Eilen pölähti paikalle Mamiya M645 1000s -keskikoon kamera Mamiya Sekor C 80mm f/2.8 N -kittiobjektiivilla ja mittaavalla CdS-prismalla (ja “microprism”-tarkennuslasilla). Mamiya M645 -kameralla otetaan nimensä mukaisesti 6×4.5 -formaatin kuvia rullafilmille (120 ja 220). Se on järjestelmäkamera, joten objektiivi, etsin, tarkennuslasi ja kahva* on vaihdettavissa. Samoin filmikasetteja voi olla useita. Alkuperäiseen M645-malliin (1979-1985) verrattuna 1000s eroaa nopeammalla suljinajalla (maksimissaan 1/1000 sekuntia) ja laukaisin ajastimella. Mallia valmistettiin vuosina 1979-1990. Tämän yksilön ikää en tiedä.

Jospa tämä kameraharrastaminen alkaisi olemaan kutakuinkin tässä niin voisi aloittaa valokuvausharrastamisen. Jonkin verran lisävarusteita Mamiyaan pitää hankkia jo hankkimani Mamiya Sekor C 150mm f/3.5 -objektiivin lisäksi.

* kahvaahan tässä omassani ei varsinaisesti ole, sen tilalla on perusmallia oleva kampi

Kirjoitan myöhemmin paremman raportin värifilmin kehityksen vaiheista, mutta tässä parilta eri filmirullalta esimerkkikuvia. Molemmat filmit olen kehittänyt kotona Tetenal Colortec C-41 -setin liuoksilla. Tetenalilta on saatavilla myös diafilmien kehittämiseen E-6-setti, jota aion myös lähiaikoina kokeilla.

Fujica ST605n-kamera ja Auto-Beroflex 28mm f/2.8-objektiivi, Fuji Superia 400

Fujica ST605n-kamera ja Auto-Beroflex 28mm f/2.8-objektiivi, Fuji Superia 400

Nikon F-801-kamera ja Nikkor 50mm f/1.8-objektiivi, Fuji Reala 100

Nikon F-801-kamera ja Tamron AF 19-35mm f/3.5-4.5-objektiivi, Fuji Reala 100-negatiivi

Here are two most recent Project 365 photos (Saturday and Sunday). Photo enhancement was not on my “Project 365 objectives” list but I could add it. Because 2010 has been lacking great photos so far, I’ve tried to make snap shots better by tweaking them in Photoshop.  It’s almost embarrasing how into fake retro look I am at the moment. This feeling reminds me of 2003 when I was 19 and got my first own computer, a PC laptop bundled with Photoshop Elements 2. It was fun to discover all the photo enhancement features.

Nikon D80 and Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, available light

Nikon D80 and Nikon Series E 28mm f/2.8 AI-S, available light from the right

Speaking of wide angle lenses… I currently have a Nikon kit lens (18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR) with a widest angle of 76 degrees at 18mm. I would like to get a wider lens in the near future for interior and scenery photographs. I have a few options which fit into my strict budget. At the moment it’s quite difficult to say exactly which features I want or need so I have to go to test some lenses in a local store.

I’m not that into barrel effect so pure fisheye lenses are out of the question. Tokina has AT-X 107 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 lens which combines a fisheye and a super wide angle lenses into one. It offers angles from 180° to 100° but even at 17mm (100°) the barrel effect is visible. Tokina also has AT-X 116 11-16mm f/2.8 and AT-X 124 12-24mm f/4 wide angle lenses that have smaller distortion on the edges. Also Sigma has a 10-20mm f/4-5.6 wide angle but it loses to Tokina lenses in speed. Korean Samyang has the cheapest option: fully manual 14mm f/2.8 which offers great speed and slightly over 100° angle in DX format. Samyang lens was announced in August/September but the launch has been postponed a few times. It’s not available in stores yet.

For someone like me who is usually taking dark and melancholy pictures, food photography is challenging. Food will look good if it is photographed correctly but it is very easy to screw up the photo. We have all seen those gloomy photos of not-so-pretty meals. Food photos need to be bright, glowing and colorful. While preparing some Christmas treats, I took a few photos for practice.

Because there is not much natural light in December, I lightened the compositions with on-camera Nikon Speedlight SB-28. Flash was bounced from the ceiling. I had to do only minor adjustments in post-processing.