a new companion

Our trip to Buenos Aires this year was full of mishaps and adverse conditions. I won’t give you a detailed list of everything that has gone wrong, because it would simply be too long! Still, apart from all the mishaps – and also thanks to superhuman patience -, photos have been taken and I had a good time anyway! The shooting experience was actually not bad at all. There were plenty of shooting opportunities despite all the rain and I enjoyed it to have to push myself a bit out of my comfort zone. I was shooting mostly ISO 200 film, partly in rather dismal lighting conditions, so I got plenty of opportunity to use my Nokton 1.1. As a result I often took my time to frame and focus properly, thereby hopefully reducing the number of wasted frames. I also enjoyed it to get away from film development for a while. However, this is obviously a mixed blessing, since I have now amassed quite a backlog that will keep me busy for months and months. So far I have already developed all the black and white (only 4 rolls), but the colour will have to wait until I have developed the rolls I had lying around from before the trip.

And since I’m talking of pushing myself out of my comfort zone, you’ll probably be surprised to hear that I will go even further in the month of May. I’m planning to shoot only ISO 100 film and lower for a full month to finally break through my discomfort with low ISO film. Rollei Retro 80s will feature prominently in the selection of film stocks and I’m very much looking forward to testing it properly both in 35mm and 120.

I actually promised you slide film, but I felt like posting a short update first after returning from our journey to the other side of the planet. So, as a quick one I show you the second roll shot with a new friend of mine, given to me by my wonderful parents: a Zeiss Super Ikonta C 6×9 camera! I would have shown you the first roll, but this wonderful little grandma (from 1937) needed a little bit of a rangefinder adjustment. I’m also still tracking down a little bit of a light leak, but it’s very minor and surprisingly doesn’t seem to be coming from the bellows. Most of the time it doesn’t seem to affect the images at all, so I’m not too worried about it. The camera is a bit of a challenge to use by the way – far too many dials, levers and windows – but it’s definitely great to pull those huge negatives out of the tank. I’m definitely looking forward to trying slide film in this one too!

All pictures taken with: Zeiss Super Ikonta C 530/2, Tessar 105mm f/4.5, HP5+ / HC-110.

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

Proof that the rangefinder is now adjusted properly: Picture with tiny dog sized depth of field.

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

The negs are gigantic! I love it! Can’t wait to shoot some slide with this camera!

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

Grain free at 400 and same aspect ratio as the Leica.

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

f/4.5.

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

Only one paying attention was the little dog.

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

Minor light leak bottom right. It’s a strange one.

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

© Lilly Schwartz 2016

Not easy to take shots with action, since the rangefinder isn’t quick to use and there is a second finder for framing too. Need to practice! Also, I lost a couple of good ones to accidental double exposure! That’s definitely a risk since it doesn’t have any double exposure prevention at all.

Not bad for an 80 yr old camera, eh?

Comments

  • Lovely camera. A while ago I’ve been lucky enough to shoot with a zeiss ikon nettar 517/16, a bit different but equally funny.
    best,

    • Indeed, those Zeiss folders are lovely cameras. Never used a Nettar, but looks very capable too!

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