Week 213 - Pentacon Six

Pentacon Six, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This behemoth is a medium format SLR, it takes twelve 6cm x 6cm photos on a roll of 120 film. It has the same mount as the Kiev 60 that I used in week 14. I bought a bundle which included a couple of dozen rolls of film, and most importantly the Zodiak 30mm fisheye lens, which I intend to try out this week.

photo from week 212 - Canon WP-1

fountain view, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I managed to get quite wet while taking a few shots of this fountain, but I was determined to get some water on the camera. This was taken with the close-up setting, which also seems to force the flash, effectively freezing the water droplets in the photo.

photo from week 212 - Canon WP-1

reflected self-portrait with Canon WP-1 camera and back-to-front antlers, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Unlike some autofocus cameras, this one has been able to focus on the subject (ie me) rather than the surface of the mirror.

photo from week 212 - Canon WP-1

Royal Horse Artillery on parade, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I chose the camera for the week after hearing the weather forecast, but although we had a lot of very heavy rain, it was mainly at night, so this is one of the few photos I was able to take in the rain.

Week 212 - Canon WP-1

Canon WP-1, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

A rugged "sports" camera for taking on outdoor pursuits, the "WP" in the name stands for "weatherproof" not "waterproof" - an important distinction to make, as at first glance this looks like an underwater camera. Reading the manual confirms that immersion in water would destroy it, but we have plenty of rain in the UK, so I expect it will have some exposure to the elements this week.

photo from week 211 - Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta C

Union Jack Garden Wentworth Castle Gardens, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

This tree is at the centre of the "Union Jack Garden" at Wentworth Castle, which as the name suggests is laid out in the form of the union flag.

photo from week 211 - Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta C

reflected self-portrait with Zeiss Super Ikonta C camera and antler hat, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The reason the top of this image is missing is that I chose to use the second red window as my base point for frame counting, this would have been fine with other cameras I've used, but in this case I ended up with an over generous leader and part of the frame missing. The blur on my face is due to movement during a thirty second exposure.

photo from week 211 - Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta C

Victorian Conservatory @ Wentworth Castle Gardens, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

With only eight exposures, and a busy week, I decided to use most of them on a visit to Wentworth Castle. This is the newly restored Victorian conservatory, the almost sepia efect is due to using redscale film.

Week 211 - Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta C

Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta C, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

The Zeiss Ikonta series of cameras started in the 1930s, there was a huge number of combinations of lenses, shutters and formats. The "A" series shot 4.5 x 6cm negatives, the "B" series 6 x 6cm and the "C"s 6 x 9cm. The "Super" Ikontas had rangefinders. I used a Super Ikonta A in week 42, that one belongs to my dad, this one came from a local camera shop's clearance sale and cost me £10.

photo from week 210 - Kodak Retinette I

Jonah Tryptich, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I was struggling to find subjects this week, even though I'd only loaded a 24 exposure film, so I took the opportunity to use three consecutive frames on the same subject, then scanned the sprocket holes as well to add to the composition.

photo from week 210 - Kodak Retinette I

reflected self-portrait with Kodak Retinette I camera and compound red hat, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

As is often the case with my indoor self-portraits, I use the slowest hand-holdable shutter speed, and largest aperture possible, and hope for the best that there is enough light to avoid under-exposure. I seem to have been lucky with this one.

photo from week 210 - Kodak Retinette I

cycle path in the rain, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Although this is a colour film, the wintry scene looks black and white, apart from the patch of grass. Taken into the sun, I was surprised there isn't more lens flare here.

Week 210 - Kodak Retinette I

Kodak Retinette I, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

Ploughing on into year five, the Retinette is one of the many variations on the mid-range amateur camera market spanning the late 1940s through to the 1960s. The Retinettes were the budget version of the Retina range, earlier models were folders with bellows, this is one of the first solid body models. The slow speeds don't work anymore, but I should be able to get away with 1/30th and faster if I use the lens at full aperture.

photo from week 209 - Exakta VX 1000

butcher, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I also have a 135mm f2.8 Orestor lens with an Exakta mount, so I wanted to try it out this week. This jolly butcher is bordering on the sinister to my mind!

photo from week 209 - Exakta VX 1000

reflected self-portrait with Exakta VX1000 camera and yellow baseball cap, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

One advantage of using an SLR is that the focus is less hit and miss, but even so, at full aperture and close range, the shallow depth of field prevents everything from being sharp.

photo from week 209 - Exakta VX 1000

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

The f2 Pancolar lens proved useful in the dim daylight of the xmas period, I shot this one at full aperture, and near to closest focus. The very shallow depth of field is very apparent.

Hatty New Year!

Hatty New Year!, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

As I enter the fifth year of my 52 cameras in 52 weeks project, here is a selection of some of the cameras I used last year.

Week 209 - Exakta VX 1000

Exakta VX 1000, a photo by pho-Tony on Flickr.

I've borrowed this one from my dad as I've recently acquired a 135mm f2.8 Orestor lens with an Exakta mount, and I've already used my only compatible camera in the 52 week project.
The VX1000 is reminiscent of its ancestor, the Exakta VP Model B that I used in week 119.