Paul Lewis1664881697

I need to create some Kodalith-like 35mm negatives for a project that I'm working on. I am shooting black and white printed material and have used Rollei Ortho 25 previously. While the contrast is very good, the white areas are not clear. I'd like to get the look of Kodalith, where black is black and white is clear. Can Rollei Ortho 25 be processed in a way to mimic Kodalith? I know that I can get some really old Kodalith spooled into 35mm canisters. I'm not as concerned about the age of the film as I am finding a place to process the film using the kodalith developer. I don't process my own film... I'd rather pay to have it done. Any suggestions?

Thanks, Gerry. An electronics expert or someone that has done work with Pocketwizards, or something similar, for remote control purposes would be helpful, and I'll go that route. I mention "crash camera", because this camera may not survive due to rough handling. Hence, a $40-60 compact film camera is a good option (along with the fact that I would like to keep the look consistent with my other images).

Some additional thoughts: If the camera is to be triggered remotely, how do I deal with the "half-press" shutter release that most compact cameras have? I won't need to use "half-press", but how do I overcome it? Can I use a radio trigger in conjunction with a relay to trigger the shutter release? I'm not an electronics expert, as you probably already guessed.

Hello all, I have a project for which I have need of a radio-triggered "crash camera". As you read, it may seem like a digital camera is the answer for this situation, but the other photos in this project are film-based, and I have no desire to use digital. The camera will be mounted on a moving vehicle and need to be triggered remotely. Since people here often use radio triggers, I thought this would be the best forum in which to ask. Infrared isn't an option for the trigger since I won't be facing the camera. Camera specs: Camera needs to be inexpensive Camera lens needs to be around f2.8 Camera needs to be automatic wind and autofocus Camera must be reasonably small. An SLR is not an option here. Camera needs to be triggered remotely from a distance of about 150 ft. I'm willing to open camera and re-wire shutter release switch. Camera doesn't need to survive this project. Radio specs: Two PocketWizard Plus II radio transmitters I'm willing to buy new radio triggers The type of camera that I'm thinking would be good for this project is a Canon AF35M. Good lens, automatic wind, autofocus, reasonably small. I could really use some advice about triggering a compact camera such as the AF35M (am open to other possibilities!). Any assistance would be appreciated! Thanks, Paul

Do you shoot E6 regularly? A good meter is crucial. I tend to avoid high contrast scenes with bright skies. If the sky is bright, I try to make sure that my foreground objects are brightly lit also.

Trust me, I'm a Gitzo fan, and have used this tripod exclusively for over ten years, paired with a fantastic Markins ball head. It's sturdy, reliable, strong, and extremely well-built. It's Italian... the Ferrari of tripods. It's not going anywhere, and will continue to be used for most purposes, but traveling by plane and on-foot is no picnic. With the head attached, it's 29" long. The only way for me to travel with it is to fit it in my suitcase diagonally with the head off. I'd prefer to have a tripod that I can fit into a shoulder bag. After giving it some more thought, I'm considering a Gitzo Traveller paired with a smaller Markins head. Pricey stuff, so I have to decide how much use I can get out of it. A tripod that size and weight would enable me to carry it anywhere I go without debating at the hotel or car whether I really feel like carrying it around. Regarding a camera.... the F4S is the ideal SLR for me. The F100 is not an option due to the lack of dust seals on the film back and the fact that it's menu driven. I do a lot of low light and nighttime photography, and the physical knobs of the F4 are a big plus. I'm getting myself a small rangefinder and will get a smaller Nikon body. I think it's going to be an F4 without the battery pack. Love the F3, but it lacks AF and Matrix Metering (I shoot chromes). Nikon FA lacks AF (which I use occasionally).

I own a Gitzo carbon fiber (Mountaineer?) that I love, but I need something very small for travelling. My regular camera is quite heavy (Nikon F4S), but for travelling, I plan on using either a Nikon F4 with a smaller lens (and without the extra battery pack and L bracket) and a compact point and shoot or rangefinder. I'm considering a Mefoto aluminum tripod. Size and weight are fine for me (I'd probably go with the Backpack version). How is the reliability and stability? They have a new, smaller line called the Air which has legs without individual locks. The whole leg twists and locks in place. Here's the page: MeFOTO Air Any experience with the classic Mefoto tripods or the new Air?

Thanks for the suggestion. The Pentax MX certainly does look like a small SLR, however there are no problems acquiring working SLRs these days. There is a profound lack of quality compact cameras with a fixed lens. The prices for unreliable, used ones has gone through the roof. Want a Contax T3 that can't be repaired? $1000 - $1500 !

Right, no exposure lock. Even though I don't shoot much negative film, I suspect a half-stop wouldn't bother anyone shooting those films. Especially if it's a half-stop overexposure.

Good point. The cell is on the front of the lens. I don't think I can expect this to be as accurate as a spot, center-weight or matrix meter inside an SLR prism or off the shutter. I searched for everything I could find about user feedback regarding the meter in the Contax T and only found positive comments. Of course, one's mileage may vary. These users' experience may not necessarily apply to use with chromes or difficult lighting situations.

The sun was behind me, illuminating the skyline. The blue sky is mostly washed out. I'm going to test the camera again in flat, diffused light, as you suggested, with five different ISOs and see if it's at least consistent.

After giving this some more thought, I think a valid next test of this camera (besides shooting the same scene with a different camera) is to shoot the same photo with different manual ISO settings, for instance 100 speed film at ISO 64, 80, 100, 125 and 160 and determine which ISO provides the best exposure. And do this test at F2.8, F8 and F16 to see if it's linear. Not a fan of this type of compensation long-term.

Hello all, I have a well-maintained Contax T rangefinder with the drawbridge lens (NOT a T2/T3/etc.) that I purchased recently. All functions appear normal. I shot a roll of Provia 100F on near sunset with a cloudless sky and had it processed by a reputable processor. I took about 6 different test shots with each at every F stop from F2.8 to F16. I have a lot of experience shooting chromes, and to my eyes, these slides appear to be about 1/2 to 1 stop overexposed. I'm using two SR44 (1.55v) batteries as specified in the manual. Batteries are new in package, produced by Exell. No filter on lens. Fresh film. Questions: 1. Am I spoiled by using a Nikon F4 with a matrix meter for so many years that I am expecting too much from the Contax T with its spot metering? The F4 is a metering genius. Even my Lomo LC-A does a nice job with chromes. Perhaps I can use two cameras and compare results. 2. Are the SR44 batteries the way to go? The manual states that SR44 (1.55v) or LR44 (1.5v) are OK. 3. Is this the norm for a Contax T since results could be satisfactory with negative film? 4. Where is the meter located in the viewfinder? I practiced aiming at a lightbulb and it seems like the spot meter area is slightly below the rangefinder patch. I'm tempted to buy another Contax T in order to compare to this one. I really like the camera's manual functions and portability. Anyone have experience shooting chromes regularly with a Contax T?

I shoot E6 90% of the time, and almost exclusively Provia 100F and 400X (what I have left in the freezer). I have everything processed by Dwayne's in Kansas and get excellent results with their processing and service. Metering is key with E6. As is trying to avoid high contrast scenes in daylight, but I would try to avoid that in most cases anyway. Most of my use of E6 is with low sun, overcast skies, low light and long exposure. All E6 isn't the same, just as Portra and Superia different looks. If you don't prefer the ultra color of Velvia, give Provia a try. The joy of looking at a well-composed and well-exposed slide is unmatched. It makes me wish that I shot medium format so I can see them even larger!

I strongly disagree with the inclusion of DX functionality and have always loathed that function in any camera. It complicates the design of the camera since not only DX reading is necessary, but also requires an override, as you mentioned. I think manual ISO with a wide range of settings is preferable. I agree that full manual control (of aperture and shutter speed) is desirable. Meter display via LCD is sufficient. I think center-weight metering (80/20 for instance) is preferable to center spot metering. I think we should keep in mind that the cameras that are highly sought after today are the ones with a Zeiss lens. Those cameras (Contax T2 and T3 for example) routinely sell for $500-1000 on the used market, so I don't think there is resistance. To answer your question, if an Olympus XA (first model) camera were available today, I expect that it would sell for $400+. For guidance, a much simpler camera, Lomo LC-A, sells for $229 retail. The Lomo does not have a metal body, has plastic knobs, no auto focus, zone-focusing, a cheap lens and questionable reliability. A Nikon FM10 (without a lens) retails for $500. Do you expect that this hypothetical camera, with a high quality lens could or should retail for less than that?

That boom period had vastly larger film and film camera sales, but there were also a huge amount of manufacturers vying for that a slice of the camera revenue pie. The market is much smaller now, but if a manufacturer now produced a reliable, high-quality camera, that manufacturer would own that market, unlike a small slice of a bigger pie in the 90s.

Yes, wishful thinking. I don't think it's going to happen, even though I think there is a market here. I purchased a Contax T (rangefinder, aperture priority, manual ISO, manual focus) late last year and am looking forward to using it this year. I would like an auto focus compact with a Zeiss lens with manual ISO, but I'm not sure a camera with these features ever existed. The Contax T2 would be a great option if it wasn't auto-ISO due to the fact that I do a lot of low-light photography with either 400 ASA films, or when that runs out, pushed 100 ASA films. I would like to purchase an XA this year. Always liked the design of that camera. Considered a Ricoh GR1v, but the horror stories of faulty electronics scared me away. I'll pass on that. If a high quality compact was introduced to market with manual ISO, fast auto-focus, 28mm or 35mm lens and aperture priority, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. The Japanese camera shops are amazing... I wish I had the need for another camera when I was there last time! I was leaning towards medium format as a possibility at the time (Mamiya 7), but now really see the need for something smaller that I can always carry around.

Manual-ISO Push or pull. I only mentioned push because of the loss of higher ISO color films.

What does a Bessa have to do with a compact film camera? There are tons of used Leicas available that CAN be serviced, unlike any of the previously mentioned premium compacts. That is what killed off the Bessa. As you stated: "Demand for those rare premium compacts, apart from being photo geek/nerd fetish objects, has long been depressed by their dim repair prospects." If that is the case, demand would be even higher if they could be repaired? Contax T2s sell for $600+ now.... I'd love to know what they'd sell for if they could be repaired by the manufacturer.

Correction: Kyocera/Contax: unknown, but they have not produced a Contax camera since 2005 Voigtlander/Cosina: unknown, they make the Nikon FM10 and possibly manufacture lenses for Zeiss currently?

A comparison with the Voigtlander Bessa isn't valid. Two completely different camera types. First of all, it's the Zeiss lens in most cases, that people are seeking, in addition to the compact form factor. Regarding the film market, I'll let Kodak's reintroduction of Ektachrome (an E6 film of all things!) speak for itself. For more information about the health of the film market, read this article: https://www.zorkiphoto.co.uk/2017/02/2017-the-year-that-film-returned/ The problem with the reintroduction of a high quality film camera is this... who is left to make it? Let's look at the possibilities: Leica: unlikely due to their focus on M mount Canon: unlikely since they don't currently produce any film cameras Sony: very unlikely even though they already partner with Zeiss Nikon: possible, but if they did, the camera would have a Nikkor lens. I'm not sure that is sexy enough for camera geeks if price is high. Fuji: possible, but if they did, the camera would have a Fujinon lens. I'm not sure that is sexy enough for camera geeks if price is high. Kyocera/Contax: unknown, but Contax cameras were and are very popular Ricoh: unknown, but Ricoh cameras with Zeiss lenses continue to be popular on the used market Voigtlander/Cosina: unknown, but they have not produced a Contax camera since 2005 Kodak: they are introducing a super8 camera with a fantastic design, so anything is possible. For this to be successful, they would have to get Zeiss or Leica to produce a lens. Any others?

I doubt that the tooling for any of those high quality compacts (Contax/Kyocera, Ricoh, etc.) exists today. The major problem that I have with those cameras in today's landscape is the lack of manual ISO, which is an absolute must these days. Kodak engineered an amazing new super8 camera to be released in the near future. There is certainly more demand for a high quality 35mm compact camera than a super8 camera, and I'm surprised that a manufacturer hasn't filled that need. Any rumors out there?

I wouldn't have thought this with us losing film stocks at the rate we were a few years ago, but I think it's time (I hope it's time) for a manufacturer to produce a new high quality compact fixed-lens camera. My reasoning? Read this article first about the current state of the film industry. It's very comprehensive and informative: https://www.zorkiphoto.co.uk/2017/02/2017-the-year-that-film-returned/ Right now, the only 35mm cameras that are available new are the Nikon F6 and FM10, Leica M7, Voigtlander Bessa, and then a bunch of sub-standard toy cameras. There are obviously a ton of used 35mm compacts on the market of varying quality. If one wants a 35mm compact, it could be found at a thrift store, flea market, etc. The vast majority of these cameras are of dubious quality, questionable funcitonality due to age of electronics, and are going to be mostly automatic. There has been a big demand over the past decade for compacts with manual functionality and high quality lenses and it has increased significantly over the past few years. Here are some examples and their correponding price ranges on eBay: Contax T, T2, T3 (Zeiss lenses) $400 - $1000 Rollei 35s (Zeiss lens) $100 - $300 Ricoh GR series (Zeiss lenses) $400 - $800 Yashica T4 $300 - $500 (Zeiss lens) and then there are some recent cameras that sell above new price and are very desirable now: Fujifilm Natura S $500 - $1000 Fujifilm Klasse W $500 - $1000 These are just a few examples. It is clear that pros, serious amateurs, students, and young amateurs are seeking out these cameras based on the talk that I have seen in photography forums and blogs. The demand is so high for these cameras right now that even though the prominent electronic issues of the Ricoh GR series (which cannot be repaired easily or by the manufacturer) are overlooked for the chance (gamble) that a good one can be found that will last..... at $500+ a pop. I think it's obvious that there is a market right now for a high quality compact camera. What should be the functionality and form of this camera? Here are my thoughts: 1. Fast, high-quality, fixed, wide-angle lens. The Zeiss T* Sonnar 38mm / f2.8 would be a great choice, and is an extremely popular choice on used cameras. Perhaps a 28mm would be even better based on the popularity of that focal length on M mount rangefinders. This is the critical component... this is the feature that has people clamoring for compact cameras. 2. Manual ISO. This is an under-discussed issue that is becoming crucial based on the loss of fast films. We've lost multiple 400 speed films over the past decade. Most color films are 50 or 100ASA and it's important for a camera to have auto-iso to enable push processing. 3. Manual Aperture. One frustration that people have with the older cameras mentioned above is the difficult or non-existent ability to manually adjust aperture. If you say it can't be done on a small camera, look at the Contax T, which is one of the smallest 35mm cameras every created (which has a manual aperture and manual iso on a Zeiss 38mm lens!). 4. Aperture Priority. A feature used by many street photographers. 5. TTL Flash 6. Large viewfinder that displays shutter speed. 7. Metering. While center weighted metering is a must, a matrix meter like that of the Nikon 35ti would be fantastic. 8. Tough metal body. Regarding focus, which is better? The Leica crowd shoots manual focus on the street by default. Everyone expect auto-focus on a compact, but zone focusing or manual focusing ensures that you won't miss a shot based on hunting auto-focus or auto-focus that samples on the wrong area. Price point. This is clearly a $750 - $1200 camera. If the camera were reliable, produced by a well-known and trusted manufacturer and was created with high-quality components, I don't think there would be price resistance. I think everyone looking to buy one of these used compacts would give this strong consideration. I'm looking forward to your feedback!

I would go with Nikon. Of course, the Nikkor lenses are fantastic, but you can also get new lenses from many manufacturers if you choose. But there is also a wealth of manual focus AIS lenses that will work on any F mount body. The Nikon 4/4s mentioned above will give you access to pretty much any lens made for the Nikon system, AND matrix meter for everything. My recommendation for great value in an auto-focus, matrix metering Nikon would be the F4, and for a manual focus, manual wind Nikon, an FM2 would be a great choice.

Great idea to bring the Nikon FE as a backup. Have you considered bringing a Nikkor 20mm, 24mm or 35mm? This sounds like an ideal location to bring a wide angle lens (I realize that you have the 43mm for the Mamiya). I like your film choices. Provia has saturated color while preserving skin tones. That's been my go-to film for pretty much everything over that past decade. (Mostly in its 400 speed form, alas....)