Kodak Color Plus 200 Film Test for the Frugal Film Project

I'd mentioned the Frugal Film Project before.  I decided to use my Goodwill purchased Canonet and settle on Kodak Color Plus 200 as my inexpensive film. 

Since I didn't have the Canonet in Arizona at the time.  I did a preliminary film test using my Minolta X-700 and a Macro lens at the Mayo Clinic Cactus Garden:

I was generally happy with the results and am awaiting the processing 

of my first roll from the Canonet.

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.........

Back in the Saddle Again for 2017!

This year will start of with equipment and film tests. and more links to posts in the 52 rolls 2017 Project.

Today a little of both.  We retest a camera and start our new 52 rolls saga.  Looking back in Week 49 I tested a Canonet QL-17 that we had purchased online from Goodwill.  What the heck for ~$30 if the camera doesn't work it's really no great loss.

No lines or scratches evident.  To view the complete 52 Rolls, post Click Here.

Coming up next, another 'new' old camera joins the family.

52 Rolls Week #37: Boreas Pass Railway Festival

Over exposed, but still interesting.  After two over exposed rolls, I wondered if there was a problem with my Canonet Rangefinder.  Then I checked the settings I found that I was shooting everything on 1/60 sec., when I thought it was on Auto exposure.........

The one properly exposed image was indoors:

Check out my mistakes here @ 52 Rolls.

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..........

Saturdays Online: Remember the Filter Factor .........

Some how it had escaped me that Rangefinders DO NOT meter through the lens that is making the image.  So I had some exposure problems using my darker filters.  SO today I am doing Filter Factor Exposure Tests for the Mamiya-6, Mamiya-7 and Canonet:

So I invite you to now pick your poison!  Which Rangefinder would you start with?  Here are some Suggestions for Starter Cameras.........

Above and below The Crags from the Never Summer Range:

Left:  Canonet and Mamiya-7 on the Right.

Never Summer Range, North Park, Colorado

Looking east across North Part towards the Never Summer Range:

Looking south from the same location:

Medicine Bow Mountains

Medicine Bow Mountains, North Park, Colorado:

Moose Fun in North Park

More Canonet images from our 4th of July Trip to North Park.  This time some Moose Fun!

Above taken from the Moose Overlook at State Forest State Park, in North Park.  Yes this looks like great moose habitat.  Although this trip was the first time we'd actually seen a Moose in North Park.  It is know as the Moose Capital of Colorado because there are supposed to be a lot here.  But they manage to hide quite well.

Found Some Older Photos.....From the Canonet

I found some older Photos taken with the Canonet, that I apparently never posted (or somewhere along the line I mislabeled them).  In any case they are presented now:

At Brainerd Lake, Peak to Peak Highway, above Boulder, Colorado.

A Very Specific Sign!

Absolutely No Snow Plowing on the Weekends!

Saturdays Online: Revisiting the Canonet

There was a recent PetPixel article on the Canonet Rangefinder:

Of course I have one, and with my fondness for Rangefinders growing, I've pulled it out again to use:

So for the next week we'll view some recent images from the Canonet:

Vintage Camera News: Old Cameras Return and New Films are Tested

First, we can't start without a Photo:

Me and the kids on a recent visit to Independence Pass.

Lot's of film testing going on.  I'm still searching for that color transparency film to replace Kodak E100GX.  Since that's long gone, we are testing against E100VS (which was recently also discontinued, but still available).

We've tested E100Vs vs Fuji Velvia 50 and found that it was OK for 120 film, but I don't want to be restricted to carrying a tripod when I shoot 35 mm.  So the Testing continues for a faster 35mm alternative.

I've completed another 120 transparency film test, this time a retro film that is available again:  Agfa CR 200 Digibase, that is now produced by Rollei.  The film is currently being developed, results sometime next week.

Still in the camera is our test of Fuji Provia 100F for 35 mm;  coming up soon Fuji Provia 400.

On another Note, the Canonet is back and currently we are using it to test Rollei Crossbird C-41 cross processing film..  Have any of you tried this?

Also on the developing deck, experiments with Infrared B&W film.  I'm keeping it cool while I mix (and age a bit) some D76 developer.

Any suggestions for films to test are appreciated.  Now let me stop procrastinating and go mix that D76.

Canonet QL17 GIII

 

The Canonet Rangefinder is next on deck for repairs, after I priced the replacements.  In excellent condition a replacement would cost more than $200, so certainly worth fixing.  I looked back to find an earlier posting from 2009, where I pondered whether or not to repair this camera.  So it has been offline for a while.

The Canonet Series were 1970’s Leica M-Series knock-offs.  This was the final high end version of the Canonet Series.  It offered Aperture Priority, Auto Exposure and Manual Exposure modes.  It is also just a fun little camera.  For some Canonet photo examples I can recommend “I Love Old Cameras”. 

More on the technical specs here.