Pulling out the Ricoh KR-5 (circa 1978) and a roll of Fujifilm 200, we ventured out to the Auckland Winter Gardens. Featured sometime back in my past photos, the gardens were designed at the beginning of the 1900’s and opened in 1913.
Back on Film
Recesky by the River
What must be almost 2 months ago now, a mate and I each picked up a cheap little toy film camera that you need to build – a Recesky.
These fun and simple little cameras have a plastic lens and shutter assembly. No film counter, no adjustable shutter speed, no adjustable aperture.
I finished off the film and developed it today, with mixed results. The biggest fail on my part was getting the focus – many shots either being just off, or very much off. Certainly a lot more difficult than my typical SLR’s.
What I did like, in conjunction with the Formapan 200, was the soft and vignetted edges on many shots, the strong contrast and the lens flare.
For now however, I’ll put it away in the drawer. A fun camera, but not offering me enough control that I like in general when shooting film. At little more than the cost of a roll or two of film, its no great loss, and something I’d recommend to others who like building and learning the basic parts behind an old film camera (or teaching others such).
Next film, an SLR.
The Motorbike -in film-
As mentioned yesterday, I finished and developed my roll of Kentmere 400asa film in the Ricoh TLS. Today’s shot is a close up of my bike I shot whilst waiting to go out on the Saturday.
Its sometimes hard to show as my film scanner is nothing flash, and I don’t have the right lens on any of my digitals to shoot film, but I was very impressed with the Kentmere 400. I have loaded another roll into my GR1 to shoot in the next week or so.
As we wind into another week I am slowly winding down, ready for a Christmas break for a few weeks. Christmas is a funny one – its traditionally a time to rest, reflect on the year and the year ahead. Its also busy (sometimes very busy) and at times stressful. I already have plans for a dozen extra projects, but think I will need to put things in perspective and acknowledge its just two weeks!
But until Friday afternoon, its business as usual!
Black & White Sky
I managed to develop the film from the Rollei 35 last night. As previously mentioned, it was a 100asa I had pushed to 800asa. To top it off, its of about the cheapest film brand – Lucky SHD100. Overall I think I could have either pushed out the developing time/temperature, or given a little more exposure on the camera. I have not actually tested the camera against a light meter or one of my digital cameras, so should do that. Anyway, the film was a bit under exposed as a result of one of the above.
That being said, I did get a number of images I liked the feel of, today’s image ‘Black and White Sky’ being one of them. After scanning I used Gimp to slightly straighten, crop and then bumped the contrast a little and added the slight sepia tone. Taken without any filters, I do like the boat masts reaching up to a dramatic sky and the ball of sun at the top.
A Broccoli Was Born
We flew back to Auckland this afternoon, welcomed by dark clouds and rain, the long weekend was over. Just before landing, above the rain clouds, there was a marvelous potential shot looking out across a cloudscape. I pulled out my Fed (also hoping to finish my film), but was warned by the flight attendant I could not use my camera. In the short moment I had, I tried to explain it was 1. not digital, 2. not electronic (not even a lightmeter battery), so 3. not breaching any of their digital regulations we felt she was suggesting. My lesson from today was not to have a front seat. Never mind!
In the small flat we live in, I built some plant boxes to grow some vegetables. Growing up we always had fresh veges from the garden, and I only recently tried my hand at green fingers growing. Earlier this week when heading off to work I spotted the first of the broccoli heads starting to sprout…all very exciting from a Jr gardener perspective. Armed with the Ricoh, I got up close and took this shot of it popping its head up.
Shooting mostly with film over the weekend (apart from my WordPress mobile phone images) was fun and relaxing. I’m yet to see how it all went, but thats part of the excitement we loose with digital. As many others state, I took some more time setting up the image, whenever possible, and had to really think about exposure and aperture values as I didnt have a lightmeter. If I manage to finish the film this week, I’ll aim to develop it next weekend.
Penn an Wlas
Penn an Wlas, better known as Land’s End in UK is my photo for today. Taken in film some years ago, I just got around to scanning it today. Just out of Cornwall, Land’s End is the western most point of the UK. I recall the beautiful scenery of the area, and the high walled jagged cliffs that dropped to the ocean.
I like the noise from the film used and the almost painting like scene that the colours produce. Cropped in Gimp to remove some of the foreground and Sky, the photo was likely taken on my Minolta 700si.
I received another 35mm camera in the post today, an old Russian Zorki 4. I think I will give it a CLA before sticking a film through it, but overall it seems to operate great for a model dated early 60’s. At some stage I will post up a ‘my gear’ page featuring both digital and film cameras I use or intend to use at some stage.
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