The Travelling Superzoom - anyone up for it?

Messages
7,473
Name
Nige
Edit My Images
No
While I wasn't a meber of the forum when it took place, I've heard stories told of the "Travelling Lubitel" wherupon said camera was passed from member to member around the country to take a photo or two each before the whole pictoral adventure was revealed. I quite liked the sound of that.

Does anyone fancy a similar adventure? If so, I have an Olympus Superzoom 105G sat doing nothing that I'm willing to donate to the cause.

How it would work

1) We find out how many people want to take part. This will allow us to calculate how many shots each person can take.
2) I load the camera with film and take my allocated shots.
3) I post the camera to the next person on the list.
4) They take their allocated number of shots and pass it on to the next person.
5) Etc.
6) The last person posts the camera and film back to me and I get the images processed and scanned.
7) The whole roll of results is posted here.

In order to take part, each person would need to be willing to commit to the following:

1) Share their address with the previous person on the list.
2) Take their allocated shots within one week of receiving the camera.
3) Pay to post the camera to the next person on the list.
4) Be happy about having the resulting images posted on here (and on Flickr).

Anyone up for it?

***The list of current candidates***

FishyFish
sirch
RaglanSurf
Harlequin565
Simon Ess
Strappy
desf
medwaygreen
Mrs Snap
Asha
angelpaaul
StephenM

Substitute bench
===========
Carl Hall
 
Last edited:
Sounds like fun, the one week timescale might be a bit challenging, especially in winter but I'd be up for it. Would it be photos of anything or should the photos be travel themed since the camera is travelling around?
 
Sounds like fun, the one week timescale might be a bit challenging, especially in winter but I'd be up for it. Would it be photos of anything or should the photos be travel themed since the camera is travelling around?

The 1 week timescale is mainly to ensure that someone doesn't hang on to it for a month while waiting for the perfect opportunity or something. As long as people don't hold onto it for too long, I don't see why there shouldn't be an acceptable level of leeway.

As for the subject matter, whatever people want to shoot really, although I suppose it would be nice to have a series of shots showing where it's been.

I've not given too much thought to the "rules" and it's meant as a fun thing to do rather than being restrictive, so I'm happy to have it work in whatever the best way for the participants is.
 
I’d certainly be up for another travelling camera escapade.

I would suggest though that postage be recorded delivery, we have lost cameras in the past.
 
I'd be up for something like that.
 
I would suggest though that postage be recorded delivery
<RANT>
The thing with that, besides cost, is that if no one is in the flippin Royal Mail usually take "Signed for" items back to the sorting office which is 8 miles away , so it could be a week before I could even collect the camera...
</RANT>
 
Sounds OK to me. :)
 
<RANT>
The thing with that, besides cost, is that if no one is in the flippin Royal Mail usually take "Signed for" items back to the sorting office which is 8 miles away , so it could be a week before I could even collect the camera...
</RANT>
I get that but my experience of these things suggests that for the peace of mind of all involved that its the best way of making these things work. It's not just the loss of the camera, which would be bad enough, but the loss of the film and the amazing images that everyone involved would obviously take, a loss not just the the F&C but to the wider photography world. Its also £3 for 2nd class parcel post against £4 for signed for, I think bearing in mind this is someone else's property that paying an extra £1 isn't unreasonable.
 
Last edited:
For me, the loss of the images (and people’s time) would be the main issue. While I don’t want the camera to go missing, it only cost me £2 when I originally bought it, so I’m not going to be calling the insurance company. :)
It's obviously your call Nige, as I said it's not so much the camera that is the important thing but if it disappears with 33 shots taken I can imagine those that had taken part would feel a little disappointed and for the sake of an extra £1 you have at least a decent chance of tracking it down if it ends up as a doorstop in the Crewe sorting office.
 
It's obviously your call Nige, as I said it's not so much the camera that is the important thing but if it disappears with 33 shots taken I can imagine those that had taken part would feel a little disappointed and for the sake of an extra £1 you have at least a decent chance of tracking it down if it ends up as a doorstop in the Crewe sorting office.

Yeah, I think I agree. It'd be a shame for it to go missing partway through the endeavour, so having it signed for wouldn't hurt.
 
Last edited:
It's obviously your call Nige, as I said it's not so much the camera that is the important thing but if it disappears with 33 shots taken I can imagine those that had taken part would feel a little disappointed and for the sake of an extra £1 you have at least a decent chance of tracking it down if it ends up as a doorstop in the Crewe sorting office.

Now don't you go worrying yourself about that young Nick, I know the girls in the sorting office and they won't be using any parcel of mine as a doorstop....they just sell my parcels on eBay :eek::D
 
a loss not just the the F&C but to the wider photography world
o_O :D

For me it's more about the timing, if I have to get it from the sorting office in the next county, wait for a weekend to get some day light (assuming any time after September) and when it’s not p’ing down and find something vaguely interesting to point it at it's highly unlikely I could turn it round in a week. But assuming plenty of latitude on the one week deadline then that’s fine.
 
FWIW, the member whose post office apparently lost a couple of cameras after they were posted is no longer active on the forum so the post office in question will almost certainly not be used.
 
I'm up for it, so put me down for it as well. Isn't English funny?
 
Would anyone be willing to pay out a tad more in postage and have their time with the camera prior to me then send out to France?

If so, then I'm up for adding a handful of local provencal scenes on to the film ;)

Edit: P.S What film are you considering Nige @FishyFish ….B&W?
 
Last edited:
Where practical it would be nice to drive, meet up and pass on to the next "torch bearer".
A lot of us have already met each other but yes, I agree it would be a nice touch although I think for the most part it would be impractical.
That said, I'm sure Nick @RaglanSurf mentioned sometime ago about driving down here with a mini bus / VW campervan full of filmie togs so anything is possible!;)
 
I like the idea but I just wonder how long the camera will last being posted 50 odd times a year?
I won't join in, time is tight for me but I do have a lubitel knocking around somewhere if you want to add that somehow. (I cant see me every using it again with other 2/4 cameras gathering dust).
 
Right, so we now have 12 people required to kick things off.

@Asha has also expressed an interest (subject to international involvement) but was just pipped to the post by @StephenM. I've added Asha as a substitute in the event someone drops out. If anyone decides they don't want to take place from the off though, let me know ASAP and I'm happy to send it to Asha as first recipient so no-one else get stuck with the overseas postage cost.
 
Would anyone be willing to pay out a tad more in postage and have their time with the camera prior to me then send out to France?

If so, then I'm up for adding a handful of local provencal scenes on to the film ;)

Edit: P.S What film are you considering Nige @FishyFish ….B&W?

As per my previous post, if one of the other folks decides to drop out, then I'm happy for this to happen.

As for film, I'm not sure. I was just going to stick some ColorPlus in there (mainly because I have several rolls in the house). The other choice would be some expired (but cold-stored) Superia 100, or possibly some FP4+ or Fomapan if people would prefer B&W. The camera isn't awful, but it's probably not worth putting anything too fancy or expensive in there either.
 
Right, so we now have 12 people required to kick things off
Excuse my ignorance but is there some reason why there has to be 12 interested parties and not say 6 or 16?
 
Too little spare time and too much work for me to join in the fun this time. :(

I'd agree with RM being a pain in the neck if the undelivered parcel gets taken back to the local sorting office. You used to be able to collect after around 5.30pm the same day, now you have to wait until the following day before collecting. Apparently, this is due to the delivery staff getting back to the sorting office later than they used to. The post here doesn't usually arrive until gone 12 noon these days either. A far cry from the days when 'first delivery' used to arrive before most people went to work, and there would be a second delivery around 11am. Couple that reduction in service with the price they charge for postage these days and tell me progress is a good thing! :cautious:
 
Excuse my ignorance but is there some reason why there has to be 12 interested parties and not say 6 or 16?

Arithmetic. Ensuring that when you divide 36 exposures by the number of participants, you get a whole number and therefore avoid the necessity of collaborative efforts.
 
I know it's not possible/practical for everyone but I try to get my parcels sent to my work address as there is always someone there to sign for them in office hours. I'm also lucky enough to have the PO collection office within 10 minutes walking distance of home.
 
Substitute bench
===========
Asha

It's kinda lonely sat on this bench:(
Is there not another 5 candidates to bring the figure upto 18 ?? @Solo man @ChrisR @Peter B @gazmorton2000 @Ben johns @Carl Hall @dmb @FruitFlakes @Nod @john.margetts @niko @Tom Pinchenzo @PeterSpencer @mothdust @The Big Yin

I'm sure there are others that haven't come to mind that I've missed out on that list ( not on purpose!!) but there are still quite a few filmies out there who may ( or may not) fancy joining in.
 
I thought about it Asha, but I really have to be in the mood to take photos and it might arrive when I'm not. Shooting to a deadline tends to yield pretty poor results for me , so that's why I haven't joined in. Love the idea though. (y)
 
I decided against it, @Asha. I've participated in a couple of these things, which were fun, but the week window is an issue (that will probably fall by the wayside, but that's by the by). Anyway, 3 shots per participant is probably about right. Oh, remember post #8!
 
What a lovely idea. I haven't taken film shots in years so I won't take part, but would love to see the results - if I follow this thread, can you post in here when it's all done?
 
Back
Top