Yashica MAT-124G with Wolfman

The Yashica Mat-124G is my favorite TLR medium format cameras. It's super simple to use, I love the 6x6 ratio (square) & it has a working but simple light meter. It's build sturdy.

I took the Yashica out for the first time in quite a while. Covid-19 significantly dampened my film and street photography in 2020. However, I decided to start shooting film regularly starting this January. I have plenty of 120 film on hand both fresh and expired, but wanted to try a roll of Wolfman 120 purchased during a recent trip to Roberts Camera in downtown Indianapolis. The film is distributed by the Film Photography Project store. The film is rated ASA 100 so I needed a fairly bright day. Also, the battery for the light meter needed to be replaced. The camera takes a specialty-type battery (PX625). A downside is that this battery is air activated lasting only a few months. Literally, every time I take this camera out a new battery is needed. The upside is you don't need the battery for the camera to work ... only the meter. You can always use an external light meter, use Sunny 16 or just guess at the exposure.

I shot the roll on the near south side of Indianapolis on a bright but very overcast day. The camera only shoots 12 shots in 6x6 so it goes fast. I did also shoot a roll of Ilford Delta 100 while I was out.

I didn't have any of the developing chemicals recommended by the FPP for the Wolfman film so I learned online that the film could be developed like ORWO UN54. This film can be developed using Ilford Ilfotec DD-X (which I have) in a 1+4 ration for 9 minutes at 20C. That's what I used. I'm happy with the results. 

The film is crisp with lots of contrast with the day's conditions. Some shots

Canon EOS Elan II with a Vivitar 70-210mm f/4.5-5.6 Lens

One of my favorite 35mm film SLR's is a Canon EOS Elan II. Very basic, good functions, reliable & somewhat contemporary. It's all plastic goodness. I primarily use it for street photography or when I'm using expired film and I want to make sure I use a camera that works!. Up to now I've always used it with a pancake 40mm f/2.8 lens shown in this picture.

However, I decided to mount it with a fairly inexpensive 3rd party, Vivitar 70-210mm f/4.5-5.6 lens. I RARELY if ever use long lenses on film cameras. I'm more of a 35-50mm street / snapshot shooter. I was given this lens a few years ago, so I figured I would give it a go.

The lens is surprisingly robust. It's not the fastest lens, but for street photography that isn't an issue. It's a pull / push zoom lens so it's extremely intuitive and easy to zoom. It has both AF/M settings to fit your shooting needs and a macro setting (which I didn't use). The AF was surprisingly fast. The only issue is that there is no zoom lock so when you hold the lens down (below horizontal) the lens barrel on my lens went all the way out to 210mm which looked kind of silly. This particular lens can easily be purchased online for under $100. 

I took this combination out the other day loaded with a bulk loaded roll of Ilford XP2 Super 400. Once shot I developed the roll at home with Unicolor C-41 purchased from Roberts Camera. The results. 

Zorki 2-C Russian Goodness

I purchased this colorful Zorki 2-C a couple of years ago from Roberts Camera's Used Photo Pro division. 

the Zorki 2-C is a Russian knock-off of a Leica II. It's a surprisingly well built, heavy all metal rangefinder. I mounted it with an f/2.8, 52mm Industar N-61 screw type lens. Very inexpensive and surprisingly good.

The Zorki is fully manual. 35mm film is loaded on the bottom via removal of the bottom plate. You need to cut a longer leader on the film for this style of camera.

Speeds are B, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/250 & 1/500. As with cameras of this type if you want to change the speed you do it BEFORE you advance the film and which cocks the shutter.  Why, no clue, but that's what I've read and have always done. There is no light meter. There is a viewfinder to focus and one for composition. Super basic.

I loaded the camera up with a roll of Arista EDU 400 and shot the roll around Indianapolis. 

The Zorki 2-C is a handsome camera that I enjoy using. 

Here are a few photos from the most recent shoot:

Holga 120N - A Plastic Cult Toy Camera

Much has been written about the Holga. It’s a cult toy camera. All plastic with point and shoot with very few features or controls. You simply load it with 120 film set one of 4 distance setting, slide the aperture switch to either sunny or cloudy, aim and shoot. It’s that easy.

The main feature of the Holga line is they tend to be light leaky and the lens gives a soft / distorted vignette. This quirkiness gives the image it’s unique, “every picture is different” vibe. The plastic is a 60mm f/8 piece of plastic. You can set the camera to take 12 or 16 shots.

Practical? No, Fun? Yes

I’ve had mine for about 5 years. I recently took it out and shot a roll of Ultrafine Xtreme 400. I shot the roll in downtown Indianapolis on a grey but bright day. Film was developed using Ilford Ilfosol3 at 1+9 for 4.5 minutes. Negatives were scanned using an Epson V800.

I dig the camera. Here are some images.

Pentax K1000 - 35mm Film Uberness

One of the finest general purpose / everyday 35mm film SLR is the Pentax K1000. You want reliable? You want basic? You want good images? Then look no further than the K1000. Manual focus, reliable light meter, good ISO/ASA range (20 - 32000), good speed range (B to 1/1000 second), hotshoe & solidly built. What else would you want in a basic SLR.

I have 2 K1000's. One with a workable light meter and one without. The K1000 with the light meter that doesn't work is still perfect for using with a hand held light meter or sunny 16. The shutter operates without a battery.

To operate you either manually use aperture or speed priority. Set whichever is your preference based on the scene, film and light. Then simply adjust the other. The light meter is a needle in the viewfinder that goes up and down based on the setting. When the needle is in the center your exposure is set.

The shutter has a moderate mirror slap which is noticeable but still stealthy enough for candids and street photography. 

I have one of the cameras mounted with a Pentax-M f/1.7 50mm and one with a f/2.8 28mm. I prefer the 50mm which is my go to focal length for street photography.

Honestly, for a basic camera or your first SLR you can't go wrong with a Pentax K1000.

The manual at Butkus 

A few photos taken with bulk loaded Kentmere 400 pushed to 800 and some Kodak TMAX 400 at box speed.

Konica C35

I was gifted a cool Konica C35 point & shoot camera. When given the camera I was told it worked, but the flash didn't. I put a button battery in the camera and the light meter worked. I loaded AA batteries in the flash, and nope, didn't work. I put black tape over the flash as a reminder that the flash didn't work.

The camera is sturdy. Moderately heavy, glass and metal. This particular camera appears well used with a bit of brassing. The C35 is automatic. The only adjustments is the ASA dial and the focus ring. The viewfinder is fixed so you either guestimate distance or use 4 typical distance symbols (that show in the viewfinder). The lens is a 38mm f/2.8 Konica Hexanon. You can mount a 46mm filter. The shutter is very quiet which is perfect for street photography.

The automatic aperture selected by the light meter shows on a scale from f/22 to f/2.8. The bottom of the scale has a red lightning bolt to remind you to turn on the flash. Film loads easily. The back gate pops open with a small switch. The viewfinder is clear with frame lines highlighted in bright yellow.

I shot a roll of Arista EDU 400 bulk rolled film. Although the film loaded smoothly and advanced easily it felt "crunchy" when advanced. I thought it was catching or not advancing completely. I stopped using the camera after about 24 of 36 shots and rewound the film. I didn't want to damage the film. I guess the advance just needs lubrication because the film came out fine.

The first roll was developed with 1+25 Rodinal at 5.5 minutes. Rodinal isn't the best developer for this film as the grain came out fairly heavy. On the second roll I'll use a finer film with a milder developer to make sure it was the film choice versus the camera that resulted in the heavy grain.

Here are some photos from the first roll.

  

Bottomline a nice, sturdy camera with an iconic look. However, if I want a simple point and shoot camera with approximately the same focal length I'll stick with the Minolta Stylus.