Recent Forum Posts

Awesome camera, original or retrofit? as long as it works!

Statistics: Posted by titrisol — Fri Jul 03, 2020 9:11 am

Thank you, all
Of course, you or any other can add photos or information, the more the better

Statistics: Posted by alexvaras — Thu Jul 02, 2020 11:15 am

Can we also contribute with the "When I started"???
Mine, taken with an Instamatic in Xmas 1978
My father had a massive heart attack in August that year and went to the US to have surgery about a month later, he came back "healthy" at the end of november and I got a camera (Instamatic 104) for Xmas.
He would use the same running suit for years

Statistics: Posted by titrisol — Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:39 am

Those are amazing, I love the picture in the cafe!
The facial expresion of the old man sends me back in time to my childhood

Statistics: Posted by titrisol — Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:31 am

Thank you for posting such detailed instructions, Alex. Dan has my Superb, and he emailed me that your directions are really helpful!You are welcome, I’m glad they are useful to someone else

Statistics: Posted by alexvaras — Mon Jun 29, 2020 11:45 pm

Thank you for posting such detailed instructions, Alex. Dan has my Superb, and he emailed me that your directions are really helpful!

Statistics: Posted by Dismayed — Mon Jun 29, 2020 7:11 pm

Alex, I congratulate you on your superb eye for composition and tonality. All of these are wonderful images proving that you had the gift from an early age. Bravo!

Statistics: Posted by GrahamS — Mon Jun 29, 2020 4:46 am

I started with a Brownie 127 camera. Those are nice photos.

Statistics: Posted by LarryD — Sun Jun 28, 2020 3:49 pm

Nice! I started with a simple Kodak Instamatic that I received for Christmas when I was 11 or 12.

Statistics: Posted by Dismayed — Sun Jun 28, 2020 1:40 pm

... thing of photography I was around 14 years old, I found three photos that I printed in a dark room but I gave them away as someone wanted them.

This first is night train between Hendaye and Paris, at some point the train stopped and I took out my Yashica Minister D for this photo, Ilford FP4, hand-train held.


Night train.

Second when I was around 16, one day with my brother we went to the sea sea for taking photos, he was a real support to me on my hobby these days, I see this now. First SLR, a Pentax MV with some 28-70mm zoom, Ilford HP5.


Low tide.

Third I was 23 years old, my first week in Madrid when I moved, a friend I had over there wanted to go for a photo rally in the city and I had my Lubitel 166U (again gift from my brother) and Ilford HP5, we were in a cafe and I couldn't resist to take this candid.


Life is sweet.

Thank you for looking,
Alex

Statistics: Posted by alexvaras — Sun Jun 28, 2020 1:38 pm

We're slowly reopening here in Boston. We were hit pretty hard - over 8,000 dead in the state. But people here generally take this pandemic seriously, so the vast majority of people are wearing masks.

Statistics: Posted by Dismayed — Sun Jun 28, 2020 1:38 pm

It is opening back up here and the hospitals are full.

Statistics: Posted by LarryD — Sun Jun 28, 2020 8:27 am

Very nice photo, Larry.

Here the new normal as I saw walking in a recently open park is pretty similar to the old normal except you have hydro alcoholic dispensers in the open restaurants, which were fully occupied, no mask, gloves whatsoever.

Statistics: Posted by alexvaras — Sun Jun 28, 2020 12:32 am

Statistics: Posted by LarryD — Sat Jun 27, 2020 8:26 pm

I can recommend me or Dan Thanks, Alex. Dan is a bit closer, so I've mailed it off to him.

Statistics: Posted by Dismayed — Wed Jun 24, 2020 7:36 am

I have a copy of the 44M-4 around somewhere. As I recall, it wasn't remarkable, but I think I shot it stopped down somewhat when I tested it. Looking at the few snapshots I took at the time, there is no interesting OOF behavior at all. If I can find it, I may take a few wide open shots and see what it does.

Robert

Statistics: Posted by Brazile — Wed Jun 24, 2020 6:18 am

The oldest lens I've used was some brass one, probably meniscus, that dated to the mid 1800s IIRC. I'll have to dig a photo out.

Re: the Helios. I have the Helios-44M 58/2. I used it briefly, then got the Takumar 50/1.4 also. That lens I LOVE. The Helios was always just meh. I never noticed any swirls with it, but I didn't use it much, never realized that was part of its character, and I generally consider swirling bokeh a flaw - I've owned tons of Petzvals for LF from 4x5 to 10x12 and generally sold off any Petzvals that obviously swirled. Never liked the effect. YMMV.

Anyway, because of this thread, I mounted the Helios on my 70D the other day. Figured I'd shoot a little with it, even though it's a crop sensor, and see what happens. Took a few shots of Winston last night. One decent one (the lens is hard to focus for me these days):
WInston by Scott, on Flickr

I guess there's a some swirling even with the smaller sensor. It's a nice day today; I'm thinking Maddie and I may go for a stroll in Birdsboro and just see how it performs. I'm happy, and somewhat impressed, with this one picture from this lens.

Statistics: Posted by scott — Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:41 am

Thanks Erie and PF. Taking the springs down further is still on my to-do list, but great news - I found some 18x24cm holders! Shipping today from Sweden, should be here in, I don't know, 18-24 months?

Statistics: Posted by scott — Tue Jun 23, 2020 10:26 am

I can recommend me or Dan

Statistics: Posted by alexvaras — Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:23 am

You could get a 645 folder like the Zenobia, Alex, a Japanese copy of the Zeiss Ikonta A (Ikomat 1) with a nicer finder. Easy to do portraiture with, and small enough to fit a jacket pocket.

PFI've been tempted by 645 folders, but I've hesitated because I've been unable to find a reliable source of replacement bellows. Sandeha Lynch doesn't make them - he said that it's difficult to make them so that the door of the camera closes.I imagine it's hard to get that thin leather these days. But old Zeiss cameras have excellent bellows, and the one on my Zenobia is in good shape too.

PFI caved. My 'new' Zeiss Super Ikonta 531A arrived yesterday. The bellows appear to be fine, but the camera needs to be serviced. Any recommendations?

Statistics: Posted by Dismayed — Tue Jun 23, 2020 7:45 am