I got back an 'Old Friend' the other day -- my ORIGINAL Asahi Pentax S3 bought for £87 in 1961 in a Camera Shop in Barking, Essex !! I had sold it to a bloke over 30 years ago and he said " It was not Working any more" -- when he brought it round it looked Very Sad -- the lens was COVERED in DUST ! I cleaned up the body with Cotton Buds ( 'Q-Tips' for you Yanks -- but we still LOVE you ! ) I brushed off the lens dust and cleaned with lens fluid and tissues and it was NOT SCRATCHED !! Then I took off the base-plate and with very small amount of Sewing Machine Oil lubricated all the Cogs and Levers -- then gently wound on and LO !! and BEHOLD !! It creaked into life again !! I took a few frames on Fuji Acros processed in my Home-Made Microphen at different shutter speeds and mostly at full aperture and shutter seems accurate -- lens is a bit 'soft' at f1.8 compared with my Super-Takumars and the 50mm f1.4 SMC Takumar of my Spotmatic F but not bad for 55 years old camera !

Asahi Pentax S3 01 by Peter Elgar, on Flickr

Asahi Pentax S3 02 by Peter Elgar, on Flickr

Asahi Pentax S3 03 by Peter Elgar, on Flickr

The Doggie has been put away for Winter by my Wife now -- he will come out again in the Spring !
I can show you the MTO 500 with it's wooden box here --

I held my Russian MTO 500 Mirror lens over the mount of my Pentax 6x7 Mk II and I got a good result here !! It was DIM to focus as lens is only f8. I think I used the 'Spot Metering' on the pentaprism. Camera was on a tripod of course. Subject is outside our back door in bright light. You can see the 'Doughnut Rings' of a Mirror Lens on the photo ! Film was 09/2002 dated Fuji Provia 100 F.

Weald Country Park near Brentwood, England - I had some rare SUNSHINE for a while until a ;Big Black Cloud' system came over so i went home for a warm drink ! Film : 09/2002 Fuji Provia 100F @ 100 ASA

Taken many years ago on my PENTAX 6x7 hopefully to get a sale through an Agency -- but NO SALES and all my 'Hard Copy' transparencies have been sent back as they want only 'Digital ' now -- I found it in my files, never scanned to show until now . I used the 105mm f2.4 SMC Takumar 6x7 lens and Agfa CT18 film long since discontinued !


Farrier by Peter Elgar, on Flickr

yes -- if I knew HOW to do it BUT the foreground would be all dull lighting and not match the fake 'Blue Sky' !

Yesterday went out to Weald Country Park near my town of Brentwood with my Pentax 6x7 Mk II loaded with 2002 dated Fuji Provia 100 I wanted to use up as it had a couple of shots from my last London trip on it. There was some SUN and Autumn Colours -- I used several lenses then saw some Cows grazing for 'Foreground Interest' so set up tripod and just about to click when sun went in -- I looked up -- a BIG BLACK CLOUD as far as i could see -- so came home to a warm coffee and tasty sandwich -- 2 frames left!

I shall tell the Judge Mike Fuller he has a 'Doppelganger'

6 Club Winners! by Peter Elgar, on Flickr
It was the turn of Brentwood & District Photographic Club to host the annual 6 Club Colour Challenge. Going for the past 57 years, 48 DPI's are entered, 8 from each Club and the Judge has to eliminate images in several 'Rounds' before ending up with the 'Best Six ' which get the highest marks, Although Brentwood had one in the last 6 the others had been knocked out so we came third, Upminster CC Second and WINNERS were Thurrock Camera Club.
Pic shows the Judge Mike Fuller presenting the Shield to Derek Smith of Thurrock CC with Chairman of Brentwood Dr Roger Winter on the left. Other Clubs taking part were : Barking PS, Hornchurch PS, Romford PS.
Pentax K10D + 24mm f2.8 Pentax-A + Mecablitz 45CL3 bounced

I will be ready IF they 'Drive Sheep' but it means they can 'March through the town with Bands Playing' Colours Flying and Bayonets Fixed' -- it will be interesting to see on Remembrance Sunday if they carry weapons now as before NO weapons on parade .