Two Folding Cameras
At home in the rain with not much to do, work and life at full speed kicks off again tomorrow. So I have been in geek mode sorting out my cameras. Here are geeky photograps of cameras. The two cameras are both German and achieve small sizes though folding theier lenses away behind protective covers when not in use.
The big one is an Agfa Super Isolette made in Berlin some time between 1954 and 1958.
The small on is a Minox 35 EL made in Geissen/Heuschelheim between 1974 and 1979.
Both cameras are engineered very well in the best German tradition, they both work well and have that solid German feel. They are both tactile delights to use, all controls have asatisfying feel to them and work accuratey. This makes the process of making photographs a series of tactile, thought filled satisfying events. Being film cameras they both contain lots of mechanical components to move the film on, maintian registration and hold it flat during exposure. Both have shutters that are near silent but the photographer can hear two satisfying clicks as accurately made components open and clise the shutters.
Both cameras have four element Tessar lenses, the Agfa uses unit focusing where the whole lens moves during focusing. The Minox usesfront cell focusing where only the front lens element moves,it is a much stronger element than the others in the lens so it only has to move one ninth the dsitance a unit focusing lens needs to move. Both lenses are of very high optical quality and when used well can produce finely resolved immages with a 3D look. They reproduce skin tones well and can handle the whole range of contrasts presented by all kinds of lighting and subjects. Lesser lenses just use high contrast to give an appearance of quility and definition. These lenses are made of the finest German optics.
The size differnce between the cameras is due to thier format sizes, the larger Agfa uses 120 roll film and uses a square 6x6 cm format. The smaller Minox uses 135 film using a 24x36 mm format. The Agfa is loaded with Kodak Portra 160 and the Minox with Kodak Exra Color 200.
Two Folding Cameras
At home in the rain with not much to do, work and life at full speed kicks off again tomorrow. So I have been in geek mode sorting out my cameras. Here are geeky photograps of cameras. The two cameras are both German and achieve small sizes though folding theier lenses away behind protective covers when not in use.
The big one is an Agfa Super Isolette made in Berlin some time between 1954 and 1958.
The small on is a Minox 35 EL made in Geissen/Heuschelheim between 1974 and 1979.
Both cameras are engineered very well in the best German tradition, they both work well and have that solid German feel. They are both tactile delights to use, all controls have asatisfying feel to them and work accuratey. This makes the process of making photographs a series of tactile, thought filled satisfying events. Being film cameras they both contain lots of mechanical components to move the film on, maintian registration and hold it flat during exposure. Both have shutters that are near silent but the photographer can hear two satisfying clicks as accurately made components open and clise the shutters.
Both cameras have four element Tessar lenses, the Agfa uses unit focusing where the whole lens moves during focusing. The Minox usesfront cell focusing where only the front lens element moves,it is a much stronger element than the others in the lens so it only has to move one ninth the dsitance a unit focusing lens needs to move. Both lenses are of very high optical quality and when used well can produce finely resolved immages with a 3D look. They reproduce skin tones well and can handle the whole range of contrasts presented by all kinds of lighting and subjects. Lesser lenses just use high contrast to give an appearance of quility and definition. These lenses are made of the finest German optics.
The size differnce between the cameras is due to thier format sizes, the larger Agfa uses 120 roll film and uses a square 6x6 cm format. The smaller Minox uses 135 film using a 24x36 mm format. The Agfa is loaded with Kodak Portra 160 and the Minox with Kodak Exra Color 200.