We visited some historical sites in the San Pedro River area.

We hiked the Millville and Petroglyph Discovery Trails in the San Pedro Riparian Conservation Area.

www.destination4x4.com/millville-arizona-cochse-county-gh...

Millville, Arizona, is a ghost town in Cochise County, located along the San Pedro River, approximately nine miles southwest of Tombstone. Established in the late 1870s during the Arizona Territory’s silver mining boom, Millville served as a milling hub for processing silver ore from Tombstone’s mines. Closely tied to the nearby town of Charleston, Millville’s history reflects the rapid rise and fall of mining communities in the American West. This report explores Millville’s origins, economic significance, social dynamics, decline, and current status, drawing on historical accounts and archaeological insights.

Millville emerged in 1878 following Ed Schieffelin’s discovery of silver in the Tombstone area. Schieffelin, along with his brother Al and partner Richard Gird, recognized the need for a milling operation to process the raw silver ore into bullion. The San Pedro River’s water supply made it an ideal location, as water was essential for ore refinement, unlike the water-scarce Tombstone. Gird selected a site on the east bank of the San Pedro River, where two stamp mills—the Gird Mill and the Corbin Mill—were constructed to crush and process ore. Millville was formally established as the industrial heart of the region, with Charleston, on the west bank, serving as the residential and commercial settlement for mill workers and their families.

Today, Millville is part of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The site is accessible via a 1.8-mile loop trail, the Millville Historic Townsite and Rock Art Discovery Trail, which features interpretive signs about the area’s history and petroglyphs. The trail, rated as easy, takes about 38 minutes to complete and offers views of the San Pedro River, ghost town ruins, and natural features. Visitors report informative signage but note the lack of shade and occasional hazards like rattlesnakes.

The BLM and organizations like the Friends of the San Pedro River work to preserve the sites, though no official signage marks Millville along Charleston Road. The ruins consist of stone walls, adobe foundations, and remnants of the Gird and Corbin Mills, visible from the trail. The nearby Clanton Ranch, Fairbanks ghost town, and Presidio Santa Cruz de Terranate add to the region’s historical attractions.

Millville, Arizona, encapsulates the fleeting prosperity of the Wild West’s mining boom. From its founding in 1878 to its abandonment by 1889, the town played a critical role in processing Tombstone’s silver, driving economic growth in the San Pedro Valley. Its industrial focus, contrasted with Charleston’s lively social scene, highlights the diverse dynamics of frontier life. Though reduced to ruins, Millville’s legacy endures through preserved trails and historical narratives, offering a glimpse into Arizona’s rugged past. The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area ensures that Millville’s story, alongside its natural and cultural surroundings, remains accessible to future generations.

Some rock art petroglyphs in the area.

Kartchner 2025

Southern Arizona Adventure 2025

The Falcon's Scepter was developed and manufactured just before the start of a the Martian civil wars, and came to represent the oppression and removal of civil liberties under the rule of the monarch tyrant "Steve". A true fighter and bomber hybrid - this fast and deadly vessel could successfully defend its payload deep into enemy territory and strike at the heart of the resistance.

Reminds me of a slightly more refined version of my "Boom wing.

m.flickr.com/#/photos/53458657@N04/19885267328/

m.flickr.com/#/photos/53458657@N04/14408471310/

Another shot on black with some mild refinements so unoticable that you probably won't even notice.

Also, I should mention it fits a fig, and the wings are slightly adjustable to form different configurations.

Islande

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Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens. Single shot, refinement and 7:5 crop in Affinity Photo.

I was born a child

An atheist that is

In a conception of love

Tell me about yours, please.

Nothing tells time better

Than nine months in confinement

After all that darkness, yes

I needed a refinement.

Now they tell me I am Godlike

And that all roads lead to Rome

I want to know the truth

What is my real Home? b.mikic

A view of Chester station taken from the Hoole Road over-bridge catches a 3-car Merseyrail class 507 unit, 507008, leaving the station with the 3.45pm train to Hooton (2H40).

The station, once named Chester General and jointly operated by the London & North Western Railway and Great Western Railway companies, was opened in 1848. It still carries a good deal of its original brickwork and architecture, although refinements and modifications over the years now see it somewhat rationalised and sporting a mixture of different styles, especially platform side.

The purpose of this shot is purely record, aimed at capturing one of the soon-to-disappear class 507 3rd rail Merseyrail units.

3.45pm, 22nd March 2019

Of cliches, overshot locations, and long lines... I've been shooting this tree now for 11 years. I've missed a few autumns here and there, but nearly every year I've returned to this tree. When I first shot this tree, there was no waiting, no line, no signs informing you of a 15 minute time limit. Now there is often long lines filled with people who have traveled far and wide to photograph this tree. I've met people from as far away as Iceland and South Africa who have come for this tree. Everyone has a shot of it. It would seem nothing original is possible about it anymore. But yet somehow when there was a nice blanket of fog in the garden the other day, I felt compelled to shoot the cliched shot, process it, and post it. I guess because no matter how many times it's been shot, it looks fantastic. Even more so with fog. Every year now just seems to be a slight refinement. Slightly different conditions make all the difference. But now that I finally have a shot in the fog that I've been on the hunt for over the past several years, I'm not sure where to go next. Maybe it's time to find a different tree.

I could post other photos from this day of other parts of the garden which look fantastic in the fog, but I know they will just languish here on social media. So here it is. Maybe for the last autumn I will share a photo from underneath it.

Laceleaf maple on a foggy autumn morning in the Portland Japanese Garden, Portland, Oregon, USA.

Prints: tom-schwabel.pixels.com

This is a copyrighted image with all rights reserved. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs, facebook, or other media without my explicit permission. See profile page for information on prints and licensing.

Vigorous items

Brussels

This photograph captures the stunning entrance of the Hotel-Dieu, part of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, a historic monument in the beautiful city of Beaune, located in the Burgundy region of France. The door is a masterpiece of architectural beauty, adorned with intricate carvings and embellishments that reflect the rich history and cultural heritage of the region. Its imposing presence and exquisite craftsmanship make it a symbol of the grandeur and elegance of the historic site. Standing before this magnificent door, one can't help but be transported back in time to an era of opulence and refinement.

RX_09206_20240409_Beaune

“I love tulips better than any other spring flower; they are the embodiment of alert cheerfulness and tidy grace, and next to a hyacinth look like a wholesome, freshly tubbed young girl beside a stout lady whose every movement weighs down the air with patchouli. Their faint, delicate scent is refinement itself; and is there anything in the world more charming than the sprightly way they hold up their little faces to the sun. I have heard them called bold and flaunting, but to me they seem modest grace itself, only always on the alert to enjoy life as much as they can and not be afraid of looking the sun or anything else above them in the face.”

― Elizabeth von Arnim

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Thanks a lot to all for visits and comments... !

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

Ceiling inside les Galeries Lafayette in Paris.

In October 1912, the new store’s inauguration was a major event. The store’s 5 floors, balconies and glass dome were advertised all over Paris, the provinces and even globally as pure refinement. Inspired by a neo-Byzantine style, the 33-meter high glass dome comprises of 10 painted windows encapsulated in rich metallic frames and decorated in a sculpted floral motif.

Bruxelles

Aperture: Toy Camera Preset & Refinements

“I love tulips better than any other spring flower; they are the embodiment of alert cheerfulness and tidy grace, and next to a hyacinth look like a wholesome, freshly tubbed young girl beside a stout lady whose every movement weighs down the air with patchouli. Their faint, delicate scent is refinement itself; and is there anything in the world more charming than the sprightly way they hold up their little faces to the sun. I have heard them called bold and flaunting, but to me they seem modest grace itself, only always on the alert to enjoy life as much as they can and not be afraid of looking the sun or anything else above them in the face.”

― Elizabeth von Arnim

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Thanks to all for 9,000.000+ views and kind comments ... ! Have a nice week...!

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved

Panorama made by stitching of 12 pictures obtained with polarize filter using PTGui and mild refinements with Lightroom (no changes were done for colors!).

Here's my second attempt into quarantine astrophotography, building on some of the lessons learned from the first experiment on Andromeda earlier this summer. More lessons learned, and more refinement to come as I eventually search for dimmer and more difficult to find objects. This one is shot on a D850, 200-500mm Nikkor at 500mm, 60 x 20s exposures (plus 20 x 20s dark) for a total exposure time of 20 minutes.

The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976) and the Running Man Nebula (NGC 1973, NGC 1975, and NGC 1977) in the Orion constellation. M42 is located approximately 1,300 light years away and is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth.

Prints: tom-schwabel.pixels.com

Facebook: @tomschwabelphotography

Instagram: @tomschwabelphotography

This is a copyrighted image with all rights reserved. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs, facebook, or other media without my explicit permission. See profile page for information on prints and licensing.

La qualité d'un maquillage réside dans sa discrétion.

Pari réussi !!!

The quality of a makeup lies in its discretion.

Successful bet !!!

081/366,

For my video; youtu.be/HCPZPyT7Uts?si=F5_lLWGbQ4Dz1t6g

Woorim, Queensland, Australia

The Ford Fairmont is a full-size car that was built by Ford Australia as an upmarket model of the Ford Falcon from 1965 to 2008. It featured a higher level of standard equipment than corresponding Falcon models of the same series. As well as offering a more luxurious interior trim with additional comfort and convenience features, for much of its first 25 years the Fairmont also offered a higher mechanical specification; a larger capacity engine and refinements such as disc brakes, power steering and automatic transmission that were extra cost options for the Falcon were fitted as standard equipment for the Fairmont. It was available as a four-door sedan throughout its life, as a five-door station wagon from its introduction through to 2002, and as a two-door hardtop from 1972 to 1978.

351 V8 Cruisomatic (XB) in 1974, the model with 5-door station wagon body and V-8 5766 cm3 / 351.9 cui, 194 kW / 264 PS / 260 hp (SAE gross) for Australia . Specifications listing with fuel economy, top speed, performance factory data and ProfessCars™ estimation: this Ford would accelerate 0-60 mph in 8.8 sec, 0-100 km/h in 9.3 sec, reach a first kilometer from start in 30.4 sec and quarter mile time is 16.6 sec.

Quebec

•Love

•Beauty

•Fertility

•Refinement

•Thoughtfulness

•Charm

Kodak Vision 3 250D f/22 1/2s +ND cent +ND grad.

Some new film stock for the 6x12. This is Kodak Vision 3 70mm cinema film (essentially 70mm IMAX) cut down from bulk reels and hand rolled into 120 wrappers by B2 in Melbourne. Rem-jet layer intact (unlike Cinestill). This has then been processed in ECN-2 chemistry (rather than C-41) following rem-jet removal, and scanned on a Hasselblad Flextight scanner, again by B2 in Melbourne.

Sprocket holes are for film registration (not winding) in IMAX equipment, they are not, unfortunately, spaced enough to clear the frame size of the Horseman. The current state of the art IMAX cameras and projectors use the 1570 format (15 sprocket holes in 70mm), think Dunkirk, Interstellar, Oppenheimer, Star Wars, with 18k scans for SFX and recompiled to film for the fortunate venues to have 1570 projection equipment, less than 20 cinemas worldwide screen full length movies in 1570. But with a native resolution of 16k, vs say 4k laser IMAX, or standard cinema DCI 2k or DCI 4k, they are worth a watch…

By no means new, but the financial driver behind ongoing refinement of film technology, with unprecedented film latitude in particular spilling down to the still photography space (why, for example, Ektar can now boast +/- 5 stops).

Another view from a warm-water-form. High outward views, often south facing and with a sense of drama - these are the situation of warm-water-forms. They are not exclusively on high points, so watching the landscape while 'working' the stone was done without a 'military mind' as there are often rocky heights behind the stones and no general evidence of hilltop settlement. Discreet and with a sense of calibrations of 'quality': quality of water, quality of view, quality of sun, quality of stone.

One of the last documented peoples from the prehistoric continuum might be the complex mosaic known as Greek civilization. The search for beauty and 'sensoriel' within this culture may not have been an anomaly, and may have simply been a local area expression from a continuum of pre Celtic/Bell Beaker/neolithic lifestyle. With many vivid landscape features (waterfalls, cliffs, vivid hills) and cultural links in the local area (OYO, Bondons, Blandas, Rouergat), a certain passion and refinement may have also been attracted to this heart of France.

AJM 13.07.20

Copyright CrisDeR

It was quite late in the morning as the family and I were making our way to the Signal Mountain Lodge for breakfast. We past by quite a few deer foraging for their own breakfast after crossing the Jackson Lake Dam.

I was totally surprised that the wind hadn't kicked up yet - it was close to 10am when we rolled into the turnout. The reflection was amazing.

This is from 15 images processed in Lightroom and stitched using Microsoft ICE along with some additional refinements in Photoshop.

Excerpt from www.fourseasons.com/montreal/services-and-amenities/art-c...:

“Easter Bundle” (2017)

Michelle Bui’s creative approach revolves around investigating the juncture between the natural world and consumption culture. With an in-depth visual exploration of mundane objects, Bui’s photography reflects sensitivity through sculptural composition. The juxtaposition of organic and artificial material is re-contextualized and creates an imaginative sense of refinement, in perfect homogeneity with the atmosphere of our Hotel. The collection is exhibited in the corridors from the sixth to the ninth floor.

The Royal Palace of Turin, seat of the Dukes and later Kings of the House of Savoy, stands at the heart of the city as a symbol of political power and artistic patronage. Originally a medieval fortress, it was transformed in the 17th century by architects like Carlo di Castellamonte and Guarino Guarini into a magnificent Baroque residence. With its lavish staterooms, grand staircase, and adjacent Royal Armory and Chapel of the Holy Shroud, the palace served as the center of court life and state affairs. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a key part of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, reflecting centuries of dynastic ambition and cultural refinement.

"To live content with small means;

to seek elegance rather than luxury,

and refinement rather than fashion,

to be worthy, not respectable,

and wealthy, not rich;

to study hard, think quietly,

talk gently, act frankly,

to listen to stars and birds,

to babes and sages,

with open heart,

to bear all cheerfully,

to all bravely await occasions,

hurry never.

In a word, to let the spiritual unbidden

and unconscious grow up through the common.

This is to be my symphony."

— William Henry Channing

Tears Go By Poppy Parker/ FR Breaking the Mold/ FR Refinement/ NU Voltage/ NU Up All Night

GHB’s GEDULD keeps its cool while speaking volumes

With heavy links and a grounded shape, this necklace balances weight with refinement. GEDULD doesn’t shout. It holds its ground and waits for the right moment to strike.

Exclusively at the MANHOOD EVENT from June 27th to July 21st

🔗 maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Manhood/39/130/800

Jewel of Pays d’Auge, Normandy en.normandie-tourisme.fr/normandy-tourism-109-2.html , the Castle of Saint-Germain de Livet is striking by its architecture. Surrounded by moats, it is made up of a timber-framed manor dates back to the 15th century and a Renaissance wing built during the 16th century. This part is remarkable for its painting tiles. The castle houses marvellous frescoes dated from the 16th century. The visit is extended by the discovery of the flowery and raised park. This castle is also a museum. It presents the furniture and the works of art of the family Riesener-Pillaut who bequeathed the castle to the city of Lisieux in 1957. The inside testifies the refinement and the lifestyle of the 19th century. The trail evokes the artistic and personal journey of the painter Léon Riesener (1808-1878), grandson of the cabinet maker Jean-Henri Riesener and cousin of Eugène Delacroix. Visit the furnished interior of the Château de Saint-Germain-de-Livet, where you can also admire paintings by the artist Léon Riesener. The castle has been the property of the town of Lisieux since 1958. www.calvados-tourisme.co.uk/diffusio/en/discover/sites-mo...

Website

Instagram

Behance

Prints:

Photocircle

Redbubble

tulips and pressed glass vase

“Simplicity of life, even the barest, is not a misery, but the very foundation of refinement; a sanded floor and whitewashed walls and the green trees, and flowery meads, and living waters outside.” - Wm. Morris

Started in Hipstamatic and then a sky change in Quickshot. Refinements using Pixelmator, Photoshop, Photos, and Snapseed.

Lovely building inside and out. Originally built in 1875.

This is in the “French Hill” section of Nashua, which is where I was raised. “French Hill” takes its name from having a high concentration of French speaking Canadian immigrants. By the time I moved away during my mid-20’s, most had already left but the name lives on.

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common - this is my symphony. William Ellery Channing

~happy symphonic fence friday~

Bruxelles

Montepescali, il balcone della Maremma. (Grosseto)

Montepescali sorge sulla cima di un colle a pochi Km. da Grosseto lungo la via Aurelia, in direzione nord.

Documentato fin dal 1080, Montepescali rimase incluso fino al secolo XIII fra i domini Aldobrandeschi e, come nelle altre zone, il governo era demandato a famiglie minori, in questo caso i Pannocchieschi. Nel 1147, tre esponenti delle famiglie più importanti, dichiararono di volersi sottomettere alla chiesa cattedrale e al comune di Siena, offrendo quale omaggio, due case nel castello e tre nel borgo, comunque senza omettere la dovuta riverenza agli Aldobrandeschi. Quando poi questa famiglia, nel 1221, strinse un patto d'alleanza con il comune di Siena, i rappresentanti di Montepescali giurarono di garantirne l'osservanza.

Probabilmente, nel 1291, i senesi avevano nel paese un proprio fortilizio in cui risiedeva un ufficiale. Di questo periodo rimangono vestigia importanti nella parte più alta del centro storico, il complesso ora denominato Cassero e Torre dell'Orologio che comprendeva anche il convento di Santa Cecilia, la chiesa e la torre campanaria, sicuramente databile al XII secolo. Con l'avvento dei comuni, Montepescali scelse questa forma di governo chiedendo nel 1147 la protezione militare alla repubblica di Siena. Alla fine del Duecento, quindi, tutta questa struttura si trasformò da religiosa in pubblica e la chiesa con il convento vennero adibiti - a causa delle nuove esigenze - a Palazzo del Tribunale. Anche quella che era in origine la torre campanaria, venne trasformata in civica e fu adornata da quattro stemmi della repubblica senese, oggi scomparsa. Da quel momento la torre venne adibita, vista la sua posizione, ad avvistamento per tutti i movimenti che avvenivano nella pianura sottostante, fino al mare.

Nel '400 vi venne posto un orologio meccanico a ruote cui era abbinata una campana del peso di circa otto quintali, composta per la maggior parte di metalli preziosi, quali oro, bronzo e argento, fatta fondere dai Tolomei di Siena che qui avevano la loro dimora, nell'attuale via Corsi Salviati, davanti al Palazzo Guicciardini Corsi Salviati. I Tolomei donarono questa campana in memoria della loro parente, la dantesca Pia che secondo la leggenda, finì i suoi giorni nel Castel di Pietra, nei territori di Giuncarico. La campana aveva un collegamento con l'unico quadrante dell'orologio che era posto nel fronte nord della torre. Ancora oggi, all'interno delle mura della torre, nel luogo dove si trovava l'orologio originale, si può vedere il quadrante con le ore inciso nel muro, che serviva a rimettere dall'interno l'ora esatta; questi due oggetti rari - anche se in epoche diverse - furono sfortuantamente trafugati.

La cinta muraria, a forma irregolare e costruita tra il X e l'XI secolo, si conserva ancora in gran parte intervallata da torrioni a pianta quadrata fra i quali se ne trova uno a pianta circolare; due porte delimitano gli accessi al borgo: la Porta Vecchia a ovest e la Porta Nuova a nord. La tipologia architettonica con paramento ad andamento verticale, è coerente con l'antica origine del paese, mentre il fronte bastionato, costruito durante la guerra di Siena da Anton Maria Lari, risponde alle esigenze tardo cinquecentesche dell'arte militare.

Nel XIV secolo, a seguito della campagna che i senesi condussero contro gli Aldobrandeschi, Montepescali venne occupato militarmente come tutto il territorio grossetano. Nella seconda metà del Trecento l'Ospedale di Santa Maria della Scala di Siena acquistò dei possedimenti e, nel 1378, vi organizzò una grancia. Anche numerosi edifici risalgono a questo primo periodo: per esempio, il Palazzo Guadagni già d'Elci e il Palazzo Guicciardini Corsi Salviati, entrambi del XIII secolo e il Palazzo Tolomei che si trova nella stessa strada. La ricchezza e la ricercatezza architettonica di questi edifici denotano l'importanza delle famiglie cui appartennero. Il Palazzo Lazzaretti con ampio loggiato di facciata, risale al XIV secolo.

Montepescali, the balcony of the Maremma. (Grosseto, Tuscany Italy)

In the 15th century, a mechanical wheel clock was placed there, which was combined with a bell weighing about eight quintals, composed mostly of precious metals, such as gold, bronze and silver, melted by the Tolomei of Siena who had their home here, in the current Via Corsi Salviati, in front of Guicciardini Corsi Salviati Palace. The Tolomei donated this bell in memory of their relative, Dante's Pia who, according to legend, ended her days in Castel di Pietra, in the territories of Giuncarico. The bell was connected to the only dial of the clock that was placed on the north face of the tower. Even today, inside the walls of the tower, in the place where the original clock was located, you can see the dial with the hours engraved in the wall, which served to set the exact time from the inside; these two rare objects - even if in different eras - were unfortunately stolen. The walls, irregularly shaped and built between the 10th and 11th centuries, are still largely preserved, interspersed with square towers, among which there is one with a circular plan; two gates delimit the accesses to the village: the Porta Vecchia to the west and the Porta Nuova to the north. The architectural typology with vertical facing is consistent with the ancient origins of the town, while the bastioned front, built during the war of Siena by Anton Maria Lari, responds to the late sixteenth-century needs of military art. In the fourteenth century, following the campaign that the Sienese conducted against the Aldobrandeschi, Montepescali was militarily occupied like the entire Grosseto area. In the second half of the fourteenth century, the Hospital of Santa Maria della Scala in Siena purchased some properties and, in 1378, organized a grange there. Numerous buildings also date back to this early period: for example, Guadagni previously d'Elci Palace and Guicciardini Corsi Salviati Palace, both from the 13th century and Tolomei Palace which is located in the same street. The richness and architectural refinement of these buildings denote the importance of the families to which they belonged. Palazzo Lazzaretti with a large loggia on the façade, dates back to the 14th century.

© Riccardo Senis, All Rights Reserved

This image may not be copied, reproduced, republished, edited, downloaded, displayed, modified, transmitted, licensed, transferred, sold, distributed or uploaded in any way without my prior written permission.

Eastbourne Pier is a firm favourite on the south coast of England and has an air of refinement and charm .,.,., start of blue hour with tides building up,.,.,

Ville-Emard-Côte-Saint-Paul, park au bord de Canal Lachine, late afternoon.

Carl Zeiss branded Ultron with concave first element (still designed and made by Voigtländer) somehow took all the glory and buzz as one of the finest vintage lenses. And yes, it is an excellent lens. However, IMHO, the original, first version of Ultron, with six elements in five groups is the really landmark lens.

It was an evolution and refinement of Tronnier's Kleinbild Xenon lens.

Purple is the color of royalty and speaks of elegance, refinement and luxury.

Conjunto patrimonial do centro histórico de Barcelos, onde se destacam a Igreja Matriz de Santa Maria Maior, edificação gótica reconstruída sobre uma estrutura românica prévia, com planta longitudinal de três naves. À direita, encontra-se o emblemático Pelourinho, construído entre finais do século XV e princípios do século XVI, reconhecido pelo seu refinamento artístico e elementos decorativos manuelinos, como o anel torso do capitel e os cogulhos dos colunelos da gaiola. O monumento, classificado como Imóvel de Interesse Público, permanece como ponto central de encontro no espaço ajardinado em frente à igreja. Ao fundo, veem-se as ruínas do Paço dos Condes de Barcelos, edifício do século XV destruído pelo terramoto de 1755, que atualmente integra o Museu Arqueológico de Barcelos. Este núcleo histórico testemunha a importância política e religiosa da cidade ao longo dos séculos.

Refinement Vanessa on Poppy body

I couldn't resist a good deal on the Voigtlander Super Wide-Heliar 15/4.5 and so, for the first time in many years, I have spent money on a lens that has no use in digital, this is a film only lens.

The memorable time that I had with this lens when I tested it stayed in my mind. There is only one word to describe this lens, amazing! No vignetting (considering how wide it is), no distortion (this is really amazing), impeccable sharpness across the frame. Sorry, no bokeh here, you see this is an ultra wide lens with a maximum aperture of f4.5.

With this lens, all my LTM cameras have instant focus, no shutter or focus lag with this one, closed to f11, everything is in focus from the minimum focusing distance all the way to infinity. I am lucky to live in a country where winter time does not mean darkness, so this technique can be used all year long.

The Zorki 3 is a wonderful rangefinder, the styling is so close to the Leica 3 that you could dismiss it as just another low quality Leica copy. However, this is not the case, the Zorki 3, for a change is a much better shooter than the Leica III, all models considered. No more bottom loading, big, bright viewfinder combined with the rangefinder (the Leica III never had this), this was developing the concept of the Leica III, not copying it.

The camera lacks the overal mechanical refinement of the German role model, but it is more refined than the zillions of Zorki 4 that followed.

Bruxelles