Week 325 - Hanimex compact R

The Hanimex compact R is a neat little camera with a coupled rangefinder and a shutter priority automatic exposure system. It also has full manual override, with shutter speeds going down to 1/8th second, which is a better range than many similar cameras of this era. I've loaded it with Agfa Vista ISO 200 film from Poundland.

photo from week 324 - Kiev-10

This is taken with the 20mm Mir lens, it focuses down to 18cm, and with nothing but full aperture available, there is plenty of scope for out of focus backgrounds.

photo from week 324 - Kiev-10

I already had the full set of five lenses that were made for the Kiev-10, this is taken using the 135mm f4 telephoto, at full aperture as the link that sets the aperture from the camera is broken.

photo from week 324 - Kiev-10

I chose to post this photo as it shows evidence of the fan shaped shutter being a bit sluggish closing. The triangular area in the top left of the frame suggests that the last leaf of the shutter took a while to close.

Week 324 - Kiev-10

The Kiev 10 is the forerunner of the Kiev 15 that I used in the first year of my project. Both share a unique lens mount, and lenses which have no aperture control on them, the aperture is set by a control on the camera body. The metal focal plane shutter is an unusual fan design.
There is an automatic exposure system, but sadly on this example the coupling between the body and the lens is broken, so not only does the auto exposure not work, but there is no way of using the lens other than at full aperture.

photo from week 323 - Vest Pocket Kodak Model B

Although the film is only a couple of years past its sell by date, there is clear evidence of backing paper markings on all the frames, but most noticeable in areas of sky, as in this photo of the Wolseley Road Mosque in Sheffield.

photo from week 323 - Vest Pocket Kodak Model B

For my self-portrait, I had to use a very long exposure, around 90 seconds, so while I kept as still as I could, I am reduced to something of a blur in this one!

photo from week 323 - Vest Pocket Kodak Model B

There are four Waterhouse stops on this camera, they are numbered 1 to 4 rather than being given f numbers. This was taken with the No.2 aperture, at a guess I would say it is f11 or f16.

Week 323 - Vest Pocket Kodak Model B

Kodak made Vest Pocket "VP" cameras for a number of years, this is one of the later versions. An earlier "VP" was dubbed the "Soldiers' Camera" as many were taken on active service during World War One. This is a very simple camera, it has a single shutter speed plus "B", there are four numbered apertures provided by Waterhouse stops. I loaded it with some expired Efke 100 black and white negative film.

photo from week 322 - Durst Automatica

Taken at the Manchester City Art Gallery.

photo from week 322 - Durst Automatica

All the shutter speeds on this nearly 60 year old camera work as they should, this one was taken using 1 second.

photo from week 322 - Durst Automatica

Although this is an automatic camera, it's fairly crude, with a single aperture being determined by the film speed, and the shutter speed automatically set according to the light level. I decided to stick to manual mode when I used it.

Week 322 - Durst Automatica

At getting on for 60 years old, the Durst Automatica is one of the earliest cameras to have an automatic exposure system, albeit fairly crude by modern standards. Durst are best know for making darkroom equipment, but they did produce a handful of cameras as well. This one seems to work OK, though I think I'll stick to manual, as I'm not sure I trust the auto exposure.

photo from week 321 - Smena 8M

Another photo of one of my regular subjects, Park Hill Flats in Sheffield.

photo from week 321 - Smena 8M

I took the risk of hand-holding the 15th sec exposure required even at full aperture for this indoor shot.

photo from week 321 - Smena 8M

One of the advantages of these old cameras is that there is no double exposure prevention, so you can fire the shutter as many times as you like. I restricted myself to 2 shots for this one.