XD-11: Textures, Trees and Tables

XD-11: ACME

Sometimes the signs persist, because they are part of the Architecture.

XD-11: Daniels and Fisher

Sometimes the new owners restore the building sign.  I don't know what the business of Daniels and Fisher was, but I do know that this was Warehouse No. 2.

XD-11: Ghost Signs

Many of the old industrial buildings in Downtown Denver have what I call "Ghost Signs" that reveal their past.  Most are now lofts and condos........Donald and I have decided to start documenting these sign that reveal Denver's industrial past.

XD-11: Boulder Creek Sentinel

XD-11: Events.......

Obviously something goes on here............

This was also a test of my New Tamron f/4 70-210 Zoom lens.....

The Minolta XD-11 Returns to the Living

Let's welcome back our old friend the Minolta XD-11.  Last seen at the camera repair shop.

 

This week we'll spend time in B&W as I show some of the repair test photos from the XD-11.  

This is a little guy  that sits on a tree trunk in the front lawn of one of my neighbors.  

Interesting little guy, more of a gargoyle than a lawn gnome?

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: Yellow

Yellow is a close one; another aesthetic choice here:

Velvia 50:  A bit Green

E100VS: True Yellow

Comments:  I mentioned that E100VS seemed to "see" outside our human visible range on the red end.  Velvia 50 seems to "see" greens with more intensity.  So it may be more on the blue end of the spectrum.  Same as yesterday's Blues, if you hadn't seen the truer color, you would probably accept the other as OK.

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: Blue in Full Sunlight

Another close one............

Velvia 50: True Blue

 E100VS: A bit Magenta, but OK

Comments: Yesterday's image was in low light.  Here in full sun E100VS does better.  The background browns are the Cedar from our test.  Here also the cedar background is more golden for Velvia 50.

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: I've got the Blues

Let's check the Blue Hydrangeas:

Velvia 50

E100VS

Comments:  We have a couple of problems here that allow me to state right away that Velvia 50 wins this color.  First, the background was the yellow exterior of my house.  Which one appears yellow to you?  Also if you know Hydrangeas, you would pick Velvia 50 as the truer color.  There was obviously some source of reddish light just outside our visible human range that the E100VS is picking up.  I like that color, but I know that it is not the correct color.  Remember, some films can "see" outside our human eye's visible range.  This will affect the color balance.

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: More on Brown

Let's look at some Cedar lumber we used to build planter boxes:

Velvia 50:  A bit too golden

E100VS:  Just a little too magenta

Comments:  Looking at the Cedar now and allowing for a month's worth of fading by the sun, I'd say that reality is in the middle.  E100VS always brightens any red highlights in the image,  so the Cedar is a bit more red/magenta than reality.  But the Velvia 50 is too golden.  So this is an aesthetic choice, since neither is the true color, but both look OK.

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: Browns, not so good

Up to this point we've had a tie.  But If you are interested in earth tones, perhaps this breaks the tie.  Velvia 50 Browns are not so good.

Velvia 50: Too Red

E100VS: True Tea

Comments: Not the best lighting conditions for either, but E100VS handles the low light better.  I think we all know which is closest to the actual color of ice tea........Not A tie, E100VS wins!

Velvia 50 vs. E100VS: Check the White Balance

 Velvia 50: A little green

 E100VS: True White

Comments:  If you know anything about flowers, you'll know that most white flower are actually a bit green.  And As I remember them, the Velvia is probably closer to the actual color of the flowers, but the E100VS is more aesthetically pleasing.  I'm still going to call it a tie!

Velvia 50 vs. E100 VS: The Results

This test highlights April flowers...........so let's jump in!

Conditions:  Mamiya 645 with changeable backs.  Each film has it's own back with proper ISO setting: each image taken from the same position, same lighting conditions, by changing the back while the camera was on the tripod.  Photos are not retouched; so have been cropped.

Lens: Mamiya Sekor f/4 80mm with Macro. 

WHY?  I never was satisfied with Velvia 100 and I am still looking for a replacement for E100GX; Everyone told me I'd love Velvia 50:

RED:

Velvia 50

E100VS

I'd say these are pretty close, with the Velvia a bit more orange; E100VS known for sometimes unreal reds seems OK...... So it's a tie here!  I'd be happy with either color.

To See E100GX Reds CLICK HERE:

Darkroom: Add the Enlarger

Here our Omega Enlarger..........Tomorrow you will see the Durst 4X5 enlarger that my neighbor gave me.  Unfortunately not enough room for both, so we had to switch them out.

Darkroom: Cabinets.......

The cabinet will serve as a platform for the enlarger.

Darkroom: Add the Sink

 One of my neighbors is a professional photographer.  He's gone digital and gave me his darkroom.  We lined the walls with a water proof barrier, and you can see the ventilation fan above.

Darkroom: Painting

 Many people mistakenly believe that the walls of a darkroom must be black.  My friend in Boulder, whom I call 'Photo Guy' had yellow walls and I asked him about that.  Apparently as long as it is not white, you're OK.

Darkroom: New Drywall

After moving a few electrical outlets around......the new drywall goes up.  Below I check out the Progress.

Darkroom: Getting Started

 We had a non-functioning wreck of a bathroom in our unfinished basement.  here we've already torn out the old shower.............

Moving Forward..........

Hello....I'm back.  Got caught up in the French Open.  Sometimes Tennis Happens!

But we are moving forward......

This week we'll visit my new Darkroom.