Back in the 80's when Kodak was dropping all the old roll film sizes I was bewailing that fact to a customer of mine who was a professional photographer. He told me "Well, if you want, Kodak will still make the film for you as a custom run. The bad news is you're looking at a 100 roll minimum order!"
So much for that idea! Anyway, when I retired the cameras I saved one roll of film to go with each, one day I'll be unloading the cameras and a roll of film might just help the sale, even if you shouldn't use it.
Speaking of old cameras, my father had a Kodak fold-out Brownie which used size 118 film which was a bit larger than 120. He used to do a lot of the printing himself, and the contact prints from it were the sharpest I have ever seen. I used it myself for a short time around 1962, and several times people who saw me folding out the bellows would say, "Oh you have a Polaroid."
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
Walgreen's also sells and processes 35mm film as well. I knew things had changed (and not necessarily for the better) when the local camera shops dropped film altogether.
A camera shop up the road had a nice collection of old cameras on display and they got rid of those too!
Oh well, "supply and demand" as they say. Digital's killing everything, just like video killed movie film.
By the way, you should see the looks on the faces of my young relatives at family gatherings when I pull out my fathers 1946 Argus C-3, complete with the flash attachment, especially when one of those 5B flashbulbs goes off like a tactical nuke! "Wow! I can feel the heat all the way across the room!"
They call it "Uncle Wayne's 'Cool Camera'!"
While 35mm film takes a little bit of looking to find, finding a place that will process it is getting harder. Fortunately, in my area, CVS pharmacies still carry 35mm film (and a few other sizes) and I've found two different places that still process film.
Neat shot with the box Brownie! I used to collect antique cameras, was a sucker for anything with a bellows on it, and let me tell you some of those old things would still sing if you used them right.
Alas, Kodak stopped making film for them years ago, 616, 116, 127, 620, 120, all the food for the old classics. Fun's over, and now I'm sweating 35mm.
The prize of the collection? An 1899 Kodak Pocket Folder, and they must have had BIG pockets in those days. Originally used 105 film but would use 120 if you skipped the numbers.
CopCarSSKeeping this in mind as you look to acquire equipment is important. When looking at a new camera or lens, ask yourself if it's going to help you do something you couldn't with your previous equipment or if you're just seeking a magic bullet in the hopes of finding something that will make your work better with no investment of time or knowledge to match the investment of money.
Thank god very few do that, or else the camera companies would have been out of business long ago.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
All very true, Chris. Looking forward to installment #2.
I often offer advice to our riders on turning their snapshots into "portraits." And, as you allude, much of it is in the composition - the bulk of the photographers on our trains these days are shooting with their cell phones and tablets. Many of which actually have better megapixel resolution than my Rebel...
Interestingly, I'm big on the "rule of thirds," as many already know, and both images exhibit that principle.
But the equipment can make a huge difference, allowing one to play with the variables.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Good morning all,
I've been pushing off equipment discussion for awhile for a few reasons. The biggest of those is that equipment related to good photography is a bit of a paradox. It's incredibly important but it doesn't matter at all. I've tried several times to develop that statement into instructive paragraphs but have thrown each effort into the trash bin. After developing some old film (that's been lying around my house for far longer than I'd care to admit) the other night, I finally figured out how I wanted to approach it. Visually of course! Let's take a look at two photos and then discuss them a bit.
Carchaeologist by Chris May, on Flickr
Water Tank and Milky Way - Boreas Pass, CO by Chris May, on Flickr
The first photo is a shot of our resident carchaeologist, CShaveRR, taken at the Colorado Railroad Museum back in 2007. The second photo is one that I posted recently taken on Boreas Pass last month.
I used the penultimate of simple cameras for the first shot -- a box camera. The only way to get any simpler would be to use a pinhole camera. The Kodak No. 2 Box Brownie has a simple meniscus lens and a simple rotary shutter. That's about it.
I used a pretty advanced and complex digital camera plus supplemental lighting for the Boreas Pass shot. My D600, remote strobes and some car headlights all had to be dialed in to bring this photo to life.
When I think about the differences in the shots, the two rumors that fly around the internet come to mind. Namely, "You need better gear for better photos," and "It's all about the photographer, not the gear." As with most things in life, the truth isn't quite so absolutely simple. It lies in the middle.
Have I managed to get a memorable shot of a fun outing with a good friend with the Brownie? I think so. I even enjoy the quirkiness of the shot. The light leaks, the rough borders and the rendering of the simple lens all work together to make a shot that I very much like.
As much as I like the Brownie, I could not have used it for the Milky Way shot. The high ISO requirements to capture the Milky Way with a foreground subject like the water tank are simply outside the realm of the box camera's capabilities.
Likewise, without a good understanding of what I was shooting, how I wanted to shoot it and how to use my camera to the best of it's abilities, the D600 would be as capable of shooting the Milky Way as the Brownie.
Cameras, lenses and their support equipment are all just tools. Better tools allow good photographers to do things that they couldn't with simpler tools. But it takes the vision of that good photographer to make the most of them.
Keeping this in mind as you look to acquire equipment is important. When looking at a new camera or lens, ask yourself if it's going to help you do something you couldn't with your previous equipment or if you're just seeking a magic bullet in the hopes of finding something that will make your work better with no investment of time or knowledge to match the investment of money.
As always, thoughts, comments, critiques or questions are welcome and encouraged!
-ChrisWest Chicago, ILChristopher May Fine Art Photography"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~Ansel Adams
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