Week 74 - Ricoh 500 GX

Ricoh 500 GX, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

I picked this up in a charity shop a few weeks ago, can't remember exactly what the price was, but definitely less than £5.
It's well used, and the exposure meter is dead (I've tried it with various batteries, including brand new ones, but I gather from what I've read online that meter failure is common) but otherwise it works fine.
The shutter speeds go down to 1/8th, and there is a coupled rangefinder, but unusually for this class of camera, it has a double (or in fact multiple) exposure function. The shutter can be re-cocked without winding on the film, using a small slider on the front of the camera.
I've loaded it with ISO 400 colour negative film.

new acquisition - Konica Pop

Konica Pop, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This cheerful little camera is a little the worse for wear, but still works. It has a single shutter speed, and an aperture which is altered according to the film speed set and whether the flash is in use. There are no f numbers other than the f4 marked on the front, but I think apertures of around f4, f5.6, f8 and f11 are possible. It was £2.50 in a bootsale, and goes nicely with the non-functioning green version I picked up last year.

new arrival - Olympus Quickmatic

Olympus Quickmatic, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

I got this on ebay for less than £5, it is the 126 cartridge version of the popular Olympus Trip which sold in its millions in the 1970s. It seems to work, though I think the automatic exposure system is inconsistent. I'll use it at some point, not sure how soon though.

photo from week 72 - Coronet 3D

sheep, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

Although this camera is basically two identical simple cameras built into one, there is obviously a difference between the two. Despite some "correction" in Photoshop, there is still a visible difference between the sharpness and contrast between the two images.
I do remember reading that some stereo cameras (Wray Stereographic??) had their lenses set to slightly different focus points, to the eye/brain would see the stereo, but the sharpness would be OK for both near and far objects. I don't think this camera is that sophisticated!

photo from week 72 - Coronet 3D

balloon artist, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This is a scan of the double frame as it comes out of the camera. I find it very difficult to see stereo pairs without using a viewer, the "freeviewing" techniques only work occasionally for me. As it stands, this should be viewed using the "cross-eye" technique.

Week 73 - Pentina M

Pentina M, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This week it was third time lucky when it came to selecting my camera. The first two had problems (hopefully solvable) so the Pentina has been drafted in at the last minute.
I've been putting off using this camera as it has no strap, and the lugs for attaching a strap do not work with any of the various straps I've got. I spent an inordinate amount of time cobbling together a way to attach a strap, but it seems to work.
The camera was made in East Germany between 1963 and 1964, it has a leaf shutter and interchangeable lenses using its own proprietary bayonet mount.
The lenses are 30mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm.
I'm going to put a roll of Poundland Kodak ColorPlus in it.

A Collectors Life For Me

A Collectors Life For Me, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

The first of my regular monthly columns in Amateur Photographer magazine.

The Camera Collector

The Camera Collector, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

The current issue of Amateur Photographer magazine includes this article about my camera collecting and 52 cameras in 52 weeks project.

photo from week 71 - Agfamatic 300 Sensor

Jaume Plensa Heads, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This was taken in the underground gallery of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, I placed the camera on a bench to keep it steady, and the electronic shutter gave an exposure time of several seconds. The very expired (35 years) film, and the near-exhausted C41 kit have contributed to the somewhat degraded image quality.

photo from week 71 - Agfamatic 300 Sensor

reflected self-portrait with Agfamatic 300 camera and yellow sombrero, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This week's mirror self portrait has suffered from under-exposure, this was predictable, as the camera's photocell was facing a bright window, but there is no manual overide, so a faster than wanted shutter speed was chosen by the electronic shutter. The fact that the film expired 35 years ago, and that the C41 chemistry was probably exhausted didn't help either!

photos from week 71 - Agfamatic 300 Sensor

Three Gentlemen of Park Hill, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

I wanted to take advantage of this camera's relatively advanced specifications, which allow it to take pictures in conditions other than bright daylight, which is normally required for 126 cartridge cameras.
Walking through the gloomy and semi-derelict Park Hill flats in Sheffield, I thought that these two tiled walls with their original signs might make an interesting pair.

new arrival - Kodak Instamatic 56x

Kodak Instamatic 56x, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

I paid 99p for this camera outfit on ebay, it was the film that I was really interested in. Expired 1976, this is a 12 exposure colour negative film, I used it in the Agfamatic 300 in week 71.

Week 72 - Coronet 3-D camera

Coronet 3-D camera, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This is the original box that the camera came in, the illustration makes it look as if the camera is smaller than it really is (unless the man using it has a giant head!).

Week 72 - Coronet 3-D camera

Coronet 3-D camera, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This is basically a pair of ultra basic 127 cameras built into one body. In stereo mode you only get 4 photos (pairs) per roll, one of the lenses can be shuttered to allow you to get the full 8 exposures in non-stereo format.
The plastic (?Bakelite) has little coloured flecks in it which adds to its charm.
I've loaded it with Macocolor negative film.

photo from week 70 - Imperial Satellite

street entertainment, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

Part of the festival on Devonshire Green, Sheffield, for people who didn't want to watch the royal wedding. There were plenty of people there!

photo from week 70 - Imperial Satellite

reflected self-portrait with Imperial Satellite camera and red hair, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This camera doesn't have a "B" setting, so to take this photo in a poorly lit room, I stood the camera on a pedestal and clicked the shutter 50 times. The was obviously some movement at times.

photo from week 70 - Imperial Satellite

The Artist as Hephaestus, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.
There's not much to go wrong with this camera, and it behaved itself, the only slight problem being a small light leak visible at the bottom edge of the photos (therefore at the top end of the camera back). Personally I think these leaks add character.

Week 71 - Agfamatic 300 Sensor

Agfamatic 300 Sensor, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This is quite a sophisticated camera for the 126 format. It has a focussing lens, and an electronic shutter, with a slowest speed of several seconds. My dad picked it up in a bootsale for next to nothing a few years ago.
The biggest problem with using 126 cameras is getting the film, it is no longer being manufactured, and finding old expired cartridges is the only way to get it. I've loaded this with a 12 exposure cartridge of Kodakolor II which expired in 1976.

photos from week 69 - Minolta Disc-7

Sheldonian Theatre and Radcliffe Camera, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

At least two big heads!

photos from week 69 - Minolta Disc-7

self portrait between daisies and dandelions, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

I managed to just miss out the camera in the reflection, but you can see me holding the wand.

photo from week 69 - Minolta Disc-7

self portrait with horse chestnut tree, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

Using the wand and mirror which are part of the camera, to take a self portrait.

Week 70a - Canon Z155

Canon Z155, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

I got this camera last year on ebay, it came with 10 rolls of film and I paid £7 inc p&p, I really only wanted the films, but thought I'd give the camera a try sometime. I've never owned or used this class of camera, it has a zoom lens and various modes, there is a little scope for manual over ride, but basically its fully automatic. I find the appearance of the fully extended zoom mildly comic!
I've decided to have my first ever try at cross-processing (Xpro) and have loaded it with a roll of Fuji Sensia 100 E6 slide film, in due course I will process it in C41 chemistry and see what turns out.

photos from week 69 - Minolta disc-7

negatives from disc camera, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

When my new scanner arrives, I'll scan these and make individual images from them, but I've a feeling the photo of the whole disc might be more interesting than the individual pictures.

Week 70 - Imperial Satellite 127

Imperial Satellite 127, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This is one of my simple 127 rollfilm cameras, made in the early 1960s. It takes square photos, 12 per roll, it has a single shutter speed of around 1/50th second, and has 2 apertures, markerd "Color" and "B&W" which I think are f11 and f16 respectively.
I've loaded it with a roll of Macocolor film