Pinhole Pairs #2

And a final view of the Mayo Clinic:

Also from the Cactus Garden

Pinhole Pairs #1

I happened to have some fortuitous pairs of images taken with the Reality So Subtle Pinhole and the Mamiya-6.  Makes for an interesting contrast:

 Fountain from the Mayo Clinic Cactus Garden

Final Catch-up #5 #filmjune

Final Posts Summary the Twitter #filmjune series

26. Dream Camera and Ilford Film Collaboration:
My Dream Camera: Any Rollei 6000-Series Medium Format SLR in collaboration with Ilford SFX-200 Film.

Here's a review of the camera: https://www.casualphotophile.com/2017/10/06/rollei-6008-professional-medium-format-slr-camera-review/

27.  Have you ever used Zone focusing?
I have used zone focusing, especially in street photography.  But also using it as I test my Mercury camera.  Still learning to use the focusing screen, so sometimes I just go with my estimated distances.

28. Are you a fine grained photographer, or the more grain the better?
I'm a fine grain photographer.  That's why I've never liked HP5 or Tri-X.  The grain just doesn't appeal to me.

29. Have you bought a camera that has been on your wish list?
Yes, I always wanted a Press Camera.  But I didn't have to buy it, our neighbor gave us his Burke and James Press Camera!

30. Have You taught anyone film photography?
No, but I did bring my Husband back from the digital abyss and into the 'Light' of Film Photography again. The last time he picked up his DSLR the dates on the images showed that he hadn't used it in months.  He now favors his Mamiya 6 and Intrepid 4X5.  Saving the analogue world one person at a time!

52 Rolls Weeks 29 & 30....All Infrared All the Time!

We bid farewell to this round of Infrared Film Testing....The 720 nm filter made the difference.  Also longer exposures at ~ISO 50.

Baby Eggplant:

The Mamiya 1000S testing constitutes Week #30 for the 52 Rolls Project.  But You've seen them all here.  Week #29 was a similar Rollei IR test using the Mamiya 6.  results were not as good, 

but check it out for yourself.

And the camera worked beautifully:

More Fun with IR Films...........

More fun with IR films coming soon.  This time with the Hoya R72 filter, 

which cuts out more of the visible light.

Saturdays Online: My Evolving Camera Family

Always worth revisiting this topic: Rangefinders vs. SLRs.  Read an easy to follow discussion here at The Darkroom. Fair and doesn't take sides.  In the end, your choice depends on what you are shooting and why.  Click on the links below to see example images for each camera type in my Camera Evolution.

If you have followed this blog for a while, you know that I made the switch from 35 mm to medium format 645 (largely before I started the blog).  I still use 35mm, but over time the Minolta posts have gone down and the Mamiya 645 posts have gone up.  The Mamiya 645, though, is still a single lens reflex camera (SLR), meaning basically that you view, focus and meter through the same lens.

One of my many Minoltas:

And Yes, we have His & Hers Mamiya 645's:

I had a small Canonet 35 mm Rangefinder, but never really took to it:

Then my husband read about the Mamiya 6X6 and wanted one.  So we got one.  Then it sat around for a while because he was more focussed on digital and so I started using it. Of course he then wanted it back!

I'd learned the ins and outs of Rangefinders by then and was ready to take the plunge.  I had observed photographers using the Mamiya 6X7 on workshops and field trips.  And since I prefer the landscape format to the square,  the Mamiya 7 became my rangefinder of choice.

But I found, that although a Canonet Rangefinder might serve well for street photography, the 10-shot per roll M7 didn't quite work.  So in my camera evolution (any by learning a lot about different camera options on the 52 rolls project).  I acquired the Fuji GA645 for medium format street photography.  We've already taken this on out for a spin at recent rally's.  I can't wait for Zombie Crawl 2017!

And yet, I still find uses for my 35 mm cameras, for special projects, as as my easy access ride along camera on road trips.  And now that I know more about Rangefinders, I use the Canonet more.


In a future Saturday Online offering, we'll take a look at some Experimental Cameras I Have Known.........

52 Rolls Week # 43

For Week 43 we revisit an old friend as I present some of my Personal Vision Final Project images:

This photo is the inspiration for ma final project theme:  Exploring Spirituality......

52 Rolls Week 38:52

Film Test and chasing Fall across Colorado.  We find ourselves at Boreas Pass, a place we've been before.

First we revisit the Baker Water Tank taken in 2011 with my last 120 roll of Kodak 100GX:

Next an image from this year taken with Fuji Velvia 50:

And a comparison to Fujicolor Pro 400H:

Yu can see why I preferred Kodak E100GX to Velvia 50....It has better true color rendering.  The Velvia 50 image would need more manipulation.


See the Current Film Test Results Here.

Saturdays Online: Mixin' It Up!

You may have noticed the addition of my Twitter Links.  And you Know I'm a participant in the 52 Rolls Project.  Well, I felt the need of a Change-up to keep 52 Rolls moving and fresh.  So here you go, I asked my Twitter followers for advice:

Still mostly Holga.  But when appropriate I will shoot with the other cameras.  Heading into the High Country soon, and the Holga wasn't going to cut it for scenic landscapes:

Truth be told I shot this one with my Minolta x-700.  But I won't tell if you won't!

Saturdays Online: A Note On Wanton Destruction!

Just as we care about our wildlife and wouldn't want to cause unnecessary damage to the environment.  It would have been 'nice' if this editor from the Farm Security Administration hadn't been so arrogant as to think he knew what should be preserved for posterity.

Imagine someone taking a hole punch to your negatives!

Snow Tracks.......

Hard to photograph before the snow has been walked over...so you might as well work with it.

Winter Hardy

More Snow Expected for Easter........

I have several lovely winter hardy cacti in my front yard........I'd love to see this Agave bloom, but I'm afraid not in my lifetime.....

Gratuitous Andy Photo

He loves the snow so much!

Garden Prep

The Gardening Preparation area is snowbound.......I've already planted lettuce in my little shaded habitats.  I'll have to see if they have sprouted.....hopefully not!

These shots of the Feb snowpocalypse were taken as a camera and lens test for our newly acquired 'back-up' Mamyia-6 and 75mm lens.

Sundays Online: Save your Camera First!

Always have your priorities in order;  save the camera first.  READ MORE HERE.

No mud here, just snow as we had another storm last night.  Truthfully, though, the images we will see this coming week are from the real 'snowpocalypse' in early February.  March was a dry month until Thursday night.

Saturdays Online: Nuclear Tests Recorded on Film.........

It's been a while since I have posted online news.  I've been absorbed with the 52 Rolls Project, as you have seen the regular Wednesday updates.  But I am shooting other cameras too.

From a recent walk near home:  "A Trail In Winter"

What does this have to do with Nuclear Tests?  Not much, but I always try to post a photo with my online news.

So here's the link explaining How Kodak Knew about Nuclear Testing before the Public did!  Film can teach us so much!

Starting the Year Off Right.......Focus on Analog Photography

Following up the theme of the 52 Rolls 2016 Project, Here is a post from out friend the Phoblographer offering multiple sources of Information for the first time film user.

Also, Amazon announced that Film was the Best Selling Photo Gift Product this holiday season.  Way to go Analog Photo Bugs!

Yes it's been altered in Photoshop, but anything Digital can do, Film can do Better!

Portrait Psych Test: Finale

Finale, Me Taking Pictures:

2013 Mamiya 7 Camera Test:

I'm holding the Mamiya 7; photo was taken with a Mamiya 6

2015 Mamiya 7, 210mm Telephoto Lens Test:

Donald playing with the Nikon-1 IR Conversion

Portrait Psych Test Part 4

Now we jump ahead to 2015:

Saturdays Online: You Need A Beard?

A recent article suggests that a Beard is required for all Large Format Photographers.  HMMMM Ladies that makes it a bit tough.  But we can ignore that and do as we please, right?
I any case, Donald is preparing himself for our 4X5 Press camera by growing a beard.......

He also has that large format stance down pretty good too! Add the western hat (which he does own too) and we are all set..........