Found negs

While waiting for my M5, I've decided to do some things or else I'll go nuts (BTW, the lens hood, purchased new from Adorama, came in today).

One of the many things I still have to do (besides sweeping the backyard) is developing some film. As a matter of fact, I did it just a few hours ago, and while I was filing my negs (they are too curled up for scanning), lo and behold! I found some very old negs... made with this very old Leica M4-2.

To be quite honest, I didn't remember NOT having burned anything but commercial film in this one... but it seems I did use some of my film stock (Agfa APX, no less), so here it is...

Frequent sights in campus, people (actually, students) walking about, and bicycles, though not in the abundance one would expect... I think this is a spot near the Founders Library.

Bike parking by Graham Hall, where my German class met in the fall 2008.

Classmates in German 202 at NIU

And yes, indeed, all these images were created with my trustworthy M4-2. Nothing more fitting than uploading them here.

Color

Using color film... can be a problem. No, I don't avoid it. In fact, I like it, but it's a problem dealing with one's exposure mistakes, as they translate into weird tones, strange casts, unexpected renderings of skin color. However, I just keep trying. Here are some samples from last summer.

My wife, on a rare moment of peace now that we have a baby (I compensated the exposure one stop and a half, IIRC, exp. 1/1000 at f4)

Potential undergraduate students touring the NIU campus (exp. 1/1000 at f13 or thereabouts)

Cat in a DeKalb store. I offered a print to the cat's owner... and shall deliver soon (exp. 1/60 at f4, IIRC)

Back from repairs... and feeling frisky!

The M4-2 went to Wisconsin, to get repaired, and receive a new lease on life from Don Goldberg. It's finally back! And of course, I've been using it (with B&W film).

Trees by the NIU library...

Backyard furniture, covered in snow.

Bench near library, with sun peeking in.

The film advance still feels a bit grainy, but the cosmetics in the camera are now unbeatable. Both PC contacts have their own covers and the little rims around them (both were restored). Don also replaced the hot flash element, which had deteriorated when some glue from a clumsy repair in the top axle of the film rewind seeped into it. Later, I added some white to the lettering. The camera is ready for some 25 more years...

Crutchless Photography

Not long ago, I started playing with meterless Leicas. Especifically, a 1957 DS M3 purchased from National Camera Exchange for something below $500. Highly recommended, by the way...

Back to the issue... that purchase perhaps was not a good idea... Or probably it was, because it helped me start flying without electronic help.

Here come some early efforts with the M3 and Kodak Portra or Ilford XP2.

DeKalb garage, on the way to my office.

Stairs inside a university building.

Who said "no" to landscapes with rangefinder cameras? I did... once, a long time ago, before realizing I had done the one above (the Kishwaukee river flows around my university campus).

Something similar with my M4-2... on BW400CN film and with my Hexanon 35/f2 lens.

Hot dog vendor in campus.

Mimi stalking a chipmunk in the back of the house.

Table and chairs for not so terribly hot days (I'm curious about how they'll look in winter).

I admit having to do a bit of Photoshopping on these images, but mostly an exposure adjustment of maybe one stop. Considering that I tend to overexpose, and that I had to adjust the levels only one bit, it's not too bad.

BTW, these are all Walgreens scans off the film I left with them for developing.

More later!