Prototype Analogue Control

Bazzmund

Active Member
I grew up with analogue cameras, then in my teens digital took over when they bolted one on most phones. Then after my nanna died my wife found my grandad's old Box Brownie Flash IV and we took it on ourselves to look up the history. Above all else we wanted to see if it worked, so we got a roll of 120 film and hoped for the best.

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In September 2016 350239 at Coventry on a New Street to Euston service was my model for the first analogue railway picture I had taken since 2003.

It took until 2021 to get it back out again, this time we had it in tow at the Avon Valley for Sapper, and The Gwili Railway for their resident 03 D2178.

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By the time we were at the Gwili our collection had expanded to include a Kodak Colorsnap 35mm.

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We stopped off in Camarthen to test it's mainline photo capabilities of course.

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Sadly, the wifey claims dominion over the Colorsnap so the collection needed a designated husband model and a nice Soviet Union Smena (Cosmic) Symbol was aquired (to the great delight of the socialist weasel in me). This time I opted for some black and white and tested it out at Bargoed where 150283 and 150253 passed.

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Then we made a nuisance of ourselves at the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr's Keeping the Pace(r) gala with 142006, 143606 and 143607.

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I've got a feeling we have started a dangerous obsession here.
 

richard carr

Western Thunderer
I once bought a Seagul TLR, it must have been the early 90s, it is the only camera I have had that broke just after the warranty expired !
It did actually take decent pictures until it did break. I also had my mothers Zeiss Ikon from the mid thirties it took 6 x9 on 120 film, it was very good but eventually the bellows started leaking light.
Personally I still prefer digital.

Richard
 

Bazzmund

Active Member
Fed or a Zorki next then? And a handful of select Jena lenses...?

Steph

At the rate we are going probably a wet plate camera! The Mrs outdid me by getting a 1929 Portrait No. 2 Box Brownie so it's a race back in time for us. Personally I would love a folding vest camera.

I don't know what it is but there's something satisfying about having to think about each shot. I'm using it as a hobby and a way to train my snappy skills on both analogue and digital.
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
The oldest camera I have used was a pre WW1 Ziess Ikon Miroflex 6X9 using the 16-on window and starting at 2 and using all the even numbers to give eight equally spaced 6 X 9 negatives!

I can add a Mamiya Press, Pentacon 6, and a Koni Omega to the ancient medium-format cameras, all purchased from Cambrian Photography.
 
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michael080

Western Thunderer
I checked the well known auction site and noticed that decent 6x6 or 6x9 cameras are still quite expensive. The REALLY large format 4x5" or 9x12" cameras are very cheap in comparison.


don't get too close to this temptation. Stay away. Stay away.... ooooh.

Michael
 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
At the rate we are going probably a wet plate camera! The Mrs outdid me by getting a 1929 Portrait No. 2 Box Brownie so it's a race back in time for us. Personally I would love a folding vest camera.

I don't know what it is but there's something satisfying about having to think about each shot. I'm using it as a hobby and a way to train my snappy skills on both analogue and digital.

I recognise that, I have an Agfa Ambi-Silette interchangeable lens rangefinder I use for fun when I feel like shooting on film. I know of one on WT who still occasionally uses a Rollei TLR...

Steph
 

Bazzmund

Active Member
We've been quite lucky when going on fleabay - we got a job lot of the Colorsnap, Portrait 2 Brownie and an old Instamatic and fotunately the only one duff one was the Instamatic. The Portrait needed a little TLC because the faceplate was bent out of shape but I hammered it back into shape.
 
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