MathewDH

Hi Chuck, Actually, no. The current list of uploadable files for a posting does not include the PDF format. CHEERS...

100 years ago Kodak brought out the first rangefinder camera in the 3A size. Later that year the 1A Autographic Kodak Special with rangefinder appeared. Since these cameras can still be used with 120 film, I undertook a restoration of the December, 1918 printing of the manual for the 1A camera. this makes it 99 years old to the month. I also have the March 1918 version too. The difference is the December version added two photos of the young man demonstrating how to hold the camera. The December 1918 manual also came with a separate four page insert of Revised Instructions for using the Optima No. 1 shutter. These were in terrible shape and required a lot of time to restore. I felt they were important and possibly the only surviving example of these instructions. These revised instructions lead off in the PDF for quick access. But just as important, these instructions are probably applicable to the other sizes and models of Kodak cameras that also used the Optima No. 1 shutter. I was also planning a second posting with those Revised Instructions in a 600a DPI PDF for easier reading. However, I just found out I cannot post the PDF formats as attachments. It used to be possible to post any file type. So this means I cannot post these for people to download. CHEERS...Mathew

You can see the just announced camera models at Canon Rumors. I just bought a Canon 80D and had it converted to IR. I might have waited given the new releases...nah! Mathew

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<p>As far as I know the Vigilant was not sold with the No.2 Supermatic. I suspect this shutter came from another camera. I show it being first sold with the No.1 Supermatic, and after WW2 with the No. Kodamatic.</p> <p>Here is the Depth of Field table for this camera with the two high-end shutters I know about.</p> <p>CHEERS...Mathew</p>

<p>Anyone going to the show? It is the first one in Portland, at the Armory in Rose City.</p> <p>Here is the link:</p> <p>https://4photofair.wordpress.com/</p> <p>CHEERS...Mathew</p>

<p>I went to post the off-topic forum and it looks like they have deactivated it. New topics cannot be added.</p> <p>Since I usually post here I will ask the question of the UK readers.</p> <p>Would anyone be willing to help me obtain some music files off of the UK Amazon site? These are files that are not available to the U.S. buyers or on U.S. Amazon. I can reimburse via Paypal.</p> <p>Once the files are purchased, they will be downloadable as a single PDF. Then it can be sent to me via Dropbox. </p> <p>The project is a discography listing of the song Skokiaan, aka Skokian. Besides building a written discography I have been building a collection of the music as well. Soon I hope to put the written discography up on a website.</p> <p>CHEERS...Mathew / USA</p>

<p>Here are the details for future users.</p><div></div>

<p>Very nice to see this Rick. I just scanned both the US and UK manuals and can check it for the depth of field scales when I get home.</p> <p>CHEERS...Mathew</p>

<p>If you want the images to survive, digital files are probably not the way to go. In the long run of time, most will be lost, just like the billions of photographic prints that have been made over time.</p> <p>With small photos I recommend at least 1200 DPI when scanning. It will reveal all of the damage to the picture so it can be removed in a restoration. A high resolution scan means you can print it a lot larger.</p> <p>With the restoration completed, reprint the photos on archival paper and place them into albums. Include a biography about the persons in the pictures. And with a pencil, write the names of the people, date of the photo, and where taken, on the back of the prints along the edge. If the biography is lost, the identities are still on the back of the prints. Make enough albums for the extended family that would like to have one. One or two will probably survive with the next generations. It is then up to the receivers of the pictures to plan on the images surviving. It is the best you can do rorm your generation in the family.</p> <p>CHEERS...Mathew</p>

<p>My niece found a Chinon CS in a thrift store and bought it. She lacked the manual. And she wondered why the meter was not working. Hmm, it needs batteries.</p> <p>So I bought her some batteries and tracked down an original manual for her. I also took the time and have scanned and restored the images. So here is a PDF of the manual for anyone who lacks one too.</p> <p>CHEERS...Mathew</p>

<p>A 4x5 cropped version.</p><div></div>

<p>A few minor adjustments.</p><div></div>

<p>Actually, formatting text in Photoshop is simple and easy to do and only has to be adjusted line by line. Once you have the tools understood and have some experience doing the work, it goes well. The last book I created had about 30+ pages of text combined with photos. The biggest challenge is working out several page layouts where the pictures will go, before the text is added. CHEERS...Mathew</p>

<p>I recommend doing the HDR first. Then study all of them to find the one that has the best overall light and dark feel to your eyes. From this point you will want to open the adjacent frames and adjust them to match the starting frame. Then take those adjacent frames and use them to adjust the next frame in sequence. Once they are all done, look at them all at once to see if you are satisfied with each of them. Then stitch them together. If you are using PTgui for the stitching, it does a great job at the blending process to create a good overall match to tones in the different areas. Once the stitching is done the real work of fixing the stitched image starts.</p>

<p>The best camera is the one you use the most because you understand how it works and have the right lenses for your creativity.</p> <p>Now I like digital IR photography. I currently have a Canon 10D from about 12 years ago and 6.3 megapixels. Eventually I want a converted Canon T6S for 24 megapixel resolution and the movie capabilities.</p>

<p>I posted the list of Kodaks that could potentially take 120 film for those who might want to use one. The list is by film size, then by model name when each model appeared, then follows a list of the different lens and shutter versions for each model. It will help you sort out what camera you are looking at. Occasionally I see a model that has a lens and shutter of a later model on an earlier body. These could be models adapted in the after market. Or they could be the last of the bodies fitted at the factory with the newer lens and shutters. They are still non-catalog items. the list is still posted here.<br> http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00dWxY</p>

<p>The Kodak is a 1A Pocket Kodak, Series II. It has an F.7.9 lens with the Kodex No. 1 shutter. It is an autographic model as I see it has the hanger on the lens mount for the stylus. It was made from 1925-32. I have the manual scanned for this model if you are interested in trying the camera out with 120 film. You will need the Holgamods film adapters so you an use 120 film in the 116 camera. 116 was 1/8" wider.</p> <p>Every Kodak had a manual for each lens and shutter combination on each camera model. The depth of field scale information is different for each version. I posted a while back my early list of the medium format Kodaks that could use 120 film. Since then I have added most of the postwar models, such as the Vigilants, Tourist, tourist II, and the UK Kodak 66. In addition I have been buying the manuals for each version of each camera, as I can find them, and scanning them. Eventually I want I all up on a website for people to access.</p> <p>Any Kodak model that appeared before WW2, that was made after the war, were then released with flash capable shutters. </p>

<p>The digital images already have a lot of detail if they were taken correctly in RAW. I prefer to not do the post-processing until the images are stitched together. So do the minimal RAW processing and output as uncompressed 16 bit TIFFs.</p> <p>When stitching the images, as in PTgui, you can specify the final pixel size of the stitched 300 DPI image. Which allows you to make the image size large enough to allow cropping down to the final print size. The advantage is you get all the detail available for larger print sizes. If you stitch to a smaller size and then resize to a larger image, the quality of the larger imager will be of a lesser quality. You are better off stitching images for prints of a larger size, then resize down if you want smaller prints.</p> <p>Then do the final processing to bring out the best qualities of the final stitched image.</p>

<p>I have noticed on ebay, a Chinese seller offering modern-material bellows for the 120 cameras of old. The price is good if you can get them to make a replacement for your model.</p> <p>The 1A Kodak Jr. is a pretty basic model and quite common. From what I have seen, Kodak cameras from the 1900 to 1932 period are a heavier grade of materials and usually in Ok shape. Though they might need corner sealing due to light leaks. Kodaks after the change to 620 and 616 film spools, are of thinner materials. They are apt to be in much poorer condition and replacements are not out there.</p> <p>One issue not covered in the discussion is the lens shutter combinations, and the model number.</p> <p>Kodak cameras used different bellows depending on the lens and shutter combination. Also, the cameras were constantly being redesigned. So this led to a lot of different bellows being used.</p> <p>If you want to shoot 120 film on a folder, the last models from Kodak in the UK, were the 66 ii and 66 iii. I have both and they have a good bellows on them. Mine look to have had almost no use. Perhaps the SLR's and rangefinder cameras eclipsed the lowly bellows models. The 66 models date to about 1958-65. The ii does not have double exposure protection. The iii does have double exposure protection and little better lens.</p>

<p>Kodak made a 32 bit color correcting software plugin for Photoshop. It appears you can still buy it online. I did buy it and it can make for a fast fix on getting a correct RGB color. It works well with regular color pictures but nothing for IR photos. It was mentioned in the Ctein book on restoring photographs.</p> <p>http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/software/imgEnhancePlugIns/roc.jhtml?pq-path=13939</p> <p>Using it a little bit, advanced my own technique with color correcting via Channels.</p>

<p>How you see the world through a lens is your own aesthetic, or a visual approach to your subjects. Consider the variables that will make or break the moment: the light in the scene, placement of all objects--including the various color elements, angle of the shot. Basically, did you get what you wanted in that moment.</p> <p>Then you move the stage of interpretation for viewing. Most likely editing will entail looking for one or more crops which strengthens or enhances the image impact. Such ratios as 4x5, 1x1, 2x3, circular, or others such as panoramics. Followed by development of the original shot into an object worth looking at by others. Clearly you will first-off be developing to satisfy your own creative need. Getting anyone else to even look at is another issue.</p> <p>It is important to look at one word you used in the first message: documentary. This implies you are attempting to build a set of images of something specific that have a relationship. Such as all car accidents in a specific area for a year. Or beach life over a series of summers. People sleeping around town in all the various body poses. How about odd dressing attire or women in outrageous makeup. I fall into the documentary area. For the last year, the bulk of my photos, several thousand in color and IR, were covering the Polar Pioneer deep-water drilling platform, which floated in the Port Angeles harbor twice this year. The changes in light, location for the shooting (angle of the shots), and constantly changing objects in the harbor, made for interesting photos for the whole year. The changing weather really made it fun. And it finally forced me to try long exposures in the early evening as the sun dropped.</p> <p>And it is all WORK! It gets tiring editing all of the material. One great image makes for a good days shooting.</p> <p>CHEERS...</p><div></div>

<p>Hi Evan,</p> <p>The issue is with the film spools. Besides the disc area being smaller than 120, they changed the spool mounting holes too. The conversion probably is made from the cameras 620 spool mounts to the 120 size. This way, all you have to do is trim off the excess plastic from the 120 spools. I bought some 120 plastic spools so I could trim them in advance for use in the cameras as receiving spools. </p> <p>If you are doing the conversion, you might as well have the camera fully serviced and cleaned. </p> <p>CHEERS...Mathew</p>

<p>The better Epson models do a great job. I use the professional level of the software so I can control the black and white levels. I recommend at least a 600 DPI scan. Depending on the damage, you might want to do a 1200 DPI scan. Scans at this resolution will reveal all of the damage over the years, and it can all be removed. The reprint will look as clean as you can get, and you could then enlarge the photo if you chose to.</p> <p>CHEERS...Mathew</p>

<p>Hey David,</p> <p>Post the photos if you get any good ones.</p>