Tag Archives: Diana F+

Architecture, Film Photography Projects, Urban Landscapes

Frugal Film Project: June 2020

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Finally Getting to Post this.  And Yes, I am counting it as a #WednesdayWindows Also!

June_Lomo800_Coke_Sign2

Pat and Gar’s Hi-Way Bar

Now for some Lafayette, Colorado History: The Old Coke Sign from ‘Pat & Gar’s Hi-Way Bar’ was originally painted in late 1949 or early 1950. Underneath are several layers of signs and banners going back to the late 1930’s. Renovations in 1956 covered the mural with asbestos siding, which ended up preserving it.

In 2015 the Mural was uncovered by special asbestos remediation before the building was to be demolished. The rediscovered Mural, and the entire wall were removed and stored at the Lafayette Firehouse. Professional restoration experts were brought in to stabilize the mural in 2016. It was placed in the current location, at Simpson and Public Road in Downtown Lafayette, Colorado.

See the Official Frugal Film Posting…….

Architecture, Film Photography Projects, Intersections, My Inner Monet, The Story, Uncategorized

Garage Doors……

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Some Photos I made while hunting for Frugal Film Project materials.  Lomo 800 and the Diana F+ camera.  The Best Garage Doors:

Garage_LoveGarage_Question

The images above are from a double garage, as are the ones below.  But I separated the two doors above to have a clearer image of the writing……And the Flowers Below:

Garage_Flowers

These were painted as part of the Lafayette Alley Art Amazin’ Project

Film Photography Projects, Landscapes, My Inner Monet, Nature, The Story

Inner Monet and the #CameraChallenge

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I am a frequent participant in the #CameraChallenge.  The April offering included a motion challenge which fits My Inner Monet.  My strategy for ‘Motion’ was slow shutter speeds and simple motion.  I used the Diana F+ camera and Lomo 800 film, as I was photographing for the April Frugal Film Project.

Wind_Walk

Above:  a walk in the wind, and Below: mountain drive by.

Mountain_Drive_By

Architecture, Intersections, Social Commentary, The Story

Frugal Film Project: May 2020

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The Wise Old Owl speaks for the Alley Art Amazin’ mural project in my Hometown, Lafayette, Colorado.  I started capturing these images for the Frugal Film Project and for my own interests in my Hometown’s support of the Arts.

May_Lomo800

 

Coming soon will be a discussion of the Wise Old Owl.  Turns out I have photographed this mural with 4 different color films.  And they all look different.

Below, sharing a few more murals.  I may make a Murals Page on my blog…….

 

Architecture, Film Photography Projects, Intersections, Personal Vision, The Story, Urban Landscapes

What 4 Owls Have Told Me About 4 Color Films

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Continuing with the Showdown that I started a few days ago.  I’ve been using E100 over a year. I’m midway in a film showdown between Kodak E100 vs Fuji Velvia 50.  I had always preferred Kodak in the past, however, after some 35 mm experiences last year I had doubts.  I had always used E100GX, a warm toned film of the old generation.  The new film was based on a colder version E100G.  But to be fair, I decided to do some formal color test comparison.  This is Part,  I am comparing four images of the Owl Mural made with four different films: E100, Velvia 50, Portra 400 and Lomo 800.  For the direct comparison of the E-6 films I used my Mamiya-7’s; the Portra was exposed using a Mamiya-6; and the Lomo 800 was exposed using a Diana F+, for the Frugal Film Project.

First I’ll show them in pairs, then break down my critique of each one.  Naturally I have selected my personal favorite for the Header image above.

Lomo 800
Portra 400

Left: Lomo 800; Right: Portra 400.  I made no adjustments for tone or contrast; only cropping to make them comparable in size. All of the image were exposed on overcast days. The first comment I can make is that both C-41 films are truer to the actual mural colors.  The Portra 400 has a richer color tone which I would expect for the lower ISO film.  But you have to admit that the Lomo 800 is very good, especially since it was exposed using a plastic camera.  The winner here is Kodak Portra 400:

Owl_Portra400_Labels
Portra 400

Now for the main event, E100 (left) vs Velvia 50 (right):

Kodak E100
Fuji Velvia 50

As one would expect, the E-6 films have a more saturated color.  Not quite a natural representation.  But in my lifetime experience with film (going back to childhood)  I’ve mostly shot E-6.  As a field scientist back in the pre-PowerPoint days, I needed to show my information in slide presentations.  So that meant E-6 films.  In my earlier professional days I used ECN films.  When that was discontinued I switched to Kodak E100GX.

If you read my earlier experiences with E100, you’ll be able to decide which one I prefer.  I simply find the E100 too cold. So the Winner here is, Fuji Velvia 50.  I enjoy the richer and brighter blues and purples……

Owl_Velvia50_Labels
Fuji Velvia 50

So these are my two favorites.  I can accept either one depending on what I am trying to demonstrate.  Which one do you prefer?

Portra 400
Fuji Velvia 50

Stay tuned, right now I am continuing the side-by-side testing of these films as my Mamiya 645’s take a tour of my flower and vegetable gardens.  I’m going to give E100 every possible chance to show me something that I’ll like.

And I may do a follow-up Road-Trip landscape comparison.  In that case, I’ll see if a warming filter makes me feel better about the new Kodak E100.

Film Photography Projects, Landscapes, My Inner Monet, Nature, The Story

Frugal Film Project: April 2020

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This View no longer exists….Tree branches blew down to change it.  Not sure that the Park Services will take those branches away.  So we have captured a moment in time that is now gone…….

Diana_Reflections

There are three locations at a nearby park where I test every ‘new’ camera and every ‘new’ film.  So I took my first roll of Lomo 800 to all of those three spots.

April_Boat_House

It was hard to decide which to pick, bit I think the Reflection does work best. The Boat Dock below, was taken at an odd angle and looks best with some cropping:

Cropped_DianaF

 

Intersections, Landscapes, Nature, Personal Vision, Portraits, The Story, Urban Landscapes

Why Fisheye?

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I’ve realized that I had several Fisheye lens/camera set ups.  My First was a Zenitar Fisheye for my 35 mm Minolta Family:

 

 

Minolta Zenitar Redwoods:

Redwoods

Next I acquired a Lomo Fisheye:

PeachesBooks

Then a Fisheye attachment for the Holga.  My First Emulsive Secret Santa Gift:

Holga_Fisheye

Next A Fisheye Lens for My Diana:

Diana_Fisheye2

Wow this is out of control right?  So I thought about “Rewarding” myself with a Mamiya 645 fish eye lens after recovering from a recent illness.  The price though, was daunting  (~$1200) and I thought about how little I actually use any of my other Fisheye Lenses. Then I became aware of the Arsat Zodiak-8 Fisheye, and picked one up for $120.  In fact I bought two cameras and two lenses for the cost of the most expensive M645 Fisheye listing ($1800).

So, now for the first results from the Arsat with comparisons to my 35 mm Fisheye:

Fisheye_ChapelontheRock

Chapel on the Rock: 645 Arsat Fisheye, Peak to Peak Highway

Fisheye_TreeontheRock

Above: I call this one the “Tree on the Rock”  also Peak to Peak Highway.

Now from some side by side comparisons to my 35 mm Zenitar Fisheye )left B&W is 645; right color is 35 mm):  These were taken from the same tripod position.

 

 

 

 

 

If you are old enough to remember, the 1970’s were a Fisheye crazed time.  Even the original Hawaii 5-0 had a fisheye view of a landing plane in its Intro. But, I haven’t answered my question yet:  Why Fisheye?  Well, just for the fun of it!

Post Script:  I haven’t forgotten 9/11, I’m just not going to support the politicization of it.  I will Always Honor those who died.

Inspired By Series, Intersections, Personal Vision, The Story, Themes

Inspired By: Don Anderson

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You won’t find my Don Anderson listed online.  He died recently and his website has been taken down.  Too Bad, because as my Instructor for Experimental Methods and Alternative Processes at Monterey Peninsula College, He was a huge influence.  I was introduce to photographic concepts I would never have tried on my own.

So let me show some examples of techniques I never would have tried without Don Anderson:

Cyanotypes & Van Dykes:

Memorial_Day

Experimental Developing Methods:

Shrove_Tuesday

Liquid Emulsions:

Anniversary_New

Crappy Cameras,  Holga & Diana:

HolgaAtHome

Pinholes:

Fall_River_Road

The most important thing that I learned was, that even if these are not methods you will focus on, the exposure to these methods will have a positive influence on your Mainstream Photography.

Intersections, Personal Vision, The Story

For Valentine’s Day: My Diana Camera Infatuation

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I’ve played around with Holga for years, after being introduced to Plastic Cameras in an Experimental Photography class back in Monterey. And even though I spent 6 months shooting Holga for the 52 Rolls Project back in 2016, I never quite developed a sincere affection for it.

Plastic cameras are fascinating though and I’ve continued to experiment with many types. But something weird happened when I was ‘given’ this 110 format Diana with one of my Lomo purchases:

Mini_diana

The 110 roll actually forms the back of the camera. It literally sat in my basement for years. And one day I decided to unpack and try it.

Mini_diana2

The results were better than expected:

So what is the Pre-Lomo Origin of the Diana Camera? The Diana camera originated in the 1960s, produced by the Great Wall Plastic Co. in Hong Kong.  Production continued through the 1970s but ceased sometime thereafter.

Check out some Diana Camera History here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_(camera)

And Here: http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Diana

Fast Forward to 2018 Pinhole Day Preparations; All kinds of items on sale for promoting Pinhole Day. Having had some success with the Holga Panorama Pinhole, I decided to try the Diana Pinhole. After all, that 110 cameras wasn’t a real camera!

Diana_Multi_Pinhole

I had read an article on Hand Held Pinhole Street Photography, and decided to use the Diana for that. And then I was hooked!

LilyLake_PinholeDay_2018

So it was just a matter of time before the Ultimate Diana entered my life:

The_Diana

…………and with inter-changeable lenses. Are you kidding me! Of course a sale attracted my attention, offering the soft focus telephoto as another one of those seductive Lomo ‘Gifts’. So, it was going to be mine, with the addition of Fish Eye and Close-up lenses. Arriving in time for the newly promoted ‘Diana Day’ on August 4th.

 

Diana F+ Macro

Rose_Sharon

One limitation on the Macro is the suggestion tat you carry a small ruler since the precise focussing range is 6 inches.  I just “guestimated”.  Not carrying a ruler around with me, and it worked out pretty well.

Datura_D

Diana F+ Fish Eye

And No Fisheye post would be complete without my Feet!

Squash_Fisheye

Oh please do not come out with a new Diana Model! I’m not sure I can handle it……..This is getting almost as bad as my Mamiya Addiction, and you don’t want to know how many of those cameras I have!