michael_villarmia

This camera saw heavy use in my family in the 80's. The story is that

my grandfather's Japanese clients gave him this camera as a gift. My

grandfather then gave it to my mother, and then she gave it to me on

Sunday. I took it out yesterday and was very surprised with the results.

<p>

<img

src="http://hiddenonion.com/albums/album108/DS050315213027.jpg"><p><img

src="http://hiddenonion.com/albums/album108/DS050315213714.jpg"><p>

Does anyone have any info on this camera? I did a search but saw

nothing specific.<p>

<a

href="http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://homepage1.nifty.com/fukucame/hi_afd.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dminolta%2Bhi-matic%2Baf-d%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official">Minolta

Hi-Matic AF-D</a>

<a href="http://www.apug.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13516">SOURCE</a>

<p>

----------------------------------------------------------------------<br>

NEWS RELEASE<br>

Title: Ilford move secures black-and-white future<br>

Date: 9 March 2005<br>

----------------------------------------------------------------------<br>

It's good news at last for black-and-white photographers - following

last month's management buyout, Ilford Photo says that not only will

it continue its current range of monochrome products, it also plans to

reintroduce abandoned lines.<p>

According to managing director Phil Harris, the company will retain

all existing film lines except SFX200, as well as all existing papers

and liquid chemistry. Dry chemistry products, warmtone developers and

a number of abandoned papers will be reintroduced over the next few

months, and the company hopes to enter new markets such as glass plate

coating.<p>

Harris explained: 'The current item list was generated by the

receivers for maximum efficiency, so we will reintroduce old lists.

For example, we are the only company in the world that can coat glass

plates, so while it would not be a big part of our business, we want

to consider it. We are committed to black-and-white.'<p>

Ilford Photos was created last month after Ilford Imaging Group's UK

arm completed a management buy-out. The team acquired the

manufacturing and sales and distribution of the Mobberley plant and,

according to Harris, will retain the 380 staff now employed there.<p>

Ilford went into receivership in September 2004, at which point the

Mobberley workforce was slashed in half. Ilford Imaging Group's Swiss,

French, Australian and US businesses are all up for sale, while its

German and Italian arms have gone into receivership.<p>

The new company can only use the Ilford brand for its silver-based

black-and-white products, and is not allowed to compete with the Swiss

branch's inkjet business using the Ilford name. It is also contracted

to provide coating for the Swiss branch's inkjet business for the next

two years, unless this arm ceases to produce inkjets after it is sold.

However, Ilford Photos has established a secondary brand named after

the company's original founder - Harman Technology - to allow it to

expand into other areas.<p>

Harris explained: 'The core technology at Mobberley can coat very thin

high quality layers that has many non-imaging applications - for

example, medical uses. We anticipate that could become up to 20% of

our business, under the Harman brand.'<p>

Harris was optimistic about the future, despite Ilford's difficulties

over the past year. He said: 'Ilford Photo is profitable and solvent.<p>

The receiver had to decide whether to keep the company trading or not,

but we had such great support from our customers that the business

came back up off the floor. Black-and-white has been declining by 5-7%

per year, and last year it declined by 20-30%. I think next year it

will be the same, then the decline will flatten out as we reach the

core market of fine art, student and specialist black-and-white

photographers. We plan to be the last man standing in black-and-white

imaging.'<p>

Source: ? Incisive Media Investments Ltd 2004

Sent you an e-mail. Let me know if its still available.

Cheers,

Michael

Thanks for the tip, Anthony. I'll plan on going now.

As for Photo LA, I was planning to attend on the 27th, but maybe I'll go this weekend, too.

>>Are they dark because the anti-halation layer has not been removed re-fix, use hypo clearing agent and modify agitation technique)?

I think this may be the culprit. The entire negative is dense while the bottom roll is thinner. I hope that refix will solve my problem. I'll try again later tonight. Thanks to everyone.

If that were the case, wouldn't I be experiencing 1/2 the roll dark and the other properly developed?

>> The first half of the roll is worse than the 2nd half. Any idea what happened here?

What I meant here is that the first 12 or so exposures are dark, the rest are properly developed. Some frames are properly developed while others are not.

Its not a light leak in the camera because I've taken and developed rolls after this one was shot.

The top roll processed in a two roll tank didn't develop fully. You

can tell that there are exposures there, but mainly the negatives are

dark. There is a dark line going down the middle and some exposures

are developed more than others. The first half of the roll is worse

than the 2nd half. Any idea what happened here?

Film is bulk loaded Tri-X 400 developed in HC-110, fixed in Kodak

powder (last of batch). The bottom roll is developed perfectly.

Just make sure your camera doesn't end up in one.

And good look in the casinos when you're not shooting.

<center><img

src="http://hiddenonion.com/albums/album65/DS050105192210.jpg"></center>

>> Is it easy to develop just to the neg stage of the film developing process

Yes.

>> and then scan the negs without having a dedicated darkroom and lots of gubbins clogging up the place?

Yes.

>> Is there like a portable set up for this job?

Yes.

>> Is it less complicated to do B&W than colour?

Yes.

>> Is it worth me persuing this or is my flat going to look and smell like a photo lab?

Yes and Yes.

>> What equipment will I need and how much space will it take up?

I use a plastic Jobo film processing tank that takes 2 35mm rolls at a time. To load the film in the processing spools, I use a changing bag. You will need some containers for the developer, stop bath and fixer, some graduated cylinders, and some way to hang the negatives (clothesline and pins work). This is all quite portable. I store all of this stuff in a box that goes underneath the bathroom sink.

Do a search for beginner's darkroom work with black and white.