"Where I Live" Classic Camera Contest

Gene M. started this.... "Where I Live" Classic Camera Contest. I

have posted the rules and how to enter along with a sample. <a

href="http://davidrichert.com/classic_camera_contest.htm">Classic

Camera Contest</a> Get out and get shooting... buy new film and keep

film alive.

sorry, what pixel dimensions and size for the submitted photos? 200mg doesn't make any sense.

I suspect he meant 200 kB -- which would be twice the guideline limit for posting here.

 

Hmmm... In a month, I should be able to take one each with my Spotmatic, my Reflex II -- and maybe this Shur-Shot Jr. that came in yesterday's mail...

Fair enough, I'd just suggest a pixel dimension limit as well. Many of us sharpen our images very carefully and resampling would hurt the presentation.

Is there a prize?!

You should make the time longer, it takes me over a month to get the film back from the developer. Ya, know?<p>Randy Jay

Randy, you might want to either shoot color prints for a change (which you can probably get done locally, pretty quickly, or within two weeks even if they have to send out your 120) or consider that you can get everything you need to start developing B&W and do enough rolls to get confident with film loading and your process in less than a month.

<i>Many of us sharpen our images very carefully and resampling would hurt the presentation.</i><p>

 

I wonder how accurate a representation of the capabilities of these old cameras comes from a very carefully sharpened scan, vs. the completely unmanipulated scans I habitually post?<p>

 

Yes, I do sharpen images on occasion -- but I don't post those here, and wouldn't think of putting them in this kind of contest.<div></div>

Of the cameras I use, only 2 qualify (I think). I have a Mamiya C33, which I don't know the date of manufacture at all ; and an M3, made in 1958, but only one lens for it made before 1970.

 

I would assume that that lens, the collapsible 50 f2, made in the 50s, would be the required lens to use.

 

I like this contest. It's simpler than the one running on the Leica Forum right now, which is scary.

<i>"...Yes, I do sharpen images on occasion -- but I don't post those here, and wouldn't think of putting them in this kind of contest."</i><br><br>I don't see it quite like that. Once you've scanned an image to create a digital copy, reduced it to a web-appropriate size, and compacted it as a jpg file, you have something pretty far removed from what a print would look like. I see some slight sharpening as a way to compensate for mangling the poor thing and getting it back a bit closer to its natural state.

Sorry Donald, I'm not a "manipulator" of my work. Unsharp mask is a way of life with digital scans, particularly if using a flatbed for scanning medium format. Its as much a part as crafting a fine art print using a digital workflow as dodging/burning a chemical print in the darkroom. In fact unsharp masking is an actual darkroom technique.

 

See'ya at the races ;)

Hmm...

 

Okay, Mike and Mike, I can see a small amount of sharpening after resizing (though in fact my experience has been that if the image is sharp in the original size, it stays sharp when I downsize it). And yes, I'm aware an unsharp mask is originally a darkroom technique -- but I don't have my darkroom operating yet; I load my film into daylight tanks in a changing bag, develop in the bathroom, and scan the negatives. I don't even dodge or burn, adjust curves, etc.; I guess that makes me an adherent of the "expose it right in the first place" school...

 

But yes, I'll see you all at the races.

 

Hmm... Now I'm wondering if I can get enough dust out of my Ideal to enter a 9x12 shot. Let's see your 1950s Leica compete with twelve times the negative area and a Tessar!

"I load my film into daylight tanks in a changing bag, develop in the bathroom, and scan the negatives. I don't even dodge or burn, adjust curves, etc.; I guess that makes me an adherent of the "expose it right in the first place" school..."

 

I think it means you have a much better scanner then most of us (or you know how to use it better). I rarely scan anything in and use an old flatbed. If I were to make a basic print in my darkroom (no dodging/burning and printed at grade 2) and then scanned the negative I'd have to do some photoshop work to get it to look like the traditional print.

 

As far as unsharp mask goes, I tried scanning in a couple 6X6 negs yesterday and no amount of unsharp mask would get them as sharp as a basic darkroom print. I say use it to your hearts conent.

 

It's a good thing this forum seems a little more "mature" then many others. We can all rise above and not let this turn into a knock down drag out that would ruin the fun of the contest.

 

Alan

Donald: a well-composed, exposed and focused image of evoking content will always stand on its own; photoshop, camera format, lenses and darkroom trickery aside. You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear. In the past year, I've allowed myself to drop a lot of my preconceived notions about photography and I've grown better by doing so.

 

I once saw a chronologic display of original Ansel Adams Moonrise over Hernandez prints as he interpreted the scene over nearly 40 years of his career. You wouldn't believe how many different ways he could print that one negative, depending on his mood. The exposure on the original negative was sub-optimal by the way, and extremely difficult to print.

 

The fact of the matter is, there are some excellent photographers here and were both going to get our Rolleiflex and 9x12 plate camera butts kicked by some $5 toy camera.

Thank you David, very generous of you to host such a colorful bunch of classy guys. And I like the idea of using new film, yes we need to keep them alive. until then,

happy shooting

Donald,

 

Get ye back to APUG where you belong. Digital manipulation of classic camera photos?

 

I don't think so. Kinda violates the whole concept especially with terms like 'digital work flow' being banded about. Somehow unsharpening anything from my 1926 Z-I Trona just ain't never gonna happen.

 

 

yer friend tim in san jose

Thanks David for hosting this and Gene M. for the original idea - it's great! I also intend to enter once I get myself organised with these new old cameras I have. :-)

 

I agree this is a lot simpler than the LF shootout which someone mentioned - I checked that out yesterday, and will be interested to see how it progresses.

 

I develop & print my own B&W in the darkroom, or get colour processing done locally, and scan the prints on a cheap flatbed. I routinely adjust levels and sharpen slightly after resizing the photos for the web, using an old version of Photoshop - but don't count this as 'digital manipulation', just as a way of overcoming the limitations of my scanner and presenting the print as well as possible on the web. However to each his own... I'm sure an interesting, well-composed but slightly soft image will have more appeal than a technically-perfect but boring shot. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's entries! :-)

P.S. I gather this is meant to be fun rather than highly competitive, so go out and have fun! And may the best photo win.

 

Happy shooting. :-)

Cool; can I enter too? I have a nice 'flex from the 1940's that i like to use out there...:)

Open to all.... But this is not just fun and games ... did you see the prize "WOW" a Camera and chocoholics dream. The more vintage/classic your camera the more interesting.... Bring out the lesser used often over looked camera in your collection

the prize:

YUP, that is a Spartus.

I have a Spartaflex very similar to that one.