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!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #68: Two Bodies, Two Lenses, and Twin Lenses

The two Shutter Brothers, Wayne and Kevin, are talking twos on show #68:  two camera bodies, two lenses, and twin lenses. Why? Because two is better than one, of course! As the Bros think about their impending cruises later this year, they're both thinking of bringing along two cameras. While Wayne has settled on his two medium format Plaubel Makina 67 and his Noblex panoramic cameras, Kevin has narrowed it down to the idea of using two 35mm camera bodies, so that he can easily switch between b&w and color film. Why would Kevin want to shoot color film? Because he will have to opportunity to photograph wildlife like he never has before, and photography wildlife in color just seems like the right thing to do. So, given that Kevin wants to travel as light a possible, what would be the best combination of two cameras for the cruise? Wayne offers four options:

1.  Two identical 35mm camera bodies with the same lens mount.

2.  Two 35mm bodies of the same make but different models, both with the same lens mount.

3.  Two completely different 35mm cameras (one SLR and the other a rangefinder, for example).

4.  Two different formats (for example, a 35mm SLR and a medium format TLR).

Thanks to input from one of our listeners, Kevin is definitely leaning toward one of these options. Listen to the show to find out which.

The venerable Minolta Maxxum 700 is Kevin's go to 35mm SLR currently, but will it go to Alaska
with him in September? And what other camera and gear will go also?

www.dyxum.com is a great resourse for all things Minolta AF lenses and Sony A mount cameras. Kevin is considering taking two Minolta AF zoom lenses with him on his Alaskan cruise. Here is the review of the 35-70mm f4, and here is the review of the 70-210mm f4 (beercan).

Meanwhile, Kevin has been shooting his Rolleicord Va with mixed results. It seems that the Rolleicord is capable of very sharp images with the camera is mounted on a tripod. However, when Kevin uses it handheld, the results are variable, and he hates it when his negatives are not in focus! So why is this happening to Kevin, even though he is doing everything he can to steady himself before firing the shutter? The answer could have something to do with the Rolleicord's shutter button itself. It is a lever that requires lateral movement to fire the shutter. Could this side-to-side movement cause camera shake?

In search of an answer, Wayne gathers up his four twin lens reflex cameras (none of which are Rolleicords) to compare the shutter button layout of each, and each one is different. However, Wayne has an idea that may help Kevin to reduce camera shake on his Rolleicord, a solution that may help other TLR users.

Wayne's TLR quartet:  R-L:  Minolta Autocord, Zeiss Ikoflex iic, Zeiss Ikoflex iii, and Welta Superfekta

Is is a TLR? Is it a folder? The Welta Superfekta is both! But wait! There's more!

The Welta Superfekta for landscape 6x9cm shots!

Finally, while October may seem like a long time from now, it's never to soon to start planning for our 3rd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers. The date is Saturday, October 26, and the location is Fort Southwest Point Archeological Site in Kingston, Tennessee. The City of Kingston will be celebrating Founders Day that weekend, and photowalk participants will have the opportunity to photograph people in period costumes participating in military reenactments. We hope to see you there, so mark your calendar now!

One more thing. Any stereo photography enthusiasts out there? Wayne has something special for you:  A Stereo Vivid projector kit! With this projector, special screen, extra bulbs and the accompanying sixteen viewing glasses, you could be putting on slide shows in 3D. If you are interested in owning this rare piece of photographic history, email Wayne at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. For more about stereo photography, listen to UJC #67 and check out our show notes here.

This Stereo Vivid projector and case, screen, sixteen 3D glasses, and extra bulbs could be yours!

As always, we greatly value the contributions our listeners make to the podcast, so please consider contributing to our next show! Send us an email at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. Also, check out our show notes at https://unclejonesyscameras.blogspot.com and our Facebook and Instagram pages (both can be found by searching @ujcpodcast). 

Happy Photography!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #67: What's in Wayne's Closet?

Most people find a lot of junk in their closet, but not Shutter Brother Wayne. He's been doing some spring cleaning lately, and what he found definitely is not junk. How about a Stereo Realist? And a stereo projector? Some stereo card mounts? A viewer? Imagine the cool slides shows at the Setser house 

Wayne's Stereo Realist Camera with stereo viewer and mounts.

A handheld camera with a handheld meter:  The Reveni Labs Incident Meter

Wayne has been using handheld cameras a lot lately, especially his Noblex panoramic camera. Since the Noblex doesn't have a strap and must be held with both hands, Wayne could use a third hand to hold his handheld light meter. Or, he could find a meter that fits one his hand. And he did! The Reveni Labs Incident Meter straps on the the back of Wayne's hand stays there. Also, just a flip of a switch and a turn of the hand, and it becomes a reflective meter. Very handy!

The Reveni Labs Incident Meter has an easy to read display. The "joystick"
will switch the mode from incident to reflected.

When in reflective mode, simply point the lens toward your subject to get
a reading similar to what your built-in meter would have given you.

Next, our faithful and clever listeners take over with some great questions, comments, and tips. And one of those questions leads us into a light meter deep dive. Reflective? Incident? Spot? No meter? We've got it covered.

You definitely should check out Friend of the Show Mike Kukavica's photography, which can be found here.

Wayne uses the QuickDisc tool to calculate bellows extention compensation, and you can too! All you have to do is print the tool found here and follow the intsructions. Thanks to Philipp Salzgeber for creating the QuickDisc!

We finish with more talk of our Third Annual Photowalk with Wayne and Kevin, which will happen in October. The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 26, and the location will be Fort Southwest Point near Kingston, Tennessee.

Happy Photography!

 

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #66: When Your Photography Inspiration Goes "Poof!"

It's a brand new year and a brand new show ("Our best show of 2024," says Wayne). The Shutter Brothers are back and very excited  about what we hope to accomplish with not only our photography in 2024, but also our podcasting. We are hopeful that our listeners will have plenty of content this year, so lets get started with show #66!

To begin with, we have some really helpful input from our listeners. Our friend, Mike Kukavica (@drunk.darkroom), shares his experience with film testing using a 6x6cm step wedge with medium format film. Film testing is a good way to determine a film's "working ISO" for your particular metering, shooting and developing workflow. Some films are spot on with their "box speed" ratings while others . . . not so much. Determining your working ISO will help you get the most out of your favorite films. Testing film entails using up a certain amount of film to complete the process, so when you are testing 4x5" large format film, one can't help but to consider the cost. However, thanks to YouTuber Mat Marrash, Kevin has heard of a way to save film by using a 4x5" transmission step wedge (this process is also described in a terrific blog post that can be found here). But what about medium format film? Good ol' Kuks has found a way to test 120 film by taping a 6x6cm transmission step wedge inside in his Yashica-Mat 124G. Here are a couple of photos contributed my Kuks:

Mike Kukavica's Yashica-Mat 124G with a Stouffer transmission step
wedge taped inside. The light coming through the lens will pass through
it and expose the film to create . . . 

. . . a negative that can make a step wedge contact prinuseful for
determining working ISO and film development times. 

Wayne has discussed an effective way to test 35mm or 120 film without using a step wedge in UJC Podcast #49, and you can see his notes here.

After reading an email from listener Robert about a resourceful method of using 35mm negative sleeves, the Shutter Brothers turn their attention to a question from Sherry Christianson (Embrace the Grain Podcast and the Frugal Film Project):  What to do when your photography desire and/or inspiration goes "Poof!?" As creative people, all photographers experience dry spells when we just don't feel like being a photographer. Personally (Kevin here), I've experienced times when I felt as though my days of making good photographs were over. However, we must remember that most, if not all, creative slumps are temporary, so listen to the show for ideas on how to get back into the photography groove.

Next, we turn to a topic that is relevant for both Wayne and Kevin:  What camera(s) to take on a vacation cruise? Wayne and his family are taking a cruise to the Bahamas, while Kevin and his wife, Debbie (both of whom have never before been on a cruise), are going on an Alaskan cruise in the fall. Because this will be Kevin's first cruise, we put out the call to our listeners (especially those who are cruise veterans) for advice on camera and film. If you have suggestions, please leave them in the comments below, comment on our Facebook page, or email them to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you!

Finally, we've been thinking about our 2024 Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers, and we already have some tentative ideas for location and date. Listen to the show to find out more.

We always are grateful for our listeners who take the time to send us some feedback, so please keep those emails and comments coming! You can send us an email with comments, questions, tips, reviews, and stories to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com.  You also can find us on Facebook and Instagram, and feel free to leave your feedback there. Until next time . . .

Happy Photography!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #65: Happy Holiday(s) Photography!

The Shutters Brothers wish you the happiest of holidays and the happiest of holiday photography, and to that end, Wayne and Kevin share their tips on how to best capture the spirit of the season on film (or sensor!) And since many of us use flash to make things merry and bright, Wayne does a deep dive on flash guide numbers and how to make them work for you. Look for some helpful notes below.

The Bros. also answer some listener email, discuss the Platypus, a cool 4x5 sheet film drying rack from Simon Forster, and look forward some photographic goals for 2024. 

The Platypus, a 4x5 sheet film drying from
Simon Forster.

The show ends with Kevin's brand new holiday single, "Christmas Home."

We know you are busy with holiday activities, but we would still love to hear from you. Please send us an email to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com and tell us about yourself and your photography. Feel free to ask us questions, give us advice and tips, talk about your gear, and share your favorite photographic stories. You also can find us on Facebook and Instagram, and feel free to leave your feedback there. Until next time . . .

Happy Holidays from the Shutter Brothers!

In the show, Wayne refers to a photograph he made of some columbine flowers that was made possible by the use of his flash guide number.

And here are Wayne's notes regarding flash guide numbers:

Also in the show, the Shutter Brothers answer a question regarding film testing. Here is a link the the notes for show #49. And you can find a very useful blog post on Fomapan 400 by Alex Luyckx here.

Kevin's new holiday single, "Christmas Home," can be streamed on and/or purchased from all of your favorite music platforms by clicking here.

Uncle Jonesy’s Cameras Podcast #64: Podcast Recap and Virtual Mailbag

Wayne and I are back with plenty of fond memories of our 2023 Photowalk to recap. Lots of fun was had by all, and the photography that came from it looks amazing. Both Wayne and Kevin hope to be able to share some of their photos very soon. Thanks to everyone who participated, and we look forward to doing it again next time.

Wayne has been busy in his darkroom working his way through the many rolls of film he shot while in Norway earlier this year, but he has run into a problem - actually, two problems. First, his process timer, a Heathkit PT-15000, stopped working (a process timer is the timer used for both developing film or prints and as an enlarger timer). This brought Wayne's print making activities to a halt while he searched for a replacement. He found a Vivitar PTC timer, but Wayne didn't like the way it worked, extending the printmaking pause. Finally, he found another Heathkit PT-1500 just like his old one, and Wayne resumed making Norway prints. However, a second unexpected problem arose, one having to do with motivation/inspiration. Listen to the podcast to hear how Wayne is dealing with it.

Wayne's process timer, a Heathkit PT-1500

Meanwhile, I traveled to Philadelphia and Baltimore with his wife, Debbie, to explore three world-class art museums, the Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (both in Philly, obviously) and the Baltimore Museum of Art. While in Baltimore, I noticed the many vintage photographs of the Baltimore harbor area hanging in his inn (the Admiral Fell Inn), all of which were made by a local photographer named A. Aubrey Bodine. I was intrigued by their "straight" representational style and that they all were the product of a large format camera. After some research, I learned that Bodine was a very prolific press photographer who published a number of photo books and won many awards for his work. I found his work to be very inspiring, as I am interested in using my 4x5 camera to photograph the urban environment in which I live. I'll be acquiring one or more of his books soon so that I can discuss his work further on a future podcast. In the meantime, I urge you to check out some of his work here.

For the second half of the show we opened our virtual mailbag and read some great listener email. It never ceases to amaze me how helpful and knowledgable our listens are, and they teach us new things on every snow - even with their questions! For example, listener Todd Barlow wrote in about a localized test strip printer that he makes (listen to the show to learn how a localized test strip printer works and why they are a great idea in the darkroom). He calls it his Fixed Image Test Strip printer, or "FITS." It looks very well made and very functional, but what amazed me was an idea he shared in his email that had not occurred to me. Listen to the show to learn what it is.

Todd has generously offered to send me one of his FITS printers, so look for a discussion of how it works on a future show.

You can see a photo essay on how Todd makes his FITS printer by clicking here.

Todd Barlow's Fixed Image Test Strip printer

By the way, Wayne made his own localized test strip printer some time back. Here is what it looks like.

Listener Paul Rampant wrote us with more to say about the FADU F-Stop Enlarger Timer we talked about on a previous show. This timer is app that works on an Android device and will control an enlarger that is plugged into a wireless network smart switch. I was skeptical about the reliability of such a setup, but Paul's description of how it works is very convincing. If only I was an Android user . . .

Click here to learn more about the FADU F-Stop Timer.

Mark Fohl wrote to us defending his practice of trying to get extra shots from a 36 exposure roll of 35mm film, and we can't disagree with him! Also, Billy Sanford wrote a fascinating email about the concept of idiosyncratic photography. Plus, Sherry Christensen wants to know what is our favorite photo book.

As always, we wholeheartedly invite your feedback, so please send us an email to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com and tell us about yourself and your photography. Feel free to ask us questions, give us advice and tips, talk about your gear, and share your favorite photographic stories. You also can find us on Facebook and Instagram, and feel free to leave your feedback there. Until next time . . .

Happy Photography!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #63: Picking a Photowalk Camera

The Shutter Brothers are back, and both Kevin and Wayne have some decisions to make! The 2nd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers is fast approaching, and camera/film choices must be made. Actually, Wayne already has decided which cameras to bring (listen to the show to find out), but Kevin is still waffling between his Leica iiia 35mm camera with a Leitz Elmar 35mm f3.5 lens (perfect for photowalks),  or his newly CLA'd Rolleicord Va (version 2) twin lens reflex camera. Both are German made cameras, which makes perfect sense, given that Volkswagen makes its Atlas and the all electric ID.4 vehicles right here in Chattanooga (also assembled here was every Passat from 2011 to 2022!) Because it is such a tough call, Kevin is asking for help from our faithful listeners. Send your choice to Kevin at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com.

Help Kevin choose a camera for the photowalk!

Speaking of photowalks, our 2nd Annual Photowalk with the Shutter Brothers will happen on Saturday morning, October 7 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We will meet outside the Hair of the Dog Pub (334 Market Street) at 8:30 am and twice walk across the Tennessee River over two historic bridges before finishing up back and the Hair of the Dog for lunch and fellowship. This year's photowalk is all about urban landscape, architectural, and street photography, and participants are encouraged to bring any type of camera they wish. There is no fee to participate, but you are responsible for your own lunch and drink. Our photowalk is presented by the Uncle Jonesy's Cameras and Safelight District Community Darkroom. Please go to our Facebook event page and let us know you plan to participate, and we'll see you on 10/07!

Next, Wayne and Kevin dive into the UJC mailbag for some questions, comments, tips, and stories from our faithful listeners. We absolutely love the feedback we get from our listeners, and we always learn something from them. If you enjoy listening to our podcast, then please send us a note and tell us your photography story, review your camera or film, ask us a question or send us a tip. We think of our podcast listeners as a community, so please feel free to participate. Once again, that email address is unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. We also invite you to follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages (both can be found by searching @ujcpodcast). 

Thanks for listening, and we hope to see you in Chattanooga on Saturday morning, October 7!