On Pens and Lenses

2024/09/092024/09/08 ruminatorLeave a comment

My journal and a vintage Esterbrook J Series in the demi size. Shot with the Sony A7Sii and a lovely Canon 55mm f/1.2 S.S.C. vintage lens, SOOC.

I write with a fountain pen most every day. In fact, I think I write with a fountain pen every day.

This year I returned to using an analog (paper) bullet journal from using a digital notebook (SuperNote). Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but in the end I enjoy the analog experience much more than the digital. So, despite the convenience of an unending supply of pages, I returned to my paper bullet journal.

I have been thinking about downsizing my possessions. Over the last year, this is a topic that was recurrent in my thoughts. (This was written as I laugh out loud looking at the additions to my camera, lens, and radio collections!) But, in the end, I want to reduce the load to include only those things I use often enough to justify a place in my life.

There are clearly cameras, lenses, radios, books, and so forth that fall on the used often enough list. There are also clearly such things that are not on said list.

As we move into the fall, I expect my workload to reduce somewhat. The field work will definitely fall off and work will turn to the desktop. But I also think I will have time to use the light tent I bought to photograph and offer for sale items from my shelves that do not pass the used enough muster.

A good (as in simple) place for me to start is with my collections of fountain pens and vintage glass. There are a good number of vintage pens in my collection that I am not going to use to any significant degree. Similarly, there are a number of lenses.

I think I should make it a fun project to try these things on paper and camera and use that exercise to filter out the unwanted. I certainly have enough items from each class that fall onto the used often enough list.

It is time to let them go.

A problem is figuring out how/where to sell the books. I used Half.com for years to sell books. But, eBay decided to kill the service. I remain unconvinced that eBay is the better platform to sell books.

My buddy loaned me a lovely Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 SSC lens to play with. The capture above was made with this lens affixed to my Sony A7Sii camera. The aperture was wide open (f/1.2) or thereabouts. The depth of field is razor thin. I should get out my Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 and shoot some comparison shots. I think the Canon might be a smidge better wide open.

I no longer have a Canon film body. I considered finding a nice Canon F1, which was a suitable object of lust when I was a young photographer. But then I might go off down the vintage Canon glass rabbit hole.

I think that, however, might be a topic for another entry in my weblog.

The Girl is doing better. I am grateful. Life is good.

Tilted Stump

2024/08/312024/08/31 ruminator

The Girl and I are walking up at the Spooner Summit site again. The heat returned this week, so we seek altitude to find cooler temperatures during our hikes. In addition, I just love the forest this time of year. The bear brush is beginning to show signs of fall (yellow leaves). Very soon the days will cool and snow will come.

This old stump is a remnant from a fire that occurred in the area some years ago. The floor mast has mostly recovered and signs of the fire on the ground are limited to a few burned remnants of trees and the plethora of stumps where dead trees were felled as a matter of safety. I presume the wood was recovered and used for gainful purpose.

I have been carrying the Fujifilm X-T5 body with the Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 lens quite a lot. It is a standard lens for the APS-C sensor of the X-T5 and I think renders one of the better images from the Fuji glass.

I used one of the Fujifilm film stock recipes from Ritchie Roesch’s Fuji X Weekly website, the Kodachrome 64 simulation. I loved K64 back when it was available. The warmer colors suit my vision well. It is a pity that Kodak stopped manufacturing the stock. I would shoot it now.

On Overwatch

2024/08/282024/08/28 ruminator

Yesterday was a good hike, once I got up the hill. I was huffing and puffing on that first steep climb out. But the rest of the hike was good even if I was a bit pressed for time.

I paused, briefly, along the way to make a few captures. I like this one of The Girl. She was not completely on-alert, having just surveyed the area for chipmunks. But, she had taken the high ground and was holding it.

She is a blast. I love her so much. Life is good.

Lucas Test Shot — Nikkor 105mm f/2 D Defocus

2024/08/272024/08/27 ruminator

I got out the Nikkor 105mm f/2 D for a few test shots with the Nikon D750. This one is at f/2 with the Defocus set to f/2 R.

In conjunction with yesterday’s post, here is the shot from the Nikkor 105mm f/2 D Defocus lens shot wide open. The background blur and bokeh are lovely, as expected. This is a big lens and wants to be carried on a big camera. It is probably not a lens I would walk around with. However, the 85mm f/1.8 is such a lens. It is on the chunky side of glass, but not unforgivably so.

However, for staged captures, the Nikkor 105mm f/2 would be an excellent choice.

I have the Nikkor 135mm f/2 D Defocus in my inventory. I need to get it out and spend a little time with it as well. These are some of the best Nikkors in existence and a reason why Nikon is one of the best manufacturers of cameras and lenses.

Lucas Test Shot — Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 AI’d

2024/08/262024/08/26 ruminator

This is a test shot with the new-to-me Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 shot wide open on the Nikon D750.

A couple of weeks ago a new-to-me Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 AI’d lens arrived. It is one of the lenses that established Nikon as a major camera manufacturer and is still revered by photographers. The later f/2 version was changed optically and does not have the same quality as the earlier f/1.8, although the AIS capability offers some advantage with more recent camera bodies. (Note: I posted an image from the Nikkor 85mm f/2 here.)

I generally prefer the AIS version of Nikkor glass because most of my cameras use the feature to improve exposure during the making of the image. However, I will always choose optical quality¹ if there is a better version of the lens.

I made the test shot of Lucas at my desk this morning. I had the D750 close at hand, after making a couple of test shots with a Nikkor 105mm f/2 D (Defocus) lens. (I will share this in another entry, later.) The shot was captured wide open (f/1.8). Sharpness is very good, I like the image quality, and the background is nicely out of focus with a lovely bokeh-ball from the living room lamp.

This lens will be fun to take to the field. It will also work on my Nikon film cameras just fine.

The week begins. I have work to do. I am grateful. Life is good.

¹While this is generally true, I certainly have a lot of vintage glass in my collection that exhibit character over sharpness. Therefore, the definition of image quality is somewhat subjective.

Howdy!

2024/08/212024/08/21 ruminator

I do not recall where I found this sign. But, I made the capture with the Fujifilm X100V at about f/8. Light post-processing with Photolab7.

I do not recall where I made this image. I found it in my archive from earlier this year. The light and color struck me as I worked through my images (as I am sure it did when I made the capture).

I just like it. Life is good!

Washoe Lake and Slide Mountain

2024/08/202024/08/20 ruminator

From the gazebo overlooking Washoe Valley, I shot this frame with the Fuji X-T1 and the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 at f/8 raw. I post-processed the image with Photolab 7 to look like Kodachrome 64.

When The Girl and I paused at the gazebo that overlooks Washoe Valley from the south yesterday, I made a few captures with the (now ancient) Fujifilm X-T1 and the Voigtlander 27mm f/2 manual focus lens (in X-Mount).

I really like this vantage point and should probably get up really early and hike it so I can catch some morning Sun just striking the valley floor. That would probably make it worth dragging the Pentax 645Nii and shooting some film.

While I stood there just taking in the scene, I thought how interesting it might be to bring a large format film camera to this location and make some captures on black and white film. With the proper filtration, the sky could be darkened to make the contrast pop. That would be best if there were a few clouds.

A couple of color frames might be interesting as well.

The Girl ignored my thoughts, of course, and focused on cooling down and her water bowl.

When I put away her bowl and stowed my camera, she jumped up, ready to continue the lizard hunt. We headed back down the hill, both satisfied and a little warm.

It was a good day. Life is good.

Not All Who Wander are Lost

2024/08/192024/08/19 ruminator

The Girl leading me down Deadman’s Creek Trail out at Washoe Lake State Park. Shot with Fujifilm X-T1, Voigtlander 27mm f/2 at f/8, and post-processed to a Tmax 400 film simulation using Nik Silver Efex Pro 6 and DXO Photolab 7.

After my physician’s appointment this morning, I decided to take The Girl out to Deadman’s Creek trail for our daily outing. It was not too hot (could have been on the south facing side of the climb) and I was surprised at the amount of vegetation growing along the creek and the coolness caused by said vegetation’s respiration. It was very cool, literally and figuratively.

The climbout tested me a bit and I was very watchful of the girl as there can be rattlesnakes there. It seems that previous traffic motivated the snakes to stay away from the trail, so The Girl had some fun chasing lizards and rodents while we hiked.

We paused at the gazebo overlook for a water break and for me to make a few captures of Washoe Lake and Slide Mountain. I finished the test roll in the Fujifilm Klasse and made a few more captures with the Fujifilm X-T1 and a lovely little Voigtlander 27mm f/2 lens. That X-T1 has been carried a lot and the body shows it. But the shutter does not have a high count because I shoot all of my cameras like I do film — deliberately.

I saw another hiker with two dogs depart the staging area, so decided to be watchful on our return trip. But, they took the cutoff (which is marked “Do not cut the trail“) and there was no canine encounter. I think that is just as well as they seemed pretty active and Sera would have loved to engage.

Maybe it would have been alright. I just never know until the dogs meet. Don’t start none; won’t be none.

As we reentered the cool of the vegetation along the creek (still water in it too, which she enjoyed), I noticed her waggle as she advanced down the trail. I made the capture.

When I arrived back home, got some stuff done, and then reviewed the images, the caption came to mind. We do wander quite a lot, The Girl and I. We are rarely lost, though. We simply like to wander.

I am grateful. Life is good.

Fujifilm Klasse

2024/08/182024/08/18 ruminator

I am interested in some of the classic film cameras. The Fujifilm Klasse has been on my list for a few months, but finding one in decent condition at a reasonable price is a challenge.

For example, the Contax¹ T2 or T3 is another interesting classic premium point-and-shoot camera. However, an influencer was seen using one and the price increased dramatically (and to stupid levels). They are bought by individuals with no knowledge of cameras (and probably photography) because a favorite content creator uses them. Meh!

OK, end of rant… I was able to snag a Klasse a few weeks ago at a reasonable price. It arrived in good physical condition and I am running a test roll through it as I write. There are a few more frames left on the roll before I send it in for processing and scanning. (I should finish the test roll today, then it will be on to another camera for a test roll.)

This is not a review². I will likely write a review at a later date after spending time with the camera. What this article is about is the handling of this little camera as I have experienced it to date.

For me, this is a pocket camera. It will easily slip into a cargo pocket or a jacket pocket. It is small, sleek, and has a good complement of controls. It is also fully automatic if that is what you want.

Like most of them I looked at for sale, my instance has a tiny bit of wear on the back in the center, presumably from being worn on a strap and rubbing on the previous owner’s clothing. That is acceptable. It is not a new camera.

The tiny LCD display on the top panel provides a frame counter, flash status, and date readout when the camera is on. Lens f-stop and zone focus are set by dials on the top and front of the camera. The lens retracts into the body when the camera is off and extends when it is on. It is a lovely Fuji 38mm f/2.6 EBC lens. I am looking forward to the results of my first test roll to see if the glass lives up to the Fujifilm reputation for lenses. I expect it will.

The Klasse is one of my grail cameras. It is a premium point-and-shoot from a bygone era. I still shoot film and expect to continue shooting film as long as I can. In many ways, I prefer the look of film photographs to digital. I like the analog look.

It will be fun to run more film through this little camera. Like any fixed lens camera, there are many situations where the 38mm focal length will work well. However, there are others where I will want one of my interchangeable lens bodies (and a few lenses) in my bag. But the Klasse fits into my pocket.

There are four rolls of film on my desk waiting to be sent for processing. There will be another from the Klasse soon and another from the Nikon F2as shortly. Then they will go into the mail to be processed and scanned.

I am grateful. Life is good.

¹Yes, Contax is not longer a German camera. It was bought by Kyocera long ago. It is still a good brand.

²I do not do technical reviews. There are a lot of those to be found on the Internet (easily searched) that have a lot of technical details about the cameras and lenses I use. I am more interested in the handling and aesthetic product of my cameras and lenses. Hence, I write reviews about those things.

Olympus OM-1 MD

2024/08/162024/08/16 ruminator

Sometime relatively long ago, an old motorcycle friend indicated that he was selling his Olympus 35mm film kit. So, I emailed and asked him what he had and what he wanted for it. His response seemed more than fair so I sent him a check.

This Olympus OM-1 MD was one of the two cameras in the lot. It actually had the motor drive cover in place. (Many of these cameras do not have the cover.) Frank took care of his equipment.

The second body was an OM-2s Program. It actually came with a box and paperwork. There were a few lenses that came with the kit as well.

Back when Steve had his shop in Sparks, my buddy Jimmy and I used to gather there for a visit. Steve took the OM-2s to his bench and checked the meter and shutter. He looked at me, a bit shocked, and said “The meter is right on and so is the shutter. This is scary good!”

We all had a good laugh over it. The OM-1 fared reasonably well, although the meter was off by a full stop. I do not recall if it was under- or over-exposing. It does not matter now.

I picked up the camera from the shelf a few months ago and found the winding mechanism jammed. It would need a repair. So, after a bit of searching, I found John Hermosa, who runs a Zuiko repair shop and sent him an email. The repair would not be cheap, but this is a fine old mechanical camera — about as simple as cameras come.

So, I sent it to him for assessment and responded a week later with a repair bill and asked for payment. I knew it would take a month or two for it to be returned.

It arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago. I mounted a Zuiko 40mm f/2 pancake lens that I had in my inventory and loaded a roll of film for some testing. When in the field, I noticed that the viewfinder did not brighten up after releasing the shutter. Some investigation revealed that the aperture blades were slow to return to wide open. I saw no oil on the blades, so the mechanism must be fouled.

I emailed Steve, who moved his business to North Dakota a few years ago, but is a trusted technician. I sent the lens to him this morning for cleaning.

That meant my first test roll is probably trash. I have not decided if I will send it for development or not.

This morning I mounted a Zuiko 50mm f/1.4 silver nose on the OM-1 and took it with me on walkies. I shot two-thirds of the 24-exposure roll on my walk with The Girl and will finish it up tomorrow.

The walk was lovely! The temperature has moderated this week and it was 72ºF when we reached the staging area. She was antsy to get out and so was I. There was another vehicle there, so I was watchful. But I saw no dog so let her out.

And off she went!

I donned my pack, which was a little heavier with a few small hand tools I added to the loadout. We headed up the trail. The sun felt good, not oppressive as it has the last couple of months. She had a blast running about hunting chipmunks.

I ran the little camera, using the internal meter. (It is an old-school match needle meter, just like what I learned on.) I made some adjustments by intuition or shot an extra frame with an exposure adjustment.

I can see why a lot of professionals chose these little cameras for their work, especially field correspondents. They are small, handy, have a good viewfinder, and the lenses are good.

I am looking forward to the results of the test roll. The 40mm lens will be a welcome addition to the kit because that is a favorite focal length.

I plan to keep this little camera and a handful of lenses to support it.

it was a good day. Life is good.

Random Ruminations

Category: photography