Results from the Soviet Camera Meeting

<p>So, last month a couple of fellow Dutch 'classic manual camera' folks and I got together at Liberty Park war museum in Overloon. The only rule of the meeting had been that we'd bring cameras manufactured in the former Soviet Union (or Eastern Germany).<br>

<br />Mine was the oldest participating camera: a FED-1d NKVD from 1939 (just short of the 100xxx serial number). The others had brought a Praktica, a Zenith, a Zorki-4K and a Kiev-88.<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/FED1d01.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="446" /></p>

<p><br />Robert who had planned the meeting supplied us all with a free roll of film from his camera store. I picked a roll of Fomapan 400 and was told it would be best exposed at 320-ish ISO. So I set the VC II meter between 200 and 400 and filled up the roll as we walked between the displays and vehicles from the George C Marshall Museum collection that is now part of Liberty Park.<br>

I shot most of the images at f/3.5 to f/4.5 because of the low light in the exposition halls.<br>

I scanned the negatives at 2400dpi as B/W negatives with the Tmax 400 presets in Vuescan. Images were resized, sharpened and I adjusted the contrast in Photoshop CS2.</p>

<p>1. Commandeered bicycles on an Opel Blitz<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon02.jpg" alt="" width="446" height="660" /><br>

The retreating German Army commandeered a lot of bicycles towards the end of the war. The joke is to ask the German tourists if they would be so kind to return our Grandfather's bicycle after 70 years.</p>

<p>2. Details of a Sherman "Crab" flail tank.<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon03.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="660" /><br>

The British army modified a lot of Shermans thanks for special tasks, in this case mine-sweeping.</p>

<p>3. DUKW with 105mm Howitser<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon07.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="420" /></p>

<p>4. BESA machine gun<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon08.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="446" /></p>

<p>5. Howitser rifling<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon09.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="420" /></p>

<p>6. Inside the M3A1 White Scout car<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon11.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="420" /></p>

<p>7. Soviet T34 Tank<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon12.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="420" /><br>

The Panther tank beside it was recovered in the area after the battle of Overloon in October 1944. It was restored a few years ago, but then they sold the engine....d'oh!</p>

<p>8. It's Tiring work<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon13.jpg" alt="" width="420" height="660" /><br>

There are some very large logistical and engineer vehicles in the G.C. Marshall Museum collection. Including a Bark</p>

<p>9 Soviet T55 and Mig-21, in poor light<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon15.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="420" /></p>

<p>10. Details of a Soviet T34/85 Turret<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon19.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="420" /></p>

<p>11. Signs<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Overloon23.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="420" /></p>

<p>The old FED behaved pretty well, upto the 25th frame when the advance tore through some sprocket holes. I assume something got stuck because of the difference in height between film cassettes of the different era's. It gave me the opportunity to open up the camera again and give it all a good clean. <br />I was, however, very pleasantly surprised that the FED's 50mm f/3.5 performed so well. My previous attempts with this lens hadn't been particularly interesting (as seen in one of my older topics here at PN). <br />I mean, I know I shouldn't be surprised at the quality of these time-tested tessar designs. But just this particular specimen I picked up in 2011 when it was still full of condensation from the morning rainstorm, proves those guys knew what they were doing back in the 1930s. <br /><br /><br />Right. It's about 11pm here. Time to turn off the PC. Picking up the results of 2 rolls of Ektar 100 I shot with my Kodak Medalist tomorrow. Should be fun! <br /><br /><br /></p>

<p>Nice. Wish I could have been there. ;)<br>

Looking forward to seeing the Medalist results.</p>

<p>The old Fed did well, <strong>Rick</strong>, obviously in capable hands; available-light interiors such as those are often tricky, and you've captured a wealth of detail. I've used the slower Fomapan 100 and was rather unimpressed by the flaws apparent in the emulsion, but your Fomapan 400 looks clean, with good tonal range. The museum looks fascinating.</p>

<p>Rick--outstanding! I love the pix!<br>

I recently had a chance to tour the WWII museum in New Orleans, LA--a real eye-opener.<br>

Home of the Higgins landing craft.<br>

Thanks again!<br>

Paul</p>

<p>I've been using my Zenit EM and 12XP recently. Love the clunk as you press the shutter.</p>

<p>The Feds and Industars are as good as any. Very nice pictures with a period effect. Thanks, sp.</p>

<p>Wonderful shots in that museum, low light obviously suits the old Russians!</p>

<p><strong>Mike</strong>, you're a rare specimen; I'm also fond of the "clunk" from Zenits and Prakticas, but there aren't many of us around! As most of the clunk is the mirror returning to the viewing position after the exposure, it really isn't an indication of tremendous, image-destroying vibration. Well, not that I've noticed, anyway...</p>

<p>Thanks for your reactions all,<br>

Rick, I was shooting at 1/30th of a second most of the time. I think half the stop overexposure burnt out the high lights in some of the other images from the roll. <br /><br />I haven't used my Praktica MTL-50 in a while. I'm getting a craving for some B/W film and Industar-61 Action. It's a fine camera, if somewhat loud. <br>

<br />Liberty Park is a great place to visit. I'm go there 2 or 3 times a year, sometimes as a visitor, sometimes as an exhibit....Hmmm...I see I've never posted my Anniversary Speed Graphic photos from the 'Santa Fe' event at the Museum last year. Something I'll be correcting in the next couple of days ;)</p>

<p>Very nice images Rick. Looks like the outing provided you with good photo opportunities. Your old Russian performed well. Glad to hear the sprocket issue was easily resolved.</p>

<p>Hi Rick, yeah the clunk is very satisfying. I've attached a photo I took with the Zenith EM, which I've owned since new when I got it for christmas in 1982 and using it here with a the Arsat 80-200 russian made zoom lens. Film here was XP-2 and the photo was taken in 2003.<br /> <img src="http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u667/Pallas2020/Street%20Photography/YoureNicked_zps02d8bdcf.jpg" alt="" width="671" height="1000" /></p>

<p>I looked out some more old negs and slides and scanned a couple. Both taken with the Zenith EM. The shot of the dinner service in a Paris shop window was with the 58mm Helios standard lens. The shot of the belltower was with the Ukranian Arsat 80-200 zoom lens.<br /> <br /> <img src="http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz94/Moroder2000/Arsat/054_zps2b182651.jpg" alt="" /><br /> <br /> <img src="http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz94/Moroder2000/Arsat/15_zpsb6b59c3e.jpg" alt="" /></p>

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