Light of Day - Recently Updated Pageshttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/pageSearch/updatedRecently Updated Pages on http://lightofday.wetpaint.comen-usinfo@wetpaint.comMon, 17 Mar 2008 16:50:18 CDTMon, 17 Mar 2008 16:50:18 CDTwetpaint.com60Light of Dayhttp://www.wetpaint.com/img/logo.gifhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.comPlastic Craptastic on vacationhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Plastic+Craptastic+on+vacationdondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Plastic+Craptastic+on+vacationMon, 17 Mar 2008 16:50:18 CDT
Oh, I passed up two that said they had Optical Glass lenses because frankly, the quality of the lens matters not if the shutter or winder doesn't work. But this one was Focus Free; on most other cameras, I guarantee you'll have to pay for Focus! Plus, it passed the click test.

I bought it for about a dollar, dropped in an old roll of color film from my parent's house, and I was in business!

Red tinges in these photos, by the way, are light leak artifacts. The film pressure plate has rows of ribs that press against the film, for example, and these clearly left impressions in the yucca photo, for example. Light leaks are part of the allure of a camera like this--Holga quality for much, much less than the going eBay cost!

------

Truth or Consequences used to be known as Hot Springs because of the geothermal activity there. Long years of mineral-laden water percolating through the sandy fill in the region leads to interesting concretions, which Kathy's mother loves to collect and add to her cactus garden in the nearby town of Elephant Butte. This camera does well for things up close.



My wife's cousin was visiting for the party, so one morning we walked around the block.



A brisk walk can be an uplifting, enlightening experience, any way you look at it.



Fall tends to come late in New Mexico. The cottonwoods are just turning yellow in the first week of November. The air is crisp, and the smell of it makes you feel good.



Returning home, I finished off the roll helping my grandson test his new Christmas bike, and I tried out a flash in that fancy flash holder on top. It worked well enough for fill flash here.



Physics and light leaks are against users of plastic craptastic cameras, but somehow, the less demanding user interface makes life on the other side of the finder seem a lot more simple as well.

____________________
Old Wal Mart color negative 35mm film, C-41 process.

]]>Kodak 1A Rapid Rectilinearhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+1A+Rapid+Rectilineardondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+1A+Rapid+RectilinearSun, 02 Mar 2008 22:43:09 CST I've got a particular soft spot for the Kodak 1A series of cameras. The 1A frame size (typical of 616/116 film) was the most panoramic of Kodak's cameras--very long frame relative to the film width. It's actually a challenge to fill the longish frame usefully. Around this format, Kodak produce an impressive stream of models and features for one of the longest lived of their popular formats besides the still-available 120 format.
One of the early models was this one--the 1A Folding Pocket Kodak, RR Lens Type, Model D--distinguished by a thickish, leather-clad wood body, brass shutter casing, and a clear Rapid Rectilinear lens with a zone focuser.

Having on hand a reloaded spool with 70mm Efke film, I took this old lady out for her first foray in a long time--hard to say how long, as there are some internal touch-ups in her that indicate maintenance and therefore some history of careful use. I ran her past my usual haunts and tried some new scenes. One in particular was a new subject--the fishing bobber indicating a bad fishing day that someone had recently. All but the knothole photo are full-frame scans that illustrate the pan aspect of 1A frames--I cropped some light leak damage from one side of that one.









Around the Round Rock





Nature's writing





Round Rock's--um--round rock (local motif)

Old things have character

Restored stone house alongside the Chisolm Trail (large-154k)

"A bad day of fishing beats a good day of work" (large-203K)
Kodak 1A oldies in NM ghost towns
Same camera, again loaded up with Efke (Adox) 100 70mm film from JandC Photo. Processed in HC110-H for 11 minutes, these negatives came up lovely. The RR lens is not a flat field lens, and the subjective sharpness increases across the field as you stop down. These photos were the best of that roll, shot in the old mining towns of Chloride and Winston, New Mexico. Some of the images show fogging along the edge of the rolls--a common affliction of rerolled film.


Miner's home, Chloride


Miner's home, Chloride (my favorite--this made a lovely 8x10 print on matte)


Solitude, Winston


]]>Quick and cheap 120 to 116 spool adaptershttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Quick+and+cheap+120+to+116+spool+adaptersdondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Quick+and+cheap+120+to+116+spool+adaptersrewordingWed, 13 Feb 2008 23:29:23 CSTHere is the simplest method around for making adapters so that you can fit modern, plastic-spooled 120 film into most 116 cameras! (or the narrow 616 type, if you trim the flanges)

1. Raw material: 1/4-20 Round Combo Screws




2. Ream out to .25" deep with 5/32" drill


3. Cut down to .25" remaining thread




4. Bevel the cut edge with mill bastard file edge




5. Screw into empty 120 holder and take off excess height...




6. Until the ends are even and match original width




7. Test it out!




Enjoy!

Caveats:
  1. These adapters are meant to adapt the 120 spool into the pins of camera holders of the type that have a pin at each end. The front-loading Pocket Kodak 2A cameras, for example, depended on the width of the original flange to keep the spool in place, hence these adapters won't work for those models.
  2. The 120 plastic flange fits into the wider 116 chambers easily. To fit the narrower 616 chambers, this flange needs trimmed. Use toenail clippers to clip off the outer raised edge of the 120 spool ends.
  3. These adapters happened to fit one particular cross-cut 120 spool end that I tested with, but it is possible that the 1/4" thread may be too large or too small for others. YMMV.

There may be more.

]]>Impressed by the agency of light alonehttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Impressed+by+the+agency+of+light+alonedondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Impressed+by+the+agency+of+light+aloneCopied over from eBay blogFri, 01 Feb 2008 20:55:11 CSTImpressed by the agency of Light alone
Such was the description by William Henry Fox Talbot in 1840 of the remarkable ability of photographic materials to record scenes all around him without the handiwork of an artist. It refers to the image itself, created by exposure of a light-sensitive material within a camera. But the phrase should remind us of the awe we too should feel about the magic that happens whenever we press a shutter button to make an image. Are you impressed by the agency of light alone? I am, and here is why.

The roots of photography go back many years. The camera itself, a simple wooden box with a lens that formed an upside down miniature of the scene before it, was known from Renaissance times, and was used by the great artists to trace studies of their eventual paintings. The salt-and-silver imaging chemistry used by Talbot was simplicity itself (compared to the Daguerreotype process), although Talbot had to arrive at a viable formulation through a great many trials at a lot of expense. But oh, the images he made, they were like a form of poetry in themselves, dreamy but literal impressions that could be reproduced exactly.

And herein is the magic for me--that in the 1840s, the relatively crude "camera" box was the union of a high technology at each end: the lens in front, polished just so, and the sensitized negative at the back, positioned at the focal plane of the lens. Everything we use to make images today, from digital cameras to the Hubble Space Telescope, was derived from this humble instrument.

Talbot's magic is still alive! There are many fine old cameras to be had for a song out there. Find one that is still sound, clean it up, and fashion a way to make it take modern film, and you would be amazed at what was technically possible even for the cameras that Talbot used back in 1850.

My oldest camera is from about 1898, but it is technically very similar to Talbot's basic box camera. The popular age of the large film cameras lasted through the 1950's, during which ever more sophisticated cameras were made. From the 1930's onward, a different revolution was taking place with miniature cameras, yielding the golden age of 35mm film cameras that are ingenious applications of lessons learned from the big cameras. Every film camera, even the "plastic craptastic" variety sold in pharmacies and novelty stores, is a derivation of Talbot's "pencil of Nature" and a scion of the very first photographic tools and processes.

That is why I am "impressed by the agency of Light alone."

--
Don

]]>zzzz - Scratch Pagehttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/zzzz+-+Scratch+Pagedondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/zzzz+-+Scratch+PageFri, 01 Feb 2008 20:54:07 CSTThis is just a place for creating and placing other content that is in the process of being migrated into this web site.

Clip from photo.net regarding processing old E2 rolls
http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00DzKU
Don Day , nov 03, 2005; 02:43 p.m.
Can any reader provide either the number or actual title of the Kodak technical note on reprocessing color film developed as black-and-white? I'd like to add this PDF to my library.
Don Day , nov 04, 2005; 05:32 p.m.
I found the URL for the Kodak document. It seems to no longer work on their Web site, but you can access an archived version of it through http://archive.org, one of the best ways to retrieve pages at URLs that no longer work. HTML version: (link) PDF version: (link)


A family negative that I recently scanned showed him proudly holding my young sister as a baby in those strong, but so gentle hands. I had never seen that photo before, and right away I could see how my younger sister was so loved--safe in those strong, caring hands.














Don Day , jul 15, 2005; 03:38 p.m.
Under the theme of "photos taken on old equipment when the equipment was current," this came to mind. My mother's father had a 3A Folding Brownie since he was a young man, and during one reunion at which my mother must have mentioned my interest in photography, he brought it out and gave it to me. A few years later, at the last reunion we had with him, I brought that camera along, loaded with 122 Verichrome Pan (last rolls were still available in some drugstores, hence the "then current" thought), and took this photo of my parents, my sister, and DaddyEd and his sister. Now, some 30 years after I took that picture, it is a direct connection between me today and the grandfather who shared the camera that we both used as youths. -- Don

A 3A Folding Kodak looks back at its first owner


Some information about a No. 3 Kodak Brownie that I aim to reload and put to use soon:
This old antique Kodak Brownie 3 camera was found in an attic by an elderly lady who was cleaning up her place and getting rid of things preparatory to moving to an assisted living facility. She wondered if anyone would like to have "this old thing". My wife accepted it, but was actually going to throw it away. My conscience will not let me destroy this unique bit of history. It is a vintage camera with exposed film inside. The strap by which it had been carried is rough and cracked, but the words "No. 3 Brownie" can be read in the impressions on it. The front 1/4 inch end of the strap is missing so that the camera cannot be lifted by the strap (not that anyone would want to). The dust of ages remains on the view windows and body of the camera. The film advance works and there is the sound of paper moving inside when the crank is turned. This presumably indicates that there is a roll of film waiting to be developed in there. I went into a dimly lit room to remove the film so that I might have it developed, but after unlatching the body, I could only move the face and body apart a fraction of an inch. I quit trying and reset the latches. I decided to sell the camera on e-Bay to someone who hopefully will know how to extract the film without damaging it or the camera, and who will have sufficient curiosity and sense of adventure to have the film developed. The only writing other than on the strap is on a metal tag on the back of the camera and an impression below the tag. The tag reads "Made in USA by Eastman Kodak Company Rochester NY 14408" and the impression reads "USE FILM 124." If you get this vintage Kodak Brownie 3 camera you will also receive a free mystery to solve and some historical adventure. It is a worthy bit of history to preserve in terms of the camera itself. How much will you learn from the pictures? Have fun. Good luck with your bidding. Shipping and receiving charges are $5.00. The camera will be shipped by USPS within three days of receipt of payment. PayPal is the preferred means of payment, but personal and business checks or money orders will also be accepted. If payment is made by check, the shipping date will be deferred until the check clears.
The rest of the story: http://nelsonfoto.com/v/showthread.php?p=93482


Copying some material I want to use for a new essay, but can't get Wetpaint to create the new page yet:




]]>Seven little breathtaking wordshttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Seven+little+breathtaking+wordsdondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Seven+little+breathtaking+wordsadded link for Canon IV, 1950 pageWed, 09 Jan 2008 21:19:46 CST
If you are a Canon owner, then these tiny words on the baseplate mean you have one of the first 50 Canons specifically marketed commercially outside of Japan:
"Serviced and guaranteed in San Francisco California"
At least that is what I found out when I searched on that phrase last night, and discovered a recent article by Canon historian Peter Dechert. You see, that phrase is on a camera that I bought as a poor high school student around 1969 and have managed to hang onto since then. Last summer, I commissioned Dean Williams to do his usual shutter replacement and CLA job on it, not knowing this history. I even sent it uninsured, hoping at the time that I was not throwing good money after worthless hardware.

Far from it. In Peter's article at http://www.shutterbug.net/equipmentr...sic/index.html, he describes where this camera came from:
Quote:
In ‘50, the C. R. Skinner Company, based in San Francisco, became the first factory-authorized US importer of Canon cameras, and a randomly serial numbered batch of about 50 among the trial cameras was allocated to Skinner for sale. Canon must have forgotten this group when they made the distinction about mates for the Rapid Wind Baseplate starting at serial 50200. The Skinner cameras, all with serials between 50000 and 50200, were the flash-synchronized type, trials for the Canon IV. They were specially engraved on their baseplates: “MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN/SERVICED AND GUARANTEED IN SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA.” Cameras shipped to Skinner after this original batch do not have such baseplates.
Imagine my excitement as I looked at my model's serial number -- 50069 -- and confirmed that the baseplate had that lettering.


Peter goes on to say,
Quote:
Though uncommon, this Skinner version is the one most widely known today, and we should probably now call it the “Skinner Canon IV-1950.” The fault for having first called it simply “The Canon 1950” is mine alone; I did not know in ‘84 what I know now. Its special importance is that it was the very first Canon designated particularly for the western marketplace. Previous sales to westerners had almost all been through the post-exchange system.
Now we get to the part where my sleeplessness last night started:
Quote:
What are the trial cameras worth today? Depends on how badly you want one, of course, but in the May 2005 WestLicht auction, a Skinner Canon IV-1950 sold for 9000 euro plus buyer’s commission, a total payment of roughly $13,500.
At that point, I was nearly hyperventilating and repeating, "Holy crap!" over and over. I have taken this camera through 3 years of high school yearbook gigs (games, dances, group shots, candids), rock climbing, hiking trips, vacations and family reunions, you name it) before I switched over to my first Canon FT SLR. Dean's careful work has restored some of the years that the locusts have eaten, so I look at its marks as a sign that Canon really made quality stuff back then (thankfully).
This is me, in a mirror shot, with a different beater Canon with an Elmar lens, about 1968, shortly before buying the "Skinner Canon IV-1950" camera. I sold this camera because I thought f/3.5 was embarrassingly slow (probably another gem I should have held onto).

I wish now that I had recorded more of its provenance back when I got it. My best recollection is that I met someone in the local camera store who was trying to get them to sell it there on commission, so we agreed on the spot to a sale (Manny, the store owner, was probably glad not to have to make display space for it), and I got a camera bag that had 2 Canons, a 28mm f/3.5 lens, 28mm finder, some filters, and maybe a cable release or two. This was the older of the two, and I tended to use it for "beater" jobs at the time. I wish I knew who that gentleman was, and his story about how that camera got from San Francisco to Las Cruces, New Mexico in the 18 years or so since its original purchase in 1950.

I didn't really do anything to collect this camera--it just came to me long ago and I only now learned of its unique story. I just wanted to share with you the excitement that unfolded as I did a few searches and slowly started to appreciate what a unique artifact had been banging around in my closets and cabinets for nearly 40 years. This must be what lottery winners go through as the sense of "could this be real" turns from cautious skepticism into wonder, and finally to elation. Woo hoo! What a trip! I still can't really believe that this camera is special to this degree--my life is too pedestrian for this to happen.

So what do you do with a camera you've just learned could be valued more than all your camera collection, or resale on your car, or your furniture (mine, at least)? As for me, I'm going to put a roll of film in it and carefully go celebrate 40 years of mutual appreciation in value between us by taking some photos, and then she goes back on a shelf--I think I'll keep her for sure.


Related:


]]>Stories and essayshttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Stories+and+essaysdondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Stories+and+essaysWed, 09 Jan 2008 20:57:18 CST
Hence, "here there may be monsters," but let's go see.

A collecting point for various writings from here and there...

]]>Canon IV, 1950http://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Canon+IV%2C+1950dondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Canon+IV%2C+1950Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:54:26 CST Since it's Fall, would this be Pachebel's Canon?
I finally got some film into my oldest Canon, a 1950 IV model (a so-called Skinner version, with the baseplate engraved with "Serviced and guaranteed in San Francisco California") that I have not used since about 1969 due to shutter curtain deterioration at the time. My main motivation for this roll, besides testing Dean William's shutter replacement last summer, was to see what the original Serenar lens was like wide open. I remembered a halo effect back then, and indeed that artifact was still there, although not centrally--only well off center in some images. These pix were shot in the back yard yesterday--a very cloudy late afternoon---using Arista EDU 50, so all shots were wide open at f/1.9 from 1/40s down to 1/8s before I was done. My subjects were my daughter Jennifer's family; Fall leaves in my back yard provided the backdrop.

The lens worked well for Joey's portrait--with no highlights off-center, there was no fringing, and his eyelashes are sharp in larger scans.




Jennifer's portrait shows the peculiar, rimmed bokeh of this lens. I think this might be a chromatic issue, especially since it increases away from center. On my next roll, I'll try for some bokeh at about f/4 and see if the fringing goes away.




Abigail was more startled than unhappy here--1/2 second later she was using her little can to harvest leaves, leaves, leaves!








She loves big brother, Ricky--more than he knows.




This was the highlight picture for me--pure joy in Abigail's face as she plunged backwards into the pile:

(large scan--1024x683px)



By now, I needed to crank down to 1/25s. St. Francis is my most patient subject for slow exposures. In larger scans, the fringing effect off his dome looks like he has a bit of a saintly aura. The bird, which I focused on at the near distance of 3.5 feet, is dead sharp (really a credit to Dean Williams' CLA service for me).




As twilight comes, a lesson about how ponds change as winter approaches. Here I switched to a Canon chrome 28mm, f/3.5 @ 1/8s.




So I wonder if any judgment is really needed about the performance of Canon's first fast normal lens. While not as bitingly sharp as the later 50mm f/1.8 bread-and-butter normal lens, it has its own character that leaves me anticipating the next pleasant surprise. I hope you enjoy these dual purpose "lens tests!"


]]>Repairing moth-eaten bellowshttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Repairing+moth-eaten+bellowsdondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Repairing+moth-eaten+bellowsThu, 12 Apr 2007 22:21:19 CDTMy favorite folding Kodak type is the long-lived Model 3 series because of its usually solid construction and generally good lenses. I picked up a nice-looking Kodak Model 3 on eBay thinking it would be an easy cleanup before using it. The seller did not disclose two moth holes in the bellows, apparently made while the bellows were retracted but the door still open, as the holes are right next to each other in that situation. The holes were irregular in shape, with clean cuts right through the sheepskin, cardboard, and support cloth--windows to the world, pinholes extraordinaire, gratis ventilation. Problem is, that wasn't what I wanted.

Folks here know that I favor the use of reversible repair techniques, the most important ingredient of which is a good white glue that is water soluble (so that you, or a future owner, can back out the repair and try something different). I aimed to rebuild the inside support and then apply tiny sheepskin patches trimmed to fit inside the neat hole boundaries. The first photo shows my raw materials trimmed down to near-working size. The black cloth is from a scrap I found at JoAnn Fabrics, and is quite lightproof. I sized the slick side of the backing patch with white glue mixed with black scuff-coat for shoes to make it stiff and to resist separation of the weave. I then glued this side against the inside of each hole. Each patch is small enough to fit in the "valley" behind the hole, so they are not too apparent from the back when the bellows are folded. Then I trimmed a pre-stained scrap of sheepskin to each hole. This does not need to be exactly precise, as once you apply the patch (using white glue, of course), you can use a toothpick to form the patch against the sides of the holes, to some extent.

I had already tested the technique on one hole before I thought to start taking photos. Here are the materials for the second hole (Tandy sheepskin with oxblood stain; heavy black cloth):


The bellows, before (with one hole already test-patched):


The camera, after (second hole patched same way, patches buffed and "aged" with a bit of black shoe dye):


Part of my joy with old cameras is seeing how good a photograph they are actually capable of. This one has a bright looking Rapid Rectilinear lens and a shutter with simple "T B I" settings. The next day after the repair, I attached a Model 3 cut film back to the camera, mounted it on a tripod, focused on a willing garden statue, and made this first photo (Foma 100 cut film, exposed at Universal f/32 (f/22 to us) at ~1/4 sec on the "B" setting, developed 10 min in D-76 1:1).

Full negative:


Detail:


Yeehaw! I love those old lenses on good old cameras. They can be remarkably sweet tools if you are inclined to appreciate the medium and the slow approach to making a photograph. ;-)

]]>Kodak Duaflex III: jewel in the roughhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Duaflex+III%3A+jewel+in+the+roughdondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Duaflex+III%3A+jewel+in+the+roughNew update, copied from nelsonfotoTue, 03 Apr 2007 16:41:43 CDT
I bought this camera originally to use as trading fodder for another that I had my eye on. It arrived in the mail fairly dusty and looking like the pittance I paid for it. But I did my usual tune-up on it, disassembling the front to clean the shutter and readjust the focusing front cell. The reflection count for the lens showed it to be a triplet design--possibly a very decent performer in the right circumstances. SoI ran a roll of Neopan 100 (120 rerolled onto a spare 620 spool) through it this weekend, catching my kid's families in pose and play. Seeing the results, this camera is going to be staying put--it's really a pretty decent performer, and actually pretty fun to use!

Besides the bright finder (nice!) and focusing Kodar lens (also nice to have), the Duaflex III has a single Instantaneous shutter speed (about 1/25 sec) plus Time and a shutter reset (for multiple exposures), and has a range of iris settings of f/8, f/11, and f/16.

These photos were all shot at f/8 in moderate shade. My infinity adjustment is still off--a bit close throughout the range, but easy to tweak to a better focus.

Daughter Tami and her husband Paul:



Daughter Jennifer with Joey and their children, Ricky and Abigail, pretending to be holding still for an old time travelling photographer:


Grandkids Abigail and Ricky, doing what kids do:

]]>Zeiss Ikomat, 6x9 folderhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Zeiss+Ikomat%2C+6x9+folderdondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Zeiss+Ikomat%2C+6x9+folderSat, 24 Mar 2007 09:27:57 CDTBackyard challenge with 120 Ikomat
I seem to attract Ikomats that have no clear identification. This clean user-grade camera in question takes 120 film, has a 10.5cm f/6.3 Novar Anastigmat lens (Nr 1114021), Derval shutter (T B 100 50 25), and still had its classy red Zeiss Ikon cable release that fits into the door. It has "Germany" finely scribed in gold on one side of the reticulated-finish strut, and has "Ikomat" embossed on front. Handwritten in pencil inside is the number B37773. Not much else by way of ID on it. I bought this model because it is a virtual little brother of a 116 version that I also have. In order to finish off the roll after one barely-inspired highway construction view, I took the challenge of looking at my back yard in a new way. I was able to find a few subjects that framed well at the near-focus limit of 7 feet. Kodak 400TX developed in straight D-76, with mild sepia hue added after scanning.




Highway construction, full width, composed only with the top half of the frame as a "poor man's perspective control" method.

Sky sentinals...


Keeping cool in the summertime. The sepia effect seems to conjure up backyard activities from back whenever the camera was last used.

Summertime tea break with Granny


The 6x9 format favors strong vertical arrangements. This spot in the garden has the most lush growth. Color film would be nice to capture the green, but for many years, somehow, photographers have managed to convey verdancy through the medium of black and white... I'm still working on it.

The watering spot...


My wife and I are trying for a National Wildlife backyard certificate, so what would our garden be without a St. Francis of Assisi statue? This was as close as the focusing scale would let me get, but I could see a better picture in there. The next photo will be a crop of part of this scene.

Diminuative St. Francis of Assisi


The suggested crop...

The blessing of the Lamb's Ear


I find I have to work hard for the occasional good roll (or single image in the roll!) using these oldies, but when everything works together, its a rush. For once I metered the shadows well and gauged the distance more or less correctly. I think the primitive finders on these cameras force you to previsualize more intently.


]]>Premo 12http://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Premo+12dondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Premo+12Sat, 24 Mar 2007 09:25:58 CDT
I had been looking for one of these for awhile because I had the appropriate film holders, but not a camera they would fit. Then I found this one on eBay.



My first experience proved that the folds of the bellows were windows to the world (first photo below), so I had to give the bellows some special treatment to close up the various pinholes all over.

Then it was back to the tripod, where I shot each of the next three photos at about 5sec at f/22 using cut-down Fomapan 100, tray developed. I used an old Brownie rangefinder to check my distance to focus by scale.


The lens is a Rapid Rectilinear of about 105mm fl, and a typical Kodak Ball Bearing shutter (25 B T 50). The filmholders have sheaths for 2.25 x 3.25" cut film, just under 6x9. The camera actually has a removeable ground glass, although the f/8 of the lens makes it useless without a dark cloth. The focuser is continuous to about 7 ft.

These subjects suit the RR lens well--you can't really tell that much about the corners, for example, where the RR is known to be mushy. So the chair photo would actually enlarge to 8x10 looking pretty good, I expect. I'll try again and back off a bit so I don't cut off the corner as you see here. Moving subjects call for full sunlight for any chance of a decent photo!


]]>New Mexico is for "older folders!"http://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/New+Mexico+is+for+%22older+folders%21%22dondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/New+Mexico+is+for+%22older+folders%21%22Sat, 24 Mar 2007 09:24:15 CDTIn 2006, my wife and I visited northern New Mexico for a "back home" vacation. I brought along two folders from my collection, intending to bring back many great shots. But instead I came down with a cold at the start of the trip and had to force myself to take the few pictures that I did. But I am glad even for those few, as they encourage me to retrace my steps and do it again sometime, but hopefully feeling more creative.

Kodak Vigilant:
[photo needed]

My wife posing by the Harvey House museum in Belen, New Mexico. Kodak Vigilant Six-20, JandC Classic "trimmed" 620,ASA 200, 1/100 at about f/11. Pete's Restaurant, across the street behind this train museum, has great New Mexico cuisine if you visit this place. Scanned at 300dpi for printing as 4x6, resized for the Web.

Arched veranda at Harvey House in Belen, NM



Ikonta 116:

The Ikonta has the 2.5" x 4.25" frame size, 8 shots per roll, 616 spool (larger spool than 116). Lens: Font-cell scale focusing. "Carl Zeiss Jena Nr 1359928 Tessar 1:4,5 f=12cm" Shutter: Zeiss-Ikon Compur # 1140390 (T, B, 1s - 250th) Finders: front-mounted bright finder, body-mounted frames (no glass)

So this Ikonta is somewhat bare-bones, but the essentials are there for a wide range of photo situations. Good framing and focusing are up to luck and one's estimation skills! I tend to guess too far all the time, but when I get it right (and use a tripod), the resolution bears poster-size enlargement (not that my little printer can do so!).

It's a good thing that Efke 100 is good for skies, as outdoor panaoramas seem to be natural subjects for these folders anyway. The skies in the mountains behind Santa Fe, at about 8,000 feet, are mercifully free of pollution, and a tad darker due to altitude, but at the time I took the church photo, I was not expecting the drama that actually came out of the scan once I teased out the highlights on the shoulder. Lesson--don't rely on a scanner's auto-levelled results!

This church is halfway up the road from Pecos, New Mexico, to Cowles, where we stayed at some cabins for a few nights. There are several buildings and artifacts in this valley related to mining in the 1920s-30s. Now this valley sports prime trout fishing and great hiking trails. Photo taken with a Zeiss Ikon Ikomat that has no apparent model number, but has an excellent Tessar 12cm f/4.5 lens. Taken on respooled JandC 70mm Efke 100, about 1/100th at f/16 as I recall, no filter--that cloud/sky contrast is natural. D-76 for both shots, BTW. Scanned the same as the Belen photo, using an Epson 3200 Photo with a custom-made slide for these large, longish negatives.

Church and cemetary at El Macho, Pecos Valley, NM


This is from the Anton Chico land grant, southwest of Pecos, in the spread-out old community of Dilia--way off the usual trails. This building was apparently a school or other public building before it was pressed into service for a time as the town's Post Office and then left to the lizards. Don't those walls hold a story or two? This is a Walker Evans sort of place, for sure. I used the Ikonta 616 on this day. There were no clouds, and the sky was definitely more hazy than in the mountains, so I used a red filter, but badly underexposed the shot despite a 1 stop filter correction, and I managed to tilt the composition noticeably. I debated whether this one was worth showing, but after some histogram stretches, rotating and cropping, it does showcase another side of New Mexico. Enjoy! -- Don






]]>Kodak Vollenda, 6x9 folderhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Vollenda%2C+6x9+folderdondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Vollenda%2C+6x9+folderSat, 24 Mar 2007 09:21:38 CDTBack yard stroll with a Kodak Vollenda


Lately I've been aiming at motifs in my back yard to test older cameras. These shots are my first from a Kodak Vollenda 6x9 folder that I got recently. The lens is an impressive-looking Kodak Anastigmat f/4.5 10.5cm job on a Compur shutter. I hoped this lens would compare to the Kodak Anastigmat f/6.3 that I have grown to love. This lens focuses to under 1 meter (front cell focusing), so I tried some close views that I cannot get with other cameras. While the central region was very sharp, this lens seems to have severe dropoff of acuity near the edge, which I attributed to the near-focusing front cell. The black and white shots are with respooled-to-620 APX 100 in D-76 1:1.
Kodak Vollenda 620







First closeup...

Hostas in bloom

Another...

Opportunistic plants...

And a last from this session.

Goldfish dance with reflections


Analysis
The Vollenda is fun to use. I suspect the edges will look better for distance shots, but I can imagine ways to use the soft edge definition for some shot such as portraits. I'll be trying some more to find the sweet spot for this lens. These pix were mostly around f/8 to f/11 in open shade. One last detail below shows the fringing in the blurry zone from one of the hosta pix... a little more severe than I would have expected from a Kodak Anastigmat.

Fringing on highlight detail


]]>Kodak Model 3 Lady Frankensteinhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Model+3+Lady+Frankensteindondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Model+3+Lady+FrankensteinSat, 24 Mar 2007 09:18:13 CDT

I found the body for this camera on eBay--it had no lens and an obviously shot bellows, yet the photo intrigued me--the body seemed like new. I got the body for the $.66 asking price--I think the tattered bellows scared buyers away.

Well, the body itself turned out to be like new, a pristine candidate for an as-original reconstruction, so I went searching for parts. I found an exact original match for the bellows on Craig Camera, and replaced those using a homemade prying tool. I then researched what kinds of lenses were available for this model, and found an excellent Kodak Anastigmat 130mm f/4.5 on a Kodamatic shutter. Another valid candidate would have been a Tessar on a Compur shutter, but I am quite happy with Kodak Anastigmats--this is a beautiful lens, as you'll see. Therefore, this restored Kodak Model 3 has a fully original configuration, with all as-new components. It is a beaut, and even smells new.


First light, ever

Using the Aerographic Plus-x film described in the recent "130 film" thread, I made up a roll of 118 on an original spool last week and went to my favorite local subject, the limestone pedestal that gives its name to the town of Round Rock, Texas. I developed the roll in D-76 1:1 and scanned it on an Epson 3200. The developer was old, but I still pulled an acceptable image for this camera's "first light"--not a bad showing for this restored hardware. I gotta tell you, these old lenses had beautiful bokeh before the term was even coined for that lovely out-of-focus quality! Even the larger photo linked below does not do justice to the detail and graduation in this lantern slide format (3.25x4.25" negative). I love this camera already--she's my Lady Frankenstine!

First light--Round Rock, Brushy Creek


]]>Kodak Model 3 Fisherman Camerahttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Model+3+Fisherman+Cameradondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Model+3+Fisherman+CameraSat, 24 Mar 2007 09:14:56 CDT Enduring memory of a fishing trip
In August of 2005, I purchased a Kodak Model 3 on eBay, selected first of all because it would fit a combination back for cut film that I had already, and secondly because this particular one had an original roll of 118 film in it. The camera arrived with the red-papered Verichrome film already advanced through. Could it possibly hold any image after so many years?

Using D76 1:1 with one anti-fog tablet added, N+1/2 time, I got pretty much what I expected--the strip was largely abused by random exposures and light leaks through the years (most probably recently, by curious dealers).

Only the very first exposure showed any actual image. It was badly fogged, but it is definitely a keeper--it tells the story of the last trip its owner took it on. I'll let it speak for itself (and for the person who snapped it, I'm guessing as much as 70-80 years ago, as the camera has "July 12 1918" inscribed on it).





Only photo from the original roll:

A few months later, an overcast morning helped set up for a nice "found" still life in my home. I decided to use this same Kodak No. 3 with an f/7.7 Anastigmat lens and combination back, using Fomapan 100 cut down to size. Exposed f/22 for 6 sec, developed in D-76 for 6 min @ 70deg, scanned with an Epson 3800 at effectively 300dpi for 11x14 print, retouched for dust and scratches, and finally resized for a large screen:

Quiet Place


(link to 160K image, 1024x751)


I enjoy being able to coax out the best capabilities of great old cameras. This particular photo is literally the first photo (other than a verification snapshot after cleanup) taken by the camera since that fishing trip image!

The No. 3 Folding Pocket Kodaks take film size 118 which gives 3.25 inch by 4.25 inch negatives, or the so called "lantern slide" format. The Combination Back converts the camera to use sheet film in holders, which is handy since the roll film size is no longer commercially available anywhere that I know of. This version, a Model H, must be ground-glass focused by sliding the lens back and forth on the track, as there is no continuous focuser mechanism. This combination is NOT for moving subjects.

The Fomapan film has very nice tonal graduation and scans beautifully. Compared to Efke films, it has the tonal smoothness of the Agfapan APX film yet has good exposure latitude. JandC Photography has it in only a few sizes, so it must be cut to size. All things considered, B&W photography with old cameras and obscure film sizes makes one contemplate one's subject and technique with great care.




]]>Mycro Model 1 camerahttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Mycro+Model+1+cameradondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Mycro+Model+1+cameraAdded "roll6" contentsWed, 07 Feb 2007 23:57:45 CST


Its the one on the right!

The Mycro camera is so tiny and toy-like in finish that it is hard to accept that it can be a capable performer. The original film was supplied in tiny, 10-exposure rolls that are no longer made, so you have to trim your own little rolls from available negative films, preferably on very thin base material. I used Lucky 100 for these photos. The Lucky films have very fine grain, and I like the charcoal-like hues that I get when scanning the negatives.

Garden Kitsch

















Gruene, Texas, December 2006






















Household











Portraits













Nature






Williamson County, Texas, February 2007






Contact sheet for this roll:



























]]>Kodak Vigilant 620http://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Vigilant+620dondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Vigilant+620Tue, 23 Jan 2007 15:17:57 CST
[need to add photos]

]]>Kodak Model 3 with Tessar lenshttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Model+3+with+Tessar+lensdondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Kodak+Model+3+with+Tessar+lensTue, 23 Jan 2007 14:00:10 CST
During summer 2006, my wife and I visited our relatives in NM and tried to take in some great scenery along the way. I picked a Kodak Model 3 with a Tessar lens and cut film back as my large format classic for the road, and loaded several lantern slide cut film holders with Fomapan 100. I should have checked the viewfinder more closely before loading up--although the lens and shutter were in top shape, I had neglected to repair the mirror in the viewfinder, and I had real trouble sighting my compositions with it.

These are the few shots I ventured to try with with this camera:


Sunset over Santa Fe



I developed these negatives in cut film holders for 3.25x4.25 film in deep food storage containers. This was my first run ever using hanging sheet holders. Based on the hanger streaks in the photo above, it looks like I need to work on my agitation technique.


Hanging Tree in Chloride



Here, the partially unsilvered viewfinder could not show me that I had aimed too far to the left and missed the main trunk of the tree entirely. Imagine if I could have pointed more to the right of the road marker. Sigh...


Miner's Home in Chloride


I had to crop this shot to make up for bad tilt from trusting the foggy viewfinder. But still, I was very pleased with the acuity of the lens. Can you spot a vise in the yard? In the 1200 dpi scan, it is sharply recognizable.



]]>Korona 8x10 dual extension camerahttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Korona+8x10+dual+extension+cameradondayhttp://lightofday.wetpaint.com/page/Korona+8x10+dual+extension+cameraTue, 02 Jan 2007 22:55:25 CST
I'll have a Korona, and make it a big one!
Rarely do I find much of anything photographic at a decent price in an antique store, so last year when I came across a Korona 8x10 view camera with tripod, I asked my wife to make that my Christmas present. Then I had to score a lens for it, as the camera had only a gutted GEM shutter on it, so I ebayed up an in-period Turner Reich (a so-called "combo" lens that can use the front and rear elements independently), and a later Gundlach Radar 4.5 300mm (huge hunk of glass with very bright focus).

There is no identification on the camera other than a plain-looking KORONA nameplate on front. Its distinguishing feature is a U-shaped spacer on the lens board tracks; in shots where the lens board is shifted very high, this offset allows swinging the lens downward without hitting the spacer. This particular camera is not among those described at this resource: http://www.fiberq.com/cam/gund.htm

To try out the camera after its thorough cleaning, I set it up for an incidental composition I noticed in a spare bedroom. At first, I contemplated using 8x10 photo paper and inverting the scans for prints, but then JandC had some out-of-spec Fomapan 18x24cm film at a throw-away price, so I purchased that to work on my technique. Its emulsion supposedly has occasional pinholes, not reliable enough for commercial uses. I had no problem with any pinholes in the few sheets I used on this first run.

After practicing my moves on a found subject in our guest room, I created cardboard adapters to center the smaller Foma film within the 8x10 holder I had. The first picture I ever took with this camera was with the Turner-Reich lens, and it turned out well, although not as sharp as good modern lenses. Emboldened, I took the next with the Radar lens, and this is it below. I like it better--the image is visibly sharper in 1200dpi detail scans.

One thing I like about the Fomapan film is its nice hold on shadow detail. My scan is a bit low key--I don't think I have a pure white in the gamut of this scan, even on the handle, but the mood of this scan does match the soft glow of the room at the time.

Found composition--backlit bears







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