Friday, September 20, 2013

TGIF: Returning

 
This has be a busy and productive past few weeks here at the World Headquarters of Today's Image.  Thanks to David an Olympus OM 1 camera body and lenses have returned. 
 
 
Purchased new - believe sometime in the 80's - appeared to be in good condition. However, the light meter was not working. Now, with a camera of this age, this not  a surprise.  After much Internet/web searching, found a former Olympus camera repairman willing to work on the body and return it to working condition. Sent it off to him and hoped for the best.  Problem with older cameras that involve electronics are parts.  After receiving the camera, he contacted me and said that he had a used light meter assembly that worked and offered to install it.  Also suggested  improvements that - among other things - would allow the use of modern batteries. Yes!
 
The repaired and updated Olympus OM 1 arrived and was used  on the Ride About this past weekend. 
 

 
The above photograph was taken with the repaired and updated Olympus OM 1.  Indeed, all seems to be working.
 
With the OM 1 camera taken care of, the next bit of time was spent in deciding what to do about several other cameras. 
 
Keep saying that wish to return to black and white photography, so now is the time to do it or forget about it.  After much coffee, looking out the window and walking about the neighborhood, decided that yes, will do it.  Not completely giving up color photography, intend to seek subjects that would profit by black and white images.
 
The Olympus is a SLR camera and quite useful for the majority of subjects.  There are often times when such a SLR appears to stand out and sometimes prevent capturing a moment.  SLR shutters can be a bit loud and if you attempting to be unobserved or heard, then it is not the correct tool.
 
The other choice is a rangefinder camera with no moving mirrors or loud shutters.  Have used rangefinders in the past and found them to small, light, easy to carry and quite.  A combination of a rangefinder and the Olympus OM 1 would be the best of all worlds
 
O.K. - Rangefinder here we come!  Gathered up four cameras -three digital and one film - along with lenses and headed to a camera store to see about a trade-in for a rangefinder system.  After reviewing the choices, left the stuff in the camera store, told them I would return in a while and went for a walk and coffee.  Coffee turned into lunch and lunch morphed into another walk.  Returned and selected used Zeiss Ikon rangefinder camera.
 

 
Small, light, easy to carry and uses lenses that I have.  After leaving the store, attached a lens to the body and loaded a roll of film.  Driving home, stopped in Farmland, and photographed the Goodrich Bros. grain elevator which is now the home of several retail stores.  
 
 
Rangefinder camera is as promised - small, light, easy to carry and quite.  

Digital cameras, computers and ink-jet printers are all well and good but returning to black and white film photography at this time just feels right.

 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Both the OM-1 & Ikon look to be capable tools. Love the clear & bright vf of the rangefinder. Welcome back to film & b&w.

My Midwest said...

Yes, for me, the two cameras seem to work well together. Film has always been my love but to earn a living in todays world you need digital. Now retired, back to my love.