New York September 2022 NYC Meet-Up

[Calzone]

THE SEPTEMBER MEET-UP WILL BE AT THE BEER GARDEN IN ASTORIA ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18TH

Small but good turnout for the August 2022 Meet-Up, The Meet-Up before this was August 2021 due to safety and the Pandemic.

Anyways small is good, I actually learned a lot, and pretty much miss the old Meet-Ups that are so casual.

Let’s keep it going at least to keep things going, and to utilize the warmer weather.

A heads up though is the “Critter” is expected to be born on “Labor” Day, and already he is kinda big and might require a C-Section. If this happens “The Creature,” the mom, “Maggie’s” daughter (Creature is a term used in Victorian times, and I learned this colloquialism from reading too many Jane Austin novels) won’t be able to drive for a month I was warned.

Pretty much I might have to pick up and drive the “Creature-Junior,” the eight year old grand daughter, AKA “Miss Bossy” to school, and also drive “The Creature” to doctor’s appointments.

So pretty much only Sundays work for me, and perhaps later in the month is better for me.

Don’t forget I have a car so a few of us can “Group-Up” and do some “Drive-by-shootings” or do a road trip when the weather gets cold.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I have bad GAS.

It is Devil Christian’s fault.

Been sidetracked by doing research and looking at Robot Cameras.

Cal

 

[Particular]

I have bad GAS.

It is Devil Christian’s fault.

Been sidetracked by doing research and looking at Robot Cameras.

Cal

I only tossed it in the bag because I didn't have space for the Linhof 220. The loading is a pain. Even the models that take regular 35mm cartridges like mine need a special take up spool. I may have to 3d print a type that is easy to load, it shouldn't be too hard to design.

 

[Calzone]

Blew out a rear tire today as I was getting ready to go for a ride. I started up the block and decided to go back home to pump up the tires, that’s when the tube ruptured.

Oh-well.

Then a downpour happened suddenly that would of soaked me.

Oh-well again.

So I need a tube and need to order another stockpile. Then I decided to convert the Ti Basso from a Fat Tire bike into an urban Newsboy. Pretty much a wheel change with mountain bike tires for hard pack (Maxxis Cross-Mark) in a 2.1 width that have a low rolling resistance. I had to change a chainring and a chain. The rear cassette is a 11-42 11-speed XT, and I changed from a 32 tooth Wolf Tooth chainring to a 42T for higher gearing.

So EZ-PZ conversion: wheels, chainring and chain. I figure the Fat Tire bike will be great for when it snows. Not the best climber for Blue Mountain, but when it snows the trails get smoothed out and the Ti Basso is fine. Geometry is relaxed and slow, and the bike is close to 20 pounds as a 1x11.

Pretty cool. The Ti Basso makes for a really nice urban bike.

Still boning up and geeking out on a Robot camera. Tomorrow I think I will shop for one.

It’s a bird, its a plane, no its Superman kinda gets followed with Its a rangefinder, but with a sprung load motor drive like a SLR, no its a movie camera, no its a Robot camera that is kinda like a mix of all three.

I decided to go 24x36 instead of 24x24. I think I want an advanced model like a “Royal 36” instead of a zone focus camera. I think I want a 50/2.0 Zeus’s Sonar.

Will update tomorrow.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I only tossed it in the bag because I didn't have space for the Linhof 220. The loading is a pain. Even the models that take regular 35mm cartridges like mine need a special take up spool. I may have to 3d print a type that is easy to load, it shouldn't be too hard to design.

Christian,

I read about the PIA loading, and also watched a video. Not a fast loader.

Too bad because it likely will be a fast shooter.

I’m kinda excited because I do shoot sequences and the spring motor driven advance in a small package is really good for me. Remember I shoot a Nikon F3P with motor drive. Also I have my M6 and MD-2 rigged with Rapidgrips and TA Rapidwinders so they are very F3P like.

If you look on EBAY, when you search Robot Camera, there is some type of film adapter being sold, but I’m not sure of it’s application. Pretty much another 3-D printing project for you.

Cal

 

[Particular]

Basically the original design has two different types of cartridges, one for film and the other for take up, and there is no winding back. In the cameras that take a regular 135 cartridge, they still use the same take up cartridge, even though you wind it back at the end of the film. You need to open it up, connect the leader, and close the cartridge again. My design would do away with the cartridge, and copy the spool that you feed the leader into like an ltm camera.
I think the original idea was that people would have a bunch of cartridge sets preloaded, and you would just drop the pair in together.

 

[Calzone]

Basically the original design has two different types of cartridges, one for film and the other for take up, and there is no winding back. In the cameras that take a regular 135 cartridge, they still use the same take up cartridge, even though you wind it back at the end of the film. You need to open it up, connect the leader, and close the cartridge again. My design would do away with the cartridge, and copy the spool that you feed the leader into like an ltm camera.
I think the original idea was that people would have a bunch of cartridge sets preloaded, and you would just drop the pair in together.

Christian,

I took another look at that adapter. It says it is specific to the 1955-1976 Royal cameras. What is supplied is a frame of sorts, but the spool I think is missing. Pretty much just a cage. My thinking is that the original spool is likely used, so all that is required is a retainer for the spool.

The design and function is not light tight, the set up and loading then becomes like a modern camera with a rewinding after film exposures. Pretty much only a cage for alignment, and a spool for the take-up eliminated a third assembly to make loading less complicated. Not really complicated at all.

It seems to me kinda cool having a camera that utilizes even more of a clock-work build. Seems like a mighty sturdy and heavily built camera. The limitation of having to deal with only 1/500 shutter speed means a loss offset in film speed likely would be required, so pulling film likely will be a new adventure and process to explore.

Overall I think the latest Robots, and the most advanced versions pretty much are undervalued, likely due to some of the quirks, like the weight, the loading, no strap lugs… but the quality is there.

Anyways a cool camera. I think I tend to shoot in a sequence or in short bursts. Like you noted I tend to move around and interact with a subject in a performative manner.

So the no brainer for me is to have a camera as an EDC (Every-Day-Carry), that pretty much is not as expensive as say one of my Leicas, and has pretty much the same capabilities.

In a ways like my M6 rigged out with a TA Rapidgrip and TA Rapidwinder, but in a smaller package. The overbuild and the added weight though might make my Robot about the same weight as my rigged Leica.

I think having a 50/2.0 Sonnar and having a rangefinder is a safe bet. In a ways a miniature motor driven F3P like rangefinder in a small package.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Because of yesterday’s rear tire blow out (when getting ready for a ride) today I think I will extend the ride. So I hope my wandering does not result in another UBER ride where I end up lost and tired far from home.

Yesterday measured my resting pulse at 48 BPM. Blood pressure hovers around 110/70, but at times I can get it below 100/65. Back when I was ultra fit most of the time my BP would be 100/60 and my pulse so low that at a doctor’s visit when my vitals were taken I was asked if I felt alright by a nurse practitioner.

Anyways, these numbers are capable only because I am a skinny bitch that has a small body even though I’m 5’10”.

Tomorrow the 4x8 foot cedar shed in kit form gets delivered. This is towards clearing out the garage so I can build out a clean room/studio to have a workspace.

Cal

 

[helen.HH]

Hope September will be a bigger Turn out
Different venue or the same ?

 

[Calzone]

Hope September will be a bigger Turn out
Different venue or the same ?

Helen,

I’m open to other venues, but I do like the idea of being outdoors for safety.

I don’t think that crackhead server will entertain us again.

Also pick a Sunday.

Cal

 

[jsrockit]

Still boning up and geeking out on a Robot camera. Tomorrow I think I will shop for one.

It’s a bird, its a plane, no its Superman kinda gets followed with Its a rangefinder, but with a sprung load motor drive like a SLR, no its a movie camera, no its a Robot camera that is kinda like a mix of all three.

I decided to go 24x36 instead of 24x24. I think I want an advanced model like a “Royal 36” instead of a zone focus camera. I think I want a 50/2.0 Zeus’s Sonar.

Will update tomorrow.

Cal

Very cool Cal.

 

[Calzone]

Very cool Cal.

John,

I love your new book and how you are still evolving. Know that your influence is still very present here in NYC.

Both Christian and I are turning into book nerds as a way to put our work out there. We work in different ways, but pretty much you have led the way.

Pretty much my “monster” prints and “monster” book was a display of both skill and strength, but since I no longer am challenged by doing something crazy like print as big as I can in a tiny 1 bedroom Manhattan apartment the thrill and challenge now lacks meaning. For me, “Crazy is good.” Now that I own a house and have more space printing big is kinda boring.

So know that I think I will make my books of prints now in limited editions to try and get my work out there. One idea that “Maggie” came up with is that I could use the camera used as an introduction and “container” to help in editing. As a camera and books could be displayed together is another idea.

Christian and I agree, “Editing is the hard part.”

So from our weekends of shooting, all our arguing (a good thing), and all those death marches, know that I have a huge mess to sort out. Jeff is kinda correct, I did a Garry Winnogran and shot without any regard to editing. Don’t know why or how I will ever be able to fix the mess I made, and it might take me decades to sort things out.

In the end I realize that all the shooting we did was a way to say goodbye to NYC because I was always aware that one day I would be forced to leave. Pretty much I wanted and needed a sense of home because I have been displaced over and over again. For me photography gives me a sense of permanence that I needed/required to have a meaningful life.

So anyways your influence remains here in NYC.

Also, as you know that Robot camera being good for sequences suits my style.

Cal

 

[helen.HH]

Helen,

I’m open to other venues, but I do like the idea of being outdoors for safety.

I don’t think that crackhead server will entertain us again.

Also pick a Sunday.

Cal

All good...

I will let You decide the date since You will be quite busy between welcoming new addition to the Family and playing chauffer to all, 😉

 

[Calzone]

All good...

I will let You decide the date since You will be quite busy between welcoming new addition to the Family and playing chauffer to all, 😉

Helen,

I figure on Sundays no school and unlikely doctor’s appointments.

Cal

Post Script: Also know that a C-section might not happen. I’ll only have to step up as a driver if a C-section is needed/required. Right now I’m anxious to have my little bruiser out in the world. Could he be anxious too sand be born before “Labor” Day?

Cal

 

[jsrockit]

John,

I love your new book and how you are still evolving. Know that your influence is still very present here in NYC.l

Thank you for the kind words. It was the only photographs I was done with and knew I could sell in Chile. It isn't my favorite work, but it was a good exercise to make that zine.

Both Christian and I are turning into book nerds as a way to put our work out there. We work in different ways, but pretty much you have led the way.l

Christian and I have communicated via e-mail semi-frequently in the past half of a year. He knows I'm not only a book nerd about making books as the best option for photography (as opposed to the gallery wall), but I also have a pretty good collection of nice books by others. Living where you do not have many museums and galleries that do photography, it is my only way to look at great work.

Pretty much my “monster” prints and “monster” book was a display of both skill and strength, but since I no longer am challenged by doing something crazy like print as big as I can in a tiny 1 bedroom Manhattan apartment the thrill and challenge now lacks meaning. For me, “Crazy is good.” Now that I own a house and have more space printing big is kinda boring.

So know that I think I will make my books of prints now in limited editions to try and get my work out there. One idea that “Maggie” came up with is that I could use the camera used as an introduction and “container” to help in editing. As a camera and books could be displayed together is another idea.l

It's always good to be thinking of your work in book form. I know you will go over the top too. I'm not sure the camera idea is right way to go, just because unless it is a special camera and process, it might not be unique enough. Just a thought.

Christian and I agree, “Editing is the hard part.”l

Definitely... it is extremely hard for me and it takes years for me to do it. The Chile stuff is a little easier since I have been thinking about them as projects from the start. The NYC stuff is harder because we just went out and did whatever came to us when walking.

So from our weekends of shooting, all our arguing (a good thing), and all those death marches, know that I have a huge mess to sort out. Jeff is kinda correct, I did a Garry Winnogran and shot without any regard to editing. Don’t know why or how I will ever be able to fix the mess I made, and it might take me decades to sort things out.l

I think it might pay to have someone make contact sheets for you. That would be my starting point. There is no honor in doing that bit of grunt work since your time is more valuable spent on other projects.

In the end I realize that all the shooting we did was a way to say goodbye to NYC because I was always aware that one day I would be forced to leave. Pretty much I wanted and needed a sense of home because I have been displaced over and over again. For me photography gives me a sense of permanence that I needed/required to have a meaningful life.

So anyways your influence remains here in NYC.l

Yes, a goodbye for sure. I really had some good influences from many of you guys at the meetup. I became less of an a hole too. So the feeling is mutual. I'm not sure I would have became the walker I am without the death marches.

When I visit I try to do at least one day of photography in NYC still. I always end up with at least one new one for the pile. I am doing something similar in Chile. Next year I will be moving to Buin from Santiago. We are building a house as we speak. While it isn't hard or far to go back to Santiago from Buin, I kind of see it as a goodbye to that work I've done and look forward to photographing Buin and the smaller little towns around my house.

Also, as you know that Robot camera being good for sequences suits my style.

Cal

It is definitely a Cal camera. I think it would amuse you that I have shot 3 rolls of film in recent times with a Voigtlander Bessa R2. I like using it to photograph my son I've found. Digital is still my thing and all of my projects are done with digital, but film and film cameras are fun and it makes photographing my son a bit different than with a phone.

 

[Calzone]

John,

Looking forward to having a darkroom again. It’s been decades since Art School, but back then I was a good printer (1970’s).

In a ways I think printing negatives could be faster than digital, but a critically good print in a fine art sense of course will likely take more time than digital. It will be interesting to be embracing both mediums at the same time.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Fed Ex delivered a large pallet ( a cedar shed in kit form).

Hill-Billy style it rests in my driveway. I even covered it with a tarp to add a sense of mystery. It was a good thing that I cleared out the driveway. Before it was being to look like an extension of Home Cheapo with bails of peat moss, compost, and top soil.

I started boxing up some waste lumber that has nails in it. Pretty much I intend to put out boxes of this demo wood out with the Monday pickup with my regular garbage.

So this shed makes it so the push lawn mower, my garden carts, and outdoor furniture don’t ever get stored in my studio. Might have to buy another 4x8 shed that will be placed in the back. This first one gets leaned against the garage in the back-backyard.

I saw my Ground Hog today.

The Fed Ex driver mentioned that for sure the economy is slowing down, but they still have enough work. My UPS driver predicts that it could be like 2007-2008-2009 for him again. Right now he is banking on overtime to get ready. Back then he says he was laid off for 9 months as a new hire.

The July report says inflation moderated, but this was mostly due to energy costs. Kinda like the eye of a hurricane to me. Know that energy costs are very volatile but food and labor costs are still inflating. I expect the price of energy will increase with demand when the heating season begins. Pretty much a wake-up call has yet to happen.

I’m thankful for the milder temperatures in the 80’s. I still have to pull Knotweed.

I just ordered a Robot Royal 36 with a 50/2.0 Sonnar. Should be shipped Friday.

This is a Robot that is 24x36 and not a 24x24 (50 shots).

For shooting the square I have a Rollie 3.5 Whiteface and my SL2 rigged with the APO 35 Cron. Pretty much a 35mm cropped into square format 35 would be a normal lens. The SL2 VF’er converts to square, but know that the full frame is still recorded, so it pays to shoot vertical because you can unmask the square in Lightroom and then re crop to square allowing for perspective control.

How cool is that? Also since the sensor has so many mega pixels I still have about 30 MP even with the crop. BTW the APO 35 Cron is an amazing lens.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I had a 30% off coupon for CVS. The way it works is the 30% is only off items not on sale, so there is no way to compound savings, although buy one;get one free is like 50% off. So I go and exploit the mail in 30% off mixed with 50% off, and I load up the truck to start my hoarding. I loaded up on mostly household items yesterday buying dish washing soap, dishwasher soap, 4 jars of cashews, and Fig Newtons (Bike and Car emergency food).

Tonight I hoarded gauze, bandages, Vitamin D suppliments, a cheap digital luggage scale, and “Maggie” loaded up on a bunch of stuff for her that either was on sale, or could enjoy a 30% discount.

So the luggage scale was for my bikes. Pretty much I would be called a “Weight Weenie” because I favor very light bikes. The lighter the better. This suits me fine because I’m a skinny bitch and was made to ride lightweight bikes.

Steel IBIS is a 30 inch gear single speed trials bike with a macho heavy bash guard, heavy wheels, heavy tires, and is kinda overbuilt for strength weighs 23.48 pounds.

Meanwhile the Ti IBIS set up as a 63.59 gear inch single speed with Kodak slicks is 17.58 lbs.

And the Ti Basso as a 1x11 XTR 11-42T set up with a heavy mustache handlebar as a full blown “Newsboy” is just under 20 pounds at 19.9 pounds.

You know you are a Weight Weenie when you buy a scale to measure your bikes.

So anyways to make this post camera related and not one of my totally off topic rants I say, “Load up the truck to save money because photography is expensive, and the money has to come from somewhere.”

Anyways I figure the cheap digital scale cost me around $9.00. Pretty much a lucky find that can be used to weigh my Monster book of prints, and of course my cameras.

Next week I should have the Robot Royal 36 with the 50/2.0 Sonnar. Surely I’ll bring it to the September Meet-Up.

Cal

 

[Range-rover]

What's so special about the Robot?

 

[Calzone]

What's so special about the Robot?

Bob,

Part of the design is that it has a spring film advance. On some models like Christian’s it has a peculiar huge knob on the top plate that is to wind the advance. On Christian’s camera the format is 24x24, so there are 50 exposures out of a roll of 135, and pretty much in practice Christian can pretty much shoot the camera continuously as if a movie/Cine camera because on his model enough energy is stored for 50 exposures.

Robot cameras are very “German” and are mucho heavy even though they are small. Very robust build, and the shutter is like that of a movie/Cine camera, thus the fastest shutter speed is only 1/500th of a second.

So as you can see these cameras are kinda oddball and very different: different kinda shutter, different kinda film advance, and kinda novel in many ways. Do you know of other 24x24 cameras? Also they made half frame versions, and even 24x36 versions.

My Robot Royal 36 is likely the most advanced Robot they made. Many early Robot cameras were zone focus, but Christian’s and my Royal 36 have rangefinders. Also Robots utilized German glass from Zeiss and Schneider.

My Robot 36 is about the size of a M3, but heftier. The VF’er is designed for a normal lens so it is like a M3, and it has a long base length of 6 Cm. My camera can only shoot in a 6 round burst on a full winding, but it is a lot smaller than my M6 with TA Rapidgrip and TA Rapidwinder.

I guess when I get it I’ll find out if it is lighter than my rigged M6, but because it is so heavily built it might weigh about the same.

Christian’s Robot is Crazy Heavy like an old school SLR, but it is a little larger than a pack of cigarettes if you discount the huge spring winding knob.

So imagine if you took a Leica and tried to make it more like a precision clock, pretty much you would have a Robot camera. Pretty much it is described by some as a clockwork camera.

Initially I was thinking about shooting the square, as most Robot cameras are square format, but after doing the research and learning the history, I decided to max ou and get what is most likely the most evolved Robot they made, the Royal 36, which is pretty collectible, but is also considered by many as “undervalued.”

Know in WWII Robot cameras were used in bomber planes to access damage after bombing runs. Also because of their small size they were used as spy cameras and surveillance during the Cold War.

The bad is awkward film loading, and on early models being locked into using Robot cassettes for film loading. Too bad because certainly Robots are fast shooters. Pretty much because of the loading Robot lost out to Leica.

Anyways, I’ll find out if it is worse than shooting a Barnack.

BTW I have a wonderful nickel black paint Leica II I got from Sam with a nice nickel 50/3.5 Elmer. We did a flat trade for my Pentax 43/1.9, the only LTM screw mount lens Pentax ever made.

Cal