Breaking old ground

lulalake · June 14, 2005

Hi Folks,

Recently I've become enamored by early 20th century photography. The look of those old shots just flat gets me. To that end I've been sweeping eBay and other places for the old cameras.

It's my thought that no amount of PS can quite get the look of shots made with old lenses and sloooow film.

This shot is off the first roll that I ran through the camera; it reminds me of old National Geographic travel shots (Super shallow DOF, low contrast). It was taken with Pan-F film (ASA 50) which is in the ballpark of 1930's film, on a Balda Super Pontura.

This is a coupled rangefinder folding German camera, circa 1935-7 that when built was heavy competition with Zeiss-Ikon cameras. It's somewhat of a bear to use but loads of fun.

The second one I purposely attempted to make look like something one would find in grannys' trunk with no name on it and you might always wonder, just who was that woman?

The lenses are of course uncoated and the curve of the lens is different than newer ones.

I hope you enjoy it, I'm learning more techniques for making the shots feel old.

These were scanned in on an Epson 4870 with very little PSing other than slight "scan" sharpening.

Cheers

Jules

Angelo · June 14, 2005

Jules;

EXCELLENT

you've done a great job nailing the look.

You might like to see this > http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=5979

lulalake · June 14, 2005

Angelo wrote:

Jules;

EXCELLENT you've done a great job nailing the look.

You might like to see this > http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=5979

Angelo,

Thanks so much. It's so much of an experiment that if I even get a properly exposed shot I'm in heaven.

I'm going to slower film, Efke 25 which will be closer yet to that old stuff.

Thanks for the link to your dad's camera, what is it? I couldn't quite make out the name? I have a Franka Solida III that's from 1954 that looks really similar to that one. These cameras are sooo cheap nowadays, 20 bucks and up.

It's a nice change from my digital.

Cheers

Jules

ehughes · June 14, 2005

Looks like fun Jules, I've often wanted to try that same thing, pick up an old camera and see if I could recreate the "feel" of the old shots..

Well Done

lulalake wrote:

Angelo,

Thanks so much. It's so much of an experiment that if I even get a properly exposed shot I'm in heaven.

I'm going to slower film, Efke 25 which will be closer yet to that old stuff.

Thanks for the link to your dad's camera, what is it? I couldn't quite make out the name? I have a Franka Solida III that's from 1954 that looks really similar to that one. These cameras are sooo cheap nowadays, 20 bucks and up.

It's a nice change from my digital.

Cheers

Jules

Angelo · June 14, 2005

lulalake wrote:

Angelo,

Thanks so much. It's so much of an experiment that if I even get a properly exposed shot I'm in heaven.

I'm going to slower film, Efke 25 which will be closer yet to that old stuff.

Thanks for the link to your dad's camera, what is it? I couldn't quite make out the name? I have a Franka Solida III that's from 1954 that looks really similar to that one. These cameras are sooo cheap nowadays, 20 bucks and up.

It's a nice change from my digital.

Cheers

Jules

I don't recall but I'll check the brand name. I also have another I just received from a friend. I'll take a quick snap of it to show you. I'd love to find some film for them and give them a shake-down.

lulalake · June 14, 2005

ehughes wrote:

Looks like fun Jules, I've often wanted to try that same thing, pick up an old camera and see if I could recreate the "feel" of the old shots..

Well Done

Yes it's altogether possible using old lenses and slow film.
Go to eBay and search "folding camera" (singular).

They are impossibly cheap, 20-100 or so bucks sometimes more.

If you get an odd size film, 116 or 118 you will have to kluge a spool but that's not all that difficult. (break out the light meter).

Cheers

Jules

MuskyDude · June 14, 2005

Hi Jules,

Now that's "kickin' it it old school"!

I love the effect it gives to the shots, thanks for sharing!

AJ

lulalake · June 14, 2005

MuskyDude wrote:

Hi Jules,

Now that's "kickin' it it old school"!

I love the effect it gives to the shots, thanks for sharing!

AJ

Thanks much Musky Dude,
(I love your avatar). Man these are loads of fun. They don't require a ton of PSing but with that tool you can be verrry selective about what to do once scanned in.
I thought I was cheating a bit when I processed the Negs in Rodinal but reading on the Net I found that Rodinal is one of, if not THE oldest commercial developer made, since the late 1800's by Agfa. I think that many old negs were likely often done with Rodinal.

This, plus the older lenses may have something to do with the the look.

Thanks again MD

Jules

Breaking old ground

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