A new life for old cameras.

Cluster

Cluster

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Name
Dave
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Lockdown has given me time to dig out my vintage cameras and photograph them for sale.
Playing with them is hazardous as the need to try them again (or even buy the odd one or two that I used to hanker after) overcomes me. This time, several of my favourites sold, leaving just a couple. I had no intent to try film again, after all, I'm just regaining some of my mojo for digital photography.
Eventually, it bit me. The 50s and 60s rangefinders look so stylish! The Vito CLR and the Baldina didn't sell quickly, so in order to avoid buying one to suit me, I plan to run film in them. In the past it was more of a continual round of tests. Cameras, film, developer etc... even the process of wet printing images (although that was pretty well only medium format).
This time, with film and some chemicals are on their way to me, I hope to actually get some atmospheric images made.

It was all made worse when I found scans of some images that (I think) have the "look" that I want to get.

Vito CLR FP4 XTOL
img087.jpg
 
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Please carry on using REAL FILLUM !! I also have a Voigtlander VITO CLR donated with a load of other gear by a Widow of a deceased member of Brentwood & District Photographic Club -- I have used it with outdated Colour film and it gives very good results. A VITO 'B' given to me by a Camera Club member has a shutter problem though -- as I wind on the shutter fires before I get a chance to use the actual shutter release !
RFF 01.jpgRFF 02.jpgRFF 03.jpgRFF 04.jpgSunny16 Film Test 03.jpgSunny16 Film Test 04.jpgVITO CLR Test 02.jpg
 
Following my first test film, I have adjusted my metering to account for slow shutter speeds (but consistent). Both my Baldina and voigtlander CLR have similar shutter speeds that give roughly +1 stop.
Using my new process, I shot a Kentmere Pan100 film in my Baldina. I am very pleased with the results, all gave good exposures.
The Baldina has a "Baldanar" three element lens which is not as poor as I might have expected. Opened up a little, it will go soft..... just the sort of thing that I want to explore.
Here's a few from the first roll/first outing during a couple of regular walks from home ..

BridgeMay1.jpg
 
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That's a lovely image Dave. The tones in it are gorgeous. Lovely and sharp where it needs to be.
 
A scene that I visited with my Digi IR camera (posted somewhere else on the forum). I tried it with my Baldina/K100 and a red filter.
The camera seems to work well and is fun to use.
Baldina tree.jpg
 
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I'm quite surprised at how detailed some of these photos from the 3 element lens can be.
(This could be f8 or so, in the bright light, I didn't make note of it).
graffiti.jpg
 
Yo ! Really sharp that 3 element lens -- well done !
 
A Baldamatic 1 camera with nice lens that I have is in great cosmetic condition, but with a laggy, intermittent shutter.
I decided to "fix" it. A part strip down to where the shutter mechanics are on show, then several flushes with various cleaners.
Whilst the the shutter/blades were wet, it worked perfectly but as it dried the shutter became stuck. I tried several cleaning fluids, from a fast electrical contact cleaner, white spirit and alcohol. All did the same. I figured that whatever contaminant in there, would have to be cleaned off the hard way.

I watched a video that serviced the Synchro Compur shutter and although it was a different type (Kodak Retina), I thought that maybe they were similar enough to be useful.
After a few big parts were removed, one part moved but would not come out and would not go back into position...... Success... well "fixed" and now not a worry.
Looking at the complexity of the innards, it was inevitable that this would happen. At least i only spent 30mins to get to this stage.

stuck.jpg
 
My re-adventure into film cameras goes a little slowly, if only for the lack of suitable places to make "film" images. The cameras generally just get to the same place for our short walks near home. That's good enough to test. My vintage consumer level rangefinders haven't been out for a while but I was tempted into buying a nice cloth shuttered Cosina SLR for M42 lenses (super cheap). I fitted my remaining M42 lens, a Chinon 55mm f1.7. So begins the lengthy testing process.. The first few frames indicated that there were no light leaks in the body and a full roll showed that the metering works well enough.
The lens is a difficult thing to work out if gives the kind look that I want. At around f8, it all looks good, but as the aperture is opened, things become different. I guess that more shooting is needed, even more so as I bought a 50mm f2.8 Tessar to play with.

A couple from the last roll of Kentmere Pan100.

Cos_55_frame24.jpg
Nice detail at f8-5.6 ish.

Cos_55_frame14.jpg
f2-1.7 is maybe too much, pretty soft all over. Might work for some images.
 
Film can be quite addictive ,as I was using and developing film long before Digital came along, and although I have a nice little Micro four thirds Digital camera and a phone that takes cracking images, I still thoroughly enjoy using a roll of film every now and again , it slows me down and gets me focused, I've tried selling a few of my 35mm cameras to streamline the collection a bit, but end up buying another one on Ebay a few weeks later , just love em :giggle:
 
Following a few more outings with a film camera, I've come to realise that my rangefinders (Baldina & Vito CLR) are too limited in their range of shutter speeds (but still fun to use).
An image i wanted to try with them at f2.8 wasn't possible due to the max shutter speed being somewhere around 1/350 (marked 1/500, but sadly not accurate).
I wanted to use my Nikon F70, but would have to buy a nice lens for it.... a 50mm prime is a little more than I wanted to pay, so I bought an M42 50mm Tessar for my Cosina SLR, hoping that it will perform like the 50mm Tessar in the Vito CLR.
Whilst i was searching for a nice M42 lens, I became interested in a good looking ~Pentax P30 with 50mm lens.... I couldn't resist and bid for it... and won.
Seems my film camera collection is in growing mode again. More testing to come.
 
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