It might not look red in this capture, but the flaking red paint is there. Captured with the Nikon F3hp and a Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 at either f/5.6 or f/8 on Kodak Ektar, then post-processed to black and white in PhotoLab 7.
Right after it arrived, I put a roll of (long expired) Kodak Ektar 100 in the F3 and set the ISO for 50 (one stop over exposed). The rule of thumb is that the colors will be off and the film less sensitive. So, I went with it.
I mounted a Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AIS to the body, put a strap on it, and The Girl and I headed out for a hike. The hike was good and I made a few captures along the way.
Over the next few days I continued working through that 36-exposure roll. When it was finished, there were a few frames left on the roll in the F2. So It was carried a couple more days.
In the end, I sent three rolls of film to The Darkroom for processing. The scans were posted Saturday, so I downloaded them and began my review. One roll from the Nikon FM2n, one from the F2, and one from the new-to-me F3. There are actually a few frames in the lot that are keepers.
I selected the frame above to illustrate the results. It is a conversion from the Ektar roll that was done in PhotoLab. I continue to learn that tool.
I simply prefer film. Digital is so much more convenient and the technology so much better. But the analog look is what I prefer.
I like my Nikons and the Nikkor glass. I definitely like photography. Right now, as busy with other stuff as I am, it gives me a few minutes of respite from work to do something creative.
I think I made this capture using the Contax TVS on Kodak Gold 200. But, the truth is that I do not remember. I am not even sure of the location, except that it was in Southwestern Missouri on a road trip to Arkansas for the day.
Older Son and DiL had a day off while I was there early this year. We took the day to drive down to Johnsonville, Arkansas (I think) to go to the Duluth Trading Post store and to go the kids’ favorite bookstore there.
On our way to Arkansas, I noticed this state park. I cannot remember the name. It was cold but not frigid. The Girl wanted out. Although there was a leash-law posting, there was nobody around the park. So, we carried a leash, but we let her run off-lead.
I also cannot remember what camera I carried. At first I thought it was the little Contax TVS. But as I write I am not so sure. It might have been the Nikon F2 and now I think it was.
It was cold. The head was closed. But, it was still a good day. And, the capture will do.
From the same roll as the previous image, this shot southeast over Carson City and the Piñon Hills to the east of Carson City was made with the Nikon F2as and a Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 on Ilford XP2 at about f/8. No post processing.
This is another capture from the roll of 35mm Ilford XP2 I finished up on the hills between Carson City and Washoe Valley. The Girl and I drove up the steep trail on the east side of this hill, which gives a lovely view of both Washoe Lake and Carson City. An afternoon pop-up thundershower was brewing to the southeast.
I wanted to finish up the roll in the Nikon F2as and the Bronica, so I spent a half-hour walking the hilltop with Sera (keeping a sharp ear out for snakes) and making some images. This frame looks like I used a red filter to add some contrast to the sky and the exposure seems just about right. I see some detail in the cloud tops and plenty in the valley below.
It was a good day. The breeze atop the hill was a little stiff and gusty, pretty typical for a Nevada afternoon. But it also was cooling so I did not mind.
The rocks were a little rough on The Girl’s feet. So I put her back in the rig.
Sera after I put her back in the rig. Shot with Nikon F2as and a Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 on Ilford XP2 with exposure data unrecorded. No post processing was applied.
Five rolls of negatives were returned to me this week. I spent a few minutes looking through them, after reviewing the scans. I came away with a few notes, but need to formalize them.
There are a few good frames in the set. It is probably about my average hit rate. I would like to move that hit rate up, but that is probably another story.
A number of frames were significantly underexposed, both the Pentax 645Nii and the Nikon F2as. These were generally frames that had a lot of sky in them and I think it biased the in-camera meter. I would get a better result if I opened up the aperture a stop or two. (Note taken…)
I missed focus on a few frames. The take away is to be very careful when focusing, particularly the Bronica. I have a bright screen to put in the Bronica and need to get that done before I take it out again. It will help.
I replaced the screen in the Pentax with one that has a split-image/microprism cell in the center of the frame. This is going to improve my ability to focus the camera.
I need a light table and loupe for review of my negatives. I think there is a light table buried in the garage (in a box) somewhere. However, the technology has changed (for the better) since I bought it, so I will buy a new one. The LED lamps are so much better than the micro-fluorescent tubes of my original.
In the meantime, I made the capture with my new-to-me (but very old) Nikon F2as and a Nikkor 35mm f/1.4, probably using a filter (not recorded) and I did not record the exposure. The film was Ilford XP2. It is a good frame.
We were on the hills between Carson City and Washoe Valley. I have a few more good frames from that outing.
My morning mug from an outing to Rosie Jo’s Cafe in Ozark, Missouri. Shot with the Nikon F2AS on Ilford XP2. Exposure data were not recorded.
PotaLog is yet another POTA logging program. This one purports to run on Winder$ and Linux. It is based on the QT library, so it might run on OS X as well.
Directions for Bronica exposure adjustment for extension tubes and, more importantly, information about replacing the mirror and focusing screen foam.
Much information about the Bronica cameras is at this link.
Dan Schneider has some suggestions for those of us who enjoy old cameras and other devices that require mercury cells to operate.
I have an old Pentax Spotmeter in my inventory. It uses an odd mercury battery. I think it is the equivalent of three cells in series. The Spotmeter V is a newer version of my old meter. The manual indicates that three G-13 cells are to be used. These are mercury cells. However, the report in the link indicates that the author used three LR44 silver cells. That might indicate that the Pentax meter contains a voltage regulator that will adjust the output from the cells to match the requirements of the metering circuit.
An alternative is a Soligor Spot Sensor II. Like all of the Soligor products, it is not as strong as the Pentax offerings (and others), but was good for its price point.
I found a link to a Pentax Spotmeter V repair. I was looking for a circuit diagram to see if there is a voltage regulator in system. No joy yet.
And for the technically inclined owners of a Soligor Spot Sensor II, there is a calibration procedure if the meter is off.
The JS8Call Utilities software looks like an excellent addition to the JS8Call ham radio software.
A YT content creator (K7SW Radio) posted a short introduction to N4PY software. This is very cool stuff for use with older radios or as a hub for integrating a number of options and/or rig control.
Julian, OH8STN, posted an excellent review/setup video on using the Microsoft Surface Go 2/3 tablet computer for field use. The review is recommended.
An iconic American diner, the Waffle House. Shot with my Contax TVS on Kodak Gold 200. Exposure details not recorded.Some decades ago, probably in the 1980s, my practice of long road trips began. They were mostly associated with traveling from where we lived to visit family in Missouri. However, with time (and age), they have morphed into long travels for a variety of reasons. I still visit my family, but have added to that list old friends. Then there are trips added to visit work sites and just because I want to go.
What I found is the Waffle House. I have eaten breakfast at these places all over that part of the country that the franchise serves. The food is decent. It is not bistro-quality, but the short-order kind of food. I really like the waffles, the batter they use is very good. And I found that pecans in my waffle is an added tasty treat.
There is a Waffle House a few miles north from Ozark, Missouri. I am here visiting with my kids and waiting for the camper to be repaired after the blown tire tore s#*$ up. The parts are in and the camper is in the shop. Before the next leg of my trip, it will be good to have the little house restored. I really prefer sleeping in my own space.
I wished I had brought along a couple of my film cameras. Specifically, I had a Nikon FA kit partly assembled and the Pentax 645 kit was mostly assembled. But, I ran out of time to get everything done before I needed to leave. So, I left my film cameras behind.
This I regretted enough that I bought a Contax TVS point-and-shoot. It is a little point-and-shoot 35mm camera based on a Vario-Sonar zoom that is very good. I wanted the T2 (fixed lens) version, but the wannabees have driven up the price of the prime-based Contax that cameras are no longer reasonable. The TVS is a kind of sleeper that makes solid images at some cost to control. It is a point-and-shoot, after all.
I have always wanted a mechanical Nikon camera. When I was a young man, I wanted a Nikon Photomic. It was a tool of the professional, with prices accordingly. I could not afford one. I can now, so a F2AS joined my inventory along with a couple of lenses that are not in my collection.
I have lusted wanted a Hasselblad 500-series camera for a very long time. But, they are out of my price range. I might have been able to buy one four- or five-years ago, but then the prices were driven up because of the Hasselblad reputation, I suppose, and because film is becoming popular again. I have a couple of the V-mount lenses in my collection. I suppose it is now time to sell them… because…
After substantial research, the Bronica S2A is an acceptable substitute for the 500-series Hasselblad. No, it is not the equivalent. But it is close, close enough. It will provide the 6x6cm experience (and challenges). The Nikkor glass for the camera is quite good. It is a mechanical camera that should run the rest of my life. If it needs repair, it is repairable.
One wandered into my life a few days ago. I still need to introduce it. I will.
So, now at the end of my mental wandering (AKA rumination), the image can be explained. I was running a test roll through the Contax TVS and saw this scene. So I turned off the flash and made the capture. I love having access to a Waffle House from Ozark. I am often up early, so I can get out for breakfast at a favorite place. It can be an interesting place to make a few captures as well.
I like it. Life is good.
1Gear Acquisition Syndrome, an affliction of lust that many photographers succumb to that causes an increased load and a reduced bank account.
