photo from week 208 - Agfa Silette

Park Hill street, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The rectilinear nature of this brutalist architecture seems to lend itself to black and white rather than colour, so I converted it after scanning.

photo from week 208 - Agfa Silette

reflected self-portrait with Agfa Sillette camera and xmas tree hat, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The daylight was quite poor on xmas day, so I carefully measured the distance as I was using full aperture. The colours or more natural than I was expecting from this cross-processed film.

photo from week 208 - Agfa Silette

big yellow fish, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The film here is Kodak Vision Cinema Pro from Six Gates Films of Milan. It's a movie film which has been loaded into 35mm cassettes.

Week 208 - Agfa Silette (Type 1)

Agfa Silette (Type 1), a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The Agfa Silette range evolved over several years, this is one of the early ones, now 60 years old it still works well (at least I hope so, I've never actually put a film through it!). It feels solid and well made and has a basic range of shutter speeds together with a scale focussing 45mm f2.8 lens.

photo from week 207 - Kenox FX-4 (Samsung ECX 1)

ruins and trees, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Few 35mm automatic point and shoot cameras have double exposure options, so I thought it was important to try the FX-4 in this mode. This is an example taken at Waverley Abbey.

photo from week 207 - Kenox FX-4 (Samsung ECX 1)

reflected self-portrait with Kenox FX-4 camera and pointy hat, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Previous experience with auto focus cameras had made me wary if mirror shots. The FX-4 has a manual focus option, so I chose this for my self-portrait, I also had to remember to switch the flash off.

photo from week 207 - Kenox FX-4 (Samsung ECX 1)

Alice through the looking glass, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The Kenox is quite a bulky camera, and I found it difficult to use the viewfinder, but it works OK and the autofocus seems accurate at close range, though it struggled with distant subjects.

Week 207 - Kenox FX-4 (Samsung ECX 1)

Kenox FX-4 (Samsung ECX 1), a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Allegedly designed by Porsche, this is a rather bulky if streamlined fully automatic point and shoot 35mm camera from the 1990s.
There are a number of settings, including the facility to shoot frames at intervals from 10 seconds to an hour or more. I've loaded it with a roll of Agfa Vista ISO200 colour negative film from Poundland.

photo from week 206 - Ensign Selfix 16-20

Saluting Battery, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The saluting battery in Valletta fires a cannon twice a day at noon and 4pm. This is the 4pm cannon, a big bang and a spectacular cloud of smoke!

photo from week 206 - Ensign Selfix 16-20

reflected self-portrait with Ensign Selfix 16-20 camera and hastily improvised headgear, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

For the self-portrait, I used the slowest shutter-speed (1/25th) and full aperture, as the was barely enough light in the bathroom. I think I just about got away with it.

photo from week 206 - Ensign Selfix 16-20

Triq Santa Lucija, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The "half-frame" Selfix makes a good holiday camera, and I packed it for a short trip to Malta. I shot a roll of colour film first, but this one is Rollei Retro 400S black and white.

Week 206 - Ensign Selfix 16-20

Ensign Selfix 16-20, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

There were a range of Ensign folding cameras, this one takes sixteen 6cm x 4.5cm exposures on a roll of 120 film, the so-called "645" format, or sometimes "half-frame".
It's fairly light and compact, so I took it away with me on a trip to Malta.

photo from week 205 - Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim

on the square, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The Ultra Wide & Slim is an ideal holiday camera as it weighs next to nothing and as the name suggests is quite slim. The ISO800 wasn't necessary on this occasion, so the negative is over-exposed, but I quite like the effect.

photo from week 205 - Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim

reflected self-portrait with Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim camera and skull & cross-bones hat, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The ISO800 allowed me to scrape an indoor exposure when it was clear and bright outside.

photo from week 205 - Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim

top deck sun down, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I chose to use ISO800 film this week, as the daylight is not very strong in December. The "Viv" is revered for the spectacular flare it delivers when the lens is pointed at the sun, this shot demonstrates the effect quite nicely.

Week 205 - Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim

Vivitar Ultra Wide and Slim, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This simple plastic camera has something of a cult following, with its 22mm lens is it wider than most other simple plastic models. The price peaked a couple of years ago, with some selling for more than £50 on eBay. Since then a clone the "Slim Devil" has been introduced, and although it is expensive for what it is, it has eased demand, and therefore prices for the original "Viv".
I paid 50p for mine, and have put several films through it, but it has never been my camera of the week. With the weak December light in mind, I've loaded it with some ISO800 film.

photo from week 204 - Halma Flex

Grinders' Hill, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This is an occasional subject that I return to, it's in a dimly lit passage, and I rested the camera on the railings, though it could have been hand held, as I deliberately used the maximum aperture to create a narrow depth of field.

photo from week 204 - Halma Flex

reflected self-portrait with Halma Flex camera and hard hat, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This time I had a tripod, but I don't have the fitting required to use a cable release, so I used the self timer for this one second exposure to ensure that I wouldn't jog the camera when operating the shutter release.

photo from week 204 - Halma Flex

hiding behind the furniture, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I took this one in a bit of a rush before the Dalek turned nasty. It was a poorly lit room, and with no tripod, I rested the camera on a workbench and guessed the exposure at 1 second and around f8. The composition could be better, but the exposure is about right, and I managed to keep the camera still.

Week 204 - Halma Flex

Halma Flex, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This twin lens reflex came from a charity shop, I think it was £5. The nameplate is missing, but a bit of research suggests that it is a Halma Flex, which is basically a copy of the Rolleicord range. There is a full range of shutter speeds, and the 80mm lens has a maximum aperture of f3.5
I've poaded it with Fuji Neopan ISO100 black and white film.

photo from week 203 - Agilux Agimatic

canal reflections (slight breeze), a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The shimmering reflections in the canal take on an impressionist feel, which becomes even more pronounced when the breeze picks up.

photo from week 203 - Agilux Agimatic

reflected self-portrait with Agilux Agimatic camera and three hats, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I'm not sure where the apparent light leak on the left came from, it doesn't appear on any other frames. Once again, in poor light, I was shooting at full aperture and with the slowest speed I could hand-hold, so depth of field was a bit of a gamble.

photo from week 203 - Agilux Agimatic

stone ballustrade, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The camera seems to be in full working order. It was a dull day, so I was using a wide aperture and close focus distance to get a limited zone of focus.

Week 203 - Agilux Agimatic

Agilux Agimatic, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This neat little British made camera is quite reminiscent of the Voigtlander Vito series. It is fully featured in that it has a rangefinder and exposure meter, neither of them are coupled, and the exposure meter is a visual extinction meter, very old and basic technology! These cameras had a reputation for being unreliable, so we'll have to see how I get on.

photo from week 202 - Olympus-35 ECR

locks and shard, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I set the focus to the closest possible, and then moved myself backwards and forwards until the rangefinder matched the padlocks in the foreground. The distant shard is pleasingly blurred.

photo from week 202 - Olympus-35 ECR

reflected self-portrait with Olympus-35 ECR camera and metal hat, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

At close range and in low light, the accuracy of the rangefinder is tested, but it seems to be about right.

photo from week 202 - Olympus-35 ECR

Tate Britain, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I used a roll of Rollei Retro ISO400 black and white film this week. I took a bit of a chance, as this is the first time I have used the camera, and unable to get the correct batteries, I improvised with some smaller ones and some tin foil. It seems to have worked, and the exposures look about right. For this shot I placed the camera on the floor, as the shutter speed was too slow to hand hold.

Week 202 - Olympus-35 ECR

Olympus-35 ECR, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I found this in a charity shop recently for £9.99 The batteries were dead, and as this is a fully electronic camera, there was no way of knowing whether it worked or not, so I took a chance on it. As it turns out, all seems to be well, though as this is my first film init, I won't know for sure until I've developed the roll of Rollei Retro ISO400 black and white film that I've loaded.

photo from week 201 - Agfamatic 5008 makro pocket

hat stall, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Taken in the lively North Laines area of Brighton on an overcast day, with the guesstimated scale focus set at 1 metre.

photo from week 201 - Agfamatic 5008 makro pocket

reflected self-portrait with Agfamatic 5008 makro pocket camera and makeshift red hat, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The light in the hotel room was just at the limit of being able to hand hold an exposure. I used the scale focus here, and tried to be as accurate as possible, as I was expecting full aperture and shallow depth of field.

photo from week 201 - Agfamatic 5008 makro pocket

micro-brewery pub, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I took the little Agfa with me on a trip to Brighton. I wanted to use it to its full, taking advantage of its ability to do very long exposures in low light. This was a very dimly lit pub, and I rested the camera on top of my pint glass to take this one, the exposure felt like a couple of seconds.

Week 201 - Agfamatic 5008 makro pocket

Agfamatic 5008 makro pocket, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This is one of the more sophisticated 110 cameras, with an automatic exposure system and focusing down to 0.5m with a further macro setting at 0.25m.
I've loaded it with some new Lomography iger ISO200 colour negative film.

photo from week 200 - Fuji STX-2

Happy Halloween, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I don't remember halloween being this scary when I was a kid!

photo from week 200 - Fuji STX-2

reflected self-portrait with Fuji STX-2 camera and Halloween headgear, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The narrow depth of field is very apparent in this picture, the natural daylight was quite poor, and this was shot at 1/30th at f1.6

photo from week 200 - Fuji STX-2

sausage stall, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I took the STX-2 to "Fright Night" - the UK's largest halloween carnival, and using ISO800 film was aiming to hand hold in available light. Most of my photos were taken at full aperture, f1.6, so focussing is quite critical, and not always spot on!

Week 200 - Fuji STX-2

Fuji STX-2, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I really don't need anymore 35mm SLRs, but I saw this one, filthy and sticky, in a charity shop for £5, and took pity on it. The f1.6 lens is a tiny bit faster than the more common f1.8, and the fully mechanical shutter seems to work. There was no battery in it, and it is quite usable even without the coupled TTL exposure meter, but this appears to work as well once I put a battery in.
This week is Halloween, so I've put an ISO800 film in so I can use available light where possible.

photo from week 199 - Olympus LT-1

Bingo, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This is a pair of adjacent frames, I decided to scan the full width of the film, as the sprocket holes go well with the subject matter.

photo from week 199 - Olympus LT-1

reflected self-portrait with Olympus LT-1 camera and gold cap, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The mirror self-portrait is out of focus, I think the camera attempted to focus on the mirror surface. The innards of the LT-1 re the same as those of the "Ecru" which I used in week 5, when I had exactly the same problem with the self-portrait.

photo from week 199 - Olympus LT-1

halloween reflections, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I used a roll of Poundland Agfa Vista film, and took the camera with me on my travels, in the run up to Halloween, lots of shops had scary window displays!

Week 199 - Olympus LT-1

Olympus LT-1, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The LT-1 is basically an Olympus mju compact camera with a different wrapper. The LT stands for "leather technology" referring to the integral leather case/covering on the camera. Mine is quite scuffed, but seems to work. I've loaded it with Agfa Vista ISO200 film from Poundland.

photo from week 198 - Fisheye Baby 110

∞8∞, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

As well as a "B" setting, the Fisheye Baby also permits multiple exposures, and allows the shutter to fire after a partial wind-on. I used that feature for this multiple exposure spread over two frames.

photo from week 198 - Fisheye Baby 110

reflected self-portrait with Fisheye Baby camera and halloween hat, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Lomography toy cameras tend to have the odd extra feature that isn't found on most ultra simple cameras, for example the "B" setting. For this indoor shot I braced the camera against a tripod (there is no tripod bush) and held the shutter open for around 15 seconds.

photo from week 198 - Fisheye Baby 110

Me and Pablo, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The little fisheye camera is ideal for arm's length self portraits, as the extreme wide angle view includes plenty of background. This is me and Picasso on a bench.

Week 198 - Fisheye Baby 110

Fisheye Baby 110, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Now that 110 film is once again being made, it seemed like a good time to use this novelty fisheye camera, although on this occasion the film is an expired cartridge that I found in a basic 110 camera in a charity shop, only one picture had been taken, so I transferred it to this camera to finish it off.

photo from week 197 - Olympus mju V

Pablo Picasso, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Malaga is the birthplace of Picasso, and this life sized bronze statue is sitting on a bench in the square where he was born.

photo from week 197 - Olympus mju V

reflected self-portrait with Olympus mju V camera and blue and yellow hair, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The indoor light was reasonable, but would have triggered the automatic flash, which would have spoiled this mirror picture, so I made sure I set the flash to "off" before taking it.

photo from week 197 - Olympus mju V

Andalucian Skyline, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I took the Olympus with me to Malaga, where I used it for some of the details in possible multi-camera collages. The mju V has a fairly slow lens, so I used ISO400 film to reduce the risk of camera shake or unwanted forced flash.

Week 197 - Olympus mju V

Olympus mju V (Stylus Select 105), a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

One of the later models form the extensive and evolving range of Olympus 35mm compact cameras. Know in the US as the Stylus Select 105, as the name suggests the zoom goes to 105mm, from 38mm.
The maximum aperture is only f5.6, so I've loaded it with a roll of ISO400 colour negative film to reduce the chances of failure due to camera shake.

photo from week 196 - K W Box-Reflex

Peace Gardens Fountain, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Taken in a bit of a hurry as the wind direction changed and started to blow water drops towards the camera. Composition was a guess, as I couldn't really see the ground glass screen from the angle I had to hold the camera at.

photo from week 196 - K W Box-Reflex

reflected self-portrait with K W Box-Reflex camera and gold cap, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Taken at the smallest aperture with a time exposure of around 30 seconds. The shutter didn't close when I released it, and I didn't realise this at first, I wound on to the next frame straight away, so there is not much unwanted exposure on this frame, but the next frame was almost completely fogged.