Photography for Profit or Fun

Vintage Cameras I have Used: Hasselblad

Hasselblad and other Medium Format Single Lens Reflex Cameras

The first models of this camera series that I owned was a used Hasselblad 500C with a contingent of backs, lenses, finders, filters, etc. The Hasselblad to me is the ultimate in fine user-friendly engineering. It is well-balanced and feels like uncompromised quality in your hands, where it fits naturally with the controls at just the right places. I will mention the drawbacks first, as they are few, in my book.

The cameras produced when the line was first introduced include the 1600 (representing the top shutter speed), which was soon replaced by the next model, the 1000F (shutter speed degraded to 1/1000th sec.) These cameras used focal-plane shutters made mostly of silk, which were a weakness as they did not wear well, and they were limited in the ability to synchronize an electronic flash to them. It is my understanding that Victor Hasselblad contracted the services of Porche manufacturing in order to produce a very ergonomic camera.

I own a 1000F today as a collector. It feels very much like the later models, with the same limitation of blanking out during the each exposure, as with all 35 SLR's. These camera models are also very noisy.

The introduction of newer models of Hasselblads, providing lenses with self-contained leaf shutters instead of the focal-plane shutters in the bodies of the 1600 and 1000F (F stands for focal plane shutter) models, began in 1959, with the Model 500C.  This was a huge improvement, not only because the leaf shutter was sychcronizeable at any speed, but it was also much more durable and a tad quieter. This time Hasselblad hit a home-run. This model was not much different from the special custom models that were used by our astronauts on the moon. The essential core components are indeed the same. I have a 500 C that i use today that was built in the sixties. I wouldn't hesitate to use it to capture once in a lifetime photos, like if I landed on the moon. Hassleblad continued to evolve, with motor drives, and automatic everything, and they offer some of the finest professional digital cameras available today.  "Automatic" digital cameras have taken a lot of the science out of photography. In many ways this is a good thing. A photographer can concentrate more on the art of composition. However, the disciplnes one aquired while using the "old film cameras", that professionals used exclusively not so many years ago still reflect valid principles of how best to control light, and capture it in the most pleasing ways.

Essentially copying the hasselblads modular design, several other manufacturers introduced  medium format cameras including Bronica, and Rollei.  These were not the huge commercial successes that the Hassy's had been for several specific reasons. The Rollei's were good, but too expensive. Some people who chose them over hsselblads said they had much brighter viewfinders and were easier to see to focus. I can believe this because of Rollei's TLR great finders.

The Bronica's, Kievs, Pentacons, and Kawa's were stuck where the first Hasselblad's had been (more or less) , with focal plane shutters. Not only were they flimsy and limited in their sync speeds, there was never a good service network to depend on if they malfunctioned, which they did too frequently to count on.

But Mamiya did it again. They transfered the success they had had with their good TLR' s with interchangeable lenses to a line of SLR's. The RB67 was bigger than the Hass, but also had modular components that could be switched at will. The lenses were excellent, and had leaf shutters. They also offered the 6x7 "Perfect or Ideal Format", called this because the large image negative was precisely the same proportions as a blown-up 8x10 standard photographic print. This actually allowed a substantially larger usable negative to enlarge, which resulted in a better print, technically.

To overcome the problem of turning the huge camera sideways to get a landscape orientation, the entire back assembly could be rotated ninety degrees. The camera used more high-impact plastic than did the Hasselblad which was virtually indestructible metal. This feature along with the extra moving parts, gave the Mamiya RB67 a destructible feel. It was light enough, but too big for anything but studio work for my taste. Still, RB's were the standard for shooting weddings for several years after its introduction to the US market. I like the camera for studio work primarily.

There were other models such as the RZ67, which offered close-focusing bellows. It was just a few years before Mamiya scaled down the RB idea to offer a much more compact camera in a smaller "Perfect or Ideal Format". This camera called the 645 because of it's 6 cm x4.5 cm negative size was a great wedding camera. The negative size was not unique, as Hasselblad had already introduced a A16 back which could be used on existing models. Both enabled 15 shots of that size on standard 120 film.

I have seen Mamiya RB's, 645's with all the necessary lenses go on eBay recently for pennies on the dollar. Hasselblad still command a good price point. Occasionally a great buy can be had there if you are careful and know what you are looking for. I even recently snagged a very rear Ten year anniversary edition of the Moon Landing. There were less than one thousand of this special commemorative models made.

My Qwn Piece of Moon Pie: Hasselblad 500 EL/M Camera System

    Duke was on my most willing subject during the summer of '68. His photo was taken with Sears 125 ASA (ISO) B&W film in 1967. I used a Yashica 44 LM TLR.

 

I was fifteen years old and having a good summer. I had a physically demanding construction job building a golf course at a nearby country club. The work was hard, the summer hot. My skin and hands stayed blistered, but I was pleased to have money. I was under-paid but didn't know it, nor did I care. It was more money, off the books, than most kids made. It fueled my several hobbies.  

(continued below)

  Actual photographs taken on the surface of the moon with a Hasselblad camera, which inspired the similarities seen in the design of the EL/M Ten-Year Commemorative Models, have been seen the world over.

       

 

"10 Years on the Moon Anniversary Model", excerpted from this link: You may continue reading here: http://www.3106.net/photo/cam1025.htm

 
"Something I was not fully aware of when I bought my EL/M is that this camera is the highly collectible '10 years on the Moon' anniversary model which has been produced from 1979 to 1980. Of course I knew it to be a special version but since only 1500 of them were built, it's very special indeed. My camera has the number 0549 and came in its original box with the original booklet. The camera itself is very much the same as the standard EL/M but has a different front on the motor part und the lens. It includes a stylished picture of the moon and has the special edition number engraved. Original price in 1979 was 4500 Deutsche Mark. But even though this item is highly collectable, it was bought by me to be used, not to spend its life as a show piece in a glass box."

Too young to drive, I was still precocious enough to save 300 bucks and buy a 1963 baby-blue Ford Falcon sedan with home-made red pin-stripes. It was nice except for the stupid stripes. I took dozens of pictures of my car, and of my willing beagle-hound, and of garden vegetables, and golfers and girls at the pool adjoining the golf course where I worked. I quickly learned that the camera (given showing up later with good prints a few times) transformed an undesirably grimy construction kid, sunburned in all the wrong places, into a teenie-bopper magnet.

Dad had allowed me to use and eventually stake permanent claim on my first decent camera. It was a Yashica 44 LM he had acquired toward the waning days of his photography interest; he got it to take color scenic  127 "super-slides" with while we were still in Alaska. Even so, it was better than 35 for most things.

I was allowed to drive the couple and half rural miles to and from work without a license.  I took liberties with the arrangement until Dad found out. Although he was unhappy with me, he couldn't stay too stern when I invited him to play golf for free the following week-end on the finished holes of the new course--that and the pool were good perks.

I learned for the first time, that my ever-modest dad was a scratch golfer and I should have learned more technique from him. But I spent most of my time and money on photography equipment and cheap Sears film (Ilford, I think, and very good at that). Dad was also an excellent photographer, and he taught me a lot. I quickly soaked up all he took time to offer.

My two brothers were in Viet Nam. I thought little about going myself, although I just assumed that if I did it would be living a dream doing combat photography. The war was not popular, but you wouldn't have guessed it in our small Southern town. Nor would you have guessed that latent sexuality had been liberated, poetically dubbed "free love" by the free-press(The Pill was legal and AIDS had not been invented yet.) Laugh-In was a big TV hit. Goldie Hawn dancing in a bikini and body paint was the main attraction for to me. The age of micro-skirts was grand, but you became immune after a while. They photographed well.

Music was acid. Politics was politic. But the whole world stopped on July 20, 1969, to witness Apollo 11 land on the surface of the moon. Neil Armstrong took one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Armstrong, Collins, mand Aldrin were everyone's best heroes. The world was not yet cynical enough to invent landing fraud conspiracy stories. Had they been, I was still enough boy-scientist to explain that the signals received on my home-made short-wave radio easily confirmed the event beyound doubt, by calculating speed of RF waves (as well as by the triangulation of signals by other hams--to calculate location, but which also afirmed distance by default. My log books show the calculations).

Who would want to steal this great moment in history, anyway? Certainly, only those who didn't experience it firsthand. 

       

I wept when I learned that the Hasselblad cameras used to take those wonderful moon photos, had been left there on the surface of the moon. I still occasionally pause to think how I might retrieve them. The following spring, I would land a job as a flunky for a cool-creative-photographer-hero-role-model. HE had a Hasselblad--the first one I was ever allowed to use. I did so reverently.

It would be several years before I owned my own Hasselblad camera, and a few more before I had my own ten-year anniversary edition of the famous "Moon Camera" dubbed the EL/M. There were only a thousand made in silver trim (500 in black). The motor-drive has a small gold emblem of the moon, against the gray finish. It looks very much like the ones first used during the Apollo 11 Mission, except for the finish. The actual moon cameras had a special reflective surface designed deflect rays that could have added heat and contributed to unwanted solar lens flares--such as the one in the fifth picture below, intentionally induced for effect and to illustrate this phenomenon. Such a finish would not wear well for everyday use. The serial number of mine is 0301 of 1000. 

   

Here are a few images of MY moon camera. Notice the similarities to the actual EL/M camera left on the moon, which is also pictured below. The differences are [mostly cosmetic] ;the design of my camera was clearly inspired by the original. The finder is very low profile--a small "Sport-finder" mounted where the flash accessory mount usually is, and the dark-slide is oversized to accomodate the heavy space gloves. I have a Hasselblad sport-finder attachment, which works the same way and I have considered making an over-sized darkslide handle for cold weather gloved use.

  

A distinctive, though supprisingly unpretentious gold emblem and serial number plate, marks each of the rare Ten-year Moon-landing Annaversay Edition of the  Hasselblad EL/M . You find this on the front of the drive just below the lens mount.  

   

 

Mine was/is a working camera, but it is/was generally cared for better than it's owner.  My joy, yeah, and my pride. Today it still resonates a tangible energy in my hands. That same reverence, multiplied by history.

As the flag-ship in what remains of my world-class vintage camera collection outlasts me, I will unflinchingly pass the legacy on to one who appreciates all ... some...of what my old hassie represents. Someone who snorts at the conspiracy crowd, "They've too much time on their hands, lacking brains". Someone who knows the diff between film grain and 0101010101010101, even with 16.7 million colors--or more with RAW. We can see the difference, as we can hear it in vacuum tubes. Or can we?

    

 

 

Original Ten Year Anniversary models EL/M included special packaging, a gold(ish)-covered Moon Picture Book, a gold-plated dark slide, as well as a heavy bronze token, as pictured below, compliments of moon-camera original owner Glenn Nakamichi gnakamichi@sbcglobal.net>.  I am told that not all of the 1500 1979 Editions came with these tokens. I at first suspected that they were separated by those having the opportunity, before they reached the retail customer, but Glenn explained that it was provided after-market, as an incentive for registering the camera. It was then mailed to the owner. This token is awesome, and quite rare. I didn't even know these existed until Glenn sent me the pix. I think he had forgotten about it himself for about thirty years. Nice touch.

Maybe even someone who knows a bit about fine glass algorithms and the finest mechanical engineering. Knows what a slide rule is, and maybe even how to use one. Perhaps someone who still turns the pages of Shakespeare's Greatest Works, without thinking such a man never really existed. Someone who believes that Men really did walk on the moon one fine summer day. 

I now stand advised to have my affairs in order. My kids have no interest in vintage cameras. My wife has no need, nor even a guess of their values. Therefore I have been divesting myself of all such belongings. You can catch what's left on eBay.

 

  

More Link: http://history.nasa.gov/apollo_photo.html http://history.nasa.gov/apollo_photo.htm 

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/hasselblad/cameras/hasselmodels/hasslemodel.htm 

 http://www.hasselblad.com/about-hasselblad/hasselblad-in-space.aspx

http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HS/HSTable.aspx

Owners of Moon Cameras are invited to contact me or to post to this blog with additional information or comments.

eBay Store http://stores.shop.ebay.com/My-Vintage-Camera-Collection-Sale__W0QQ_armrsZ1

More on Hasselblad 500C

 
 
This is a product review that I wrote for eBay, but didn't have room to complete. I have since updated and expanded it somewhat.

 

 


The Haselblad 500C (the model 500CM is merely a slightly updated version of this camera), was the first successful 6x6 negative camera Single Lens Reflex System Camera ever devised that used leaf Compur shutter, synchonizing shutter with electronic flash at all shutter speeds. From the onset,It was intended to fill a void that Victor Hasselblad and company saw in the camera market during the late fifties the last century.It was also intended to be quite simply, "the best Camera ever produced".

Many photographers would agree that 500C achieved this goal. It changed photography forever. It was also the clear choice of the astronuats and the 500C as well as subsequent models were used during the Appolo Moon Mission. An electricly-driven model, and another sister model was even used on the moon's surface itself.=The things I like most about the Hasselblad 500C are as follows:1)It was engineered by Hasselblad, with the help of the famous car makers at Porche, to be very ergonomic.In my hands,it has always felt very natural, with all the controls falling exactly in place, or within easy reach. For those who may feel differently, I  submit that they may not be using it as intended.

 

For so many things times have changed greatly since 1958, but most of the mechanics of film cameras are still the same. However some of the routine techniques used then, have been lost on later generations.

2) The camera, as a system, allows the user to select from a vast array of lenses, backs, film formats, finders, filters, lens-shades, adapters, releases, and assessories designed to fill virtually any need.

Although relatively expensive, the 500C can even be fitted with a digital back to become one of the finest digital cameras available). You'll find that many of these lenses still sell for a premium. With adapters widely available to make manual use of these superior optics with virtually any advance model of any major make of new digital cameras.

Using your digital camera iun the manual mode should be something that every serious photographer knows how to do. It's more than a drill in the use of historical film cameras. It opens a wide range of control over your new camera, which tries very hard to anticipate your needs and allow for them. New digital SLR's  are designed to satisfy as many needs a possible in the Auto mode. Anyt one who can aim a camera and push a button can get decent photographs in the Auto mode.

Next, the new digital cameras allow, for those who are willing to take the time to read their camera's Operation Manual for a half hour or more (or who already understands  and knows how to use the concepts represented by the Preset Icons, and actually try each pre-set function to visually compare the results against the same subject with the picture taken on Auto, can gain a lot more versatility toward making better photographs.

And for those who are willing to become serious students of photography and to learn how to both use their cameras manually AND how to understand and use all of the new digital functions on a camera are in photographic heaven! This is why I am adamant with all of my students that they should early-on learn to use a manual camera. this is actually best done with a vintage film camera, which was designed ONLY to be used manually, because that's the only way they could be used.

Before I return directly to the 500C specifically as an excellent choice when selecting a vintage manual film camera for the historical education and cllector value, for the benefit of learning how to use a manual camera, AND for the actual final delivery of some of the best photographs technically achievable, let me quickly relate how this process of using a hi-bred manual/digital features skill set can enhance their flexibiliity to the max.

I immediately see that I need to make a new and sperate post from the beginnings of the next paragraph or two that I am now going to relate now:  but that will come later, and this is for now:

Without sounding either too dramatic or too boring, "Let's Take an Enlightened Photographic Walk Through the park", with an advanced new digital SLR camera , taking pictures of this and that, in order to show how the hi-bred knowledge of manual and digital features can work in helping us, "Convert the Mundane, into The Sublime", or "How to find precious Photographic Gems, Literally in our Backyards". There--now have three new posts to add to this Weblog soon. I can't do this justise in a couple of paragraphs, so when I write these new blog posts, I will fill the links in here.

For now, may it suffice to know that I did this very exercise yesterday just for grins, without planning on writing about it, and I am even more excited than ever about both conveying this information to you, and the actual process of the Hi-bred approach which you can and should learn. The Hasselblad 500C provides among the best ways to learn this, AND you can adapt the lenses for it to your new cameras, using them manually, by simply purchasing adapters to attach these superb glass optics to your new camera bodies.

[Links to be added. As this part is an updated and expanded older post written for eBay--I promise (Today's date 1/25/2011)--to write this series of posts above referenced within the next fw days.]

Now on the used market, in a new generation of fewer vintage-camera-informed digital camera buyers, it is not always immediately apparent that these prices are turly outstandling bargains, at a fraction of their original prices, especially with inflation allowed for. This camera was once beyound the financial means of many if not most photograpehrs. There were reasons for this. It was worth it then, and it is worth it now.

The 500C, as it is came from the factory used a medium format 6x6 (2-1/4 inch square) medium format negative.This format, much misunderstood today, provided the real "ideal format", because cropping could be done within the viewfinder either horizontally, or verticaloly, or left square, without having to turn the camera sideways. Then the cropping was done in the lab or darkroom. Today it is done in the computer software.

4) Single Lens Reflex cameras have become very much the norm today, but at the time the 500C was made, SLR's were just coming into their own. In the larger (than 35 mm) format they were virtually

unheard of. This provided a highly-enlargable negative that totally out-classed the 35 mm format. It still does today for big enlargements. This was largely due to the technological and economical limits of technology at the time.

So a Single Lens Reflex, with a Leaf Shutter resident in each lens, in medium format caused about as much stir as did America's answer to the Russia Sputnik space satellite: that 500C is the TELSTAR! But unlike the Telstar, we BEAT the USSR on this. These were parallell historical events of the time. Let me be clear when I say WE, I mean the free world as the 500C originated in Sweden and is one of Sweden's and the Free World's finest moments during the Cold War.

The Telstar inspired the Ventures electric guitar led hit of the time--heard all over the world. The 500C camera inspired phographers to greater heights of creative photography all over the world. Yes, it really WAS that big a deal.

In truth, one is very hard-pressed to get as good an image made from a digital camera of "standard" sizes today, as one gets by using good modern films, processing, and quality digital scanning.

5) SLR cameras also enable the user to see exactly what is seen through the viewfinder, and therefore exactly what will transfer to the film, right up to the moment that the mirror blacks out the image for the length of the exposure, as with any SLR . This is an advantage over rangefinder or electronic display cameras. [with the recent advent of the new Digital Sony Alpha 55? and 35? this problem has been overcome. AND THIS IS ALSO A REALLY BIFG DEAL!]

6) The camera can take a variety of different film sizes by simply changing the backs, including digital, and/or Polaroid-type instant picture films.

7) The large negatives can be more easily seen on a light-table or even just held up to the light, in order to quickly select for final images for scanning. Even at this late time in the process, there is more image to choose from for an ideal crop, if it is cropped at all.8)In my opinion, there are no finer optics than those made for the Haselblad camera (out of room) try here for nuetral non-ad on the 500C: Jump to here for more:

http://notesandnods.typepad.com/photography_for_profit_or/2008/10/my-very-own-pie.html

Baby Rollei & Yashica 44 127 Film Cameras - Family and Friends

 

"Big things were not only happening in the photographic world, but on every front."

As mentioned in previous posts, the first adjustable camera that I ever had access to was my dad's Yashica 44 EM (or LM). I was in the fourth grade, nine or ten years old, living in Fairbanks Alaska in the winter of 1963, I think, when I first used my Dad's little Yashica 44 EM in earnest. 1963 was one of several very important years that greatly impacted the world during the era. Big things were not only happening in the photographic world, but on every front.

 

While new transistor radios (among the firsts fruits of the miniaturization research incident to NASA's race to the moon) blared carefree tunes by the Beach boys singing about surfing and muscle cars and girls,The Drifters singing about rooftops, and Roy Orbison wailed about going back to his Blue Bayou--long before other singers claimed it--and a cadre of other goldies were unleashed upon the first of a generation of maturing baby-boomers--it was a popular pastimes to capture memories with handy still cameras. Prices came down and a wide range of camera shapes and brands emerged to a relatively wealthy consuming public in the USA.

"They were armed and nervous and not a bit nice as they stripped the film out of everyones Brownies."

 

Shown above left is a Baby Rolleiflex--gray model; the link shows more indepth pictures. http://notesandnods.typepad.com/photography_for_profit_or/2009/09/more-pictures-of-reviewed-vintage-cameras.html

"The ailing U2 spy-plane was one photo op I allowed to get by. I'm still kicking my own butt, some 45 years later."

U-2 at The Imperial War Museum, Duxford

The large wingspan and resulting glider-like characteristics of the U-2 make it highly sensitive to crosswinds which, together with its tendency to float

Although proper protesters such as Joan Baez ballad-ed about serious causes and overcoming and the war in Southeast Asia quietly heated up, life was good for many Americans. Conservative values were still being observed by the masses, although the roots of free-love and anti-war protests were being sewn and nurtured to erupt a few years later. !963, began as a very good year for Americans. This time period was better documented than any previous era--largely owing to the volume and variety of still and movie cameras flooding into the market.

"This time period was better documented than any previous era--largely owing to the volume and variety of still and movie cameras fooding into the market."

A young President John F. Kennedy Kennedy and his wife and family had captivated the world with their money, youth and good looks. Camelot, they called it. JFK had backed down Russian Premier Nikita Kruschev in the Cuban Missile Crisis. We have actual still photos pertaining to these events. The United States dispatched flying U2 spy-planes utilizing specialized cameras, played a crucial role in this dangerous game, but their existence was staunchly denied until one was shot down over Russia. 

"During its hay-day, the 127 4x4 format gave rise to first the Baby Rollie Twin Lens Reflex camera, which in turn spawned a number of copies." 

While my family living in a small base in the Arctic near Kotzebue, a U2 made an emergency landing at our Federal Aviation Agency landing strip near the Air Base. A security detail from the base just six miles away was dispatched to keep their secrets. The burly young men, who probably saw little action in our geography, looked more like disallusion college kids about the age of my oldest brother who was then a nuclear weaponist in the Navy.

"The Russians named a camera after their Sputnik."

They were armed and nervous and not a bit nice as they stripped the film out of everyones Brownies. They were stationed, as were we, gazzilion miles from anywhere. If only I had had my camera with me that day, I was foolish and clever enough to try something covert, even in the fifth-rade. The ailing U2 was one photo op I allowed to get by.

Russia did their nuclear tests in Siberian. The natural travel of the nuclear fallout was right over Alaska. At times our government required employees and families to wear little pen-looking devices called dosimeters to record the daily radiation doses we received. Very little was really know about nuclear energy and fall-out at the time.We were told not to eat the fresh snow, but we did anyway.

Americans were fully embroiled in the heat of the Cold War. Russia has successfully launched the Sputnik, an orbiting satellite, and the USA followed with the Telstar and soon a challenge that pitted the US against the USSR in a Race for the Moon. The Apollo Missions were gathering steam and we were allowed to watch many of the events unfold on black and white television at school. The Ventures had titled an electric-guitar-heavy instrumental after the Telstar Satellite. It was an exciting time of patriotism and national pride. The Russians named a camera after their Sputnik.

"The 127 film format which had been around since shortly after the turn of the century was gaining new life, driven by these miniature TLR cameras."

Most Americans had not yet wearied of the Viet Nam conflict; few even knew much about the conflict, nor even where the place was. It was accepted as necessary to stem the tide of Communism that threatened our own cherished tenants of freedom and Capitalism. This was the general thought at the time and it was swallowed hook-line-and sinker by most Amercans. And maybe it was even true in the beginning.

President Kennedy had come to be regarded as a hero-figure and was highly respected, even by many who had voted against him. One minor thing I remember was his mandatory physical education program at school which would affect the physical health of us kids for years to come.

". . . the 4x4 negative size was particularly popular for making the so-called Super Slides."

The Space Program defined a generation as the Space Age was upon us. Few people today realize that the side benefits of technology, such as modern computers--were as a result of NASA-driven research into making things smaller. Without it the need would not have been there.  

Really exceptional school teachers are rare. They make a huge impact on children. My fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Kanopka, where I attended Fox Elementary School in, Alaska, did a lot for my confidence. I was a government brat, and as such perpetually stood out wherever we were required to live. I learned coping behavior that has served me all my life. My confidence was at low-ebb, but Mrs. Kanopka, fourth-grade teacher par excellent' knew how to motivate me. Praise--it Will work every time. Photography played a roll in her scheme.

"The square format had long been lauded for its ability to provide both horizontal and vertical cropping fro popular print sizes after the picture had been taken. It also provided a larger color slide image."

During the late thirties, forties, fifties and half of the sixties the 4x4 negative size was particularly popular for making the so-called Super Slides. As noted above, they provided a much larger image area than 35 mm, and thereby a larger projected slide image; the mount was about the same size as a 35mm slide mount and would fit in the same 35 mm projectors.

During its hay-day, the 127 4x4 format gave rise to first the Baby Rollie Twin Lens Reflex camera, which in turn spawned a number of copies. Yashica led the pack in sheer numbers of these creations and was in fact among the best imitators in terms of quality and survivability. Atg least the Yashica optics were good--and generally better than imagined. I will describe the other imitators later, but this post explains how I came to use a Yashica 44 variant as my first good camera.

"But Rollei was still the king of quality. There always was and still is a tangible difference in the feel of these cameras. Half a century of more later, the differences are even more evident."

The Yashica 44 LM Twin Lens Reflex camera was a popular Japanese-made knock-off of the Rolleiflex Baby Rollei. There were several others, but Yashica had risen to the top of Japanes camera imports. The TLR design was still very much alive, but it was becoming evident that 35 mm cameras was overtake them for most amateur photographers and some professionals.

"The Yashica 44 LM Twin Lens Reflex camera was a popular Japanese-made knock-off of the Rolleiflex Baby Rollei."

The 127 film format which had been around since shortly after the turn of the century was gaining new life, driven by these miniature TLR cameras. The Rollei, Yashica, and other TLR cameras were small enough to compete with 35 mm cameras. And although they made fewer exposures per roll, they did make a significantly larger negative, 4 centimeters each way. The square format had long been lauded for its ability to provide both horizontal and vertical cropping for popular print sizes after the picture had been taken. It also provided a larger color slide image.

These 4x4 cameras were always a niche-market, but they filled a pretty big niche at that. Yashica was the biggest benefactor of the design that Rolleiflex had invented in the Baby Rollei super-slide camera. But Rollei was still the king of quality. There always was and still is a tangible difference in the feel of these cameras. Half a century of more later, the differences are even more evident.

". . . the TLR design, having reached its evolutionary apex at Rollei design engineer's hands, was being embellished by playful or show-off German engineers for the sheer joy of engineering."

One curious design difference that Rollei engineers incorporated into their Baby Rollei design was that the shutter and controls would not work unless the viewfinder hood was flipped up. This feature, different from any of the knock-offs, was apparently to discourage children or casual handlers who had no business using them, from playing with them or accidentally exposing pictures.

But this is a stretch. I rather suspect that the TLR design, having reached its evolutionary apex at Rollei design engineer's hands, was bing embellished by playful or show-off German engineers for the sheer joy of engineering. They were having to stay up nights to figure out any improvements to make on these optical mechanical marvels. Indeed, I at least, consider these Baby Rollie's to be the very best design and construction that Rollei ever achieved. 

Often in the afterlife of vintage cameras, collectors, unaware of these facts will relegate the 4x4 127 film cameras to some inferior level. The exact opposite is in fact the truth. People, put off  by the common misconception that 127 film can no longer be had. Although a little difficult to find, it is available from a number of sources and can even be hand-rolled by the industrious photographer. It is certainly worth the effort, in order to enjoy the use of these gems.

"127 film was first introduced by Kodak in 1912 or thereabouts"

All of these miniature Rolliflex cameras and knock-offs fit twelve images (or more sometimes if you knew how) on a roll of 127 film. 127 film was first introduced by Kodak in 1912 or thereabouts, to accommodate the small size of the Kodak vest pocket cameras It became one of the main-stay film formats for most of the century--only discontinued around 1995.

I don't hesitate to call my first Yashica 44 LM or EM a good camera. It served me well, with good optics and durability, until a friend borrowed it and evidently dropped it. He asked to borrow it, and after much hesitation and instructions to keep it securely around his neck, I relented. When he gave it back nothing worked. The Yashica repair facility said, "irreparable, due to damages associated with impact." I was heart-sick. I unsuccessfully tried to repair it, and put it carefully up for later.

"Only two kinds of people attempt to repair cameras: camera repairmen, and fools."  

Several truisms emerged from my first good camera experience.

1) Don't loan your equipment.

2) Don't try to repair you own camera--unless you have nothing left to lose.

3) TLR 4x4's are fine cameras.

I worked after school on weekends, and during summers for a photographer at the time. I was a darkroom kid and general flunky. I had no doubts that photography would play an important roll in my life. For youngsters, something may be learned by this experience too. I was a fairly negatively-oriented kid by default. But I had been reading various positive self-help books that got me thinking a little bigger. It gave me the idea to ask for a part-time job with this photographer. Had I not asked, nothing would have happened.

As it turned out, this association was to be very important to me, if maybe a unexpected bit of drama for him. I think the book that urged me to act was Napoleon Hill's, Think and Grow Rich. The title is a misnomer, and was his publishers choice rather than his. I recommend this book to anyone. Bill Ward, my photographer boss, taught me a supposed ancient parable. "Only two kinds of people attempt to repair cameras: camera repairmen, and fools."

It's pretty good advice. But if you have nothing to lose with a hopelessly broken camera, and you have a modicum of mechanical ability and a lot of patience, why not try? You'd want to get a good repair manual which today is much easier with the vast resources of the Internet.

"I did try to repair the little Yashica myself, but at the time it was out of my league."  

had no small tools and less mechanical experience, although I think understood what was wrong with it. I put it in plastic and away for another day. I wish I could find it. Instead, I will turn to the half-dozen other similar Yashica 44's that I have acquired over the years. They came in several flavors and configurations, but are all essentially the same in construct.

They all have similar Yashinon lenses. These are excellent optics. I lost many of my genre photos in one of my moves, but I will post a few including one made of my dog, which is used elsewhere in this blog. It was made in 1967 or thereabouts, with that old Yashica 44.

I plan to add sample photographs to this post in the near future. We will see by objective comparison how the Yashica 44 lenses measure up against the  famous Baby Rollie lenses. My collection also includes two prime Baby Rollei's. The Rollei's are clearly constructed and packaged better than the Yashica copies. But we'll just have to see how the optics stack up. We may be surprised.

Now a few caveats if you ever are fortunate enough to own one. First, the 127 film size is readily available from various specialty film manufacturers and dealers. You'll probably have to order it over the Internet. I will include links at the end of this post of several sources, but any Internet search should disclose sources for film. These 127 TLR's and other 127 models have become cult classics with hard-core fans who, world-wide, will probably never allow the format to completely die. It is certainly making a comeback.

". . . the 127 film size is readily available from various specialty film manufacturers and dealers. You'll probably have to order it over the Internet."

For the determined and the ambitious, there are also ways to cut other roll-film sizes down and re-roll it to fit 127 reels. So save your reels. If you ever undertake to do this, first try it with old film in the light. It gets pretty hairy in the dark.

Any 127 camera you acquire will undoubtedly have collector value, but these are worthy of actual use as well. Putting the camera though its paces will keep it from seizing up. So remember, to keep your cameras working, take them out and operate the controls now and then.

If you happen to be so fortunate as to acquire a Baby Rollei model of the 4x4 TLR, remember that you may save some time by knowing in advance that the camera was designed so that it would NOT operate unless the top viewfinder hood is in the UP position. I am guessing that more than one Baby Rollei has ended up in the junk pile, because this idiosychrocy wasn't realized. 

". . . the excellent engineers at Rollei liked to play jokes . . ." 

It seems that the excellent engineers at Rollei liked to play jokes or were inclined to unnecessarily over-engineer their products out of sheer cleverness--as I can think of no real use for such a feature--unless to keep children from unwittingly disturbing the controls or settings--or perhaps to keep the Allied Forces from using the cameras.

If you have never used a Twin Lens Reflex camera you may be surprised, even dismayed when you look down into the so-called waist-level viewfinder. To engage the viewfinder of any such camera you may have to first push the back hood release release button one way or the other, but it should also be pretty obvious how to release it. Once you tug the back edge or corner of the viewfinder upward, it will spring into place. The extra magnifier can be popped up by pushing the front (top when in the down position) of the viewfinder hood inward toward you. This springs into place in such an orientation that you can place your eye to it and see through the finder clearly.

"This is one of the few drawbacks of the TLR designs."

If the subject you want to focus on is not clear, you will need to turn the knob located on the right side of the camera to and fro until the image clears. If you have never manually focused a camera, you will find that over-shooting the clear focus forward and backward in decreasing amounts will soon bring you very close to a clear image. You then only need to make very minute adjustments to clear the image entirely.

Remember, however, that you are viewing through the top lens, and not getting a true picture of the actual depth of field rendered by the setting of the lower taking lens. This is one of the few drawbacks of the TLR designs. But it is not much of a flaw, once you learn to use the zone-focus markings around the top of the lens. More about this later.

For now, you'll notice that everything seems to be backward. This is due to the mirror that directs the view around the right angle from the lens to the viewfinder. This peculiarity has caused even the most-knowledgeable modern camera enthusiasts a degree of consternation. I recently read a camera blogger's post who declared that this was one of the reasons the TLR designs "never caught on." I had to chuckle, as this blog was hung out as an expert source. Contrary to his quick rush to judgment, the TLR design has been one of the most enduring and popular designs ever devised. It began during the 1920's and continues today in several countries.

". . . your brains' neurons rewired themselves so that the image looks correct to you."

The truth is that within a very short period of getting used to the reverse image, you will not notice it as a handicap again. Your brain, being the fine computer that it is, compensates for this viewing problem. You could say that your brains' neurons rewired themselves so that the image looks correct to you. This doesn't take very long at all, although you will think it is a terrible handicap at first. Just persevere and you'll see that what I am saying is indeed true.

As I told my friend, keep the strap around your neck so that the chance of dropping it is minimized. The soft case will help if you do drop it, but it is not foolproof armor. Best to just not drop it. The actual viewing level is not quite as low as waist-level, but you will need to bend forward and place your eye down to the pop-up magnifier to focus. You can then drop the magnifier and compose with your eyes at a farther distance from the viewfinder, however, the image is quite small. I typically keep my eye to the magnifier throughout the process. Again, you just develop a feel for using the TLR finder effectively.

". . . not easily noticed that you are looking to the side--a veritable periscope."

One advantage to the right angle viewing design is that you can hold the camera over your head above a crowd oe other obstacles. You'll invariable see this feature depicted in period movies, but I probably haven't actually used the technique more than a couple of dozen times in my life. It does offer an advantage. I recently watched Fred Astaire as a newspaperman or something, using the overhead technique in one of his old black and white classics.

You can similarly take candid pictures of an unsuspecting child, or pretty woman if you prefer, unnoticed by turning the lens at right angles to your body. You still look down into the camera and are not easily noticed that you are looking to the side--a veritable periscope.

http://notesandnods.typepad.com/photography_for_profit_or/2008/11/yashica-44-continued.html

Meopta, the Overlooked Warsaw Pact TLR Cameras

"Meopta and other excellent Eastern European camera makers are really just now being discovered by the Western world."

"What about Meopta?" a soft male voice asked from the back of the class.

Many years ago, I developed a now fairly-well-known posing method known as Wright's Wrap-and-Roll (explained within this blog). At the time there was an inexcusable absence of any easy to learn starting-point for beginning photographers. I have since taught this method freely to many--some of whom, have shamelessly called it their own. (I still have attendance rolls to my classes, but all in all who gives a flip.) Ha. 

"Meopta, huh. Are you sure you are saying that right?" The instructor foolishly chided.

A dozen or more years ago, I was asked to be a presenter at a series of photographic classes offered by the City of Germantown, Tennessee where I (BTW very nice place). I never critique or correct or comment when I attend these seminars--unless I am asked to--even though I have to laugh to myself at times. Arrogance and know-it-all is never appreciated. Besides, I may be wrong in my opinions. Photography is sometimes a subjective art.

But I almost came out of my chair, and did make some corrections behind the scenes after the following played out in class. An older gentleman with a dignified and contained demeanor spoke up a couple of times when the varieties and relative quality of vintage Twin Lens Reflex cameras was under discussion. Digital was much less of a factor at the time--as it really had not arrived yet for the average hobby photographer. 

"The old gentleman was thin and fit-looking and had a graying mustache that resembled those seen on in the pictures of the aging Einstein."

The old gentleman was thin and fit-looking and had a graying mustache that resembled those seen on in the pictures of the aging Einstein--except for being better trimmed. He had an Eastern European, English accent as well. The class instructor either didn't hear the man, or didn't have a ready answer, but the man persisted until he was acknowledged.

The instructor was caught flat. There is nothing wrong with not knowing but one should never try to fake it among virtual peers regarding a subject in question. But evidently this is what the instructor did.

"Meopta, huh. Are you sure you are saying that right?" The instructor foolishly chided. I was becoming embarrassed for both parties for the developing situation. I was hoping that the instructor would give it up, but he didn't.

"Sir, you must not have been here day we discussed the fleet of Japanese cameras that flooded the market during the fifties and sixties--there were hundreds--that came and went. They weren't very good."

"For users and collectors as well, these circumstances provide a wonderful opportunity for easy-pickings at dream-about prices. It can't last that long."

The old gentleman was exactly that, a gentleman. He only smiled, but didn't say more. I raised my hand quickly and spoke without being asked to.

"Yes, oh sir, yes, back here. I will discuss Meopta on break if you like."

He smiled more broadly. I asked, "Are your from the Czech Republic? You are fortunate to have one. Fine cameras. Yes." He appeared grateful. I didn't look at the instructor--and he quickly went on to another topic. But I was somewhat surprised, as the fall of the Soviet Union and respective satellites governments had opened these countries up to a whole genre of excellent cameras some twenty years earlier and still, they were not much known.

This condition of relative ignorance concerning a number of European cameras has not changed that much. But it will. There are others, but of them all The Meopta series of TLR's stand out as one of the oldest makers of fine TLR's--sharing a legacy of at least three camera and optics companies as they were merged into one under communist rule and the name of Meopta prior to the Soviet break-up. This Western predilection to scoff at "Commie" products--or at the very least the failure to acknowledge these fine products--coupled with the mass defection of film users to digital cameras--has kept these products out of the mainstream eye.

For users and collectors as well, these circumstances provide a wonderful opportunity for easy-pickings at dream-about prices. It can't last that long. The camera-collector appetite was first and continues to be driven by Japanese collectors--primarily interested in obtaining good examples of the myriad of vintage Japanese cameras--which are still plentiful. Of course, the better-known European cameras are also highly sought after. Meopta and other makers are really just now being discovered by the Western world.

As always, I try to point out those exceptional values when I see them. This is one of them for those who act quickly.

I discovered Meopta before most Americans did just by hap-stance. I have been a marksman as long as I have been a photographer. I grew up as a sportsman. With my family living or traveling in a variety of locations that supported the cause of guns as a necessity of life, it was only natural to grow up around guns and optics. And living through the so-called Space-Age, sciences including physics and astronomy were my cup of tea; I had an interest in telescopes and binoculars and other optical devices.

 

Another urchin and I once set the older boys' hide-out on fire in Kotzebue, Alaska--above the Arctic
Circle. It was accidentally done with a thick magnifying glass out of a projector so something. I was just there. He did it. But I got beat up and thrown in the Bearing Sea, and left for Dad because of it. But that's another story and I can't rightly figure out how to tie it in with cameras. Oh, but I can with guns. Dad went looking for them with a Ruger 44 Magnum revolver. Fortunately, he didn't find them. And Dad had a scope for that pistol--although it wasn't on it at the time.

The scope was not a Meopta, but we did have a Meopta rifle scope at some point. I don't know how we came by it. Russia was just across the strait form us. And contrary to the fun made of Sarah Palin, there is a lot of Russian cross-pollination those parts. Siberia and Alaska have a lot in common.

Then, being the boy scientist, I also knew the name as associated with microscopes. Meopta. Opema, one of the entities that became Meopta, was active in cameras and lenses long before the Iron Curtain sealed chech products off from the rest of the free world. The Flexarette Twin Lens Reflex cameras emerged during the 1930's. They were good cameras with good optics. When Communist rule began after WWII, several camera and lens companies were merged and Meopta was what they sere called.

As with other camera manufacturers, camera quality suffered due to lack of parts and material during and after the war. Cameras were in demand as part of the war effort. This was true with all countries. A lot of documentation was done for propaganda purposes by all warring entities. You don't think much about it, but cameras were very important, and left us with a lot of history of the war.

By the fifties most camera companies were again making good products, Including Meopta. I once owned an "off-brand" enlarger. It was the best enlarger I had ever used. I got it for a little of nothing and sold it for a fortune. It was made by Meopta, which I remembered from my youth.

So somewhere in the past thirty years or so, when I ran across Meopta cameras--all TLR's, I got them. I paid little for them, couldn't  find out much about them form anywhere. I still don't know all that much about them. Most sources don't seem to include them among the very good TLR's. But the ones I have had have been excellent.

 

I will show pictures of the for or five that I still have in my collection along with comparative photographs to compare with other cameras. The cameras do look and feel good, but for whatever reason, about half of the ones I have run across were non-functional in some way. On the other-hand most of the other TLR's that I class as very good manufacture, have been operable. This is not scientific and may prove nothing. Then again it may say something about their quality of construction, design, or lack thereof. Still,I like them.

Note: The above complaint is an old problem. I was wrong about the Meoptas being problematic. I feel stupid because several designs DO require the tension of film loaded in the camera to work properly.  When I finally tested those models (I don't know why some worked without film) they almost all worked with the film loaded. So make note of this to be checked before you chunk one as lousy.

With this bit of knowledge rediscovered, because I think I knew this at one time, I have to declare the Meopta Flexarette and earlier models among the overall best TLR's ever made.

Another day, another view. I have sometimes made the claim that in many ways Meopta Flexaret TLR cameras, in all their variations, rivals Rolleiflex TLRs. There are seventeen different models or more depending upon when you start counting. Meopta is a combination of several optics and camera companies that began in the early thirties. Some of these models have unique features that no other TLR's have. Thee optics areof their own making, but they are second to know, as this company was and still is one of the great optical companies of all time. Soptting scopes and rifle scopes and miroscopes and other optical equipment comes at a premium from Meopta--as they are considered among the best

The Flexaret models have a variety of accessories including filters and masks and adaptors for different size films, such as 127 and 135. The camera bodies are made well and seem to hold up quite well. Some models require film in them to work right, so don't toss one until you check this feature. These cameras are finding their way onto eBay at rediculously low prices. If I had a choice of buying an equally outfited Meopta Flexaret model for model against a Rollei at the same price, I would probably buy a Rollei--simply becuase it is currently worth more. But given time, the Flexaret will become just as vaulable if not more so.

For many years, I have been scarfing up Meopta Cameras and enlargers, and other quality optical equipment made by Meopta at bargain prices. Now I am selling them all as I sell my entire camera collection. But it would be a worthy place to start for a new collector/photographer to get as many Flexarets and other associated models as possible.

Don't just take my word for it. Check it out below.

http://www.meopta.com/index.php?id=311

http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Flexaret_VII

http://www.tlr-cameras.com/Czech/slides/5.%20Meopta%20Flexaret%20IIa%20(first%20Meopta).html

In French, with good pictures. http://ebgy.free.fr/photo/flexaret.htm

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/FLEXARET/

http://www.tlr-cameras.com/Czech/

Mamiya 23 Press & Omega-Konica Medium Format Rangefinder Cameras

  During the sixties, I observed and read about medium format press cameras. Although I never felt that it was a good choice for me during those early days, primarily due to fairly hefty prices, I was well aware of them, and would have liked to have had one. Larger format press cameras had been around for a long time, I even used a Crown Graphic 4x5 camera at some point. Graflex was one of the big names in photography; they made a 6x7 Press camera too.

I am not sure if I owned that 4x5 press camera, or if it belonged to the local newspaper or some employee there. Maybe I did own it. It was a long time ago and I am often amazed at how much detail I can pull out of these old crevices between my ears. But the details are definitely getting a bit foggy now.

Two Camera Company's offering very similar camera designs particularly caught my attention back then. I wasn't too far along in my career before I did find justification for both models of these cameras. I don't think I realized the close relationship that Mamiya and Simon-Omega cameras shared. They looked and functioned a lot alike, but that's really where their early offering split.

Koni-Omega Rapid Press Camera Vs. Mamiya Super 23

The year I was born, one of these early camera designs was born. It was the Omega Press Camera. The company behind it was Simon Brothers, an American Company known for their line of Omega photographic products. They had had an exclusive supply arrangement with the military during 
WWII, for their simple, reliable design for combat cameras. It was called the Omega Combat Camera. The company also produced an excellent line of photographic enlargers during those days. All of these products used  excellent Wollensak lenses, produced in New york. 

That first Omega Press Camera was derived from the Combat Camera Simon Brothers company was so famous for, as used by all of the US Armed forces. The basic design of the Press cameras was not much different. It was a rangefinder camera which used 120 film to image 6x7 cm negatives. It was a pretty serious two-hands full, but actually, a fairly manageble camera.

Eight years later Simon Omega company had been bought-out by Konica, a very old and successful Japanese Camera Company, known early for their excellent Lieca-like 35 mm rangefinder cameras, and their very fine Hexanon lenses. I still have a Konica II which is in remarkably good shape. It takes great pictures. I've several Konica 35 mm cameras of later vintage since then. In fact, Konica has been one of the main-stay graphics company that has seemed to shadow my career.

Most recently, Konica, having merged with another great vintage camera company, offered some of the first digital cameras under the name of Konica-Minolta. But finally the company bailed out of the camera business in 2005, or thereabouts 

Under the label of Konica-Minolta,this company is still among the very most aggressive surviving graphics and business copier builders, and their connected laser printers are second to none. It's odd how things go full-circle sometimes. My second son, was voted employee-of-the-year for his superior sales achievement during Konica-Minolta's 2007-2008 fiscal year.

The 6x7 press cameras of this vintage that I know best are the various Koni-Omega Rapidcameras. I had already started selling off pieces of my camera collection when I had the idea, bright or otherwise, to document here all the cameras I had ever owned and used. But I do still have one complete functional Koni-Omega Rapid press camera left.

At this time an d even during the fifties, German Camera Companies were pairing with Japanese companies to produce a variety of cooperative products. In the case of Koni-Omega, it was a cooperative effort between an American Company and Japanese company that perpetuated the original Simon Brothers design.

Read more about this phenomenon at my post at this link:

http://notesandnods.typepad.com/photography_for_profit_or/2008/12/why-did-japan-excell-in-camera-production-after-wwii.html

I grew to love these cameras for what they can do best--make big 6x7 negatives using extremely good optics--with a minimum of expense and difficulty, now. Because, there is a fairly high demand for these cult cameras. They have their admirers, and I have long been one of them. The early design is really quite remarkable and I like these better than the early Mamiya competitor--the Standard 23 Press camera.

The design of the Koni-Omega Rapid Press Camera had already gone through an evolution, ever since WWII, when they came out in fifty-seven. The product was well thought out and remarkably easy to use, with changeable backs and lenses of superb optical qualities--whether bearing the label Omega or Hexenon (Konica). The lenses could be changed faster than most SLR's. The ingenious rapid-wind mechanism, which oddly, has never been employed in cameras before or since (that I am aware of), allowed quick sequences even for the big format camera. 

I recently read from one of the popular vintage camera review webs, the pros and cons of the Koni-Omega Rapid. A subjective user observation was the the reviewer on the web site regarding the seeming lack of anything to hold ontoon the users right hand side of the Koni-Omega Rapid. I just happened to note that the user/reviewer was a Japanese female. I am intending nothing either racist nor sexist, but I also considered that these factors may have affected her analysis; I am merely supposing that her frame and hands may be somewhat slighter than American male hands, for which the original camera upon which it was based was intended.

I also would like to point out for those with similar feelings regarding the lack of convenient handles on the Rapid--that it was almost always paired with a large flash-bracket. The default flash that we used during those vintage years was the G, mounted by way of a Graflex quick-release mechanism onto the flash handle;these flash units or strobes, as we incorrectly called them, were known for their large chrome tubular handles. Some models used four D-size batteries inside the tubular handle.

My point for mentioning this is that the flash tube served as the right-hand handle by design. I recommend for users of these vintage cameras today, acquiring one of the old flash units, keeping the quick-release clamps, after discarding the flash head, to serve as a handle for the Konica-Omega Rapid Press Camera. BTW, the camera, by the time the Rapid original model came out, was not really a press camera per se. This is what they were originally used for, but news photographers had long since opted for the smaller 120 TLR or SLR and even 35 mm designs.

 The Koni-Omega Rapid Press Cameraquickly evolved through a series of additional fast and liberating changes. Each models that came out at the rate of every year or two offered useful new features.The camera became a system, with interchangeable backs, and with backs, even formats could be changed, 6x7, 6x6, 6x9, cut film, Polaroid film. Shutter-release-weilding handles for easier . . . well . . . handling.

A contingent of fine lenses for various fields of view and focus, and close up rings, greatly increased the appeal far beyond what the camera was first intended for. The camera now appealed to everyone from magazine and advertising photographers--owing to its superb lenses and sufficiently large format for such purposes.

When the evolution had almost ripened, starting with the Konica-Omega 200, my old friend Mamiya, whose line of competing cameras had been paralleling the Konica-Omega for some time, began producing the lenses for this line. Mamiya was already a major player in this medium format, so-called Press Camera market.

Mamiya Press Cameras

As mentioned earlier, the Mamiya Press Camera, and its evolving models had been on my mind and awareness from the earliest days of serious involvement in photography--beginning in the late sixties. It wasn't until much later that I owned any of these Mamiya version of the press camera models. I do feel that early-on the Konica-Omega Rapidmodels were clearly more manageable than were the Mamiya equivalents. But this changed.

Mamiya had two mainstay models of the Press camera from the sixties, the Mamiya Standard 23, and the Mamiya Universal 23 Cameras. Although much the same as the Standard, the sister Universal 23 camera was designed to not only change backs, but allowed an adapter to accept many other competitive backs, and other accessories including a ground glass. A short bellows, moving uniquely toward the back, also enabled tilts to adjust the film plane to straighten lines of perspective. This was great for architectural and advertising applications. It works something like a mini-view camera. The moving back belows also enabled macro photography because the unique back bellows feature would shrink the subject by half. If you are familiar with Mamiya's first camera design, the Mamiya Six (of old) used a similar bellows concept.

The Mamiya Super 23 Camera was an Apex in Full-use Camera Design

The following excerpt is from the following link. You can read the entire post by jumping here: http://shutterbug.com/equipmentreviews/classic_historical/0504sb_classic/

Two revolving keys on the back of the body allow for the attachment or removal of roll-film holders and other attachments. The four knobs on the sides of the camera are what make the Super 23 so unique. Loosening these knobs allows you to extend the bellows back mount 13/16” and then apply up to 15Þ of swing or tilt for perspective correction or depth of field control making the Super 23 something of a mini-view camera. The additional back extension was also useful when shooting close-ups as it provided an ability to get just under 1/2 life size with the standard 100mm lens.

The Lenses
Mamiya offered a wider range of lenses for the Super 23 than any of the competitive systems. Ten different lenses in eight different focal lengths were available to Mamiya users, all rangefinder coupled in helical focusing mounts. The lenses used the reliable Seikosha #0 shutter and provided for flash sync at all speeds.

Among the functioning cameras in my collection, I have both a Mamiya 23 Standard, and a Koni-Omega Rapid--which I will soon show pictures of and taken by, within this post. I will now make a recommendation for what I consider one of the best uses for these old classic cameras is today, aside from merely indulging in the wanderlust of going vintage. And there certainly IS that.

Because of the exceptional acuteness of these lenses--especially the wide-angle lenses, paired with the capapability to take 6x7 and 6x9 backs imaging on roll film--these cameras make very good landscape and scenic cameras. They are more portable view cameras--which are considered the ultimate in image quality for scenics for use in magazines, displays, wall-hangings owing mainly to the 4x5 and larger film that can be used. But photographers who desire to access the best scenery in the world,  may need to backpack out among the birds and the bears and the trapping of wilderness. While these just-discussed cameras are not the smallest cameras, they are smaller that 4x5 view cameras.

Note: Although we are not going to review the newer vintage Mamiya medium-format rangefinder cameras, I will say that one of these models--namely, the Mamiya 6, Mamiya 7, and Mamiya 7II cameras are known to be the very best cameras for Landscape Photography.

I own an early Mamiya Standard 23. Had I not been initially used to the Omega Rapid model, I would have little to want for in this model. I retained one of this basic model because I found that someone had done the thinking that I had not yet gotten around to, of using the Standard 23to make a 6x12 camera for scenics. I bought the plans for ten bucks from eBay.

I even have a design for converting one of these bodies to accept a homemade 6x12 film back, using 120 roll-film and the wide 75 mm lens on the one hand, or the 58/60mm wide lens on the otherhand. BTW, as alluded to earlier, my understanding is, that the Omegon-labeled 58mm lens and the Konica Hexanon 60 mm lens, are in fact, the exact same lens. These are highly sought after lenses.

Oddly, on eBay they often bring a higher price when told singularly than as an entire kit containing the lens and a whole camera system. I guess you just have to know what to look for. Some people may be looking for the lens for another camera, or project camera they are building or modifying--never realizing what camera the lenses were made in the first place.

(Continue to the next post to learn more about the Mamiya RB 67 Camera System.)

http://stores.ebay.com/Military-Optics-Vintage-Camera-Sale

Pentacon, Kiev and other "Commi" Cameras.

This Pentacon Six is by no means flimsy or shabbily constructed. When I first discovered these cameras for myself, I was first impressed by their quality and simplicity. I then learned of the huge number of good lenses available for the Pentacon mount. 

"The Pentacon Six is a high quality medium format single lens reflex camera taking 120 and 220 film for 12 or 24 exposures that are nominally 6cm x 6cm (2¼ x 2¼ inches) – actually 56mm x 56mm, as is standard for medium format cameras." 

http://www.pentaconsix.com/TheCameras.htm

The Pentacon Six

The Pentacon Six is a high quality medium format single lens reflex camera taking 120 and 220 film for 12 or 24 exposures that are nominally 6cm x 6cm (2¼ x 2¼ inches) – actually 56mm x 56mm, as is standard for medium format cameras.  A TTL metering prism (shown on this camera) is available, as well as an enormous range of lenses and other accessories.  The camera and its predecessor, the Praktisix, was manufactured in East Germany (the GDR) between the mid 1950s and 1990.

For guidance on loading the Pentacon Six, click here.

To read about using flash with the Pentacon Six, click here.

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Good stuff. All of them. Sheilded from Western exposure the Pentacon and a number of similar cameras were living and breathing and digesting film and making great and historical photographic records. So the algorythms and formulae were a bit different than those we were familiar with--they actually made remarkably fine cameras with exceptional optics and many of them way before similar designs emerged in the West or Far East.

Dresden, Germany, the post war home of all things optical and German hosted numerous excellent camera and optics companies. The best in the world by most accounts. Even as one company trained those who would begin other companies and many from the same gene-pool, most bore remarkable similarities as trade secrets were increasingly comon knowledge.

 

The original company began by Zeiss, itself was splintered into many diverse plants some specializing in this or that componenet of the camera. Czechoslvakia also was producing less-well-known but equally impressive products on their own. Then WWII came. Many of these companies made great advancements during this time to support the war effort.

 

After the war ended and Stalin Chruchill and Roosevelt divied the conquered lands up Dresden fell into the hands of the Soviet Union. The great Zeiss lens plant in Jena was kept in tact for a time and then carted off to Kiev Ukraine lock, stock, and designer.

 

The Soviets always had a way of makingt hings work--cheaper. A case in point is the Pentacon 6 SLR with a full contingent of lenses available due to an early Soviet standardization of lens mounts. Jena lenses are said to lack the quality control that Zeiss formally had. I don't know. All the tests I've seen and all of my personal experience tells me that this may be so much propoganda. The lenses are excellent--and vastly less expensive than Western medium format competitors.

The story has long beentold of how the Soviets borrowed the designs of original focal plane Hasselblads, from the Zeiss plants (since Zeiss made Hasselblad lenses). The Kiev 66 is earily similar to those models. Of course resverse engineering might easily account for this. Some former Soviets tell another story. They say that Hasselblad ripped off their designs. Since the Hasselblad products didn't  arrive until 1948 in the rough--who knows? I don't.

What I do know, is that the Kiev Hasselblad is an excellent product for a fraction of the money. The pentacon is even better, for my taste. The design is really unlike any other vintage medium format camera. It wouldn't be until the late sixties or early seventies before we saw an overgrown 35mm body, supposedly due to the expense of lenses that big. Not only did the Pentacon have the ecellent array of lenses they and the body too, were much more compact than the Pentax 67--which I had one of--just recently sold. The Pentax was indeed a war-horse and quite useable once you got past a few idiosynchrosies, but so was the Pentacon Six and later models. And probably with fewer indiosynchrosies.

We used to call the bunch of them Commi Cameras in disdain. Little did we know. Exacta, Perfekta, Pentacon, Kiev--they all were and are fiable film cameras. I just wish I had had access to the quality for the money forty years ago.

I have had in my collection two such cameras--now on the auction block. The Kiev is new in the box with complimet of lenses and other accessories. What can I say. I like it. Certainly as much as I like the first run of focal plane Hassy's--and I do like mine (they too are for sale).

 

Note the stop-down lever to preview actual depth of field. A number oif different viewfinder screens as well as finders including TTL Prism and non-prism finders are available.

The other is a Pentacon Six, which I could have got for less money but I was so enamoured by the low cost and great quality that I wasn't quibbling about. I like this camera more than the kiev. It feels good. The lenses are relatively cheap--and even a hobby photographer can aford some super-wide angle lenses for this camera. They are all over the Internet now. People are still discovering the Pentacon Six. sometimes I see them or the lenses go for peanuts, but less and less frequently do I se the super-good deals now versus even a couple years ago.

http://www.commiecameras.com/sov/index.htm

http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Pentacon_Six

If you are looking for a medium format SLR System that you can afford--you should taker a close look at this family of cameras.

The Following is another Article that I wrote about the Pentacon Cameras. You may find a similar theme, but with more or evolved information, as I wrote this article much later than the first blog post.

Pentacon Six TL—Where the Legacy Began

 

WWII  The Zeiss had plants and sister companies all over Germany. Dresden had long been the cradle of modern lens craftsmen, and the Zeiss and other lesser known companies spawned a host of  camera companies, including Rolleiflex., and of course Zeiss Ikon Contax .

 

After WWII Germany was divided between the Allied and Axis Powers and the famous Berlin Wall went up. Both Dresden and nearby Jena were suddenly shrouded behind the Iron curtain of the USSR as the east part became Occupied German Republic, and important satellite of the USSR.

 

The Soviet industrial complex made full use of the knowledge, designs, and craftsmen found within these cities including the Zeiss plants. Some in the West feel that the Haselblad design of the Model 1600 was compromised through these plants, because Zeiss was a maker of some of their lenses, after Kodak could not keep up with production.

 

It is irrefutable that the Kiev 88, earlier known as, the Salyut, is a virtual copy of the Hasselblad. But some in the East insist that it was their design that was actually copied by Hasselblad. Who knows.

 

What we do know is that the Practica camera Designs pre-date WWII. The camera was probably inspired by the German-made Reflex Korelle. And the same great design was more or less scaled up to produce a similar 6x6 Medium Format camera. The family of cameras that came from this basic design are several. The Praktasix, The Pentacon Six, The Pentacon 60, The Kiev 6, Kiev 6 Tl, Kiev 6 TTL., 60 TTL, and several other variants.

 

In my experience, the best is the Praktasix, followed oh so closely by the Pentacon Six silver model with the Jena lens. Jena lenses are ledgendary in quality. They are only found on the very earliest versions of this family of cameras. Quality control is said to have become eratic once the plant was relocated to Kiev (although these too can be very fine cameras).

 

I have handled and used all of the models  mentioned,. I have nothing negative to say about them—other than they all have their strngths and weaknesses. I only wish I had access to them back when. I have loved my Hasselblads, but circumstances may have been different if I had had one of these early models of the  Pentacon Six Genre of 6x6 cameras.

 

 

 

 

 

What about an old 35mm SLR? - photo.net

What about an old 35mm SLR? - photo.net.

Worthy of a look.

Film Camera Darkroom, Dark-bag, or Commercial Lab

Anyone using film today has to at least be partially motivated by the retro-process. Sure, you can buy a buttload of good vintage film cameras and lenses for less, have a much larger source image for less, and market the Film-Generating aspect somewhat to your advntage, but the simple truth is, that for many applications now--digital will do it all. There can truely be quality differences as well--which some perceive as better.

For whatever reasons you may have chosen to use film, at least in part, you must decide how to get from latent image, to finished prints (or RGB viewed images). A good commercial lab is something that every film photographer should develope a working relationship with. In bigger cities, you proabably still have some good choices. Having a place where yu can easily get to physically and discuss your needs generally and specific jobs in particular. But it isn't an absolute that you have to deal with a local lab. Try a few that advertise, until you find the service that suits you--and use mail order and/or the Internet if necessary. Proximity is not all that big a deal.

Continued Here: http://notesandnods.typepad.com/photography_for_profit_or/2009/10/your-own-darkroom-continued.html

More Pictures of Reviewed Vintage Cameras

 

Shown here are a variety of overflow pictures from various posts. The first set are of one of five Baby Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex Cameras that I have had. All but one have already sold. As the cameras are all in equally excellent condition, I use these in all posts. With the exception of the hard case, the pictures are representative of all of this model that I have for sale. Please refer to individual eBay narratives to note the condition of the hard or soft case included, as well as manuals, lens covers, filters, etc.

 

This is a much earlier model of the 4x4 Rolleiflex. In fact, it is the very first model. I was also the first Rolleiflex to incorporate a crank film trasport system. It has a different feature set and the camera is actually slightly smaller than the newer 4x4's.

 

Rollei 35 - Long the World's Smallest Full-Frame 35 mm Camera

 

In 1966 my brother graduated from high school and joined the Navy,leaving me, the youngest of four siblings something like an only child. My brother was my best friend as we moved from  place to place and we grew up as government brats. I always had friends, but Ernie was my friend AND brother. A lot of things changed.

 

 I had many hobbies and interests. I suppose that might be called ADD today, but I prefer the term Renaissance Man (boy). Honestly, I had the energy and mental grit to keep up with all of them. Guns, knives, martial arts, outdoor survival lore, reading, guitar-playing, swimming, golf, dogs, reptiles, fishing, hunting, basketball, track and field, history, scouting, girls, HAM RADIO, mischief, rodeos, stock cars, mortals ... AND PHOTOGRAPHY.

I was then in the seventh grade. I had taken photography up in earnest while living in Alaska, while in the fourth grade. I bought photography magazines fairly regularly. I had a usable and decent camera. I wasn't that greedy, but I would pour over the camera articles and ads, lusting after various pieces of photo gear. I knew a lot about camera from reading every book every library that I could access had.

The reports that came out of Photokina 1966 included two interesting announcements. One was the Rollei 26, which I have already reviewed; the other was the Rollei 35--the world's smallest full-frame 35 mm camera. During 1967 less than 15,000 Rollei 35's were made in Germany. They were black and chrome. The camera went on to become one of the most popular and best selling cameras in the world. They weren't cheap either.

 
Note broken viewfinder frame above. It is only cosmetic and is typical to find on these cameras that have seen a lot of use.

It was a few more years before I actually used a Rollei 35. It was certainly compact. It would almost fit in my palm. But  is was fairly heavy and the construction was nothing short of a marvel. Obviously, years of design thought went into it. This is a story worth reading of itself, if you care to do an Internet search and find it. But I didn't know about all of that at the time. All I knew was it was a cool little handful that made great pictures. The clandestine opportunities for takinjg pictures is what first struck me. With the little case, it could be carried virtually anywhere. I liked that, as I had a nose for news and stories. This one has the original super-sharp 3.5 Tessar 40mm Zeiss lens that pulls out from the body.

You know digital photography hasn't been around that long--relative to this old man's measure. I thought it was high-tech when I was able to develope E-6 slides in the field, and scan and upload to my first laptop about the itme of the confict in the Balkikins--as a historical benchmark. to me it was just a blink ago.

I don't know what happened to my first Rollei 35. Many years of adventure and travel have ensured since those days. The little mighty might accompanied me into my own Viet Nam era hitch in the US Navy and for some time thereafter. Somewhere along the line we parted company. Maybe in the jungles, urban, or tropical, or both, the world over. I probably gave it  to a budding photographer in a god forsaken memory long since buried, or bartered it for food or of my life or something else that I more than casually needed at the time. I've owned others since.

But the one reviewed here is very much like my first one. Black and Chrome and made in Germany. It has a broken viewfinder frame outside--the black plastic part. It functions just fine. I just never got around to repairing it--best laid plans and all that jive.But I have seen this flaw on several of these camera's, so it does have to be considered a design flaw--after agreeing that one should never drop their camera anyway and expect it to survive. This one came to me like this, bought secondhand. It also comes with the soft black case that I somehow failed to picture.

I have not been alone in my adventures with a Rollei 35 in tow. A gazillion of them were produced and taken places in wild jaunts and wars and vacations by everyman--a testimony beyond any flowery review that I can provide here. It is one of the consistently followed cult cameras today. I will say that if you have but one camera to travel everywhere you go--the Rollei 35 would be on my sort list of recommendations for sure.

The Rollei 35 manufacturing was eventually moved to Singapore. Models were produced in more variations than I can readily count--and commemorated in various special editions and color schemes. They are all still very popular, but none more so than the original model made in Germany--like this one.

I know I have said of my early days as a photographer, that I scoffed at 35 mm cameras for the most part. I considered them inferior toys--at least for the quality results that I wanted. But with time and film and technologyical advances, that changed, as you Will see when I get past all of my medium format reviews. I've owned and loved a slew of 35 mm cameras as well. This was one of my first favorite models. I include it here as it seems to fit with all my other Rollei's.

http://www.rolleiclub.com/cameras/35classic/info/index.shtml

http://johnlind.tripod.com/rollei/rolleiframe.html

http://www.rolleiclub.com/cameras/35classic/info/35-original.shtml

Argus TLR, and More American Cameras

Argus, another well-known camera company, made several models of dual lens cameras as well; except for two models that I am aware of was a true TLR. These were inexpensive. They accepted both 620 and 120 film. This was a smart and amazingly simple feature, as the jury was still out regarding which film size would ultimately prevail. Kodak had a long standing marketing ploy of designing all there cameras to require proprietary film sizes so that they could corner the market on supplies, repairs, and accessories.  Thus, Argus wisely hedged their bets by designing their cameras to accept both sizes.

 

The Argus TLR model was made of bake-light, an artificial material used for everything from poker chips to housing for electronic components during the era. The focus mechanism was a simple design, which was probably borrowed from the earliest TLR’s such as  Optima, the Chech company that later was merged with other companies to form Meopta—an early optics company that survives even today.

 

This focus method relied on geared rings incorporated into the outer rings of the lens mounts,  meshed together so that turning one would turn the other. A simple rack and pinion moving the lens forward and backward created an inexpensive and reasonably effective design. The downside of this method is that the rings can be hard to turn with just the fingers, and provides no leverage as does a knob or a lever, or a crank.

 

  

 

The Argus model was much like the TLR offering introduced by Voitlander, dubbed the Brilliant, because of its quasi-TLR viewfinder, which did indeed provide a brilliant image. The dimly lit image on conventional TLR’s was one of the major complaints that was addressed in different was over the years-such as using Fresnel ground glasses or  larger viewing lens apertures and more highly polished reflex mirrors.

 

The early Ansco dual lens cameras were also mere quasi-TLR’s., although Ansco later arguably produced the best TLR ever made in the Ansco Automatic Reflex models I and II, The most notable feature of the early Ansco models was the “futuristic” appearance of the camera body, with a linked lens and ground-glass cover. One of these models is a must for any camera collector because of this design which characterized the forward-looking “modern appearance”  that dominated everything from kitchen appliances to tube radio cabinets and even buildings.

 

 

But there were genuine inovations too. Edge to edge image clarity has long been a standard of judging the quality of camera lenses. Much is made of the number of elements in TLR lenses. Four is considered better than three, as a means of helping this edge-to-edge clarity standard. American camera manufacturers used s simple "trick" that rendered superior edge-to-edge clarity, using only a less-expensive three-element lens.  These manufacturers used a larger than usual lens design of 83mm-85mm coverage, thus rendering a slightly larger, or closer-appearing image.

 

This was a simple and legitimate method for solving the clarity problem. This feature was also cleverly marketed as a positive, playing up the fact that the image was more easily enlarged, since the latent image capture onto film was larger to begin with. The Ansco Automatic Reflex camera has a unique crank, and a multiple-exposure control that also doubled as a "jam fixer". Of course, this "feature" would not have been necessary had the transport not jammed. But it did, especially on the earliest production models. This camera also has an active lens sportsfinder. The camera just exudes "quality" construction. 

 

The design, most often attributed to one particular era-designer, but also widely copied, was called “Space-Age”, or “Mod”, during the fifties and early sixties. The design-style is certainly unique enough, although today it is considered to be one of the oddest designs of all time. Most people today consider it very ugly, although at the time it was the rage, and undoubtedly sold many Ansco cameras. But by any standards, the ever-shiney new-metal look of the Ansco Automatic Reflex is positively beautiful--easily the most beautiful Twin Lens Reflex cameras ever made. 

 

 

Incidentally, one other camera, a  true TLR model, to use this type of de 
sign appearance to better advantage, was the Ricoh-Matic 4x4 127 TLR, reviewed elsewhere within this blog. 

 

Kodak had long been a giant of the photographic insustry, especially when it came to supplies. One of the common methods used by virtually all companies during the twentieth century to capture supply business, was to build proprietary devices that could only use special supplies available only from that particular manufacturer. Kodak was trying to impose their proprietary design upon the public by producing TLR cameras that would accomodate only 620 film for their TLR's. Some companies, feeling that Kodak might win this supply war, made their TLR's able to accomodate both sizes. This was easy to accomplish and was also an original American idea.

 

Kodak made 6x6 TLR's that used their own exclusive 620 size film. These were heavy-built cameras that operated simply. The lenses were quality kodak lenses.

 

Another feature of American TLR's that was used to advantage prior to other manufacturers, was that those that accepted flash attachments, were all synchronized to them. This is, in general, is a fairly easy thing to build into leaf-stle shutters, which will most often synch at all shutter speeds. (This is a feature that surpasses other cameras that use focal-plane shutters, which usually synch at a slow speed such as 130th of a second.)

 

 

On this note, I recently noticed a statement by a well-know camera blogger, that said, "these 620 film cameras are now useless, because no one makes this size film anymore". Thile the latter part of this statement is true, the former is NOT. Even in the absence of such 620 spools, spools can be fabricated from an old pen (or any number of other things, and a couple of bottons (or other round objects).

 

Ansco Quasi-TLR

The Anscoflex pictured here is not a true TLR as usually defined. However, it is wonderfully designed, with inter-inking parts that all open together. That look great, but are little more than box cameras in use.

 
  120 film can easily be respooled in the dark, to fit onto old 620 spools, which are easy enough to find.
 

Voightlander BrilliantTh Brilliant was named for its brilliant viewfinder--overcominxg the most common complaint about TLR's. However it, as well as the Ansco model pictured above were not really true TLR's because of their seperate viewing lenses field. Nor was the Voightlander American made (Voightlander is a famous and enduring maker of cameras). But I didn't know where esle to put it.

What is bakelite?  It is the first plsatic-like material invented and used widely beginnintg in 1917. Some of these TLR's bodies are made of bakelight. The Quasi-TLR Ansco model pictured is made of enameled aluminum. As you can see form these pictures, both materials have worn quite well.

 

Ricoh TLR Cameras, Mass Produced, Inexpensive, Good.

Ricoh Cameras and Me

So, it should probably read “I” to be grammatically correct, but “Me” sounds better to I—but that should be “me”. Oh, whatever.  Ricoh has been around a very long time. And it still survives—more or less—in its original intent at least. My belief is that Ricoh was started under license of a reprographics patent in Japan in 1934 or 1936—depending upon how hair-splitting you want to be. But it is significant that a gifted Japanese innovator and visionary entered the picture in 1936, Kiyoshi Ichimura. It  is said that he came from a poor family. So, Ichimura’s is one of the great  International success story.

We all like to hear of those who pull themselves up by their own toenails.

I first became cognizant  of Ricoh from the beautifully depicted color camer ads that appeared in vintage photography magazines during the sixties. These were fine SLR’s and as a kid and teenager, I coveted these various camera models. But I don’t recall ever having access to or even actually seeing one firsthand until much later. This is surprising to me because Ricoh introduced the first mass-produced Twin Lens Reflex camera around 1957, when I was quite young. The Ricohflex III was inexpensive and reasonably priced. Although I lacked exposure to this historic camera and its evolving models until I was past my prime as a working photographer—I have since collected quite a few of the dozen and a half models produced under various names.

Ricoh TLR’s were cheaply made, but this does not translate to inferior in many of the ways that it counts most. The focus mechanism is very simple, using geared outer rings around the two lenses. The gears mesh in such fashion that turning one, turns the other, but more importantly, turns internal gears coupled to the rack and pinion, thereby moving the lenses in and out for focus. My belief is that Ricoh borrowed this focus method from the earliest origins of the famous Czech optics company Meopta—who under the pre-merger name, Opema, made some of the earliest European TLR models.

Riken lenses, made by an arm of Ricoh, provide superb optics. In fact the earliest Ricoh TLR’s are reminisent of early Rolleicords except for this focus method. With the exception of a few, later models, Ricoh appeared satisfied to remain at the bottom of the ladder in terms of construction materials and price-point. Remarkably, the surviving cameras that I have round from this era, have all come to me in good to excellent condition. This speaks somewhat to their durability.

I  have used these cameras as a collector interested in how they compared to other TLR’s. One way to compare them is by the way they feel in your hands, ease of operation, and construction quality. By this standard, these mass-produced Ricoh models do not rank as highly as do many of their major vintage counterpart TLR models (of the best-known six or seven brands).

But one might consider the low cost of ownership and apparent durability, coupled with the excellent optics and resulting image quality—and determine that the old Ricoh TLR’s compare quite favorably. I have always taught that any photographer equipped with virtually any viable camera—can produce good photographs.

Early-on, during my formative photography training years as a semi-pro kid needing a means to earn money to fuel photography and other expensive interests—responded to a fellow photographer’s challenge to limit my camera use to a basic manual TLR—a Yashica D camera. From this experience came a great deal of my working knowledge of practical photography. I had already learned the fundamental physics of photography—but this several month period of frequent use in real  photographic events—honed this knowledge to a working second nature—which is better than mechanical or electronic automatics.

For those film hobbyists and collectors—the Ricoh models offer a realistic goal of obtaining examples of all or most of the models made by Ricoh—much as my collection of all Yashica TLR models once began. These models are fairly plentiful still—and will certainly become more scarce and valuable over time—providing a fun incentive to collect. The good part is that the Ricohs don’t cost an arm and a leg to collect.

The inclination of many hobby collectors is to go after an example of each model. Then you are hooked and you may trade up for more perfect examples of each model. Then we often other brand collections. 

I should mention that Ricoh did make several high-end model TLR cameras. One was a virtual copy of the not-very successful Rollei Magic cameras. Another was a “Modernistic”camera design in the 127 4x4 Super-Slide film format. I have previously written about this unique and rare camera. It is a very collectible camera. It is also an excellent functioning camera—although it is a quasi-automatic camera. I include a photograph and a link to my review of this neat little camera below.

 

How to Collect Vintage Film Cameras

The title is a little lame but is probably good for the Search Engines. Of course you can figure out HOW to collect cameras--you just start collecting them. But since I have been collecting cameras for a lifetime, maybe I can give you a few ideas about how to logically approach Camera Collecting in the most expedient fashion.

Few people new to photography or cameras, really have any idea of how big an impact this field has had on so many people for so long. Beginning in the mid-1800's, and continuing until the present--with both the greatest technological changes to mechanical film cameras AND popularity as passion and pastime--photography was perhaps grandest between around 1930 until 1980. The sheer volume of film camera designs is staggering.

I once had the uninformed idea to collect all the Twin Lens Reflex Camera models ever made; I quickly modified that aim to collect all the brands ever made. I was still way off the mark. I simply had no clue as to how many brands had emerged; I was only aware of a few of the main brands that had endured over time. For example, one book cites over fifty manufacturers and over 250 models--from Japan alone--and those in a 20 year or less time span.

A more realistic goal, I soon learned, was to pick one brand label and try to collect all the models of that particular brand. A good way to do this is to buy the best examples of the varied models that you can find on eBay, at garage sales, camera auctions, estate sales, etc., until you have them all--all the while trying to upgrade each model as you go. You can sometimes trade one model or sell it in order to create funds to buy a replacement that's in even better shape. The ultimate is to get Mint condition cameras near-mint condition cameras with the operator manuals, original boxes, vintage magazine advertisements that you can find.

You can find all sorts of references on line by simply searching for a genre or brand of cameras. Much bandwidth on the web has been devoted to cameras and photography. There are also a number of reference books. You'll be well-advised to never consider any reference source as the final word, even from the "experts". None of them have all the facts.

 

For instance, I was reading a camera repair blog recent;ly that declared that vintage cameras "are not worth much, and certainly not monetarily worth the trouble it takes to collect them." This surely is a common case of not seeing the forrest for the trees. This was a reputable camera repairman, who had been fixing cameras for thirty years or so. He has seen a lot of cameras come and go--but he must have been caught up in the recent past, and out of touch with the raging camera collection phenomenon, that has grown up during that time.

We now are seeing vintage cameras selling for tens of thousands of dollars or more. These were likely expensive, or limited edition cameras to begin with, some of them gold-plated commemorative models that have never been used, enclosed in glass, and retaining all of their original documentation. But not all. Some are real surprise sleepers, as it were, which for one reason or another have become highly sought cult classics. The reason for why cameras become so popular is often not obvious, nor easily understood , or predicted in advance. But the more you learn about the history of cameras, the more you DO understand and are able to predict their eventual worth.

Cameras may also have an intrinsic value for just one particular collector, and when he finds it, and buys it with no dickering or no questions asked, you wonder if you left money on the table. The fact is that that one piece may have been the completing piece for this single collector's private collection. The conditions may never repeat themselves.

Other trends are predictable. One this is certain, these old film cameras are not getting any more plentiful as time ages and ultimately destroys them, people trash them, and collectors scarf them up. As a general rule scarcity can be a good indication of ultimate collector value--but not always. Sometime the most scarce cameras are so unknown that it is hard to find collectors who even know about them. Though they may have true worth historically, which will probably one day be recognized, they may never be worth much.

On the other-hand, some camera models and styles seem to gain in value no matter how many were made. this is true of a lot of Leicas, Hasselblads, Rolleis, and other well-known brands of cameras. Other cameras are valued because of their connection with an historic event, movie, book, or famous person. Only by studying the historical significance of these cameras, and the role they played in history, do you have the necessary insight to make an educated guess about how valuable they will one day become--and how soon that day might be.

I have seen impressive collections of cameras that were long since considered obsolete--such as instamatic 126 film cameras. Odds are that young people just starting out, have no idea that such a thing ever even existed, but for those of us with a lifetime behind us, these cameras came and went and made an indelible impression upon us. It would be a fun thing to collect all the "Instamatic-style" cameras ever produced. It might even take a lifetime to assemble such a collection. And when assembled, this would be a huge contribution to history and to other camera collectors.

Within this blog, which started out as a photography how-to blog, I try to provide my own historical insight into the cameras that have been important to me in one way or another during my lifetime. I only wish I had begun this documentation earlier. As it is, I am running out of time. But I am still hoping to finish this project. I do realize that many of my entries need to be revised and edited for spelling and grammar and even changed opinions regarding one piece or another. But meanwhile, I am racing against time to capture the unique take that my own brain has retained during a lifetime as a working photographer with an interest in history.

I will continue the theme of this particular post every now and again. I will,therein, try to provide particulars abut specific models that I feel will one day become valued more than others as collectors.

 

Your own Darkroom (continued)

As I was discussing in a previous post,in today's photography world, you really need to have a way to get your film images into a digital format. Yes, you can stay in the anolog format as was used for over 150 years--but by using film to capture your images, and then converting them to digital images, you really have the best of both worlds. You can then use your computer and numerous image manipulation software programs in order to maximize your control over the fimal image output.

There are essentially two ways to convert your images that you will be concerned with. Either, have your comercial lab scan them and return them to you on CD or other medium, or you can scan them yourself. Generally, a commercial lab is going to have a higher resolution capability for scanning, but you can do an amazingly good job with a proper flat-bed home scanner which can be purchased for a few hundred bucks. You'll want to scan the negatives or transparencies rather than prints in most cases. this will necessitate a scanner that has that capability built in aor as an option.

In order to process your own film or transparencies, you can even get by without a darkroom, altough a dark closet is helpful. You CAN get by merely using a so-called changing bag, or dark-bag. It's just that, a bag with elastic arm holes that close tightly around your wrists when they are inside the dark bag. There is usually a light-tight zipper that can be used to place film processing tanks and reels within the bag--effectively keeping it in the dark while loading the film onto the processing reels.

Black and white is easier to process than black and white, due to closer temperature control tolerances, and additional chemical steps involved for color. But both can be done easily enough, within certain perameters. You will definately need a good photographic thermometer. This is probably a good place to list what is required to process film and trnasparencies only.

1. A dark changing bag.
2. A photographic thermometer.
3. One or more processing tanks. These can be either stanless steel or hard plastic.
4. Reels of the size to fit the different size films you plan to process. These also come in stanless steel or hard plastic, and are matched to your processing tanks.
5. A graduated measuringing container. I prefer glass, as it is easier to keep clean, but plastic will work. I like to have a two gallon size, a quart size, and  pint size measuring containers, for mere convenience.
6. At least Six dark-colored storage containers. The size depends on how often you will be processing film. I like to keep both gallon size, and quart size, and again glass is my preference. Plastic is acceptable and has its advantages too, such as being unbreakable and easier to handle.
7. Running water, both hot and cold is almost essential, and a large sink is very desirable--but I have done without when necessary in the field. Along with the running water, both hot and cold, a rubber hose faucet attachment is also helpful in directing the water flow to rinse processed films, mix chmicals etc.
8. Then you will need chemicals. I recommend that you initially buy the small kits of given quantity sizes of dry chemicals, liquid concentrates or both. These will ensure that you have all the ingredients that you need. Make sure that the kit is compatible to the types of film or transparencies that you will be processing.
9. A Dust Free place to make a short "clothes-line" of wire where you will hang your finished film to dry.
10. I highly recommend that you purchase any current Photographic Darkroom Guide or Reference Book. There are also numerous online sources to help you.

My intent is to merely give you an idea of what is necessary, so that you can determine whether or not you want to go this route or to simply rely on a commerical lab.

If you process your own film or trnasparencies and then scan them for further use, you can skip the most involved darkroom procedures required for printing and enlarging. But for many reasons, both hobbyists and professionals are choosing to have the enlarging and printing capable darkroon too.

I will next wite about what is required to take the next step and enlarge and print your own photographs using the traditional silver halide process. I have spent countless hours in the darkroom streching the limits of the photographic process. I consider myself an expert on the topic. However, there are sufficient sources for me not to be inclined to duplicate these efforts. I will tell you, that in spit eof the digital options for producing hyour images today, I believe that you will find a great deal of satisfaction in having a properly equipped darkroon--if only to do black and shite images, as good black and shite processing is getting much harder to find.

Aside from these esoteric needs, you can certainly get by with just processing your film and then trnasferring them to the digital process by either scanning, having them scanned, and then having them output on your own printer of your choid=ce and quality needs. It is entirely feasible to output a few prints on a common color ink-jet printer, but it is not particularly economical, nor is it very fast.

Many drugstores and discount stores have self-serve photographic printers that are both fast and of reasonably good quality. You simply take your images on disk or other media an d print them on the spot.

To be continued

Russian Lomo Lubitel CAMERA. Cheap, Simple, Surprising Results

"When I found one issued to commemorate the 1980 Summer Olympic Games, which appeared to be in near mint condition. It also had the original box. I jumped on it."

 
   
  
 
 
  

The plasticized surface on this side of the camera has been marred by coming into contact with the strap or vinyl case. I have lighted this picture in order to exagerate the marring, so that any potential buyer would be fully aware of it. In my judgement, this camera was never used prior to my owning it. It shows little ware and the film spool that ships with it was in the take-up position as it would have shipped. 

 

Soviet Engineering long demonstrated a remarkable ability to do much with little. The Lubitel was a cas of simple, cheap (both in materials/construction and in price of purchase). This quasi TLR camera is an excellent example. I have enjoyed the versions of the ones I have owned, but especially proud of the Olymic labeled camera and box featured here. It has a rich history and is rare.

Don't get me wrong; these cameras are cheaply made and only make fair images, but within certain limitations, they are not too bad. But it is definitely their history and popularity that makes them especially notable. My own camera featured here for example captures an important moment in world history.

"Fifty-six American Diplomats were being held hostage by Iranian Islamist students. I spent a great deal of time listening to a new talk radio show in Little Rock that had been born out of nightly discussions of the hostage incident. I was a regular listener as I ran a general photography studio, and most often played catch-up on darkroom work, bookkeeping, and what not."

"Bringing us up to date with a special Lomo camera that I own, we see President Jimmy Carter declaring that the Olympic Summer Games, to be held in Russia, would be boycotted by the allies if Soviet Troops were not withdrawn by a given deadline."

I was riding high on full-filled dreams. I had my own studio, lots of photography equipment, plenty of work to do. I was also taking a few classes at the University of Central Arkansas. My wife and I had three of our soon to be four children, and lived in a picturesque ancient rock cabin that stood on the sight of a historic portion of the Cumberland Overland Stagecoach road. Thirteen acres and a lake stocked with three varieties of fish. Goats and chicken, and a huge garden. This was my Walden Pond experiment. Life was good.

As summer approached, there were no signs of the hostages being released, and President Jimmy Carter’s administration was twice more embarrassed, before they would be. An ill-conceived attempt to rescue the hostages was doomed from the onset by the failure to predict military helicopters’ operational ability in Iranian desert sandstorms.

So the US was already embarrassed beyond belief, when faced with the Soviet Unions invasion of Afghanistan. Our military had sunken into disrepair, disuse, low morale, and lack of funding as a result of a politically prolonged war in Viet Nam.

"So the US was already embarrassed beyond belief, when faced with the Soviet Unions invasion of Afghanistan. Our military had sunken into disrepair, disuse, low morale, and lack of funding as a result of a politically prolonged war in Viet Nam."

These failures underlined a low point in Ameica's modern military capabilities. The American government had been defeated in Viet Nam by its own political system, and the media's slanted leftist slant, which endctrinated, agitated, and mobilized a loud young crowd of spoiled American's College students and drop-outs who had enjoyed a prosperous upbringng and eroding moral strictures. We were a generation of access, and we led the charge of a tail-tucked and gutless government away from danger into the pacivity of cowardess.  We turned our backs on the people of South Viet Nam who had struggled valiantly against the Soviet and Chionese backed  communist North Viet Nam.

America left South Viet Nam's free people to be slaughtered and ravaged by a vengeful NV. And we (the American public) did it with a falsely-enlightened belief that we were doing the "right thing". In reality, we were gutting the numerous brave soldiers who died fignhting there, billions of dollars invested, and a military establishment who had been hamstrung from victory by studpid politicians.

An emboldened USSR Communist government thumbed its nose at the Free World and began anew its expansionist policies with designs on Afghanastan--which offered them new stategic access to the sea. The minority of Communist ideologes in Hollywood and in control of the Press defeated the USA in the courts of public opinion. This was one of the most remarkable victories over the mind ever perpetrated.

Bringing us up to date with a special Lomo camera that I own, we see President Jimmy Carter declaring that the Olympic Summer Games, to be held in Russia, would be boycotted by the allies if Soviet Troops were not withdrawn by a given deadline. the deadline came and went. And though supposed to be void of politics, the games went on without the USA and many of its allies. If it was a disappointment to the USSR, no one knew it as the Soviets maximized their showcase by sweeping the games.

"... we see President Jimmy Carter declaring that the Olympic Summer Games, to be held in Russia, would be boycotted"

 
 The following link is devoted to cheap Russian Cameras, not just Lomo 166’s, and actually not just Russian cameras, but definitely analog cameras and mostly 6x6/120 film format. This site is devoted primarily to amateur art photos. The blurry quality of these photos is not the experience I have had with this particular Lomo Lubitel 166, which makes very clear images, given circumstances; however, I am using a photo from this site,of a NEW Commemorative model of this very camera, priced at $355, with the exception of the Olympic Symbol on mine.

http://microsites.lomography.com/lubitel166+/classic-features

 http://www.lomography.com/about

Years later, I had an opportunity to buy my first Lomo. I was by then acquainted with the cameras reputation, and was actively looking for one to buy. When I found one issued to commemorate the 1980 Summer Olympic Games, that appeared to be in near mint condition along with the original box, I jumped. I don’t recall how much I paid, but it wasn’t very much—relative to other TLR cameras. I was a bit skeptical, as reviews varied widely.

I ran my first roll of Tri-X through the camera one Saturday afternoon. I was surprised to see the bright view through the finder. A circle in the middle of the viewfinder cleared and fuzzed as I moved the simple geared focus ring around the lens. That’s pretty cool, I thought. The camera was gloss black and felt like it was made of metal, but it was coated with some type of synthetic plastic.

"Though I had not yet even heard of the Russian Lomo 6x6 120 Twin Lens Reflex camera, it had been in production for many years in one form or another. It was already famous for making good pictures on a small budget in the parts of the world where it was distributed."

Concentric rings around the lens controlled the shutter and diaphragm settings. The shutter release was a simple sprout from the taking lens. The camera was solid-simple. I developed the film the same day, along with some other commercial work I needed to soup. It would be a few days before I got back to the negs that hung drying in the dust-free cabinet.

When I did get back to the negs, I took a brief look at them on the light-table, picked one, and stepped into the darkroom. It those days, I used a Couple of different enlargers. An Omega B8 was my preference for 6x6 (which we called “two-n-a-quarter”). I quickly enlarged and placed an 8x10 piece of paper in the Quick Easel. It took two seconds to focus and stop down to the exposure I knew from habit would render a perfect exposure.

Five or so minutes later, I flipped the lights on and grasped my stainless tongs to flip several prints over where they were finishing up in the hypo tray. My eyesight was especially keen then, but I squinted slightly for an even better view in the not so bright overhead light. The prints were not only crisp and clear from right-on exposure and development both in the camera and in the darkroom, they were sharp-sharp from the excellent camera optics.

This was the beginning of my experience with the much discussed Lomo Russian TLR. All of my experiences since then have been good.

http://lubitel-resource.tripod.com/

Your Own Darkroom: (continued from a previous post)

Continued from this link: http://notesandnods.typepad.com/photography_for_profit_or/2009/10/your-own-darkroom-continued.html

Before i get too far into the requirements for enlarging negatives to make silver halide prints, let me round of a couple of additional ideas to help mechanize your film processing.

If you are going to continue to do small quantities of film and slides, both color and black and white, you can get by using stainless steel takes and reels. This is what I have always preferred. However, in the realm of reasonably affordable options to help you gain a little more facility for controlling temperature, which is desirable for black and white, and essential for color—you would do well to consider a Jobo Film Processor. You can find these for sale on eBay. I paid $200 for one recently, but I have seen them go for a lot less occasionally.

I will place photos of this system here as soon as I get some taken. But in a nutshell, the system consists of a rectangular table-top plastic tub, with a built-in heater. Processing tanks set in the tub, thereby maintaining close control of the temperature. This system will greatly assist you. With it you can do color and black and white negatives, as well as E-6 slides. Please note that not all transparency films can be processed with E-6 chemistry. If you plan to process your own slides/transparencies, you’ll need to buy the correct film.

A Jobo System comes with Instructions. If you are missing those, they can be found and downloaded for free from the Internet. It is from that point a simple, though somewhat tedious project of setting up and following the instructions precisely—until you get it down square. In any event, I recommend that you use a few trial rolls of film for each process the first few times. It is probably best, until you learn the A, B, C’s of this process to buy the chemistry in kit form. Most, if not all, brands of chemical for each respective process, are easily adapted to the Jobo rig. And I must say there are other brands of processors available as well. 

This post turned into something longer than I had at first considered. I will continue the enlarging drill within a future post (soon).

10 Inexpensive Vintage TLR's that are Sure to Increase in Value

You will find reviews on these vintage cameras within this blog; they are a good bet for beginning or enhancing a collection on the cheap.

1. Yashica 124G TLR. This was the best TLR they made. But any Yashica TLR will increase in value. the more rare models include the Yashica 635, Yashica A, Yashica C, Yashicamat
2. Mamiya C330. All of the C Series with the number 3 in it is good. The more lenses with it the better. This is the only later model series TLR's with interchangeable lenses. They are wonderfully versatile cameras with great optics.
3. Any Rolliecord Model. They are underrated and still cheap to buy.
4. Baby Rollie 4x4 TLR. They are almost always in good shape.
5. Ansco Automatic Reflex TLR. This is the best made TLR, and fairly rare, but still inexpensive to buy.
6. Graflex 22-200 or 400. The latter is the most desirable.
7. Ciroflex Models A through F. F is the most desirable.
8. All Meopta TLR cameras. They are little known in the West, and still easy to find and inexpensive to buy. This is a real sleeper. They rival the Rollieflex line, with a complete array of accessories--even some that Rollieflex never offered, and most that Rollieflex did offer. Great optics. Highly underrated.
9. Reflekta II TLR.
10. Minolta Autocord, as well as their Miniflex 4x4.

More to come in future posts.

The Return of Black & White

I have been involved in photography and imaging technology virtually all of my life in one capacity or another. In the beginning B&W was the standard and most often used. Color quality and price was way out of reach for most people. Gradually thta changed, then suddenly great strides were made and presto—Color ruled the day. It wa very hard to get quality black & white services anymore. You had to do your own darkroom work in order to get much control at a reasonable cost.

There was a time during this marketing curve that I had to be quite inventive to sell people on the need for color imaging—because the price was hard to justify in most people’s minds. Of course there really was a good case to be had for color, when you laid it out encompassing everything from greater notability to more accurate representations of products, etc. But today, most of the images that we see are in color. The black and white images are the ones that draw greater attention.

For substantially more than a hundred years, photographers mastered and improved the art and science of black and white photography. We had numerous types of papers and chemicals and light sources all within the darkroom to render just the type of image and paper surfaces that we wanted for a particular need. Contrast, brightness, acuity, resolution, grain, texture, special effects of all kinds were produced by the good darkroom tech/artist. Today, many of the special effects made possible by excellent photograph manipulation programs use symbols and effects copied from what was once done in the darkroom photo-mechanically. Art, physics, chemistry, and craftsmanship melded together as talents necessary for a good photographer to really qualify for such a respected title.

Now, through digital magic of a different kind, black and white is making a comeback. As an addendum to that, old photo-mechanical methods are also being resurrected wholly are in part to assist the production of great images in black and white. From art photographs to portraits, advertising and news—black and white images are being used to provide greater impact than mere “living color”. This trend is and will increasingly become more apparent as this phenomenon gains momentum. It will drive a resurgence to film and film cameras—and more importantly—it will bring the old enlargers and tanks and darkroom gear out of attics, garages, estate sales, and onto eBay and into camera stores once again.

For the forward-thinking photographers who get involved in this trend, a grand bonanza in vintage photographic darkrooms are now available for peanuts. It would pay to learn the craft well and position one’s self to benefit from this resurrection. I think that if I were just now starting a photography business, I would make quick hay by offering period-similar portrait and art photography using a combination of the best of both digital and silver halide photography methods.

Please note that to this end, I have and will continue to offer some direction and advice about how to do this very thing. I have pending yet, a post about how to equip a basic black and white darkroom using vintage gear. Look for such a post soon.

So you got a new camera for Christmas.

First, read the book. Understand it. and begin takikng pictures and reviewing them in a critical light. Use this and other informative blogs to provide a track to run on in gaining an understanding about how to take better pictures of the type you enjoy or are required to make. 

Easy Trick for Misty Pictures

There are a number of ways to create speical effects on-the-fly at weddings or portrait outdoor  sessions. For example, rolling up a paper or magazine or fabric and placing it in front of the lens can creat a variety of vignette effects that rival commercial attachments. In fact most commerical attachments were merely commericalized versions of little tricks photographers have discovered over many years of practical use. 

Portraits can be softened, something wedding photographers referred to as "misties", by using a special soft lens. These are quite expensive. A less expensive way to achieve a soft effect is to stretch a piece nylons tightly over a jar lid outer ring. You can then use a sharp point to poke a hole in the center of the nylon, which will optically render a bit sharper image for the center of the image. Or, if you have a clear skylight or plain glass filter screwed onto the front of your lens for protection (something I recommend), you can apply chapstick or vasaline to the outer perimeter of the filter, swirling it with your finger over the surface and fading it out near the center. It just takes a dab. You can further manipulate the effect by wipping the center clean.

 

If the mess of the above softening concerns you, I have also used the little break-open fiber lens-cleaner packet without the mess. The residue makes a similar softening effect, and when you are finished using the filter, just continue cleansing the lens and the residue will disperse without any mess, leaving the lens sharp and clean.

A small piece of window screen over the lens will cause the image to have four-pointed stars for ever bright pin-point of light, such as a candle or spot light. Two pices of sreen, with the timey squates offset 45 degrees will cause the same effect, except the stars will have eight points. A filter factor adjustment in exposure is sometimes required for some of these methods, but if you are using a modern camera, digital or film, the automatic exposure system will nail it best if it is set on "Spot Metering" mode.

Long ago, I discovered that the close proximity of my body or face radiates enough heat to fog my lens. This can be an annoyance and needs to be avoided. However, the smae idea can be used to your advantage in creating special effects. The quick shots of the orang and bottle shown here illustrates this effect. Just try it a few times until you feel comfortable with your ability to control it. Then it is just another  technique in your improvised tool bag.

Take your normal shots, then hold your camera toward you and huff your breath onto the front of the lens to get a fog cast heavily over it. You'll have to work quickly because it will evaporate within a few seconds, but first use your finger or shirt tail to dab the moisture from the very center of the lens. Quickly take the shot. If it is not as you want, try it again and again for different variances.

Advice on Portrait Questions & Homemade Accessories Coming Soon

Question:To: makdenife@hotmail.com

Thanks PapaD, I'll look into it.  I had a photo session last weekend (I think you saw the few photos I posted on facebook).  Here's a link to all of them if you're curious to see .  I think I did a lot better this time.  It was in the evening on a crappy cloudy day, so I had to use a high ISO.  There are a lot of fuzzy pictures.  I just keep telling myself that people aren't going to care as much as I do, plus they're not going to see them as huge on their screen as I do when I'm editing them.  Even though I want to do this free for people so I can get experience, it's so much work to process all the pictures.  This girl also wanted me to crop certain pictures and email them to the lady who is going to make their save-the-date cards for their wedding.  I'm pretty sure that's why I gave her a cd with all the files on it.  It's a lot to do without any compensation.  What do you think I should do about charging people?  Obviously my work is not worth as much as someone who has more experience, but I'm still spending a lot of time on it.  Do you think I should charge them for the CD with the files on it or just charge a session fee?  Or do you think I should just keep doing this for free for a while until I build a portfolio?  I don't want the word to get out too much that I'm doing this for free because at what point am I going to all of a sudden start charging people since I'll just be gradually improving?  You know what I mean?  I'm sure you have some good advice for me. :)

 

My Answer:

Hi B: I am very impressed with your progress. You (and they) should be very happy with those. The ones of the dog are astonishingly sharp at the "normal" resolution. That speaks well of both your lens and camera as well as your ability to use them (to hold, make correct settings such as ISO, white balance, etc.). As you know, you can take the chill off of a cloudy day be varying the white balance. I like the soft renderings of a cloudy day and/or shade.
I can tell that you are learning to "see" the subtleties of light. You may have tried this drill before, but it is a good excrcise to have a subject, at shooting distance, to turn to follow you with a frontal position as you walk in a circle or semi-circle around them, and watch as the light changes the modeling effects on their faces. The goal is to get as much of a 3-D effect via shadows and highlights as possible. Buildings and other obstructions as well as the position of the sun behind the clouds will also make a big difference in what you see.
A good guage allowing you to readily see a difference is in the eyes and around and under the eyes. This is often very subtle, but it can make a huge difference in the appearance and separates the pros from the weekend shooters. If needed, the easiest way to open up these shadows as well as add nice big catch-lights to their eyes, which makes them look brighter, happier, and more energetic, is to use avery faint fill flash. I have found that from most distances, the fill flash mode on automatic cameras is either too over-powering--causing a flat 2-D effect--or too little fill, which doesn't help you open the shadows enough.
A better way to do this is to use an off-camera flash only--tilted straight up with a medium-sized white index card attached behind it as a reflector. If this does not open up the shadows because of not enough

 

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How Should I price My Photography?

The question that a student recently asked was actually, "Should I charge for my photography?" Although a self-declared advanced amateur, I knew that the quality of pictures this student was delivering was a cut above mere "amateur" status, this is how I answered.

First, yes, you should always get paid paid something, unless the pictures fail to to turn out, and that is not going to happen,right?. Your customers and you need to get used to the idea that this is intended to be a business as well as an enjoyable hobby. Your camera and other equipment, your time spent studying your craft, your time away from your family, babysitters, gas, wear and tear on your car, and anything else that has gone into your production of their excellent photographs have cost a lot of money. You at least want to get out of it, what you put into it, plus enough to pay for additional equipment as you go.
This way, it is never a drain on the family budget, but can and will be a net positive to it--eventually a significant contribution.
 
An old merchants adage says that unless one out of three customers who pay for your services complain about your prices, your prices are probably too low. Get used to complaints and don't let them get under your skin. When you get beyond your circle of friend, people don't care if they hurt you feelings and almost habitually use complaints to improve their bargaining position, to get something free, or just to "cut you down to size". I don't do that (I don't think), and you probably don't do that, but many people, especially older or more experienced business people really do. You need some policies in place to handle these real or bogus claims.
 
A 100% money back policy for unhappy customers should be fine, providing they do not use the images, give all of them back, haven't made copies of them, and haven't digitally pipped them off. People do such things. That's why it is good to have a photo service such as dotphoto.com who will display low-resolution screen pix on-line (or ones with a big PROOF written diagonally across the entire image displayed. They will also bill their customers whatever price you set up with them, accepting payment in cc's or checks and send you the difference between your retail price, and the price for process and production. They also offer a huge range of photo products including frames, novelties, and various grades of prints. They are fast, and they help your cash-flow so that you are not out anything in advance. They can also embed a secret watermark into each image so that you can prove ownership in the event someone rips your image off, say for use on another website.
 
When I started my early business called Natural Home Portraits, by Wright,there was no digital photography or home computers or the Internet. We have so many more marketing tools now. I will tell you what worked well for me then, and I think you can see the psychology of the marketing and transfer it to the Internet. Your blog can become your marketing tool, or you can start another specific Web site and associated blog. You need a place (like dotphoto.com, or one of a thousand others) to provide a presence. They will help you maintain a website as well as the above services. You post all your photos, after disposing all of the other-than-excellent images, to your website under the order page, using all of the above-mentioned devices, to prevent theft. Then you let them do your merchandising for you.
 
What I did was to offer 5 5x5 machine prints for a small amount. I was banking on my photos being so good, better than anything they produced, to sell themselves. I merely covered my cost on the sitting fee or as it later evolved to "a Gift Certificate", which could be purchased and was good for the sitting and 5-5x5 prints for the amount they paid for the certificate it had a six month to one-year expiration date.
 
I offered the service of taking their pictures on-location, either outdoors somewhere, or in their home. I used various outdoor portrait locations such as parks friends fancy yards, historic public buildings, and other cool places. Later when I did this in Germantown, they came to my house as well, which had a studio and veritable outdoor park with rails and bridges and trees and always blooming flowers. I even had a stream.
 
Everyone is waiting to have a family portrait done, but few actually get it done because it is such a hassle. You solve this problem for them--without them risking much. Then when you make pictures they like, you allow them to buy them at much higher prices. It would be good to call around and see what other professionals are charging. Then set you main price list along the same lines. Offer machine prints and custom prints. On-line you may want to PhotoShop one or two of the display proofs to ultimate protection and show various things that can be done to them. You don't have to do it to all of them, until they buy the custom prints--if they do. They need to know the difference in time and quality as reflected in your prices.
 
I made an appointment when anyone who would be involved in the decision process to be there if possible. Never leave them without a three-day or so deadline to order at the lower prices (than your main price list). Offer three packages one very basic, offering a 5x7 of each grandparent and an 8x10 for the family and a set of 8 wallets for whomever. Have a pretty inflated price on it, but still a huge SAVINGS OVER YOUR "MAIN" PRICE. They probably won't order it. The Price a deluxe package with bigger and more prints, and also price it better, but still quite high. They won't order it either. Then price a middle package and make it exactly what they are likely to want most, and make it the best value, and a lot better all the way around. They will usually order this middle package.
 
Then have a provision that if they order more prints at the same time, their order is "at the lab", they get a g\huge discount having already ordered a package. This is only available at these prices at this time, while the order is at the lab. You can do the same thing with a computer. They must also pay for any customization you did or must do in PhotoShop. Value yourself per hour and don't be afraid to charge plenty. The estimate how many hours, fractions of hours or whatever to arrive at these customer prices--plus any special print services, greeting cards, puzzles, mugs, the lab (such as dotphoto) offers at an additional price.
 
What I used to tally this on was a special ordering sheet with prices and room to write order, image #, and special instructions. I found that printing these two up vertically on an 8-1/2x11 sheet and cutting was ideal because it was long enough to contain everything. You tally everything up and ask for the check or cc if they want to use that feature, and you can do it right there on-line (I obviously did it manually with proofs). Then I said, You like your photos? Obviously, they did, if they placed a large order. Then turn the sheet over and say. UI work strictly by referrals. This way I keep advertising costs to a minimum and I can offer these prices.  Would you be willing to help me out by showing these photos to your friends and relatives and giving them the chance to get the same deal as you did? Sure, and pleas tell them to expect my phone call to follow up soon.
 
This way you get a bunch of qualified referral from a happy customer who will do the selling for you. And you'll have as many settings as you can possibly handle. As you get in greater demand and get better and better you raise your prices. You'll not do as many photos but you'll make more money and build a reputation as a fine, albeit expensive photographer. This is good.
All for now.

Note: A few of drawback that I've noted with using dotphoto.com for professionals are as follows:

1) It is easy for users to determine or at least surmise that you are using the same amateur "wholesale" prices that they get for photofinishing--which may or may not be true, depending upon what you set up.

2) Dotphoto.com tends to market to your customers, thereby robbing you of some opportunites to sell them at your professional prices and effectively cutting you out of the picture. As I may have already said, a simple search will find a gazzlion or so other alternatives. Dotphoto served my needs for one particular International orderring situation, but it may not be good for everyone or everything.

The RAW DEAL, Seeing Color, and other Photographic Mojive

Hi, Five. The photos are very good; and body builders and a fit human body is excellent subject matter. The direct sunlight is exactly the correct choice to make the shadows pronounce the body lines and muscles. Anyway you did a great job, it could be a great niche to work into.

While I was reading some of your blog posts, I was reminded of a couple of answers that I wanted to make the last time I looked at your blog, but got sidetracked from doing. One is regarding RAW. I was at Canon when RAW was developed. It sounds like you have a good understanding of it, but I had a six week course at Canon regarding RAW and the subtleties of color and I still don't understand all of it, so I thought I would comment on a couple of your own questions and observations regarding RAW and color in general before I forget.

In the simplest form I know how to put it, RAW captures so much more information, which can later be used for finer manipulations of color for various types of color output processes, than other formats. It is actually so much more than just a format. It is an entire color management system that should be integrated into the reproduction process at every level of calibration, such as the monitor display (which does not have a wide enough color gamut, or model, to even adequately show the differences), the pre-press stages, and the various different methods of outputting, mostly using the four-color or CMYK format (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black).

You'll hear or read photographers making big claims and pontifications about this or that concerning RAW. These guys, for the most part, are quasi scientists rather than photographers, who get off on the theoretical application of things that don't really matter that much, and was never even intended to matter that much to what they are trying to apply it to. In other words they are full of it. RAW takes up more space than any other format, and many programs we use for manipulating and displaying on screen automatically truncate or compress or out and out discard the extra information anyway, to make the files manageable on line and on screen. The simple conclusion is most of the stuff written about RAW in the mags and boards and such are much to do about nothing.

All monitors display colors differently anyway, and even though this has improved a lot in recent years, their is still no standard way to display. the color temperature of each screen degrades over time, so you never ever want to depend upon how a file displays on screen to determine what it will print like--and each form of printing will use a different paradigm. One persons monitor may display a cooler temperature than yours does anyway. But the real reason that RAW displays differently is less about intention than it is about consequences. The Canon team that developed it really didn't care how it displays in a vacuum. Only within an entire color management system, with the output method end-results in mind.

Canon's marketing department has taken advantage of their innovation of RAW to separate themselves from others, although now RAW has spin-offs or has been licensed to virtually every other manufacturer anyway. They use it as competitive fluff and BS, which at this level is really mostly what it is. Unless you want to capture all the information for final magazine reproduction or gallery print display, all you get is a bigger, more complex files that takes longer to process and work with, and which do not respond very well to the defaults used in most image-manipulation software programs, without any advantages.

I'm not saying to forget about RAW, but I am saying to not spend an inordinate amount of time on learning the idiosyncrasies unless it is just a passion to learn for the sake of learning. It won't help you much with taking better pictures at this juncture.

Now, regarding "seeing color", it is very much like seeing light: everyone sees it differently. It is very much a subjective thing. One person likes warmer tones, others like cooler ones, etc. There is an abundance of evidence that no two perceive colors as the same color to begin with. That may be why one person has a favorite color while another does not even like the "same" color. Then there is the learned aspect regarding emotional responses each person associates with color.

I personally think that most people do see colors very close to the same way, but that's just me. C is an example of someone who is totally color blind to certain colors. I first realized this once when we were in the Bahamas and he could not distinguish bright orange almond blossoms from the green leaves they were nestled in--but that's an extreme example.

But regardless of all that, Canon and Xerox have done studies to determine which colors people prefer. Canon had the first color laser plain paper high-speed copiers. Xerox, in a bid to not only catch up with Canon, but to trump them, turned to Fuji, another Japanese reprographics giant and expert in color, to design a competitive color copier that would more faithfully reproduce color "the way we actually see it". This, for the reasons above, was a losing proposition to begin with, but they probably did get closer to so-called "natural color" than the Canon copiers did. For real.

However, Canon continued to produce the preferred copiers. In an effort to understand why, Xerox commissioned studies that polled people everywhere about which kind of color they preferred. They found out the secret that Canon and Kodak (and even Fuji) had long known--that people prefer colors that "pop"--meaning slightly more saturated than “natural“. Saturation refers to the amount, as it were, of the actual density of the pigments used to display colors (sorta). So if you were to hold up a copy of a picture that people preferred to compare the same actual scene (if this were even possible, and it's not), you would find that the preferred copy would have MORE COLOR than the NATURAL scene.

To make matters worse, as alluded to previously, color monitors use an entirely different color model or gamut (rgb--red, green, blue than does printed color (cmyk and others). RGB is transmitted color--in other words it is back lighted, or projected, whereas cmyk is reflected color which bounces back off the complement to the real color reflected (aaackkk)--but still what our eyes "see"--are close to the same. CMYK can show way more colors than can the rgb model--so it is literally impossible to get an exact match. If you pretend that your right hand is one model of color, then lay your left hand over the right one at right angels, this will illustrate how there are some colors from either gamut that will simply not transfer from one to the other RGB also tends to appear more saturated as well. Those that are covered by both hands will--more of less. Those covered by only one hand will not.

You asked which colors "look best" to your blog readers. Personally I like a tad more red (with rgb) than yellow--but this again is just MY subjective preference. I will also submit that your preference will change over time, both as you learn to see color more adeptly and as your eyes age and the rods and cones decay. All of this figures into it. Years ago, when I first started using a color darkroom to make prints, without much of a color analyzer to help me, I had a baptism by fire regarding seeing color. I nearly pulled my hair out. But it is now helpful to me that I had this experience (I think).

You are also right about not spending too much time on any given “correction”. You can literally “improve” an image infinitely--and it might really be no improvement at all. The best bet is to use a commercial gray card or white card to read the light for correct white balance to the algorithms contained in your camera’s brain. Store three or four common conditions and go with that. Then use the automatic “color fix” on programs to experiment. It makes it much more readily duplicated later.

Another useful thing is to learn in generalities (trial and error is one way) to use the threshold graphs to make corrections. I almost always to this blindly to pump up shadow details before tweaking them. Then record your numerical values before any other changes are done.

This is another tidbit that doesn't matter for anything, but which you may find interesting. Mammals do not see the infrared spectrum at all, whereas birds do. I discovered this anecdotally while testing some military equipment in the woods behind my house. One of my dba businesses is called Military Optics. I sell scopes and other military optical equipment including night-vision--some of which uses supplemental infra-red lighting. Viewed with the naked human eye, you can't see the IR beam, but through the Night Vision devices, it looks like a high-beam headlight has been thrown on.

While running the NV in the above instance through its paces, I was in near pitch dark in the woods. I saw various night creatures like raccoons and deer and although they undoubtedly both heard and smelled my presence, they didn't see the IR or seem alarmed by it. On the other hand, I shined it up on a hoot-owl and it took off like crazy. This phenomenon may explain why the Afghan warlords are able to tell when US military troops are advancing . They often have guineas and pea-fowl with them (warlords do), and they get stirred up and make a lot of noise when they see the IR beams pointed at them--even though the Afghans can not. Therefore, they have a low-tech but reliable method that works, although they probably don't know why it does; maybe I should tip the military off.

More

Maybe I came across as too harsh on RAW; it is a wonderful thing and makes a wonderful difference in some situation. You need to be aware of it--just not too concerned with it right now. There is plenty of stuff to absorb now that will have a more immediate impact on your photographs. Any gains you make with RAW will be very subtle, and not worth the effort you'll expend. One day it may matter, so keep it in sight.

I would just use jpeg for now. If you want to capture more information for a specific gallery-quality job, you can use RAW and/or TIFF for those. Tiff files a larger, but they have a lot of information and work well with most programs.

It reminds me of bokeh. People who prefer a certain lens because of the bokeh are so full of poop. It is an attempt to make something that doesn't matter matter. For every good reason to use one particular rendition of bokeh there are as many for not using that one. It's just mojive. I'm going to event a new term right now and call it "infrogomtwok". I will introduce it on my blog. People will study this grand phenomenon for years trying to analyze and understand it. There will never be any real understanding about it. They will speculate that it came from a little know American Indian word for "something not really well-defined about cameras. Photography, pictures and dogs". But even this will be argued. Only you and I will know that it is a transliteration of the American saying, "Good enough for government work".

Regarding PhotoShop, I have it and try to keep an updated copy. I am familiar with it and like it. I have used it since it’s inception years ago. That's why I use it. I haven't even felt the need to put it on all my computers, however. I use whatever is available, and in some cases I download GIMP. It is fine for most things. (btw, Gimp is not free, it is used to get you on all kinds of lists and to install cookies and spy ware to track your every move, to be sold to marketing companies and maybe even the government.)

But when you get a copy of PhotoShop you will save money buying a used older version or a new older version, and you will not miss much. They hype the new version to make sales and come out with new versions frequently.

Another good thing to know, is if you are taking any classes, you can buy a student version. If you have a teaching certificate you can buy a teachers version. If you know someone who is a teacher you can get them to buy you a teachers version. If you can fog a mirror with your breath you may be able to buy a teachers version. If you go on eBay you can buy a teachers’ or student version for el cheapo. In other words don't ever spend more than a hundred buck or so on a copy.

There IS a lot to learn. That's what makes it so interesting. You are already head and shoulders above many professional photographers. Start charging something. But enjoy it. Make it a life journey wither professionally of as a hobby. But don't put yourself under the gun. Jus relax and enjoy. When I was about thirty, I was so burned out on photography that I didn't pick a camera up for years. Keep it real.

Another Look at the Hasselblad 500 EL System!

Click images to enlarge.

 

 
 
After taking a mandatory break for health reasons, I am back reviewing my collection as I liquidate it on eBay. I recently listed my last EL System. It is still very nostalgic for me to relinquish these old friends. This one has all kinds of accessories that I may not yet have discussed or pictured, so I am going to add a few more things to the 500 EL story.

 

 This model is a landmark camera for many reasons. It was the first electric drive camera of its kind for one. Although often thought of as cumbersome by todays photographers, it was still more menageable than many of the larger View, Field, or Press Cameras. Expecially helped by its unique two-handed angle adjustable grip and hot-shoe for flash, the EL, even with a large lens, was and is, quite manageable. I have previously made the case for having a bigger, heavy camera actually aids in holding a shot still. I was able to hand hold such cameras for relatively long exposures up to a second for candle-lighted wedding and such. There is a technique for this described elsewhere in this blog, but the technique is automatically assisted by having a larger camera.

  

 
 

For those tuned into the marketing logic of piggy-backing on the Hasselblad "Moon Landing" advertising campaign, the aluminum camera case being authentic Hasseblad logo gear may have carried some weight.

 
Another reason I wanted to write about this particular camera is to point out the differences between this camera and the ELM model. The EL is much more rare than the ELM. This one has also been displayed in my camera museum as it was used--with the exact accessories and the rare Aluminum Hasselblad branded fitted case. Few photographers were forethinking enough to buy Hasselblad branded cases just because it would add to the colledctor value, because anything with Hasselblad on it was not only sure to be the finest available, it was also expensive.

 

Although the M added to the Hasselblad 500EL does indeed mean "Modified", there is no consensus upon how it was modified. With the 500C jump to the 500CM, the "modified" reference to the "easy" user-change ability of hte ground glasses, does not necessarily apply to the EL vs the EL/M. It appears that some if not all of the ELs had exactly the same changeability of the ground glasses that were unique to the CM over the C models. If it does mean modified, it probably has something to do with the drive wiring, but that is only my guess. I have found no observable differences whatsoever.

 

 

Another quick note regarding ground glasses. Somewhere during the late eighties gave rise to a significant ground glass change. It was then that Hasselblad first began offering the Minolta patented and manufactured version of hte Fresnel ground glass which resulted in a much brighter viewfinder picture. The diffference can be readily decerned by the brighter view compared to the other Hasselblad ground glasses, but another cosmetic way is two small notches on on corner of the glass.

For those tuned into the marketing logic of piggy-backing on the Hasselblad "Moon Landing" advertising campaign, the case being authentic Haaseblad logo gear may have carried some weight. For much the same reason, all Hasselblad accessories was important too. The difference in quality was tangible, but there were certainly plenty of cheap knock-off brands that were "good enough". One might reasonably ask, "Why spoil the Hasselblad magic by using cheap attachments?" This is especially profound when using filters on Hasselblads superb glass lenses. All glass (or plastics) are not equal.

 

Another landmark point to this camera is that this is the initial bones of the camera that was initially designed for NASA's Space Program. During this era, professional photographers were concerned and a little doubtful about using an electric camera. EVERYTHING was electric. If the batteries went dead, there was no manual back-up contingencies. This sounded scary, although the wiring was very simple, consisting only of a film winder and shutter-cocking mechanism, both in sync. The prospect of having a uselessly battery-dead camera was off-putting.

 

Please note: The problem of selling users on electric cameras was universal, as evidenced by such provisions as Nikons default or failsafe shutter sync speed that was a huge selling point for professionals on the Nikon FE-2 even with dead batteries. But of course this would be a moot point for the EL as all the 500 series used leaf shuters contained within the lenses which would sync at any speed.

Today, we think nothing of electirc or even fully electronic cameras. This acceptance, however has been a slow evolution beginning in no small measure, with this model. To combat these fears, Hasselblad rightly made this new featureas palatable as possible by providing a recumbant rechargable battery system. The drive unit contained TO rechargeable batteries, each independently available. Advertised to last X number of hour of continuous shooting (the value changed from time to time), PER CELL, when the first battery ran out of juice, the next fully charged fresh onje kicked in.

These were the highest quality nickle-cadmim bateries, which were then regarded as revolutionary. Today these batteries can be bought aftermarket, or a simple wiring scheme is available to convert these venerable old drives to use either rechargeable or long-lasting standard nine volt batteries. Plans are availble with a simple search on line or as finished attachable devices for the drive innards. There is also a fuse that I have never seen blown. This is about the only thing that can go wrong with them.

 

Expecially helped by its unique two-handed angle adjustable grip and hot-shoe for flash, the EL, even with a large lens, was and is, quite manageable.

 

For the same reasons of allaying suspicions about the reliability of electric cameras, two other off-camera recharging devices were made by Hasselblad. The system shown here includes one of these. The charging cords and their plugs varried from European and American styles, favoring either 220 volt or 110 Volt plugs and inards. These were quickly merged into one switchable plug that had a toggle between the prongs. The cord in cluded here is of the latter type.

 

But the argument that probably addressed any suspicions of reliability more than any other steps taken, was the mere fact that this was the approved design--all electric camera--that was selected  (actually designed for) for the WSpace PRogram, including the moon landings. Today, approaching a half-century later, reliability of these well-designed cameras is still alive and going well. I would use mine for any job I'm handed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their seems to be some confusion about the differences between the Hasselblad 500 EL and the 500 EL/M model that replaced it. I have read in various blogs, that the difference was merely in the M being added to designate the "Moon" landing model. This is rubbish.I have also heard it said by supposed camera authorities (self-proclaimed ones, no-doubt) that it has to do with the chageability of the viewing ground glass--stating that the EL could ony be changed with a screw-driver. This is not true either, as the EL, including the one pictured, has a simple levered provison on each side of the glass to assist in making this change easy. This is no small matter either, as the several ground glasses available add a lot to the usability of these cameras for diverse needs.

Another reason I wanted to write about this particular camera is to point out the differences between this camera and the ELM model. The EL is more rare than the EL/M.

The vintage Hasselblad pricelist, the mini-manuals for such accessories pictured here as the double-gripped handled and flash-mount with Hasselblads proprietary latching camera attachment, which will literally never let go until you are ready, demonstrates the care and thought that went into Hasselblads designes. Nothing schlock about them. How many other accessories include a readalbe, collectable manual sized precisely to fit in the little collectable silver Hasselblad box?

As a word about black or gray with stainless trim cameras or black versus silver lens barrels let me add a couple of cents worth as a generic reference that happens to apply to this "black" system which I am selling. As the backs are interchangeable, and this was the last 220 back tht I had, it doesn't necessarily go with the cosmetics of the rest of the all black system. This is merely cosmetic. It is an  interesting story as to how a black finish came to be somewhat preferred over the silver models.

 

It is my understanding that the black finish is actually easier and less expensive to produce. However, the black models have co0me to be slightly preferred by hardcore photographers. I believe that Nikon was the first major camera manufacturer to offer the black finished option. It certainly does wear well, and there may indeed be a few instances where a black body might have a certain advantage over a silver body--such as when stealthily photographing wildlife or covetr operations or even in a crowd of news photographers where you might want ot keep a low profile and you don't want any brightreflections calling attention to you. I have dealt in military scopes and other optics and this really is a big factor in this environment.

But mostly, it is straining the point to claim any real advantage in having black cameras and lenses in virtually all scenarios realworld. Still there were fewer black cameras made, they are preferred by a segment of the population of serious photographers and therefore they fetch a slightly higher price. The true reason that black cameras and lenses are preferred is that in press cirles during hte last half of the last century, press photographers discovered an effect called brassing, wherein the surface beneath the black surface was exposed slightly with use--where the finger and or thumb wor against the finish. The more use, the more brassing. This came to be a badge of honor iof sorts among the elite news photographers. That's why black cameras are more preferred

BTW, why this double handed gadget was never replicated aftermarket speaks to the failure of people to see the extreme usability of such a device. And truly, until you try one, you probably would hesitate to realize the need you have for it. I guess it is a case of not missing what you don't have. However, I have found such utility in these devices, that for years I snatched every one up that I could find (which was not very many as they were produced on demand with a substantial backorder list). I recommend these handles to be the best way to make a Mamiya RB or RZ 6x7 camera mobile and usable in the field.

 

All in all, the following link is a good reference, although I have noted a few minor mistakes. I don't agree with some of his obviously subjective opinions, as they are obviously mere conjecture, but he provides a lot of facts and pictures.

http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?Hasselblad500el.html~mainFrame

A Hasselblad 500C camera was the first camera into space on October 3, 1962. EL Hasselblad Electric Cameras electric cameras were used for the first time on Apollo 8. Note from Wikkipeidia. This link is pretty cool. It shows a copy of The Astronauts Photography Manual for Hasselblad.

http://www.hasselblad.com/media/2207875/astronauts_manual_singlepage_lr.pdf

This is a fairly good official Hasselblad History: http://www.hasselblad.com/about-hasselblad/hasselblad-in-space/space-cameras.aspx although it quickly attempts to merge the new hasselblad with the original company of Victor Hasselblad.

Another good resource.http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HS/HSTable.aspx

My other related posts:

http://notesandnods.typepad.com/photography_for_profit_or/2008/11/sieze-a-fleeting-chance-to-get-a-hasselblad-500-el-for-peanuts.html

http://notesandnods.typepad.com/photography_for_profit_or/2008/11/sieze-a-fleeting-chance-to-get-a-hasselblad-500-el-for-peanuts.html

 

The Only Inexpensive Rollei Camera, XF 35

   
 
 This camera was cheap. But where they skimped on craftsmanship and materials, they made up for in lens Quality. Of any pocket 35mm camera of this vintage, the Rollei XF 35 has the best--sharpest and fastest lens.

There were some design quirks such as the rangefinder which comes loose and doesn't focus correctly. The camera I have pictured here, which is being auctioned on eBay, works fine. The pane in the front of the wiewfinder is loose and gravity pulls it down at an angle. See photo of front of rangefinder. There is also an easy fix for the rangefinder problem mentioned above. There is an adjustment screw under the cover under the finder which can be tweaked to adjust it properly.

If you want an inexpensive, easy-to-use, film camera, which is compact, and light, but you don't want to sacrafice lens (image) quality, this is the camera for you.

You'll find a couple of links to other references hereincluding one that tells specifically how to fix the rangefinder problem.

 

Links:

 

News in Pictures for the Year

News in Pictures

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• San Francisco's War Stories

  Gallery: Unearthing a Century of Guarding San Francisco from Attack

via www.cbsnews.com

Open Directory - Arts: Photography: Contests

Australian Digital Photo Competitions - Monthly photographic competitions for Australian photographers.

Austrian Super Circuit - Competition based in Hasselblad, Austria. Includes a list of previous contest winners, photos of previous top winners and contact information.

Bethesda International Photography Competition - An opportunity for photographers to showcase work in one the region's commercial galleries.

Black River Publishing - Annual outdoor photo competition with a $1,000 first prize and winning images published in a national calendar.

CDS Awards - Information on the Honickman First Book Prize in Photography, Dorothea Lange–Paul Taylor Prize, CDS Filmmaker Award, and the John Hope Franklin Student Documentary Awards.

Cohasset Colonials Photography Competition - The purpose of this competition is to illustrate the best aspects of Colonial design and American architecture.

Daily Awards Photography Contests - Daily

via www.dmoz.org

http://www.dmoz.org/Arts/Photography/Contests/

Go to this link for a list of a bunch of photography contests. I used to enter, and sometimes win photography contests, when I was much younger. I gues I have become far less teachable.

I have my style(s) which I continue to develop. I have proven myself in the real world of buyers, which is the ultimate vote, in a variety of categories. It is too much for my pride to take to have some wannabe critique my photos now. It just makes me want to beat them up, but I can't even do that anymore. But to each his own

Powerful Photography Websites: Build a Website, Backup Your Photos & Sell Online Today | PhotoShelter

Websites & tools for serious photographers

• Launch your new website in 5 minutes
• Sell prints, downloads and products
• Market yourself with social media & SEO
• Securely deliver images to clients

Try it for $1 for 14 days. Cancel at anytime.

via www.photoshelter.com

I know absolutely nothing about this company or its services. I know it is one of many that I have seen advertised. I book-marked this one some time ago as possible blog content when I ran across it while surfing for anther subject. I have intended to get back to regular posts regarding both Vintage Cameras and How-To/Gallery content. I have forever been updating my website, which I have maintained since before most people knew what websites were.

You may or may not know that I have hada series of health problems that have had me virtually out of commision for the most part for a couple of years. My vintage camera photos barely even qualify as snap-shots, but i have been systematically "snapping them" for my vintage camera posts as I have had time to list my huge collection for sale individually on eBay. I stil have a good half of them left.

I also have comparison photo examples for comparable vintage cameras which I have mostly shot, but have not yet processed and developed. I can do this in a couple of days when I feel well-enough to do so. And I am getting there, slowly but slowly. I truly expect to back on these projects very soon. I am gratified that those vintage camera posts still get a lot of hits and are apparently meanngful to a niche of people out there.

For future reference, my website is www.wrightplace.com, but don't bother going their yet, as I have the entry page frozen without any links until I get my galleries and other facets in order once again.

The Wall Street Journal Features GoPro

April 6, 2011 – In today’s edition of The Wall Street Journal, Nick Wingfield, features GoPro in his story on the company’s rise and adoption by the professional production market. The featured photo in the article is that of Dan Moore, a GoPro customer and previous “Photo of the Day” winner!

Camcorder Popular With Surfers Looks to Ride Professional Market

April 6, 2011

By NICK WINGFIELD

Even as cellphones put video cameras into pockets everywhere, one company is seeing brisk sales of a rugged video camera that turns ordinary people into the stars of their own self-shot action movies.

GoPro’s trick: a collection of mounts that allow its inexpensive cameras to be attached to everything from the tips of surfboards to ski helmets. The cameras have also started winning converts among professional cameramen, who have used the gadgets to burrow into cobra dens and shoot the insides of shark’s mouths for television nature shows.

Now GoPro’s closely held parent company, Woodman Labs Inc., is receiving its first round of funding from outside investors, including Steamboat Ventures, a venture capital fund backed by Walt Disney Co. GoPro declined to disclose the size of the investment.

GoPro is part of a category of products known as pocket camcorders that is thriving despite the prevalence of video cameras inside devices like Apple Inc.’s iPhone. The simple-to-operate cameras are more portable than traditional camcorders but lack many of their bells-and-whistles, like powerful zoom lenses.

In 2009, sales of all pocket camcorders were just over $2 billion world-wide, growing 21% in unit sales to 13.6 million in 2010 from the prior year, according to research firm

via gopro.com

Cool beans.

The Venerable Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5 Film Camera

 
 

I have owned several of these types of cameras, but their primetime precedes my professional involvement with them. They were still in wide use when I was a kid. And I have used them occasionally when offered by various newspapers back in the day. Most of what I have learned about these cameras has actually come since I have been a collector. I have had a blast mastering medium and large format cameras, but I can't really say that I fully appreciated them as I could have had I lived a decade or so earlier. The Graflex brand was a mainstay in the photography field for the first half of the last century, when the great news magazines and newspapers were in their glory days. Of course this was a time before television and radio stole the show.

The big Graflex flash units should be mentioned here as well, as they were usually attached to a camera of this kind. The first flash units powerful enough to use for outdoor sports coverage at night, such as football games and stock-car races, were monsters by today's standards. Whether they used flashbulbs or electronic flash tubes, they required a heavy battery carried in a big grey battery pack over the shoulder. I think I developed back problems as a result of lugging these things around. But they worked well and recycled fast. These large flash units, the kind they made the Star-Wars sabers from, were usually attached to a camera--or more correctly I supposed, the camera was attached to the flash unit. It made a nice handle for aiming and steadying the camera.

 

I used the Graflex flash system routinely with TLR and 35 mm cameras, but only a few times with a Graflex 4x5. As a pair thse products were actually quite well-made for one another and they seemed to balance each others heft out. Both were well thought out. The flash was unrivaled for fast cycle time and output power. But as I have said, the 4x5's were not what I started with.

Many field photographers were beginning to scale down during my formative photographic years. I went the way of most--which was to adopt medium format--then defined as the 6x6 or 6x7 camera varieties. Medium format technically included 4x5, but the leap in negative size as well as equipment size was huge, going from 120 roll film to 4x5 cut film. Negatives larger than 6x7 require a different size condenser for darkroom enlarger (often a different enlarger), a bigger negative carrier, and each sheet of film needs metal frames to soup the halide acetates with. The 4x5 required larger rectangular processing tanks in multiples. 

The specific operator handling techniques were also very different when it came to 4x5 equipment, besides the cumbersome size and relatively greater difficulty handling cut film. Film and transparencies were expensive and left little room for mistakes or experimentation on a whim. Their size and weight never put me off. But I tend to prefer large cameras because they often can be held steadier.

Once you familiarize yourself with these cameras, you see that by the time myCrown Graphic came along, Graflex had a tried-and-true formula. The design was brilliant but fairly simple. The evolution of the Crown Graphic came from years of trial and perfection.

One of the most notable design features was the ease with which the long belows slid back into the box. If you've never seen one both ways, it is hard to imagine that this camera with bellows, lens, rail, and rear folding ground glass viewfinder rolls out of that much smaller body. It is unfortunate that in this specific camera from my camera museum, that someone has mishandled it and bent the linkage to where it no longer engages as it could. It works, but it IS broken.

This defect is easily enough fixed. I would straighten and reinforce with a drop of solder to each pick-up (pictured where I am pointing to it in one of these images) for functionality, but the next owner may be picker about this, so I'll leave it as it. I also tend to be a perfectionist, but this is one of my second-round back-ups to my collection I had early-on. [This is often the way a collection is aquired; you find the best example of a particular camera of interest at a fair price and latch hold of it. Then you are always on the look-out for an even morepristine example if you find one at the right price. This one was good enough, but fifteen years ago they were all over the place. I actually paid more for this camera than I will ever exect to get out of it--although I could have found one five years ago for a better price. Although still very much availabe, the price of these cameras reflects their increasing popularity as collectables.]For full restoration, some collectors will prefer to find the correct parts. These parts can still be ordered from a number of places listedat thebottom of this post. There are also abundant supplies of parts available for this camera all over the Internet that have been stripped from junked cameras. If one is patient, she might hobble one together out of junked parts for a bit of nothing. This is not the preferred method for a collectable, but is okay for just a fun user.

 

These old-timers are large enough and simple enough that the old adage I have been known to repeat regarding fools and repairing cameras really does not apply, although one must take care when messing with the lenses. Even the lenses are not so intimidating if good sense and gentle hands are used. The expectation during vintage photography days gone by was for any good field photographer to be half mechanic anyway. Professionals, knowing that their livlihoods depended upon a no excuses approach to capturing every available shot, would often carry replacement parts in the event that his camera cratered in the field. However, for this very reason, these industiral-grade cameras could take a lot of hard use or a major accident to crater a Graflex 4x5 of this vintage.  [Today, the same formula for getting the shot should be observed, except instead of carrying extra parts, you should carry extra cameras and whatever other gear you need. I have always taught, two of everything and three of some things.] Getting run over by a linebacker while photographing from the sidelines could then and still will crater both the camera and the hotographer. (It happened. It still does. But if it happens more than once to the same person, he/she is regarded as a slow learner.)

 

Sometimes standard habits that make sense out there on the job--like using duct/duck tape (It was originally developed for the armed forces and was called "duck-tape" because it was waterproof, but smart people used it for virtually everything including central AC ducts. Here in the South we can fix ANYTHING with WD-40 and duck/tape orit ain't worth fixin a-tall .) This measure, no doubt provided an extra measure of security from having the box open and the bellows with lens fom falling out and getting mangled. I have never had a problem of this kind, but I've seen enough taped-up doors on this style of cameras to know that it was a frequent fear at least. Unfortunately the mar to this otherwise fine specimen may be permanent )I actually don't think it is however).

 

Permanent is a misnomer to those who restore cameras. Some collectors would appreciate this battle-scar as an example of the real thing. Others would fix it. I have removed a number of these kinds of blemishes from various leather-bound cameras by using solvents such as acetone (even carbon-tet, as this camera has zero plastic parts.There is a product that has been around for decades now called Goof-Off that comes in a can like like cigarette lighter fluid used too (I don't know if lighter-fluid is still available like that, so this may be a vintage reference as well, but if it does, lighter fluid might work too.) Goof-Off removed chewing gum, various greasy residues and other such stuff. It has also removed tape residue in every case I recall.

For that matter, I can't readily tell if this is actual tape residue or if the tape has actually removed some of the finish off of the black leather. The leather feels uniform on this area--so who knows. It would also be dyed with leather dye if this is the case. This kind of leather is treated to become harder with age as opposed to brittle, so there is a good chance that the blemish is just tape residue. At any rate, it can be fixed one way or another. Otherwise than this place, the leather is in remarkable shape on this camera. The bellows are perfect still.

 

The camera comes with an add-on length of focus rail for the purpose of accommodating different focal length lenses. You release the bellows rail lock and slide it into position for a given lens, and then lock it back securely. The inside piece of rail is designed to be removed easily enough by the user if it is not desired. This camera has the "normal" lens with it, but you can find others on-line quite easily.

The viewfinder was not made by Graflex. There was a long-standing relationship between the finder maker and a number of vintage camera manufacturers. They had both the best/most cost-effect solution to the need for a split-image rangefinder focusing mechanism as well as a patent. There are other makes of finders that you could upgrade too if you so desired. But this one is considered good and it still works. Graflex played with top-mounted finders for a few years but decided that this side-mount finder was the best.

 

Paint does not usually come off of Graflex cameras. You can see that this rangefinder, which is NOT a Graflex product, has lost a lot of cosmetic surface paint.

www.graflex.org/speed-graphic/features.html#KalartSide

I have long held that this was intentionally designed to promote paint wear with use--much as the Nikons, Leicas, and Canons of the film camera days were designed to around strategic use areas. This was regarded in all cases as a sort of seasoned pro's badge of honor and for this it was a desirable thing. I don't know the reality of this in the case of the Graflex or if it arose from a smart salesman turning a design flaw into a positive.

In any case, most of these rangefinders are found this way. The residual paint is easily removed and a good black enamel can be applied to restore it as good as new. Personally, I am of the school of collectors who tens to like old things to look authentically old. This Graflex is in good enough shape that a good wipe-down is all it needs cosmetically for a collection. I believe that I am correct in saying that "as is" is more valuable too. However, this is not a rare Leica. I see these cameras way over-priced on ebay. I also see them not selling until the price is reduced.

This camera means a lot to me, although it is not one of my favorites. I never got too much into folding field cameras as I have explained. But this iks a good one. the lens, as you can see in the pictures, is cean, clar and it is a very sharp agorythm lens of the kind seldom found today. You may have to play with filters when using it for color pictures. It is assured to provide razor sharp images and even a desirable bokeh, as it were. But the lenses were designed for black and white news photography. Not correct color rendition.

If you get a camera like this that uses cut-film, make sure that you understand how the film-holders work. They are designed to be used with minimal handling and the fewest steps. Sometimes they will out-think you if you are not aware of how they work. Also, if you try black and white cut film, I warn you--you are dangerously close to investing into an entire vinatge black and white 4x5 capable darkroom. It truely is a lot of fun though for those so-minded. It certainly served me well.

 www.graflex.org/cameras/

Hollywood Square format Twin Lens Reflex Camera. Much to do about Nothing.

I guess I should not say that, but this camera has-over kill for a cage, but little in the cage to talk about. It is not much more than a glorified Brownie.

A Kodak Instamatic 126 Catridge Camera with an Attitude - Model 500

Instamatic 500 From Classic Cameras Website:

Manufactured: 1963-65 Lens: Schneider Xenar f/2.8, 38 mm 4-element Shutter: Compur 1/30 - 1/500, B Quantity Made: 158,283+ Original List Price: $94.50 Country of Origin: Germany

This was one of the best cameras made for the 126 format. Its host of features include match-needle exposure setting, scale focusing to 2.5 feet, parallax correction marks in the bright-line finder, and automatic film speed sensing (25 to 800 ASA). Flash provision is by hot shoe and PC connector. The collapsible lens mount accepts 32 mm Retina filters and lens hoods. Cable release and tripod sockets are also provided, as is a depth-of-field indicator. The fit and finish are outstanding.

Famous Model Camera from a historical maker of American film cameras, primarily  the during last century. I am still working on this listing. I will provide the blog link that covers the history and working review of this camera. This camera, as with all of my cameras posted here on ebay, are cameras that I have had professional exposure to or experience with, or which occupy an unusual place in photography history; the Kodak 500 is among the latter--as I would never have relied on a 126 Instamatic camera for professional use. My reviews are largely anecdotal in nature, although I do provide additional outside links that I feel are well-founded concerning my cameras. My camera collection was exhibited as the D.Patrick Wright Museum of Cameras at my home in Tennessee. It has now been more than half liquidated as I deal with health issues. I hope to get them all sold soon. I will be listing many others in the near future.

This Camera is considered the best 126 Instamatic format camera that Kodak made. The lens is very sharp and the other controls are as good as they got for this vintage camera. It used a built-in Cds (Cadmium Sulfide) light meter. It was introduced by Kodak in 1970- of my memory serves me correctly. Kodak followed shortly with a SLR version, but the 500 is the model that was most popular. Both models were relatively expensive, which was something of an oxymoron in the world of cartridge film photography. The Instamatic cartridge, first issued in the 126 format was not a very large negative. Nor did the cartridge hold nearly as many frames as did standard 35 mm cameras.

Of course, it was about the same size as the image portion from the 35 mm cameras taking hold during this same era, but keep in mind that even 35 mm cameras were not taken very seriously for quality photography then. The Kodak 500 was taken no more seriously. It's appeal was mostly to quality-conscious amateurs who wanted the ease of operation, but who also wanted a sharp image and proper exposure. The Kodak 500 delievered on this promise very well. However, using their typical tried and proven formula that they had successfully used to sell many cameras and supplies for over a century. They made this fancy camera to fit their own proprietary cartridge, thereby ensuring that they'd be the ones selling the film for the 500. Although the jury may have still been out regarding who would win the war of film formats, for most of us, the writing was on the wall by the late sixties. Kodak's old formula would not win this time.

Only the Rollei SL26 Instamatic Camera boasted better and more expensive features--and it would not come out for a couple of more years. Both of these cameras are must-haves for the serious camera collector. The 500 shown here is very well-designed and made of quality materials. This is Kodak craftsmanship at its finest. The "mod" design was every bit as space-aged as the Apollo spacecrafts that landed on the moon during this same era.

I received this information as follows. If I was ever aware of this, I have forgotten it. Thanks you for your information.

Actually there were at least four 126 SLR cameras. Besides the Rollei SL26, there was the Contaflex 126, Kodak Instamatic Reflex, and a Ricoh 126 SLR. I own one of each; the Rollei is my favorite. LW

- lyn_wis

http://notesandnods.typepad.com/photography_for_profit_or/2008/12/even-rollie-made-camera-mistakes.html

How to create this "Special Effect"!

http://www.facebook.com/wRightRocks?ref=tn_tnmn#!/photo.php?fbid=10150426007293961&set=a.122650088960.94689.122416378960&type=1&theater

I both Liked and Shared this photograher's image on Face Book. If you are coming from some other link, you can go to the link above to see it. I don't want to post it here because someone might think I took the picture. I did not. I don't even know this photographer. But he does have some nice images. This feathery flowing water effect is often seen to enhance waterfalls and whitewater streams. It is something that you can dovery easily.

You should use a tripod, but any way you can brace your camera to avoid motion blur from the camera movement. You want to use a low ISO setting as well as a high f/stop if shooting this during full daylight. If you don't have the adjustability to allow a time exposure with your camera you can possibly do it on automatic. It won't hurt to try.

But the whole effect relies on a second or more time exposure to allow the steadied camera to blur the moving water as it flows. The longer you can leave the shutter open, the more fluffy it will appear. However, you will be limited in how long of a time exposure you can use by the brightness of the scene. It does not take long for the water to blur sufficiently for a nice look.

This used to be a lttle dicey when using film. The best method then was to bracket your exposure times and take lots of them. With digital cameras, you can merely look at each frame until you get what you want. Still, I do recommend taking several variant exposures as it will provide more digital data to manipulate within the camera after-exposures controls or within PhotoShop, if you so decide.

This is all there is to it. There are a limited number of ways in which I suggest using controlled motion blur toenhance your cameras, but this is on eof the. If you have no stream readily available to practice on, you can use anything from the bathroom tub water tap to a hose outside. While you are at it, maybe I'll write another post within the next day or so about some other kitchen intrigue to photograph.