#filmjune Catch-Up Part 1

I've been posting answers while traveling and so didn't have access to photos or my website.  So I'll add some links here where appropriate. I have paraphrased the questions. If you are on Twitter you can follow #filmjune  @ILFORDPhoto @AnalogueWLand   @Jaysargo

1. Most Inspiring Female Photographers:  HolgaJen, Colleen Miniuk-Sperry and Annie Leibovitz.  Check them out.
2. Underwater Photography: Tried it once.  Have no idea where the photos are.
3. My Oldest working Cameras:

4. Filters and Extension tubes: I used contrast filters all the time because I mostly shoot B&W film. Link to my filter Studies.

  5. Do you use B&W or Color films for certain subjects? Yes, mostly B&W now because my favorite color film was discontinued: Kodak E100GX.  I have found some satisfaction with Kodak Portra 400.

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!

Portrait Psych Test Part 3

Yesterdays Portrait was taken in 2011.  Me and my dog Andy.  Today's portrait was taken about a year later in 2012:

Self-portrait using a mirror and our Rollei TLR.

Sundays Online: The Sounds of Film Photography

Forget that annoying beeping....Those of us that maintain an arsenal of film cameras still get to enjoy the "Sound of Film".

In the Labels I have listed all the brands of Film Cameras I still use.............

Saturdays Online: No More TLR's

Now that Rollei is closing up shop, there will be no more TLR Cameras:

Some may ask why this matters, but we have experienced a striking loss of diversity in creative camera options.  Nowadays, everyone uses very similar cameras, with similar results.  A lot of "SAMENESS" going around.

Well, I've got mine, and if you are interested in exploring this camera type you'd better get yours soon.  Uses 120 film which is still readily available.  And I'm certainly keeping the Logo!

Saturdays Online: Advantages of Medium Format Film Photography

According to a recent article on the REFRAME Website, if you are going Film, Go Medium Format!

If you are a new follower of My Vintage Cameras, the following Keywords all refer to my medium format photography:

• Medium Format
• Mamiya
• Mamiya 6
• Mamiya 645
• Mamiya 7
• Rollei TLR
• Holga
• Pinhole Cameras
• Minolta Autocord

I have totally gone Medium format.   I possess all of the above, with the exception of the Minolta Autocord.  One of our followers does use and Autocord and I have a link to his Blog.  For me it boils down to this:

• Unbeatable, Gorgeous, BIG Negatives
• Unaffordable comparable digital medium format
• Lighter weight and more versatile than lugging around a view camera

REFRAME mentions all of the above, and the subtle difference in the "Look" of the resulting print.

For two examples click here Monument Valley, and here for a Mamiya 6 portrait of me and the Mamiya 7.  Or just check out any of the Keywords.

Tmax 100 @ f/11

Saturdays On-line: The Minotla Autocord

Here is a camera that I had not heard of, the Minolta Autocord, a 1950's-60's TLR described her by one of our Blogger Friends Agust Olafsson.

Lots of nice photos of the camera on Camera-wiki, but not reproduced here because they are under copyright.  So I'll just post a self-protrait from last year featuring my (inherited from father-in-law) Rollei TLR:

I'll have to look into this. As a Minolta Collector I may need to acquire an Autocord.

New Logo?

I was asked to design a Logo for my Blog.  Hadn't really thought about such things.  So here is what I have come up with as a first attenpt:

Playing with the Rollei

Playing with the Rollei for Birthday #52.

Aim, Focus, Shoot!

Final photos from that first Rollei Roll:

Donald in the background, taking pictures of me taking pictures................

More from the Rollei

This was the first roll of film through the Rollei after my father in law gave it to us. The previous photo also from the same roll of C-41 B&W.  These turned out pretty well considering that I was guessing at exposures:

From the Arizona Cactus Garden at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California.

(Donald used to work there)

Feeling the Bokeh?

Ken Rockwell often has interesting (if controversial articles).  But feeling the Bokeh is not controversial.  I'd actually never thought about this, but how does your lens render the out of focus areas of an image?

After some examination my preliminary appraisal is the My Rollei has the best Bokeh:

Out of focus areas are soft focus and not harsh or contrasty.

I really should use this camera more, so I've decided to make it my dedicated Caffenol camera.

Faith on Film: Ash Wednesday

Faith on Film Returns for Lent

Ash Wednesday Meditations

More from the Rollei: The White Mountain Bristlecones

These are the Grand Daddies of them All. THE trees you think of when you hear Bristlecone Pines.



The Barren White Mountains rise to the east above the town of Bishop, California.


The oldest living things on Earth. The harsher climate and poor soils in this area causes slower growth, and therefore a longer lifespan for these Bristlecones compared to their Rocky Mountain Cousins.





The Park was technically closed for the season, but we went up a back road used by scientists who were still shutting down their alpine research lab for the winter. The back road is accessible only by 4-wheel drive vehicles, even in the best of weather.

Meet the Rollei TLR

When I first started this blog one of the intents was to introduce my personal vintage cameras, and meet other vintage camera affcionados. I've fallen away from that a bit. And I do still have two cameras that you haven't met and a third that I introduced on day one, so most of you haven't met that one (Mamiya 6X6).

One of my newest Blogger friends at Analoog 60, has an amazing collection of vintage cameras and has gotten me back on track with my collecting goals and camera introductions. So it is time to meet the Rollei TLR. Given to us by my father-in-law, it's a close tie with my grandfather's camera for the oldest in the collection.


And let's see a few photos from the first roll of film shot with the Rollei:








Donald with our Wrangler





















Close-up. But what is he looking at? Can you tell?













The view across the valley..........