I must confess.
I have a soft spot for old cameras. In particular I can't resist the charm of old folders, the "pocket point & click" cameras of the old times.
Each time I see one of them cheaply priced on eBay or in a fair, left in a corner like a poor relative one is ashamed of, I always try to negotiate its release. I know I'll use it...
This time I tested "on the road" a Ensign Ranger 6x9 (I guess it's the mark II), an english folder of the '50 equipped with a Ensar 100/4.5 lens (probably a triplet scheme) mounted on a german shutter Gauthier Prontor II.
Loaded with a roll of Fuji Reala 100 I brought it to a trip on the Appenino mountains behind Bologna and, in spite of the not so sunny weather, it behaved a lot bettar than I could imagine, thanks also to its minimum focus distance of 3½ feets.
The only problem I had was some film wrinkling, maybe because it wrapped upon the old wooden spool, a relic of the last time it was used, probably really in the '50!
If also you own a folder in your grandpa trunk, don't throw it away, but don't put it as an ornament on your cupboard either. It's really funny how many people go crazy trying to give their digital shots an "old style" look and at the same time despise the instruments that create it without working for hours in post production.
Love your folders, they will love you back!
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2 commenti :
I just bought one of the BowerX cameras in great shape from ebay. I wanted to get into medium format cheap. But, being trained only on 35mm I have no idea where to even begin using this camera. Any help would be appreciated. Your art is wonderful. Thanks.
@Art Vandalay
It's no different than 35mm, you just have to use a lightmeter, set time and aperture on the shutter, frame the subject (remember that folders, unless they have a rangefinder, have very coarse framing, so stay safe on borders) and fire the shutter. That's all ;)
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