Post much Charles?
So the last time I made a post on here was September 14. Why the six month hiatus? I dunno, I guess I had a lot going on and I generally use my LJ for romantic business or artistic concepts. I've been more or less happy in the romance area for a while now so those types of posts have been thin. I've been consumed with work, house projects, and making delicious food otherwise. It's been quite a while since I was inspired to make something in photography, or any medium for that matter (unless food is a medium!). But with that out of the way, now I have some news!
Today while at an Arlington VA street market I found a very old antique camera that I absolutely had to have. It was a strange draw actually. Usually I'm pretty conservative with my money and I'm not one to purchase things that I don't think I'll use or aren't exactly what I'm looking for. But this camera just spoke to me; it was wild. I couldn't stop thinking about it the whole time we walked around the farmers market, totally worried someone else was going to buy it before me.
The object in question is an Ihagee, Zweiverschluss Duplex 1020 (9x12) camera. That's a German made large format flip open camera that shoots 9x12cm (3.5x4.5") film plates. I bought it for $240 cash in hand. It came with SIX film holders and its original case! It's a sight to behold, for some reason. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that they (the Germans) crammed an entire large format camera into a 2.5" space that expands to over 12 inches of lens + bellows + body that can shoot an enormous negative, almost on the fly. The engineering on it is so sophisticated I can't get over it. I've used flip open cameras before, but they only had one motion. This camera flips open, the lens board slides out to the infinity position. Then you can crank the focus nob out another 6 inches! Additionally, the lens board has separate shifts of up/down and left/right for some real view camera action.
I've dusted it off inside and out and it looks beautiful. The film backs are a little sketchy. They're solid metal with a glass backing inside. Some of the glass appears to be flecking and I'm sure I'll get all kinds of particles on my film when I shoot. But the biggest catch is it's very hard to get 9x12cm film so I'll be cutting regular 4x5" film down to 9x12cm. I'll have some fun creating some kind of jig for accuracy in the total darkness. You all know I love a challenge.
Fun details: I'm limited to f-stops; 4.5, 6.3, 9, 12.5, 18, 25, and 36. (odd!) And the shutter is a tad broken; I can't shoot any slower than 1/25 (except for bulb), and the top end is 1/200. Thankfully it seems to be relatively accurate, but I'll know for sure when I start shooting. Here's to hoping I get light readings that land within my settings!
So that's my newest toy, and I'm stoked to actually go shoot film again and get in the darkroom.
In other news:: I finally put in the attic storage and it's perfect. My grandmother died last November and we just buried her in Arlington Cemetery last Monday. Her husband served in the Navy. Stephanie and I are both going to gym now and I'm hoping to get in shape again by summer. She's getting in shape because she may end up getting pregnant this year.(!!) Also, the new Lady Gaga song is pretty good and I dig it.
_Charles
Today while at an Arlington VA street market I found a very old antique camera that I absolutely had to have. It was a strange draw actually. Usually I'm pretty conservative with my money and I'm not one to purchase things that I don't think I'll use or aren't exactly what I'm looking for. But this camera just spoke to me; it was wild. I couldn't stop thinking about it the whole time we walked around the farmers market, totally worried someone else was going to buy it before me.
The object in question is an Ihagee, Zweiverschluss Duplex 1020 (9x12) camera. That's a German made large format flip open camera that shoots 9x12cm (3.5x4.5") film plates. I bought it for $240 cash in hand. It came with SIX film holders and its original case! It's a sight to behold, for some reason. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that they (the Germans) crammed an entire large format camera into a 2.5" space that expands to over 12 inches of lens + bellows + body that can shoot an enormous negative, almost on the fly. The engineering on it is so sophisticated I can't get over it. I've used flip open cameras before, but they only had one motion. This camera flips open, the lens board slides out to the infinity position. Then you can crank the focus nob out another 6 inches! Additionally, the lens board has separate shifts of up/down and left/right for some real view camera action.
I've dusted it off inside and out and it looks beautiful. The film backs are a little sketchy. They're solid metal with a glass backing inside. Some of the glass appears to be flecking and I'm sure I'll get all kinds of particles on my film when I shoot. But the biggest catch is it's very hard to get 9x12cm film so I'll be cutting regular 4x5" film down to 9x12cm. I'll have some fun creating some kind of jig for accuracy in the total darkness. You all know I love a challenge.
Fun details: I'm limited to f-stops; 4.5, 6.3, 9, 12.5, 18, 25, and 36. (odd!) And the shutter is a tad broken; I can't shoot any slower than 1/25 (except for bulb), and the top end is 1/200. Thankfully it seems to be relatively accurate, but I'll know for sure when I start shooting. Here's to hoping I get light readings that land within my settings!
So that's my newest toy, and I'm stoked to actually go shoot film again and get in the darkroom.
In other news:: I finally put in the attic storage and it's perfect. My grandmother died last November and we just buried her in Arlington Cemetery last Monday. Her husband served in the Navy. Stephanie and I are both going to gym now and I'm hoping to get in shape again by summer. She's getting in shape because she may end up getting pregnant this year.(!!) Also, the new Lady Gaga song is pretty good and I dig it.
_Charles