Lately I've been having a torrid love affair with late 1970's Japanese technology. Specifically stereos and cameras. Thanks to eBay, Craigslist, and their cousins, I have discovered that it is now possible to own many of the most expensive and desirable systems of stereo's "Golden Age" and many of the cameras I remember from TV advertising are still available and are now ridiculously cheap.
Sure new advances have left these objects behind in terms of features, but they were built to a standard that has ensured their continued usefulness to those who appreciate them. At the risk of sounding like a cranky old dickhead I've got to say that they truly don't make 'em like they used to. The stereos will still blow the windows out and the cameras (and more importantly the lenses) still do exactly what they did when they were new.
Quality.
Ironically, it was an internet site devoted to making prints of digital photographs that started me along a path that led me back to film. Snapfish (this is not an endorsement) will develop your film, post your photos online, and send you the prints and negatives for 5 bucks a roll. Learning this got me thinking "Hey..the average schmuck can still use film cameras and get their pics online without wasting half their life scanning them!" I also thought "Hey, I'M an average schmuck!"
This intrigued me...especially since digital cameras have basically killed my wife and my careers as snapshot photographers.
Once upon a time we took lots and lots of pictures. Back in the late 80's I worked at a one hour photo lab and enjoyed all of the free photo processing I wanted. My wife, who is actually a talented photographer, took tons of pics with a point and shoot that happened to be a great camera.
Then we both grew up, I got a real job, the camera broke, and we went digital.
At first, it seemed like the greatest thing in the world. See your pics instantly and save money by not printing the shitty ones.
Then we learned what shutter lag was. Shutter lag is the difference between a smile and a grimace. The difference between everyone looking at the camera and everyone breaking the pose and going to sit down at the dinner table. Shutter lag is the mother of missed photographic opportunity.
We also learned that once you buy paper and ink for your photo printer, you've spent a ton of money to produce shitty prints that stick together, look weird, and are less than half as good than the ones we got at the drugstore or the good old Fotomat. Remember the one in the Orange Plaza parking lot? Maybe it was the Caldor parking lot. Whatever.
I realize printers and cameras are much better now than they were when we first went digital, but it took finally going with a Digital SLR to eliminate shutter lag and I refuse to buy another printer when professionally printed pics cost like 9 or 10 cents each.
So...I decided that while the wife was finally taking pictures again and enjoying her new DSLR I'd drag Dad's old Pentax K1000 out of the attic and see what I could do with it.
This thing was the family camera when I was growing up. Fully manual and probably totally intimidating to anyone who'd never seen or used one. I had gained the most rudimentary understanding of its workings when I was a kid so I felt pretty confident that I could make pictures with it.
After my initial amazement upon finding that the battery in it still worked I loaded it with film and took it to my sister's house.
I shot two rolls of my niece and then embarked on a nostalgia trip that's still gong on.
Ahhh memories. Waiting for the film to be developed, wondering if any good shots came out, wondering if the camera even worked.
It did, and when the pics were available I was struck by one thing. They looked OLD.
Why wouldn't they?
Same old camera, same old film, same old level of expertise behind the lens....all the elements of a photo created in 1980 were there.
It was cool.
I like the way film pictures look.
In an age when most cameras make it almost impossible for just about anyone to take a picture that is technically lacking I think the imperfections in these pictures have a definite charm.
I've been inspired to not only attempt to master the technical aspects of proper exposure and operation of older cameras, but to study the quantifiable aspects of what makes a good photograph good.
Maybe I'll even post some pictures here.
I realize that last time I told you to stay tuned I failed to deliver and I totally owe you at least one more restaurant review so here it is:
Applebee's fucking sucks. Don't ever go there.
C-ya.
2 days ago
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