Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #74: Photo Walking Through History

Show #74 is our photowalk special. The 3rd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers is just around the corner, and Wayne and I are getting ready for a fantastic day of photography and fun. It all happens on Saturday, October 26 at Fort Southwest Point in Kingston, Tennessee. Hundreds of late 18th century military and civilian reenactors will converge for Kingston's Living History Reenactment Weekend to celebrate the city's 225th birthday, providing a unique photographic opportunity. All the details can be found on our Facebook event page.

This photo walk is quite different from our previous two events, which took place at locations where one could photograph most any day of the year. I don't really follow reenactment activities, so I may never have an opportunity to do this kind of photography again. And when I say "this" kind, I don't just mean reenactment photography. I'm really referring to a situation where there will be hundreds of people who know that they will be photographed and are willing to be so. You see, I'm not much of a 'people photographer,' mainly because it is outside of my comfort zone. I have experienced enough times when I have tried to photograph someone, even someone I know, only to see the discomfort on their face. This is why I'm not a street photographer (although I greatly wish I was). the exception to this is when I'm photographing street performers, as they would expect to be photographed. I always leave a little tip for them as well. 

This 3rd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers will be a great opportunity to photograph people and learn what makes a good people photograph. I found a photo book in our public library dedicated to the portrait photography of Henri Cartier Bresson, and I've been studying it for ideas. Since he used a 35mm camera to make the photographs in this book, I've decided to use a 35mm camera for the photowalk. Which one? Well, if you are reading this, you've probably already listened to the show. but if you aren't going to listen, then I will tell you. I'm using Uncle Jonesy's Minolta S-RT 202, the one you see in our logo. It's what Jonesy himself would have used for this event (and he would have loved to photograph an event like this), so I think it is an appropriate choice. 

And speakig of choices, I must decide which of the three Minolta 50mm lenses to use for the photowalk. Surely one is better than the other two, right? Sounds like a great question for Wayne, so I put it to him on the show. He said that there are ways that lenses can be tested and compared, and people do this all the time and write posts about it online. But when it came to comparing different 50mm lenses, Wayne's answer really  surprised me. You will have to listen to the show to find that out.

Meanwhile, I have been looking over the scans of my color negatives from my Alaskan cruise, trying to convince myself that they weren't as disappointing as they appeared to be. All three rolls looked dull with blown out skies and little shadow detail, and we're talking about Kodak Portra 400 here. What gives? What did I do wrong? I couldn't wait to get the actual negatives back to see if I could learn what my mistake was. 

But when the negatives did come back, they looked normal and obviously properly developed by the lab I chose. So, I decided to scan them myself and see if I could improve on the lab scans. I'm going to save the complete story of this endeavor for an another post, but I will tell you that I was quite successful. And I owe much of this to Nick Carver, whose video on color negative scanning was helpful beyond words.

This is the scan the lab sent me . . . 

. . . and this is the scan I made. 

Both Mike Kukavika and Jason Priebe contributed excellent emails to our show. Both Wayne and I love the input we receive from our listeners. It truly is my favorite part of doing the podcast. We welcome questions, tips, comments, reviews, and stories, because we get to learn right along with our listeners. You are always welcome to join the conversation; just send your emails to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com, or you can post to our Facebook and Instagram pages. We'e love to hear from you!

That's all for now. We hope to see you in Kingston for the photowalk on October 26th. 

Happy Photography!

The 3rd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers is On!

Our 3rd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers is just over two weeks away! If you arrange to be in Kingston, Tennessee on Saturday, October 26, you will not regret it. The city of Kingston is putting on its Living History Reenactment Weekend to celebrate it's 225 birthday, and hundreds of late 18th century military and civilian reenactors will be on hand at Fort Southwest Point, giving us photographers many incredible opportunities to capture scenes that may never happen again. 

The day begins at 8:00 am, and reenactments continue throughout the day. You're welcome to stay as long or as little as you like. Wayne and I will be at fort office/museum at noon to lead the way into Kingston for lunch and photography chat. This even is free, and you are welcome to bring any kind of camera you wish, film or digital. 

Living History Reenactment Weekend Saturday Schedule 

8:00am - 8:30am - Sounding of Reveille and muster on the parade grounds

8:30am - 8:45am - Sounding of "To the Colors" and raising the Colors

8:45am- 9:30am - Breakfast throughout the grounds

9:30am - 11:00am - Vendor sales and unscheduled demos throughout the Fort and grounds

11:00am - 12:00am - History (subject tbd) lecture at the amphitheater

12:00 noon - Noon cannon

12:00pm - 1:00pm - Free time, lunch

1:00pm - 3:00pm - Cherokee story telling time at amphitheater

3:00pm - 4:00pm - Black Powder Weapon Demo in Fort

4:00pm - 5:00pm - Period craft making demo at the amphitheater

5:00pm - 6:00pm - Evening meal cal

6:00pm - 9:00pm - Cherokee music, dance, entertainment at the amphitheater

9:00pm - 9:15pm - Retreat and lowering of the colors in the Fort

10:00pm - End of the day's events

Please let us know you are coming by visiting our event page. See you there!

https://facebook.com/events/s/3rd-annual-photowalk-with-the-/2296255367407611/?

Uncle Jonesy’s Cameras Podcast #73: The Best Leica RF Camera Isn’t a Leica

The Shutter Brothers are in the studio - and so is Wayne's new camera, an 35mm rangefinder at that. And why would Wayne, a dedicated large format photographer, want a such a small camera?  It’s simple. There will come a day when it may not be possible to carry around an heavy backpack full of large format gear, and a small 35mm camera will become Wayne's primary photographic tool. And what a tool it is! The Canon VI-L is as impressive a 35mm meter-less mechanical shutter rangefinder camera we've ever seen. It has all the features Wayne wants, plus a few that we've not seen on any other camera (like dial-switchable viewfinder fame lines). With a solid build quality, could it be a better camera than any LTM Leica? Or even a Leica M? Listen and find out.

The Canon VI-L with Canon 50mm f1.4 and 35mm f2 lenses. 

Meanwhile, Kevin is back from his amazing Alaskan cruise with six and a half rolls of exposed film. The cruise itself exceeded all his expectations, and Kevin is mulling over the opportunity to put down his post-cruise reflections in book form (kudos to the entire 1300 member crew of the good ship Celebrity Edge). But what about the photography? Kevin chose two Minolta Maxim autofocus SLR bodies, a 7000 and a XTsi, and Minolta AF three lenses, a 28mm f2.8, a 50mm f2.8 macro, and a 70-210mm f4 zoom (the famous Beercan). To avoid having his film scanned at airport security, he had it shipped  from the Film Photography Store directly to his hotel in Seattle, and after the cruise was over, he shipped it from Seattle back to Chattanooga. Listen for a report on how his two SLR cameras and three lenses performed on the 2000 mile journey.

Two cameras, three lenses . . .

. . . and one bag. Total weight - seven pounds.

Next, the Shutter Bros read some listener questions about focus loupes and stand development, the latter of which serves as a chance to discuss Wayne's updated Caffenol CL formula. Both Wayne and Kevin have used it with 4x5 sheet film with excellent results, but would it work with roll film?

Source:  Alexandre Kraev, Digital Truth Photo

Believe it or not, Wayne's Leica-busting Canon VI-L isn't the smallest format camera Wayne had been testing out lately. How about a subminiature twin lens reflex spy camera! The Goerz Minicord is one of the most unique cameras we've ever seen. It's a subminiature twin lens reflex camera that uses double perforated 16mm film. It’s mechanical shutter and 25mm f2 lens makes 10x10mm images that have more than decent sharpness and contrast. Also, because the f2 lens and the 16mm film size translates to a focal length of about 75mm on a 35mm camera, you get a short telephoto effect on every shot, which can be very useful for candid photography. The build quality is excellent, and the controls are cleverly placed. And speaking of clever ideas, Goerz made a compact enlarger that uses the Minicord as both the negative holder and the enlarger lens. You can read a review of the Minicord by the esteemed Mike Eckman here.

The Goerz Minicord. The 35mm cassette is shown for size comparison.

10x10mm negatives sure look small when compared with a 4x5 inch sheet . . .

. . . but the images are sharp with good contrast!

After you develop the film, you can make prints with this compact enlarger.

Fiinally, Wayne and Kevin preview our 3rd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers, which is going to happen on Saturday, October 26, at Fort Southwest Point near Kingston, Tennessee. The city of Kingston will be celebrating its 225th birthday with period military reenactments, and the photography opportunities will be numerous and rich.  No matter what kind of camera you bring, you will have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make interesting photographs, as well as connect with other photographers. The Living History Reenactment Weekend is a three day event, but our photowalk happens on Saturday. The complete schedule is below. We hope to see you there.

As always, our show notes can be found at www.unclejonesyscameras.logspot.com.

Happy Photography!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #72: Exposure Compensation Sensation!

By Kevin Lane

Do you have a dream camera? Do find yourself reading about it and watching videos of people who, unlike you, have the funds to buy your dream camera (dream cameras are almost always expensive; it's why you don't have it in the first place.) Do you often think about what you could sell to purchase your dream camera, or at least offset the expense somewhat? Do you find yourself trying to talk yourself into parting with the large amount of cash it would cost, because you are convinced that your dream camera would make you a better photographer?

If the answer is "yes" to any of these questions (more likely, to all), then you are not alone. Most of us photography people have a 'holy grail' camera. I certainly did, and of course, it's a Minolta. My dream camera was the Minolta CLE, a 35mm interchangeable lens rangefinder camera that was the last product to come out of a period of collaboration between Minolta and Leitz Camera. If you've been a listener to the UJC, you probably heard me talk about it. It's small but fits right in my hands, it's well built, the shutter is ultra quiet, the lenses are sharp, and best of all, it's very much a Minolta in the layout. It met all the characteristics of a dream camera, including the price tag. And I wanted one. At times, I was ready to start selling every camera I own to get one.

But then, a wonderful thing happened. I actually got to use one. A church friend named Tom, who is also a listener to the UJC Podcast, offered to let me use his. To say I was excited doesn't come close. My dream camera - in my hands at last. I loaded it up with some Kodak Tri-X 400 and began "living the dream."

Would you believe me if I told you that it took only two rolls to show me that I didn't really need the CLE after all? Two rolls! I gave it back to Tom with thanksgiving for having had to chance to experience using it, and now I believe I have learned a valuable lesson. I share that lesson in our podcast.

The Minolta CLE is on the right, next to what I call The
Poor Man's CLE, the Minolta AF2. Can't tell them apart? Yeah
me either.

And now to our main podcast topic. If you have a camera with an automatic exposure mode (such as aperture or shutter priority), you may have wondered about that dial on your camera with +1 +2 and -1 -2? 

That dial is the way you access your camera's exposure compensation, and knowing how to use it will make you a better photographer. Shutter Brothers Wayne and Kevin do a deep dive into how exposure comensation works and when you should use it. I wish I had known more about how to use the exposure compensation dial on my first good camera, the Minolta XG-1. When I look at my collection of slides made with that camera, it pains me to see the times I under or over exposed because I simply trusted the light meter in auto exposure mode. 

Did you know that the Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast has a YouTube channel? It's of if you didn't , because we haven't done much with it since 2020. However, Wayne and I have decided to start posting some helpful videos there, so stay tuned. 

Lastly, Wayne and Kevin get philisophical again and share some of the deep 'dark' thoughts they have been having lately with "Thoughts from the Dark(room)." If you've been having some deep thoughts about your photography lately, you can share them with us by email (unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com) or by leaving a comment on our Facebook and Instagram pages. We'e love to hear from you!

Happy Photography!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #71: Mat, Frame, Display!

Four of the many photographs that Wayne has printed, matted, 
framed, and proudly displayed on a wall in the Setser home.

Kevin here. I can also speak for Wayne when I say that when I am making an exposure with my camera(s), I am almost always thinking ahead to my exposure ending up as a physical print. Not all of my frames get printed (most don't, actually), but the ones that do are the 'keepers' that remind me of why I enjoy photography in the first place. To Wayne and me, it goes without saying that they should exist in the form of a physical print, so it's off to the darkroom or the inkjet printer . . .

But after the print is made, what then? Does it live in a box or under the dresser? Or, does it deserve more than that? If the answer for you is "yes," then the next steps are necessary to get your photograph where it deserves to be:  on the wall (somebody's wall, anyway!). So, Wayne and I decided to discuss the process of matting, framing, and displaying your prints, and here's the important part. You get to decide where to begin with this process and how deep into it you are willing to go. If you have never displayed your photography before, then the 'gateway' for you is to purchase pre-made materials such as pre-cut mats and pre-assembled frames. This is exactly what I still do today, and I don't apologize for it. I live in a small space and do not have room for the workspace making your own mats and frames requires. I know where to get good quality mats and frames, and I think my photographs look great in them.

However, if you are shooting film, developing it yourself, and making prints in the darkroom, then it's fair to say that you are a 'DIY' kind of person. You may be the type of person that wants to control the entire process of making the photograph and preparing it for display. Of course, I am describing Wayne here, and he had been doing this for decades. He enjoys the satisfaction of forming with his own hands not only the photography itself but also the manner in which it is displayed. The trade off for this approach is that it requires investment in equipment and materials (but so does analog photography, right?) You can find cheap mat cutting jigs online. However, if you want to reduce mistakes and the resulting waste, you may have to pay more. Also like photography, cutting mats yourself requires learning some skills, skills that are best learned visually. And even though Wayne carefully describes the process of cutting a mat in UJC #71, a visual guide would be better. Therefore, not only have I attached Wayne's diagrams below, I also am going to help Wayne to produce a video in which he capably demonstrates the mat cutting process. Stay tuned for that.

This is a depiction of the contemporary style mat, which puts the opening in the middle of the board. Your uncut mat board will be twice as wide and twice as long as your print. If you can accurately measure the exact middle between two points, you can draw the outline of the opening in the exact middle of the mat board.

The traditional European mat places the print closer to the top than to the bottom.

The classical Oriental mat places the print closer to the bottom that to the top.

Our show #71 also addresses the need for consideration when photographing in the record setting heatwave that's scorching the US currently (apologies to our Southern Hemisphere listeners - we wish we were there with you.) Extreme heat can be bad for both film and gear, so Wayne and I discuss some ideas on how to keep both safe when the temperatures near 100º F. 

Once again our listeners have sent us some great questions about split grade printing, our favorite photobooks, and what matters most:  gear, subject, or process? 

We end show #71 with a new segment we call Snapshots, in which we give our quick take on three photography related items:

Snapshot #1 - I just purchased a new (to me) camera, and it may be the last camera I ever purchase. Seriously.

Snapshot #2 - Would you believe that someone is publishing an actual newspaper about photography? I'm talking about a real newspaper that looks like . . . a newspaper! It's called the New Palz Photo Works, and it is the work of publisher and editor Ryan Kraus. It has lots of photography, of course, but it also contains articles, interviews, and tips. I have always loved reading a newspaper, so this is huge for me. See the information below.

Snapshot #3 - Our 3rd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers is less than four months away. It's scheduled for Saturday, October 26, and it will take place at Fort Southwest Point in Kingston, Tennessee. Kingston will be celebrating its 225th anniversary with a large 1790's period reenactment and will provide many opportunities for photography. We will have more details very soon.

As always, our listeners are the reason we make the Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast, and it really makes our day when we hear from our listeners. so, we invite you to be a apart of the show by sending your questions, comments, tips, and stories in the form of letters or voice memos to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. You also can leave your input in the form of comments on our Facebook and Instagram pages. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for listening, and as always, Happy Photography (and get some good pictures!)

https://www.matcutter.com is where I purchase my pre-cut mats and backing boards. They also sell presentation bags. I purchase my frames from either Walmart or Amazon.com.

Wayne gets the materials he needs to make his mats from Dick Block Art Supplies.

The email address for the New Palz Photo Works is newpaltzphotoworks@gmail.com, and their website can found at ryansphotoworks.com. You can find them on Instagram @newpaltzphotoworks.

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #70: Kevin Has Questions

After a fun morning of photography, the Shutter Brothers are back to the podcast table - and Kevin has questions! Lately, he's been in the darkroom trying out fiber based paper for the first time, and he has much to learn about the differences between resin coated and fiber based paper when it comes to exposing, developing, fixing, washing, and drying processes. Fortunately, Wayne has been printing on FB paper for decades, so get ready to learn, everybody! The look and feel of FB paper makes mastering the learning curve worth it.

Here's Wayne preparing to photograph this terra cotta wall with a hanging
bicycle. As he does most of the time, he will employ split grade printing
to get the print just right.

Wayne makes two test "patches," one with #00 filter and one with #5 filter
plus chosen #00 exposure. Can you guess which exposures Wayne chose?

And here is the resulting print!

Kevin's early efforts with fiber based paper. 

Kevin also reviews a fine photo book, New York Changing:  Revisiting Berenice Abbott's New York by Douglas Levere. Berenice Abbott had a long and very successful photography career and is well known for her documentary photography of 1930's New York City. Levere attempts to rephotograph Abbott's subjects to demonstrate the changes time has brought about, and the book contains many side by side comparisons of both Abbott's and Levere's photography. Anyone who has interest in urban large format photgraphy will enjoy it very much!

Kevin found this book recently and has really enjoyed it.

Next, Wayne leads a discussion about Edward Weston's quote, "To photograph a rock, have it look like a rock, but be more than a rock." Exactly how does a developing phoographer begin to make images that express feelings or tell stories? Wayne has some practical and useful tips, and Kevin suggests a wonderful YouTube channel by large format panoramic photographer, Nick Carver.

Wayne recommended this book to Kevin. It's based
on the "more than a rock" quote by Edward Weston

Wayne's triptych of Northrup Falls in the Colditz Cove State
Natural Area is the result of much careful planing so as to capture 
more than just a waterfall.

Don't forget about our 3rd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers, which will happen on Saturday, October 26, at Fort Southwest Point in Kingston, Tennessee. If you've ever thought about photographing a military reenactment, this is your chance. There will be hundreds of reenactors patroling the reconstructed Fort Southwest Point providing ample photographic opportunities. Mark your calendar!

Wayne lines up a shot of the interior of the chapel at Fort Southwest Point.

Our show notes can be found at https://unclejonesyscameras.blogspot.com.

Happy Photography!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #69: Shake 'N Take

By Kevin Lane

Remember when you got your first camera? If your memory is clear enough, you probably remember other details about your first photographing experiences, like all the advice you received on how to make your photography better. It's a good bet that right there at the top of the list of suggestions you got concerned holding your camera steady so as to reduce or even eliminate camera shake. But it's also a good bet that, when you got your first few rolls back from the lab, a certain number of your shots were blurry due to - you guessed it - camera shake.

Camera shake is a problem we've all had at one time or another, but it usually appears at the beginner stage before we learn an effective method of holding our camera steady as we press the shutter. Once we learn to stand a certain way and steady ourselves as if we were a two-legged tripod, hold our camera against our face or chest, and hold our breath as we snap the shutter button, we usually see a noticeable improvement in picture sharpness. Of course, digital shooters most likely have a anti-shake feature on their camera, so nobody really knows how much shakin' is going on with them. But film photographers have to get this right if they want sharp photos. And I thought I had a long time ago.

However, since camera shake can be related to how we hold our cameras, it shouldn't surprise us that certain types of cameras - cameras that require a different way of holding them - can cause problems we thought we had solved to reappear. And that's exactly what happened to me whenever I used my Rolleicord Va twin lens reflex camera. Despite the fine quality of its lens, I often get shots that are not as sharp as I would expect, unless I'm using a tripod. Then, the photographs are very sharp. All other factors being the same (my ability to focus the camera, for example), the cause has to be in the way I hold the camera when I fire the shutter. 

My Rolleicord Va, a fine camera
by any measure but . . . 

. . . that shutter lever must be moved sideways from my R to L.
Could that be the cause of my camera shake?

Here is a Rolleicord frame from a recent trip to Savannah, Georgia. I actually had this negative
on the darkroom enlarger when I discovered how soft the focus is. 

Now, I have another TLR, a Yashica-Mat, but somehow I don't seem to have the camera shake problem with it. So what is it about my Rolleicord that makes it hard to hold it steady? I believe the answer lies with the Roleicord's shutter release itself:  a lever at the bottom of the from lens standard must be moved from the photographers' left to his/her right. I believe that this sideways motion is responsible for my camera shake problems. To bear this out, the shutter button on my Yashica-Mat is located on the lower front right of the lens standard. To fire it, you push it inward toward your chest with the index finger of your right hand. If the camera is against your body, it's not going to move when the shutter is fired.

The shutter button on my Yashica-Mat is on the front
lower left (to you). It's pushed inward to fire.

On our show #68, I described this problem to our faithful listeners and asked them for help, and we got some great ideas. The most prevalent suggestion was to use a cable release even when handholding the camera. And not only did our listeners come through for me, Shutter Brother Wayne had a suggestion that I never would have thought of on my own. You'll have to listen to the show to find out about that. At any rate, it was a lot of fun reading our listeners' input on this subject, and I can't wait to get out with my Rolleicord again and try this out for myself. 

The idea is that pressing the cable release won't
cause the camera to move. We'll see.

We had other great listener input as well, including a question about everything that is needed to start developing black and white film at home. Both Wayne and I have been doing this for a long time, so we both had fun thinking about the early days when we starting out developing our film just like our listener. And the rest of our input came in form of actual prints sent to us by three of our listeners, Andrew Bartrum, Jason Priebe, and Todd Barlow. You can see the prints in the photo below. Thank you!

Darkroom prints by (L to R) Andrew Bartrum, Jason Priebe, and Todd Barlow

And speaking of our listeners, we can't say enough about how wonderful they are to us with their support and input. And one listener went above and beyond with his input:  a generous gifting of a Minolta Maxxum XTsi camera body for me to consider using on my Alaskan cruise in September. I haven't as yet used the camera, but when I do I will give a full report on it on a future podcast. Thank you Jason!

Listener Jason sent me this pristine Minolta Maxxum XTsi,
seen here with my Minolta AF 35-70mm f4 zoom.

Lastly, inspired by Wayne, I've been going through my closets and finding things that I need to move along to someone else. I'm talking about things like cameras that I will most certainly never use again. One of these is an genuine Windsor, a clone of the Diana 120 camera that was made at the Great Wall Plastic Factory in Hong Long. This plastic camera helped to forge the lomography movement with it's soft focus and vignetting. Mine has the original lens cap, strap, and box. Although the box is not in good condition and one of the strap lugs is broken, everything else about the camera works just fine. I'll be putting this up for sale in the near future.

A vintage Windsor (Diane) camera from Hong Kong. I have
a photo somewhere of my as a child holding a camera 
just like this.

We closed show #69 with a reminder about our 3 Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers, which will take place on Saturday, October 26, at Fort Southwest Point near Kingston, Tennessee. Go ahead and mark your calendars for what will be a fun and rewarding day of photography. More details soon.

Thanks to all the listeners who offered camera advice and also those listeners who sent us questions or tips. As far as we are concerned, all of you are on the UJC Team! If you want to contribute for a future show, you can send your questions, comments, tips, stories, and even voice memos to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. You also can follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and feel free to leave your feedback there.

Happy Photography! Now let's get some Good Pictures!