New toys!

Today I got 2 Kiev 35A'a and a minox EL in the mail(Thanks Iggers)!
Only one of the kiev's works so I will crack them open. First try new batteries though.

Today I visited the man who got me into photography in general and into old cameras in particular - I fondled his leica m2 and rolleiflex planar as he explained me the exposure\iso\composition bit. He shoots a minoilta 7d and rolleiflex nowdays.

He gave me his nikon f3 with 50/1.8E Series on a "permanent" loan(he will contact me if he needs them as well as some film and some advice. We will go shoot together someday - he lives in the pastoral kibbutz Brur Hayl.

Thank you, Nir Domany!

A decision was made.

I decided to buy the epson 4490. It cost as much as 50 crappy lab scans so it will pay for itself very fast(I have 25-30 films waiting at least and 10 undeveloped in the fridge).


Here's a couple of images from Petra. They were shot with the nikon fm2n and 50/1.4AI or 28/1.8 sigma lenses on kodak profoto 100 film. They were lightly cropped (5% or so to remove the ugly scanning frame).

They are the only two pics that scanned OK of the last batch.

They don't show one tenth of the beauty of the place - VISIT IF YOU CAN! If you visit Israel it is very easy (and not to expensive) to have a day trip there from Eilat. If you need details - contact me. I will definately visit it again. Maybe see Wadi Rum next time as well.

If you are going there to photograph - you need a few days - the light is harsh(except sundown and I presume sunset,and it's full of fat redfaced short wearing tourists. Bring a tripod and something larger then 35mm, a wide selection of film and good hiking boots(It's a long walk).

Bring a short tele for pictures of the local bedouins. Bring a couple of liters of drinking water.

I hope in a month or two I will have A LOT of new pics to show.

Dissapointed

I looked at the scans - they are all dusty and the color is off. Something is wrong with the scanner\software. I managed to Salvage three pictures out of 70.


I am thinking of buying an Epson 4490. I just wonder if it's good enough for 20x30(8x10) and 30x40(11x14) prints from 35mm negative scans. I know it is good enough for medium format.
How good is the ICE?I need it for color(and BW for web use only).

Any opinions?



Here's a picture of Sunrise in the Arava(the road from the Negev to Eilat).It's one of the theree decent pictures from the scans.




Nikon fm2n,75-150/3.5 E series zoom lens,100 iso kodak profoto film,handheld,about 4:30 in the morning.

New Toys - Scanned films!

Greyhoundman was very kind and sent me a new focusing mechanism for my yashica lynx 14! I installed it - some adjustment needed but will be done later(He was kind enough to explain me how to do that as well).

Iggers was generous and sent me three toys-at his expense(minox el and kiev 35a that need repair and a kiev 35a that works - waiting for the mailman now!) I will send him the elicon 35cm and vilia auto(I need to thank the man somehow,and besides he showed interest in them).

I am considering getting an Olympus PEN F with a couple of lenses("normal"38/1.8; soligor 100/2.8) for very cheap - the problem is that it is jammed - I need to check if I can find a repair tech for it or do it myself. I wanted one for a while but they are pricey.
Wouldn't mind finding a nikon\m42 adapter for it.

I recieved three scanned films from Avi Agronov(color - two from Petra one "generic") so something will be up pretty soon.

Recieved 20 or so records, mostly classical(Vienna Boys Quire singing Lieders for example - A romanian conductor I don't know doing highlights from Peer Gynt and Nutcracker ), One Uriah Heep(cute), the Rolling Stones(Live at '81 - great) and a couple of really ecclectic ones(WHAM!-to the bin ,the soundtrack from Zorba the Greek and Amalia Rodriguez).

Will listen and throw away\donate what I don't like. The scratched ones are "plastic cover donors" for my old records that have bad ones.

Mood is positive.

old BW

Where did all the cowboys go

(Jerusalem-probably pentax k1000+50/2 with tmax 100 or 400)



Untitled

(probably nikon fm2n+50/1.4AI Beer Sheba film sis either tmax 100 or pan 400)

Nature embracing son of god

(Carlstejn pentax k1000+50/2 with tmax 400)

Watched Clerks II(Smith stll has it but I liked the first one MUCH better) and Shortbus(pretentious and average - the live sex is realistic and unpleasant to watch-distasteful gimmic) yesterday. Listened to Wagner's Parcifal(deutche grammophon recoirdings,von Karajanb conducting vynil).

I like Wagner.

Jerusalem photos(old)

Set your sites for the dome of rock(view from a church)




Monks actualy live here!

 
both nikon fm2n+50/1.4 with either fuji proplus II 100 or fuji x-tra 400

Shallow is Good(dof)

Some kind of thristle. Or just looks like it.
Beyt Guvrin,southern Israel. Praktica mtl3;135/2.8 pallas magenta auto lens;konica vx 200 or kodak gold 200.

Jerusalem(old pics) two color, two BW

Armenian Church "The spirit survives the sword"

The Israeli Goverment doesn't aknowledge the Armenian Holocaust.

Apperantly trade with Turkey is more important


A private residence in the Muslim quarter - probably someone in the family returned from a Hajj.




A church entry on the Olive Mount.

I think the backlighting adds a mystical feeling - lost between two worlds.

This one is from Santa Anna church (Muslim quarter). It was shot on color film.

The tourist was probably Italian.

The pics were either taken with a nikon fm2n,50/1.4 or a pentax k1000+50/2 SMC.
the films are either fuji x-tra 400 or fuji proplus II 100 for color and tmax 100 or 400 in tetenal for BW.

a little progress

today i dropped of 8 rolls of different color film(that I shot over the last 4 months) to develop(I will scan them one day) and about 200 photos to print(Prague travel album).I have somehting like 10 unscanned developed BW and about 5-6 undeveoped ones.I have 4-5 120 bw films waiting to be scanned by one guy and 4 x35 colored ones by another but they don't have much time so it take forever.

I got the new computer and it works quietly and with no fuss.

I am not in a very photographic mood.I need to select 20-40 color pics to enlarge to 20x30 for my big pics album.

a little progress

today i dropped of 8 rolls of different color films(that I shot over the last 4 months) to develop(I will scan them one day) and about 200 photos to print(Prague travel album).I have somehting like 10 unscanned developed BW and about 5-6 undeveoped ones.I have 4-5 120 bw films waiting to be scanned by one guy and 4 x35 colored ones by another but they don't have much time so it take forever.

I got the new computer and it works quietly and with no fuss.

I am not in a very photographic mood.I need to select 20-40 color pics to enlarge to 20x30 for my big pics album.

Sunny Mood

I feel mellow and pleasant(in a pink floyd - us and them kind of way).

Tonight is the last night shift of the cycle,

I ordered a new computer which should be ready on Sunday,

I will get some photogear in the mail soon:

• on a loan - a couple of nikon bodies-fg and f-301, winder and flash for the fg - I wanted a second nikon body for a looong time now.

• I ordered a set of kodak polycontrasr filters for my enlarger from David Murphy on RFF

• Got some freebies- 2 sealed packs of 25 20x25 sheets of agfa multicontrast paper, a jobo tank + 2 adjustable reels with a cap but no cork - it's is light tight but not watertight - I will use tinfoil and a rubberband or something- should be intresting to try something that isn't paterson of which I have two.

NIkon fm2n;50/1.4 at 1.4 - 1/30 or 1/60 - color print film - a tungsten lamp from above.

Queer Winter

This one strange winter(in Israeli terms) sometimes the daya are hot(20-25 degrees celsius) and sometimes cold(around 7-8). The nights go from cool to cold(10-3).

Thanks God for tea.

Two Normandy cider cups(used mostly for tea)

White napkin,table lamp,praktica mtl3 with 50/1.8 (I think) and color print film

Some things just don' amount to a hill of beans in this world

fm2n,50/1.4 AI at minimal distance, fuji proplus II 100 iso(i guess),openish(f=1.4 to 4),table lamp lying on it's side ,black cardboard, beans, rough salt.

A couple of people told me the picture reminds them of drugs - as in food is addictive - but I don't think it's the issue.Just a study in still life.

I have given a guy I know several 120 films from the yashicamat to scan - so I'll post them one day.

I am buying a new computer in a day or two.