Cameras: Kodak Jiffy-Six 16

I got this camera last year after finding it in an antique shop.  I realize this isn’t a rare piece but (maybe because it was more a US product) I had not seen one before and fell in love with it’s design.

The price was high (too high I think having seen a few more for sale since) and I wasn’t going to buy it, but my fiancé decided to buy it for me as a present for which I am very grateful.

It s in great condition and came with the original leather case; even the little Kodak film advertising inside is untouched.

Plymouth Wisconsin

I took these whilst visiting Plymouth recently.  They are painted signs of which there are many around this city that celebrate the historical industries of the city.

I believe there is a tour you can do to see all of the signs.

Cameras: Contax III with Kiev 2.0

I picked this up a while ago and only recently got around to trying it. Originally I got this as a body only and subsequently bought a Kiev lens just to be able to use it; if I liked it I would think about something more original. 

Turntable chronicles; a new chapter

As well as Cameras, Photography and cycling I have another love and that is music. Unfortunately I can’t play an instrument but I love listening vinyl. I know it’s all files and disks these days and those are fine; I like to listen to music on all formats (especially live when I can) but Vinyl is still the best at least for analogue music (in my opinion). Analogue music? I here you say.. What I mean is, if music was originally recorded to play on an analogue device, it still sounds better played on an analogue device, more modern stuff that was recorded and intended to be digital probably sounds better played in the format it was intended for too.

I remember when music turned digital,

Trailer – ready for our next trip

So over the last few months we have been working on the trailer as after a leak we ended up replacing a section of ceiling and repainting most of the interior.

We are at the end of that (for now) and all is back together now with the whites being white, the greys now being the same blue as the original fittings (stove, fridge, countertops etc)  and the flooring replaced with wood.

Excitement, fear and relief

I have been pondering the Weekly Photo Challenge of last week which is Ooh, Shiny! and I think it’s fairly obvious to anyone who follows me that, what is guaranteed to distract me? What my “Ooh, shiny!” is, is…

CAMERAS!

and I had another distraction this week which had me a little on edge.

I was browsing that auction site (again) and spotted a fairly modern Voigtländer in the form of a Bessa-R.  I know that technically this is a Cosina and they just happen to own the name but it’s still a good camera.  I don’t need one of these and until then I hadn’t even thought about buying a ‘new’ camera (just the old one’s) so….  SHINY!!

Cameras: Ricoh 35 ZF

This camera is similar in operation to the Vitessa 500 in that it is a compact, zone focus viewfinder camera although this allows for full manual control of shutter speed and aperture or the semi-automatic  aperture priority .

It’s slightly more compact and simple look and it doesn’t have any exposure compensation also the batteries are more easily obtained.

Schwinn Continental

I picked up this bike a few months ago as an impulse buy as mentioned here.  I decided it was a bike too many especially after also buying the Centurion and decided to sell.

I have spent some time cleaning it up and lubricating but decided not to do a restoration as it is in great condition and as previously stated I don’t think it’s been ridden more than a couple of miles in it’s life.

Here are some before and after shots (before on the left);

Odd things on my commute

So much goes passed as you travel in your car to work at high speed.  With so much to concentrate on around you like avoiding that idiot who just pulled out of side road.  So it’s easy to miss things as you zoom passed.

When I cycle however things are a lot slower, especially when I am going up hill and so things that I haven’t had time to look at get more attention.

So here are a couple of things that I saw

Cameras: Voigtlander Brillant

I have mentioned this camera before but wanted to add more detail (and add better pictures). The Brillant was first sold in around 1932; early models used a simple zone style focussing method (as opposed to actual distance) with the operator selecting portrait, landscape etc.

This is a later version from around 1937 as it is made from bakelite rather than metal

Another camera – Contax?

Just picked this up and I’m quite excited about it.

It’s a Contax III (at least it appears to be) from about 1936 according to the serial number. If it’s real

Take along a Leica – old advertisement

I spotted this in an old magazine from the 1950s and thought it worth sharing

taken in Santa Ynez and using a vintage look

Cachuma Lake and Solvang

This weekend myself and S took our 1969 Prowler (towed by our 1990 Bronco) on our first expedition to camp at Cachuma Lake.  All went reasonably well, we had some issues but generally it was a success.

Day 1

The journey up was pretty uneventful though it was scary as hell

Cameras: Yashica Electro 35

I actually have two of these; an older G (pictured above) and a later GSM (below).  The GSM came with a job lot of cameras I bought and is in fully working condition.  The older one is also in good condition but the exposure control doesn’t appear to be quite working