One camera, one lens, one film, for a year, sort of.

[dosilverhalide]

I figured I would do this today, since it's the first, duh. I dug out a Minox EL, that I bought about 12? years ago that has never had a roll of film through it by me, although it is a beater. I got out my 85? foot can of Tri x and loaded a few rolls and started shooting. The lens is fixed so that part is easy. I started to use Polypan 50, but decided against that since the camera is a field focus, and I would need all the small apertures I could get to get anything in focus. I also dug out a rangefinder that attaches to the camera for any close up work.

During the past week of so I have read several articles here and at PN on this subject, so I thought I would give it a whirl, for a couple of reasons. Using one of everything should allow some fine tuning of the photographic process and hopefully result in better pictures. Also in the past 3 years or so I have probably shot a roll or two of any kind of film through 30 cameras and even more lens.

In the past few months I had a serious house cleaning. I threw out about 20 years of photos taken with the numerous cameras and lens. Most of these pictures were much closer to snap shots than any thing that could be keeper. Most were shot to see if a camera/lens worked. I probably had 15 keepers in the whole bunch and dozens of identical shots spread over the 20 years
.
So, I'm doing this one of every thing to distill down my work to the basics. I'm not going for a picture a day. I hope to get one keeper a month.

I'm not going to be obsessed with keeping it a one only project, but I'm going for it. Several years ago when I bought my first Minox, I found a small carrying case that it fit perfectly that hung from my belt. I carried that camera every time I left the house. In the past year I probably haven't carried a camera a total of 60 days. I still have that case. This year I hope to make it 365 days and 12 keepers. I will post the keepers here if I get them. J

 

[pen s]

I have not the discipline to embark on such a project. Too many pretty cameras at hand.

 

[BradleyK]

I have not the discipline to embark on such a project. Too many pretty cameras at hand.

Discipline isn't an issue for me. An ongoing pair of projects, however, would encumber such an effort. So...my "one year..." project will be to continue a practice (slightly modified - F2AS for the F3HP I have been using) I started several months ago: my F2AS w/50mm F1.2 Nikkor loaded with Tri-X/HP5 Plus as my (always present) carry-around camera.

 

[summicron1]

12 keepers a year is an ambitious goal, no kidding. good luck.

I used to edit an on-line magazine about minox cameras for the minox historical society and I've never heard of a rangefinder for the EL -- then again, i mostly used the 9mm cameras, not the 35. The EL is a 35, is it not?

I keep thinking I should do this with my Rollei -- even got it serviced a few years back for this same sort of project, but then the grandkids were born and one simply must shoot many many pictures of grandkids.

 

[aoresteen]

Once my darkroom is finished I plan to do this with my Minolta MG 16mm sub-mini.

 

[dosilverhalide]

The EL was the first 35mm Minox. The rangefinder slides into the flash holder. It was fairly common for cameras made before the 1960's. I have two EL's, one an old beater and another one in almost like new condition. I found the new one in the toy section of a Goodwill store for 3.99 USD. If the beater dies, I'll continue with the other one. Pen S, Bradley K , I think this falls under a discipline project more than a one only project, summicron 1, I agree 12 keepers is a high goal but that's what I'm shooting for. Thank you for your comments. J

 

[pen s]

Once my darkroom is finished I plan to do this with my Minolta MG 16mm sub-mini.

You are a brave man. A 10X14mm negative, slit film, (T-max 100?) Load and process yourself and print (Minolta or Mamiya enla head?) for a year.
Even with T-grain film, 5X7 (a 12X enlargment factor) is about as big as I would go. Try to have a least 4 original Minolta film cartridges to reload and make sure the felts are spotless each time.

But an MG is very compact. The camera and an extra roll of film could fit in a small belt pouch.

Always prefered the 16II myself, like the full manual exposure control. (the lens fixed focus at 2.5 meters is a bug though)

 

[dosilverhalide]

First roll developed today. Only about a dozen usable negatives. Probably should have done a test drive of the camera first. However one neg has potential. J

 

[gleaf]

Wife has her MG-16 in the closet. Where do you find casettets. 3d printer and make your own. One camera one lens. Too many chunks of big glass waiting to put light on large film. Three lenses two formats... is that a full house?

 

[pen s]

Wife has her MG-16 in the closet. Where do you find casettets. 3d printer and make your own. One camera one lens. Too many chunks of big glass waiting to put light on large film. Three lenses two formats... is that a full house?

You can buy original Minolta cassettes as NOS from some e-bay sellers. They run from $10 to $25 each, very spendy. Some are still packged and have film in them. I'd discard that and buy a slitter and slit 16mm from 35mm film and reload the cartridges. Only get the real Minolta cassettes. Avoid the copies you see on e-bay.

I don't know whether they could be printed with a 3D printer. At any rate you would still have to find felt light trap material or possibily slavage it from empty 35mm casettes. Sounds like quite a job.

If you are not set up for this already it would be very expensive to get started. I already have all the stuff I need to shoot my Minolta 16II so it is fairly cheap to shoot and process B&W film. I handle everything from spooling film to developing it to enlarging it, all B&W. I do not do color.

 

[dosilverhalide]

Just finished roll #2. Keepers seem to be far and few in between. J

 

[dosilverhalide]

Third roll finished yesterday, I think the EL is having shutter issues, will know when I develop the roll.

 

[Charles Wass]

Third roll finished yesterday, I think the EL is having shutter issues, will know when I develop the roll.

I was a little surprised recently to read that the Minox 35s have a reputation for shutter problems. I used one regularly for around 25 years with never the least problem. I guess I was lucky. This is the first time I have heard of the rangefinder. Is it a specifically Minox one? In good lighting I got along fine with scale focussing at sensible apertures and prints at up to A4.