photo from week 61 - Kodak Instamatic 500

Friday afternoon in the City of London, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

I was relieved to get any photos at all from this 20 year old film, the results were surprisingly good given its age and storage conditions.

re-spooling film again

Following my technical success re-spooling an old Boltavit backing paper with new film, I'm going to try to use my Coronet Vogue camera. This takes its own "Vogue" V-35 film, which is unperforated 35mm film on a backing paper. The format is 5cm x 3cm, and there were probably 8 photos on a roll, but I haven't got an original film or backing paper to confirm this. I've cut down a 127 backing paper to make it the right width, luckily the numbers are in the right place for the Vogue's red window, and the spacing, 6cm, between frames is about right. I've re-spooled enough for six exposures, I only have one spindle for this camera, but the Boltavit spindle will fit, though it doesn't engage with the wind on knob, which doesn't matter so long as it is only used on the supply spool.
The camera has a single speed (and B) shutter, probably around 1/50th second with an aperture of perhaps f16. The film I've loaded is ISO400, so it should be OK in normal daylight. I'll try to find some suitable subjects in the next week or two.

Week 62 - Argus Instant Load 270

Argus Instant Load 270, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

This is another 126 cartridge camera, one of the relatively few models that were anything other than basic point and shoots. Last week I used the Kodak Instamatic 500, and this week I have transferred the half used cartridge into this Argus camera. The film is very expired (1993) and it is possible I may have nothing to show for either week. With 126 film being long obsolete, and expired film being scarce and expensive, I decided to risk spreading my one and only unused cartridge across 2 different cameras.
The Argus Instant Load 270 has a CdS exposure meter, with automatic control over the aperture and shutter speed, the aperture certainly alters with the light level, I'm less convinced that the shutter speed does though. We'll see...

photo from week 61a - Boltavit

gherkin top, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

The top of the iconic "Gherkin" building in the City of London.

photo from week 61a - Boltavit

reflected self-portrait with Boltavit camera and top hat, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

The tiny Boltavit camera is dwarfed by the tripod head! Approximaelty 2 seond exposure using the B setting, and the aperture at f16.

photo from week 61a - Boltavit

horse chestnut in the snow, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

One of my regular subjects, a horse chestnut tree in my local park, this was taken when we had an unexpected return of the snow at the end of February.

Week 61a - Boltavit

Boltavit, originally uploaded by pho-Tony.

The inevitable has happened, I've started on a second camera in the same week.
This is the Boltavit that I blogged about a couple of weeks ago, it dates from 1936, and had a roll of film in it, which I shot and developed, but was not surprised to find totally black.
I've re-spooled the original backing paper with some unperforated 35mm black and white film. Last week and this week I took all 12 exposures, and developed the film yesterday. The images have an old fashioned look to them, and there is quite noticable vignetting, but I'm glad I've been able to get some pictures out of this camera.