My New Film Project

[Cathus]

A couple of weeks ago I had a brainwave to get the film cameras out and go back in time. This led me to buying some vintage cameras on eBay.

I got a little carried away over the last two weeks & bought quite a few cameras with the idea of using them so I've only bought ones which look like they work.

I ordered some 35mm and 120 films and this afternoon I took two cameras out for a walk round my local town centre.

Boy, it was a blast from the past. Neither of the cameras have light meters so I took an old light meter. It seemed a little flaky which is not surprising as it hasn't been used for a few years so the battery is probably on its way out, so I ended up using my flashmeter, which was fine until I discovered that at some point putting it in my pocket have inadvertently changed the ISO rating from 400 to 12,000 (so I think a few shots will be a little underexposed)

I've never used 120 film before, winding it on was scary as I thought I'd rolled about half the film on before no. 1 appeared in the little red window on the back of the camera.

You really have to think about exposure and changing the aperture, shutter and focusing manually. I know at least two shots of my 120 film will be double-exposed as I forgot to wind the film on.

Talk about mixed technology, I was taking shots on a 1937 bellows camera & then inputting the settings for each shot onto my iphone for comparison when i get the shots back.

I've packed the films ready to go in the morning, the 35mm will get processed and I'll scan the shots, the 120 will get processed and I'll get a CD back with the scans done by the processing company.

I can't wait to see the negatives, though I'm not holding out much hope that they'll be much good, it was a real case of trial and error.

These are the cameras I used today.

1. Kodak Retinette 1A - ca 1959


1. Voigtlander Bessa II - ca 1937

[silversnapper1]

Good idea Garry. I was given a film camera a while ago but it was not in very good working order so I did not buy any film for it and it ended up in the bin.

[DigiDiva]

Wow, the second one looks amazing. Well done, what a super idea.

[Ashleyj]

Great to see the Voigtlander. My first real camera was a Voigtlander albeit a 35mm ragefinder version.

Sounds like you had a lot of fun going back in time, but why not go the whole hog and develop and print your own films.

[perrfectphoto]

I collect and sell vintage photography. a good one to get hold of it KONICA Auto S2 35mm Rangefinder 1.8 lens what a camera give it a try but the bessa will take some beating. also minolta sr-t 101 with 1.4 lens.

[Cathus]

Ashley,

I can develop & print my own B&W, I still have all the gear in the loft. I'll have to see how it pans out but for now I'm sending the films off.

perrfectphoto,

I'll keep my eyes open for one. I've managed to run up a nice little collection in two weeks, in fact just off to the sorting office now to collect 2 packages they tried to deliver while I was at the post office posting some ebay sales of another collection (not photography) I'm selling in order to fund the new cameras.

[Ashleyj]

Originally Posted by Cathus

Ashley,

I can develop & print my own B&W, I still have all the gear in the loft. I'll have to see how it pans out but for now I'm sending the films off.

That makes two of us, I too have all my old darkroom gear in the loft.

I often think I should get rid of it as I really can't ever see myself using it again. But whenever I look at it I remember all the enjoyment I got from it and I can't bring myself to just throw it away, I'm sure there not much of a market for second-hand darkroom kit these days.

Anyway good luck with the project.