I bought the iPhone 11 Pro back when it was released and I have been trying to get more use out of it as a camera. These are shots from around town, both documentation and attempts to get as much as possible out of the camera and editing software. I used the regular camera app for taking photos and VSCO app for processing.
I recently put a macro set together using some older equipment — a Pentax K-01 from 2012 and a manual focus macro lens from the 1970s. The sensor is a bit small and the lens is obviously quite old, but the combo produces some amazingly sharp images. I didn’t do much to these photos in Lightroom — just some basic tweaking — and I think they came out with a lot of punch.
A few weeks ago, when the leaves were perfect, we went for a walk. I took a camera. These are the photos. I forgot to bring a shutter release, so they aren’t as sharp as they could be. We’ll have to take this walk again, next year, so I can try my hand at these scenes one more time.
Update: The Leica and Canon have been sold, but the lens is still available.
Between my digital Leica and my medium format camera, I realized I don’t shoot much 35mm film anymore. So in the interest of only owning cameras I use, I’ve decided to sell my two 35mm cameras. The first is a Leica M5 that I purchased several years ago. It was completely overhauled before I got it and shoots perfectly, with a working shutter at all speeds.
During my time with the camera, it sustained mostly cosmetic injuries. Small pieces of vulcanite casing have come off, which I have filled in with liquid electrical tape. And a combination of a high, hot sun and a fully open lens led to a small hole in the shutter curtain, which I also repaired with liquid electrical tape. You can get a close look at all of this work in the photos.
All of this was three years ago, and I haven’t had any problems since. I understand that cosmetics are important, however, so I’ve adjusted the price of the camera to account for those blemishes. Also, the camera has been modified to take alkaline batteries, so you’ll have a fully-functioning spot meter, which is something of a rarity with this model.
The camera also comes with a lens. It’s the Zeiss C Biogon 35mm f/2.8. It’s a medium-speed, general purpose lens. It’s sharp, contrasty and has served me incredibly well.
The lens is in perfect working condition, with no dust or fungus or haze, and smooth aperture blades. It also comes with the official Zeiss lens hood as well as official Zeiss front and back caps. I’m selling the camera and lens as a package.
I also have another, cheaper camera to sell. It’s a Canon AE-1 Program. It also received an overhaul and is in absolutely perfect working condition. It comes with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. I haven’t used this nearly as much as I’ve used my Leica, but it’s a good, solid machine. Comes with a fresh battery. Also sold as a package.
If you are interested in either of these cameras, shoot me an email here. I’ll let you know pricing and you’ll let me know if you want to buy. From there, we’ll figure out payment and shipping.
Fair warning: the Leica and lens are going to be expensive; the Canon considerably less so.
I’ve had a lot of fun with both of these cameras and have made great images with both of them. Trust me when I say you won’t regret the purchase.
The remnants of a presidents-themed park outside of Williamsburg, Virginia. A very strange place that’s worth a visit if you get the opportunity.
Yashica Mat 124G | Kodak Portra 400
Yashica Mat 124G | Kodak Portra 400
Yashica Mat 124G | Kodak Portra 400
Leica M Typ 240 | Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2.0
Leica M Typ 240 | Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2.0
Leica M Typ 240 | Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2.0
Leica M Typ 240 | Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2.0
Leica M Typ 240 | Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2.0
Leica M Typ 240 | Voigtlander Ultron 28mm f/2.0
Yashica Mat 124G | Kodak Portra 400
I was wide awake one night and very bored, so I went down to the university and did a little large format photography. I took a few photos, but these are the ones I kept. I especially like the figures in front of the Rotunda, who had stopped to admire the building just long enough to be captured in the exposure. The second photo is of “The Corner,” the a block of businesses and restaurants that cater to students. I used a 125mm Fuji lens and Kodak T-MAX 100 film. I’m still not entirely sure whether I like the way black and white looks in these conditions, but this is pretty much the only time I have to shoot 4x5 these days, so I’ll have to live with it, I guess.
Leica M Typ 240 | Zeiss C Biogon 35mm f/2.8
I took this months ago during a trip to Los Angeles and completely forgot to share it. I like it! It was taken with my digital Leica and a 35mm lens I have since confined to film-only duty.
I’ve been stuck in a photographic rut, and my solution has been to shoot photos in a way that sharply limits my ability to manipulate. The idea is that I can spark some creativity by imposing limits on what I can do. It’s why, for the last few weeks, I’ve only been shooting with an Instax Wide camera. I like the large photos—more than twice the size of Instax Mini—and the camera itself has just a few settings. I can focus on something close or something distant, I can lighten or darken the image, and there’s a close-up attachment. That’s it.
I’ve been having fun, and I think the results have been pretty decent. To make this feel more like real photography, I’ve also been scanning the photos and doing some light editing: removing borders, bumping up exposure, and deepening the blacks to create a little more contrast. I thought about removing dust from the photos, but I think it gives them a certain character.
Anyway, here’s what I have from this week, mostly taken in my new neighborhood. The black and white exposures were taken with actual black and white instant film, and then adjusted to remove the color cast that comes from scanning. Let me know what you think.
We went to Asheville, North Carolina for a weeklong vacation this spring, part of which involved hiking to and admiring the waterfalls in the area. I brought my large format setup to take a few pictures, and after months of procrastination, I finally got them developed and scanned. They aren’t technically perfect, and at least one is a little under-exposed, but I like them all the same. I could not tell you which waterfalls are which, but I can tell you that I used Kodak Ektar 100 for the photos.
Leave a comment if you’re interested in a print of anything.
