Introducing the Kodak Jiffy 620.......

I'll be starting my Camera test soon as I have received the 620 film from the Film Photography Project.  It arrived yesterday.

Check out my Year End Updates at the end of the month for more info on the Camera:

My Ilford Ortho Plus has Arrived

Time to get down to business.........I've read a couple of reviews on my Twitter feed that were exciting!  Yellow filtered results appealed to me the most, so I'll start there.  Can't wait to see my results.

Weekend Plan: Mamiya-7 and Lomo Purple

We'll be out and about with my favorite camera and Lomo Purple.......

My Weekend Film Shooting Plan

End of Year Wrap-Up Part III: My Photo Successes

I'm posting images that earned special recognition in 2018. For the details Click Here. 

End of Year Wrap-Up Part II: Kickstarters, Indiegogo, Etc..

OK,  this one is going to get a little ugly.  I've had enough experience now with both of these Start-up Groups (and others) to have real opinions about product results.  It's about a 50:50 satisfaction rate.

We'll start with he Positive Things that WORKED:

Film Ferrania & Film Silberra:

I'm still testing these films, but they were either delivered on time, or communication was good and I understood the problems.

Reality So Subtle Pinhole:

Great little camera.  Still figuring out the Range Finding.  Has the smoothest mechanism of any pinhole that I have used.  Film never binds or curls. Will continue to work with the range and will be ready for World-Wide Pinhole Day 2019.

Ay Mariposa Film:

Currently backing this Film and Book Project about how the Border Wall will affect the Environment. My Book Arrived last week:

Now to move on to the FAILURES:

Well, one small disappointment and one WHOPPING BIG FAILURE:

SolarCan:

A small disappointment.  I was an Early Backer.  They have great results posted.  But I got a bad batch of 5 cans.  All of mine failed.  When I contacted them I was told I'd get replacementts.  OK all 5 failed and I get ONE can.

To quote a song,  "There must be some misunderstanding?"  Not sure what I will do with my single can.  It's a novel but one-off solargram camera.  I really prefer to be sustainable and use something that at least theoretically can be re-used a second or third time.


Now for the BIG FAILURE:  The Mercury Universal Camera

This link goes to my "Review".  I ordered the M645 version.  Seems like almost nobody else did.  Worked most effectively for the 4X5 and RB67 models.  Very frustrating and costly:

I felt that I had no support; posted on their FaceBook Page for assistance and was ignored.   The essence of my Problem was that the Spacer provided DID NOT work with the 645 lens.  So I ended up with the round images posted. The Spacer also did not work well with the Ilex #4.

It certainly cannot compete with my extensive Mamiya medium format camera family.  And I wasn't expecting it to.  It sounded fun and I was willing to go with the experiment.  But it just never worked for the model I ordered........

After the New Year I will try to sell of the accessories and recover what I can. Or maybe it is not even worth that effort.......

So those are my New Product Backing Experiences for 2018.

52 Rolls Redux: Let's Mix It Up!

I've posted three in a row in chronological order....so let's mix it up!

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Late this week because I've just returned from a wonderfully insightful B&W Photography "boot camp".  Unlearned old bad habits and learned a few new things.  But that's neither here not there........You'll see those images, maybe next week.......

Today we visit My friend's sort of 'hole in the wall' darkroom.  For rent in Boulder, Colorado, although he said he may have to close down soon, so this may be a fond farewell....

located in an old warehouse that is now an 'artists colony' on the far north end of town.  Above, the front door.  Below, we have to play with the Holga Flash to photograph the interior:

Up the stairs and right to the entrance:

And remember, "Don't Let Out The Dark!"

The sign says:

"Darkroom, Keep Door Closed.  If it is left open, All the Dark Leaks Out!"

Above, looking down the hallway to other artsy spaces hidden behind closed door.  And Below, we go back down the stairs to exit.  

See my home darkroom as it was under construction in 2012.

Tech Info:  Holga 120S,  Kodak T-Max 400, Holga 235B Flash. Developed and scanned by our friends at Old School Photo Labs.

52 Rolls Redux: Making up for Delayed Delivery

For the Project, I had my film developed by Old School Labs for faster turn around.  When I rush my home developing I always end up ruining my film.  So this was the best option for a fast paced project. 

Read On.........


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My intended Week 3 roll vanished into the abyss of the U.S. Post Service.  Never fear, I have tracked it down and will have it in time to post for Week #4.  So to fill the gap I was forced to actually shoot and process a roll myself last week.

Starting with images from near my home:

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Who said your images have to be Horizontal? Winter Sun @ Lake Waneka.

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The Boat House @ Lake Waneka.  Actually an old reservoir built for a Power Plant that used to be located on the site a century ago.  Now water storage for my hometown Lafayette, Colorado.

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Now let's venture to Downtown Denver.  The Capital of Colorado about 40 miles from my home.  We'll see more of Denver in weeks to come.

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State Capitol Building from the City Hall Steps.  The Dome was recently restores, and yes that is Gold Leaf, representing Colorado's mining history.

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Reflections of the Capitol Dome in the Nativity Scene @ City Hall (left) and Santa's Elves (right).  I had thought that Nativity Scenes were no longer allowed on public property.  But In Denver the rules are obviously different.  Images of the City Hall are on the roll I am waiting for.  So you'll see those later (and many more times in weekly rolls to come).  There are a lot of events in Denver during the Summer Months and we often go there to do Street Photography.

Final Image from Downtown:  Sculpture outside the City Geographical Information and Survey Office.

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Tech Info: Holga 120S, Kodak T-Max 400 Film, 8 minutes developing time in Ilford Ilfotec DD-X, Orange Holga Contrast Filter.

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I'll be experimenting with my Holga Contrast Filters and Special Effects Filters throughout the project.

52 Rolls Redux: Preparing for Winter

We take a look back at January 2016 as we prepare for the coming winter.  Continuing with the Holga Theme that started my 52 Rolls Journey.........


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Our First walk along Coal Creek Open Space in Boulder County, Colorado:

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Camera: Holga 120S, Film: T-MAX 400

My Strategy for the project is to use a variety of film types, although I usually shoot ISO 400 film in my Holgas.  I am also, in general shooting two exposures of each scene, so most of the time I will only have 6 discrete images to post.  Also, I've decided to cheat a little bit and shoot two cameras the 120S and 120N, and overlap my rolls by 3-4 days to get a bit ahead and make up for times when I may not be able to complete one roll in a week.  And one last disclaimer when I don't have time to develop the film, I'm sending B&W to Ilford Labs USA and always sending Color Film to Old School Photo Labs.

52 Rolls Redux: Introduction to A Holga Project

I did say last week that I would be posting in Random Order.  But let's pause and go back to the beginning.....January 2016:

Greetings All!

Happy to be joining the 2016 Project.  

I'm making this a Holga Project...........In honor of our Fallen Plastic Friend.

Note: that at the time of this original posting in January 2016, the Holga was thought to be dead and gone.  But Freestyle found some molds and resurrected the camera brand......