What's your latest acquisition?

I just received a small film order to keep my cameras fed over the quarantine and beyond.

The Kodak 3200 will go into my K2DMD or (more likely) Z1 for indoor photos over the quarantine period. It's from the very conservatively dated early batch of when production resumed and expired in January.

The RPX 400 is for my Yashica Mat 124G and will need to be pushed to at least 1600 for indoor use as above. Hopefully the camera will work properly as it gave me problems the last time I used it, but that was outdoors in the snow so hardly ideal circumstances for it.

The RPX 25 will be for outdoor use (obviously) in the summer (hopefully). I ordered in-date but got a call that they'd sold out and to ask if I would accept double the quantity of out-of-date stock, which I accepted. It's about 18 months expired.



Quarantine supplies by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

[quote:3496ace15f="Jonathan-Mac"]I just received a small film order to keep my cameras fed over the quarantine and beyond.

The Kodak 3200 will go into my K2DMD or (more likely) Z1 for indoor photos over the quarantine period. It's from the very conservatively dated early batch of when production resumed and expired in January.

The RPX 400 is for my Yashica Mat 124G and will need to be pushed to at least 1600 for indoor use as above. Hopefully the camera will work properly as it gave me problems the last time I used it, but that was outdoors in the snow so hardly ideal circumstances for it.

The RPX 25 will be for outdoor use (obviously) in the summer (hopefully). I ordered in-date but got a call that they'd sold out and to ask if I would accept double the quantity of out-of-date stock, which I accepted. It's about 18 months expired.


Hi Jonathan

Can I ask which supplier you used please? I have sufficient 120 roll film for my 645N, but I want to get some 35mm in. Thanks in advance.

SteveF you might try The Imaging Warehouse based just outside Stratford upon Avon. They stock film as well as an impressive selection of film processing stuff, and are still operating online.

I live in Spain so used an online supplier called R3. I think they deliver internationally but that's probably not your best option for either speed or price. I know that Analogue Wonderland are still sending film out. Amazon UK have film but, like Amazon Spain, are generally quite expensive.

Speedgraphic have closed their shop but at present are apparently still operating for on-line orders (how long the postage/courier services continue may be another question). Not sure how they compete on price but I've always had good service from them.

I've decided not to send any film for processing at the moment, I might order some chemicals and re-start home processing for mono. Fortunately a couple of purchases from Japan made have arrived safe: M150/3.5 & 6x7 150/2.8 (both near mint and surprising hard to find in the UK), thanks to Royal Mail & Parcel Force.

Thanks. I'm aware of Analogue Wonderland and would prefer not to use Amazon. Just looking to expand my options. Will check out R3 - you never know.

Yes, I'm already a customer there, for paper in particular. I live about 8 miles from them and used to visit to buy stuff, attended their open days, etc.

A Novoflex Castel-Q focusing rack from Speedgraphic which arrived yesterday so they are definitely still working online. Having spent ages researching I came across a review which put this at the top; not cheap but a beautiful example of German engineering and it worked at a downward angle without creep. my first trial was a magnolia shot (see the Share your lockdown photography projects thread) which required almost the whole length of the rack using the f2.8 50mm macro lens.

+1. Superb quality. You'll enjoy using it!

Steve

I was wondering how you got that so beautifully sharp end to end. Super image.

Thanks David, I used Photoshop to stack the images although normally I prefer HeliconFocus. Over a long stack PS was able to auto align the images but I have yet to find how that can be done in HF.

Probably the best thing I ever bought. The ruler marked in mm's is very handy You can focus by noting where the camera beeps as you rack in (or rack out). It beeps at a different point moving in or out. Usually about 25-50mm difference. If AF is no better then we might as well give up CIF is also going to give different results moving in or moving out

Mine's the double rack version.

--

another bag to add to the other 6-7 bags and cases already kicking about, this one is a think tank retrospective 7 ,I got it on Saturday and have playing about with the partitions to fit different combinations, at the moment I can fit a K3ii without the grip and 18-50 2.8 fitted, a 70-200 2.8, a wide angle zoom and a 30 1.4 along with some filters spare batteries a strap and the usual bits and bobs

A Helios 44-2 that arrived yesterday. Took a punt on an untested one from eBay after asking a couple of questions and it’s absolutely serviceable. Couple of cleaning marks front outer, couple of oil species edge of front inner but sharp throughout.
£12+P&P.

At the end of last week I finally received an old lens I'd ordered almost three weeks earlier, at the start of the lockdown here - an Auto Chinon Multi-Coated 55mm f/1.7 in M42 mount.

Here she is with a test shot wide open to check performance.



Auto Chinon 55mm f/1.7 by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Wide open test III by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr