bored of my cameras?

if you're growing tiresome of my random ramblings about assorted cameras, my next post will be on a book. i'm pretty fixed on which one it'll be, but not yet 100% certain.
keep sharing, and keep your eyes peeled!

Lomo Lubitel 166B

for those people who get bored of 35mm or digital, the next logical step to take would be a medium format camera. the Lomo Lubitel 166B is a cheap russian camera that's relatively easy to use and incredibly handsome, a perfect introduction to 120 film.
probably the most alluring thing about the Lubi is the fact that it's a TLR (Twin Lens Reflex) as opposed to the now ordinary SLR, where you see through the viewfinder exactly what the lens see. some people see this as a con of TLRs, as your photo-taking can go awry due to parallax error. i, however, see it as part of the charm. i also love how you need to hold the camera at waist/hip height to see anything through the viewfinder (which you do by looking straight down the top, incase you didn't realise), which is not entirely dissimilar to the Box Brownie; don't get confused though, as the Brownie is not a true TLR, it's what's been dubbed recently as a 'toy' camera.
but i digress, the Lubitel is a TLR in one of it's simplest forms. the only controls you need (and have, for that matter) are the shutter speed, aperture and focussing. the focus is the same as any other camera but because of the twin lenses, it focusses them both at the same time thanks to a simple cog mechanism (which you'd be able to see quite clearly if the bloody photo was in focus!), and because it focusses both you can tell when it's gravy through the viewfinder.
when setting the shutter speed and aperture you can tell how truly cheap this camera is. to set these there are two small silver silver dials around the bottom (photo-taking) lens, and anybody who knows anything about cameras will know which one does what, as it moves a small silver hand displaying which f stop or speed you have chosen. simple enough, in theory, but due to the lack of built-in light meter you're going to need either a good knowledge of exposure or a hand held light meter.
speaking of exposure, the only means of knowing how to adjust exposure for different ISOs lies yet again in knowledge, or if you're truly stuck there's a tiny wheel you can see in the centre on the left hand side of the camera, which spins around with different weather conditions and different ISOs to suit, along with suggestions of the other two exposure elements.
there are two variations that i know of when it comes to the Lomo Lubitel 166B, there's the 166+ and the 166U(niversal). the 166U is an improved model of the 166B and was produced four years after, in 1984, and  terminated in 1988. despite being an improved model, many people agree that the 166B is easier to focus than the 166U, and also holds the film better and runs it through smoother. the only advantage i can seem to find that the U has over B, is that it's supplied with a 6x4.5 mask, should you not like or tire of the typical 6x6 square format.
The 166+ on the other hand, is Lomography's recent update of the popular russian classic. because it's lomography, it's incredibly expensive and comes with a vast range of things you don't really need, such as various masks for different formats, and a 35mm conversion kit; the only Lubitel to have such a thing.
it is very easy to use 35mm in a Lubitel without a conversion kit though - simply pop the film canister where the 120 usually goes, and load as usual. winding it on is a little different however, due to the fact that 35mm cameras have the winding set out already. there are some guides online, and i learned the hard way that you have to slowly decrease the amount of clicks (of the film winder knob) or end up with overlapping photographs. the effort of all this is worth it though - once developed, the photograph runs over the ratchet-holes of the film to create a very cool effect.

that's just about all i've got at the moment, so suck on my summary:

1. very popular russian TLR camera
2. plenty of variations
3. good as an introduction to 120 medium format film
4. easy to get hold of, and relatively cheap
5. absolutely charming; if you can get your hands on one, give it a go and fall in love

pray tell, where did you acquire it? ebay, of course! cost: £20 +P&P

to see a photo of mine taken with a Lomo Lubitel 166B, click here

song of the day

obviously, i love music too...
so chuck on your best plaid shirt and button up your britches... ho down time!
http://youtu.be/TROPSdK5p84

more CAP stuff coming soon
let me show you how happy i am

Kodak Box Brownie Model 1

for those of you interested in photography who aren't acquainted with the Kodak Box Brownie, you should be ashamed of yourself.
before the introduction of the Brownie, only professional photographers could afford to take photos on their massive large format cameras, and as such they could charge an arm and a leg. The Brownie was marketed as the camera anyone could afford, advertised using the slogan "You push the button, We do the rest"; this being the case, it was strictly a point and click camera. the camera itself cost $1 (modern day equivalent, roughly $30) and the (now extremely annoying and hard to get hold of) film costing 15 cents. therefore, this very camera is the one to blame for the annoying and often embarassing tradition of special occasion and every-day photo taking.
so that's a rough (and probably partly wrong) history of the overall Brownie revolution (obviously, causing photography to explode - i forgot to mention that in my ramblings), now i'll move onto the Model 1.
the Model 1 first rolled off the production line in 1957 and was ceased in 1959. it boasts an f14 aperture and the rotary shutter has a speed of roughly 1/30 - 1/50 of a second. the film it takes is 227 (or as it says inside the camera, "Kodak 620"), which is now an outdated medium. last time i checked ebay, it costs about £12 to get hold of (sorry for switching between dollars and BPS) and THE MOST annoying thing is, it's identical in every way to 120 (very easy to get hold of), except for the spool it's reeled on, which is marginally thinner and shorter than the 120 spool.
i read on a flickr group that if you cut the ends of the 120 spool down to roughly the same size of the film and shave a few mm off each side then you can use it in there no problem, so i tried it out. it fits, and runs smoothly when you wind the film, but the ISO was all wrong, complete waste of film and time.

i really can't remember where i was going with this so i'll sum up;

1. leading figure in the photographic revolution, leading everyone to be able to take photos
2. cheap and cheerful (i expect, if i ever get it to work) point and click camera
3. the only film it takes is discontinued and as such very hard to get hold of, and also quite pricey
4. instant classic, a true diamond.

pray tell, where did you acquire it? oxfam charity shop, romsey, hampshire, UK.
cost: £4.99

first photos ready to go up!

now by trade, i'm a photographer, which is why the photos of my cameras really annoy me. but you have to forgive me, i really can't be arsed to take photos of the same thing repeatedly until it's bang on perfect, and the only manip' software i have on this laptop is um... Windows Photo Gallery ^^
so they're hideously overexposed for the most part, and out of focus where i'd rather they not be; damn fiddly little 50mm prime lens.
but oh well. enjoy

new year, new blog. cheesey but true

17 january 2011, and after finding an awesome secondhand bookshop in Poole i've decided to give the blogging game another go. all i've gotta do now is pull my finger out, and get a move on with getting my cameras and books up.
incase the title didn't give it away, CAP is about my penchant for vintage cameras and vintage books.
over the last few years i've developed a love for old books and old cameras; i'm like a moth to flame, and i hope to share my leisure and pleasure for this with you, those who blog. I've already a few CAPs up my sleeve, and once i've got those up here i'll be updating a) whenever i get some more, or b) whenever i'm bored.
keep your eyes peeled, more to come soon. sooner rather than later, hopefully...