Fallen tree on James River. Shot with Bronica S2A and Nikkor-P 75mm f/2.8 at f/4 on Ilford XP2.
I recently acquired a Zenza Bronica S2A medium format camera. It shoots 6x6cm frames and came with a Nikkor-P 75mm f/2.8 lens. I have a lot more to say about the camera but will save it for another day.
I ran a roll of Ilford XP2 through the camera as a test roll before I decided to accept it. The scans came in on Saturday and I started to review them.
What I can say so far is that the camera is working correctly, at least for the test conditions used. The scan of the negative looks good, but a review of the negative with a loupe and good light will tell me more detail than the scan can. Nonetheless, I think this is a keeper.
I am looking forward to spending a lot more time with this camera. I want to shoot some real black and white film, such as Tri-X, FP4+, or HP5+, and then develop the negatives myself. I will figure out the scanning later, but I could use a DSLR to do the scans or dig out my film scanner.
If you know, you know… Shot with the Contax TVS using Kodak Gold 200. Exposure data unrecorded.
Not long after I arrived here in Missouri, I made my first trip to Bedford Camera & Video in Springfield. I decided to see what the camera store here was like and whether it would be a good place to buy film and have my processing done.
My first experience was positive. I bought some film for my new-to-me Contax TVS point and shoot camera. It is a premium 35mm point and shoot with a Zeiss Vario-Sonnar zoom lens. The zoom range is not large, just two times. But the focal lengths are useful even if the lens is relatively slow.
The clerk loaded the battery for me (a CR123A) and I loaded a roll of Kodak Gold 200. The camera wound the film onto the take-up spool just fine and announced it was ready to go. I added a few more rolls of 35mm film to my order, checked out, and headed back to the rig.
I paused to make an image of the store front and then The Girl and I headed south towards home. I was hungry and decided to stop for a bit.
The first food I came across was the Burger King on South Campbell. I pulled into the lot and walked inside. There I waited at least five minutes without acknowledgement. None of the workers greeted me. None offered to take my order.
I shook my head and walked back to the rig. Clearly they are not interested in my business. I will not be stopping there again.
We drove south a few more blocks and found a Steak & Shake. I have always liked their food, so I parked and walked into the store. I was greeted fairly quickly and then seated. Although it took a few minutes for one of the staffers to take my order, they got it done. My food was delivered hot and was tasty. I really like the fries at Steak & Shake.
I took some with me, along with a bite of my sandwich, and gave them to The Girl. She was expecting a treat, as usual. And, she got one.
I was satisfied with my outing and determined to shoot the roll of film to complete my testing of the new camera.
A few days alter (yesterday), Older Son and I decided to get out of the house and check some of the pawn shops and thrift stores for film cameras. The first pawn shop we stopped at asked “Do they even develop film anymore?”
“Yes, they do.” I responded.
He suggested we visit the Springfield Trading Depot (STD) because all of the pawn brokers are only dealing in digital cameras now. We thanked him and headed out.
STD (yes, that is the acronym) was interesting enough, but there was nothing there I was interested in. It made an interesting photo opportunity anyway. I still need to download and process those images.
I had finished my roll of film, so we headed to Bedford to drop it off for processing, I bought a few rolls of 120 black and white film, and we headed off to pick up DiL. I wanted an early supper and a trip to Bass Pro to replace her collar. The transmitter finally failed after I repaired the rotary control one time. So, it is time to replace it. She sometimes needs it to stay out of trouble. She remains an impulsive Girl.
We took her into Bass Pro (they are dog friendly) and it is such a HUGE place. There were a lot of people there (and quite a few dogs), but she really behaved well and barked at other dogs only a couple of times.
We got what we came for and were looking at the toys when we heard THE SQUEAK. She knew exactly what she wanted.
We played with that for several minutes, all four of us laughing. So we gathered up a couple of new toys for her and headed to the check out line. She was a very excited Girl.
We stopped at a Korean restaurant on the way home for a bibimpap bowl. I had not had one before and it was very good. Win! While there, I received an email that my film had been processed and my scans were ready to download. Win!
We retrieved DiL’s rig and then stopped at Andy’s Frozen Yogurt for a treat and then on home.
Yes, The Girl got a pup-cup.
When I got home, I downloaded my scans. I have a couple of keepers in the lot. That is not bad.
Smurfette, skating across my SuperNote A5x, shot with the Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 macro lens at f/5.6, SOOC.
I am working with a trial version of DxO Photolab 7. It integrates with the NIK tools, which are somewhat legendary in their utility for post processing images.
I was pointed to Negative Lab Pro as a tool for post processing color negatives. Some of the digitizing setups I looked at are crazy!
Melissa O’Shaunessy is a New York street photographer. This interview with her is interesting enough to post.
With the new MacBook Pro, I keep having to reset the column width and window width of the Finder. This provides direction on how to make it sticky.
It is true that I have a bit of lust for a Bronica S2A medium format (6×6) camera. This review is not helping my jonesing for the system. Although the Hasselblad 500C (and 500C/M) are also suitable objects of lust, the price of a kit is pretty high.
This YT video is probably the best introduction to the Hasselblad system that I have seen.
Here is another lovely review of the Hasselblad 500 cameras.
All in all, it was a good week. I worked some, I played some, The Girl and I spent a lot of time together, indoors and outdoors. I talked to my family as well. Life is good.
