Duality of Nature Versus Machine with the Pentax SF1

<p>How's that for a pretentious, artsy title? What this really is is a test roll with my recently acquired Pentax SF1. On the first part of the roll was a walk in a nearby park while a storm front came in. The second part was the result of stumbling on to a display of one of Jeff Gordon's Nascar rides. First the camera porn, the SF1 came from KEH as a $19 BGN grade camera with a loose rubber grip. After failing to glue the silicone rubber grip with garden variety contact cement, I tried CA glue - that did the trick. Otherwise the camera was in very good condition. The SF1 was in the first series of Pentax autofocus cameras with a single autofocus point. The camera has focus confirmation for manual lenses as well. The viewfinder is large and bright with a matte screen that works surprisingly well for manual focusing. The lens is the excellent Pentax FA 28-105mm f3.2-4.5.</p>

<p><a title="IMGP3595 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5159/5903851540_e6fbda48cb_b.jpg" alt="IMGP3595" width="720" height="482" /></a></p>

<p><a title="IMGP3598 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6013/5903851622_57b1b95623_b.jpg" alt="IMGP3598" width="720" height="482" /></a></p>

<p>Photographs from the walk, I nervously watched for falling rain bands, but aside from a few drops we got off scot free. Film is Kodak Gold 200, dated late 2009.<br>

A hole in the clouds:<br>

<a title="24130017 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5277/5903129291_2da257b4df_z.jpg" alt="24130017" width="424" height="640" /></a><br>

Gust front:<br>

<a title="24130021 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6041/5903687478_bab0a55445_z.jpg" alt="24130021" width="424" height="640" /></a></p>

<p>More from the walk, we saw the slanting sun through the cloud deck:</p>

<p><a title="24130016 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5155/5903687338_b37003d0e9_o.jpg" alt="24130016" width="720" height="477" /></a></p>

<p>The clouds cleared over the hour and a half that we walked around the perimeter of the park. This is a shot directly into the sun, showing the relative resistance to flare of the 'Ghostless' coatings on this lens:</p>

<p><a title="24130024 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5240/5903129425_827d32fcda_o.jpg" alt="24130024" width="720" height="477" /></a></p>

<p>A few weeks later, I was tipped by a friend to a display of one of Jeff Gordon's Nascar race cars.</p>

<p><a title="24130001 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5240/5903687038_839eb717f1_o.jpg" alt="24130001" width="720" height="477" /></a></p>

<p>Detail of the interior:</p>

<p><a title="24130010 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6017/5903129015_f99a846b17_o.jpg" alt="24130010" width="720" height="477" /></a></p>

<p>These cars bear absolutely no resemblance to an actual stock car. Driver's controls:</p>

<p><a title="24130012 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5239/5903687180_d3160150c2_o.jpg" alt="24130012" width="720" height="477" /></a></p>

<p>Vented louvers on the rear quarter window:</p>

<p><a title="24130013 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6060/5903687244_3f21a1dff9_o.jpg" alt="24130013" width="720" height="477" /></a></p>

<p>This car runs on American ethanol, yessir:</p>

<p><a title="24130014 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5036/5903129183_3c687ed8a9_z.jpg" alt="24130014" width="424" height="640" /></a></p>

<p>Lastly a head on shot, as always I apologize for the utterly banal nature of these photographs:</p>

<p><a title="24130002 by galoot_loves_tools, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5034/5903128963_eb3bd3b82f_z.jpg" alt="24130002" width="424" height="640" /></a></p>

<p>I appreciate your efforts, Tom. In my experience, a bargain at KEH is always a <em>bargain</em> deal. I like the way Kodak Gold looks, I might give it a try.</p>

<p>While I was using my bargain SF1 to photograph Jeff Gordon's vehicle, a woman standing next to me was admiring my camera (she had a cameraphone) and I mentioned that it was a film camera from the 80's. She looked at it and asked me how I had converted it to digital...</p>

<p>Very nice Tom, thanks for posting.</p>

<p>Can someone explain to me why Nascars have inset tires like that? Wouldn't wider tires provide more grip?</p>

<p>Great post and a fine addition to the Modern Film Cameras. The level of partication here isn't as great as it is in the CMC forum yet, but I think as more people post here we will see an increase in activity.<br>

The Pentax 28-105 you have here is a great find. The later version, which went to f5.6 max at the long end was more common. Your version has a reputation for being a good performer as your results confirm.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Wouldn't wider tires provide more grip?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The wider the tyre, the more area the weight of the car is spread over so the weight per square inch of tyre in contact with the road reduces. Wider tyres are more likely to reduce grip rather than increase it.</p>

The formula for friction is force X coefficient of frection. area of contact does not enter into the equation. But in the real world surface may have variations like loose sand or an oil drop and narrower tire may miss these hazards or be more adversely affected if they happen to pass over them.

<p>That title should be on the "Philosophy of Photography*" forum, but the shots belong here. Really nice work.</p>

<p>________<br>

*I mistyped "Philosophy of Photograppy" the first time-- should I have left it?</p>