Beetle

First large format image from the Speed Graphic - Ilford Delta 100 film. The image is soft - the Kalart rangefinder needs adjustment. When focusing on the ground-glass, images are sharp. This Bug is in central Iowa.

Going nowhere fast...

Details, details...

From The Beast

When I got the shutters back (see earlier posts...) I took the camera to this entryway of our neighborhood. When playing with a new toy, these images are used to evaluate exposure accuracy (shutter speed), and lens performance - I am looking for resolution, color aberration (especially color fringing), geometric distortion, etc. The detail is quite remarkable - I'm very pleased with the lenses and shutters that came with this camera.

The Details Matter...

Scans from the large format film soon...

Welcome Home...

First rays from the The Beast

Another image from the test roll - Speed Graphic, Kodak Portra film. Wait, what's film? It's new! It's exciting, it's... still alive!

Welcome Home

This is from the first roll of medium format film through the Speed Graphic. With the trade for this camera, I got a back that can use medium-format film. This is proving to be a favorite, versatile camera despite its bulk....

Cloud Gate

With the recent move and all the fun and excitement of moving - figuring out where I packed things that go together - I finally have some time to start creating imagery again. Both enlargers (Bella and Frank) are assembled and ready to go, and the various camera bits and pieces have been found.

These two images are from my last trip to Millennium Park, sometime in May of 2016.

The Hasselblad, Fuji 160 NPL film, and the wonderful Cloud Gate sculpture.

Emergent Spirit

Reaching out to the spirit face...

Examples of why we should look at things from various angles - these images were taken from almost the same position - one looks like an emergent spirit, and rotated, the second as a face from some other spirit world.

Graflex Optar 135mm lenses reassembled

Prior to sending the Wollensak shutters to S.K. Grimes for repair, I removed the Graflex Optar 135mm lens elements. Now that I have unpacked, having moved recently, I miraculously found the various bits and pieces. The lens elements were in nice shape - two lens/shutter assemblies came with the trade for the camera.

Parts is parts...

A pretty little face

Behind the scene...

The Toy is complete

Prior to the move, I had a chance to make a few exposures - I hope to zap a few more pieces of film and get it to the lab in a week or so. The shutters from S.K. Grimes work beautifully - check out their site for some beautiful engineering.

Graphex Shutter

One of two Graphex shutters expertly cleaned, adjusted, revitalized by S. K. Grimes - beautiful work on their website.

Detail and a brief video to follow...

Graflex Speed Graphic

A new anachronous toy - circa 1950. 

I am in the midst of moving, so the lenses have been packed.

A couple of exposures were made before the shutters were sent to S.K. Grimes for a CLA - details to follow.