The joy of the simple camera: the Texas Leica and Panatomic-X film

Kodachromeguy · Jun 26, 2019

Hi everyone, a couple of months ago, I realized with embarrassment that I had not exercised my Fuji GW690II in almost a year. You recall, that is the camera that looks like a Leica M that ate steroids and became Texas-sized (like the pickup trucks and McMansions). I took it for an outing in central Mississippi. It is refreshing to compose with one body and one lens. You learn to make it work. In a few spots, I could have used a wider-angle lens, but otherwise, the 90mm was not a limitation at all. Here are a few examples from Panatomic-X film, EI-20, developed in Xtol. I scanned the negatives with a Minolta Scan Multi medium format film scanner running Silverfast Ai software.

The first photo is from Florence, MS. Nos 2 and 3 are an abandoned garage in Silver Creek. The interior of the garage was a 1 min exposure at f/11. That was 4 times the incident light meter reading (to adjust for reciprocity). The big cow is Wilson's Meat House in Crystal Springs. Thanks for looking.

soulstar89 · Jun 26, 2019

nice shots! i have been on the fence with getting one of these cameras as i prefer the 6x12 ratio. i may just sell
some of my RZ67 lenses i never use and bite the bullet

BradS · Jun 26, 2019

The photo of the interior...
the eye wanders in circles
around and around
counter-clockwise, mine.
It is so busy,
so much detritus.
and the bicycles...

Thanks for sharing.

StepheKoontz · Jun 26, 2019

I agree, a simple camera really helps me shoot well. Last weekend I went out with a Nikon S2 rangefinder with a 25mm voigtlander f4 loaded with TMY and had a blast

R.Gould · Jun 26, 2019

I agree, the fixed lens simple cameras are great fun, all of the MF cameras I use are simple in that they are fixed lens, love just going for a walk with just the camera, either TLR or folder, couple of filters, one of my \Weston's and some films, dame goes for 35mm, I often use a simple fixed lens camera,

Alan9940 · Jun 26, 2019

R.Gould said:
I agree, the fixed lens simple cameras are great fun, all of the MF cameras I use are simple in that they are fixed lens, love just going for a walk with just the camera, either TLR or folder, couple of filters, one of my \Weston's and some films, dame goes for 35mm, I often use a simple fixed lens camera,

+1

For me, it's my Zeiss Super Ikonta III for MF and my Kodak Retina IIa for 35mm. Great fun!

Sirius Glass · Jun 26, 2019

The superiority of XTOL shows it stuff in your negatives.

nbagno · Jun 26, 2019

Go get the one I have for sale in the classified section :-D

Theo Sulphate · Jun 26, 2019

I like these photos a lot. Glad you made them before the place is gone.

Kodachromeguy · Jun 26, 2019

Theo Sulphate said:
I like these photos a lot. Glad you made them before the place is gone.

Thank you and the other writers for your kind comments. These old shops, garages, and motels are disappearing from the scene rapidly, even here in Mississippi. That is why I keep trying to record them whenever I can. When I visit prosperous states, I look around and often think they are rather boring photographically. All the old stuff is gone or has been gentrified.

Trask · Jun 26, 2019

Nice shots -- I need to unlimber my GL690 and get out there. Interesting technique taking an incident reading and multiplying by 4 -- what's the logic behind the calculation? Was it an adjustment for reciprocity failure? It would help me apply this idea to other situations. You really nailed the exposure there in that interior.

Kodachromeguy · Jun 26, 2019

Trask said:
Nice shots -- I need to unlimber my GL690 and get out there. Interesting technique taking an incident reading and multiplying by 4 -- what's the logic behind the calculation? Was it an adjustment for reciprocity failure? It would help me apply this idea to other situations. You really nailed the exposure there in that interior.

Yes, it is an adjustment for reciprocity failure. For most B&W film, I double the exposure in the range of 1 to 15 seconds. For 15 sec and more, I quadruple the time. I can't recall any 60 second measurements, but I would try 8 times or 8 minutes.

Cholentpot · Jun 26, 2019

Sirius Glass said:
The superiority of XTOL shows it stuff in your negatives.

I'd love to try some, however it's not stocked locally and I don't feel like paying for shipping when it costs as much as the product.

Ko.Fe. · Jun 26, 2019

Last time I checked, AGFA Billy Record or Brownie are the simple cameras.

Sirius Glass · Jun 26, 2019

Cholentpot said:
I'd love to try some, however it's not stocked locally and I don't feel like paying for shipping when it costs as much as the product.

B&H is local to you and has it for under $10.

Used in replenished mode is the most inexpensive way to use it.

mshchem · Jun 26, 2019

Kodachromeguy said:
Hi everyone, a couple of months ago, I realized with embarrassment that I had not exercised my Fuji GW690II in almost a year. You recall, that is the camera that looks like a Leica M that ate steroids and became Texas-sized (like the pickup trucks and McMansions). I took it for an outing in central Mississippi. It is refreshing to compose with one body and one lens. You learn to make it work. In a few spots, I could have used a wider-angle lens, but otherwise, the 90mm was not a limitation at all. Here are a few examples from Panatomic-X film, EI-20, developed in Xtol. I scanned the negatives with a Minolta Scan Multi medium format film scanner running Silverfast Ai software.

The first photo is from Florence, MS. Nos 2 and 3 are an abandoned garage in Silver Creek. The interior of the garage was a 1 min exposure at f/11. That was 4 times the incident light meter reading. The big cow is Wilson's Meat House in Crystal Springs. Thanks for looking.

View attachment 225910 View attachment 225911 View attachment 225912 View attachment 225913

I have three Fuji 6x9 rangefinders. These pictures show how beautiful a manual camera with a great lens and a big negative work. Oh and the XTOL TWO THUMBS UP, works well with TMX,TMY, FP4,HP5,TRIX,ACROS...........

mshchem · Jun 27, 2019

Sirius Glass said:
B&H is local to you and has it for under $10.

View attachment 225954

Used in replenished mode is the most inexpensive way to use it.

At 9.95 usd with free shipping (sales tax not included ) it's 14 cents per roll (135-36/120) for the developer (70ml per 80 sq in). in a replenished system. I ran both a 2L soda bottle tank and a gallon glass jug tank for sheet film. I used those replenished tanks for over a year.

Prest_400 · Jun 27, 2019

Texas Leica user here. Living in Sweden, I was surprised when taking a day roadtrip with fellow photo club members to find out that some of the country has features that recall the southern US , and a healthy culture of greasers.
These subjects really fit into B&W and are beautiful when on print.

Looking up forward to tomorrow, as I am taking the GW along for a forest ride with a friend. Think I will take that simple approach mentioned here by others, of just that camera and some film.

Cholentpot · Jun 27, 2019

Sirius Glass said:
B&H is local to you and has it for under $10.

View attachment 225954

Used in replenished mode is the most inexpensive way to use it.

B&H is 600 miles away...Still, $4.77 ain't bad now that I actually looked up how much it'll cost me.

Neil Grant · Jun 28, 2019

Kodachromeguy said:
Hi everyone, a couple of months ago, I realized with embarrassment that I had not exercised my Fuji GW690II in almost a year. You recall, that is the camera that looks like a Leica M that ate steroids and became Texas-sized (like the pickup trucks and McMansions). I took it for an outing in central Mississippi. It is refreshing to compose with one body and one lens. You learn to make it work. In a few spots, I could have used a wider-angle lens, but otherwise, the 90mm was not a limitation at all. Here are a few examples from Panatomic-X film, EI-20, developed in Xtol. I scanned the negatives with a Minolta Scan Multi medium format film scanner running Silverfast Ai software.

The first photo is from Florence, MS. Nos 2 and 3 are an abandoned garage in Silver Creek. The interior of the garage was a 1 min exposure at f/11. That was 4 times the incident light meter reading (to adjust for reciprocity). The big cow is Wilson's Meat House in Crystal Springs. Thanks for looking.

View attachment 225910 View attachment 225911 View attachment 225912 View attachment 225913

..nice photos. THe way I see it, your garage interior is an establishing shot. THere are more possibilities by concentrating on specific items or small groups of items. Were you not tempted to take more?

Kodachromeguy · Jun 28, 2019

Neil Grant said:
..nice photos. THe way I see it, your garage interior is an establishing shot. THere are more possibilities by concentrating on specific items or small groups of items. Were you not tempted to take more?

Thank you, a great observation. I did consider more pictures, but I needed to cover a few more towns that day. Also, I was trespassing, although there were no signs up. So I did not want to linger too long. There is an old ice house (ice factory) in my town owned by a heating and cooling company. It is their spare junk building. I may ask if I can take pictures in there. Also, you might like the tire company:
https://worldofdecay.blogspot.com/2018/10/vicksburgs-seale-lily-ice-cream-parlor.html

The joy of the simple camera: the Texas Leica and Panatomic-X film

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