Three Cloud Versions

Have not been posting for a while.  I suppose that correlates with the waning interest that I usually have for photography in late Summer.  At least I have noticed for the last several years my photographic output declines a lot in August and early September.  Probably things will pick up now that Fall is starting to show itself here.

Usually I talk about film cameras here, however I do have a liking for various methods of changing photos. The photo above is from a digital raw file.  It is a pretty straight forward version of a cloud from last summer.  I think all I did to it was use curves to improve the contrast and added a little sharpening.

The second versions comes from using Photomatix on the single raw file.  This works pretty well if the photo is taken using a low ISO.  At least with my camera an ISO higher than 800 will result in a lot of noise when processed by Photomatix.

The last image is the Photomatix one when ran through Silver Efex Pro 2. Of the black and white conversion tools that I have tried I like Silver Efex the best. Although I probably wouldn't have paid the full price for it.  I was lucky in that I bought another Nik plugin a while back and then later got the whole Nik bundle as a bonus. Still I do still prefer the results from real black and white film.

So while I have been doing a lot of my photography in film the past few years I am not immune to the charms of digital along with Photoshop and its plugins. 

Revival of Vinyl Records and the Survival of Film

I was listening to this podcast talking about the revival of vinyl record sales and I had the feeling that for some parts of the show they could have changed the word vinyl to film.  Especially when they were talking about a return to vinyl recordings being a reaction to the perfection and sterility of digital recordings.  Overall they made the point that some felt that vinyl records seemed like a more involved, and more human way to listen to music. It was interesting to me that Vinyl records have been increasing in sales since 2007.  They were up 30% last year.  Now it doesn't look like they will ever reach the level where they once were, however it does appear that vinyl has a stable niche.

I think film is in a similar place.  I would guess that many of you are like me in being tired of hearing people say that film is obsolete. Still like the vinyl crowd I think there is a segment of people who find something missing in digital images. I think the challenge for the film making industry will be to adjust to that smaller market.  Film like vinyl likely will never recapture the mass market.  Still I do believe that there is enough of a market for film to keep a film producer in business if they go out there and cultivate that market. While I know that many have problems with companies like Lomography, however I do believe that they are a good thing in that they are about the only people cultivating a market for film. And while it is likely that the Lomography thing may just be a fad for some, fads do have a way of helping to discover what may become a lasting preference. Hopefully, the message that film is not dead will start to be heard more.

 Taken with Fed 2 with Industar 61 on Legacy Pro 100.

Polariod Spectra System

Until I started seeking out cameras at garage sales, thrift shops etc. I had never heard of the Polaroid Spectra System.  I was aware of the 600, and SX70 cameras, but couldn't remember ever seeing a Spectra camera back in the old days. I still don't see that many of them, however when I do they are usually cheap.  So that got me into checking to see if there is still a way to take pictures with one.  What I found is that new film can be had from the Impossible Project .  Also there is still some expired Polaroid film out there, however it is usually expensive and getting way past its expiration date.

So after finding that the Spectra System camera can still be used I wondered if there is any demand for them.  What I found is that while some people are using the Spectra cameras they appear to be much less popular than the 600 and SX70 type cameras.  In a way that seems like a shame since the Spectra cameras seem like a better camera.  Especially better than the consumer type 600 cameras.  On the other hand the 600 cameras do seem to have more personality, whereas the Spectra cameras appear to be designed not to draw attention.

The reviews I read of the Spectra System cameras were all favorable.  The auto focus is said to be very accurate.  There is a reading telling you how far the focus is set.  The exposure system is also said to be very good.  One guy claims that he has never had an image be over or underexposed.  Considering how expensive film for these cameras is that is a good selling point. The lens and the build quality of these cameras is also supposed to be pretty good.  I can not from experience say anything about the lens, however I can say that these do seem to be a much more solid camera than most of the 600 types.

So if you are just into giving yourself the best odds of getting the image you are aiming for than the Spectra System is worth some thought.

Time Promotional Camera

It is possible the the Time Camera is both the most reviled and the most imitated camera in the history of photography. The Time camera was introduced in 1985 as part of a magazine sales promotion by Time magazine. At a time when many photographers were complaining about the increased use of plastic in cameras, Time decided to add metal in the form of lead weights to their otherwise plastic camera.  With this innovation the Time camera had the extra heft that many at the time felt was the hallmark of a well-made camera.

Apparently the Time promotion was a success and set off a wave of offering a free camera as a promotional item.  Most of these cameras were either a clone of the original Time camera with a different name, or were a minor variation on the Time camera theme.  Maybe there were a few people who thought that they were getting a high quality camera, however it appears that most people didn't value these cameras much.  Today this type of camera is a staple of the thrift shops and garage sales.  Many are found still in their original packaging.

Back when I was more into toy cameras than I am today I used many of the Time type cameras.  However I had never had used the father of the family until I recently bought one at our local Salvation Army Thrift Store.  The Time Camera offers the choice of four apertures, f/6,f/8,f/11 and f/16.  The shutter speed is 1/125. The pictures that this camera took are better than I expected.

Of course I took most of the photos on a sunny day while visiting some antique shops in Danville, IL.  Such conditions are likely to bring out the best in a camera with the capabilities of the Time Camera. Nonetheless I was pleased with the pictures it made which I can't say is true with every camera.

If you are anywhere near central Illinois, Danville is a worthwhile place to visit if you like antique and thrift shops.  The town also has a nice mix of old buildings to take photos of.

So now I have used a Time Camera and was not traumatized by the results. My biggest complaint about this camera is that it seems that what I saw in the viewfinder was only about half of what would end up in the photo.  Its maybe the most useless viewfinder that I have experienced.  Still if I had to I could probably make do with the Time Camera.

Canonet G-III 17

It is hard to think of anything new to say about the Canonet G-III 17.  Lots of people have written about this fine rangefinder, and most everyone praises it as one of the best fixed-lens rangefinder made. If you have ever shot photos with this camera, or even just handled one I think that you understand the enthusiasm. About all that I can add is that I probably see this camera more in the antique shops than I do any other camera of its type. That is not surprising since Canon sold 1.2 million Canonet G-III 17s between 1972 and 1982.  It may be the best selling rangefinder of all-time. I would guess some of the appeal for antique shop owners is that this is such a nice looking camera that it may sell as a decorative item to those who have no interest in film.

On my test roll I made a mistake and had my hand-held meter set to 400 ISO instead of 100 for the first few shots.  I did one hour stand development in Rodinal and notice no difference between the shots that should have been underexposed and those that had proper exposure.  I suppose that is one more good thing to say about Rodinal and stand development. About the only negative thing I can say about the Canonet G-III 17 is that it has the mercury battery issue.  Fortunately it is easy to use in manual mode with an external meter or sunny 16.

On Ebay I see that the prices range from around $30 for ones of questionable working condition to the low one hundreds for good working quality versions.  Considering how many Canonet G-III QL17s were made the demand for this camera must be fairly strong since they appear to fetch what is a good price for a film camera these days. One thing I wonder about with some of these camera descriptions on Ebay is how hard can it be to test and see if a camera's basic functions are working?  I do avoid those cameras where someone says I bought it at an estate sale and have no idea if it works.  I wonder in these cases if they are really saying I know it is a piece of junk, but I hope you will take a chance. If that is not what they are doing than they are probably cheating themselves out of some extra money if they would find by simple testing if the camera may be usable.

I did see one of the black versions of the earlier QL 17 that sold for $132.50.  I actually like the chrome versions of most cameras better than the black, however a black Canonet G-III QL17 is a camera I would not turn down.

For some more details on the Canonet G-III QL17 I found this to be a good link.  Quality Compact 35 Rangefinder

Polaroid Supercolor 635CL

I got a nice haul of Polaroid cameras at a church sale Friday.  The nicest was this Polaroid 635 CL.  It still had the original box and appears to have only been lightly used.  When tested with a empty film cartridge the camera fires up.  So I imagine the odds are pretty good that it works.  Although I am not tempted to buy some new film to find out more.  Instead this is one of the rare cameras that I will post on Ebay quickly.  They usually sell pretty well and it helps fund my film camera habit. With the Impossible Project now selling 600 film the market for 600 film cameras seems to be improving.  Any of the versions with the rainbow stripe seem especially popular.

For a camera that doesn't look very tough these 600 cameras appear to be quite durable.  Out of all the ones I have picked up in the last couple years, I have only found one that didn't work.  The Polaroid Supercolor 635 CL was introduced in 1986, and appears to be still functioning almost thirty years later.

The big deal about the Polaroid 635 CL was that it had a computer that measured light and then came up with a combination of natural light and flash that would give a good exposure.  Otherwise the camera seems to be a typical Polaroid 600 camera.  The 635 CL also has a built-in close-up lens which not all of these cameras had. With the close-up lens you can focus to 2 feet.  Otherwise the minimum distance is four feet.

This Polaroid 635 CL came with its original box and instructions. In the box was a photo that was most likely taken with this camera.

Voigtländer Vito B

I have wanted a Vito B for a while so I was pleased to find one in the lot of cameras that I was given from my old high school's photo club.  The Vito B was first introduced in 1954 and was made until 1961.  The version here was a later model first introduced in 1959.  It differs from the earlier versions in having a 9 speed Prontor SVS shutter and a f/2.8 50mm Color Skopar lens.  The earlier versions had either a 4 speed Prontor or an 8 speed Prontor SVS.  Both came with a f/3.5 Color Skopar.  The 1959 version also has a top shutter speed of 1/500 versus 1/300 on the earlier version. My version also has the over-sized viewfinder that some feel detracts from the Vito B's appearance.  While what some feel about the oversized viewfinder may be valid I do have to say that it is a great viewfinder from a practical standpoint.  It is easily the brightest and most useful viewfinder that I have encountered on a camera of this type.

The Vito B is a scale focusing camera.  For the picture above I actually measured the distance because I wanted to test the lens up close and wide-open. I think the Color Skopar did pretty well. There are some symbols on the lens to help with quick focusing.  These are said to work best with the lens at f/5.6 or higher. As with most scale focusing cameras unless you are very good at guessing distance it is probably good to get familiar with any focusing aids that the camera offers.

Most everyone who has handled a Vito B is impressed by the quality of its construction.  I would have to include myself in that crowd.  To me its one of those cameras that has value just for its build quality and appearance.  In 1959 the f/2.8 version of the Vito B sold for $640 in today's dollars.  The f/3.5 was around $480.  So it was a camera for at least the serious amateur.  And there most have been quite a few of those around in the 1950's, since judging by auction listings there were many Vito B's sold.  I suppose it speaks of the quality of the camera that so many survive until this day in working condition.

One important thing to know about the Vito B is that the shutter is locked until the camera is loaded with film.  So it might appear that the shutter isn't working if you are counting on the film advance lever to cock the shutter.  You can test it by opening up the back and turning the spocket that catches the film until the shutter cocks.   So you might be able to find a bargain on a Vito B from someone who thinks the shutter doesn't work when it just isn't being tested properly.  Still there isn't that much of a need to seek out a bargain since it looks like a Vito B can be found for around $30 for the f/3.5 version.  I wasn't able to find a closed listing for the f/2.8 version so I would suppose that they are rarer and may cost a little more. 

From my first experience of the Vito B I can say that it has become my favorite scale focusing camera.  The Vito B is one of those peak cameras made by a quality company at a time when the technology for such cameras was mature. We are lucky to live in a time when a camera like the Vito B is plentiful and inexpensive.  Although it is a shame that such classic design and build quality is unappreciated by our larger culture. I suppose the Vito B brings out the old-timer in me.