camera for a stroll through the park

[summitar]

Imagine you are going for a stroll through the park, which contains

ponds and creeks, and the vegetation that goes with it, and

photography is not your primary object, but you want to be prepared

for anything scenic. You are wearing a vest or light jacket with a

secure pocket that can take the size, weight, and sharp corners of a

typical 35 mm classic of the 40s - early 70s. Which of your classic

cameras would yu stick in your pocket and what film? To get things

rolling, I would select a folding Zeiss Ikon Contessa 35 loaded with

Kodak Portra UC ISO 400. I would carry a slip on lens hood, and rely

on the selenium light meter on the camera. The Contessa has a 45 mm

fixed f2.8 Tessar lens that is quite sharp and contrasty. That's what

I would do today. How about you?

[david_blackett]

Well, I shoot 120, not 35mm, but I would go along with the folder camera. I recently went into NYC with the family on a sunday. one of our destinations was to take a nice stroll in Central Park. I had 2 agfa 6x6 folders and 2 Franka 6x9 folders. The 2 big folders fit nicely in my vest pockets while the 6x6's fit in the hip pockets of my jeans. It was a sunny day so I all were loaded with fp4+. If it were overcast I would use hp5+. Exposures were done by guesstimate. I like the folders for the this type of situation because they are light and become so compact when closed up.

 

David

[david_goldfarb]

I've taken all kinds of cameras on a strolls through Central Park from 35mm to 8x10". If it's going to be a pocket camera, it's usually the Voigtlander Perkeo II or Bessa II.<div></div>

[gib]

Zeiss Ikon Contina II with 45mm f3.5 Novar lens which is a viewfinder camera without rangefinder.....I have an aux. rangefinder but in walk in the park I would likely shoot 200 ASA Superia and do without the aux.<div></div>

[back_alley_.]

my oly 35 rc with some nice black & white film.

 

 

joe

[mike_elek]

I go through phases. A year ago, a Contax IIa. Earlier this year, maybe a Contessa S 310 or a Zeiss-Ikon Kolibri. A decade ago, probably a Rollei 35S. Today, I'd probably return to the Rollei 35 or maybe my latest infatuation -- the Zeiss-Ikon Tenax II.

 

I'd often be using Agfapan APX 100, Ektachrome 200 or possibly Kodak Technical Pan. Now, if this were the late 1970s, it probably would be Agfachrome 64 or Kodachrome 25/64.

[ole_tjugen]

I would have a Perkeo in my pocket and a Bergheil in its bag, both with APX 100 - at least as long as I still have some 9x12cm sheets left. The Heliar lens on my Bergheil is too good to leave at home :)

[jorn ake]

Rollei 35, TriX and an extra thumb.

 

David Goldfarb - for that swan pic, did your camera have a focal plane shutter or just at the lens? What year on the camera? And did you focus with rangefinder and if so, how did you calibrate that sucker? I have one (a pre-anniv. Speed) but no matter what I do, the calibration always sits the prime focus spot about three feet closer to the camera than it should be. Means I get a lot of knees on seated people in focus, but not their eyes - unless of course I use the ground glass. Grrr.

[david_goldfarb]

Jorn--It's a true GraFLEX and not a GraphIC--a 5x7" SLR made around 1926 with a focal plane shutter and a big mirror, and not a rangefinder press camera like the Speed Graphic.

 

For info on calibrating the rangefinder on a Graphic, hunt around on graflex.org and check through the help forum there.

[david_goldfarb]

Not a pocket camera!<div></div>

[j._bradley_deal]

I take along and AGFA Solinete II. Folded it will fit in the palm of your hand. XP-2 Super 400 is a very forgiving film. C-41 process and it prints nicely for 8x10 at home. The Apotar lens f8 to f16 gives excellent results.

[gene m]

I'd take Diana.

[John Smullen]

Kodak Retina IIa or Agfa Super Silette

[Brian]

To be honest, if photography was not to be my primary object, I'd take my fully auto Konica point & shoot. There is a place for this new fangled automation stuff. However, if I wanted to play with a quirky camera I might take my Rollei B35 with any old ISO100 color print film. If I wanted to make more of a statement I might take my Ikonta, an ISO200 color print film and Rick Oleson's pocket exposure calculator.

[franka t.l.]

I would probably be staying with either any of the quality folder 645 or my trusty Olympus Pen-FT with a roll of Astia 100F

 

But for the fact, I do stroll parks a lot and my usual camera is my Contax Aria + 45/2.8 Tessar, not classic, not even old, but its close in usability.

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

Contaflex Super B with the 35mm lense. Sharp and contraty lense, and a fun, easy camera to use and hold.

[jonathan_stark]

Retina IIa, VC meter in the shoe, loaded with Kodachrome 200.

[bennybee]

35mm in my pocket : Retina IIc with Heligon lens. Or Isolette III : 'medium format in my pocket' (as they say on the website with that same name).

[george_shihanian]

"Which of your classic cameras would yu stick in your pocket and what film?"

 

I'd grab a Yashica Electro 35CC or a Minolta HiMatic 7S II, or a Canon Demi 1/2 frame. All are easy to stash in the pocket, and easy to grab and use, and won't intimidate anyone. I'd shoot a 100 or 200 speed print film.

[charles_stobbs3]

Ansco Regent and Elitechrome 100.

[tim obrien]

Ah David,

 

You nailed it. Quite nice use of DOF (or lack of). I wish my images came out of my 3x4 RB with that quality.

 

Practice, practice, practice.

 

 

tim in san jose

[steve_brantley2]

Kiev-4M with Fuji 400 ASA color print film.

[MTC Photography]

Leica IIIc with Summitar 50/2<P>

Minox C

[jerevan]

Retina 117, with yellow filter and Tri-X souped in Rodinal. :)