Sunday 30 January 2011

Week 57 - Nikkorex 35


Nikkorex 35, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
Made by Nippon (the Nikon people) in the early 1960s, the Nikkorex range were budget SLRs for the amateur market. They have between the lens leaf shutters, and the lenses are not interchangeable. This model has an un-coupled Selenium meter, which still seems to work. The lens is a 50mm f2.5 Nikkor.
This is a very similar camera to the Kowa-H that I used in week 54.

Saturday 29 January 2011

photo from week 56 - Yashica 44


Sheffield Forgemasters, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
One of the remaining industrial buildings in the East End of Sheffield.

photo from week 56 - Yashica 44

This week's mirror self-portrait, another long exposure, made more difficult by the fact the hat wouldn't stay on without help!

photo from week 56 - Yashica 44


trolley in canal, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
A shopping trolley in the canal at Tinsley, this is a traditional British scene...

photo from week 56 - Yashica 44


War Memorial, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
This was taken on "Winter 127 day" 27th January (1:27 in the American month:day notation)

Saturday 22 January 2011

Week 56 - Yashica 44


Yashica 44, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
Back to the 127 format this week, in part because next Thursday is "Winter 127 Day" - the date in US format of month:day (January 27th). I managed to take a photo on Summer 127 Day last year (July 12th).
This is one of the relatively unusual twin lens reflex cameras which were made for 127 film, producing square images 4cm x 4cm. I've loaded it with a roll of B&W Efke film, but this format was also used for "super slides" - 4cm square slides mounted in specially made mount which fitted in a standard 35mm slide projector, but produced a larger image.

photo from week 55 - Penti I


cobbled street, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

An old street in Farnham, Surrey.

photo from week 55 - Penti I

This week's mirror self portrait was taken after my aunt Daphne's funeral (see photo from week 5 on 31/12/10). I didn't have a hat with me, so one of the paper cups from the water cooler in the crematorium waiting room was pressed into service. This exposure was about 12 seconds long at around f11, to try to ensure enough depth of field to allow for focussing inacuracies.

photo from week 55 - Penti I


figure in a cemetery, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

The Penti I fared better than her younger sister did in week 33, when the film was badly effected by light leaks and uneven development. This was a very dull day, and the exposure was 1/30th sec at f5.6

Thursday 13 January 2011

Week 55 - Penti I


Penti I, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
This stylish little camera was made around 1965, the design was first used in 1959. It uses the "Rapid" cassette system, and takes half-frame images. This is the older sister of the Penti II that I used in week 33, on that occasion I used a remnant of film that was smaller than I thought, and so only had one or two images to show. This time I have loaded a cassette with enough film for around 24 exposures.

photo from week 54 - Kowa H

Taken at full aperture, so a very shallow depth of field.

photo from week 54 - Kowa H


plastic parrot, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

Taken with a No.2 close up lens attached, full aperture, so very shallow depth of field.

photo from week 54 - Kowa H


French Horn, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
I thought this one worked better in black and white.

photo from week 54 - Kowa H


signs, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
Taking advantage of the sun on Saturday morning, these are three separate exposures taken within a few minutes of each other.

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Week 54 - Kowa H


Kowa H, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
This is a budget 35mm SLR, with a fixed lens and a limited speed-range leaf shutter. It has a built in Selenium exposure meter, which can be set to automatic, allowing the camera to choose from a range of speed/aperture combinations. I paid very little for it, but it seems to work, it has a tather awkwardly place wind-on lever on the underside.

Sunday 9 January 2011

photo from week 53 - Werra 1


Park Hill Flats, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
Park Hill Flats, grade 2 listed building undergoing refurbishment by Urban Splash.

photo from week 53 - Werra 1

Another bathroom photo!

photo from week 53 - Werra 1


riverside development detail, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
This new building in Sheffield reminds me of some of the archtecture of the Eastern Bloc, where the camera was made.

Monday 3 January 2011

Week 53 - Werra 1


Werra 1, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
The Werra series were made in East Germany from the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s. They were a sleek design, with no knobs on the top, just the shutter release. All controls were on the lens barrel, and the film was advanced and the shutter cocked by twisting the lens barrel in a clockwiese direction.
This example is the 1c made in 1961. It has a Presto shutter woth a range from 1 sec to 1/750th, and an f2.8 50mm Tessar lens.
The last few films I've shot have been black and white, so I've gone back to colour this week, with a roll of Kodak Ultramax ISO400 which I bought in Poundland.