carbon_dragon

I notice B&H is no longer selling many Kodak chemicals. I was going to do a little bit of film photography and I have some chems in powder but was looking to buy a little more. I was trying to go for D76, Kodak Rapid Fix, Kodak stop bath, Hypo Clear, and Photo flo. I understand Kodak is not in the best of shape these days. I would be develop some Tri-X mostly (I still have some in the fridge). Any suggestions for where to get chemicals, OR what to substitute? Ilford maybe but where would I get the appropriate instructions for Tri-X? Thanks.

UPDATE: I did find some at B&H by going outside to google and searching there and linking back into B&H. Not sure why I couldn't search inside. Even so, maybe you can still help me by telling me what you might be processing Tri-X with these days if anyone is.

Leica M10, 7Artisans 50/1.1 @1.1, Atlanta Botanical Garden

 

Desperate to get out of the condo, I went to members day at the Atlanta Botanical Garden and took some pictures. This one was taken with my M10, Leica 90/2 APO.

 

We're not quite down to the old Leica CL (full frame, interchangeable, fits in a very small belt pouch or a big pocket) but we're close in this camera as well as others, all missing some feature (size or interchangeability or full frame). Seems like a good step for Sony though, especially in the next generation.

One of the ways Leica cameras typically excel (in my opinion) is that their menu system tends to be easy to understand and not too complex. That is typically true of all of them. On the other hand Sony is pretty much the opposite (gigantic multilayered menus that are a bit hard to follow, though you can do all kinds of things). I guess I'm saying most Leica made cameras would probably qualify (possibly excluding the LX100 derived DLuxes not sure).

Very nice, Leica owners really owe some thanks to a company that can do what Leica can't. Of course Leica could probably have contracted with the company to do this so that M9 owners weren't just out of luck. The fact that they didn't even try isn't encouraging. Glad there is a way to fix them (or turn them into monochroms). Thanks for the post. The description of the corrosion was helpful too.

If I'm not mistaken, were you to bring your camera close enough to the subject and focus only on an 18% grey card and then compare that to the incident reading (and the meters were both calibrated) I think you'd get close to the same reading. One thing you could do is to take a picture with both readings. Looking at the pictures (keep careful notes) you will see what is correctly exposed in the pictures and what each one misses.

 

An incident meter isn't "fooled" into giving you a bad reading on a bright white subject or a dark subject, but it assumes you want to expose as if the subject is 18% grey. So if the subject IS white, it will be white in the picture (ditto black) BUT that doesn't mean that the white won't be blown out or the black blocked up. It depends on the dynamic range of the scene. So using a reflective meter you can spot meter the shadows/blacks and the highlights/whites and determine if your film (or sensor) can handle it. If not, YOU can choose whether to preserve the highlights or preserve detail in the shadows.

 

Neither of them guarantee a good picture. Camera makers have been working on "matrix metering" and its descendants to analyze the scene (highlights and shadows) and "guess" what the best meter reading should be (rather than you doing it). Some of them are quite good, but actually using a normal meter (reflective, spot, or incident) requires you know what they measure and learn how to use them correctly.

I used a Canon 7 for a while. Good little camera but as good as it was (even had a light meter built in), I still preferred the M2.

Just remember that Contax RF lenses will mount to Nikon bodies but if what people have told me is true, the focusing system isn't the same so they might not focus correctly. If you try to use them anyway, I think wideangles are more likely to focus than telephotos. I have 2 Contax IIAs personally. But the Nikons are actually better, more durable cameras.

Hi all,

I did buy a Leica M2 a few months ago, because I did have a M6 but their prices are crazy

now so I seddled for a M2. I do like it but last week I bid on a Nikon SP with a black 50mm f1.4 lens,

when I received it I really like it the format of the controls and the 1:1 size viewfinder. I did have a S3

years ago but the rangefinder wasn't to good in it. So here I am with two rangefinder systems I thinking

of letting the Leica go (I only have a Voigtlander lens for it) should I I'm just loving the SP now and I

could get a 35mm f2.5 for heck of a lot less than a Leica lens, what do you Guys and Gals think?

 

After WWII when Leica's patents were invalidated, a lot of companies built copies including Nikon. I know it looks like a Contax rangefinders, but supposedly the internals were more like Leica. That said, the Nikon rangefinders kind of went away because the Leica Ms were just SO good. Given how many more lenses you can find to fit the M2 than the Nikon (which only kinda sorta takes contax RF lenses since the rangefinder focusing system was supposedly different), I'd go with the M2. That said, the Nikons are really nice looking and supposedly really well made. If you are happy with it and you can get enough lenses to satisfy you, go for it. Repairing it will probably be harder with the Nikon too but not as hard as it would with an ACTUAL contax rangefinder.

This one was pretty unimaginative -- I'm not sure it was even given a name at first. It's now known as the Konica 1 I think. Nice little cheap camera that sold in the Base Exchanges of Air Force Bases after WWII (that's where my Dad bought it). I used it for years and still have it. Fixed lens, but a good one.

 

Many Contax cameras (especially the SLRs) are basically unrepairable these days. It's going to be very hard to find anyone who has the parts. But good luck.

Leica M10, 90/2 APO.

 

I've always liked the R8 but I'm past the age where I could carry it and at the time I decided to try a camera like this, I selected the Contax RTS III. The lenses were way cheaper at the time! But I've always liked the way the R8 looked.

Historically Photoshop CS3 but lately, I've been trying to transition to Affinity Photo.

Leica M8, Russian Jupiter-8 lens.

 

I'm wondering if slide scanning technology is still being developed and fielded or if you can only do good scanning with OLD scanners like mine and the one you show at Goodwill.

It's quite an interesting age with 3d printing able to make this sort of thing. My watchmaker is making a removal tool for my watch.

What is a coke bottle lid? Not a bottle cap? Maybe this is something that didn't get made in the US?

I went out to my local State Park last Saturday. I go to this park (or did before the Pandemic) a fair bit because it's the closest park I have. I've NEVER seen it that crowded and almost no-one was wearing a mask. I just didn't feel comfortable. It was really really hard to stay away from people. I used my most comfortable mask (basically a sports mask) and even so I was nervous the whole time. There was never a time I felt I could remove the mask.

 

Anyone know how my ancient Nikon Coolscan V (still working, thanks Vuescan) compares to modern scanners (flatbed or otherwise)?

Leica M10,90/2 APO @f2

 

Here in the southern United States humidity is a fact of life during the summer. What I usually do if I want to use a camera that's been in the air-conditioned house is that I put the camera in a camera bag and place it in the trunk of the car for about 30 minutes. This lets the camera gradually warm up to outside temperature so usually I don't get condensation.

Well I live in Atlanta and have lived in Ft. Worth, New Orleans, Pascagoula, Orlando, and St. Pete. So I know what things are like in the American South. I'm just out of practice and it caught me by surprise because Atlanta is not usually New Orleans humid. It was yesterday though.

This is what I have used recently (mostly around the house). Today was SO humid after our rain over the last few days. Luckily we're a bit north of the twin hurricanes. Leica M10 with the 90/2 Summicron and the 7Artisans 50/1.1. Taken with my iPhone 6sPlus.

 

Admittedly, not a traditional landscape, but I'm kind of limited to my house. Leica M10, 90/2 Summicron.