameras also featured a fairly simple exposure compensation dial on the front of the camera beneath the viewfinder which either opened or closed the aperture by one stop by thumbing the dial in either direction. These dials work OK, but have a tendency to stick, requiring resetting to the normal center position. Lenses on both cameras are identical: An Ektanar 38mm f/2.8 using front cell focusing. Series 5 filters can be used with these models by unscrewing a retaining cap, seating the filter over the lens, and reattaching the retainer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The 700 and 800 make a subtle use of distinguishing trim between the two models. On the 700 model, both the center of the shutter speed dial and the Kodak emblem on front are embossed in silver, whereas the 800 model's trim of these parts is in gold. Atop the camera, the logo for the 700 is silver and red, while the 800 model is finished in gold and blue. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #999999;"><b>Instamatic 700</b></span> - Rollei Retro 80S - Baltimore MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #999999;"><b>Instamatic 700</b></span> - Rollei Retro 80S - Baltimore MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #999999;"><b>Instamatic 700</b></span> - Rollei Retro 80S - Baltimore MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #999999;">Instamatic 700</span></b> - Rollei Retro 80S - Baltimore MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><b>Instamatic 800</b></span> - Ilford Delta 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Instamatic 800</span></b> - Ilford Delta 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">Instamatic 800</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Ilford Delta 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">Instamatic 800</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Ilford Delta 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">Instamatic 800</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Ilford Delta 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLfZYhjfdLEvZbh2tWhaDoqcOWwbjNw2LO7nnSMN6UMPfjfUe4pFOwPMYrluScTEDQm59ck9HoD3qluOAMbYvOpHaCZCSGtZuDBQGlunk6Xu61z4Zxb7FfHB-77aiv10Jgcu3ZEi-_Mwb/s1600/100Delta800Insta107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLfZYhjfdLEvZbh2tWhaDoqcOWwbjNw2LO7nnSMN6UMPfjfUe4pFOwPMYrluScTEDQm59ck9HoD3qluOAMbYvOpHaCZCSGtZuDBQGlunk6Xu61z4Zxb7FfHB-77aiv10Jgcu3ZEi-_Mwb/s640/100Delta800Insta107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">Instamatic 800</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Ilford Delta 100 - Olney MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho70QZ7oQjJDCALZFzO6SNXpE02oHz7hdae6Prw0IC3sRPMaI4jRcnPoFjzu2K1beuS-MpqEZtw7BfuZqN_EsAff9UUGq9EDvMEFW8PQaDsgVUcYOL0otjr5uJdNHgjG-kUtLiAtFv7zGL/s1600/100Delta800Insta109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho70QZ7oQjJDCALZFzO6SNXpE02oHz7hdae6Prw0IC3sRPMaI4jRcnPoFjzu2K1beuS-MpqEZtw7BfuZqN_EsAff9UUGq9EDvMEFW8PQaDsgVUcYOL0otjr5uJdNHgjG-kUtLiAtFv7zGL/s640/100Delta800Insta109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">Instamatic 800</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Ilford Delta 100 - Damascus MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFx4CuKontlmqKat-v5QLvIdXlVKqwTe9BR89_5pYG1X-yGyZUEeTJ276LrvMSX5BrtE-XJ-jJhiIkIfdqBnRpl9FMNbXRNuNEIU2FTfo-iwfhOaEZqPZL4iBHe0FJ0pHUz5irsltVoS7/s1600/100Delta800Insta110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFx4CuKontlmqKat-v5QLvIdXlVKqwTe9BR89_5pYG1X-yGyZUEeTJ276LrvMSX5BrtE-XJ-jJhiIkIfdqBnRpl9FMNbXRNuNEIU2FTfo-iwfhOaEZqPZL4iBHe0FJ0pHUz5irsltVoS7/s640/100Delta800Insta110.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">Instamatic 800</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Ilford Delta 100 - Glenelg MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghup0GJU4Y5gLutZO0s4PBxufD_lesi7pJDMpjoV7WPheriiBanc2T88qfRUpW0BtPhHxNTfd7xMwNUPr4zm3G1DeQdA9l4oljVplir51bjYaFIXVxzr6VdXVP2oO86PhTdJ6HVpKcEA5T/s1600/100Delta800Insta114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghup0GJU4Y5gLutZO0s4PBxufD_lesi7pJDMpjoV7WPheriiBanc2T88qfRUpW0BtPhHxNTfd7xMwNUPr4zm3G1DeQdA9l4oljVplir51bjYaFIXVxzr6VdXVP2oO86PhTdJ6HVpKcEA5T/s640/100Delta800Insta114.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">Instamatic 800</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Ilford Delta 100 - Glenelg MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYz1zC4yvatd9qhr1SdfL0329n5d2CYAu8x1d5ppWXdnnk20pWPL-5rPhiv318MhH9nMm5KqSEJolAE7xtjjR6pz1pRfnzDaBn3M4u3_NUN4ASlV9wihcOhBjoReIUwSHGxtDm7r3_ZYf/s1600/100Delta800Insta115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYz1zC4yvatd9qhr1SdfL0329n5d2CYAu8x1d5ppWXdnnk20pWPL-5rPhiv318MhH9nMm5KqSEJolAE7xtjjR6pz1pRfnzDaBn3M4u3_NUN4ASlV9wihcOhBjoReIUwSHGxtDm7r3_ZYf/s640/100Delta800Insta115.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">Instamatic 800</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Ilford Delta 100 - Glenelg MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jlEMHrFkUPbwT2wNdllFDixZifM3L_nIgE7IfAmMOk5IOYuHcPttRcBNCnCT72IerDyRh2TY8lsN56To72EvU5sxXpN6Q9chv4e3BR5ZjsXPNJfPMAS_Ts65Bqb46D11nNIFN1-32J3m/s1600/100Delta800Insta116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jlEMHrFkUPbwT2wNdllFDixZifM3L_nIgE7IfAmMOk5IOYuHcPttRcBNCnCT72IerDyRh2TY8lsN56To72EvU5sxXpN6Q9chv4e3BR5ZjsXPNJfPMAS_Ts65Bqb46D11nNIFN1-32J3m/s640/100Delta800Insta116.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #bf9000;">Instamatic 800</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Ilford Delta 100 - Glenelg MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: red;">The Instamatic 704</span></b>: "The Red Rocket"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The Instamatic 804</span></b>: "The Blue Bomber"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Instamatic 704 at left, Instamatic 804 at right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 1965, the original 700 and 800 models were replaced by a pair of new models numbered 704 and and 804 respectively. Gone was the single flash bulb set up, and in its place was a Flashcube connection for flash photos. The other noticeable enhancement was the availability of a bulb setting in addition to the three shutter speeds on the dial of the original model. Otherwise, the feature set appears identical to the earlier models, with the lens, selenium meter, and exposure adjustment carried forward from the previous versions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is interesting to note that the x00 models were replaced by a pair of x04 models rather than a pair of x01 models. The use of the number 4 may be a nod to the 4th shutter speed setting, but is more than likely a reference to the number of flash shots available on each Flashcube. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trim changes are quite apparent between this pair of Instamatics and the models they replaced. While the 700 and 800 models primarily used silver and gold as the distinguishing accent colors between the models, the 704 and 804's trim use red and blue as the distinct feature colors. The most apparent difference in trim however results from the extension of the silver trim down to include a larger portion of the front of the camera, somewhat downplaying the blocky selenium meter cells above the lens. The result is that the rather awkward shape of the camera is greatly highlighted, making these models the least attractive of the lineup. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhEHzL5WxlfE1zDNyih9e5tI5l422GaoGiH3p8_N9iP7UK62-kT81VDJ4rgmLMsjlArRnQwuBiUWIcqWfr7i5zu0834Z_VDfqPI2v8WIAs9LqggUUFUzry38RS9tyCyYqwoe_agxLQzye/s1600/400ProHFuji704Insta102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhEHzL5WxlfE1zDNyih9e5tI5l422GaoGiH3p8_N9iP7UK62-kT81VDJ4rgmLMsjlArRnQwuBiUWIcqWfr7i5zu0834Z_VDfqPI2v8WIAs9LqggUUFUzry38RS9tyCyYqwoe_agxLQzye/s640/400ProHFuji704Insta102.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">Instamatic 704</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Fujicolor Pro 400H - Adamstown MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0lFaKgVCKoU3hee4O_DkM6Av6AjCjGalcaJe7v9Ove6u5qhFsb3HjJC0zHcaANoFqUMNl-a4-p3fU3-y2LnVBzvywDLSryu7pGXHCMLw_QAQvnEcDdOHQ97Ko5hIod-L1maBRqdDrxHj/s1600/400ProHFuji704Insta104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0lFaKgVCKoU3hee4O_DkM6Av6AjCjGalcaJe7v9Ove6u5qhFsb3HjJC0zHcaANoFqUMNl-a4-p3fU3-y2LnVBzvywDLSryu7pGXHCMLw_QAQvnEcDdOHQ97Ko5hIod-L1maBRqdDrxHj/s640/400ProHFuji704Insta104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">Instamatic 704</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Fujicolor Pro 400H - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7ZfNavl0Up4dnGpwlXEM7vURt9YiFRyOoNMhEFtWAHgmwCjS2RMXzRo80k2Ce3AKWFN9HULWF_-AL90wDA8vQmwyA-MVNCTB4rSFxosdzW8HO4WQ0lbhxp4FZmgjcjPD93QiZjcm-1OZ/s1600/400ProHFuji704Insta106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7ZfNavl0Up4dnGpwlXEM7vURt9YiFRyOoNMhEFtWAHgmwCjS2RMXzRo80k2Ce3AKWFN9HULWF_-AL90wDA8vQmwyA-MVNCTB4rSFxosdzW8HO4WQ0lbhxp4FZmgjcjPD93QiZjcm-1OZ/s640/400ProHFuji704Insta106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">Instamatic 704</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Fujicolor Pro 400H - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHbrhUgO8Y9zeDYvtiDbvD1PilvC4NCSWl6VGEYUd7ZBcFP8_5Xj-VNwxw5rjZulhXDn83DTsbNFfELDPgiHqY6BVXclpx2jXN52HFvE0VnV9j4v3cF0BjTNu35UW-4aMHjMwQ4mANN3e/s1600/400ProHFuji704Insta109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHbrhUgO8Y9zeDYvtiDbvD1PilvC4NCSWl6VGEYUd7ZBcFP8_5Xj-VNwxw5rjZulhXDn83DTsbNFfELDPgiHqY6BVXclpx2jXN52HFvE0VnV9j4v3cF0BjTNu35UW-4aMHjMwQ4mANN3e/s640/400ProHFuji704Insta109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">Instamatic 704</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Fujicolor Pro 400H - Jefferson MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMNkuER5ljnpR61PnxgMd-X_96O2HkQULoSpWIeJq3ItvJuNBqJZUkPH9pwasWfLNLMM5x1Hux52lFVoV7WSSCDIj1pJgGznV98wdzRK2tl8fmxlfZvCRL-s_3D-_Da8hHQVvZWHHlQss/s1600/400ProHFuji704Insta111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMNkuER5ljnpR61PnxgMd-X_96O2HkQULoSpWIeJq3ItvJuNBqJZUkPH9pwasWfLNLMM5x1Hux52lFVoV7WSSCDIj1pJgGznV98wdzRK2tl8fmxlfZvCRL-s_3D-_Da8hHQVvZWHHlQss/s640/400ProHFuji704Insta111.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">Instamatic 704</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Fujicolor Pro 400H - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Instamatic 704</b> </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Fujicolor Pro 400H - Jefferson MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSTykUGlMEtEEebCGWT2gy_-Giq8vU6Yepe-Gb0CejKwzFRRXcomKFL1Q5_fn0W7wIP5G7Y5gIHNd9yzWDOO3_LXDEusRQIMnSHmJvnBI0ZRQrINMrVkk3oEdDawYEWVk3HBjwpg1AVdy/s1600/400ProHFuji704Insta116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSTykUGlMEtEEebCGWT2gy_-Giq8vU6Yepe-Gb0CejKwzFRRXcomKFL1Q5_fn0W7wIP5G7Y5gIHNd9yzWDOO3_LXDEusRQIMnSHmJvnBI0ZRQrINMrVkk3oEdDawYEWVk3HBjwpg1AVdy/s640/400ProHFuji704Insta116.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">Instamatic 704</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Fujicolor Pro 400H - Jefferson MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtE30Q56AaDLeWGVLgquLpnObymjYLgDzonj01WjENfP8UNSwcgXgExTqiYzhoI5wZQNpfrebZZoyBFCeWZ74H7MzAl9GBthpexUjM2BXfZyVuRbQEyq9b3GsIsXmHzTOv06qxLEnjQ5Xz/s1600/400ProHFuji704Insta118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtE30Q56AaDLeWGVLgquLpnObymjYLgDzonj01WjENfP8UNSwcgXgExTqiYzhoI5wZQNpfrebZZoyBFCeWZ74H7MzAl9GBthpexUjM2BXfZyVuRbQEyq9b3GsIsXmHzTOv06qxLEnjQ5Xz/s640/400ProHFuji704Insta118.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: red;">Instamatic 704</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Fujicolor Pro 400H - Middletown MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Instamatic 804</span></b> - Polaroid HD200 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfA6nsWLrb1Ys6O31ksuo_cZPEwpwwP205kS_uHwQASoKNGbzuhXPpeUOPnuEy0IhacGDUyuFCFCIH9K8teBFlOxbEQ1coMLd76Bu5wF3q4W6Y52ALQI1_am16AUXeKw4x3uNbDYsVmwp/s1600/200Pola804Insta102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwfA6nsWLrb1Ys6O31ksuo_cZPEwpwwP205kS_uHwQASoKNGbzuhXPpeUOPnuEy0IhacGDUyuFCFCIH9K8teBFlOxbEQ1coMLd76Bu5wF3q4W6Y52ALQI1_am16AUXeKw4x3uNbDYsVmwp/s640/200Pola804Insta102.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Instamatic 804</span></b> - Polaroid HD200 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglv1L0PXGd5ArQHVtP6KzzSm4vd0ns7sUoE-KO0nyoBSAbc104KG9jYmEj3MN86cBS7PRhNJub_WiHjp7cmBNOg7635b-cPp8kRd7spnKNGsfrskoFGDepJRpFsC-6orGhXwq0jihpzGrv/s1600/200Pola804Insta104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglv1L0PXGd5ArQHVtP6KzzSm4vd0ns7sUoE-KO0nyoBSAbc104KG9jYmEj3MN86cBS7PRhNJub_WiHjp7cmBNOg7635b-cPp8kRd7spnKNGsfrskoFGDepJRpFsC-6orGhXwq0jihpzGrv/s640/200Pola804Insta104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Instamatic 804</span></b> </span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- Polaroid HD200 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNTRIZGnotz5rQihkBtzybMSh0xLhwjBrthHSlJmm252fzcAZo3jWXIvCJUh0NZKqicqOkIwio0ceQaQ0eqQn0njQNzcoi9SEQtWriIYKUAOURupTieJvuc0jPo-MVjMzYGSByOUGkdiG/s1600/200Pola804Insta105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNNTRIZGnotz5rQihkBtzybMSh0xLhwjBrthHSlJmm252fzcAZo3jWXIvCJUh0NZKqicqOkIwio0ceQaQ0eqQn0njQNzcoi9SEQtWriIYKUAOURupTieJvuc0jPo-MVjMzYGSByOUGkdiG/s640/200Pola804Insta105.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Instamatic 804</span></b> - Polaroid HD200 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkrI-SN1MV7KV4O-y-MupVQFtV0u8T8inLSyLkyT2hbDL70NvYuSOKR1VScp_6guf7MPtIy_3ews1WV2NPvp-bqZPj-sT55QUqLMQhxmEINDFMvjPRSLtXUJ7BtTfrAX9k5JW2tn94rr0/s1600/200Pola804Insta106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkrI-SN1MV7KV4O-y-MupVQFtV0u8T8inLSyLkyT2hbDL70NvYuSOKR1VScp_6guf7MPtIy_3ews1WV2NPvp-bqZPj-sT55QUqLMQhxmEINDFMvjPRSLtXUJ7BtTfrAX9k5JW2tn94rr0/s640/200Pola804Insta106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Instamatic 804</span></b> - Polaroid HD200 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbg1MookD3vXN3Sx1UpiMx5dIcclmcLg0uhhrjR1FCqx5hc0q8JZVpXOCv0TIvQIgz8aq6YX0AsmHIp8P-zTDn3gZnxWfIqtZoQH4VUJJpm2XOM9q7uMSRq5JoGumpsxs4-w3y0FQxWEh/s1600/200Pola804Insta107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbg1MookD3vXN3Sx1UpiMx5dIcclmcLg0uhhrjR1FCqx5hc0q8JZVpXOCv0TIvQIgz8aq6YX0AsmHIp8P-zTDn3gZnxWfIqtZoQH4VUJJpm2XOM9q7uMSRq5JoGumpsxs4-w3y0FQxWEh/s640/200Pola804Insta107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Instamatic 804</span></b> - Polaroid HD200 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1YUJGrtz8DaQZmRUWY2U-ichHiPqFHIx4GqW_uO5d0Hnh14CkwIdfabyo7XYq90zZZBrzU0tYaMrJyX9vgDwaSmTK8hfHSL64bPRjZ_meORdSh6BzQTE99GeH2q6kmjJDwv_q5ZvRgTF/s1600/200Pola804Insta109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB1YUJGrtz8DaQZmRUWY2U-ichHiPqFHIx4GqW_uO5d0Hnh14CkwIdfabyo7XYq90zZZBrzU0tYaMrJyX9vgDwaSmTK8hfHSL64bPRjZ_meORdSh6BzQTE99GeH2q6kmjJDwv_q5ZvRgTF/s640/200Pola804Insta109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Instamatic 804</span></b> - Polaroid HD200 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujx0Q52El-B8MyH4i7RBLKHd6yt8OcCJGrfIoYePlqcQYtT3WMaocL4nJYpPOxJNLJg3DDQT2-oceOw8RJm6eimw0SjzbHqxMXqth1b1be68oyIH3Pn75AAwOg4xRrTy7hVhbH2ZDoh6J/s1600/200Pola804Insta111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujx0Q52El-B8MyH4i7RBLKHd6yt8OcCJGrfIoYePlqcQYtT3WMaocL4nJYpPOxJNLJg3DDQT2-oceOw8RJm6eimw0SjzbHqxMXqth1b1be68oyIH3Pn75AAwOg4xRrTy7hVhbH2ZDoh6J/s640/200Pola804Insta111.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Instamatic 804</span></b> - Polaroid HD200 - Braddock Heights MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;">The Instamatic 714</span></b>: "The Rare Bird"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Instamatic 814</b>: "The Black Stallion"</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrjV0I5wDfxcpSe6V7FDbVwIW1PjbJq5u6VRlW-eI2VWreO6fK3nnu0BNZGCkwuhwza2CObDl0ypvKgREO2r0Z3yxJsEW79EuvX2GM6D8zCbBAxVVZdKWzJv7DXeZM0006K9F5FB9uNgU/s1600/IMG_2514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrjV0I5wDfxcpSe6V7FDbVwIW1PjbJq5u6VRlW-eI2VWreO6fK3nnu0BNZGCkwuhwza2CObDl0ypvKgREO2r0Z3yxJsEW79EuvX2GM6D8zCbBAxVVZdKWzJv7DXeZM0006K9F5FB9uNgU/s640/IMG_2514.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Instamatic 714 at left, Instamatic 814 at right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With the debut of the <i>x</i>14 variants, the series took a measurable step forward in the metering department, with the addition of a battery powered CDS cell. The result is rather interesting in that the models require a pair of batteries to power flash and another pair of batteries to power the meter. Lacking said batteries, the cameras seem to default to shooting wide open at the slowest shutter speed, resulting in the only instance of anything resembling full manual operation in the entire series. A slight hiccup to this improvement is that the batteries specified for these models, the PX-825, have been out of production for some time. However, it's no huge endeavor to literally nickel and dime an improvised solution consisting of a single CR-2032 cell paired with small coins in the battery holder to supply the required 3 volts of power to the CDS meter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another purported upgrade to this lineup is the replacement of the Ektanar 38mm f/2.8 lens with a lens branded as part of Kodak's signature lineup - an Ektar 38mm f/2.8. In all honesty, this change is one of the more confusing aspects of the 714 and 814, as most references to lenses of the Ektar lineup note them as being unit focused (all lens elements moving together as a single unit and not rotating) via a helical, but it's quickly apparent that these Ektar lenses focus by rotating movement of the front element, with the rear elements staying put. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In conjunction with this change, the rather novel ability to use Series I filters over the lens using the retaining cap was dropped, with the filter diameter changing to 34mm. Also deleted was the rather basic exposure compensation trigger that was there since the initial models, perhaps under the expectation that the CDS metering would be more accurate than the selenium cells used in the previous iterations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trim differences between the two models is especially minimal, with the numbers themselves offering a visual distinction in front views, as well as the use of a red Kodak logo on black backround in an insert atop the model number on the 714, and a silver Kodak logo on the white background in that same space on the 814. The excess silver trim of the previous generation was toned down to a level more in line with the original releases, and as a result, the scheme of both cameras is mostly black with silver trim on both models. In a carryover from the second generation of models, the "Kodak" logo atop the camera using a red background on the 714 and a blue background on the 814. Also, as with the 704 and 804, both cameras are compatible with battery powered flash cubes that mount atop the camera. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KxD7sWp2m8vdFunN47B47352A4L9bm_x3Xbm00oBvMh7WPVYbmVhqJtGUpslRgLREJG2iKDdyr-5sa4g0C3t2NvBIm_85-M3B2uQtG_zLrV00UPmwbNJGAVwRRYZq5W2f03qcVA8VxBx/s1600/100Tmax714Insta104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KxD7sWp2m8vdFunN47B47352A4L9bm_x3Xbm00oBvMh7WPVYbmVhqJtGUpslRgLREJG2iKDdyr-5sa4g0C3t2NvBIm_85-M3B2uQtG_zLrV00UPmwbNJGAVwRRYZq5W2f03qcVA8VxBx/s640/100Tmax714Insta104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Instamatic 714</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Kodak TMax 100 - West Friendship MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Instamatic 714</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Kodak TMax 100 - West Friendship MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Instamatic 714</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Kodak TMax 100 - West Friendship MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Instamatic 714</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Kodak TMax 100 - West Friendship MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Instamatic 714</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Kodak TMax 100 - Glenwood MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Instamatic 714</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Kodak TMax 100 - Glenwood MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Instamatic 714</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Kodak TMax 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Instamatic 714</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Kodak TMax 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Instamatic 714</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Kodak TMax 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Instamatic 714</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> - Kodak TMax 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Instamatic 814</b> -Expired Kodak Tri-X 400 - Braddock Heights MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Instamatic 814</b> -Expired Kodak Tri-X 400 - Braddock Heights MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Instamatic 814</b> -Agfapan 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Instamatic 814</b> -Agfapan 100 - Braddock Heights MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Instamatic 814 </b>-Agfapan 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Instamatic 814</b> -Agfapan 100 - Frederick MD</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-W8_gIPlgTidw3H5HzvMNtnNB-YFIaKEOA1-_k3LOmd9sfrqoieAp9ORbftB3uW_FEPw2yH_Z0_DN2ndy9iVWAKsKlvawBPwsBdFlwgY_XFnvPAv6hpIBqPLCGysIAKGaK-SIvMnTuncE/s1600/100APX814Insta111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-W8_gIPlgTidw3H5HzvMNtnNB-YFIaKEOA1-_k3LOmd9sfrqoieAp9ORbftB3uW_FEPw2yH_Z0_DN2ndy9iVWAKsKlvawBPwsBdFlwgY_XFnvPAv6hpIBqPLCGysIAKGaK-SIvMnTuncE/s640/100APX814Insta111.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Instamatic 814</b> -Agfapan 100 - Thurmont MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #cccccc;">The Instamatic X-90</span></b> - "Cousin Oliver"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I mentioned in the intro, this series had its own "Cousin Oliver" that showed up as the novelty of the other 6 members of this cast began to wear off. Sure the 1970 introduction of the X-90 is several years earlier than the introduction of Robbie Rist into the cast of the legendary American sitcom, and unlike poor Oliver, it kept the lineup of cameras afloat for a number of years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still, the X-90 is little more than a revamped Instamatic 814, whose sole difference is the use of Magicubes rather than Flashcubes. These ingenious little cubes used a flint to "ignite" the flash rather than battery power. The resulting advantage for X-90 users was that they didn't have to keep a supply of N cells on hand to use flash. One other very minor difference between the X-90 and its 814 predecessor is the use of a PX-30 battery instead of a pair of PX-825 cells, a rather moot point given that a PX-30 seems to be little more than a pair of mated 825 cells. The PX-30 battery is no longer produced as well, but the same CR2032 + coins trick should work fine to power the CDS cell of an X-90.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Wrapping it all up (Finally!)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you're still here after reading one of the longest reviews I've yet to post, I'm glad. Another thing that I'm quite glad about is taking the chance on a model from this lineup. After having numerous challenges with using the Ricoh C-126 Flex back in May, I nearly elected my dabbling in the 126 format to be a "one and done" deal. Having used every model of this series, I have really come to appreciate the film format as well as this lineup, particularly its easy adaptability to use 135 stock given that true 126 film is no longer made.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Things I particularly liked about these cameras, aside from the adaptability to using 135 film, include the pretty easy ability to set shutter speeds and knowing that the camera would drop the shutter speed automatically if light was inadequate. The largely worry-free operation of these cameras made them easy companions to take along with other cameras that required more deliberate thought in their usage. The cameras also have a solid and substantial feel to them. Some in the hobby note them to be "heavy" but I found their slight heft refreshing to a large degree. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The one thing I found most burdensome was the easy tendency of my fingers to wander in front of the lens as I depressed the front mounted shutter release. These models require deliberate effort to avoid errant fingers in the frame, which can be spotted in a few of the examples above. As well, the EV compensation switches on the x00/x04 variants tend to be sticky on some models after decades of inactivity. As such, I found myself trying to avoid their use if I could. It did seem that it was possible to "trick" the automatic settings in tough lighting situations by pointing at a more aptly lit scene and depressing the shutter release partially to engage the aperture to its suggested setting prior to actually firing the shutter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you are a stranger to the 126 format (and even if you are not), I'd certainly encourage giving one or more of the models in this series a try, as they make a very user friendly introduction to this cartridge film format, whose adaptation using 135 film I'll detail in a future post. If I had to choose one model of the lineup to recommend, it would likely be the Instamatic 704, as they are more readily (and cheaply) found in working condition than the 714 model, and have an easier film advance procedure than the spring wound advance of the 800 series. If rangefinder focusing is a must-have however, I'd recommend the 814 (or X-90) as the go-to model of choice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In any event, a working example of any model in this series, combined with a little bit of ingenuity in adapting these cameras to use 135 film, is likely to reap unexpectedly good results in the form of crisply focused, well exposed photos that have are enjoyable to take and enjoyable to view. Take a chance, and see if you too can catch a case of "Inst-amour!" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-58709381650425348482017-10-06T12:00:00.000-04:002017-10-06T12:15:38.475-04:00Darkroom Diaries: Mastering Microfilm with HC-110<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Looking to shoot film on a budget? How about this "All You Can Eat Buffet" deal of the film world! For the cost of about 2 rolls of film, you are supplied with enough film to make about 20 or more rolls of film! This film has a nice slow speed and fine grain to allow you to open the lens up on most cameras in full sun, and it comes free of perforations, making an ideal candidate to stock 828 cameras with film! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So what's the downside? Well, there's lots of contrast that needs to be tamed in order to get an image with a more pictorial feel. And the lack of sprockets that makes this a great 828 film also makes it very difficult to use in 35mm cameras, with some models needing some degree of modification, with some other cameras entirely unable to use the stock. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This bargain film stock is microfilm, a long established medium of Archivists for the preservation of print media. Though never manufactured for pictorial use, this fine grained stock can be adapted for use in 828 and many 35mm cameras with a few caveats.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The most inhibiting of these caveats is the lack of perforations (sprockets) in most microfilm stocks. This is film that was designed to be fed through a viewer with direct wheel contact, rather than fed through a camera with sprocket gearing and teeth. This works fine in an 828 camera, but will slip when fed through manual advance 35mm cameras. Many of the more modern 35mm film cameras with auto advance use an IR sensor that counts the film sprockets in 35mm stock as it advances. With non-perforated microfilm, these cameras have no sprockets to count, and will simply give up and return the film to the 35mm cassette after attempting to load it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For manual advance cameras that use a toothed wheel to pull film onto the take up spool, an improvised solution is to apply a layer or two of painters tape to the this wheel to increase adhesion and avoid the slippage that would otherwise result. Within two minutes of trying this with a Ricoh KR30SP that I have, I had a camera that readily accepted the Microfilm stock.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two 35mm cameras that will accept microfilm without any modification are the Canon 10S and the original Voigtlander Vito. Both of these use a contact wheel that lacks teeth to advance film onto the take up spool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So this all established, what are the rest of the challenges to using this medium? The first would be supply. Microfilm isn't typically found in the same places that those of us shooting conventional film pick up our supply. Neither B&H nor Freestyle sells it, but it can typically be found on eBay. If lucky, one can find single (100 foot long) roll sales for under $20. It may take some patience and scouring, but it is out there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Somewhat less challenging is the process of preparing a length of microfilm for use in a camera. With 35mm, this involves taking a reusable cartridge, and either loading it with a length of film in the dark, or using a daylight bulk film loader. Either method should work, but I used the former method, limiting the length of film to about an 18 shot roll.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I also loaded some 828 rolls by simply doing the same process above, but instead interleaving it with 828 backing paper (that the film was taped to on its beginning side) as I wound it onto an 828 spool. It wasn't long before I had three rolls of film ready to use in a variety of cameras.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shooting this film involves some additional challenges. I found that rating the Kodak Imagelink 1461 film at about ISO 20 seemed to give the best results. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I knew I would encounter the potential for a lot of contrast when developing, and elected to scale back my typical stand development time (using Kodak's HC-110 developer at a 1:99 dilution) from 30 minutes to only 16 minutes. This resulted in some pretty thin negatives, but these scanned with no issues whatsoever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Below are some samples from my first three rolls of microfilm - the "All You can Eat Buffet" of the photographic world. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7S-ObAFyRA8O7y0biRzvTutVFAiTCIeJuCdP0ECsuoQuiFRq-OL24PYnh5QRuL7ey3kDOX5CZoHnhJ0fTbnJPHWatPiA38JzGlAi1n7rJTPecR58bvSx69dVY2E40HsGQsjMt3NqpZJyt/s1600/20KodImgLinkf8bantam101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7S-ObAFyRA8O7y0biRzvTutVFAiTCIeJuCdP0ECsuoQuiFRq-OL24PYnh5QRuL7ey3kDOX5CZoHnhJ0fTbnJPHWatPiA38JzGlAi1n7rJTPecR58bvSx69dVY2E40HsGQsjMt3NqpZJyt/s640/20KodImgLinkf8bantam101.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On a very sunny day, I ran a short roll of Microfilm through a Bantam f/8 828 camera. This wound up working perfectly with the slow shutter of the camera, and delivered some particularly good images given the very limited capabilities of this basic camera. Contrast is a bit high still, but not in an overwhelming way.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjKbeHjJV90mjQNPGPKzArlFOh7se62bU_LtKZERg7PL6RUooFN9bigkIGKOAHHVO4c3P9VSJRhpFLgm1i0YbXuvWOdQ0eN0m6P90CfvNi-w8hQul312HSNCPdjVExyEjKia-7kSsSmuL/s1600/20KodImgLinkf8bantam102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1149" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjKbeHjJV90mjQNPGPKzArlFOh7se62bU_LtKZERg7PL6RUooFN9bigkIGKOAHHVO4c3P9VSJRhpFLgm1i0YbXuvWOdQ0eN0m6P90CfvNi-w8hQul312HSNCPdjVExyEjKia-7kSsSmuL/s640/20KodImgLinkf8bantam102.jpg" width="458" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A deep blue sky is well rendered by the Kodak Imagelink Microfilm.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqiuslPdYlAIgcVNw6YfNR8hbN4yq_CMwFEudwoXz7S_aVrjozCNX_Plf3E33plT42kGEh97LZkXRZRHv7f11vuv5EwEkXihxKjMSiSEV0ezDd0z_Xeo5cMYtSCmbflnKLMSyMwzERR6h/s1600/20KodImgLinkf8bantam103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1600" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqiuslPdYlAIgcVNw6YfNR8hbN4yq_CMwFEudwoXz7S_aVrjozCNX_Plf3E33plT42kGEh97LZkXRZRHv7f11vuv5EwEkXihxKjMSiSEV0ezDd0z_Xeo5cMYtSCmbflnKLMSyMwzERR6h/s640/20KodImgLinkf8bantam103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sometimes, the tamed contrast of the images would actually get in the way a bit. Details of this photo tend to mush together a bit.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfKqx_nX4fFjgwQNeAgGdys48X2jaffCE22MA9VO0PIwWW-QG7Ka-ck_OWQLC_VvNMJzI5dq4IS7JkbOiUeXwW78OPQxi6F0eZyHP0mLDzcliG5GV6BYww5vDS1tpOUlzNddvlXzvxyWp/s1600/20KodImgLinkf8bantam104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1600" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbfKqx_nX4fFjgwQNeAgGdys48X2jaffCE22MA9VO0PIwWW-QG7Ka-ck_OWQLC_VvNMJzI5dq4IS7JkbOiUeXwW78OPQxi6F0eZyHP0mLDzcliG5GV6BYww5vDS1tpOUlzNddvlXzvxyWp/s640/20KodImgLinkf8bantam104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">An extremely pleasing image and experience. This roll of film likely cost me under 50 cents to make, and about the same to develop. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRPNRt65VKlORrKALd1iG_yKk338jnI9RlJWkhM5gvmsItB3r-DaZvcsY8VHAhbzFpv9eXhZFcRn3wcz7RZBKUYivMcEaij8iW4C7GxOIMR3ykfTWdOul6Sn4jgQ1BPcbB-dO8d8XzpQHX/s1600/20KodImgLinkf8bantam105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1149" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRPNRt65VKlORrKALd1iG_yKk338jnI9RlJWkhM5gvmsItB3r-DaZvcsY8VHAhbzFpv9eXhZFcRn3wcz7RZBKUYivMcEaij8iW4C7GxOIMR3ykfTWdOul6Sn4jgQ1BPcbB-dO8d8XzpQHX/s640/20KodImgLinkf8bantam105.jpg" width="458" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Were there no modern cars and signs around, this basic snap shot might be mistaken for a vintage image.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhd_amFXCqygCg2nd56eMVB4weyxLezSpXqiHXLkNDFiBvymvQDAlvlQtpD9ph00KwxaPImaQ-SYHfxBFq9-OmOkFaHqxt2KA_-rlpa3RqGjg5otXy03mvbd0VYCYklXYxQ3YTbmmavqq/s1600/20KodImgLinkf8bantam106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1600" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhd_amFXCqygCg2nd56eMVB4weyxLezSpXqiHXLkNDFiBvymvQDAlvlQtpD9ph00KwxaPImaQ-SYHfxBFq9-OmOkFaHqxt2KA_-rlpa3RqGjg5otXy03mvbd0VYCYklXYxQ3YTbmmavqq/s640/20KodImgLinkf8bantam106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shadows in some scenes tend to get lost in the murk.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTG1bphPjfTy9SmPaIBqlm0TZt5-VdVtZGWfLwdTFK1v71bdV5djarZkxsaM1DtniuF2rKw2sBWVUiGyjvRLXsNtkU7UHRSHpaHIZixMg64k4Ovxs-zpBo6f51iHA1lBAXR4227jl9VXv/s1600/20KodImgLinkf8bantam107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1600" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTG1bphPjfTy9SmPaIBqlm0TZt5-VdVtZGWfLwdTFK1v71bdV5djarZkxsaM1DtniuF2rKw2sBWVUiGyjvRLXsNtkU7UHRSHpaHIZixMg64k4Ovxs-zpBo6f51iHA1lBAXR4227jl9VXv/s640/20KodImgLinkf8bantam107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another scene where shadow details get murky.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6XCyX_KpUSdKTZ8SkleXcGfShCmAyP0cIFRr-YJrelnMI87F_yZWBVCjpDx7gJiVertLX53UAiJ5yuycIC19Ub7AcTQR5B640_ifhfDpI9-rKYMO9FBoCZ5R-pausK1rebU3Pt1W3ya5k/s1600/20KodImgLinkf8bantam108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1600" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6XCyX_KpUSdKTZ8SkleXcGfShCmAyP0cIFRr-YJrelnMI87F_yZWBVCjpDx7gJiVertLX53UAiJ5yuycIC19Ub7AcTQR5B640_ifhfDpI9-rKYMO9FBoCZ5R-pausK1rebU3Pt1W3ya5k/s640/20KodImgLinkf8bantam108.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some promise to be seen in these images, particularly when much of the foliage goes away, and some stark scenes can be recorded on this film.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXadETxsiNwpPBpHx-g1rovFAxKPzan-dZPN0Esi0BFGZA3SS6a-Y6NWk9aWQu6cGD48M5DCw2P98_CYSvNkH38bNKAps78SgiIjWXPl7PAQBmIIfxWdUdG6gBWFIs2LxVdW-hRRKIklpv/s1600/20KodImgLinkKR30Rico101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXadETxsiNwpPBpHx-g1rovFAxKPzan-dZPN0Esi0BFGZA3SS6a-Y6NWk9aWQu6cGD48M5DCw2P98_CYSvNkH38bNKAps78SgiIjWXPl7PAQBmIIfxWdUdG6gBWFIs2LxVdW-hRRKIklpv/s640/20KodImgLinkKR30Rico101.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Ricoh was the most advanced of the cameras I tested the film in. On an overcast day, the contrast works pretty well with this film, and the better lens handles shadows with less murk.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBC4Ffkx8aHfq0hWv5OJq-nw4w373GyDRRIna6BjNJXpoUEpcF8Fv_yHGswTQQzVREiP0BetO4951g_TrgmajYtEFPTKbdJ84teeRikGC2mV6jRg0ZYtnbkVSpdkuZbfIFUWqgVgpBQlci/s1600/20KodImgLinkKR30Rico102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="979" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBC4Ffkx8aHfq0hWv5OJq-nw4w373GyDRRIna6BjNJXpoUEpcF8Fv_yHGswTQQzVREiP0BetO4951g_TrgmajYtEFPTKbdJ84teeRikGC2mV6jRg0ZYtnbkVSpdkuZbfIFUWqgVgpBQlci/s640/20KodImgLinkKR30Rico102.jpg" width="391" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shot wide open, this result lends to a nice blurring of the distant backdrop.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnJofV2twylzgFyt3_c7QTaskO3Y9Uhuw_KYO1-yRdzjuRE9sokzjCWK-vjNEy3roJrj3j_P_Ne2nx4gvGTkLUvvnDBRVsvJoSLdLHvYtqg2Pdp6q6mOIUddHqQkWBCieNLa-7o9W-4lv/s1600/20KodImgLinkKR30Rico103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnJofV2twylzgFyt3_c7QTaskO3Y9Uhuw_KYO1-yRdzjuRE9sokzjCWK-vjNEy3roJrj3j_P_Ne2nx4gvGTkLUvvnDBRVsvJoSLdLHvYtqg2Pdp6q6mOIUddHqQkWBCieNLa-7o9W-4lv/s640/20KodImgLinkKR30Rico103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stopped down, the sharpness of the film is excellent! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJElVlFcGpc4bWAXhjUp8Uk70x74-xjXagBXK8uEzxPFySENG7jTB_geqCg0IhbVZArY8S4yP6FDcTD2VnP6a7Qd8jPTALEljaby60SWGJPBz4YiIDVJDWTjlJvgvtbTVebaTs1Vvg_77L/s1600/20KodImgLinkKR30Rico104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJElVlFcGpc4bWAXhjUp8Uk70x74-xjXagBXK8uEzxPFySENG7jTB_geqCg0IhbVZArY8S4yP6FDcTD2VnP6a7Qd8jPTALEljaby60SWGJPBz4YiIDVJDWTjlJvgvtbTVebaTs1Vvg_77L/s640/20KodImgLinkKR30Rico104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shallow depth of field is one of the main strengths of using such a slow film.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZrRpiUGNTZz-GOiJYK5jq55LXQW2mx0h4ZTFT2ME4yRsB5h67dIJoo8irnU4a6irR1tlpgSRvIykAWXHqQQ2Kr1bo1feJQHFYtbniQC64vhNgu8h60clIb7Cyp_09UE5_WMHzE0OdRtS/s1600/20KodImgLinkKR30Rico108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1600" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZrRpiUGNTZz-GOiJYK5jq55LXQW2mx0h4ZTFT2ME4yRsB5h67dIJoo8irnU4a6irR1tlpgSRvIykAWXHqQQ2Kr1bo1feJQHFYtbniQC64vhNgu8h60clIb7Cyp_09UE5_WMHzE0OdRtS/s640/20KodImgLinkKR30Rico108.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A quick street shot shows some excess contrast, but is still salvageable.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQy2J7zyLd-N0__q-b62lZyEH4LOwlwPD2IZ516XcVhEdPOcGnXd354kTJZSnskYtu7nmXFylkBQhR5tdOpId7dQLQvJ7aDs_Z8MpIClSZ-6eE4bht9vAhtR6OudLiL0EFy3-319DWMiS/s1600/20KodImgLinkKR30Ricoh101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1033" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQy2J7zyLd-N0__q-b62lZyEH4LOwlwPD2IZ516XcVhEdPOcGnXd354kTJZSnskYtu7nmXFylkBQhR5tdOpId7dQLQvJ7aDs_Z8MpIClSZ-6eE4bht9vAhtR6OudLiL0EFy3-319DWMiS/s640/20KodImgLinkKR30Ricoh101.jpg" width="412" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wide open and full of bokeh.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgge6Ku84XFpUgA-DEG713K71T8On_dokWiHsuD4MTvdzXhIxH4KvvM8IeYvZ-bCukl5509XVz1sDR0eMlSHJxwgGgFgAocD4Mglu3kJNflMRt16avtKjMCqNwPiK5L8kBTFNVTBrXsIRxS/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgge6Ku84XFpUgA-DEG713K71T8On_dokWiHsuD4MTvdzXhIxH4KvvM8IeYvZ-bCukl5509XVz1sDR0eMlSHJxwgGgFgAocD4Mglu3kJNflMRt16avtKjMCqNwPiK5L8kBTFNVTBrXsIRxS/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam102.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Despite being nearly 30 years older than the Ricoh, and having a slower lens, a Kodak Bantam RF put forth some stellar images as well from the microfilm. The slow speed allowed me to shoot most of the roll wide open even with the Kodak's meager shutter. This is one of my favorite results.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQVR_UmsHndsN7l5fHapcrw1TmWA3_-Fz6WC6EYYWtlu6X59w2H58Au1d8ea7xYUOr8fetwf92zI2DbLUaTh2B2zuDBpv8rxoTYmo_6I1-wzmTeHLYIlkgEt4uEMoN4_cVqCpSoS8HFxY/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQVR_UmsHndsN7l5fHapcrw1TmWA3_-Fz6WC6EYYWtlu6X59w2H58Au1d8ea7xYUOr8fetwf92zI2DbLUaTh2B2zuDBpv8rxoTYmo_6I1-wzmTeHLYIlkgEt4uEMoN4_cVqCpSoS8HFxY/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another image on the Bantam RF. The triplet lens on this model really delivered nicely.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd08FQAeIoyvBZ8UD9MG2EY5bi93uNSFVFAP9noH3JZCq_jP0XMkpI2YVPB0QQooJ8MAW_lVK67lZdVzBmvwF5yiQLvdnzlkXr18PBKl8_YMyKbhpabFQilt6P6-shfEgYSxaTD_fJmvyH/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd08FQAeIoyvBZ8UD9MG2EY5bi93uNSFVFAP9noH3JZCq_jP0XMkpI2YVPB0QQooJ8MAW_lVK67lZdVzBmvwF5yiQLvdnzlkXr18PBKl8_YMyKbhpabFQilt6P6-shfEgYSxaTD_fJmvyH/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Shot into a bit of backlight, I managed some really nice results, sharp in the foreground and full of dancing bokeh behind. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqCE-NpDSyej4enM8kdqGq_bocyfvaP8XuPFyh0tZE-hVx919ZKKBkRjAMtKHTbnBkOfDnWNzagyNN843GBdfsrHDJSVaSyz6ndt68Vxqq_AbHUcCKdTmetNX0Q2VMk3cZRWiFL6qBxPF/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqCE-NpDSyej4enM8kdqGq_bocyfvaP8XuPFyh0tZE-hVx919ZKKBkRjAMtKHTbnBkOfDnWNzagyNN843GBdfsrHDJSVaSyz6ndt68Vxqq_AbHUcCKdTmetNX0Q2VMk3cZRWiFL6qBxPF/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam105.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet again, the Bantam's lens delivers. The film offers a perfect amount of bold contrast. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2K0fkwhPWI1SbA6tvXVU8svcgC-YXihpW12LdB1iH9S_pC7FRCW-TLKd4oKAnA9fjQ5En96BdiX-lWzQEk_4SPUI_8F11i-wMBPpcPOpN-0jKEdM5BCqXPbMtZAoUtEpmDuUruuEzM3v/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2K0fkwhPWI1SbA6tvXVU8svcgC-YXihpW12LdB1iH9S_pC7FRCW-TLKd4oKAnA9fjQ5En96BdiX-lWzQEk_4SPUI_8F11i-wMBPpcPOpN-0jKEdM5BCqXPbMtZAoUtEpmDuUruuEzM3v/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Bantam RF worked handily through it's first roll of microfilm in a nice range of settings. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpiNSx1U2icDNfksBR3XPX7QoeIiPObySg3FDko8-jt3BNENbV8hrmZpapwDyPINqWud3x_2WfxuiUOssv3xODhEyAMMK_GUt2aMKAznVAvQAGUmlFgPPTp3ECh5Xme3FTHjNsdgSXdNB/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpiNSx1U2icDNfksBR3XPX7QoeIiPObySg3FDko8-jt3BNENbV8hrmZpapwDyPINqWud3x_2WfxuiUOssv3xODhEyAMMK_GUt2aMKAznVAvQAGUmlFgPPTp3ECh5Xme3FTHjNsdgSXdNB/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam108.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For many scenes, such as this one, there is nothing amiss to the viewer to indicate this is anything other than normal photographic film.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTFD7GSX8yR2vUk7fBaWjrOjn7doTpzGt7PZ1mtltXvlEaFw5oABweTLrnlaNve0nx_PkqPYJ9tV8hdjB0VxQqNbHMfgVHA2ggL9AMj5gh_srcJ0hr-6BGAfFcAd3Od_1SLrYX5N1K26K/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1054" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTFD7GSX8yR2vUk7fBaWjrOjn7doTpzGt7PZ1mtltXvlEaFw5oABweTLrnlaNve0nx_PkqPYJ9tV8hdjB0VxQqNbHMfgVHA2ggL9AMj5gh_srcJ0hr-6BGAfFcAd3Od_1SLrYX5N1K26K/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam109.jpg" width="420" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another close focused, shallow depth of field shot. Good tonality.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhChsO0juwkSR0Y05oeUDp3aWeFSK8YFYGOw0CI909M-NXQUTM7cOxooRLneCyt4igxzWfe38PJm_eELrAVuUlPWR89saBnn-EEH9BSKU89Wj27eD40fQB6Mzks7GZ9EQFG7KXBiLQLxzRx/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1054" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhChsO0juwkSR0Y05oeUDp3aWeFSK8YFYGOw0CI909M-NXQUTM7cOxooRLneCyt4igxzWfe38PJm_eELrAVuUlPWR89saBnn-EEH9BSKU89Wj27eD40fQB6Mzks7GZ9EQFG7KXBiLQLxzRx/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam110.jpg" width="420" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet again, this film puts forth a really sharp image.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_sws1knsH83_-2Cyo4PNodRtpwcB50fc8lCHNadwT4j8D5jKZPUoQMC-YM3i7LaeKoFuetoSHAOpaXJQtoWuY59HVJQdR7IbKgHfwVQobCezo6NLHNm64rsrOLnyFK91oZrnD-gz0n64/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_sws1knsH83_-2Cyo4PNodRtpwcB50fc8lCHNadwT4j8D5jKZPUoQMC-YM3i7LaeKoFuetoSHAOpaXJQtoWuY59HVJQdR7IbKgHfwVQobCezo6NLHNm64rsrOLnyFK91oZrnD-gz0n64/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam111.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's nice to be able to shoot a camera with a modest shutter wide open by using such a slow film, and even nicer when that camera puts forth a great result. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzD_r3fE9ZpXdb1_kFIwjru0pJmRq65HbIjNf1v5xZdlQAe97dPiEqObxpu6Bxh7-bW3sR7bYx1zw4Rm9XQ2tGVp3ok3rTEf7Od32i5-PJ4ZRo9GsOijpbjQu-YC-WEv_exgSwOdS7Sp2N/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzD_r3fE9ZpXdb1_kFIwjru0pJmRq65HbIjNf1v5xZdlQAe97dPiEqObxpu6Bxh7-bW3sR7bYx1zw4Rm9XQ2tGVp3ok3rTEf7Od32i5-PJ4ZRo9GsOijpbjQu-YC-WEv_exgSwOdS7Sp2N/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam112.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Background cannons painted black tend to blur together in this photo. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_f8DS16xK2Zzxkn-VWTHu5_ll_FTiUW3EygbaLeu1eOKM9CSJKI4ii129MoNEuJbH0tm7HeWf8LA3roMGUr3mvUmgt-SJj2jorwDoeIhduiQLK8BxdOUTqz4WnkJDSKsRuyWdD1ArsVJ1/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_f8DS16xK2Zzxkn-VWTHu5_ll_FTiUW3EygbaLeu1eOKM9CSJKI4ii129MoNEuJbH0tm7HeWf8LA3roMGUr3mvUmgt-SJj2jorwDoeIhduiQLK8BxdOUTqz4WnkJDSKsRuyWdD1ArsVJ1/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam113.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A grab shot that is one of my favorites from the light playing off the various glass panes differently.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGcZTfekx1xVrXo_ywwZVREokxNLAVSS0yPC2zT91AHfMHFThSFBSHihuSHu3dFyTRCtUDDKUvtzYRjuOysNtba-kVVLjIWTPEM2mnx6aNBdt3qm7U5zgC5Jw74BtmEd7X2zLc55Hre5hI/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGcZTfekx1xVrXo_ywwZVREokxNLAVSS0yPC2zT91AHfMHFThSFBSHihuSHu3dFyTRCtUDDKUvtzYRjuOysNtba-kVVLjIWTPEM2mnx6aNBdt3qm7U5zgC5Jw74BtmEd7X2zLc55Hre5hI/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam115.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If the samples from this first roll is any indication, the Bantam RF will see this film often.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wu87XWEYx9vzPxHeZS-B1FRH3HsaCIiQthk1HyjnKyBuzLMslN3B8zbQ5_g1JLdHnVo8uCWWz6yGKnGiu3zxJsIdZyJT7Sgj_rzcR8f4G_c6Ut0WhsnMLKGzK2CgUIOL-7LAGV9kYFkk/s1600/20KodImgLinkRFBantam116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wu87XWEYx9vzPxHeZS-B1FRH3HsaCIiQthk1HyjnKyBuzLMslN3B8zbQ5_g1JLdHnVo8uCWWz6yGKnGiu3zxJsIdZyJT7Sgj_rzcR8f4G_c6Ut0WhsnMLKGzK2CgUIOL-7LAGV9kYFkk/s640/20KodImgLinkRFBantam116.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One final shot was badly overexposed, but was contained in post processing to make a barely salvageable result.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Despite a few trials and tribulations to discover a good speed rating for this film and to find a way to use it in a metered 35mm camera, I'm more than happy with the results delivered by this ultra affordable film medium. I'll be trying future rolls of microfilm with other developers and will </span>certainly post more results, given that I've only put a dent in the two massive rolls I've purchased! </div>
Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-59077427848476150592017-09-26T08:00:00.000-04:002017-09-26T08:12:14.935-04:00Zeh, not Meh - The Zeca Zeh Goldi Camera<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the classic camera collector, picking a handful of favorites can not only be a huge challenge, but it can also be something that largely defies strict logical thought. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Consider one of my recent acquisitions that has quickly catapulted itself into "Top 10" camera status among my varied collection. This is a camera that lacks any focusing aids whatsoever, has a top shutter speed of a "whopping" 1/125 of a second, and uses a film format that is especially difficult to find. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So why would I be so enamored with a camera with such a limited feature set and usability? Because what I have is a camera compact enough to fit in a shirt pocket featuring a sharp, fast f/2.9 lens capable of focusing down to a mere 18", and giving an image size nearly 40% larger than the frame of 35mm film, all in an extremely well made housing indicative of a quality standard that has been abandoned for decades. This little favorite of mine is the Zeh Goldi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The diminutive and delightful little Zeh Goldi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though marked as "Zeca," the brand of this little known camera is actually known as "Zeh." This German camera maker released the Goldi in 1930, primarily as a half frame shooter of 127 film, though some less common full frame examples are also known to exist. Zeh also made versions of this camera body for Rodenstock, which sold it as the Ysella. Thus, while many various lenses can be found on Goldi cameras, it seems that Rodenstock Trinars are among the more common variants. My particular version has a "Zecanar" branded lens, which may be of Rodenstock make, though it has a particular "hidden" talent that the Trinar variant lacks. More on that later. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In fitting irony, my purchase of this 127 folding camera was sort of belabored. Spotting it on an eBay listing for sale at about $23 during a period in which I really didn't want any more cameras in my queue, I passed on the camera, later seeing it relisted for under $20, at which point I finally pulled the trigger resignedly. I expected to give it a quick cleaning and tuck it on the shelf for months with other members of the queue that have been awaiting their "first assignment" as well, thinking I'd get to this camera eventually.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As luck would have it, a friend of mine had recently supplied me with a new plate for my home made "slitter"and I'd hoped that the placement of the 127 slot was in the perfect spot to allow me to use the remnant of the cut to stock Minolta 16 cartridges. As it turns out, the slot was placed perfectly, allowing me to cut stock for the sub mini cam, while also giving me a roll of 127 to play with. Rather than put this roll in a 127 camera I'd already used, I elected to put this roll of HP5+ into the Zeh so it had some film whenever I was ready to actually use it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few days later, I had an errand to run on a rainy morning, and figured this would make an ideal fit for the higher speed of HP5+, resulting in me suddenly putting the Goldi into service much earlier than expected. I'd certainly used guess focusing folding cameras many times before, and had admittedly gotten spoiled since by the amenities such as TTL and RF focusing as well as auto exposure that my more recent acquisitions had provided me. Still, I was pretty decent at distance estimation, and figured I could manage a good shot or two on the roll.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The no-nonsense layout of the Goldi has distances set by rotating the lens ring, shutter speed set by use of the outer bezel, and aperture set using a moving indicator on top of the camera by the lens board.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Usage of the little Zeh Goldi was actually pretty straight forward. It's main hiccups tend to be in setting some aperture settings (the lever is somewhat recessed in a channel) and in releasing the shutter near the lens. These were pretty minor annoyances however, and I quickly was pleased at how easy the film loading and advance were in this camera, given many 127 cameras have a tendency to be a huge pain to load. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After having dealt with a string of poor results of focus from 127 half frame cameras, my expectations from this "guess focused" Zeh camera and its relatively unknown Zecanar lens were not terribly high, particularly with many of these shots in heavy overcast, or as rain fell. So I was pleasantly surprised to see a nice selection of well exposed and generally well focused photos on the negatives of the HP5+. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMX1xjCOvtVfYLtb4Qaap05A0GsR1xt6gqYglHDUcb14sr1KgeGEkJiKNySIuxCJPv-QXuQW2fIckUgIwLObGhKT63aQY7mPuZiE2cwHF-XmbJymBMumNaAgwEPCfR2C_E4E3heR49ZX4/s1600/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMX1xjCOvtVfYLtb4Qaap05A0GsR1xt6gqYglHDUcb14sr1KgeGEkJiKNySIuxCJPv-QXuQW2fIckUgIwLObGhKT63aQY7mPuZiE2cwHF-XmbJymBMumNaAgwEPCfR2C_E4E3heR49ZX4/s640/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh101.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's always nice to "Start Safe" with a new camera, and that's more or less what I did with this shot. The result is not spectacular, but does give the validation that this camera is light tight and can at least focus and fire properly, which is more than I might say for some other 127 cameras I've recently dabbled with. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMUBXcrTWGxk7q8AZTGelyLZILBOtz6Xo_cnrTE6QJHytlFvfd2R8-5NU9L-6YhQtmrjVZ-aHfE_D_vZynCy8QR2FuSR_g9ZXhkA9hAE-kEqQKL_xmYKgQWhNiaj9d9IcWMmyXtiIQ_oR/s1600/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMUBXcrTWGxk7q8AZTGelyLZILBOtz6Xo_cnrTE6QJHytlFvfd2R8-5NU9L-6YhQtmrjVZ-aHfE_D_vZynCy8QR2FuSR_g9ZXhkA9hAE-kEqQKL_xmYKgQWhNiaj9d9IcWMmyXtiIQ_oR/s640/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh102.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, I wasted little time in getting this camera's feet wet - LITERALLY. With a shower starting up, I fired off a few quick shots at the 4 foot focus mark. The Zeh actually did a good job of capturing the rain itself. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1zuAaAthbpIs4Ocn9uAT9rYUH25wmNgw5uBTRj25z8QqrLeH_6cv6jw8BIE6068GZA3lUrHkFgrFb8CcaBFiT41_7uzOSMkJIOHVPeJi6sspkmPmFsI6642WtGpjbmt3_fOClbYNrwrb/s1600/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1zuAaAthbpIs4Ocn9uAT9rYUH25wmNgw5uBTRj25z8QqrLeH_6cv6jw8BIE6068GZA3lUrHkFgrFb8CcaBFiT41_7uzOSMkJIOHVPeJi6sspkmPmFsI6642WtGpjbmt3_fOClbYNrwrb/s640/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bokeh on the Zeh wasn't quite as swirly as some cameras, and is actually a bit indistinct, but the shape of aberrations is actually less of a circular shape, and more one with a bit of a clover shape. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThGD1aAYuUFPNei-KKsssQTBJJSzkvEkTBINEKDW8ZQTwzjeQlQ1CPYqAPgBoFYqdqZbjo3gv3Cd8ao4u0qVryISY94W7TwwoYkCjg8Ze6hxVYvvfDmmA7-f1O7hkF8OIKbF9G88czEw0/s1600/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiThGD1aAYuUFPNei-KKsssQTBJJSzkvEkTBINEKDW8ZQTwzjeQlQ1CPYqAPgBoFYqdqZbjo3gv3Cd8ao4u0qVryISY94W7TwwoYkCjg8Ze6hxVYvvfDmmA7-f1O7hkF8OIKbF9G88czEw0/s640/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh104.jpg" width="510" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another quick snap at about the 4 foot minimum MARKED focus point. Excellent separation of field evident in this image, and a tad bit of swirl in the backdrop. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvP8LgdeN40b3pBtciGiDlgNi4rUtkKDbgj4tQaB3Z91ZFKukmY8Xf0tv1SNHBUhuP9At7ndkWADhkq8-ErCBR0woKCDCFY60iJTl_8ab-t9GJHR2f5QvdH36Yay5PzLOct16YOm3pmkno/s1600/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1600" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvP8LgdeN40b3pBtciGiDlgNi4rUtkKDbgj4tQaB3Z91ZFKukmY8Xf0tv1SNHBUhuP9At7ndkWADhkq8-ErCBR0woKCDCFY60iJTl_8ab-t9GJHR2f5QvdH36Yay5PzLOct16YOm3pmkno/s640/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stopped down a bit to about f/8 with the fast film inside, the Zeh picked up some excellent details in this tractor wheel. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwvwil9f6mQAUtMQyzOKkgNk2pHAE1sdlNdRxCgoc3Ve9ZAXj1HqjzuLeGfr3n7CBItuYxmAq2KdDcm0JqD5VbSyijhyFJBxR3lHpBgLIxwdIqDchpNnK72cdpLlLfnIUwNy-eqpN957z/s1600/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1600" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwvwil9f6mQAUtMQyzOKkgNk2pHAE1sdlNdRxCgoc3Ve9ZAXj1HqjzuLeGfr3n7CBItuYxmAq2KdDcm0JqD5VbSyijhyFJBxR3lHpBgLIxwdIqDchpNnK72cdpLlLfnIUwNy-eqpN957z/s640/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh108.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Before even finishing my first little batch of shots, I began to get a bit more curious as to how close this camera could focus. A quick test is seen here, which gives off a fuzzy rendering. Note the odd shape of the highlights in the backdrop. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAb_RQZ_hckgXD10GsbYunh471uVovPBFR0Pt8W6D1lish0L_zW8zAT60A62f3kv0tUtEmFPmS3SVxUa0OVYlwsQwpQl8hwepCZ3BFaQXemGqSk1lYC-DYUlpAcDrFLsyh5k_Bvn-75eD/s1600/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1600" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAb_RQZ_hckgXD10GsbYunh471uVovPBFR0Pt8W6D1lish0L_zW8zAT60A62f3kv0tUtEmFPmS3SVxUa0OVYlwsQwpQl8hwepCZ3BFaQXemGqSk1lYC-DYUlpAcDrFLsyh5k_Bvn-75eD/s640/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By this point, the lens was almost certainly affected by some water, resulting in a rather impressionistic result from these Black Eyed Susans. Still a very pleasing and vintage looking result.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_th7ELIHVHv5kbh81-Dt73Hw0rLkyRHsCtuTAahhoA_bq1pSxnBa00F2mFHEO0T7W_kpDyWuGOtE28m-jQ4T7qW6kgQz1bCJ1eWM8MV7XnIf05aIZjb4gvCf_JvqzZLhyphenhyphenZ2hdPqpVXl2X/s1600/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1600" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_th7ELIHVHv5kbh81-Dt73Hw0rLkyRHsCtuTAahhoA_bq1pSxnBa00F2mFHEO0T7W_kpDyWuGOtE28m-jQ4T7qW6kgQz1bCJ1eWM8MV7XnIf05aIZjb4gvCf_JvqzZLhyphenhyphenZ2hdPqpVXl2X/s640/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh111.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'd driven a few more miles and the rain had stopped when I snapped this image, which the Zeh hit spot on with the focus. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2apCIQA_hZMZjPwRgdkiKd5DefJVbZL6_ZvMkTDH7fiD4Fh_neDFMhO2aMFQsKzoT7p_8nVsg8XZRdPGPY2IedNhIiiUAbM_w8F2yJk_NE6l3hOTB-SR6ybWF2R68XpGVUrY3lO-i9rVv/s1600/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1266" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2apCIQA_hZMZjPwRgdkiKd5DefJVbZL6_ZvMkTDH7fiD4Fh_neDFMhO2aMFQsKzoT7p_8nVsg8XZRdPGPY2IedNhIiiUAbM_w8F2yJk_NE6l3hOTB-SR6ybWF2R68XpGVUrY3lO-i9rVv/s640/400HP5IlfGoldiZeh112.jpg" width="506" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My only shot from the roll actually taken at f/2.9 was this one. It definitely renders soft, but for that matter, with a subject like this with a flat face, there is no margin for error in focus estimation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Zeh was definitely off to a good start, but my cynical mind expected that this may just be a fluke, an anomaly that I couldn't replicate on a sophomore roll. Regardless, I was excited to see just what this next roll would hold. I wasted little time in slitting down a roll of Rollei Retro 80S to 127 width for a second try. This time, I tried (and somehow succeeded) in stretching the exposures out to encompass lighting conditions ranging from rain to full sun. I also got a bit more adventurous with the (then) unknown close focus point to try to push the camera's capabilities just a bit.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Nyfo2aJjWT1fcqRB9R4xGxm3Q8YoNA-usbFqZFd-Hgwlhz95znC15Rknt6AGOJyYAf1qSigoM7QDEhtZOcTzZBNofmPI0HM12DSQzcqB6Qul6645amToQcnH8Qn1GqpyEVY6vlYTTxiu/s1600/IMG_2394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Nyfo2aJjWT1fcqRB9R4xGxm3Q8YoNA-usbFqZFd-Hgwlhz95znC15Rknt6AGOJyYAf1qSigoM7QDEhtZOcTzZBNofmPI0HM12DSQzcqB6Qul6645amToQcnH8Qn1GqpyEVY6vlYTTxiu/s640/IMG_2394.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My only minor gripe with the layout was that it was sometimes a bit tricky pulling aperture tab to stop it down from f/2.9. Note the unusual reference of the aperture setting between 4 and 8 being marked as f/5.5.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A true indicator of my interest in the Zeh was that I used a pre-numbered backing paper that I'd designed to get an extra exposure when using the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/search/label/Zenith%20Comet" target="_blank">Zenith Comet</a>, which tends to have 58mm long exposures rather than the 65mm long exposures typical of full frame 127 shots. The result was a bit of overlap between some frames, which will be evident in some of the scans below. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sure enough, the first roll of the Zeh was no fluke. The second roll delivered some stellar results as well. The overcast shots had a nice atmospheric feel to them, while shots taken under clear conditions were amazingly sharp, given the non "brand name" triplet lens on the Goldi. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQT3ajShWZEyvBhLZSMrrAwbHWVn-qxD6_MCzJgD4_6WBMkp8PXzuGlkLuQGp4iBexUajvpGhCIO6gCWiDJwpMT1QlSclM9TF3-XA_H_vkv_Ue_8PwbpJaBHKfuVNP0RHv7T3OsL968et/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1600" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQT3ajShWZEyvBhLZSMrrAwbHWVn-qxD6_MCzJgD4_6WBMkp8PXzuGlkLuQGp4iBexUajvpGhCIO6gCWiDJwpMT1QlSclM9TF3-XA_H_vkv_Ue_8PwbpJaBHKfuVNP0RHv7T3OsL968et/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh101.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rollei Retro 80S isn't an every day film for me, but still a film I like for its smooth grain and tonal rendering of skies. Here, the Zeh shows it can handle this film quite nicely. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOUuV1vzMcBpem5PzwSPHMtjpagA0nHsE1wK3omFnZI5ZgIaWxujixPdSFY8oiFmnr5pYlkiznrno1_DB-OLFhTUbrDyatLZDZtqwOYlZ68eQ0pUZhxUitY7-_6NIPU7w-Np2xiB00ZWf/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1225" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOUuV1vzMcBpem5PzwSPHMtjpagA0nHsE1wK3omFnZI5ZgIaWxujixPdSFY8oiFmnr5pYlkiznrno1_DB-OLFhTUbrDyatLZDZtqwOYlZ68eQ0pUZhxUitY7-_6NIPU7w-Np2xiB00ZWf/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh102.jpg" width="488" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Soon into this roll, I began toying with the closer end of the focusing range again, and wound it almost all the way down for this image, only to be disappointed in a blurry subject. However, the grass nearer to the camera shows evidence of being more in focus.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsZHt_Jfp5UZw_4CoGwEcroprOd61Ij7t9xMrqc1CR0LSbr-a4MghtlfeYLlzho_LeM57Z1ULu9RdsNU-xSbvAGls4x5Q0Emv3pbEo2Tg7UBchyXLtKm6U17fYhk5Csg0znhrlfZWFYm5/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1225" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsZHt_Jfp5UZw_4CoGwEcroprOd61Ij7t9xMrqc1CR0LSbr-a4MghtlfeYLlzho_LeM57Z1ULu9RdsNU-xSbvAGls4x5Q0Emv3pbEo2Tg7UBchyXLtKm6U17fYhk5Csg0znhrlfZWFYm5/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh103.jpg" width="488" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And on yet another shot, it seems I actually did get good near focus, though my recollection of where the focus ring was set, is a bit spotty.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAej422o-baThJbHp4xB0MzHgbP5FMvSJMW3IAFDJfzs0MKOXzKsMLbJC6RhYxRJUr6mbc7XzmZVIy-6Y32uRyrFJ6LTouZ-PNZfN0fmUdf5lmRhZiPGrCoBqI0aPqM7Fi959CqsvuveZr/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1600" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAej422o-baThJbHp4xB0MzHgbP5FMvSJMW3IAFDJfzs0MKOXzKsMLbJC6RhYxRJUr6mbc7XzmZVIy-6Y32uRyrFJ6LTouZ-PNZfN0fmUdf5lmRhZiPGrCoBqI0aPqM7Fi959CqsvuveZr/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For this photo, focus was set at about 12 feet, and the results are really quite nice in managing to diffuse the backdrop. The frame overlap on some of these images is the result of using the backing paper that was custom numbered for another camera. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCjgAZzCXzGs0kje-csLaLqthtE7_4R-OOdlzZBkzGl7rrYtdgLr9sl0PCjyx8Beu4fki_Hjr7emQ8m6G-C2VSWHxmj2A9nIFNKs4sFC0Wie9Ii7yxJXaEF7ehHXoqRVwe8R0Q3WIPmqZ/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1214" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCjgAZzCXzGs0kje-csLaLqthtE7_4R-OOdlzZBkzGl7rrYtdgLr9sl0PCjyx8Beu4fki_Hjr7emQ8m6G-C2VSWHxmj2A9nIFNKs4sFC0Wie9Ii7yxJXaEF7ehHXoqRVwe8R0Q3WIPmqZ/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh106.jpg" width="484" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hoping to regain my rainy day luck with the first roll, I took to get some more images during a shower. Armed with only 80 speed film, I was left shooting most of these at f/4 at 1/50 of a second.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGHPRMWTjdnHyvV59aEzNa3P9FDb-a-llkSl1-kobFmaHp6lpbB71LFmDXVpZ3PE-_IhC_z6C_y8iGfrsPlCvrz4BxcNqEHmL1O8VXh00KXZjkzPeSnWuqUdiO7mhyNRm4sb0AsGTygHl/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGHPRMWTjdnHyvV59aEzNa3P9FDb-a-llkSl1-kobFmaHp6lpbB71LFmDXVpZ3PE-_IhC_z6C_y8iGfrsPlCvrz4BxcNqEHmL1O8VXh00KXZjkzPeSnWuqUdiO7mhyNRm4sb0AsGTygHl/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though the negatives from this batch of wet shots were a bit thin, there were some decent results in the batch, including this image. Despite a fairly close focal point and wide aperture, the backdrop doesn't seem to get very muted and dreamy. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YxfSEYislw84MtVWc_wK7PAfHFqqcJVcZFpAZZ_ivAP2r6kHh_uy_TT5tYC_AdwnXsCLjufZTsMsd7GBVzxEISBFr7VcDLEwO-2lQGU9vXdITONoSevfocxcRturpWypZ6LOb7P4pugi/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1165" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4YxfSEYislw84MtVWc_wK7PAfHFqqcJVcZFpAZZ_ivAP2r6kHh_uy_TT5tYC_AdwnXsCLjufZTsMsd7GBVzxEISBFr7VcDLEwO-2lQGU9vXdITONoSevfocxcRturpWypZ6LOb7P4pugi/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh108.jpg" width="464" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another image taken at closest focus. Overall quite good but with a bit more depth of field than expected or desired.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_WNLsNNoMrAsXB2FZxNrqfeZxCx14fJrG1BOGetrbU7ONpQfGdR42bNPy1yVpeDUBx-zwY9XprC4gCrJbXELz_2MIu2eyVDJU3Vk1-tO6OFF5_tNAIigK_QF8tAWLL7NjFVVloXjaabV/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1165" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_WNLsNNoMrAsXB2FZxNrqfeZxCx14fJrG1BOGetrbU7ONpQfGdR42bNPy1yVpeDUBx-zwY9XprC4gCrJbXELz_2MIu2eyVDJU3Vk1-tO6OFF5_tNAIigK_QF8tAWLL7NjFVVloXjaabV/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh109.jpg" width="464" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Rain clouds departed, I snapped up the remaining shots on a vivid sunny day. The Zeh and Retro 80S responded with authority in delivering great shots with a nice deep tone to the blue sky. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5nCxo0P49oulAapxHtP6ITvCNvKH3Cs6R_HanEj9k4i-x2iKy53vT9Ni1tVt5C7Txzx78W9qNAxPLB27E4znyU6D1mVx1ar3pf-MtDxYymWPdZ_b-tBaje7boQa90dqSj_hD0_aLjLgr/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1165" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5nCxo0P49oulAapxHtP6ITvCNvKH3Cs6R_HanEj9k4i-x2iKy53vT9Ni1tVt5C7Txzx78W9qNAxPLB27E4znyU6D1mVx1ar3pf-MtDxYymWPdZ_b-tBaje7boQa90dqSj_hD0_aLjLgr/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh110.jpg" width="464" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My interest in the closest focus point however began to be piqued however, leading me to take a second photo at the same site as the one above, thinking the tops of the flowers might be in focus with the tower being muted. As is evident here, the closest focusing point was much closer than the 3 feet I'd expected.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEjaPIAwcxtN9-exHH_4hFEXDc5p-dw3sKO-JkKETRMLaHrsfwitVaBNmny4spkJLZYb6yliea2p1cp33M2J-7iv8V21Qj0aZsus8atPM5jV51SgO9q8B95aF5zKpusMD8T2lGFr4Y5Qi/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1165" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEjaPIAwcxtN9-exHH_4hFEXDc5p-dw3sKO-JkKETRMLaHrsfwitVaBNmny4spkJLZYb6yliea2p1cp33M2J-7iv8V21Qj0aZsus8atPM5jV51SgO9q8B95aF5zKpusMD8T2lGFr4Y5Qi/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh111.jpg" width="464" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One of my favorite bridges in Baker Park provides another good photo and framing test, which the Zeh did well on. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWphLrX7K7lgHVap3bHVZeof4YVzNo5okneSwgmW_XH_PcEs7xsS58NifieelC8aspftr8l4Tj1CTvg6SdL0W_l2qfem0ahHKL17qZkIMczJUnjBc-PoqGTtvjNCokAmBA3eVCv8mZhL_/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1165" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWphLrX7K7lgHVap3bHVZeof4YVzNo5okneSwgmW_XH_PcEs7xsS58NifieelC8aspftr8l4Tj1CTvg6SdL0W_l2qfem0ahHKL17qZkIMczJUnjBc-PoqGTtvjNCokAmBA3eVCv8mZhL_/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh112.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This image was another one where I was curious about how close this camera could focus. I thought it might be just under 3 feet and would give a sharp result just to the left of the center of the image. When it turned out that the sharpest part of the image was to the far left, I began to realize that the closest focusing distance might be MUCH closer than I'd initially thought. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJ_PJYd54-zNeqIVRoq7qA8imkyGaZHFrvBoHWW6o8Qk6CNpVZ-OLOKaXogMEJk2bi2EFu6d70iOqEW1SYa4m55FQ-O82jdpn4SbSl_y_fshl48cBNophW1b2C_MkxzFNaVH9aMVOtYgj/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJ_PJYd54-zNeqIVRoq7qA8imkyGaZHFrvBoHWW6o8Qk6CNpVZ-OLOKaXogMEJk2bi2EFu6d70iOqEW1SYa4m55FQ-O82jdpn4SbSl_y_fshl48cBNophW1b2C_MkxzFNaVH9aMVOtYgj/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh113.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For the last few photos on the roll, I kept it mostly to predictable distances, such as an overall shot of an old school hall awaiting reuse. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVBbDl80GLE1V38DHrLTtswoSKS7cLwgd0QxL1xUUBc4Wh2X-xlScgJt6HCIVMhuIOTouGVstBwO44VeytfPX48mdSJuEkKF211gJACJk6LThvqnBaove1_UH7sg-al9xi5YHfm0tiFfB/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1165" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqVBbDl80GLE1V38DHrLTtswoSKS7cLwgd0QxL1xUUBc4Wh2X-xlScgJt6HCIVMhuIOTouGVstBwO44VeytfPX48mdSJuEkKF211gJACJk6LThvqnBaove1_UH7sg-al9xi5YHfm0tiFfB/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh114.jpg" width="464" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Focused at a closer distance, the results are impressive, even if a focusing point can't quite be discerned.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxvi6Au1e9DInNBtLVAU8u2_hiiqKXBEzaPLakWR209689BBoAtnkD1x51S_ARATnPH7UDQ6HXuCcjmcL_4hJLMJRqTtVuZg8OJs0YCl1A7eQfBmyE5BposUxnrlySNjavsI8h5zmB8oo/s1600/80SRetroGoldiZeh115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxvi6Au1e9DInNBtLVAU8u2_hiiqKXBEzaPLakWR209689BBoAtnkD1x51S_ARATnPH7UDQ6HXuCcjmcL_4hJLMJRqTtVuZg8OJs0YCl1A7eQfBmyE5BposUxnrlySNjavsI8h5zmB8oo/s640/80SRetroGoldiZeh115.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here, however, the Zeh nailed focus right where I set it, and the result is fantastic. The detail and sharpness in the near foliage is excellent, while still giving good separation to the backdrop, despite the slow shutter speed limiting how wide the lens could be opened. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was only after this roll that I realized just how close this camera could focus. So the light bulb went off (literally!) as I did what I should have done in the first place, opening the camera and opening the shutter with the lens wide open and a matte screen in the film plane, with the camera pointed at a light bulb. It was only here that I realized that the close focus point of this lens is an amazing 17 inches! This distance was ideal in that I could actually "spot" it by positioning the camera at my elbow, and extending my forearm and pointing to literally touch the subject, then holding the camera at that position to take the photo. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQNqwOCzaL5C0kfRIKd3SNjTy5xJy-mipjVgSrCu6GDpfqLUH9elSa5Mpbzp5_cTTJjVTSKKYX-mLip-Q3-1uSisW25g_XFaDnGqLh13BpT7RjEMlHtscbvz7lnA88XjxP-KH1IDZX-5L/s1600/IMG_2398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQNqwOCzaL5C0kfRIKd3SNjTy5xJy-mipjVgSrCu6GDpfqLUH9elSa5Mpbzp5_cTTJjVTSKKYX-mLip-Q3-1uSisW25g_XFaDnGqLh13BpT7RjEMlHtscbvz7lnA88XjxP-KH1IDZX-5L/s640/IMG_2398.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The place where the "magic happens" is the 55% of the focus ring that lacks any distance markings. It was from trial and error that I discovered that turning the ring to all the way beyond the word "Feet" would result in the camera focusing to about 17 inches!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I loaded the camera with a third roll of film with this newfound knowledge of the hidden "Easter Egg" that is this Zeca camera's macro capabilities. This roll was a roll of "true" 127 Efke that I had been saving for a special occasion, and I figured no other 127 camera had proven itself as worthy of having the honors as this little gem. I went out a third time and snapped away, dividing the 16 shots on the roll roughly halfway between close focus images and those at distances actually marked on the focusing ring. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even as I shot these images, I wondered if I was wasting my time. After all, the close focus distances weren't marked on the scale of the focus ring. Was my "discovery" of this capability something I imagined in my late evening "putzing," or the product of a pseudo-real dream. I nervously dunked the film into a tank of HC-110 for a half an hour of stand developing, and anxiously pulled the very curled roll (an Efke trademark) from the final rinse to discover that the close focusing prowess of the Zeh was not a figment of my imagination. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDfee2KpFMjpwOhnoCdmT_aUmzGP8s3vvqV9pZ6DO_u49x4iPDir2MEN29Hesed_SejEHvto0sh2z5R9PTlpFav9BT5tar8tK3t8N2jOuzuuenHQnIGZ37H74KHOLaFabKqcIN44PI-Un/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDfee2KpFMjpwOhnoCdmT_aUmzGP8s3vvqV9pZ6DO_u49x4iPDir2MEN29Hesed_SejEHvto0sh2z5R9PTlpFav9BT5tar8tK3t8N2jOuzuuenHQnIGZ37H74KHOLaFabKqcIN44PI-Un/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh101.jpg" width="512" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Goldi had already taken some fine images, but if there was one photo of them all that effectively cemented this camera into the "top ten" status, it would definitely be this one. Taken at the closest focus point at about f/5.6, this simple photo is one of the favorite close up images I've ever taken, sharp as a tack where it needs to be, and falling off to a playful rendering in the foreground and background to give excellent separation, almost giving off a large format type of vibe. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKWlvdTKwIs_zidU6DIWWZmCmtilsoehyphenhyphenZPMuMMnAXYGFrTuuuP8lXxBUnIoYu4gC5U5wbgX5WL0lo9ehWMvgI42ReDGLb48gVz_wuTcx9ZJdVadjzWgxDheovWW9C-K7hkMyXdnwRfZ5/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1272" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKWlvdTKwIs_zidU6DIWWZmCmtilsoehyphenhyphenZPMuMMnAXYGFrTuuuP8lXxBUnIoYu4gC5U5wbgX5WL0lo9ehWMvgI42ReDGLb48gVz_wuTcx9ZJdVadjzWgxDheovWW9C-K7hkMyXdnwRfZ5/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh102.jpg" width="508" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Almost as nice is this image, again at closest focus but stopped down a tad more. A slight bit of film distress is noticeable on the expired Efke stock. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdZHChkSeXQ-sA6b01wg8MZYHPAsj2I_OvQ3ndKmFFWMwHXBNXusJUFKzZ42rpPuz2nCsQF7HQmpDwSzTWs7jgweqbRVuxba5TSPb9wNHgVmAsKcA7EyHvLkTgwAQddAGKaRjMKMzIgLf/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1600" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdZHChkSeXQ-sA6b01wg8MZYHPAsj2I_OvQ3ndKmFFWMwHXBNXusJUFKzZ42rpPuz2nCsQF7HQmpDwSzTWs7jgweqbRVuxba5TSPb9wNHgVmAsKcA7EyHvLkTgwAQddAGKaRjMKMzIgLf/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When the subject is not in the direct center, the image isn't as well defined. However, I was pretty shocked to get a usable image from this exposure, as I was shooting directly into the sun. Note the flare in the upper left corner. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTW2Mx3i9NxrKzuahNjttFAQnA7AGo7Wa_rwDbCoKLmqNoazPXAO3kqdXNfLtXVqeRidyuTYN5UcrxzikwD7xK47wg7xpxvOX8G7YAUXl_Pb_DfmiL2Ca3kv72i-bw6VcAgya3x64Qhwq/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1272" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTW2Mx3i9NxrKzuahNjttFAQnA7AGo7Wa_rwDbCoKLmqNoazPXAO3kqdXNfLtXVqeRidyuTYN5UcrxzikwD7xK47wg7xpxvOX8G7YAUXl_Pb_DfmiL2Ca3kv72i-bw6VcAgya3x64Qhwq/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh104.jpg" width="508" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shot at a more intermediate distance, but with tricky backlight, the Goldi pulled off a usable image. It's something of a shame that a light fixture with such character is so far away from the camera.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXgStMa0WS0x6LfXT77JJl2mG8uRYAB3_TDQNKA2go9AR25EuIjpBLOvL9OrT4cgPqldsArfilBBn7QghLphkprbIUUGtfhIOOVrbxm-e1MDtij4353WJ9NtAci2q0sztYeielErwrYFS/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1272" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXgStMa0WS0x6LfXT77JJl2mG8uRYAB3_TDQNKA2go9AR25EuIjpBLOvL9OrT4cgPqldsArfilBBn7QghLphkprbIUUGtfhIOOVrbxm-e1MDtij4353WJ9NtAci2q0sztYeielErwrYFS/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh106.jpg" width="508" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Among the less stellar images on the roll was this one, shot at about f/4 and focused at about 25 feet, where the center fountain is located. The subject is obscured in shadow, so the somewhat indistinct wall in the distance is the first item that catches the eye.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRrEnTPnQlTIytaYGq32CvK_5zEFcbkp0L992k6H4EU0fGoXhv4BjbtzjcV19pTAxIPspP7CJvQY5kbgYZKFCUrKCNuWkHdVwDEJvwz4BSTErfXM6SFVYIfipfxKU8qId8o-8nAknZfTx/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1272" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRrEnTPnQlTIytaYGq32CvK_5zEFcbkp0L992k6H4EU0fGoXhv4BjbtzjcV19pTAxIPspP7CJvQY5kbgYZKFCUrKCNuWkHdVwDEJvwz4BSTErfXM6SFVYIfipfxKU8qId8o-8nAknZfTx/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh107.jpg" width="508" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Viewfinder on the Zeh is surprisingly accurate. I framed this to try to get symmetry and it was pretty close. The sharpness of this image taken at f/11 is impressive.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-3odmOvMTb4NH0AjXnPP9V6ChLWtGnJ-BczlnPF7fdp_Nqsup1tSOL3iHnLlU2HV9MCBMPlmNeaKlfSP6svjpAWTG0M87GCLkosVkd9mCuNVYW0mnVUGkPON-vchDVlvYJFGMLwkw1lB/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1272" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-3odmOvMTb4NH0AjXnPP9V6ChLWtGnJ-BczlnPF7fdp_Nqsup1tSOL3iHnLlU2HV9MCBMPlmNeaKlfSP6svjpAWTG0M87GCLkosVkd9mCuNVYW0mnVUGkPON-vchDVlvYJFGMLwkw1lB/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh108.jpg" width="508" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Back to some more of my close focus follies, I'm again very pleased to see some excellent results given my insistence on saving this roll of Efke for a "special occasion."</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcJYDR95GFuQHP8GPiZ1UQQjOqGtaveU8X_vvO6mdwbayfr4P1Ri7izPmTOUmxPm6vGGx0etxT7x5vVfHehicwqXS3KcnttPHPPNKqryzw0Qn8BFmQNQKd2Bz8sx1_NC3YTo2RcLWFcI4/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1600" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcJYDR95GFuQHP8GPiZ1UQQjOqGtaveU8X_vvO6mdwbayfr4P1Ri7izPmTOUmxPm6vGGx0etxT7x5vVfHehicwqXS3KcnttPHPPNKqryzw0Qn8BFmQNQKd2Bz8sx1_NC3YTo2RcLWFcI4/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh110.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tonality of the Efke is quite good. Bokeh on these images is largely compromised from earlier shots from having to stop down due to the slow top shutter speed, but it does make for a sharper shot for the portions of the photo in focus. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihb6Ct8DZUIudSf4lWynysf2YJ1Vd9GY0figH-NjabX-5gnGLOIXYvXGRxxv5CFAT_9-q66-i5UoeYMBwHtPwXqXZs0WZn1Enqs8MOTcoDbiWSI1N0Gdcuorfayl5kU31QcXm7eF5X1dbb/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1272" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihb6Ct8DZUIudSf4lWynysf2YJ1Vd9GY0figH-NjabX-5gnGLOIXYvXGRxxv5CFAT_9-q66-i5UoeYMBwHtPwXqXZs0WZn1Enqs8MOTcoDbiWSI1N0Gdcuorfayl5kU31QcXm7eF5X1dbb/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh111.jpg" width="508" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sunlit, and stopped down, a photo of this statue renders with great sharpness and detail through the Zecanar lens. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Se0COwY2wez05d_qFfs4jIidgy7aYH5e9wG9d2AHR_rsvXP-ymzjAcNgd5iCuzY_ayf9KyVwXbsaUorm_AHN5NjnGXiWYUGpDIeg3H83SGt-iZScJAOEmndCpP92Z217vj6G0GrWt2Yj/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1272" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Se0COwY2wez05d_qFfs4jIidgy7aYH5e9wG9d2AHR_rsvXP-ymzjAcNgd5iCuzY_ayf9KyVwXbsaUorm_AHN5NjnGXiWYUGpDIeg3H83SGt-iZScJAOEmndCpP92Z217vj6G0GrWt2Yj/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh112.jpg" width="508" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And again, another close focus gem from the Zeh. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oM-64KMN2ZR9-2D97yqcnb0GSBWeoaT3NrJ7E5MxCOgWGBJu04-7r1faJ2YYONds-9OPaVJOKhJ9E_02ETqp8nETktDaiv4GUiD6NIgbo6uEREqiXh0Mnp_Yx5E6WsS36Q9ARD47N2dV/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="1600" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_oM-64KMN2ZR9-2D97yqcnb0GSBWeoaT3NrJ7E5MxCOgWGBJu04-7r1faJ2YYONds-9OPaVJOKhJ9E_02ETqp8nETktDaiv4GUiD6NIgbo6uEREqiXh0Mnp_Yx5E6WsS36Q9ARD47N2dV/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh113.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In doing minor edits of the photos, the one thing I occasionally see is a bit of washed out look in some images taken at near infinity focus. This may however be due to the film or the stand development process combined with the scanner.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6VoREu8yNiiEM4ndD5hPAzkp3_A_dKkYXtlq8fZiCii_E0R5WG6lb6S1zPOQ3wzwh5kESZcw5_0UdnfK_oahuFna6gIab8LCM1zGZiouJidiHgb5YWh5L0KCdUfCtVYjR-MgAV5OWdGU/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1600" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6VoREu8yNiiEM4ndD5hPAzkp3_A_dKkYXtlq8fZiCii_E0R5WG6lb6S1zPOQ3wzwh5kESZcw5_0UdnfK_oahuFna6gIab8LCM1zGZiouJidiHgb5YWh5L0KCdUfCtVYjR-MgAV5OWdGU/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh114.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At the "marked" close focus point of 4 feet, the Zeh is more or less right on the money at getting good focus. I'm just glad I didn't assume that 4 feet was the closest I could come to my subject with this camera! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UTvtJICSv5u9vkXiCu3Yrx3XvioNwIBjqI2pJKGrnjh4F_DRuPGJ4YpEvVFwYDAZHoz77bSGB4ak1iKnlIUn_CCeSMW_K6NNyc3D4LY259204Cv7rlgZP1X_KWxpnVqHcdXfpOZFZyEP/s1600/00REfkeGoldiZeh115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1272" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UTvtJICSv5u9vkXiCu3Yrx3XvioNwIBjqI2pJKGrnjh4F_DRuPGJ4YpEvVFwYDAZHoz77bSGB4ak1iKnlIUn_CCeSMW_K6NNyc3D4LY259204Cv7rlgZP1X_KWxpnVqHcdXfpOZFZyEP/s640/00REfkeGoldiZeh115.jpg" width="508" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One final image, again at the 4 foot focusing mark. Shot between 5.6 and 8, this image gives off some very good center sharpness as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Zeca's Zeh Goldi camera is hardly perfect. My version is hampered by a slow top shutter speed and a few ergonomic issues that take a little bit of adaptation. Working within its confines though, this is a camera that is capable of some amazing things given its size and age. It is one of those cameras that I can't wait to shoot again and again, in spite of its limitations, because of the wonderful things of which it is capable. And it is definitely a camera for which I'll be on the lookout for a spare, in hopes that lightning can strike twice with this great machine that has somehow made it to my personal "top ten" list! </span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-34667827074622919972017-08-07T09:00:00.000-04:002017-08-07T09:27:17.490-04:00Trying to Get Instant Kicks: The Polaroid J66<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stubbornness is considered an inherited trait, and is one to which I can readily admit having. I show it at work and in my family life, but my stubbornness is pervasive enough to affect my hobby as well. Where most sane people in the hobby of film photography would not bother with trying to get an image from a piece of equipment that is functionally obsolete, I push forward with a "Can-Do" spirit that is admittedly a bit over the top at times...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To the point where I have to wonder when I should stop beating a dead horse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The tale begins in the height of my Polaroid pack film enthusiasm. Still psyched to have a new toy to play with in the form of the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/05/late-to-polaroid-party-colorpack-ii.html" target="_blank">Colorpack II</a>, while preparing to purchase yet another in the form of the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/05/polaroid-440.html" target="_blank">Polaroid 440</a> from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/strawberryfieldshampden/" target="_blank">Strawberry Fields</a>, I'm somewhat intrigued by the sight of another interesting Polaroid camera sitting before me pleading me to add it to my collection. It's called the Polaroid J66.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8cg7yHEmSRLt-oofo0JP00yz4sUvuwAGPNLUbIWIMynd8VoZM2aUQThyv75Mxh4zUMfsHi6dun781Ewjxa-XOqTeMDZpCdraB66CSz7nEAu2NlJ0PBbeeptjaiY3VkKqmq6FS4oJ5kcl/s1600/IMGP4097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8cg7yHEmSRLt-oofo0JP00yz4sUvuwAGPNLUbIWIMynd8VoZM2aUQThyv75Mxh4zUMfsHi6dun781Ewjxa-XOqTeMDZpCdraB66CSz7nEAu2NlJ0PBbeeptjaiY3VkKqmq6FS4oJ5kcl/s640/IMGP4097.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Knowing nothing whatsoever about this camera, with just 15 minutes on the meter outside, and my youngest son sitting on my neck as I sweat in the small store trying to keep him from breaking any of the multitude of interesting items, I take a quick look online, and without finding much in the way of information, elect to just simply toss it into my purchase for good measure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is only after I get home and do the proper Polaroid research that I should have done initially, that I discover that the the 1961 vintage J66 has long been a camera for which a suitable film has not been made. Armed with a selenium meter and designed for 3000 speed film, with only a rather non-descript dial to adjust exposure, this model took Polaroid roll film Type 47, discontinued about 25 years ago. I had a rather interesting looking white elephant on my hands, but one that seemed to at least be functional to some degree. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ever the curious type, I thought it might be interesting to see what might be possible with this camera. I was able to find articles of converting this camera to use pack film, and another showing how 120 film could be adapted for use in Polaroid roll film cameras, but both possibilities involved a bit more legwork than I wanted to do with this basic camera. I wondered if there was a way that I could "try" pack film in this camera on a one-off basis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I wouldn't have to wait long to find out. Only a few weeks had elapsed when I encountered a film jam in a pack film type camera. My only recourse was to open the camera in the dark to dislodge the jam. Once I figured out how the film sheets and their paper were interleaved into the film pack, I elected to sneak one out and see if I could carefully lay it inside of the J66 in the dark, so as to expose the film. Developing it would then be a matter of reopening the J66 in the dark and properly pulling the whole arrangement though the spreader bars of my empty Color Pack. It seemed like a low-risk, low-effort, and low-cost way to try to get a final hurrah from this camera that had likely taken its last photo at least 30 years ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In darkness, I laid the film into the camera with its bellows extended, and carefully closed it up, taking care not to close it back up for fear of fouling the film plane alignment when reopened. With kids in tow, I set off on an errand, making a quick stop for a photo at the old Braddock Heights trolley station. With clouds playing touch and go with the sunshine, I opened the basic aperture of the lens as far as it could go on a lightly overcast scene and fired away, and then hustled back home to see my results. The big trade-off to shooting this camera in this manner is that the "instant" part of the equation goes bye-bye.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Later, I headed back into the dark confines of the basement to extract the exposure, thread it through the Colorpack's spreader bars and see what I had before me...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtC14_pt119O4DMh925G76dTn-Ev0TwmDkK7IrK251aJaS2m7fuhHLSr1q6yptg0r0b_roySXYuqJRrjFyW9JYlOMmD56LU5rk03gz1hd9mTsqoIEfDJleAsX8ArKeYqlRQAyzQtuIUbBT/s1600/Fp100CFujiJ66Polaroid103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="1600" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtC14_pt119O4DMh925G76dTn-Ev0TwmDkK7IrK251aJaS2m7fuhHLSr1q6yptg0r0b_roySXYuqJRrjFyW9JYlOMmD56LU5rk03gz1hd9mTsqoIEfDJleAsX8ArKeYqlRQAyzQtuIUbBT/s640/Fp100CFujiJ66Polaroid103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In a nutshell, I had a greatly underexposed photo, AND I made the huge mistake of leaving the numbered pull tab attached to the "packet" as I pulled it through, resulting in the yellow impression on the left side of the frame. Despite all of these flaws, I felt as though I had accomplished a lot. I was also surprised by seeing that I actually had a sharp image before me. It appears as if my attempts to preserve the proper distance between lens and film plane were actually successful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I could have stopped there, but why? I had found this experiment fun and innovative, and had some lessons learned that would allow me to perfect my results. As the same film pack of FP-100C wound down to its last exposures, I thought it would be far more fun and rewarding to get some results from the J66 using some tweaks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My first thought was obviously to remove the small numbered pull tab to avoid the discoloration patch in the result, but given the decent color in the brightly lit sky on my first try, I figured I simply needed to wait for a very brightly lit day and try another exposure wide open to give this J66 a more fitting result. A few days later, I got the chance to stop at a nearby pond that was streaming in vast amount of sunshine and confidently fired away to later get this result. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfkqod8x1PHT-m4LyhIk0Y81wqykpWsqBiU5u2Pdv6SqO6GVXs2bXt2beMiPUX8ra1HGF5i65NBFicUs79tqrRiexg6YFuOav6EBopNTmsYad7f-joPMmsDTVJxEglgGNjLMKBgTGX5A-/s1600/F100CFujiJ66Pola002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="1600" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfkqod8x1PHT-m4LyhIk0Y81wqykpWsqBiU5u2Pdv6SqO6GVXs2bXt2beMiPUX8ra1HGF5i65NBFicUs79tqrRiexg6YFuOav6EBopNTmsYad7f-joPMmsDTVJxEglgGNjLMKBgTGX5A-/s640/F100CFujiJ66Pola002.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yet again, this camera delivered very underexposed results. Either the meter was shortening the shutter speed in the bright light, or there simply wasn't enough speed in the lens to record a suitable image in the brightest of light. Greatly deterred, I retired to give this whole folly further consideration, before arriving at what seemed to be a epiphany of sorts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With the piece of pack film in the Polaroid, I could make multiple exposures of the same scene as much as I wanted. The J66 came conveniently equipped with a tripod socket, so the solution was to outsmart this camera, mount it upon a tripod, and take a number of shots (likely 4) of the same scene repeatedly. It seemed I had the found the secret formula to successfully yielding a decent image from the J66.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After work one afternoon, I stopped past one of my favorite scenes along my varied commute path, the Oakley Cabin. Of course, the instant I pulled up to the scene, the sun vanished behind a large ominous cloud, allowing, or rather dictating a 15 minute wait before what I expected would be a successful third try at injecting life into the massive old camera. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjZvuUj2YdndQYWT5-SsUAj323XjR9IOm7inkFVEV_3jH7xKfOWV_Rt6b9ILH4Gi_KMPL6HMnacyt4FuM4AZEt2TxJpccgFBIY8T5aUVL_aNtEOLsfs_BTN0fhqtoIA5qt3marhEZ41-P/s1600/IMGP4096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjZvuUj2YdndQYWT5-SsUAj323XjR9IOm7inkFVEV_3jH7xKfOWV_Rt6b9ILH4Gi_KMPL6HMnacyt4FuM4AZEt2TxJpccgFBIY8T5aUVL_aNtEOLsfs_BTN0fhqtoIA5qt3marhEZ41-P/s640/IMGP4096.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the cloud finally gave way, I discovered the scene was partially obscured in shadow and stopped down the lens a little bit (to improve sharpness) and fired off 8 exposures of the scene, worried that I was being a bit too generous with my counter-measure, only to get the following result. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK61jh9gS_4hwD9w5W1XcJCdaBoIFRZUQRlCw1DK1RRY5U-xq9J6pflfFPl-vXz-pG-fUUuXwBhi34W-IR0c71egjvPTdGds8WJH-Ev0FrkiGCP0EhoLI1yH-DoHiEP9PkZZP6MnAcME8-/s1600/FP100CJ66Pola103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="1600" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK61jh9gS_4hwD9w5W1XcJCdaBoIFRZUQRlCw1DK1RRY5U-xq9J6pflfFPl-vXz-pG-fUUuXwBhi34W-IR0c71egjvPTdGds8WJH-Ev0FrkiGCP0EhoLI1yH-DoHiEP9PkZZP6MnAcME8-/s640/FP100CJ66Pola103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My increasing anxiety in this project becoming more evident in the poor quality of my pulls, I was starting to get daunted. What was an impromptu $2.50 experiment was now costing a bit more in my time and energy, and still wasn't yielding better results. If anything, the original "shot in the dark" approach of my first try was the best result of them all, save for my failure to remove the pull tab. The refinements to my technique were yielding me nothing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I opened a pack of FP-100 Silk to load into the jam-prone camera that started this mess to begin with, I elected to give it one more try, since removing a sheet would presumably help alleviate the pressure that often causes such jams. My thought was to improve upon my previous effort by boosting the number of exposures to 12, and ensuring the scene I was shooting had ample sun light, something lacking in the shot of the Oakley Cabin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Preparing to leave Hagerstown City Park, I quickly attempted to finally get the results I wanted in a scene of the lake well lit in early afternoon summer sun. I fired off 14 exposures in total, and wondered what I'd see in my results. Instead of pulling the film through the spreader bars, I fed it through the extraction mechanism of a model with rollers to get the following result. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoLvXWtPH2WVtO8keB3l92N4ccqNGZnY6UYnjNEAy84nj6YesCLtcu06DfLmMz60Ulzg9nn9gvx4OGcUqtu_OBtE_vW0D9iK5I4wdUV6iSThafvGmgsuYJ7n_euVWWpux5of6opPmGj2B/s1600/FP100CJ66Pola104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="1600" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifoLvXWtPH2WVtO8keB3l92N4ccqNGZnY6UYnjNEAy84nj6YesCLtcu06DfLmMz60Ulzg9nn9gvx4OGcUqtu_OBtE_vW0D9iK5I4wdUV6iSThafvGmgsuYJ7n_euVWWpux5of6opPmGj2B/s640/FP100CJ66Pola104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The "pull quality" of this exposure hit a new low, not producing an even rectangle, but rather an awkward shape resembling the state of Ohio. Exposure wise, there is improvement in the light areas, but still a LOT of darkness in areas that were amply lit. This could be a typical result for peel-apart film which traditionally struggles with contrasty scenes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still, it's a challenge when 14 shots on the same piece of film still shows underexposure in even the brightest parts of the image. I wondered if some form of reciprocity failure was bedeviling my efforts to burn in the image as the film lost sensitivity to light with each successive exposure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So after 4 tries of trying to give the J66 the dignity of going out on a good note, I'm taking a break. Perhaps I'll find the resolve (or stubbornness rather) to continue in this endeavor at some point, but my supply of pack film is rather limited, and its use is perhaps best spent on exposures that will net a better success ratio than this. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm stubborn as a mule, but the Polaroid J66 is stubborn as an ox. </span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-72195629772871878152017-07-19T09:00:00.000-04:002017-07-19T09:00:03.373-04:00Fun with Film: Ferrania P30 (Part 1- The Agfa Cadet A-8)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Roughly three years ago, I elected to jump aboard a <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/filmferrania/100-more-years-of-analog-film" target="_blank">Kickstarter</a> "crowdfunding" effort for the first time, namely one to rescue invaluable film production equipment to enable the resumption of photographic film production in Italy, with an expected reward to me of snapping up a few rolls of E6 transparency film for my financial support.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yesterday, I had my first chance to sample some of the wares of the down-scaled film production plant in Italy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Though not the 120 format color transparency film I'd initially expected to be using as a "thank you gift" for my support, I was thrilled nonetheless to have the opportunity to shoot Ferrania's first public product since their small core of workers reinitiated their coating lines roughly six months ago. This was my chance to shoot Ferrania P30.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">P30 is based upon a classic cinema film formula used by legends such as Federico Fellini. It purports to be "silver-rich" emulsion that can yield a classic cinematic look rich in tonality and contrast to deliver stunning images with strong black tones often absent from many contemporary emulsions. As a Kickstarter backer, I was able to pick up 5 rolls of the film at a modest discount on a pre-sale promotion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Order fulfillment was nothing of the likes of Amazon's "Next Day Shipping" but this was to be expected, given the small staff of Ferrania still had a number of production and distribution challenges to iron out as they worked through the allotment of orders in this "Alpha" batch, which sold out in a matter of a couple of weeks. And while waiting for this much anticipated film sometimes seemed to take an eternity, I was quite pleased to see the arrival of the box with my 5 rolls of Ferrania P30 enclosed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was also a bit panicked. With 5 rolls of scarce film and numerous cameras to select from in which to shoot this film, I was a bit overburdened with the task of choosing which cameras would be best to conduct my own bit of "testing" on this classic emulsion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, being ever a bit quirky with my ways, I couldn't resist the urge to do something a bit "unique" with some of my P30. I was also interested in seeing some results from this film without having to blow through an entire 36-exposure roll before seeing the first shot. I elected to "split" the first roll between two cameras, and took the rather unconventional option of spooling it onto 127 backing, for use in my <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-box-camera-baby-agfa-cadet-8.html" target="_blank">Agfa Cadet A-8 camera</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, while others were using their limited allotment of this film in their finest machinery worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars, I was snapping off my first sample shots of this coveted film in a $10 box camera. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Truth be told, it wasn't a bad idea. Not only would I get a chance to run through the exposure and development process, while acquiring a few "lessons learned" prior to the full completion of the first roll, I'd have a chance to use one of my favorite cameras for "sprocket scans" and get some novel 35mm x 65mm exposures. Besides, the use of a 127 camera for Ferrania film had plenty of precedent, with Ferrania having produced both cameras and film in this format in their heyday. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After going through the respooling process, firing off 8 shots on the film stock was a piece of cake. Though the mid-Atlantic was in the midst of a mid-Summer heat wave, my lunch hour in the Nation's Capital was one of sunny conditions. I elected to shoot 6 of the first shots at lunch and save two for a detour on the way home, as intermittently cloudy skies and afternoon thunderstorms moved through the region. My hope was to get some variance in the lighting conditions for this initial roll, given that this basic camera lacks even a diaphragm setting to stop the lens down to adjust exposure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Developing the P30, I elected to start this first roll by trying HC-110 in a freshly mixed 1:63 dilution for 12 minutes with 15 seconds of gentle agitation every 2 minutes. This process is somewhat contrary to Ferrania's recommendations for developing this film, in which they recommend a less dilute formula with near continuous agitation that is more consistent with cinema type development processes. I noted that the acetate film stock was a bit thick and stiff and as a result, slightly challenging to get going on my steel development rolls. Unlike many other films that leave a color cast in the developing solution after development, the developer poured out with a neutral cast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The negatives that emerged after the final bath of Photo-flo seemed to be well exposed and had adequate contrast, a relief given the lack of exposure control available to me as I took the inaugural images. The film dried to a fairly flat result that whose somewhat thick stock was easily loaded into my full width scanning tool.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The scans from this first batch however, are missing the desired snap that I've observed in some of the other results posted online, but still offered a good starting point to learn more about this film and its character, as well as to strategize some changes possible as I shoot and develop more of this film. Having these images as my first set have certainly given me a chance to think of how to better hone future shots on this film to get a more desired outcome. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rzp8A9vrZ8A4dAlAkAhEFbgT2uuA21IRKQ-jqfdCQPtT9qtNH1LDQsVg3kQvEhN5ps9R7BHoVeUjS2TgAO8F4PlwP-FAKmNV0TDRJOYtmWNqal7fByymH8NvY8w73apA9qiCi6iWMOD-/s1600/P30FerrA8Agfa101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1600" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rzp8A9vrZ8A4dAlAkAhEFbgT2uuA21IRKQ-jqfdCQPtT9qtNH1LDQsVg3kQvEhN5ps9R7BHoVeUjS2TgAO8F4PlwP-FAKmNV0TDRJOYtmWNqal7fByymH8NvY8w73apA9qiCi6iWMOD-/s640/P30FerrA8Agfa101.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My first shot on Ferrania P30. Looking past the sharpness missing from nearly every part of the frame, I'm a bit more disappointed to see a lack of deep black tones in the shrubbery. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKq9qQAeqrI0FbgHBFWrs-190TH-LlEaTY57UmmV6MdqUq8s87dnQGoScZ8RKzQ_fC9MkbC3x5vSsROEo6XPTK6iSvMm8CGBW2q508D8JG3-pa5fELfanFvVtN6kRPBRuTIUcy1FyMUeeV/s1600/P30FerrA8Agfa102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1600" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKq9qQAeqrI0FbgHBFWrs-190TH-LlEaTY57UmmV6MdqUq8s87dnQGoScZ8RKzQ_fC9MkbC3x5vSsROEo6XPTK6iSvMm8CGBW2q508D8JG3-pa5fELfanFvVtN6kRPBRuTIUcy1FyMUeeV/s640/P30FerrA8Agfa102.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A bit of buckling produced a contact spot that resulted in the undeveloped portion to the right. The result here is one that still comes off a rather flat and muddy in spots. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVG-aAZtOJ-g1SvypBQup08eeqey72QvddiZjPFNYxxOiTV29QNaqsZcxIDYVNjscQ5VaA90plZEW0Yr8EdKF9O8h0om71qzF0LT5GNZqnn3HOx0EY0-Zgx6r5rcVDz8pvgZAhI13L8Wcn/s1600/P30FerrA8Agfa103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="812" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVG-aAZtOJ-g1SvypBQup08eeqey72QvddiZjPFNYxxOiTV29QNaqsZcxIDYVNjscQ5VaA90plZEW0Yr8EdKF9O8h0om71qzF0LT5GNZqnn3HOx0EY0-Zgx6r5rcVDz8pvgZAhI13L8Wcn/s640/P30FerrA8Agfa103.jpg" width="324" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Admittedly one of the more interesting results of the batch is the single vertical image that I shot, infringed upon by an apparent light leak. Contrast is improved over the prior two attempts though still a bit lacking, but it is nice to some definition finally in the sky behind.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57T9iDQaPjvdiuFQ44UTeL4rBU7zXVVKlcLnc2rhE6FCeP0lSP87HkTbCGn76XbzOMcTjx84YbkA15ncbbrYFJAxQ_TN36Nu3h2Ie2fStpDcpV7PUgIYHtA6XiKIrXY7UQNYY9g23-cG-/s1600/P30FerrA8Agfa104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57T9iDQaPjvdiuFQ44UTeL4rBU7zXVVKlcLnc2rhE6FCeP0lSP87HkTbCGn76XbzOMcTjx84YbkA15ncbbrYFJAxQ_TN36Nu3h2Ie2fStpDcpV7PUgIYHtA6XiKIrXY7UQNYY9g23-cG-/s640/P30FerrA8Agfa104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another image awash in the noon day sun does manage to get some detail in the distant cloudes, but still comes up lacking in getting the required snap. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSOcGL2noN4I4qFeq6zwNyRdZ-eQ259JSmvWgAmiHXQjiXumcyZHOlNUW27322WJQ6Y9Y-I78iZ-iKn21nHOHuJEj5wltNKfj7AwfI0vm73MLemXBt8uxuDmLhG3PJDkK7rfNcTwwCcIg/s1600/P30FerrA8Agfa105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSOcGL2noN4I4qFeq6zwNyRdZ-eQ259JSmvWgAmiHXQjiXumcyZHOlNUW27322WJQ6Y9Y-I78iZ-iKn21nHOHuJEj5wltNKfj7AwfI0vm73MLemXBt8uxuDmLhG3PJDkK7rfNcTwwCcIg/s640/P30FerrA8Agfa105.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In open shadow however, I saw a bit more promise in the results from the P30. One bit of slight superficial disappointment in the rolls I picked up is that the block letter typeface signature of the earlier rolls of P30 is replaced with a lighter font that lacks the same effect.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86yq7Efy1NJQrSm-PfX2lGDl_mquJvmu46uhwJxwwUASXWQCf3E80GPlQf6HmiH-c9T25mJ6p1Jp_enC4tBEh2aq0S-BX4ftHE0-tFnuDD6QH_wk_PthLAdvIIgRcTcOBqjrRbJwuGS7J/s1600/P30FerrA8Agfa106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86yq7Efy1NJQrSm-PfX2lGDl_mquJvmu46uhwJxwwUASXWQCf3E80GPlQf6HmiH-c9T25mJ6p1Jp_enC4tBEh2aq0S-BX4ftHE0-tFnuDD6QH_wk_PthLAdvIIgRcTcOBqjrRbJwuGS7J/s640/P30FerrA8Agfa106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On a darker colored subject in full sunlight, the P30 again seemed to do fairly well, even in this box camera. Note the interesting offset between the frame numbers and their "A" suffix counterparts.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKXlvmn-b-k3nT08lxC1dXiL9eXKA93JjG-VmvwGKtNMfiIBw9kw8E-sLWKjj1bKngaiSw2ATbQt4ccFYJ6YqhY4MrMNnOZwWicGebKIbIzcQUwb8GmGePOkI0cTUI7TotAAK4C8roHlC/s1600/P30FerrA8Agfa107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKXlvmn-b-k3nT08lxC1dXiL9eXKA93JjG-VmvwGKtNMfiIBw9kw8E-sLWKjj1bKngaiSw2ATbQt4ccFYJ6YqhY4MrMNnOZwWicGebKIbIzcQUwb8GmGePOkI0cTUI7TotAAK4C8roHlC/s640/P30FerrA8Agfa107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As ominous clouds approached on the drive home, light levels softened to better pair with the exposure settings of the Agfa camera. Interestingly, while there is more dark area in this shot than most others, there are also spots of blown out highlights evident as well. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmzfdiLCHNlqZBiBZCR4g_u1QeTDxI6YDGgnSQnmjfbGYQ5Rv7Pfs3vQDz1_C1Ks7fSVNj8H4DRTpc-vluUFqmvGnWzDZsQXsLPU3ddt2g0jdKVKoWArayFE6tkVEFCS8na5s8qu8jwGM/s1600/P30FerrA8Agfa108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmzfdiLCHNlqZBiBZCR4g_u1QeTDxI6YDGgnSQnmjfbGYQ5Rv7Pfs3vQDz1_C1Ks7fSVNj8H4DRTpc-vluUFqmvGnWzDZsQXsLPU3ddt2g0jdKVKoWArayFE6tkVEFCS8na5s8qu8jwGM/s640/P30FerrA8Agfa108.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My last shot of the roll certainly offers the most "retro" image of them all, and makes me a tad regretful that I didn't use a bit more capable camera for this scene. It is the most underexposed of the batch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Looking at this octet of images, I see a lot of variables at play to consider on future shots taken on Ferrania. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One item that will be absent from my future bit of fun with this film will be the sprocket holes. As I paid more attention to these images in post-processing, I was increasingly aware that their presence in these scans may be "throwing" the total curve in the modest of post-processing to the images. Sure enough, when I crop out these holes and apply some basic balancing curves, the results I get are decidedly more snappy, as you can see here, compared with the image in the batch above.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5XcNKWvmw3oEFHlqQoCc_Huxbrx51_eDM7WOC2BaTwmysT67VxiKIkugiOqM8TVPsVXj3967GIinWyp6pP8Xx3KK1ogDSGciFWbD-HWul5Zs7TqHw2a_ssAEcrGXoUA2jm-4XvtcD-Xy/s1600/P30FerrA8Agfa105crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="1583" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5XcNKWvmw3oEFHlqQoCc_Huxbrx51_eDM7WOC2BaTwmysT67VxiKIkugiOqM8TVPsVXj3967GIinWyp6pP8Xx3KK1ogDSGciFWbD-HWul5Zs7TqHw2a_ssAEcrGXoUA2jm-4XvtcD-Xy/s640/P30FerrA8Agfa105crop.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This certainly helps, and minimizes one of my most immediate concerns about this film, as removing this from the equation on future rolls creates one less impediment to getting good photos from this film.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In addition, I'll be paying closer attention to the scenes taken using Ferrania, while using metered cameras that can adjust focus, aperture, and shutter speed. Once I've shot a couple of rolls under more measured conditions using these guidelines, I'll develop the film using the same methods here to see if I get better results, and then evaluate if I use an alternative developing solution to my beloved HC-110.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In spite of the room for improvement in nearly every aspect with these images, I'm glad I started with P30 using these methods. Not only did I learn a lot about the film after only a portion of a roll, but I also learned more about film photography and development methods as well as scanning and post-processing practices. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My experimentation with P30 is just beginning, and I look forward to optimizing things to where my future rolls show marked improvement based upon my lessons learned with this first portion of film.</span></div>
Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-91985722977235545512017-07-04T07:04:00.000-04:002017-07-04T07:04:07.904-04:00As American as the Fourth of July: The Kodak Instamatic 704 and 804<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b><span style="color: red;">"</span><span style="color: blue;">You know, we once made stuff here.</span><span style="color: red;">"</span></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's a common refrain still prevalent among older Americans, and is something that can be particularly difficult for a larger percentage of our population to relate. I tend to consider myself as one who can occasionally forget the significance that the U.S. once held in the manufacturing world as I type away today on my Chinese made computer, uploading some digital photos taken on a camera made in the Philippines, embellished with a Japanese made lens, and adding scans of film shots done on an Indonesian made scanner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yes, the United States once had a robust manufacturing sector, which certainly extended to the world of photography, with names like Kodak, Argus, Detrola, Revere, Falcon, Ansco, Polaroid, Bolsey, Universal, and others all competing head to head in a crowded marketplace for the photographer's dollar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So what was the most American camera model of all-time? Some might say the ubiquitous <a href="http://www.mikeeckman.com/2014/12/argus-c3-matchmatic-1958/" target="_blank">Argus C3</a>, a classic example of a well built camera that remained nearly unchanged for a production run spanning 3 decades. Others could opine for any of the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/05/polaroid-440.html" target="_blank">Polaroid Land Camera models</a> as being stellar examples of American ingenuity. Still others might pick a wild card like the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2016/06/a-bolsey-move-b2-rangefinder.html" target="_blank">Bolsey B2</a> as a classic example of an immigrant landing in this country and setting forth to accomplish his dreams in a new country. And for the curious, there is certainly the story of the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/search/label/Univex%20AF-5" target="_blank">Univex </a>cameras resulting from a pair of capitalists putting their minds and resources together in the midst of the Great Depression.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My answer for the most "American" camera of all time uses much more simplistic logic. There is no holiday more American than Independence Day, often simply known as the "Fourth of July." So is there a camera out there that is as American as July 4th?!? I'm not sure there could exist a camera as American as Independence Day as this one...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfSh7MwZNDihx5y-Jn0AB11LpwM80mQNfSnJWILD9EmiXM4ZqKNPBGV9O_YtIhVxWvDFrHY03XW0aQUMIiEesXNJDA2xC2aq8GZg53zFcLFd0FlQoIHtTUUFYs5wzK8EeV7HFSLetOMBj/s1600/IMGP4146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfSh7MwZNDihx5y-Jn0AB11LpwM80mQNfSnJWILD9EmiXM4ZqKNPBGV9O_YtIhVxWvDFrHY03XW0aQUMIiEesXNJDA2xC2aq8GZg53zFcLFd0FlQoIHtTUUFYs5wzK8EeV7HFSLetOMBj/s640/IMGP4146.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All this camera needs is some deep blue leather on the front and some white stars and it would be the ultimate "American" camera.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Kodak Instamatic <span style="color: red;">704</span>, along with its upmarket sibling: the <span style="color: blue;">804</span>, represent some of the finest American camera craftsmanship out there. These sturdy 126 format cameras, produced between 1965 and 1969 are a particularly endearing pair of photo taking partners with complementary red and blue emblems that truly portray a patriotic air to them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Speaking of looks, these cameras have an appearance that can admittedly be an acquired taste. When I first began even considering these cameras to my collection a while back, I was a bit put off by what I'd term a rather awkward and homely form to these cameras, thanks in large part to the "glass block window" front of the camera design, set into a stepped design that is a bit unconventional.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg48nmE3bNqxqKw2EMXV-0ziVVfQRf0TX4jCALisqFIRu9YkFkb5Ft_V1fPsxHudYCcMU9YE4E8742wLfM48aP9t2p6KMz71Vj-63Z255bSi1YaIFFMqqPZ_vtNstx8G8n_LOOs6qYi5LJ/s1600/IMGP4136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg48nmE3bNqxqKw2EMXV-0ziVVfQRf0TX4jCALisqFIRu9YkFkb5Ft_V1fPsxHudYCcMU9YE4E8742wLfM48aP9t2p6KMz71Vj-63Z255bSi1YaIFFMqqPZ_vtNstx8G8n_LOOs6qYi5LJ/s640/IMGP4136.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I really wanted a shot before a waving flag, but this golden hour side-by-side of these two fraternal twins is lovely nonetheless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gradually, however, as I got more familiar with these cameras, I began to not only appreciate the really nice and FUN photo taking experience that they offered. but also began to appreciate their unique beauty as well. Few of my many camera pickups have elicited such a feeling of love that I tend to feel with these rugged little boxes, and even fewer still have seen the initial duty cycle that I've put this tandem through. They are a joy to shoot again and again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm planning a much more in-depth review of these two cameras along with the rest of their 700/800 series family in the near future, so for the sake of time and brevity, I'm dispensing with the usual run through of features typical of my posts for new cameras, electing instead to focus more upon the images produced by these charming little American cameras. I will note that the <span style="color: red;">704 </span>and <span style="color: blue;">804 </span>are identical with two main functional differences. The <span style="color: red;">704</span> is a zone-focusing model, while the <span style="color: blue;">804</span> is a rangefinder model. The <span style="color: red;">704</span> features a stroke winding advance while the<span style="color: blue;"> 804</span> features a tensioned "automatic" spring advance between frames. Given than most of the film passing through these cameras is respooled 135 film laid into a recycled 126 cassette, I have to admit that the <span style="color: red;">704</span>'s advance is more user-friendly (and efficient), while the <span style="color: blue;">804</span>'s rangefinder focusing is nicer to have than the "guess it yourself" focus of the lesser <span style="color: red;">704</span> model.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-f7_8e0GQ7CG7oCgtq9NWgpcmdoYgIHUIrh7lEZ4-7XWlyGTSx3bCnigOSKV4kICX_50gq9Y2yyVphAf_Yv9FG5_o31arDmdFNbMl-hT12Vr5OFQ7u8BH4ddT_tuuVjetU6fWDOlgeNBP/s1600/IMGP4152r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1600" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-f7_8e0GQ7CG7oCgtq9NWgpcmdoYgIHUIrh7lEZ4-7XWlyGTSx3bCnigOSKV4kICX_50gq9Y2yyVphAf_Yv9FG5_o31arDmdFNbMl-hT12Vr5OFQ7u8BH4ddT_tuuVjetU6fWDOlgeNBP/s640/IMGP4152r.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Series V filters can be inserted beneath the outer ring on these cameras. A red filter on the 804 with its blue emblem puts forth a patriotic vibe as seen above. Below, yes that is an exposure compensation dial just above the "MADE IN U.S.A." markings. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SdIgbPMjhIQCTPT6-il65MPrMCAVUSXuH5_0uoDDGnPM0WDtKBLWEkUmEuiACUiiLw9KreJX9SvLq83pTolb_LtOFX68DCD7vKB5wzxYAMxwk9wGL-RtlLdaREPz5ebQcAogFDNBofnQ/s1600/IMGP4157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7SdIgbPMjhIQCTPT6-il65MPrMCAVUSXuH5_0uoDDGnPM0WDtKBLWEkUmEuiACUiiLw9KreJX9SvLq83pTolb_LtOFX68DCD7vKB5wzxYAMxwk9wGL-RtlLdaREPz5ebQcAogFDNBofnQ/s640/IMGP4157.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For now, enjoy these samples from these interesting camera models, and do stay tuned for the more in-depth review and history that will be coming soon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Watch this space! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8vnybmPSIVyqlnmj9VflEjpj0N1ZPpAbAJ99THJEv5FZ01rAt20splwIsCqYZMUwyl-hR2KKL2zJHg_IgCGJmRAqEHbG6MUABvgn-690XuK8ZE14gJmnKjTEpBUN9VYA08xb04kiXERE/s1600/400trix804Instamatic101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="1600" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8vnybmPSIVyqlnmj9VflEjpj0N1ZPpAbAJ99THJEv5FZ01rAt20splwIsCqYZMUwyl-hR2KKL2zJHg_IgCGJmRAqEHbG6MUABvgn-690XuK8ZE14gJmnKjTEpBUN9VYA08xb04kiXERE/s640/400trix804Instamatic101.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Hagerstown, MD - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgIxWv3G4PLcdhCfio3yVmMLdy8fe1MqaL3SF_gzghkZrgseaW0S5yNC6nK0M1eC5qtbPU2_KEwm_MFV1b2nHeEaHwLADSxLEhSTiEbZHQVbR8LUsQUoLmOeAQfirFGjDSvIR45aY6aEF/s1600/400trix804Instamatic102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="1600" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgIxWv3G4PLcdhCfio3yVmMLdy8fe1MqaL3SF_gzghkZrgseaW0S5yNC6nK0M1eC5qtbPU2_KEwm_MFV1b2nHeEaHwLADSxLEhSTiEbZHQVbR8LUsQUoLmOeAQfirFGjDSvIR45aY6aEF/s640/400trix804Instamatic102.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Beaver Creek, MD - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgko1_cCBE5E_JIPs1e7-iSkIewRCIc96kqaTa91nMuUI1IffIo0I51lewzMV5Y3323tjVJUbfjTecjlXCmIcAWHTn86OsxbBSqtTzRABO9BbTW0IhUxmXIkr4ADpk7XNtw62m9EXHo51ga/s1600/400trix804Instamatic103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="1600" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgko1_cCBE5E_JIPs1e7-iSkIewRCIc96kqaTa91nMuUI1IffIo0I51lewzMV5Y3323tjVJUbfjTecjlXCmIcAWHTn86OsxbBSqtTzRABO9BbTW0IhUxmXIkr4ADpk7XNtw62m9EXHo51ga/s640/400trix804Instamatic103.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXadKgC7x_FZwqdDs6_WHKvSmKYalkrJk8o-OyDjXueZmXTseav7raAUo34d5HVHnxhvo8u0HbBWuP5MTP0jhfbpQUmwMpErzIX5iSUNzhg88Vm4KLxuIT9asSkmDxqoj11LnDhD-8Cmzd/s1600/400trix804Instamatic104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="1600" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXadKgC7x_FZwqdDs6_WHKvSmKYalkrJk8o-OyDjXueZmXTseav7raAUo34d5HVHnxhvo8u0HbBWuP5MTP0jhfbpQUmwMpErzIX5iSUNzhg88Vm4KLxuIT9asSkmDxqoj11LnDhD-8Cmzd/s640/400trix804Instamatic104.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hagerstown, MD - Kodak Tri-X 400 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_xOuJ56BkPyNk1vnyNczzaMFWyPsg8FDQtPKPq_JKeh4dR41E4WvKC_oqbf_JeDBqbPnpEhKShNKf23R66FGoSIE_GPd4tBS0mk3gguw5v08jJwBoOrz2_Twzk2WxgtgP94M4gjMRdSr/s1600/100UF704Insta101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1600" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_xOuJ56BkPyNk1vnyNczzaMFWyPsg8FDQtPKPq_JKeh4dR41E4WvKC_oqbf_JeDBqbPnpEhKShNKf23R66FGoSIE_GPd4tBS0mk3gguw5v08jJwBoOrz2_Twzk2WxgtgP94M4gjMRdSr/s640/100UF704Insta101.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Jefferson, MD - Ultrafine Extreme 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6Aej1FL8huhUqSwEcee-XbuUpJi6dHDLX-XtFNtDu2oIj5YwCa-hZRenH_gCRh27OlKSZn5aXQaMPV9rosHEB_aK5XTidCMZXXCEH38Ks9fmMWzgBjDTFjJkpThTe0bo9POAEoJFxR6L/s1600/100UF704Insta102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1600" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6Aej1FL8huhUqSwEcee-XbuUpJi6dHDLX-XtFNtDu2oIj5YwCa-hZRenH_gCRh27OlKSZn5aXQaMPV9rosHEB_aK5XTidCMZXXCEH38Ks9fmMWzgBjDTFjJkpThTe0bo9POAEoJFxR6L/s640/100UF704Insta102.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Middletown, MD - Ultrafine Extreme 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOdBmGEqhKILzoI2YwpAdH4JziYWu7oUExt0PUtggmNgHzGcQLNsHfZOSKhN-O7AX26ilXEIXX30I2a1ip8wbIa4_3OfR7j4TxpxIALeRhTf2B3l9WqDKw63V1cn3IA5IH7f4InzFbM1c/s1600/100UF704Insta103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1600" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOdBmGEqhKILzoI2YwpAdH4JziYWu7oUExt0PUtggmNgHzGcQLNsHfZOSKhN-O7AX26ilXEIXX30I2a1ip8wbIa4_3OfR7j4TxpxIALeRhTf2B3l9WqDKw63V1cn3IA5IH7f4InzFbM1c/s640/100UF704Insta103.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Middletown, MD - Ultrafine Extreme 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIK-kMnFeP11uaN7rhdo2v-PBYdPxJYRo4lK8R0xpB-x5vJn2Jm0vbVgpfKxWVosvAijuho_rH87Bmc-rGeOziKzuJ0icEtF5jc6-0XCJAl8GFQk_aV_Z3Wo6Dd1TEckmeR8iWq-a62Dn/s1600/100UF704Insta104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1600" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIK-kMnFeP11uaN7rhdo2v-PBYdPxJYRo4lK8R0xpB-x5vJn2Jm0vbVgpfKxWVosvAijuho_rH87Bmc-rGeOziKzuJ0icEtF5jc6-0XCJAl8GFQk_aV_Z3Wo6Dd1TEckmeR8iWq-a62Dn/s640/100UF704Insta104.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Middletown, MD - Ultrafine Extreme 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha33rAnvZ_gU_sOJU0Z1-oXC3NMQbD1m47nzFcviJfwpkp4wwty5N06h_UNdRoeCKGFkQCP7aYiwHBiykycvLzdQ5SQR8RHwDCwrNwkk8XASPKijlJ5edTpZx0oMQn5OeizorBYulhfsqc/s1600/100UF704Insta105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1600" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha33rAnvZ_gU_sOJU0Z1-oXC3NMQbD1m47nzFcviJfwpkp4wwty5N06h_UNdRoeCKGFkQCP7aYiwHBiykycvLzdQ5SQR8RHwDCwrNwkk8XASPKijlJ5edTpZx0oMQn5OeizorBYulhfsqc/s640/100UF704Insta105.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Middletown, MD - Ultrafine Extreme 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Middletown, MD - Ultrafine Extreme 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Middletown, MD - Ultrafine Extreme 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Middletown, MD - Ultrafine Extreme 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Middletown, MD - Ultrafine Extreme 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Ultrafine Extreme 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Jefferson, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: red;">704</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Columbia, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Jefferson, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Jefferson, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Braddock Heights, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frederick, MD - Kodak TMax 100 - Kodak Instamatic <b><span style="color: blue;">804</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I still have some things to work on with these cameras, such as winding routines and ensuring my fingers are free of the lens (the curse of forward mounted shutter releases) but I am very much impressed with the results from these 50 year old cameras, and look forward to a more fitting review of these capable and quirky little cameras! </span></div>
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<br />Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-78328314293849484022017-06-28T09:00:00.000-04:002017-06-28T09:08:45.791-04:00Lemonade from a Lemon: The Mamiya Auto-Lux 35<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At what point is a vintage camera review no longer a review? Perhaps when your main objective is simply trying to get an image under when the camera you have in hand has only a fraction of its functionality. I would say the following qualifies...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Middletown Goodwill used to be such a treat. It seemed as though each visit to this location always brought me a cheap and fun new toy with which to play. I've gotten a number of lenses from this store, some nice sub $5 point and shoot cameras such as the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2016/12/capable-but-complicated-samsung-maxima.html" target="_blank">Samsung Maxima Zoom 105</a>, and even the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/03/third-times-charm-mamiya-msx-500.html" target="_blank">Mamiya MSX-500</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In hindsight, it's easy to think I had a perfect string of luck with my cheap scores at this location, but this isn't quite the case. Even the all-star Home Run Derby hitter eventually lands short of the outfield wall. Such was the case with this interesting piece. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIkBb8cvKSkMeFEIsy78_gOs7sGFpMvCMMNKJ9fv9Bm0a0Cy6-oQb_393ZaCahKAoWMMeIbC9aQFl7ffW-IDAwAEphGDGy4vg06EB2-7cgRi_Kt1O2jeEuSNLn8f7aqic7c0SPaXeryBe/s1600/IMGP4107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIkBb8cvKSkMeFEIsy78_gOs7sGFpMvCMMNKJ9fv9Bm0a0Cy6-oQb_393ZaCahKAoWMMeIbC9aQFl7ffW-IDAwAEphGDGy4vg06EB2-7cgRi_Kt1O2jeEuSNLn8f7aqic7c0SPaXeryBe/s640/IMGP4107.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It looks like an SLR, and in fact it is an SLR, but not quite in the way that most people tend to think. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Priced at about $8, and seemingly working at first glance, this seemed like a unique piece to add to the stable. I had never heard of this model, and never expected to see one available in person again, so it seemed like an easy decision to snap it up while the opportunity existed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mamiya's 1963 vintage Auto-Lux 35 is a camera that looks like an SLR, and feels much like the SLR cameras so many photographers know. This is because it technically IS an SLR camera. But it has a few modifiers that make it a bit of a downgrade from even the more basic cameras in the SLR camp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For starters, the lens on the Mamiya Auto-Lux is NOT interchangeable. This is a Fixed lens SLR camera. The lens on the Mamiya is a 48mm f/2.8 lens that is at least a full stop slower than the typical "Nifty Fifty" one typically associates with your basic manual focus SLR camera. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Metering on the Auto-Lux 35 is through a dated selenium cell, prone to diminished sensitivity or downright quitting after decades of exposure to light. Even when a selenium meter seems to function well, it is best to trust it in basic lighting conditions ranging from sunny to moderate overcast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, the Mamiya is a leaf-shutter camera, rather than a focal-plane shutter camera. Not only does this mean that the fastest speed found on the shutter speed dial (mounted as a ring on the lens barrel rather than on the top deck) is 1/500 rather than the 1/1000 or faster typically found on most SLR cameras.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn_qDivwzTC3wEAEoc8u7bhL2QieudH-vgKx1NShd3RAN7SOa4UbwI5vG-zEO4E9PUQTXsbmZJ58KCjZyE1LvwvNz6B0AHuNmyYz-bGtDpQWQPg8MY_ooMgguKXdIBKAbo8m-mqIHA9l5/s1600/IMGP4110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn_qDivwzTC3wEAEoc8u7bhL2QieudH-vgKx1NShd3RAN7SOa4UbwI5vG-zEO4E9PUQTXsbmZJ58KCjZyE1LvwvNz6B0AHuNmyYz-bGtDpQWQPg8MY_ooMgguKXdIBKAbo8m-mqIHA9l5/s640/IMGP4110.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Controls on the Mamiya Auto-Lux 35 are all located in the same general area. Consistent with most traditional SLR cameras, the outer ring controls focus. An "A" Auto function to enable shutter priority auto-exposure would have been an option if this was a fully working example. The leaf shutter on the Mamiya is its most interesting yet problematic feature. I was quite fond of the sound it made when released. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAlB1dkOBwPw-hRCfkbZo7Q8flC2KX9oo0w0rLFB3waLr7XTQiZpyYYh3S5CzvrPnRGDbXij12XX_Bdx-YVJ5OYUgf4IBjRa2PmcAqclnWdL9RG05iRFyl4qc30YJjrlrqg5jXbPqlVXy/s1600/IMGP4112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAlB1dkOBwPw-hRCfkbZo7Q8flC2KX9oo0w0rLFB3waLr7XTQiZpyYYh3S5CzvrPnRGDbXij12XX_Bdx-YVJ5OYUgf4IBjRa2PmcAqclnWdL9RG05iRFyl4qc30YJjrlrqg5jXbPqlVXy/s640/IMGP4112.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This leaf shutter design is also a complex mechanical arrangement prone to failure, particularly as decades of age catch up to cameras with this long-abandoned arrangement. The result is that many leaf shutter SLR cameras will no longer work, or will seem to only work briefly before calling it quits. My Ricoh 126-C Flex would serve as a perfect example of the tenuous nature of the fragile and tenuous house of cards that is a 40 year-aged leaf shutter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the case of this Mamiya, the leaf shutter is pretty functional, with one really limiting factor: it works at only one shutter speed, or B. Turning the dial among the speeds and firing seems to result in seemingly random results - a setting of 1/500 of 1/125 results in a bulb exposure, while a setting of 1/250 or 1/60 seems to result in a snap of the same speed. I even alluded to this camera in my other write up of the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/03/third-times-charm-mamiya-msx-500.html" target="_blank">MSX-500</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But with my intention of trying to get an image out of any camera I have in which I possibly can muster an image, I wasn't going to just toss the Mamiya. I was certainly curious to see what this camera could manage, even with its very restrictive limitations, and I had to admit a real fondness for the sound this shutter made when released, sort of a dull reverberating throb that ends with a snappy finish. In a realm of SLR shutters that are often so similar in sound, the Autolux stood out in a refreshingly good way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Autolux-35's lens is slow, but reasonably good, and gives off a nice portrayal of subjects. The viewfinder on the Mamiya is particularly nice and features an informative bit of information from the meter that is easy to follow. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFnbF0KHYNxggRs3kp2ZjlzcgL3Le2rRUoKxNmMpJ9e33Ti1I5-QYKaBUYY3bj3CH8iJ96bk7VJRU3FGfR722Nohj1o8Q2oV0oGfsPThIszSMlRvg_eLZWYzaeDLZsgeTWnguSTlFOZFl/s1600/IMG_1675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFnbF0KHYNxggRs3kp2ZjlzcgL3Le2rRUoKxNmMpJ9e33Ti1I5-QYKaBUYY3bj3CH8iJ96bk7VJRU3FGfR722Nohj1o8Q2oV0oGfsPThIszSMlRvg_eLZWYzaeDLZsgeTWnguSTlFOZFl/s640/IMG_1675.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So when I had a couple of hours to wander about through North Baltimore and Druid Hill Park on a variably cloudy spring day, I finally elected to throw some Delta 100 in the long ignored Mamiya and see just what it could do. With a shutter speed seeming to be about 1/60 (provided I didn't move the ring once I got a consistent pattern) and enough scenes of light and dark, I figured I could capture a good handful of scenes shot both wide open and stopped down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In actual usage, the Autolux-35 was particularly enjoyable to use. Focusing on the matte screen was a pretty easy exercise, while the focusing ring turned smoothly to encompass distances from 3 feet to infinity. The interior aperture ring wasn't always easy to rotate while trying to leave the shutter speed ring undisturbed, but I managed. And the multi-syllabic sound of the shutter firing on this early 1960's mechanical misfit was music to my ears. This was one of those rolls of film that seemed to evaporate effortlessly, helped in large part by the perfect kind of day with which to shoot such a hobbled old camera.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Given its challenging limitations and spotty reliability, I admittedly kept my expectations strongly in check as I took my first look at my developed negatives. Fortunately however, my worries were frivolous as I noticed a strip of well exposed wet negatives awaiting the scanner. Upon drying and scanning, I was surprisingly pleased at what I saw from this camera, the full results following below. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2ur8hR9A56jUGV7-XJ32_Rre0wOJWw9slTg2tFYY9XQmOXSI8dDifadlgn0ifnVOuakk6MPVvFEdtbjjZCuAepbAzEKGehouTNWdFhCKd_a9FdJK5tQmpgyZeNXakw-VM_BGjd8H7pA/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2ur8hR9A56jUGV7-XJ32_Rre0wOJWw9slTg2tFYY9XQmOXSI8dDifadlgn0ifnVOuakk6MPVvFEdtbjjZCuAepbAzEKGehouTNWdFhCKd_a9FdJK5tQmpgyZeNXakw-VM_BGjd8H7pA/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux101.jpg" width="406" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A shot of the Peace Cross in North Baltimore gives off a nice tonality and shows good sharpness. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LzTRRRtCGJDxqUDSZ8nE7HhrnHLbCaw0zsujNfpPv7arkEuV_OVwKM_LRofjfKN4YlcyKxvogrWjcDvm3JpwbnZrbmnhk9PYRP2enD0jDMh4WJTXhNXl9HrHoXR9sAtcD2QuSeM5CUs/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3LzTRRRtCGJDxqUDSZ8nE7HhrnHLbCaw0zsujNfpPv7arkEuV_OVwKM_LRofjfKN4YlcyKxvogrWjcDvm3JpwbnZrbmnhk9PYRP2enD0jDMh4WJTXhNXl9HrHoXR9sAtcD2QuSeM5CUs/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux102.jpg" width="406" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A gloomy day still leaves a silvery rendering on the Delta 100 film. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0men4n9m6mfH_hAkv2xV0y6oWeeiaFrxYsntj0wt8JY1mNxxLwkkkiWmkBflQcMseDmxjUmt1cWIBTg6rbYaidT9Tg5K8JUTiykTXr-MvVcLi-TnQrmh3yhr-jwKG06hyphenhyphensvbOnwvta8/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0men4n9m6mfH_hAkv2xV0y6oWeeiaFrxYsntj0wt8JY1mNxxLwkkkiWmkBflQcMseDmxjUmt1cWIBTg6rbYaidT9Tg5K8JUTiykTXr-MvVcLi-TnQrmh3yhr-jwKG06hyphenhyphensvbOnwvta8/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The clouds gently broke for a while to be able to shoot a few shots stopped down a bit. This shot at f/5.6 came out quite nice. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITpTmS0_GKhq2sqecSrCOuRKyYrp86J2R6axhk35dzzOGGZYR24n7EMVaoLbsCLPsQ6o25udqciVLaDRN-1bJ5Os_pTzrbhpUOOvsgTFhTffnSDNPjVIpzXfjThWv-C17AAXxcNCCdNM/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITpTmS0_GKhq2sqecSrCOuRKyYrp86J2R6axhk35dzzOGGZYR24n7EMVaoLbsCLPsQ6o25udqciVLaDRN-1bJ5Os_pTzrbhpUOOvsgTFhTffnSDNPjVIpzXfjThWv-C17AAXxcNCCdNM/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux104.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Shot at f/2.8, the Wagner Bust in Druid Hill Park shows some softness away from the center of the image. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigaMURWZLv2wB6cEFTh6-z35Wq00uxqYuLokgIFbLe5m78ev7AXU-FIPYPEPODOuoqg-lj6POfMX0dnob83wHc9EqiVXfZETXo-gcYsngxHZA8ASBcUq0o5KnF-nQ_mCgKn2HqpfGG-uU/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigaMURWZLv2wB6cEFTh6-z35Wq00uxqYuLokgIFbLe5m78ev7AXU-FIPYPEPODOuoqg-lj6POfMX0dnob83wHc9EqiVXfZETXo-gcYsngxHZA8ASBcUq0o5KnF-nQ_mCgKn2HqpfGG-uU/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux105.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At f/8, the Mamiya's lens is reasonably sharp, but shows some degradation near the edges. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EluoaFTTUi3mDRoRadaZvNQSQXVmvEV3oAkyJMiEFBIX2-rtKcjkuSWA8lktATjhkTZpccBNpEa1LD9z11lzaKYi9uT3HRCRkafQCDVLMdV9AhM4Az2QxPyrCRO8BC-qU5dCic-gJMw/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EluoaFTTUi3mDRoRadaZvNQSQXVmvEV3oAkyJMiEFBIX2-rtKcjkuSWA8lktATjhkTZpccBNpEa1LD9z11lzaKYi9uT3HRCRkafQCDVLMdV9AhM4Az2QxPyrCRO8BC-qU5dCic-gJMw/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The old hilltop mansion house in Druid Hill Park sits at the end of century old walkways laid out in the park's earliest days. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8CidqHVIvmDhu5UgHyKfyon4f2D3PkL-A1w4KpDig5QQt-jxEYWoG51uPYLDnW9okMA2CT8k3bfP9GdzD2d4NjsTinR2kEhabsrWnniy1QTxtpc-Gxbk69gsDUKlvik8GhE2_5D2-5w/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8CidqHVIvmDhu5UgHyKfyon4f2D3PkL-A1w4KpDig5QQt-jxEYWoG51uPYLDnW9okMA2CT8k3bfP9GdzD2d4NjsTinR2kEhabsrWnniy1QTxtpc-Gxbk69gsDUKlvik8GhE2_5D2-5w/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Columbus Monument looks out from this perch on the northwestern edge of the lake. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddSaexeNiPrE2Rx-7rFu_PvBIYvLbKoAy0EN6z3iAxYW3Q3KVCJWeXkRK34jP_4_vu6_W4M2klpHENdKO9LSUKQDLcIRAz78jdTrg5N-JWUZOzbKnetE3lr-QtNZlM55DQ71-0H_ZZ9g/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddSaexeNiPrE2Rx-7rFu_PvBIYvLbKoAy0EN6z3iAxYW3Q3KVCJWeXkRK34jP_4_vu6_W4M2klpHENdKO9LSUKQDLcIRAz78jdTrg5N-JWUZOzbKnetE3lr-QtNZlM55DQ71-0H_ZZ9g/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux108.jpg" width="406" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The park's George Washington Statue appears to have suffered some weathering. Note the fuzziness evident in the lettering near the bottom of the statue.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkS-jZNmGI3ki5ukkmEldQIZyf4O_3I26MxTfM75Q3GcNjybcppwnybbJj4B14Z4yZuyqrC0IoHicTNkFBQUl7vi-F6hDH27eZ4hbjJ1OZe8Jx9U_0WspaG7FMomtzZISPhXrYsXMJDI/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkS-jZNmGI3ki5ukkmEldQIZyf4O_3I26MxTfM75Q3GcNjybcppwnybbJj4B14Z4yZuyqrC0IoHicTNkFBQUl7vi-F6hDH27eZ4hbjJ1OZe8Jx9U_0WspaG7FMomtzZISPhXrYsXMJDI/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My favorite shots from the Mamiya however were those taken of closer distance subjects at wider apertures. This image of an old stairway header to a set of abandoned ponds has great tonality and background diffusion. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyADOfIuXK-ag2bDjSu03kPhyphenhyphenRntoY-xilvhB_61h-I_8t5bN_ob6RyGfXW840Cm2h3WkfCh-sqbx2oe9MiWDaglV3FxGIu3rPw1a5IfeT-yPZP99Lq9ZrEcpvEluDPOmdEEx9MiTlL70/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyADOfIuXK-ag2bDjSu03kPhyphenhyphenRntoY-xilvhB_61h-I_8t5bN_ob6RyGfXW840Cm2h3WkfCh-sqbx2oe9MiWDaglV3FxGIu3rPw1a5IfeT-yPZP99Lq9ZrEcpvEluDPOmdEEx9MiTlL70/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux110.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bokeh on the Mamiya's lens is decidedly nice, even with an off center subject. A gentle soft swirl like this on subjects is definitely an incentive to use this camera again.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoTu5erMBFhwNnpdTuILZRT5Z_0ovDNjynYPAzVgWma62bpBtrUXmQBXeVmiRO8RlUMBM6g8e-XQsbfOdBj9UlHPIXTnmftHL3oLyilOT-PIy4rESHPECURY3202sJTmmMeEM5FApsRw/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoTu5erMBFhwNnpdTuILZRT5Z_0ovDNjynYPAzVgWma62bpBtrUXmQBXeVmiRO8RlUMBM6g8e-XQsbfOdBj9UlHPIXTnmftHL3oLyilOT-PIy4rESHPECURY3202sJTmmMeEM5FApsRw/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux111.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Subjects shot at the closest focusing distance render quite nicely. Some buttercups on the disc golf offer both a decent sharpness and pleasing softness suitable to the subject. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuKMrCMygJh24FaXv6JtuYrQ-SXCNNvYeEz_4_hyy6bo5eeUncTD0I_kYR36oweUElmaEcw5pGAcyJgdQB87609j0UdTgmHrWtF5At9GBD8kIWjYBPzShsFxZ4wBEcxK1-DwicoGXE60/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuKMrCMygJh24FaXv6JtuYrQ-SXCNNvYeEz_4_hyy6bo5eeUncTD0I_kYR36oweUElmaEcw5pGAcyJgdQB87609j0UdTgmHrWtF5At9GBD8kIWjYBPzShsFxZ4wBEcxK1-DwicoGXE60/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux112.jpg" width="410" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That's not a coarse grain pattern on these stairs but rather a very speckled concrete. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKGGpqDyEN4ifPlDz6G3IhZ03kVi324_9-ozbNiZNsDCHSOpsJOhqi0UObYY8OBewCtvH13WoNnaqWLdp47SQeBRk3vIGHo_a7ZzJihWUK5gkHft-lCLYqI4agi6mygl2lltBcnG_b1c/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKGGpqDyEN4ifPlDz6G3IhZ03kVi324_9-ozbNiZNsDCHSOpsJOhqi0UObYY8OBewCtvH13WoNnaqWLdp47SQeBRk3vIGHo_a7ZzJihWUK5gkHft-lCLYqI4agi6mygl2lltBcnG_b1c/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux113.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A quick shot of the Martin Luther monument offers up only average sharpness in this situation. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7edHfSiAI5ax_rjBmHicfY00QS_GzJaFlukgGavw-NTfd7nzmsIFJae5RpSFMRTORLoxkka8EVOiSF7j0mc7LtS1llqNvpn1dp51e1a5VowlYATyD9WwTFPzvckdhl_jmXvz57ldbZtg/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7edHfSiAI5ax_rjBmHicfY00QS_GzJaFlukgGavw-NTfd7nzmsIFJae5RpSFMRTORLoxkka8EVOiSF7j0mc7LtS1llqNvpn1dp51e1a5VowlYATyD9WwTFPzvckdhl_jmXvz57ldbZtg/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux114.jpg" width="416" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tonality and acutance on the Ilford Delta 100 was quite nice on all photos taken through the Mamiya-Sekor 48mm lens. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviyQhZA6jA4Z9jqPKc1d3zNSAezdY4S4Wns30fzXCxe7TelglLuc1HwUT22avvQfsxZLmne-zhGd4mwqvM6Zgf8TUcuwi3jgwRL4oxHRSLlDmNoOMaNYsBZggx7nOWsm7B63Og84lo9M/s1600/100DeltaMamAutolux115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviyQhZA6jA4Z9jqPKc1d3zNSAezdY4S4Wns30fzXCxe7TelglLuc1HwUT22avvQfsxZLmne-zhGd4mwqvM6Zgf8TUcuwi3jgwRL4oxHRSLlDmNoOMaNYsBZggx7nOWsm7B63Og84lo9M/s640/100DeltaMamAutolux115.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another shot at f/2.8 doesn't offer as much swirl in the bokeh as some others, yet still puts forth a very nice soft effect effect nonetheless. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After using the Mamiya Auto-Lux 35 even in its limited functionality and seeing the results, I have to admit that I'm surprisingly impressed by it. Sure I had to dance a bit of a dance that required I sacrifice some creative freedom in the process of doing that dance, but I was at least fortunate enough to have this camera out and about on a day when I could manage to run the full gauntlet of aperture settings to see how the admittedly slow lens performed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That all said, I have my doubts I'll ever find a fully functional Auto-Lux 35 in the future, but if I do, and it's at a good price, I'd seriously consider picking it up. If you have a chance to pick one of these interesting cameras up, I'd certainly recommend it. </span>Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-78162818527906102592017-06-27T09:00:00.000-04:002017-07-03T06:44:21.759-04:00Fun with Film: Ultrafine Extreme 400<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Choice can be a wonderful thing, even if the details of some choices can be troublesomely obscure. One need only look at Ultrafine Online's "Extreme 400" film in 35mm format to get a good example of this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A private label film of uncertain origins, Ultrafine Extreme 400 is a film option available in 35mm format in both long and short rolls for a very reasonable price. I was generously bequeathed a small number of these 12 shot rolls by my buddy and fellow camera buff Mark who features his collection at <a href="https://thegashouse.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Gas House</a>, and have really come to like this film.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Questions linger, most notably "who makes this film?" One might presume it is Ilford Private label film, which may make sense. As I seem to recall, a known Ilford product marketed as "<a href="http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76993" target="_blank">Kentmere</a>" has similar dot-matrix style film edge markings. Still, I've tried Kentmere 100 before and found it didn't have quite the contrast that I've noticed in the Ultrafine product.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Below is a test roll, shot on the Darth Vader camera, the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2017/05/i-find-your-lack-of-faith-disturbing.html" target="_blank">Konica Aiborg</a>, showing this film in action in various lighting. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwiYl4UC_NrZ6OFfX359RluDade8PlbjYsMbTQ2EOKIVc6dcpe97D3RBkjIUzqHBntvqxuyvGFANov0OiecthR-14xEXc063oWC5wA35GBW1KRFTId5IjRH5kLTD7liv_JCSGQMu6oSEs/s1600/400UFaiborg101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1600" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwiYl4UC_NrZ6OFfX359RluDade8PlbjYsMbTQ2EOKIVc6dcpe97D3RBkjIUzqHBntvqxuyvGFANov0OiecthR-14xEXc063oWC5wA35GBW1KRFTId5IjRH5kLTD7liv_JCSGQMu6oSEs/s640/400UFaiborg101.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In bright light, highlights can be hard to tame on the Ultrafine Extreme 400. However, in this case, the result is a very nice glow to this swan at Hagerstown City Park. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLeAj8eaLMkbrGXAg3nuAocj1I-5-WowFm3UU47rDnB50pMJxSer4KOhvZIRH70CJNXTGi6MAKPayEsk-myqV0HaWZ7IPTXEnYJsnzT1gzzVO3AgclFf5O85UQH-U9v7C0T6_n6I2su3i7/s1600/400UFaiborg102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLeAj8eaLMkbrGXAg3nuAocj1I-5-WowFm3UU47rDnB50pMJxSer4KOhvZIRH70CJNXTGi6MAKPayEsk-myqV0HaWZ7IPTXEnYJsnzT1gzzVO3AgclFf5O85UQH-U9v7C0T6_n6I2su3i7/s640/400UFaiborg102.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For a subject obscured in shade, with bright backdrop, the Ultrafine film did a good job of retaining shadow detail while not excessively blowing out the background. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwOstLH6jdTRO1ehQXVMv8Mmp7GBEE-954OARgIe1fCJY3MWrG-XUkBG6M4J-eGT6R-99ygFsk17RLmrJ-gZwJS4D7Ou6n-moJ7OARwDYWM-O_EGmFCtuMWlFqOsONHTkqFd2ZS3hNEBc/s1600/400UFaiborg103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1107" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwOstLH6jdTRO1ehQXVMv8Mmp7GBEE-954OARgIe1fCJY3MWrG-XUkBG6M4J-eGT6R-99ygFsk17RLmrJ-gZwJS4D7Ou6n-moJ7OARwDYWM-O_EGmFCtuMWlFqOsONHTkqFd2ZS3hNEBc/s640/400UFaiborg103.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some subjects won't have quite the isolation that is often desired, but some of this came from using a film with a slow lens. The building in the backdrop is only somewhat muted on the Aiborg. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCd0ipjMf8AWmti13VKSg3LY8StguKvQEMwGBLAql1DBXnvbtcDx84hpZB_7Nc_yzjSXvoPKT_yDnWskOpIN_BietI9c0k0DxkETnYS9l0G8BfaCya8sggcpipoUfV89AS6CV7i2nkJf9y/s1600/400UFaiborg104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCd0ipjMf8AWmti13VKSg3LY8StguKvQEMwGBLAql1DBXnvbtcDx84hpZB_7Nc_yzjSXvoPKT_yDnWskOpIN_BietI9c0k0DxkETnYS9l0G8BfaCya8sggcpipoUfV89AS6CV7i2nkJf9y/s640/400UFaiborg104.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was actually quite surprised that this shot came out as well as it did. A heavily shadowed pool with bright streams of light made for a very contrast laden scene, but the Ultrafine film creates an almost ethereal scene rich in both deep tones and glimmering highlights. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlANI3EQqKD5Rx4aah5AlMgb-IIhNIJj7KxPLwDZ1Y20y1LEjNiw6meoEutbdU_YlSufOeI-gG7tYp7K93cDaUB47-rLOFlavdfbvTFF7p4TjtipuuJ05aTESyO0D03PDEBru2PDrAjRtI/s1600/400UFaiborg105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1118" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlANI3EQqKD5Rx4aah5AlMgb-IIhNIJj7KxPLwDZ1Y20y1LEjNiw6meoEutbdU_YlSufOeI-gG7tYp7K93cDaUB47-rLOFlavdfbvTFF7p4TjtipuuJ05aTESyO0D03PDEBru2PDrAjRtI/s640/400UFaiborg105.jpg" width="446" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">More evenly sunlit scenes tended to render a bit flat at times. There are no real black tones noted in this shot, only deep shades of grey.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiD-lXRuZM0-xl8TCNl91WAQUxc-m21-mUCIRye1jfYzmD6v7Xr7NBzORaHWPZs6BSgEenxd5-khwvZ5d2GTo0jRiuO4PZL3p1ixYGMSQH2DptbgS0lGJVe_ez4Dfoaq2NudsQNZMjUxR/s1600/400UFaiborg106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="1600" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtiD-lXRuZM0-xl8TCNl91WAQUxc-m21-mUCIRye1jfYzmD6v7Xr7NBzORaHWPZs6BSgEenxd5-khwvZ5d2GTo0jRiuO4PZL3p1ixYGMSQH2DptbgS0lGJVe_ez4Dfoaq2NudsQNZMjUxR/s640/400UFaiborg106.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another challenging scene with bright and dark areas doesn't render as nicely, largely because, unlike the pool scene above, I didn't set the Aiborg to overexpose by 1.5 stops. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3xK2KmpxAca7LGsvlRjNAvUWDuRLcdm7m4QNTlVsvytMLtjD4HjXWiUkr-w6snbZgG4Bp0jb-slvBTlUnxZAPiFh_MzTYbwAHywR_OTu8uqz3jUgjFgd68kq5T-3MZcWC9crGxpl4krx/s1600/400UFaiborg107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3xK2KmpxAca7LGsvlRjNAvUWDuRLcdm7m4QNTlVsvytMLtjD4HjXWiUkr-w6snbZgG4Bp0jb-slvBTlUnxZAPiFh_MzTYbwAHywR_OTu8uqz3jUgjFgd68kq5T-3MZcWC9crGxpl4krx/s640/400UFaiborg107.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cloud rendering is pretty nice with this film, though I'm not quite certain how the light spot originated on this exposure. The railroad tracks tend to get a bit too obscured and tree details are lost in this image. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SGcfCWqzKFtS8EuElmkyTtsktl-3gr0Aj00E20Sa88-DWVhK3x3GIvxRusc8WG5h12H3auGAiIQjdDor8Lturs1x1UDopKhs96s9sEUmMMDAPpzI5IS-02543MxnJWx_oHYWXi15CULE/s1600/400UFaiborg108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SGcfCWqzKFtS8EuElmkyTtsktl-3gr0Aj00E20Sa88-DWVhK3x3GIvxRusc8WG5h12H3auGAiIQjdDor8Lturs1x1UDopKhs96s9sEUmMMDAPpzI5IS-02543MxnJWx_oHYWXi15CULE/s640/400UFaiborg108.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Back to bright sun and water, the Aiborg seems to have found a very suitable film for use in decent lighting. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkd5Cf3jYZdAXTPmtM99Pd6j1S6O87FRvrCD2Ys3MRzxeWE-m7rfnsG3NqM3UAS8LmGMzctL_cemF2ZWnYaS9YIlpXpevx95AQzKtv2MoDTZZERkxVzSIy57LX1no0n7ydG2zcFqmJOemk/s1600/400UFaiborg109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkd5Cf3jYZdAXTPmtM99Pd6j1S6O87FRvrCD2Ys3MRzxeWE-m7rfnsG3NqM3UAS8LmGMzctL_cemF2ZWnYaS9YIlpXpevx95AQzKtv2MoDTZZERkxVzSIy57LX1no0n7ydG2zcFqmJOemk/s640/400UFaiborg109.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Correct focus on the fiddly Aiborg can be a challenge, particularly as I try not to irritate the ornery goose. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJDboPlgKcfsocKrqABkL9zVEhUCLGFAeqf-78zJ4y6gkp2yfQLjXW6Y4vbxuZfaQ2MvfOK1LSR9lg7ZAjxvcswDDXzptKk2U08bVRsrHQTOTRDSNjxoQWh4Y2JlUK8GjkkVXXmKiYuD6/s1600/400UFaiborg110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJDboPlgKcfsocKrqABkL9zVEhUCLGFAeqf-78zJ4y6gkp2yfQLjXW6Y4vbxuZfaQ2MvfOK1LSR9lg7ZAjxvcswDDXzptKk2U08bVRsrHQTOTRDSNjxoQWh4Y2JlUK8GjkkVXXmKiYuD6/s640/400UFaiborg110.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sometimes, contrast could be a bit excessive. Still, the sharp rendering of the details in this scene on this film gives me an interesting amount of appreciation for the maligned Aiborg. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeL9-MfFrcNVKIBIv50L1xQ9XfQSZAmA4cnDVDwOxJxQXMBQzYknMKrHT-RgjrUXngd_3VOxfmWXS8uFyIJ_Kh_J6Niebifwltjl8AEKnEOD6InXZf69d7JVUIQerMdBO_6FTjcXnsaUvZ/s1600/400UFaiborg111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeL9-MfFrcNVKIBIv50L1xQ9XfQSZAmA4cnDVDwOxJxQXMBQzYknMKrHT-RgjrUXngd_3VOxfmWXS8uFyIJ_Kh_J6Niebifwltjl8AEKnEOD6InXZf69d7JVUIQerMdBO_6FTjcXnsaUvZ/s640/400UFaiborg111.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For landscapes in varied lighting, Ultrafine Extreme 400 can be a good choice. At its nicely discounted price, it's a nice option for casual shooting. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNP2e9W49fzqfR_tu9hFp6p5FBV5eEQ3a0djnEVyl0wLsdcwcXeQQTWr0tOpyWTt3X02LjbSRy7lHt5tEo0z4gXbcw70epLIpZpDWVrGBLsLnJtjvxlZKyQTQ_5KzRpnfpuqbxSxtR38C-/s1600/400UFaiborg112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNP2e9W49fzqfR_tu9hFp6p5FBV5eEQ3a0djnEVyl0wLsdcwcXeQQTWr0tOpyWTt3X02LjbSRy7lHt5tEo0z4gXbcw70epLIpZpDWVrGBLsLnJtjvxlZKyQTQ_5KzRpnfpuqbxSxtR38C-/s640/400UFaiborg112.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Closing this set in the same way in which it started - swans. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overall, I'm particularly pleased with the Ultrafine 400 film. It makes an affordable choice for casual shooting on slower cameras where 100 speed film may be a more risky option. The availability of 12 shot rolls, while only slightly cheaper than full length rolls, makes a great test roll length when trying out new cameras in a quicker manner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One word of warning is that the 120 film under the same label appears to not be the same product, and has been reported to be prone to quality control and grain clumping issues. It would appear the supplier of the medium format film marketed under the same moniker is not the same as that for the 35mm film. </span></div>
Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8422658621671704687.post-89015253718978754452017-06-23T09:00:00.000-04:002017-06-23T09:00:23.605-04:00A Breath of Fresh Air: The Airesflex Model U(T) TLR camera. <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Though I have been familiar with their usage for the better part of 25 years, and have owned several, I can't say that TLR cameras have ever really been a mainstay of mine. Instead, these cameras have usually tended to supplement other types of cameras in my collection. True, I've had occasions where TLR cameras were the ideal choice (at least on my budget) for specific projects such as portraiture and wedding photography, but I could never see where a TLR would be my primary photo taker given their bulk, shutter speed limitations, and the reversing of the image in the viewfinder.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All this negativity stated, did I mention that I love TLR cameras? When it comes to a camera that delivers superb output and precisionate focusing onto a medium format negative at a modest price, nothing quite beats a TLR camera. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For the past couple of years, I'd been largely content to keep just two TLR cameras in my collection: namely the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/search/label/Seagull%204A103" target="_blank">Seagull 4A-103</a> and the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/search/label/Yashica%2012" target="_blank">Yashica 12</a>. Both have rewarded me with some of my favorite images over the past three years, and are called upon periodically when I want to ensure that I can trust a camera to deliver excellent results. I did have a little indiscretion last Spring when I picked up the <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/search/label/Silverflex%20Model%20S" target="_blank">Silverflex Model S</a>, but was quickly dismayed by the results from that camera. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So with my TLR quota largely filled, one might wonder why I elected to purchase this one evening...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3EyR0SqXVZJmun3aRYALYdwe4LJ3XnYJDevCepOxwM4vKc_jNVkGOz4_OrPWm02j511Noa3gyfU_43vNnWpS_9GXhR4JCoodEGlxvuAngfj8OE124PQBfT9ysPEdvUTx2qgmDMO7PvCt/s1600/IMGP4119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3EyR0SqXVZJmun3aRYALYdwe4LJ3XnYJDevCepOxwM4vKc_jNVkGOz4_OrPWm02j511Noa3gyfU_43vNnWpS_9GXhR4JCoodEGlxvuAngfj8OE124PQBfT9ysPEdvUTx2qgmDMO7PvCt/s640/IMGP4119.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Airesflex offers a basic, yet still somewhat elegant look to it, as an example of a well-built 1950's Japanese TLR camera. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With a price tag of just $25 compared to a value that is at least three times that, I would think a more apt question would be "Why would I NOT add this camera to my collection. It took mere seconds to arrive at the decision that the Airesflex would be coming home with me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A product of the Aires Camera Company, a Japanese camera maker known mostly for their excellent lineup of rangefinder cameras during the 1950's, the Airesflex was their entry into the TLR market that was alive and quite well during that same era. <a href="http://www.tlr-cameras.com/japanese/Aires.html" target="_blank">According to one resource</a>, this particular copy is a Model U(T) based upon its Coral lens and Copal shutter with 1/300 top speed. It's among the more modestly equipped cameras of its maker during this era, but this doesn't mean that it is not a nicely made camera.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiW_MxgJV_Jntk-nPkagqe1oIxLrLagnfn4EgHAz0V9OI2Kw0n7Ut-TQ53oHWQhnOxRBh2i4_vfvYJY9hCFfhkdQmazuLg5p8VAV8KdCQmrLZEA5hYJyHpyN3pN2UeOTkVSHmBRXVDQFCJ/s1600/IMGP4121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiW_MxgJV_Jntk-nPkagqe1oIxLrLagnfn4EgHAz0V9OI2Kw0n7Ut-TQ53oHWQhnOxRBh2i4_vfvYJY9hCFfhkdQmazuLg5p8VAV8KdCQmrLZEA5hYJyHpyN3pN2UeOTkVSHmBRXVDQFCJ/s640/IMGP4121.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Exposure controls are easily set using the indicators around the lens. As with most TLR cameras, focus is done using the knob on the right side of the body.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Aires is a ruggedly built and well finished shooter that epitomizes the look of the post-war TLR boom. It's f/3.5 Coral lens is handsomely coated, and its mechanical layout is mostly second nature to anyone who has ever shot a TLR camera previously. A focusing knob sits in the standard spot on the right side while settings for the aperture and shutter speed are easily located around the face of the lens. The standard flip up top with magnifier is readily accessed to help in composition and focusing of images, while the shutter release sits in the logical spot at the near the bottom of the camera, naturally falling beneath one's right index finger. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Despite having a knob advance rather than a crank advance like my other two good TLR cameras, and having a lower top speed on the shutter, the Airesflex feels a bit more refined than the Yashica 12 while feeling like a measurable upgrade over the 1990's vintage Seagull. The camera has a more "machined" feel to it, and has some accents that add a panache simply not evident in the other two cameras.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvR8v4GeISuYDtOAA4-xHt9CAnKCcJo4yCtM9J4PfJbY2n_efg10j6xxW0YZ6GfJOGZrtR1PAMTd0s3g3C9pqdijhhxyeYJRzeiGyITJDhFSRRcwo5ZDpKPLmts3BgxvPJJoJN5PMkEayR/s1600/IMGP4122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvR8v4GeISuYDtOAA4-xHt9CAnKCcJo4yCtM9J4PfJbY2n_efg10j6xxW0YZ6GfJOGZrtR1PAMTd0s3g3C9pqdijhhxyeYJRzeiGyITJDhFSRRcwo5ZDpKPLmts3BgxvPJJoJN5PMkEayR/s640/IMGP4122.JPG" width="424" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The rather subtle little silver button in the photo above is actually a sliding switch which must be slid while pushing the concealed button in the center of the film advance wheel to reset the frame counter. View through the focusing screen viewfinder is generally bright and easy to use.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuesqFr-MJasVhwczkxMNimkKYRIEoiRSul0jSZ_68mEifl-TkpnfAZeJRUQDKLfK1xuX-HWYgHheBdjdIwOE_uGmeOyWJIcZo1H2bZKttFcn9CnaNilowIJ4jwlbR6oY4YX-schKvd-Qa/s1600/IMGP4124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuesqFr-MJasVhwczkxMNimkKYRIEoiRSul0jSZ_68mEifl-TkpnfAZeJRUQDKLfK1xuX-HWYgHheBdjdIwOE_uGmeOyWJIcZo1H2bZKttFcn9CnaNilowIJ4jwlbR6oY4YX-schKvd-Qa/s640/IMGP4124.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Unfortunately to some degree, it also has a particularly confounding interface when it comes to loading film, that requires resetting a frame counter and then inserting film. As this camera tends to rotate in use among all three TLR cameras, the loading procedure is always something that I have to relearn each time I insert a new roll of film. If there is any plus side to this, it is that this camera lacks the red window film advance that many knob advance TLR's rely on for frame placement. As a result, the most common place for a light leak to occur is completely absent from this camera.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After jumping through the required hoops of loading film, the process of composing and shooting images is more or less like any TLR camera, as alluded to above. The Aires lacks the split rangefinder spot found on the Seagull, or the "bright spot" such as seen in the center of the Yashica 12, but the Fresnel ground glass is clear and bright, offering sufficient contrast to focus in all but the dimmest of shooting situations. As with most TLR cameras, the brightness of this screen is most effective in the center of the frame. No lines are inscribed in the focusing screen to attempt to compensate for parallax error. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfP9xDY5MLp0xND-DVjfDThLL49cX-sgrO09Tm-JCw4pTJEThXU3NPJqwhUaXn_6w-r4dXXKB-tT45X3U89ARjXpbYBJinN7s130vyoHldeZPF4XzJo-0XI26Iaf-ZrzxHUn6XM7jjXLkY/s1600/IMGP4125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfP9xDY5MLp0xND-DVjfDThLL49cX-sgrO09Tm-JCw4pTJEThXU3NPJqwhUaXn_6w-r4dXXKB-tT45X3U89ARjXpbYBJinN7s130vyoHldeZPF4XzJo-0XI26Iaf-ZrzxHUn6XM7jjXLkY/s640/IMGP4125.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Extras such as the top insignia and the machined lens caps do leave the feeling of having a very carefully made machine in one's employ with the Airesflex. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoTvZ7kAHtrtQyCLkKfClj81Guzgken6ct1Hj_4aGyal2-vqX_mex7aa7z5adGztCZPXwDtlpBHDIqpe9DAZBNwC2okPTBM97d194wIZMGqCwR-sWt7UgrVAAqwgi6TMyB0n2Cp_ODzhV/s1600/IMGP4106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoTvZ7kAHtrtQyCLkKfClj81Guzgken6ct1Hj_4aGyal2-vqX_mex7aa7z5adGztCZPXwDtlpBHDIqpe9DAZBNwC2okPTBM97d194wIZMGqCwR-sWt7UgrVAAqwgi6TMyB0n2Cp_ODzhV/s640/IMGP4106.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photos taken through the Coral lens display excellent sharpness, pleasant tonality, and exceptional definition. The lens seems to take full advantage of the resolving power of modern films to deliver photos that can be enlarged to a high degree to produce vivid and lifelike images with a very lifelike feel. The f/3.5 aperture can be used to minimize depth of field, but the 1/300 maximum shutter speed is admittedly limiting in using this in bright light with even the slowest of 120 films in today's market. Filters can help to a large degree, though they may have to be held in front of the lens, as TLR size filters are not always readily found.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Still though, the Airesflex was a pleasure to shoot, even with a bit of a dance required to get film properly loaded. I shot a roll of TMax 100 through it as well as some <a href="http://quirkyguywithacamera.blogspot.com/2016/09/fun-with-film-portra-160-slowed-down.html" target="_blank">Portra 160 that I shot at lower speed</a> to maximize color saturation and minimize depth of field For the most part, the Aires rewarded me with well focused images of excellent exposure, as the following examples should show.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7YjLN9b-9lpGDJQ91L24DtlLWEoR5YN7uLZSNdiDbs7Xr3D3kdq1uukAVb0KR8nuJSt82sqC19aebjqQS_e0AnEYVMaTK7faKo57EGAsgS4V5R2nd9Zr9iLAdFxEeOVP3QLFwYv8XAE/s1600/Airesflex201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7YjLN9b-9lpGDJQ91L24DtlLWEoR5YN7uLZSNdiDbs7Xr3D3kdq1uukAVb0KR8nuJSt82sqC19aebjqQS_e0AnEYVMaTK7faKo57EGAsgS4V5R2nd9Zr9iLAdFxEeOVP3QLFwYv8XAE/s640/Airesflex201.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The unfortunate thing about the first roll that I shot through the Airesflex had nothing to do with the camera itself. This was my first time attempting developing in a new tank I'd just recieved, that required more processing solutions than the metal tanks I'd used. I'm including them since they still show the technical capabilities of the photos from this camera. Here, excellent tonality and sharpness can be seen in this photo. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixHgZzhKMc-n_j4EvfI6OGsAFaGjSELsD0_LArpImiG3BtSbVX9NUzFEjJXTjefgTBJ3_x-aHV_b3Pu1yor5z2_waUiF_ui6JmsWYxEuaEz6HvJwvc3kUUGcau60lQRUdJZ7Le3SZk-I/s1600/Airesflex202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixHgZzhKMc-n_j4EvfI6OGsAFaGjSELsD0_LArpImiG3BtSbVX9NUzFEjJXTjefgTBJ3_x-aHV_b3Pu1yor5z2_waUiF_ui6JmsWYxEuaEz6HvJwvc3kUUGcau60lQRUdJZ7Le3SZk-I/s640/Airesflex202.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In another landscape shot, the Aires again puts forth a winner. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CrcwYCKhV0f9tBBzBc-2aJt1dMQ_oxo52HX7311iqQ6vqtoi2_BoEtLmlhLZPY7P7-B5hsqA83j5aDdLCRvmiL0Y1Olbdj70JIkqzFXf_C16lpQmhscqoiM-EMgftnnCbCAA9n4uOxk/s1600/Airesflex203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CrcwYCKhV0f9tBBzBc-2aJt1dMQ_oxo52HX7311iqQ6vqtoi2_BoEtLmlhLZPY7P7-B5hsqA83j5aDdLCRvmiL0Y1Olbdj70JIkqzFXf_C16lpQmhscqoiM-EMgftnnCbCAA9n4uOxk/s640/Airesflex203.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The square format lends itself well to a photo of a big historic tree like this. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPerR26eqXxfWoYDHIJVgWmVLd5qlujauee3gg_6opl4LCPQISKnRGIlaHXLsKZWVhWRqzG3VzbZcUvk4QDW-jLlr_98Khyphenhypheno9Q5TAjxKng_cvSnYmZtiPSBJ0Dur0fhAtMXJFr_Jimzk/s1600/Airesflex204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPerR26eqXxfWoYDHIJVgWmVLd5qlujauee3gg_6opl4LCPQISKnRGIlaHXLsKZWVhWRqzG3VzbZcUvk4QDW-jLlr_98Khyphenhypheno9Q5TAjxKng_cvSnYmZtiPSBJ0Dur0fhAtMXJFr_Jimzk/s640/Airesflex204.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I did wish this shot of this looming railroad trestle wasn't compromised by my developing faux pas. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzDg2jCwRCXrBiiiizkJud-qxup1Kq_ijLW0P5W4jKFB53YblvD1WXzteQ-lEZ9xkl41bRphUsAmKtXfLDRfXXsEs6NNpLoRlXGlL-dSWC-zF53jJ4OAyIElpU-8uHQXWGCT3vdenAA8/s1600/Airesflex205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzDg2jCwRCXrBiiiizkJud-qxup1Kq_ijLW0P5W4jKFB53YblvD1WXzteQ-lEZ9xkl41bRphUsAmKtXfLDRfXXsEs6NNpLoRlXGlL-dSWC-zF53jJ4OAyIElpU-8uHQXWGCT3vdenAA8/s640/Airesflex205.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Focusing on the edge of the bridge abutment, I notice an image that has good selective focus, but with only lackluster bokeh rendering. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAArkt452vCnFktrjGrXCBRgZrRymUW_bMvEst0kDZHBTP7uXMZ67pmQfLhbEcEdLIYAN8RC3i_QB4NrDIkornlzWIGweWiZi3gTfOxq-eCiVH1uw1_Qn-wJzJfyZJEk42ds09rLV2QKo/s1600/Airesflex206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAArkt452vCnFktrjGrXCBRgZrRymUW_bMvEst0kDZHBTP7uXMZ67pmQfLhbEcEdLIYAN8RC3i_QB4NrDIkornlzWIGweWiZi3gTfOxq-eCiVH1uw1_Qn-wJzJfyZJEk42ds09rLV2QKo/s640/Airesflex206.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The more I shoot with square format compositions, the more I appreciate the medium. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuhJbw1thvCn1pu7htHFHwaAIx6vCiwrYxf1XLiqgaEIO3T0Fb0KPMZ9CJaCPm7p8iMcDst5vH8Mgevz5qKFpPP5FLs6sKndFotqsgUAKmeNhxxpA0FgcgGBceGnvxNRgGxFg1XZC_Ng/s1600/Airesflex207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuhJbw1thvCn1pu7htHFHwaAIx6vCiwrYxf1XLiqgaEIO3T0Fb0KPMZ9CJaCPm7p8iMcDst5vH8Mgevz5qKFpPP5FLs6sKndFotqsgUAKmeNhxxpA0FgcgGBceGnvxNRgGxFg1XZC_Ng/s640/Airesflex207.jpg" width="632" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few photos at Antietam round out the black and white shots from this camera, Here I set a distant focal point, but the near fence is too dominant in the composition to be so poorly focused.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSv2rQaEUbME6so7sijiftcQlzvq0Dp1exOtVvJBSuaGZ_DnI8s9XNl6vLWysgnQMU63DTfuIoxywPZIMC6SAN7y0wqsDPbeq-d1XCedhXFWB-bPmmA_rKjGzhE5vdYXQfCPWzBMl0BA/s1600/Airesflex208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDSv2rQaEUbME6so7sijiftcQlzvq0Dp1exOtVvJBSuaGZ_DnI8s9XNl6vLWysgnQMU63DTfuIoxywPZIMC6SAN7y0wqsDPbeq-d1XCedhXFWB-bPmmA_rKjGzhE5vdYXQfCPWzBMl0BA/s640/Airesflex208.jpg" width="632" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Better is this image that makes better use of both focus and composition. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgY6IThSV-ZMuzgFx7O1bKINIQGMLsLBZBYC3hX3-gjnLowK6HBzx7pFH7Hdqe6a21DyjW446l6cGNZnmR7NVMaUR7SG3EZzdpx-Mwbc-XC1tPvuDkh8wZvjShiJ7CPNxmbhLswQNkJpI/s1600/Airesflex209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgY6IThSV-ZMuzgFx7O1bKINIQGMLsLBZBYC3hX3-gjnLowK6HBzx7pFH7Hdqe6a21DyjW446l6cGNZnmR7NVMaUR7SG3EZzdpx-Mwbc-XC1tPvuDkh8wZvjShiJ7CPNxmbhLswQNkJpI/s640/Airesflex209.jpg" width="632" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With months having elapsed, I can't definitively say just what was on the right side of this frame to make this distracting composition.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jyVllZiiClupE8E_7w4urgGnj-q94vqfp0RzZDHLbApN7UAoRJeikRMJNpnVFoEuYdeOcZGlk6bQnpoFtFOkIaVgrmNHmdyEZ3DgvhJ4hV8D1rPHh_LFsv5EYeURfU0JUj1U4I6esDU/s1600/Airesflex211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jyVllZiiClupE8E_7w4urgGnj-q94vqfp0RzZDHLbApN7UAoRJeikRMJNpnVFoEuYdeOcZGlk6bQnpoFtFOkIaVgrmNHmdyEZ3DgvhJ4hV8D1rPHh_LFsv5EYeURfU0JUj1U4I6esDU/s640/Airesflex211.jpg" width="612" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stone bridges tend to abound in Washington County, and make great photographic fodder for a camera like the Aires. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8zIB4Qe0ItLw0Z0GrhXA0C2nIlF9i3cBR_SZ4t3XWMpqQ9EtzE0PTB3KxpmZgetjWNcyf8FugiVdSIO15ngLPEJsuf8jE7-QCXgFvYBLs5lbi5RIn-cFElKvCe_nEt3GA1-16xevHi4/s1600/Airesflex212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8zIB4Qe0ItLw0Z0GrhXA0C2nIlF9i3cBR_SZ4t3XWMpqQ9EtzE0PTB3KxpmZgetjWNcyf8FugiVdSIO15ngLPEJsuf8jE7-QCXgFvYBLs5lbi5RIn-cFElKvCe_nEt3GA1-16xevHi4/s640/Airesflex212.jpg" width="612" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another close up shot tends to show the sharp focus possible from the Aires, as well as the less than charismatic bokeh. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLLi6z7nUp3cgAkRwE4oYlpthR6NBuUmtjiYIw4wRDvpXvJPvvppwiilDekkPbAOyW7YZfkkxJX0zcUhunbSfrvsOjxtSUsWKYSsF19wvnO00MnVE6IBo6kSdfiCDCAYRS3rrqBTmIEw/s1600/airesflex301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfLLi6z7nUp3cgAkRwE4oYlpthR6NBuUmtjiYIw4wRDvpXvJPvvppwiilDekkPbAOyW7YZfkkxJX0zcUhunbSfrvsOjxtSUsWKYSsF19wvnO00MnVE6IBo6kSdfiCDCAYRS3rrqBTmIEw/s640/airesflex301.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Switching to the full spectrum via a roll of Portra 160, the Aires gives off a palette that is pleasing on this film, while not being excessively vibrant, at least in broad sunlight. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhR_CW5UWI3_sHkV6HuZHQYOo3bTtqrI3hqmInL5qHmb45yLxmiPQgEJqUju8uTxls5C2rGYXIt0DwxMLgYkwfmfCFI1hKAl6l7EiAFmstvlzeLOOvjJvrEcjKjCQzzKNb6vl86AEt6I/s1600/airesflex303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhR_CW5UWI3_sHkV6HuZHQYOo3bTtqrI3hqmInL5qHmb45yLxmiPQgEJqUju8uTxls5C2rGYXIt0DwxMLgYkwfmfCFI1hKAl6l7EiAFmstvlzeLOOvjJvrEcjKjCQzzKNb6vl86AEt6I/s640/airesflex303.jpg" width="628" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From a closer focus perspective, the camera is barely able to isolate some in-focus elements. I was a bit surprised at how recognizable the backdrop still is with such a close focus distance, even though the lens could not be fully stopped down. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO55CDNvzloSNxT7KpVKzdF0CklL84_cBMKjnLipwEAqQGoAJSgjtL3Y_kNAcHhW1FSw9ClJLdKQkjV6CAN8Oevh6Qh0oJK6Ik4iyrl7FNtAUvRNAHA46wYf6W8JdndjcIhxDi4HwpFos/s1600/airesflex305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO55CDNvzloSNxT7KpVKzdF0CklL84_cBMKjnLipwEAqQGoAJSgjtL3Y_kNAcHhW1FSw9ClJLdKQkjV6CAN8Oevh6Qh0oJK6Ik4iyrl7FNtAUvRNAHA46wYf6W8JdndjcIhxDi4HwpFos/s640/airesflex305.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another shot at intermediate focus range renders well, but is not jaw-dropping by any means. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lnKlQqs3sIE9WuZx49MG6CLjyRdrdJrWL9nPrpUSdNmzZBragXHc47TRAt29qyd27QWO3KPsl9vZ-rK9DoEYzBsetT_B21X6SMzYgkECJ7LifnSZq6uKdAYsTyETZObL74t0yPiLj54/s1600/airesflex307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lnKlQqs3sIE9WuZx49MG6CLjyRdrdJrWL9nPrpUSdNmzZBragXHc47TRAt29qyd27QWO3KPsl9vZ-rK9DoEYzBsetT_B21X6SMzYgkECJ7LifnSZq6uKdAYsTyETZObL74t0yPiLj54/s640/airesflex307.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A bit of motion blur is evident in this later afternoon shot. Shadow detail remains quite good on the color negative film medium, particularly when overexposed. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsG8oVQZBMrZph4ZFtAogluWSAUYrZAW-L0zmEWsRBxouWkx5v6f82_M3U2p2OWAEO-SCrzYL0JwAeToOUb_L5Yi05C_rcxpICA8NiC38Rkz6gnPxERI1HmDql9i8ZKNhwlS34ZE3EFg/s1600/airesflex308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWsG8oVQZBMrZph4ZFtAogluWSAUYrZAW-L0zmEWsRBxouWkx5v6f82_M3U2p2OWAEO-SCrzYL0JwAeToOUb_L5Yi05C_rcxpICA8NiC38Rkz6gnPxERI1HmDql9i8ZKNhwlS34ZE3EFg/s640/airesflex308.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A peek through the trees revealing a mountainous landscape renders well on the Aires. The sharpness is certainly there. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrJpoNABdqFR2GgKnfzLwOIrlkYFODIF8WsFFvpFglyQ7EIEWqF1jf1P31VIwNzy6q6xv-wCZ0H8vEFxyDd9kGEBonvcKhU3MzDIS2CLtF1YqvZQ-pDCtr5Pq7tGiswk9MICTXHTT9nU/s1600/airesflex309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrJpoNABdqFR2GgKnfzLwOIrlkYFODIF8WsFFvpFglyQ7EIEWqF1jf1P31VIwNzy6q6xv-wCZ0H8vEFxyDd9kGEBonvcKhU3MzDIS2CLtF1YqvZQ-pDCtr5Pq7tGiswk9MICTXHTT9nU/s640/airesflex309.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Admittedly, the overexposed Portra did best when the lighting conditions were more dramatic. A golden hour cast and some low distant fog make for a nice combination. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweRC2Tv2nZG7kVD8r-s4wNY1I5bJMKfxuJGm0F_hd1goMXte-15djZ2ueaqOycxgyF_bZJJBsMcxBVcBihP-Qewgbmkge1WgXD7tocP7SR6IbMa6pG6IMZBQkr4vyNowebc9v6mkvYmk/s1600/airesflex310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweRC2Tv2nZG7kVD8r-s4wNY1I5bJMKfxuJGm0F_hd1goMXte-15djZ2ueaqOycxgyF_bZJJBsMcxBVcBihP-Qewgbmkge1WgXD7tocP7SR6IbMa6pG6IMZBQkr4vyNowebc9v6mkvYmk/s640/airesflex310.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few more images from this vantage point in varied lighting make for a fun exercise, with some excellent results.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYu-t98-DaToyNhBvG8hOOYgLByXJoIKjtzvoeurqW7IDGR4gpc4B1jakWrAKvARzaqQfUoiKYP4tkOo4P7v7f5rAgTMU4BPsI47emRMmTljCPx1POqV82devLNUkbrvF_uTvqEwb2tI/s1600/airesflex311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYu-t98-DaToyNhBvG8hOOYgLByXJoIKjtzvoeurqW7IDGR4gpc4B1jakWrAKvARzaqQfUoiKYP4tkOo4P7v7f5rAgTMU4BPsI47emRMmTljCPx1POqV82devLNUkbrvF_uTvqEwb2tI/s640/airesflex311.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Under the lowest of light and windy conditions, the movement of the trees is evident at the right side, but the results are quite nice. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qfKlgdTZs8XlSkIlVn_sh4KhauowENgbIOzC65STmwsG7rSDCNLHQCF9lo0WmHjVjzEPjaB-oYUn3vsFyNYVMBXCqgsH8apJeJ0B3L0CVNbPxacg8DelYl9LfSSBpcYIdNj-GfQq-J4/s1600/airesflex312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3qfKlgdTZs8XlSkIlVn_sh4KhauowENgbIOzC65STmwsG7rSDCNLHQCF9lo0WmHjVjzEPjaB-oYUn3vsFyNYVMBXCqgsH8apJeJ0B3L0CVNbPxacg8DelYl9LfSSBpcYIdNj-GfQq-J4/s640/airesflex312.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From further away: the scene showing more context. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Overall, I was quite pleased with the abilities of the Airesflex. The sharpness of the photos and excellent tonal rendering of the Coral lens were impressive to say the least. My main gripe with this camera however comes from the rendering of the out of focus areas, which tend to be fuzzy and indistinct representations of recognizable items. I'd have rather seen more distortion, but that is more a matter of my personal preference.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Airesflex is certainly a capable performer wrapped up in a nicely finished package that is really pretty nice to use. It is definitely evidence that when it comes to TLR cameras, three is not a crowd! </span></div>
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<br />Adam Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14533334951868224999noreply@blogger.com3