Week 91 - Fuji Instax 200

Fuji Instax 200, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This week I am using an instant camera for the first time. This is a Fuji Instax that I picked up for £1.50 in a car boot sale, it had one remaining exposure in it, and when I put batteries in I found that it seemed to be working OK, so I recently bought a pack of film for it. This film is still manufactured and is easily available.

photo from week 90 - Bilora Boy

Tia Anna - Sheffield's drag-queen extraordinaire, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The subject was a little closer than the nearest area of sharp focus (note the figures in the backgound are sharper) but I don't think it matters too much...

photo from week 90 - Bilora Boy

reflected self-portrait with Bilora Boy camera and pointy hat, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

It was inevitable that this shot was going to have some camera shake, the tripod is not very sturdy, and was at maximum extension here, the exposure was 15 seconds, there is no "T" setting, only "B", so I had to hold the shutter release down (and therefore "shake" the camera) during the exposure. It could have been worse!

photo from week 90 - Bilora Boy

Heeley Baths, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The "Boy" has a single shutter speed and a fixed aperture, so requires good light. The weather has been mixed this week, so I have had to catch what I can. This old building is quite timeless, were it not for the recent banners displayed on the front.

new arrival - expired 16mm film

Ilford FP4 16mm film - develop before March 1974, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I've been looking out for some 16mm film to use in my Mikroma miniature camera, although this is 40 years old, it still seems to work, so I'll be using the camera in the next few weeks.

Week 90 - Bilora Boy

Bilora Boy, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The last three cameras have been quite technically advanced, requiring various settings and adjustments to be made, so I thought it was about time to get back to basics. This Bakelite camera from 1949 takes 127 roll film and has no adjustments at all other than "B" and "I" settings for the shutter. It takes 8 exposures on a roll, and I'm using it now before the light starts to get less intense as autumn progresses.

photo from week 89 - Voigtlander Vitessa

The Heart of Trees, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Another photo from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

photo from week 89 - Voigtlander Vitessa

reflected self-portrait with Voigtlander Vitessa and matching tie, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

For this week's mirror self portrait I am wearing a camera themed tie, the Voigtlander Vitessa is a destinctive design, and is clearly recognisable on the tie.

photo from week 89 - Voigtlander Vitessa

29 Palms, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This is a 50 metre long curtain of poems, part of the Jaume Plensa exhibition at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. I shot this one at full aperture and minimum focussing distance in order to get a shallow depth of field.

Week 89 - Voigtlander Vitessa

Voigtlander Vitessa, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This unusally designed 35mm rangefinder camera dates from around 1952. It has a "barn door" front, and the lens assembly springs out for use. There is a plunger which both winds the film on and tensions the shutter, the name Vitessa refers to the rapidity with which it was possible to take a sequence of shots using this quick wind-on method.
The lens is an f2 Ultron, so I hope the rangefinder is accurate, as I plan to take some photos at full aperture. I've loaded it with a roll of Fuji ISO400 colour negative film.

photo from week 88 - Edixa Stereo

chair ride, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This is an example of one of the double/multiple exposures that I got from the Edixa. I quite like the result!

photo from week 88 - Edixa Stereo

not amused, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

There was a problem with the wind on mechanism on this camera, which meant that there was quite a lot of blank film, and lots of double exposures. This is one of the view stereo pairs I was able to obtain. This is "Queen Victoria" looking distinctly unamused.

photo from week 88 - Edixa Stereo

blue tannoys, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

There was a problem with the wind on mechanism on this camera, which meant that there was quite a lot of blank film, and lots of double exposures. This is one of the view stereo pairs I was able to obtain.

photo from week 87 - Zenit Fotosniper FS-12

American Civil War Soldier, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I felt quite at home with this camera, surrounded as I was by guns and telephoto lenses.

photo from week 87 - Zenit Fotosniper FS-12

reflected self-portrait with Zenit FS-12 Fotosniper and Fez, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This one is rather under-exposed, a result of choosing a fast enough shutter speed to avoid camera shake, while having to work indoors where there was a mirror.

photo from week 87 - Zenit Fotosniper FS-12

American Civil War Soldiers, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I took the Fotosniper to a military re-enactment event where I thought it was less likley to attract attention than in a town centre.

Week 88 - Edixa Stereo

Edixa Stereo, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This camera was made in the 1950s and takes stereo pairs on 35mm film. It was given to me by a work colleague, having belonged to his uncle.