Now is the time on sprockets when we dance:
Sweet tutorial by photographer Cameron Stephen. You can see his work at his blog, The Plastic Lens, and here on Flickr.
Related: 35mm Sprocket Holes group on Flickr
Tag: 35mm
Gallery of amazing homemade pinhole cameras
Check out this gallery of amazing pinhole cameras that I think are homemade, probably by a designer named Hyun Kwanghun. But I’m not sure because I can’t read Korean. Very cool stuff though!
Via Chris Keeney
Conversion: Kodak Instamatic 100 to 35mm film
Here are nefotografas‘s instructions for adapting the very cheap Kodak Instamatic 100 camera to use 35mm film. There’s also a bigger version here.
This looks very easy to do, no major camera surgery required. Nice!
Making sense of Jobo daylight film processing tanks
The Jobo daylight film processing system seems confusing at first, and their web site is an unhelpful mess, but IMO it’s worth working through, because the stuff is good and does what it says it’s going to do well. Here’s what I have (all link to B&H):
#2561 tank with magnet base, holds 2 x 4×5 reels (12 sheets total), or 4 reels of 120, 220, or 127, or 6 reels of 135. You can get extension tubes for this tank to make it huge if you want to. There is a variant of this tank with a cog, which I’ve heard sucks for inversion and roller base processing, so unless you’re going to get the fancy temperature controller processor, stick with the magnet.
#2509N sheet film reel, holds up to 6 sheets. (Also holds 9x12cm.)
#2502 adjustable reel, fits 135, 127, 120, and 220 (you can gang up 2 rolls of 120 onto a single reel).
#1509 manual roller base, not necessary if you opt to use more chemistry and do inversion.
This gives me a nice, flexible system that will handle 135 through 4×5 in the same tank for not a lot of money. I’ve been really happy with it so far, I like it better than the Paterson system I was using for 135 and 120 and the dreaded Combi-Plan (of which I wrote a very profane review and follow-up).
There’s also the #2508 sheet film loader base (requires a film guide), which is meant to make loading sheet film easier, but I’ve never used it.
If you want to go fancier, there’s the Jobo expert drums, which are for sheet film only. I’ve heard they’re unbelievably easy to load, people seem to really love them, but they are more expensive, and I haven’t used them and can’t comment on them, either.
Less cowbell: 35mm reducing back for 8×10 view camera
Check out this eBay auction for a reducing back that allows you to shoot 35mm film on an 8×10 Deardorff field camera!
Thanks to Tom Persinger for the heads-up.
Get vertical
I just snagged an Olympus Pen FT from fleabay. The Pen F series are half-frame 35mm SLRs (what actually used to be "full frame", the size that 35mm cinema frames still are… what we today call full frame was originally called double frame!).
Square composition definitely shook my world up, and I’m excited to see what composing with a vertical viewfinder does to how I see. I can also see how getting 72 shots per roll could go either way: a blessing if you’re shooting a lot, and a curse if you’re casually taking a shot here and there over the course of a week.
Zeiss Ikon SW superwide 35mm viewfinder camera
Carl Zeiss AG Press Release:
Oberkochen, August 15, 2006. The Zeiss Ikon SW is the 35mm precision camera for uncompromising superwide photographers. Its lens mount takes any lens with M bayonet, in particular the ZEISS high performance superwide-angle lenses Distagon T* 2,8/15mm ZM and the Biogon T* types from the ZEISS ZM range. An accessory shoe directly above the lens takes the corresponding superwide Viewfinder. A second shoe is built in to take a flash, a bubble level or other accessory. The electronically controlled metal focal plane shutter offers speeds ranging from 1/2000 sec. – 8 sec. in automatic mode (AE-lock is available) and 1/2000 – 1 sec. + B in manual mode. Fastest flash synchro speed is 1/125 sec.
The Zeiss Ikon SW offers the same extremely high image quality as the known Zeiss Ikon rangefinder camera: far above today’s digital cameras. It is fully integrated into the Zeiss Ikon system. The Zeiss Ikon SW comes without the complex rangefinder and is therefore considerably more affordable than the rangefinder camera.
The Zeiss Ikon SW will be available as of October 2006. List price is 799,00 € (without VAT)
Technical Data
Camera type: 35mm camera with focal plane shutter and TTL light metering.
Film format: 24 x 36mm on 35mm film
Lenses: Intended to be used with short focal length types of the Carl Zeiss T* ZM-mount lens family in combination with an external viewfinder. Other M-mount lenses, including M39 screw mount lenses with an M – mount adapter can be used.
Exposure metering: TTL center-weighted metering at working aperture.
Metering range at ISO 100 and f/2: EV0-EV19 (f/2-4 sec., f/16-1/2000 sec.)
Film speed range: ISO 25-3200 manually set in 1/3 f-stop increments.
Exposure modes: AE with aperture priority or manual; AE lock option for a single exposure or for a sequence of exposures; exposure compensation +/-2 f-stops in 1/3 stops set at shutter speed dial.
LED display: Combination of 3 LED indicates shutter speed setting situation.
Shutter and shutter speed: Vertical-travel metal focal-plane shutter with electronically controlled speeds accurate to 1/12 f-stop.Range in Automatic mode: 8 sec. to 1/2000 sec.
Range in Manual mode: 1 sec. to 1/2000 sec. in 1-stop increments; B.
Flash synch: Synchronization at 1/125 sec. and longer shutter speeds
Film transport: Rapid-wind manual advance lever, with ratcheted partial advance
Camera body: One-piece aluminum base structure, external magnesium covers, tripod thread 1/4 inch in base, two accessory shoes for external viewfinder and flash
Batteries: One CR 1/3 Lithium or two 1.5 V cells type LR44 or SR44
Dimensions: 138mm W x 72.5mm H x 32mm D (5.4†W x 2.9†H x 1.3†D).
Weight: 395g (13.9 oz.)
Carl Zeiss is a leading international group of companies operating worldwide in the optical and opto-electronic industry. Carl Zeiss AG is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. The business groups, which each operate with sole responsibility, are generally ranked first or second in the strategic markets of biosciences and medical technology, system solutions for industry and optical consumer goods. They offer products and services for biomedical research and medical technology, system solutions for the semiconductor, automotive and mechanical engineering industries, as well as high-quality consumer goods such as camera lenses and binoculars. In fiscal year 2004/05 (ended 30 September) the Carl Zeiss Group generated sales totaling EUR 2,222 million. Carl Zeiss has 11,500 members of staff, including 3,300 outside Germany. The Carl Zeiss Group is directly represented in more than 30 countries and operates production facilities in Europe, America and Asia.
The eyeglass business now operates as Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH and is the number two eyeglass provider in the world. This company is owned 50:50 by Carl Zeiss AG and a private equity company.
Via PhotographyBLOG
Fuji to discontinue bulk 35mm film
Remember the saying "film is cheap"? Those days are gone—or at least going. Fuji has announced the end of production for Neopan black and white films in 100-foot (30.5 meter) bulk roll format, scheduled for March 2007. The films will continue to be available in pre-loaded cassettes, and of course other formats like 120 and sheet.
…
Will future photography students bother to explore film when the cost of a roll of 35mm black and white film may approach $10?
Continue reading at The Online Photographer
Improvized 35mm film leader retriever
Rewind your 35mm film all the way into the canister and need to get the leader out again? Here’s how to do it with a piece of film.
Flickr member fullframe writes:
The arrow is pointing in the direction you’re going to insert this into the canister. The hooks were cut into the sprockets to catch the sprockets of the film leader. This is just an illustration, you should cut more notches.
Once you have enough of this film puller in the canister turn the spindle counterclockwise (if you’re looking at the canister with the spindle pointing towards you) until you feel the hooks catch. Slowly pull the film puller out. If things work it should drag out the film leader. You may have to try more than once.
Based on original instructions by Andrew Davidhazy.
Via fullframe and kellybelly
Kodak reduce static attraction of 35mm films
From Kodak’s press release:
"Kodak has significantly reduced the static attraction of its processed professional and consumer 35mm capture films worldwide. Recent photofinishing tests indicate that the humidity-independent static protection of this new 35mm film support yields frames with nearly 65 percent less printing dirt or white spots – a common frustration among lab owners. This new support will produce cleaner images and, in turn, streamline consumer and professional lab workflows and cut production time.
"KODAK 35mm film with antistatic support will begin shipping to retailers this month."
Hopefully less static = less dust, and that is awesome!