Holiday Happenings and Mishaps with the Minolta Hi-Matic AF-2

The days leading up to Thanksgiving Day all the way through Old Christmas (January 6) are among my favorite times of the year. I love them so much that I usually have a major withdrawal in the cold and wet season of January and February in southeast Tennessee. Perhaps this is why I do all I can to preserve the feelings of love, joy and peace that, to me, are at the heart of the holiday season. And for me, the best way to do this is to take a lot of photographs.

This season was no different. I shot some Polaroid film in my SX-70 SONAR One Step, and when I ran out of that, I loaded up my go to 35mm autofocus point and shoot camera, the Minolta Hi-matic AF-2 with some color negative film (more on that later). The Hi-Matic AF-2 is, in my opinion, the best 35mm point and shoot camera Minolta ever made. Its 38mm f2.8 lens is very sharp, and the moderate wide angle focal length gives it a lot of versatility. It's great for photographing groups of people, like one would do at holiday gatherings, but it also would be perfect for travel and street photography. and although I have never done this, one could put a yellow, orange, or red filter on the 46mm filter mount for black and white photography.

For indoor shooting, I have found the built-in flash to be powerful yet effective in getting a good exposure, even in a medium large room. Just be prepared for extreme reactions from subjects who have grown up in the camera phone era and have never experience a "real" photo flash. The flash recharges quickly if you have two fresh AA batteries installed. And who doesn't love a camera that uses AA batteries!

The autofocus is easy to use; just press the shutter halfway.  The autofocus system is accurate, as long as you focus on your subject. For example, if you are photography a group of people, then choose someone and focus on that person. Do not merely aim and shoot, because the camera will focus on whatever is in the little rectangle in the center of the viewfinder. If it is the background, it will be in focus, but your subject(s) may not be. This is a good practice to follow with any autofocus camera.

I really like this camera for a reason that may seem strange to you:  it's lack of automation. For a start, there is no motorized film advance. You advance the film with a lever. Why do I like this? It makes the camera quiet. You could use this camera at an outdoor wedding and not be noticed. Furthermore, the film is rewound in the traditional way of pressing a button on the bottom of the camera and and turning a rewind crank. No one will ever shh at you when you are changing film. Another valuable lack of automation is the ISO setting, which is set by turning a ring around the lens. Why do I like this? I can change the ISO for individual shots for exposure compensation as dictated by certain lighting situations. For example, if I am shooting 400 ISO film, and I want to photograph a backlit scene, I could increase the exposure by turning the ISO ring from 400 to 200 (plus one stop) or even 100 (plus two stops). Just remember to reset the ISO to the correct setting after making the shot.

This manually set ISO "feature" also will be appreciated by that group of film photographers who like to intentionally over expose the entire roll of their color negative film because they like the way the colors "pop." Although I never do this, I will under expose a roll of film and then give it extra development, a process known as "pushing." When you push film, you make the film behave as if it were a faster (more sensitive to light, and therefore a higher ISO) film, albeit with some tradeoffs in contrast and grain. Deliberately over exposing a roll of film and giving it less development time is know as "pulling," and it useful for reducing contrast and grain as well as allowing for the use of slower shutter speeds, as in the case of photographing waterfalls, for example.

There is a disadvantage to having to manually set the ISO on a camera, of course, and that's it becomes possible to set it to the wrong ISO. This shouldn't happen, of course, but it did with the roll of film I shot during our Christmas gatherings. I made the mistake simply because I thought I was loading one color negative film (Kodak ColorPlus 200) when in fact I was loading another (Kodak Pro Image 100). I only discovered the mistake when I rewound the roll and removed the cassette from the camera, and at first I was really mad at myself. However, after I calmed down I realized that the mistake could be corrected by performing a push development, that is, extending the development time. The directions that accompany Cinestill's C-41 development kit give push and pull times, so it was easy to make the development adjustment. When I hung the negatives up to dry, I was happy to see images on the film, and when I scanned them, I was impressed. Pro Image 100 pushes to 200 very nicely, as you can see below.

Debbie and me in front of my cousin's Christmas tree!

Shutter Brother Kelley and his wife, Marcie

Debbie and me with our daughters and their guys

Debbie with the Shutter Brothers mom

The Lane Fam gathered at our condo for Christmas brunch

The building once home to Gilman Paint and Varnish Company is 
now home to the Gilman Grill

Golden Days in December

Today is December 26th, the day after Christmas (or as I like to think of it, the 2nd Day of Christmas!), and the weather is nothing short of amazing, even for southeaster Tennessee. The skies are mostly sunny and the temperature is in the lower 70ºs, judging from the number of people who were out walking along the Tennessee riverfront in downtown Chattanooga, my wife, Debbie, and I were not the only ones who felt that taking a walk and enjoying this beautiful day was a non-negotiable decision. In the dark days of winter, one must take every opportunity to soak up the sun and attempt to prevent vitamin D deficiency and seasonal affective disorder. It is a golden day, and day that makes one glad to be alive, and if one could preserve and bottle a day like strawberry preserves, this would be that day.

I almost always carry a camera with me when I take a walk, and today's choice was my Minolta X-700, a 35mm manual focus SLR first introduced in 1981. It was still available in 1990 when I purchased one new in the box from a camera store ad in the back of Popular Photography. It was only the second (and last) camera I purchased new, and I thought it was the best camera I would ever own for the rest of my life. However, some years later I parted ways with it, and it wasn't too long before I regretted that decision. But Shutter Brother Kelley came through for me in 2017 when he found an excellent copy of one in a second hand shop somewhere and bought it for me, and I've enjoyed using it ever since.

The Minolta X-700 was a wonder upon release, as it possessed three metering modes (Program, Aperture Priority, and Manual) along with many other fine features. I would have absolutely no reservations about proclaiming the X-700 as "The Best Camera Minolta Ever Made" and "One of the Best Film Cameras Ever Made" if it were not for one missing feature - a function so logical that it can hardly be called a "feature." If the camera is used in Manual mode, the LED display in the viewfinder shows the suggested shutter speed but not the speed you selected. You have to look away from the viewfinder to the shutter speed dial to see the selected shutter speed. Minolta included this missing functionality in the X-570, a fine SLR in it's own right. However, the X-570 did not include the Program mode. Why on earth couldn't Minolta put all of theses functions into one "super" camera and then devote themselves to building display cases for the many awards the camera would have won? 

Nevertheless, the X-700 was a superb camera. It has a solid build, and the grip makes it fit perfectly in my hand. Today it's plentifulness and relative low cost makes it an excellent choice for those looking for a film camera. And Minolta's lenses are excellent. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I get fine results from my Minolta lenses, including the budget release Minolta Celtic 35mm that I used today. This lens was a surprise gift from a listener (thank you Jeremy Zorns!), and it delivers. Period.

Today felt a little odd as I walked about with my camera. I hadn't shot in full sun in a long time, instead choosing to do my photography with at least some amount of cloud cover. Because I always shoot black and white film with an eye toward making a darkroom print, I think a lot about controlling contrast. Sunny days are high contrast days, and getting the film to hold details in both the shadows and the highlights can be difficult. This is why I develop my Kodak Tri-X 400 (the film I was shooting today) in Kodak D-76 diluted 1:1. Someday I might even try stand development with caffenol C-L to further control contrast. Nevertheless, sunny days are greatly appreciated in late December, and I decided to simply go with it and attempt to capture what I saw. The Tennessee riverfront provides ample opportunities for photography, and the warm sun on my back made the experience even more wonderful. Who knows whether I will get "keepers" from this roll of film when I do finish it and develop it, but one thing I do know:  You have to shoot something to get something. And plenty of good photographs have been made in full sun. I simply looked for things I liked, composed the frame, focused, made some exposure decisions, and gently pressed the shutter button. I felt creative, and it was fun. A good day.

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #40: Darkroom Tips I Learned (That You Already Knew!)

Wow! Back in early November when I promised to make a show a week for the remainder of 2021, I honestly thought I was kidding myself. Bur here we are six weeks and six shows later, and with only two weeks left in 2021, my goal is in sight!

I sold two prints this week!

When I returned to making darkroom prints in early 2021, I knew that I was once again starting at the bottom of the learning curve. This time, however, I had a lot of help available to me in the form of mentors, both in person and online. So even though I have made many mistakes along the way (and wasted lots of paper, chemistry, and time), I have made steady progress toward my goal of consistent success. Even though I still have a long ways to go, I want to share five darkroom tips I've learned. They all are things I've learned the hard way, and you probably already knew them. Nevertheless, I would have greatly benefited from these tips, and perhaps you can, too. Listen as I discuss Five Darkroom Tips I Learned (That You Already Knew).

You can visit my Etsy store, Chattalog Photography, here.

Along the way, I mention videos by Gregory Davis, otherwise known as The Naked Photographer, that demonstrates how to test your safelights. You can find them here and here.

Our photowalk was rained and stormed out, but we will try again in 2022. Subscribe to the podcast and follow us on Facebook and Instagram so that you will be the first to know about plans for 2022.

"Let's chat!"

It's the season for giving, so we're giving away a camera with a vocabulary! The Minolta AF-Vs is commonly known as "The Talker," and here is how it can be yours. All you have to do is post the comment, "I want The Talker!"  on one of the Facebook or Instagram posts that announce the release of shows #39 or #40. You also can enter by commenting on this post ("I want The Talker!") or by sending an email containing "I want The Talker!" to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. One entry per person, please. We will announce the winner on show #42, which will be released before the new year.

Happy Shooting!

Uncle Jonsey's Cameras Podcast #39: The Night Time is the Right Time For Night Photography (with the right camera, of course)

Show #39 is live! Kevin has been doing some research on how to capture holiday lights on film with night photography, and he has found a pair of very useful websites, which are linked below.  It's not rocket science, so using the right camera, film, and meter will go a long way toward getting keeper shots. 

As a frequent visitor to Ken Rockwell's fabulous website, it is no surprise that he would have a very useful article on night photography:  https://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/night.htm

Sekonic, the make of fine light meters, as a great article on night photography as well:  https://www.sekonic.com/metering-night

Our 2021 Photowalk with Wayne Setser is scheduled for tomorrow, weather permitting. Find out all about it here.

The Minolta AF-Sv, otherwise known as "The Talker"

In the spirit of the holiday season, let's give away a camera. Not just any camera, mind you. This camera is a real "conversation piece." Of course, we are referring to the Minolta AF-Sv, otherwise known as "The Talker." It's an autofocus 35mm point and shoot with a 35mm lens and a built in flash. And it has a vocabulary! Listen to the show to find out how to enter for a chance to win this camera.

Happy Holidays and Happy Shooting!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #38: Thankful for Polaroids!

Show #39 is live, and I predict that it will be an instant success! Ok, I know that sounded boastful, but what I am really talking about is instant photography in general and vintage Polaroid cameras specifically. I think that instant photography is perfect for this time of year with family gatherings like the one I had on Thanksgiving Day, and my Polaroid SX-70 SONAR One Step camera and Polatronic flash unit from 1978 did not let me down. I shot a pack of Polaroid SX-70 color film, and every shot was at least a keeper, with several being really good. So, in today's show I share some tips on how to increase your success rate when using vintage Polaroid camera for your holiday gatherings.

Polaroid film can be found at several big box and online stores, but you can order it directly from polaroid here.

Learn more about the Polaroid SLR 680 SE here.

Neutral density filters that will allow you to shoot 600 film in an SX-70 camera can be found here.

Shutter Brother Kelley made this Thanksgiving Day keepsake.

When looking for the Polatronic flash, make sure the base plate 
and bracket are included.

The shot on the left of Debbie and me is perfect, but the photo of Debbie and  Kelley's dog, Rosie,
on the right could have used a little less exposure because of the reflectivity of Rosie's coat.

Like many of you, I try to have a camera with me everywhere I go. Of course, my iPhone is always with me, but I also like to bring a film camera or (in some rare instances) a digital camera with me whenever I go out. You never know when or where something memorable of even amazing will will happen.

For example, a week and a half ago, my wife, Debbie, and I went on a hike on a nearby nature trail along with our youngest daughter, Amber, and her boyfriend, Matthew, for the purpose of making some photographs to be used in Christmas cards. I brought my digital Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 camera, While I did get some nice shots of Amber, Matthew, and their dog, Coconut, I also got to witness something very special. Find out what in the show!

Matthew, Amber, and Coconut, moments before . . . 

Back in July in show #34 I shared with you the story of how I acquired a Leica iiia, which is a classic 35mm thread mount rangefinder camera very similar to one I owned back in the early 1990's before is was stolen. One roll of film was all it took for me to find that the camera needed service, so I did some research and sent the camera to Youxin Ye. Four months later, I have a functionally new Leica camera, and boy, am I excited! Listen to my update in the show.

I can't wait to share with you the results of the first roll from 
this newly-serviced Leica iiia!

We are now less than two weeks away from our 2021 Photowalk with Wayne Setser, which is being presented by Uncle Jonesy's Cameras and Safelight District Community Darkroom. If you live anywhere near southeastern Tennessee, I highly recommend that you consider participating. It's being held on Saturday, December 11, beginning a 9:00 am EST at the Laurel Snow State Natural Area near Dayton, Tennessee. Laurel Snow is one of Wayne's favorite places to shoot, and he will share lots of tips and tricks for all formats. The photowalk itself is free, and afterwards we are gathering at Monkeytown Brewing in Dayton for lunch and conversation. Photography and fun - what more could you ask for! Click here and let us know you are coming.

That's it for this week. We'd love to hear from you, so email us with a written message or a voice memo to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. Also, check out our Instagram and Facebook pages. 

Happy Shooting!

Kevin

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #37: Speed Bumps in the Dark(room)

Shutter Brother Kevin here.

Three weeks - three shows! What's going on here? I don't know, either, but I am going to do all I can to keep it up and make a new show each week until the end of the year. This week's show features an update on my journey into large format photography, and my attempt to make 4x5 contact prints at home in my small bathroom (one bedroom/one bath). Being able to make contact prints at home was one of the main reasons I wanted to try large format photography in the first place. My ideas on how to accomplish this were based on a video produced by large format photographer and YouTuber Mat Marrash, in which he makes contact prints in a darkroom using a bare bulb as the light source instead of an enlarger. His results looked so easy and good that I thought, "Piece of cake!" When I tried it, however, all I ran into were speed bumps in the dark. In the end, I gave up, because it just wasn't as fun when paper is being wasted and no usable prints are being made. "Now I know why darkrooms are dark," I said to myself as I transitioned my homemade darkroom back into a bathroom and put away my useless homemade contact printing frame. While I will continue to develop film at home, I will continue to make my prints in our community darkroom. And, no, this is not the end of my large format journey. I haven't even tried to make an enlargement of one of my 4x5 negatives, yet, and I am really looking forward to doing that.

My curtain worked just fine . . . 

 . . . but this small bathroom does not make a good
darkroom . . 

. . . and that crappy homemade contact
printing frame is going down the toilet.

In other news, our 2021 Photowalk with Wayne Setser is less that three weeks away, and I am getting really excited. If you haven't listened to show #36 yet, I highly recommend that you give it a listen and here Wayne and I discuss all the reasons why you should participate if you can. Saturday, December 11, is going to be quite a morning of photography and fun, and it all starts at 9:00 am EST at Laurel Snow State Natural Area near Dayton, Tennessee. We will meet in the parking lot first, then Wayne will show us one of his favorites places to photograph (you can see some of his Laurel Show work by going to his Flickr page here). When we are finished with the photowalk, we will gather at Monkeytown Brewing in Dayton for lunch and fellowship. You can see the Facebook event page here.

Finally, since this is Thanksgiving week in the USA, I reflect on all the photography-related things for which I am grateful, and there are plenty. I think that it is always a good idea to count your blessings and give thanks. Oh, and you are on my list!

Please drop us a line at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com and consider following us on Instagram and Facebook at @UJCPodcast. And as always, please subscribe to the podcast, so that you won't miss a show!

Thank you listeners, and Happy Shooting!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #36: All About a Photowalk with Wayne and Kevin!

Show #36 of the Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast is here, and so is Wayne Setser. He joins Shutter Brother Kevin for a nice discussion of the Uncle Jonesy's Cameras and Safelight District Community Darkroom 2021 Photowalk. It's going to be a morning of photography and fun, and you can get all the details by listening to this show.

The photowalk is being held at the Laurel Snow State Natural Area near Dayton, Tennessee. It's Waynes favorite place to photograph, and you can see some of his amazing large format photography on his Flickr page by clicking here. Be sure to check his Laurel Snow album for a preview of the photographic opportunities to be found at Laurel Snow.

You can view the 2021 Photowalk Facebook Event Page here.

As always, we love getting emails from our listeners, so drop us a line or even a voice memo at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com.

Happy Shooting, and see you at the 2021 Photowalk!

Uncle Jonesy’s Cameras Podcast #35: Let’s Have a Photowalk (Take Two)

The Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast is back with show #35, and do we have some news for you! We are very pleased to announce our 2021 Photowalk with Wayne Setser. We tried to do this photowalk in March of 2020, but you know what happened to most of 2020. However, this event is back and will be held on Saturday, December 11, 2021, at the Laurel Snow State Natural Area near Dayton, Tennessee. There is no fee, just a morning of photography and fun. You don't want to miss this!

You can see the Facebook event page for the photowalk here.

You can see Wayne Setser's work on Flickr here. Be sure to look at his Laurel Snow album for a preview of what to expect at the 2021 Photowalk.

For the second half of the show, Kevin discusses his recent foray into the world of large format photography. It's been quite a journey so far, and it's far from over.

As always, you can email us at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com, and we'd love to hear from you. 

Happy Shooting!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #34: Keep Your Camera Happy - Get It Serviced!

The Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast is back with a show about an important part of film photography. We may not want to think about it, and we certainly do not like spending the money for it, but the fact of the matter is that our cameras have to be serviced if we want them to keep on making the photographs we love. 

A recent check of my collection of cameras reveals a sobering fact:  They all are vintage, which is a nice way of saying "old." Not a single one of my film cameras are less than twenty-five years old. My Rolleicord Va was made the year I was born (believe me, it's old!) And my newly-acquired Leica iiia, the oldest camera I own, is seventy-five years old. Should I really be surprised that the first roll I shot with it was mostly ruined by shutter problems?

Ugh! Shutter cupping. Time for a CLA (Clean-Lubricate-Adjuct)

Fortunately, most of the problems our vintage cameras have can be corrected with servicing by a qualified professional camera technician. We may be reluctant to spend $100 on a camera we bought for $50, and someone will always say, "you can just replace it instead of getting it fixed." However, with a finite inventory of film cameras in the world, and a growing number of film photographers, we will need every film camera we can get to meet the demand. Since we paid a fraction of the original price for our film cameras (in most cases), why not spend some cash on getting?keeping them in top condition, so that we can obtain the best results from them that they are capable of. I think it's worth the money, and the more we can do to keep our limited number of qualified camera technicians in business, the better.

One of the few good frame from the first roll from my Leica iiia.
This camera, like most of my cameras, is definitely worth repairing.

 I found out (in a bad way) that there are some camera repairs that are best left to a professional. Nevertheless, I have been successful in replacing seals and mirror bumpers in several of my SLRs. Additionally, I have used specialized tools to repair bent filter rings and clean haze and fungus in lenses. Fortunately, YouTube is an indispensable help in "amateur" camera repair. One of the best of these the Fix Old Cameras channel, which has been very helpful to me. I highly recommend it.

With my limited repair skills (and the right tools,)
 I was able to clean my Industar 22 50mm f3.5 lens . . . 

 . . . and get some very nice results from it!

My bent filter ring repair tool . . .

. . . and a scanner wrench like this is essential for 
repairing most old cameras.

We here at Uncle Jonesy's Cameras love to hear from our listeners, so in our last segment, I read some very nice emails from three of our listeners. You, too can email us at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com (you can even send us a voice memo to play on the air. You also can find us on Facebook and Instagram (@ujcpodcast).

Thanks for listening, and Happy Shooting!

Here is a list of camera technicians with whom I have had positive experiences. Due to a brain freeze while recording the podcast, I forgot to mention Oleg Khalyavin, who performed an amazing job putting my Zorki 4 back into top condition. I put Youxin Ye on the list, because that is where my Leica iiia is headed for repair. I will report back on my experience.

Garry's Camera Repair:  http://www.garryscamera.com

Chicago Camera Specialists:  https://www.chicagocameraspecialists.com

YYeCamera (Youxin Ye):  http://www.yyecamera.com

Mark Hama:  http://www.markhama.com

Oleg Khalyavin Photocameras (all things Russian cameras):  http://okvintagecamera.com

Lens filter ring repair tool

Spanner wrench

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #33: Purple Pleasures, Leica Treasures, and Improvement Measures

Let's get some purple pictures!

Shutter Brother Kevin here, and I'm back with a brand new show. I begin the show with review of Lomography's Lomochrome Purple XR film. Lomochrome Purple XR is a color negative film that is inspirited by a rare color infrared slide film form Kodak called Ektachrome EIR, which goes by the popular name, "Aerochrome." Because Aerochrome is no longer made, and the remaining stock is highly valued by art photographers, Lomography produced Lomochrome Purple, which mimics Aerochrome's dreamy psychedelic color shifts. "Color-Blind Kevin" appreciates that many art-minded film photographers love what it does, but it just may not be my cup of tea (you can see some of my photographs with this roll here.)

Lomochrome Purple XR makes
everything groovy!

Next, I tell a tale that is every film photographer's dream:  Finding a precious camera treasure at a flea market. Once upon a time I owned a Leica ilia, but it was stolen in a home break-in. However, on a recent visit to a parking lot flea market day at a local antique store, I was amazed to find an actual Leica iiia in great shape. The seller quoted me a fair price, and now that camera has a new home!

My flea market Leica.

Finally, we all want to be better photographers, so what is the one thing we all could do to accomplish that? Find out in our latest challenge.

As always, Kelley and I love hearing from our listeners. So, send us an email at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com or go to either our Facebook or Instagram page and leave a comment. 

Happy Shooting!

"7 Reasons You Should Own a Leica Thread Mount Camera" by Hamish Gill

Please Purple Me: My Date with Lomochrome Purple XR

Over a year ago I was gifted a roll of Lomography's Lomochrome Purple XR film in 35mm format. Lomochrome Purple XR is what I call a ‘special effects” film, There are other films like this, dubblefilm being one example. There is an element of unpredictability with films like these, and my feelings of uncertainty were the cause of me waiting so long to shoot the roll. However, since I have been photographing flowers a lot lately, I figured that the time to give Lomochrome Purple a test drive.

Lomochrome Purple is a film that is inspired by a legendary film made by Eastman Kodak called Ektachrome Infrared EIR, commonly called Aerochrome. Ektachrome Infrared EIR was a false color transparency film that was sensitive to both visible light and infrared light, and it was used primarily by the government for arial surveillance in the detection of criminal activity in highly vegetated areas. More recently, photographs have used the Aerochrome to create color images that can be described as ‘psychedelic” with wild color shifts involving purple and pink, among other colors. Production of Aerochrome ceased on 2011, and today the film is quite rare and expensive. Now that we are in the throws of the resurgence of film photography there are a lot of photographers who have demanded that Kodak bring Aerochrome back, to no avail so far.

Enter Lomography's Lomochrome Purple XR, a color negative film formulated to mimic the psychedelic color shifts of Aerochrome without actually being an infrared film. Greens and reds are converted to various shade of purple, blue, and pink, with occasional yellows and reds appearing as well. At least that is what the bulk of my search told me. In truth, I had no idea how to shoot this film. Even the ISO is confusing. The box says the film can be shot as 100-400 ISO. So which is it? Generally speaking, I am a “box speed” photographer. And what about lighting? Does Lomochrome Purple XR like full sun or shade? 

One other concern I had is that I am quite afflicted with red/green color blindness. So I wondered if I would even notice, much less appreciate the results of Lomochrome Purple XR. 

It was a bright sunny day when I loaded my Minolta Maxxum 600si with Lomochrome Purple XR, and my wife and I drove to Gibbs Gardens, a private botanical garden that is open to the public. I reasoned that the fields of colorful flowers and full sun would be a good opportunity to put Lomochrome Purple to the test. Uncertain what ISO I should choose, I initially dialed in ISO 400. However, after about six frames, and for reasons I can’t explain, I moved the ISO to 200 and continued shooting. A few days later we were camping by a lake, and I shot frames as the sun set over the water. By weeks end, I finished the roll at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, a vintage train station that has been converted to a hotel and entertainment complex. 

Shortly afterward, I developed the roll with my C-41 kit, scanned the negatives, and looked over the resulting images. Initially, I thought the images looked as if they had been shot outdoors on slide film balanced for indoor (tungsten) light. Nearly everything had a bluish cast to it. Of course, I knew that what I was seeing was likely shades of purple, but since my color blindness renders nearly all purples as shades of blue. However, with the help of my wife (who’s had perfect color vision), I began to see shades of pink and lavender mixed in with the occasional red, orange, and even yellow. I found that I actually liked some of the images!

I do have four overall observations:

1. Subjects with multiple colors gave more pleasing results.

2. Lomochrome Purple XR is quite contrasty, and on sunny days the sky will get blown out.

3. Changing the ISO from 400 to 200 after six frames seemed to have no effect exposure nor the special effects of the film.

4. In lower light like near sunset, the images look almost devoid of color altogether.

Will I shoot Lomochrome Purple XR again? Probably not. But that’s not to say that you wouldn’t like it. It simply doesn’t fit into my current workflow, given my color blindness and the fact that I like to pre-visualize a photo and control as many variables as I can to get the intended result. However, if I were shooting for a project for which dramatic color shifts would be appropriate (like an album cover, for example), I certainly would put it to good use.  But for now, this first date with Lomochrome Purple XR is as far as we are going to get.

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #32: A Converstation with Mario Piper

Todays UJC show features a conversation with photographer and podcaster Mario Piper. I first became aware of Mario's photography when I discovered his podcast, Gen-X Photography, and I am delighted to have him on the show. Over the course of our hour-long conversation, Mario relates how he first became interested in photography and began using digital cameras before finding his photographic voice with film photography. Unable to contain his excitement over what he was learning and experiencing along the way, Mario began putting his thoughts into a podcast that I have enjoyed very much. Through his use of expired film, he has produced intriguing images that have an "other-worldly" beauty and expression. Since we all are on a journey regarding our photography, I think you will quite enjoy our talk, and you will want to check out his work as well.

You can find Mario on Instagram at @mariopiper and also on Flickr here.

As always, we would love to hear from our beloved listeners, and you can reach us at unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com (text and voice memos are welcome). Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages as well.

Here are some of Mario's favorite photographs, all made with his Minolta SR-T101 and a variety of Minolta Rokkor lenses. The captions are his.

Lomochrome Metropolis, double exposure, C41. Probably my favorite photo I’ve taken on film thus far.

Kodak 2254 ISO 1.6. Standard C41.

Kodacolor X, expired early 1970’s. Was to be developed in C22 chemicals.
I used stand developing in C41 chemicals for 50 minutes at 68º F.

Kodak 2254. A walk in the woods. Developed standard C41.

Kodak 2254, double exposure including my cat. Developed standard C41.