Too much lens/film/developer testing

darkosaric · Nov 2, 2015

So,

I bought myself old LTM Leica from 1930's, with elmar old old 5cm f3,5. Lens has cleaning marks, some dust inside, and 3-4 air bubbles. I took the grainiest and cheapest film (Fomapan 400), cheapest developer (APH09 1+50), no thermometer, no light meter... and (for me at least) results are looking just fine (attached scans from 10$ scanner - prints can look only better).

What I want to say is: just enjoy - every prime lens and every film and every developer is good .

Oxleyroad · Nov 2, 2015

They all look great to my eye. I cannot agree more with the philosophy here.

shutterfinger · Nov 2, 2015

Air bubbles in the glass were a sign of high quality glass in the day.
In photo #2 there is distinct curvature in the doorway opening and the door on the left, camera positioning may help minimize it.

darkosaric · Nov 2, 2015

shutterfinger said:
In photo #2 there is distinct curvature in the doorway opening and the door on the left, camera positioning may help minimize it.

I am almost sure it is a scanning issue - negative does not sit flat in cheap plastic holder.

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Nov 2, 2015

best made camera ever and worst film made ever , basically no different from murder. I am sorry.

Ricardo Miranda · Nov 2, 2015

Really nice ones!
Congratulations!
The first and last ones are very nice.
F400 is a great film isn't it?

removed account4 · Nov 2, 2015

darkosaric said:
So,

I bought myself old LTM Leica from 1930's, with elmar old old 5cm f3,5. Lens has cleaning marks, some dust inside, and 3-4 air bubbles. I took the grainiest and cheapest film (Fomapan 400), cheapest developer (APH09 1+50), no thermometer, no light meter... and (for me at least) results are looking just fine (attached scans from 10$ scanner - prints can look only better).

What I want to say is: just enjoy - every prime lens and every film and every developer is good .

thank you for posting this !
wonderful stuff

no meter?!
grainy film?!
no thermometer?!
10$ scanner ?
enjoying your self ?!

you are going to have the leica-meter-thermometer-fine grained film- police after you !

KEEP HAVING FUN !

john

Gerald C Koch · Nov 2, 2015

Small bubbles in an element of classic lenses is not considered to be a defect. They really have VERY little effect on the images produced. Years ago it was very difficult and expensive to make optical glasses. Hence as many pieces as possible were used.

gone · Nov 2, 2015

Well yeah, every lens is a good one, as long as it's a Leica lens! Don't try this w/ Ultrafine film.

This should be a lesson for all of us that like that old time classic look. Start w/ an old time Leica camera and lens (hard to go wrong there) and use an old time B&W emulsion. Get the metering good enough, and there you go. That first shot really has that Leica signature look.

I try to nail the metering, but experience has taught me that developing is quite flexible. Made some real dumb mistakes and still got great negs. The prints will require tighter control :]

ColColt · Nov 19, 2015

Start w/ an old time Leica camera and lens (hard to go wrong there) and use an old time B&W emulsion.

I'll agree with the first two but I know of no "old time B&W emulsion" anymore. Old Tri-X was different than today. I've looked at recent 35mm and 120 negatives and those I took back in the 80's and there is a difference. Another great old emulsion I loved was Agfapan 400 and still mourn it's loss.

darkosaric · Nov 19, 2015

ColColt said:
I'll agree with the first two but I know of no "old time B&W emulsion" anymore. Old Tri-X was different than today. I've looked at recent 35mm and 120 negatives and those I took back in the 80's and there is a difference. Another great old emulsion I loved was Agfapan 400 and still mourn it's loss.

I think he was thinking about Fomapan 400, not TriX .

Pioneer · Nov 19, 2015

Great message here. Thanks.

Just go out and shoot. High priced equipment is a wonderful thing, but certainly not necessary to the process.

And remember this. Black and white film is really great but if you are worried, color negative film is even more forgiving of exposure errors.

Richard S. (rich815) · Nov 19, 2015

I agree. This site is better than most but still seems 80% equipment and film discussion and 20% or less on technique and actually shooting, discussing or sharing photos. Wish it was flipped.

ColColt · Nov 19, 2015

Speaking of technique, my only kid brother left and his wife came to visit me from NC this past weekend. They wanted to see my old darkroom and cameras so we discussed that quite a bit and I showed them my "art gallery" while they were here. We went out back to take some pictures of each other and of course I was shooting B&W with my 6x7 and they had two Canon DSLR's.

I asked they take some pictures of me and my Corgi as it's difficult for me to take those kind of shots trying to set up the tripod, get him still and hit the timer. My sister-in-law took most of those shots and they turned out pretty bad. She sent me the jpegs and out of 6-7 of those shots maybe one was good enough for me to work on to fix exposure and focus. The one she took of me and my brother was against a white wall and of course, she took it horizontally with a space of white between us and naturally the camera saw mostly that wall and it too came out dark. I managed to fix that and the sharpness.

I tried to explain to her what happened and why and about how the film/camera sees exposure and what to do in a situation such as that and it went right over her head. She knew nothing about exposure compensation, opening up a couple stops when the camera sees mostly a white background or the relationship between shutter speed and f-stops.

It was a super nice Canon, I don't know the model, but she apparently couldn't do anything but push the shutter button. This is a prime reason for learning photography tools that she never got into.

Malinku · Nov 19, 2015

Getting down to photography basics is nice. it shows that the end product is still the most important part rather then what is used to get there.

Theo Sulphate · Nov 19, 2015

darkosaric said:
So,

I bought myself old LTM Leica from 1930's, with elmar old old 5cm f3,5. Lens has cleaning marks, some dust inside, and 3-4 air bubbles. I took the grainiest and cheapest film (Fomapan 400), cheapest developer (APH09 1+50), no thermometer, no light meter... and (for me at least) results are looking just fine (attached scans from 10$ scanner - prints can look only better).

What I want to say is: just enjoy - every prime lens and every film and every developer is good .

I admire what you did. Good philosophy and very good results.

Xmas · Nov 20, 2015

Theo Sulphate said:
I admire what you did. Good philosophy and very good results.

The only problem with a Barnack is slow to wind on and slow film changing which does not matter a lot of time anyway. But you can get a trigger base.

You need to use a FISON with the Elmar but it will produce gorgeous colours and flash shadows.

Last Sat I used Canon P ('60) and period Canon LTM lenses ('59-'63) faster handling than a Leica MP, eat your heart Leica luvvies.

One of the lenses a 28mm /2.8 was the 'fav' of Garry Winogrand on an adapter on his M4. eat your...

Street pre focused @ five feet instinctive point.

Foma film is good I only use the 100 and 400 in Rodinal 1:100, for toe speed and convenience. Never had any QA problems with Foma, too many with Kodak this decade.

Note I do know how to process non prehardened film, water stop, and strict tempering.

Xmas · Nov 20, 2015

ColColt said:
Speaking of technique, my only kid brother left and his wife came to visit me from NC this past weekend. They wanted to see my old darkroom and cameras so we discussed that quite a bit and I showed them my "art gallery" while they were here. We went out back to take some pictures of each other and of course I was shooting B&W with my 6x7 and they had two Canon DSLR's.

I asked they take some pictures of me and my Corgi as it's difficult for me to take those kind of shots trying to set up the tripod, get him still and hit the timer. My sister-in-law took most of those shots and they turned out pretty bad. She sent me the jpegs and out of 6-7 of those shots maybe one was good enough for me to work on to fix exposure and focus. The one she took of me and my brother was against a white wall and of course, she took it horizontally with a space of white between us and naturally the camera saw mostly that wall and it too came out dark. I managed to fix that and the sharpness.

I tried to explain to her what happened and why and about how the film/camera sees exposure and what to do in a situation such as that and it went right over her head. She knew nothing about exposure compensation, opening up a couple stops when the camera sees mostly a white background or the relationship between shutter speed and f-stops.

It was a super nice Canon, I don't know the model, but she apparently couldn't do anything but push the shutter button. This is a prime reason for learning photographhijy tools that she never got into.

Hi David

I normally hand over a film camera, film, tank etc.,... in those circumstances.

There is a steep learning curve in photo shop or wet printing.

It is very difficult trying to explain basics without teaching aids. Although most people take photos today most get no further than selfie stick extension.

Noel

Ko.Fe. · Nov 20, 2015

I agree, Fomapan 400 is cheap film, but BH here sells it at the price next to HP5+. Old barnacks isn't something widely available and dirt cheap. Air bibles are the norm.
To make me really impressed try next time with $5 made in China P&S. Wait, I actually already tried it. It is even more easier and results are next to perfect on bw darkroom prints.

darkosaric · Nov 20, 2015

Ko.Fe. said:
$5 made in China P&S.

I have made some nice photos with Holga/Diana F... you can call me crazy - but I like to be able to set shutter speed, f stop and focus on my camera .
For camera is not important that is a Leica (but it sure make no harm ) - but to be able to know what will the outcome be.
On auto focus, P&S ... I am never sure what I get. Actually on Diana/Holga I am sure what I will get because I know the cameras and their limits.

Richard S. (rich815) · Nov 20, 2015

darkosaric said:
I have made some nice photos with Holga/Diana F... you can call me crazy - but I like to be able to set shutter speed, f stop and focus on my camera .
For camera is not important that is a Leica (but it sure make no harm ) - but to be able to know what will the outcome be.
On auto focus, P&S ... I am never sure what I get. Actually on Diana/Holga I am sure what I will get because I know the cameras and their limits.

Well sure but you don't have to use the Holga all the time. And not having the control is half the fun. The other half is finding out what you got. A very different direction and process and not meant to replace a more measured and exacting approach, of course.

https://flic.kr/p/4aFV7X

DannL. · Nov 20, 2015

21 days ago I started using exclusively a 6x6 camera that has no focus adjustment, no shutter speed adjustment, no aperture adjustment, and no light meter. It's interesting how quickly you can adjust to a new environment. I have shot more film in the past 3 weeks, than in all of the previous year. Very interesting. I think I've developed an allergy to sharp photographs.

Ko.Fe. · Nov 20, 2015

darkosaric said:
I have made some nice photos with Holga/Diana F... you can call me crazy - but I like to be able to set shutter speed, f stop and focus on my camera .
For camera is not important that is a Leica (but it sure make no harm ) - but to be able to know what will the outcome be.
On auto focus, P&S ... I am never sure what I get. Actually on Diana/Holga I am sure what I will get because I know the cameras and their limits.

Well, after using film P&S for years I could tell you what it is much more predictable. I even gave it to my kids. They can't handle Leica and Holga indoors. P&S - no problem.
For pictures like you provided P&S will do just fine.

Nikon AF240SV with 28mm prime, $5 P&S. Kentmere 100. Rodinal 1:50 14 Min.

And I have done my time with Holga as well. Likely it wasn't for too long. I'd rather deal with one hundred years young Brownie.

Theo Sulphate · Nov 20, 2015

DannL. said:
21 days ago I started using exclusively a 6x6 camera that has no focus adjustment, no shutter speed adjustment, no aperture adjustment, and no light meter. It's interesting how quickly you can adjust to a new environment. I have shot more film in the past 3 weeks, than in all of the previous year. Very interesting. I think I've developed an allergy to sharp photographs.

That sounds like my Zero Image 6x6 pinhole camera. It's just a different style of image creation. That's one of several reasons I like Polaroid images, although the SX-70 and SLR690 are reasonably sharp.

DannL. · Nov 20, 2015

Theo Sulphate said:
That sounds like my Zero Image 6x6 pinhole camera. It's just a different style of image creation. That's one of several reasons I like Polaroid images, although the SX-70 and SLR690 are reasonably sharp.

Nothing quite a fancy as the Zero Image . . . .

http://www.brownie-camera.com/27.shtml

it also includes a video there, at the end of the page.

Too much lens/film/developer testing

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