Lightbox Wednesday #44: Selfie Special Edition

I started taking self portraits with my classic film cameras for fun. As I became a more competent photographer, I used selfies for metering tests and close focusing.

My very first photography selfie was not with a film camera at all, but with my iPhone. I found a cool Kodachrome mirror on eBay and took a photo of myself after I had proudly hung it in my den.

My second one was with my first Polaroid Land Camera. I shot this at the end of a very long night of doing some intense camera repair work to get this old camera to eject exposed film properly. I treated myself to a nice glass of wine after I got this image. Or was it two glasses?

When I started this journey back into film photography, I wasn't very concerned with organizing my images. I was just shooting film and having fun. Earlier this year, when I started this Lightbox project of cleaning up my archives and labeling all of the images I wanted to keep, I realized that one of the unexpected benefits of shooting a selfie on many of the rolls I'd taken was that it allowed me to clearly identify the camera and lens I was using at the time.

Since that revelation, I have made it standard procedure to shoot one selfie either at the start or end of the roll to assist in future archiving. I am also considering adding a slate card in the shot to identify film used.

What started out as goofy fun became a benefit. Here are some of my selfies through the years.

Nikon F2

Hasselblad 500c/m

Nikon F2AS

Minolta XE-7

Leica M3

Pentax Spotmatic

Pentax LX

Mamiya 645

Olympus OM-4

Leica M9-P

Nikon F4

Pentax ME Super

Canon P

Nikon F2AS Vertical Shot

Olympus OM-2n

Leica MP

Pentax MX

Olympus OM-2n Black Body

Pentax Spotmatic Chrome Body

Leica M-P typ 240 with EVF

Lightbox Wednesday #43: Special Edition

If you are serious at all about photography, you will, at some point, get GAS. GAS or Gear Acquisition Syndrome is an affliction that effects most photographers at some point. If you shoot contemporary gear, you're chasing the most megapixels or faster image processing. If you're into classic analog gear like me, you're building out your Nikon system or wanting to try every Pentax film camera made. GAS can extend to accessory viewfinders, flash units, light meters, close up accessories, camera straps, bags and of course, lenses.

Lens GAS can really become an obsession because the internet is full of photographers extolling the virtues of this lens or that lens. Magical, mystical image rendering. Swirly bokeh. Incredible subject isolation. Razor sharp images. Creamy, dreamy color. 20mm, 35mm, 85mm, 105mm, macro, micro, defocus, f/0.95, fixed aperture, perspective control, extra low dispersion. It goes on and on.

Truth is, I've had real bad lens GAS and have spent time and money chasing some of these holy grail lenses. And some of them are really really good. And the chase has been fun and I have learned a lot. But as I work my way through this year long Lightbox Project; reviewing, editing, saving, deleting, organizing all of my photography from the past seven years, one thing has become very clear.

I've done some of my best work using prime 50mm lenses!

Yup. My most satisfying images have been made with 50s. And not always super fast, expensive 50s either. I've been blown away by images made by a 50 year old f/2 Takumar screw mount lens I bought for $30 and prehistoric Nikkors that came free on F2 bodies.

So while reading up on, researching, dreaming about and chasing that elusive lens, it just might be that the best lens you could ever own is the one that came with your camera.

Here are some of my favorite images, all shot with one of those fabulous 50s.

Shooting the 50mm f/3.5 MD Macro Rokkor-X

Macro lenses are big fun! I especially like macro lenses that do double duty as normal primes. It's very convenient to take along a 50/55mm macro lens on a photo walk and should you stumble across something that deserves a close up, you can quickly grab the shot. Macros are great rainy day lenses as well. It's interesting to see if you can make interesting images photographing common things around the house.

I wasn't out looking for this lens. My Minolta MD Macro Rokkor-X 50mm f/3.5 lens came bundled with the XE-7 body I recently purchased.

Minolta XE-7 with the Macro Rokkor

Like the 50mm f/1.4 Rokkor lens that also was in this camera bundle, the 50/3.5 Macro lens is well made, light and compact. It's substantially lighter than the faster 50. This lens will focus from infinity to just a hair under 8 inches. It has nice, clicky f/stops and and pleasant focusing action. The recessed front lens element eliminates the need for a protective filter.

I tested this lens on my XE-7 using some expired Acros 100 film. 400 speed film would have been a better choice, allowing me faster shutter speeds. Some of my close up, handheld shots were a bit blurry due to the XE-7 selecting slower speeds. I also could have done better if I had used my tripod.

My first shots were at the office, during an exceptionally long and boring conference call. Yes, I had the phone on mute.

My desk phone

MacBook keyboard

There's always an over abundance of leftover Halloween treats at the office.

The office candy bowl after Halloween

My pen and Rhodia pad

I clicked off some more shots when I got home that night.

Minolta XD shutter release

One of my lovely Takumar lenses

Ansel Adams poster in my den

The evening's wine choice. Notice the texture on the part of the wine label where I focused. Nice!

The 50mm MD Macro Rokkor-X sells for $20-$60 on eBay. If you've got an X-series Minolta body, this would be a nice, low risk lens to add to your kit. I am going to play around with this lens some more with faster, fresher film. So far, I'm glad it was bundled with this camera.

Food

Just when I was down to my last roll of Plus-X film, a brick turns up from a film photographer here in the Bay Area. 10 rolls of 125PX, stored frozen since its expiration date in 2012. This will keep my appetite for this great film satisfied at least through next year.

Along with the Plus-X, I picked up some AGFA APX 100. This film was stored frozen as well, but with a 1998 expiration date...who knows what I'll get.

Joy!

Ahh...The Sweet, Sweet 70s!

I have a soft spot for 1970s vintage 35mm single lens reflex cameras. Seems that camera manufacturers had reached the pinnacle of SLR design and build about mid-decade. Reliable mechanical cameras, honed from metal and glass with just the right amount of simple electronics sprinkled in to add convenience and ease of use.

I can't think of a single 1970s vintage SLR that hasn't been an absolute blast to use. And prior to the introduction of composite bodies and more complicated electronics, cameras of this vintage are almost infinitely repairable and very usable today. 

As I have happily shot my way through Nikon, Pentax, Olympus and Canon cameras of this period, I kept pushing one of the more forward-thinking of all the Japanese camera makers to the end of the list: Minolta. The Minolta Camera Company started building cameras and optics in the late 1920s. Their first cameras were bellows type models, then TLRs. Minolta's first single lens reflex camera, the SR-2, debuted around 1958. In the mid 1960s, they introduced the SR-T line, with then state-of-the-art TTL metering. 

I was a member of my junior high camera club in the early 70's and we were able to borrow one of three Minolta SR-T 101 cameras the club owned. If I recall, the SR-T 101 was the first SLR I had ever used and it was pretty cool to compose a shot, then meter through the lens--big stuff in the early 70s! Around the time I was signing out the club SR-T 101, Minolta was entering into an agreement with Leica to develop cameras. Leica was going through tough times in the early 70s. People were abandoning rangefinders in favor of SLRs and Leica wanted a piece of that market. Minolta had the design expertise. Leica had the ability to build fine cameras. Out of this collaboration came several nifty cameras, including the subject of this post--the Minolta XE-7.

Minolta XE-7 with 50mm f/1.4 Rokkor-X Lens

The XE-7, introduced in 1974,  has been on my list for some time as I was curious to experience the camera that was the basis for Leica's R series of SLRs. Indeed, the Leica R3 and Minolta XE-7 are essentially the same camera. Wetzlar's influence on the XE-7 are pretty apparent from the moment you pick it up. Fit and finish are definitely above average. Body markings and shutter speeds are finely etched into the metal and carefully painted. All of the XE-7 cameras came in black finish and I believe that's brass underneath as I've seen a few of these for sale that have a nice brassy patina. I've said it before--a camera has to make you want to pick it up. Hold it. Shoot it. The XE-7 begs you to do this. With the normal 50mm Rokkor lens mounted out front, this camera is superbly balanced and feels just great in the hand. The shutter speed selector firmly clicks from setting to setting. Film advance on the XE-7 is one of the nicest I've felt on any SLR, Leica-like and buttery smooth with just the right amount of resistance.

As a confirmed classic camera geek, I can be seduced by the sound of a fine mechanical shutter and the XE-7's Leitz-Copal shutter is sexy sounding for sure. After unboxing any new to me camera, I always dry fire it through its available shutter speeds and this Minolta's shutter sound got me at the get go! I couldn't wait to spool up some film and get shooting.

The XE-7 offers two modes: aperture-priority auto and fully manual. While it's fun to shoot with a fully manual camera, I think I really enjoy shooting in aperture-priority mode best and appreciate a camera that offers it. Minolta and Leica worked out a really nice straightforward presentation of controls on the XE-7 and everything falls nicely into place for any classic SLR photographer. Unlike some other cameras, all of the controls on this camera are really easy to manipulate, just the right size and not fiddly at all. I like that.

The XE-7 features a wonderful, big and bright viewfinder with split image focusing. Analog shutter speeds are presented along the right side of the finder and your selected aperture is at the top of the screen. The focusing screen in this camera is very bright and clear.

I got my XE-7 in a bundle with a very nice 50mm f/1.4 MC Rokkor-X PG lens as well as the 50mm f/4 Macro Rokkor. I shot a roll of color with the normal lens and black and white with the macro lens. Black and white shots forthcoming. Took a brisk walk on the beach. Camera in aperture-priority auto mode, Kodak Portra 400 exposed at 200 ISO.

Nothing remarkable about any of these shots, but I was pleased with the results and deeply satisfied that a 43 year old camera worked perfectly right out of the box. I really like the Minolta XE-7 and highly recommend anyone looking for an affordable entry into 35mm film photography consider this camera and the fine Minolta Rokkor MC and MD lenses. I've tried two classic Minoltas so far, this XE-7 and the XD, which followed this camera by three years. Both are great cameras. 

A side note: The X-series were the last of the manual focus Minoltas. The company purchased the patent on auto-focus technology from Leica and the amazing Minolta Maxxum camera, which was just ahead on the horizon, would soon change photography forever.

I'll be sharing my Macro Rokkor shots soon.

Lightbox Wednesday #42

Fall is my favorite time of year, especially October. Four years ago, I had to move inland about 15 miles, renting a tiny cottage in the town of Freestone, CA for six months. The owners called the place "The BoHo Cottage" because it was located on the Bohemian Highway. 

The month of October was beautiful in the BoHo Cottage. Rays of warm sunshine sliced through the thick canopy of trees on the property, creating all sorts of photographic opportunities. I shot these one Sunday afternoon with my Mamiya 645Pro on Ektar 100.

My favorite place to enjoy morning coffee

When fall turned to winter, the realities of living in a thin walled, uninsulated cottage became apparent. I've never been so cold as the winter I spent in the BoHo Cottage!

Lightbox Wednesday #41

All year long, I've been editing my archives of the images I have taken since re-entering film photography in 2010. Kind of like cleaning the garage, it's an exercise that you procrastinate over doing. Once done however, the results are deeply satisfying.

Just prior to buying my first film camera in 2010, I was snap-shooting with a Nikon Coolpix point and shoot digital camera. Most of my work with this camera is forgettable, but I like this one.

Seagull captured from the Alcatraz Ferry, San Francisco Bay, Winter 2009

The Original Canon F-1

It wasn't supposed to happen like this. At best, I thought we'd be briefly cordial. Acquaintances for a few weeks or months. You'd come into and out of my life like the others before. Then something happened. I discovered there was more to you and the longer we spent time together, I realized something more meaningful and potentially longer lasting was developing. I didn't expect to fall for you like this.

The Original Canon F-1 with 50mm f/1.4 Chrome Nose FD

My Canon Original F-1 camera came to me quite unexpectedly. I wasn't looking for one, not even thinking about one. I already owned the newest and last in the F-1 line, the AE-finder equipped F-1n and loved its aperture-priority automation and fine Canon FD lenses. But one evening, while browsing through the posts on the Facebook Film Camera Group I belong to, I saw someone who was looking for a Canon P rangefinder. I happened to have two and that was one too many. I shot a message to the guy and he instantly responded, asking me how much I wanted and would I be open to a trade. "Trade? What do you have?"

He responded that he had an original Canon F-1 with a nice chrome nose FD standard lens mounted out front. Sent me a few photos. The camera looked decent, although he told me he had never used the meter. Shot it only Sunny 16. I decided that it might be fun to try the original version of the F-1, so we made a deal.

I packed up my P and sent it off. A few days later, the F-1 arrived. She was a bit dusty and 46 years of photography had worn off some of her black finish, revealing a wonderful, romantic brass patina. As I always do when unpacking a camera for the first time, I ran her through the range of available shutter speeds. The shutter speed selector dial clicked firmly into place at each detent and the speeds sounded fairly accurate. Better yet, the F-1's shutter sound was sublime. Really sublime!

Despite appearing well used, the old Canon really seemed fully functional. The viewfinder was clean and clear. The self-timer worked. Film chamber was clean and shutter curtains looked good. She did need seals and new mirror bumper foams. And the old CdS meter seemed a bit erratic. The F-1 was interesting and felt good enough in my hand to invest into a CLA. I have had good experiences with Blue Moon Camera & Machine and knew they worked on this model camera, so off she went for some spa time.

Cameras usually spend 4-6 weeks up at Blue Moon and during that time, my life and my work got real busy. The F-1 came back from service and it would be many more weeks before I had a chance to take her for a test drive. During that time, I'd occasionally take the camera out, click the FD lens through its f/stops, focus on something in my living room and dry fire the shutter. Despite its size and weight, the F-1 is a wonderful camera to hold. And I know it's weird, but I love the way a camera smells when it comes back from service--almost like new. Blue Moon converted the F-1 to use modern 1.5v batteries and the light meter was now instantly responsive. The F-1's viewfinder is big...I mean big and bright and beautiful with only a simple, minimalist match-needle display.

Once I had some time, I loaded up some Kodak Portra 400 film, which I always overexpose by one stop, and headed down to the beach.

The Canon F-1 is big and heavy. Brass and glass. It's fully mechanical. No automated anything. You must slow down, think, focus, compose, dial up the proper shutter speed, open or close the lens, wind the film to the next frame. It requires everything of the photographer and in return, it offers an amazingly satisfying analog experience and very, very nice photographs. Love!

Lightbox Wednesday #40

After 40 weeks of digital house cleaning, I'm nearing the end of my process of organizing all of the photographs I've taken since rediscovering film photography seven years ago. It's been a good exercise and I've opened up some space on the hard drive.

One of the least expensive vintage lenses I have purchased is my 50mm f/4 Super Macro Takumar. As standard lenses go, it's slow, but since I've enjoyed Nikon's Micro Nikkors so much, I thought it would be fun to try the Pentax version.

This lens blew me away! You can snuggle up nice and close to your subject...

And it delivered one of my favorite seascapes...

Honestly, if this lens was a bit faster, I'd leave it on my Spotmatic all the time. If you like using M42 lenses, keep an eye on eBay for one of these. They're a hoot to shoot!

Ok

Knowing that I live in Northern California, a number of photography friends have reached out to see if I am ok. I am. Our community is not.

I live in Bodega Bay on the Sonoma Coast and the fires have not reached our little town. My office is in Santa Rosa, however, and that community has been devastated.  The Tubbs fire burned down over the mountains and reached into densely populated areas of the city. Hundreds of homes and businesses were destroyed. As of this morning, 13 of my co-workers lost their homes.

There are 15 or so different fires burning in the Northern part of the state. Last I heard, over 100,000 acres have been lost. Homes, businesses and sadly, lives.

Firefighters and police officers from all over the state are here. We are so grateful.

People who live in Wine Country are resilient and we'll get through this. We'll be ok.

The Pentax ES

I've written previously how I had preconceived negative notions about Pentax Spotmatic cameras. I had always dismissed them as primitive SLRs using unavailable batteries. Still, they intrigued me enough to casually shop them online. Because many Spotmatics are nearly five decades old, finding a decent one takes some effort and patience. Indeed, the first Spotmatic I bought on eBay arrived totally dead, infested with fungus and with a corroded battery chamber.

Being the good classic camera geek that I am, I soldiered on and eventually found a decent copy. And in the process of buying and shooting and buying some more, I've learned that these cameras aren't anything like my preconceptions. In fact, they're really very, very good...outstanding even! I learned that the battery thing is a non-issue. The Pentax Takumar lenses that screw onto the front of these things are downright amazing! And, if you can't tell by now, I've fallen head over heels for these Spotties!

I've now acquired and used most every variant; SP, SPII, SPF and ESII. The SP500 and SP1000 are just sub-variants. Completing the Spotmatic "circle of love" is the Pentax ES.

Pentax ES with SMC Takumar 55mm f/2

In 1971, Pentax introduced the world's first SLR with an electronically controlled shutter. Built on the already successful Spotmatic chassis and sold only in Japan, this camera would be called the "Electro Spotmatic." Like the Spotmatic F, the Electro Spotmatic had TTL open-aperture metering with Super Multi Coated and SMC Takumar lenses. There were bugs in the circuitry of the first Electros that were worked out by the time Pentax rolled out the camera worldwide with a totally new circuit board in 1972, just in time for Christmas. The camera's name was shortened to ES. Unlike the other Spotmatics, the standard body color was black and chrome was special order. The ES and later ESII bodies are about a quarter of an inch taller and six ounces heavier than a standard Spotmatic to accommodate the improved electronic circuitry.

I had an ESII for a while and it had some issues. It was a capable shooter but after a week or so, used or not used, the batteries died. And it needed FOUR 1.5v button cells housed in a small compartment under the lens mount. The battery compartment cover on my copy kept falling off. Too many quirks for me. 

I acquired my ES from a friend who is retired from Pentax. It was a salesman's sample unit and probably never saw a roll of film.

The ES uses just one 6v #544 battery. I've shot three rolls of film with the ES and have had it for several months and so far, the battery is going strong. The battery compartment is on the front of the camera and to accommodate this, Pentax did away with the self timer. This isn't an issue for me. In 40+ years of photography, I've never once used a camera's self timer.

ES Top Controls

The ES features aperture-priority automation, which is my favorite kind of shooting. Set the shutter speed dial to AUTOMATIC, select your aperture and the ES will dial up the perfect shutter speed. It's a step-less shutter too, which means that if the camera computes the appropriate shutter speed to be 1/555th of a second or 1/112th of a second, that's what you'll get. This was razzle dazzle technology in 1972! 

The one odd quirk about this camera is that if you shift to one of the five available manual shutter speeds, it disables the TTL meter completely, so it's aperture-priority or nothing. Again, I love aperture-priority photography, so this is not a deal breaker for me.

Unlike all of the other Spotmatic variants, lightly pressing the shutter release button activates the meter.. This is a feature I wish they added to the SPF. The viewfinder display shows you the shutter speed the camera's automation is selecting for you and like all of the Spotmatics, it's big and bright and Pentax wonderful!

On the ES, Pentax relocated the ASA selector to the rewind crank and I like it in that location. Battery check is easier too. Rather than setting ASA to 100 and shutter speed to B like the other Spotmatics, the ES features a simple battery check button.

Honeywell was the US distributor of Pentax cameras at this time. There is no difference between Asahi Pentax and Honeywell Pentax

The extra height and weight didn't bother me at all. Like all of the Spotmatics, the ES is well balanced and fits the hand well. I like shooting mine with the camera body nestled into the bottom half of the OEM case. Pentax used some pretty decent leather on these cases and most I've seen have really held up well. The original Asahi Pentax straps aren't bad either. They feature a gripper pad that prevents the camera from slipping off of your shoulder.

For the first test drive of my ES, I mounted my 55mm f/2 SMC Takumar lens and loaded some Kodak Portra 400. Testing a new camera is always a good reason for a walk on the beach.

Back home, a quick shot of my fireplace mantle in the late afternoon sun.

I enjoyed shooting the Pentax ES enough to invest in an Eric Hendrickson CLA, although outside of a bit of a stiff film advance, this 45 year old camera performed pretty darn well. This is a testament to Pentax quality during the Spotmatic era.

If you're considering  M42 mount lenses, here's my overview of the Pentax bodies I've found most satisfying to use:

SP:  My favorite of the early bodies because I love the pentaprism without the flash shoe. Truly one of the best looking of all the film SLRs. I keep a 50mm f/1.4 Super Takumar on mine all the time. You'll get used to stop-down metering...trust me. The Pentax SV-H3V that Paul McCartney is holding below is a predecessor to the SP.

SPF:  As I mentioned above, if this camera's TTL meter was activated by a light shutter press rather than when it senses light over 2EV, it might just be my favorite film camera of all time. Keep the lens cap on between shots in bright light and you're fine. If you can find one with a split image focusing screen, grab it fast as they are rare!

ES:  It's nice to have a Spotmatic body with aperture-priority automation. Yeah, I could buy the M42 to K-Mount adapter and shoot my screw mount lenses on my LX...but it just isn't the same. If you're considering one of these electronically controlled shutter bodies, stay away from the Electro Spotmatic. The circuit boards are finicky and no one I know still repairs them. Of the ES an ESII, the ES definitely gets my vote.

Things I Miss...

While going through all of my images for my Lightbox Wednesday Project, I came across these photos.

Once upon a time, film manufacturers used to put actual instruction sheets in with rolls of film. I followed these instructions as a teenager while I was learning to develop Kodak Tri-X, Plus-X and Panatomic-X films. Many of us also learned the Sunny 16 Rule from these instruction sheets.

Not sure when these went away, but I miss them.

Lightbox Wednesday #39

So much bad news lately had me scanning images from a seemingly gentler time. Small town, middle class family. This Kodachrome was taken around Christmas, 1962. To shoot this slow slide film indoors in his Retina IIc rangefinder, my Dad used a flood light bar with four bright, hot PAR lamps. My Mom would hold the light bar while he exposed the shot.

The quiet wouldn't last long though. President Kennedy was killed by an assassin's bullet the following November.

Me. Christmas 1962.

Lightbox Wednesday #38 and a Rant

I'm the odd man out, I know that. I have an iPhone, but I mainly use it to take photos of my old cameras for this blog and for Flickr. Whenever I take a photo with my iPhone, the image automatically appears on all my Apple devices. It's convenient and I like that.

My iPhone is a 5. I got it in 2012 from a friend who worked at Apple and I paid $100 for it. I don't ask questions. It's unlocked, so I am not tethered to any one service provider. My previous phone was a 3 and I bought it new because, at the time, I was just starting to need readers too see up close and I liked the big, illuminated numbers on the key pad of that first iPhone. I'd still have it if I didn't forget that I had set it on the roof of my car one day at work while I was loading some stuff in the trunk. Last I heard of my iPhone 3 was the sound of it bouncing off the trunk as I accelerated southbound onto the 101 Freeway.

I rarely talk on my iPhone. The one I have now has a total of just over 7 hours of total talk time in the 5+ years I have had it. I've sent 11 text messages this month. I found a service provider who will sell me a minimum data plan, like 30MB and I think I use about 1.1MB of that each month. That's probably just the amount needed to keep the phone's heart beating...I don't know. I have cellular data mostly turned off and only use wi-fi.

My current phone looks like new because I never carry it with me. It used to be that cell phones were getting smaller and smaller. You could easily slip a Motorola Razr flip phone in your pocket. The latest smart phones are like the size of a piece of toast. I've never felt comfortable with an iPhone in my pocket, so I leave it, mostly, in my briefcase. From Friday afternoon to Monday morning, I rarely even look at my phone. If people need to get in touch with me, anyone who matters knows that email is best.

But I love the iPhone for taking photos of my old cameras and until recently, it's performed admirably. Lately though, the phone's camera seems to be consistently under-exposing images and they all look milky and hazy. I thought there might be a smudge on the lens, but cleaning it did not resolve the issue. On top of that, the battery will hardly last a day without charging. And that's a problem when the owner isn't even really using the darn thing.  I'll probably stop in at the Apple Store and see if a Genius can look at it. I'm sure it's coming to the end of its life and undoubtedly they'll ask why I don't upgrade to the 6, 7, 8 or X. I just looked at the price tag of the latest iPhones...OMG!

I'm thinking that I might just look for a digital point and shoot with built-in wi-fi capability, if such a thing exists. That would allow me to take photos of classic cameras, the only thing I am really using my current iPhone for anyway.

In the meantime, one of my favorite iPhone camera photos, an image of my first Nikon F2 from about 6 years ago.

The Canon A-1

This may be the most indifferent camera review I have ever written because, after using it...I'm not quite sure how I feel about the Canon A-1. I wasn't looking for another Canon FD body when this one streamed into my Facebook feed, although I do have to admit that the A-1 was always sort of in my peripheral vision. Some photographers I follow on Flickr do some nice work with their A-1s. And I've stumbled across a couple of YouTube videos with new-to-film photographers gushing praise on this Canon. So for the $60 asking price and the assurance from the almost local seller that this camera was operating as designed, I went for it.

The A-1 was introduced in the late 1970s as one of Canon's A series of cameras, which included the AE-1 which was and still is more popular. The A-1 was the top of the line in the series and from what I can tell, was built more robustly than the other A cameras. The A-1 sits right at that sweet spot in camera design and build where just bits and pieces of plastic were being used on an otherwise all metal chassis. It wouldn't be long before Canon would introduce the EOS line and the industry would embrace plastic construction and blob-like camera bodies.  

The A-1 is also a historically significant camera in that it offered every available metering mode plus full automation accessed through a multi-function dial on the top of the camera. This control, revolutionary at the time, would become commonplace on future film and digital bodies. And it's this dial that makes this camera, at least for me, just "eh" rather than "yeah!"

The Multi-Function Dial on the Canon A-1

I'm more comfortable shooting either manually or in aperture-priority mode, so I headed out to a local winery for some indoor shots in their cellar with the A-1 set in Av (aperture-value) mode. The camera was loaded with Tmax 400 and it was my intention to capture some features of the wine crushing equipment and fermentation tanks under available light.

With the A-1 in aperture priority mode, the Canon FD lens is set to "A" on the aperture ring, transferring control to the multi-function dial. The meter in the camera only wakes up when you slightly depress the shutter button and since you're using the same finger to depress the button and spin the multi-function dial, I found this process a bit frustrating and much more time consuming than cameras where you simply adjust aperture on the lens while applying pressure to the shutter release and watch the meter's readout in the viewfinder. I guess Canon intends that you decide on an aperture you want to shoot at, then raise the camera to your eye and let the camera come up with whatever shutter speed is best. If it can't come up with a suitable speed to match your desired aperture, or if you are skilled enough to not like what you see in the digital readout in the viewfinder, than you have to take the camera away from your eye and select a new aperture setting. After fumbling around with this a few times and with only limited time allowed "backstage" at the winery, I shifted the A-1 into fully automatic PROGRAM mode.

Stainless steel fermentation tanks

Once I let the A-1 do all of the heavy lifting, this SLR was a pleasant shooter. The viewfinder is big and bright with a nice split image focusing screen. Shutter speed and aperture are displayed digitally in large red LEDs along the bottom of the finder. Not having to think much about exposure did allow more time to search for interesting subject matter.

Fittings for valves and hoses used in transferring wine from tank to tank

Fermentation tank valve

Barrel fermentation

Cooling and heating pipes above the fermentation tanks

Open fermentation of Pinot Noir grapes

Barrels and stainless steel tank fermentation

Certain barrels are labeled for lab testing

The A-1 performed well in the fully automated mode, although the camera's computer consistently selected slower shutter speeds over opening up the lens more in low light situations. Many of the images here were shot at 1/30th of a second at f/3.5 and I was worried that I'd have some blurred photos. I guess I am steadier than I thought.

So, a few weeks after shooting this camera and now reviewing the images I made, I'm still sitting squarely on the fence. I'm liking these Canon FD lenses a lot, but think I prefer shooting the F-1 body with its AE finder in aperture-priority mode over PROGRAM mode in the A-1. But...it was kinda nice letting the A-1 do all the thinking, freeing me up to concentrate on composition.

On the fence. Six of one, half dozen of another. The joys of photography.

Lightbox Wednesday #37

The Northern Light Surf Shop in Bodega, CA is one of my favorite camera/film-testing subjects. Be it in black and white or color, the little shop is a wonderful subject. As I was sorting through all of my images, I had forgotten just how frequently I had photographed the shop.

Nikon F2 Photomic, 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor-S Auto, Kodak Tmax 100 

Olympus OM-2n, 50mm f/1.4 Zuiko, Kodak Portra 400

Continuing Adventures With The 8-Element Super Tak

Of all my vintage lenses, I've used my 8-element 50mm f/1.4 Pentax Super Takumar lens probably more than any other this year. This Super Tak is considered one of the best normal lenses of its era. My copy continues to dazzle me with its sharpness and unique color signature. It's a wonderful lens to use, with buttery smooth focus action and definitive, clicky f/stops. When I transition between this lens and others, they feel crude by comparison.

Mounted on a Spotmatic SP body, protected by its leather half case and slung over my shoulder on a leather 1901 Eggleston strap, this is a kit I really love shooting.

One weekend, one roll of Kodak's Portra 400 with the camera set at ASA 200.

Saturday. Here are two shots at the beach. Shutter was set to 1/500. I was trying to get waves crashing against the rocks. I like how the Super Tak rendered the spray.

There are always plenty of birds that'll pose for you in Bodega Bay. This image shows the sharpness of the Super Tak. Subtle color too.

Close focus is a hair over 17 inches on this lens, allowing you to fill the frame if you desire.

The next day was totally overcast. I headed over to the Russian River wineries to buy a few bottles and get some shots in the vineyards before the grapes were picked.

The close-ups were all hand held. I think this lens could really do some damage with a tripod-mounted Spotmatic.

I will continue to sing the praises of these Takumar prime lenses. I haven't tried one yet that has disappointed. And the 8-element 50/1.4 might just be the best of the bunch.

Lightbox Wednesday #36

I've been cleaning up my archives of images taken over the past 7 years, saving some, deleting many. Every Wednesday, I post interesting images I've revisited over the past week.

Coastal wireless station KPH at Pt. Reyes is one of my favorite spots to visit and photograph. It's quiet, desolate and lonely out there. A perfect break from my noisy, always connected work life.

KPH, first a Marconi Wireless property and later owned by RCA, was once the main radio relay point between ships in the Pacific and the mainland. The National Parks Service owns the property now and a dedicated team of volunteers maintain the station and its aging transmitters and antenna fields.

KPH was a high power Morse code only facility. The receive and transmitter sites are located some miles apart to reduce interference. The receive site is at Pt. Reyes and the transmitters are south in Bolinas.

KPH Receive Site at Pt. Reyes

Feed lines out to the HF antennas at the receive site.

The place really lends itself to black and white film photography. I shot these with my Leica M2 on Acros film.

The transmitter building at the KPH site in Bolinas

There is an abandoned phone booth in the parking lot of KPH. Wireless telegraphy and public phones; two communication forms from a bygone era.

PacBell phone booth at KPH

Analogbook

Random notes, thoughts, whatnot...

It's been a busy Summer, allowing far less days for photography than I had hoped for. But Fall on the Sonoma Coast is a delightful time and I look forward to getting out for lots of fresh air and picture taking.

Nikon F2 shot with Nikon F2 and 55mm Micro-Nikkor

A few weeks ago, I sent my Polaroid SX-70 camera in to Matt Widmann at 2nd Shot SX-70 Service. We've been emailing each other back and forth since and I have already learned things about my Polaroid I never knew. A complete report on my SX-70 refurb is coming soon!

One of my two black body Pentax Spotmatic SP cameras is in Eric Hendrickson's shop now for CLA. Once I get it back, I'll have two good serviced SPs to shoot. Maybe keep color in one and black and white in the other? And wow do I love the 50mm 8-element Super Takumar lens!!

Kodak Brownie shot with Nikon F2 and 55mm Micro-Nikkor

I can't say enough good things about the repair folks at Blue Moon Camera & Machine. They did a CLA on my Minolta XD and that little camera is just a joy to shoot now. My little XD is packed with features including aperture and shutter priority automation and full manual control. I have some black and white film in the Minolta as I write this. Blue Moon also did a CLA and battery upgrade on my Canon original F-1. The Canon came back all spiffy and smelling really good. I wrote Blue Moon to ask what that wonderful smell was and Sophia wrote me back and said it was probably the Pliobond adhesive they used on the new seals. Didn't know glue could smell so good!

Weston Master III shot with Nikon F2 and 55mm Micro-Nikkor

I've also had a roll of Acros in my new-to-me Leica M7 for several months now. After shooting my way through most of the Leica M film cameras, I believe I have finally settled on the M that I want to keep. I know that Leica purists will hurl rocks at me for saying this, but I really like aperture-priority automation in a Leica M body. First impressions on this camera soon and full review to come.

Polaroid Land 450 shot with Nikon F2 and 55mm Micro-Nikkor

I hope to get back to San Francisco for one more street photography photo walk this year. I learned so much the last time and even had an "a-ha moment" that I'll be writing about soon.

Vito camera shot with Nikon F2 and 55mm Micro-Nikkor

Any time I think, even just for a moment, that one of my 35mm cameras or even my medium format Pentax 645n is too big or too heavy, I think back to the chap I came across on the Bluff Trail overlooking the Pacific Ocean near Timber Cove a few weekends back. I was shooting my Pentax MX. He had hiked a mile in with an 8x10 view camera! 

Life is good.

My well-traveled mug shot with Nikon F2 and 55mm Micro-Nikkor