[following.eric]

Your focusing screen sounds fairly standard. The very center is usually split horizontally so that if you have any vertical lines running through it, when it lines up, that is confirmation youʻve nailed it. I usually prefer that first ring beyond because when you stop seeing the microprism effect, youʻre in focus. The area outside of that is usually what is called a fresnel; it looks soft, but for some photographers it helps them to focus.
.

Ya never did the whole old school film so this focusing screen is a big adjustment. I do find it more busy and a bit distracting. What you described is what I experience. The split screen and microprism circle are sharp and the area outside or are you stay the fresnel is just a tad soft. So if that's what you're saying then it appears mine would be focusing correctly. Just have to wait and see how it develops. Im not one to read them manual but it did come in handy. Had to check which number I should wind the film until and then focus screen haha.

As for gear I'm not the type to baby gear. I'll protect it when I can but I think when I go to sell my stuff I won't be able to sale as new or like new. It will be sold as loved much and used much. Maybe I'll feel differently if I have a lens worth more than a thousand. Could change my mind. Maybe

[Alex645]

As for gear I'm not the type to baby gear. I'll protect it when I can but I think when I go to sell my stuff I won't be able to sale as new or like new. It will be sold as loved much and used much. Maybe I'll feel differently if I have a lens worth more than a thousand. Could change my mind. Maybe

As much as I can have an affinity to certain cameras and lenses that are beautifully designed or engineered, I agree that the whole point of gear is to use them as tools to create special memories and images. I am actually a bit relieved after a new camera or lens gets some cosmetic scratch. After that, Iʻm less paranoid about wear and tear and can really just focus on why Iʻm taking photos.

[following.eric]

As much as I can have an affinity to certain cameras and lenses that are beautifully designed or engineered, I agree that the whole point of gear is to use them as tools to create special memories and images. I am actually a bit relieved after a new camera or lens gets some cosmetic scratch. After that, Iʻm less paranoid about wear and tear and can really just focus on why Iʻm taking photos.

I have no problem buying someone's else's gear second hand that was never used outside

[Alex645]

I have no problem buying someone's else's gear second hand that was never used outside

What I would give to get that Hasselblad and Zeiss lens that Neil Armstrong left on the moon in 1969. It wasn't just left outside, but it was left outside the Earth's atmosphere. I guess it's destined for the Smithsonian.

Anyone know how many cameras were left on the moon by NASA and if they were all Blads?

[Arjay Bee]

What I would give to get that Hasselblad and Zeiss lens that Neil Armstrong left on the moon in 1969

Just read an article recently that said the lack of atmosphere on the moon allows all the space borne debris through and that photos of the moon taken a few decades ago compared with photos now indicate significant displacement and movement of dust and earth on the moons surface. The writer commented that this would indicate that it will not be a geologically long time before the tracks left by the astronauts will be obliterated and that material left on the moons surface will be destroyed.

Those cameras may be quite scuffed up when retrieved.

[UncleVanya]

Just read an article recently that said the lack of atmosphere on the moon allows all the space borne debris through and that photos of the moon taken a few decades ago compared with photos now indicate significant displacement and movement of dust and earth on the moons surface. The writer commented that this would indicate that it will not be a geologically long time before the tracks left by the astronauts will be obliterated and that material left on the moons surface will be destroyed.

Those cameras may be quite scuffed up when retrieved.

There is a reason to get back up there. Erect a structure over those footsteps and preserve them! Which itself won't last but buys time.

[following.eric]

If anyone is interested I got my first roll of 35mm back today. With the Chinon I posted about earlier. More than welcome to check it out and I would love some feedback. I'll get the copies back sometime in the mail. But I am glad to see that everything came out sharp and no leaks or anything I could see.
Film 2017 | Flickr

All shot on the Chinon cm-5 with Pentax-A 50mm 1.7

This will be a learning experience and I don't plan on shooting with film like I do with digital. Mainly for the cost, but initially the few shots I love, I really love and it's something not like digital. Kind of liked the surprise of waiting to find out.

Few things I have already learnt:
1- bad light is bad light. You can see which were shot mid day in harsh direct sun
2- although I tend to shoot landscape most of the time, they were my least favourite. Maybe because I miss the detail of digital.
3- My favourite shots were actually the ones I was trying to shot different, or not my normal style. Favourites are the Plane with the sun, my friend drinking the beer, the locker room with rain jackets & the cloths line.
4- Rainy day vibes seemed to look right on film.
5- because this was a test roll, I did take some shots to just take some shots., I also had a few accidental fires from the shutter.But in the future I think I'll save if for when I feel it is right to shoot on the film and the rest can fall into digital

Over all it was what I was expecting. A few keepers and loads of work to be done. Think i just have to stick with my gut when the time is right for film and when digital is the one to go with. Now that I know it works fine I'll take my time of the next rolls of films, while keeping notes incase, and see from there.

Thanks everyone who gave me tips and advice along the way. Feels good to have a roll done haha

[pathdoc]

If anyone is interested I got my first roll of 35mm back today. With the Chinon I posted about earlier. More than welcome to check it out and I would love some feedback.

Nice. The one of the airplane (rear fuselage, wing, engine) on the tarmac especially - quite a bit of flare and some grain, but the composition is so nice it makes up for all of that, and the flare sort of fits in naturally anyway.

Better than the last few rolls I shot (oh dear God, was that ever a learning experience...)

[following.eric]

Nice. The one of the airplane (rear fuselage, wing, engine) on the tarmac especially - quite a bit of flare and some grain, but the composition is so nice it makes up for all of that, and the flare sort of fits in naturally anyway.

Better than the last few rolls I shot (oh dear God, was that ever a learning experience...)

I did tell WPS that it was my first roll ever and that some images may be under/over exposed so I am not sure if they pull any of the photos. Not sure if they would do that to single images while exposing the rest of the roll at 200. Not to sure on the behind the scene stuff.

About the grain however, I thought the grain would be consistent across all the shots as it is all the same film. Or do certain light conditions or heavy shadows cause more grain than a perfectly lit shot?

[Alex645]

I did tell WPS that it was my first roll ever and that some images may be under/over exposed so I am not sure if they pull any of the photos. Not sure if they would do that to single images while exposing the rest of the roll at 200. Not to sure on the behind the scene stuff.

About the grain however, I thought the grain would be consistent across all the shots as it is all the same film. Or do certain light conditions or heavy shadows cause more grain than a perfectly lit shot?

An entire roll can be push or pulled, but unless you're using sheet film and not roll film, it's not possible to push or pull individual exposures. At custom labs, you can ask for a "snip test" where they will snip the first couple of exposures and process it, show it to you, and then you can tell them to push or pull the film however many stops, but if you have both over and under exposed negs, that's problematic.

If you think about it, the highlights on the negative are dense (dark) with silver grain. In contrast, the shadows are thin with silver and the film base is fairly clear, making the few grains more visible and apparent. In general, I would say that higher contrast negs produce grainier images, which you can counteract by using a lower contrast paper or filter in the darkroom (or Lightroom).

[ChrisPlatt]

There is a reason to get back up there. Erect a structure over those footsteps and preserve them! Which itself won't last but buys time.

This somehow reminds me of a Monty Python sketch. Picture Terry Jones in drag as a cleaning woman on the moon
with mop and bucket, grumbling about cleaning up fifty years of accumulated moon dust, without a space suit...

Chris

[following.eric]

An entire roll can be push or pulled, but unless you're using sheet film and not roll film, it's not possible to push or pull individual exposures. At custom labs, you can ask for a "snip test" where they will snip the first couple of exposures and process it, show it to you, and then you can tell them to push or pull the film however many stops, but if you have both over and under exposed negs, that's problematic.

If you think about it, the highlights on the negative are dense (dark) with silver grain. In contrast, the shadows are thin with silver and the film base is fairly clear, making the few grains more visible and apparent. In general, I would say that higher contrast negs produce grainier images, which you can counteract by using a lower contrast paper or filter in the darkroom (or Lightroom).

thanks for the info. I figured they couldn't push of pull individual images in a set. I guess I could bring back one Neg if it was under exposed and pay to have them push it more and enlarge if I wanted. Either way I am glad that the shots I liked were exposed correctly, and that no additional work was needed.

Next thing I need is more film. A guy in NZ has a lomography starter pack that has three difference colour rolls i think Iso 200,400 & 50 and two b&w. Not a very popular company, but the results looks good and creative.

[Arjay Bee]

If anyone is interested I got my first roll of 35mm back today.

Those are great!!! I can see what you are saying about your output but I have been scanning my negatives taken over three decades ago and the standard on average is far worse than your set of images

I really enjoyed your images from Middle Earth - Queenstown Southern Alps area - a great place to be residing. Extremely photogenic and I have a few images from that part myself.

[following.eric]

Those are great!!! I can see what you are saying about your output but I have been scanning my negatives taken over three decades ago and the standard on average is far worse than your set of images

I really enjoyed your images from Middle Earth - Queenstown Southern Alps area - a great place to be residing. Extremely photogenic and I have a few images from that part myself.

Ya I can't believe the views here some days and I am from Canada. Thankfully i've been lucky to live in some pretty beautiful places. Now that I know the camera works I want to slow down the film shots and take when the situation is right.

Any idea how long you can leave a roll in the camera? Would be let's say a roll a week or a roll a months be alright?

[Arjay Bee]

Any idea how long you can leave a roll in the camera? Would be let's say a roll a week or a roll a months be alright?

I have left one in for longer than that - so long that I have been unsure what is on the roll when I pick it up from the developer - surprise when you see what is on there.

Just keep your camera in a cool spot and not accidently open the back of the camera. There are two thoughts on whether you keep the film rolled on and ready to shoot or not. Some Pentax models show a red spot if film is rolled on to the next frame. Spot vanishes when the frame is shot. Not sure about the Chinon. Leaving the tension on the shutter parts with film rolled on is perhaps not a good idea. If I have the camera ready to shoot I will for sure pick the camera up and accidently trigger the camera giving myself a dark/blank or random frame. So I tend not to leave film rolled on.

Look forward to seeing more of your film images.