2012 FSU Contest - Pre-discussion

Last year my Kiev ll mysteriously developed a light leak during the comp that it had shown no sign of in the four years I've owned it ... I'll be needing to fix that before we get underway! :p
 
I say let's go with five categories. I'm scared that if we re-vote I just might lose "landscapes", leaving my options rather thin! I can hardly wait to run some film through my baby for the first time!

Glen

DSC01055aselcol900pix.jpg
 
Being I have two FSU rangefinders now I'll be able to play!

Just need to get my test rolls developed with My Kiev II and my Moskva-2 (Metering with the latter is very different to me since the shutter speeds don't watch my hand Studio Deluxe III meter!)
 
Da, tovarish! Let's go for the easy way and have all four + popolam.

Nomad Z said:
The vote for the category selection has now closed, and the top choices were as follows...

30 - Street
24 - Anything Goes
24 - Landscape
24 - Portrait

As the votes came in, I kinda wondered if there would be a tie somewhere, but I didn't think it would be a three-way. As I see it, we have two choices...

1. Hold a second poll to decide which two of the three tied categories go forward.
2. Do it the easy way and just include all four.

I am very tempted to go for the easy option, which would mean five categories in all - the four above for those using all-FSU, plus the Popolam open category for those using partial FSU gear.

Yay or nay for the easy option?

(Say 'yay'!)
Click to expand...
 
I might add I'm totally against FSU lenses on non FSU bodies being a legitimate catagory!
 
Well, it seems that including partial FSU kit hasn't hurt things in the past. The 2007 contest had over 100 entries for all-FSU, and 40+ for hybrid kit. The idea is to encourage participation and have some fun. I remember last year feeling rather excluded when I asked if I could use my IIIf and FSU glass and was knocked back.

In a sense, this is a bit like one of those 'show your pictures taken with X bit of equipment' threads, but in the context of a friendly contest. It's as much about putting the equipment to use and seeing what can be done with it as it is about the actual pictures themselves. Were it otherwise, there would be no FSU contest at all.

FSU glass on non-FSU bodies is a notably popular combination - I would never have gotten into FSU gear if I hadn't bought a J-12 and turrent finder for my IIIf to try out the 35mm focal length. Followed by a J-3 for the wide aperture stuff, followed by a rush purchase of a FED 1 for last year's contest (which lasted two rolls before the curtain slid off the drum), followed by a J-8 to convert a pre-war Sonnar to LTM, which had a Zorki 4 attached to it, followed by another J-8, and a set of 6 FSU B&W filters. I've been window shopping for J-11s lately, even though I don't really use long lenses - curious to see what I do with a 135 on a ranegfinder.

The contest raises awareness of the equipment and encourages people to try it. For many, it starts with one FSU lens on a non-FSU body, and I don't think there is much to be gained from not inviting them to have a go. For those that don't have any FSU kit, it also keeps the cost of entry down - a J-8 or I-61 is a cheap start.
 
I'm all for the popolam category, having both a Jupiter-11 and Helios-103 for my Contax. :D

Here's a question, does using Russian film qualify, no matter which equipment? I have some really old Tasma lying around that's not good for much, unless you like the edges of your negs fogged.
 
batterytypehah! said:
Here's a question, does using Russian film qualify, no matter which equipment? I have some really old Tasma lying around that's not good for much, unless you like the edges of your negs fogged.
Click to expand...

I've thought about that, and my feeling is that it's better to keep things simple, where either the body or the lens must be FSU. Otherwise, it could start to stretch the idea a bit far - for example, can I use my IIIf and Skopar Classic if I use my FSU 35mm finder? (I'd say no to that.)

On the other hand, using genuine FSU film with full or partial FSU kit would be rather good. If I had some of that film, I'd definitely be using it.
 
Okay, we go with the five categories. I have written to the Head Bartender to request the creation of the galleries for the contest. While that is being arranged, I'll prepare the final draft of the rules. I'll post that here, make any last changes that may be needed, and then post it in a new thread as the formal call for entries.
 
Version 4. Final draft with chosen categories, some minor revisions, and reformatted for clarity.

Purpose
The purpose of the 2012 FSU Contest is to have some fun and a bit of friendly competition using old FSU photography equipment.


Shooting & Uploading Period
The shooting and uploading period starts on the 1st of May and ends on the 30th of June.
  • All photos must be taken and uploaded during this period.
  • No extensions to the shooting & uploading period.

Equipment
The spirit of the contest is to use FSU gear, which means both an FSU body and an FSU lens, and four subject categories are dedicated to this (see below). There is also a special category for entries taken using hybrid equipment - either an FSU lens on any body, or an FSU body using any lens.
  • Depending on category, all entries must have been taken using at least one major FSU component - a lens or body.
  • For hybrid equipment using an FSU lens, you are free to use film or digital as the recording medium.

Categories
There is a total of five categories for subject matter. Four for images shot on equipment comprising both an FSU body and an FSU lens, and a fifth, called 'Popolam' (Russian for 'half-and-half') for images shot with hybrid equipment (see above).

The categories are...
  • Anything Goes (both FSU lens and body)
  • Landscape (both FSU lens and body)
  • Portrait (both FSU lens and body)
  • Popolam (EITHER FSU lens OR FSU body - any subject matter)
  • Street (both FSU lens and body)
  • Participants may enter no more than one photograph per category, making a maximum of five possible entries (subject to equipment eligibility).

Uploading
Separate galleries to be made for each category, under an overall 2012 FSU Contest heading.
  • Uploading can commence as soon as the galleries are ready, but not before the start of the shooting & uploading period.
  • No uploads after the end of the shooting & uploading period.

Voting
Any RFF member can vote - voting is not restricted to only those that have entered images. Voting on entries to be made active once the shooting & uploading period has ended.
  • Voting runs during the month of July.
  • Period start/end to be adjusted if gallery closure and voting activation occurs later than the end of the shooting period (ie, voting lasts for 31 days, and hopefully starts on 1st of July).

Prizes
We have received an offer of some FSU equipment as prizes for the contest. Further offers are welcome. The exact nature of how prizes are to be awarded will be determined once we know what prizes are on offer. This could be for overall placing across all categories, or possibly a prize within each category.
  • How we do the prizes is a bit vague just now.
  • The prizes aren't the main reason for doing this - they're the icing on the cake.
  • So don't worry about the fact that it's not clear yet!
 
Just a quick question: East German cameras count as FSU and we're not limited to RF, right? The reason I ask is that I recently came into possession of a Pentacon Six, and while I love rangefinders, I might take that for a whirl over the next couple of months. Just wondering if it qualifies.

Also, you say uploading can start on May 1st, but what happens if you upload a great picture during May and then take a better one for that category in June? Having never used the galleries here, I'm not sure how it works. Can we delete the original one?
 
Metering?

Metering?

What about metering? Must we use some old FSU lightmeter, e.g. leningrad, stalingrad, some-other-grad, or is it ok to use whatever way we please to determine the exposure?
 
Coldkennels said:
Just a quick question: East German cameras count as FSU and we're not limited to RF, right? The reason I ask is that I recently came into possession of a Pentacon Six, and while I love rangefinders, I might take that for a whirl over the next couple of months. Just wondering if it qualifies.
Click to expand...

Certainly not limited to rangefinders. My knowledge of FSU gear isn't extensive, so I can't say whether the Pentacon Six qualifies or not. Personally, I'd include it.



Also, you say uploading can start on May 1st, but what happens if you upload a great picture during May and then take a better one for that category in June? Having never used the galleries here, I'm not sure how it works. Can we delete the original one?
Click to expand...

It looks like it is possible to delete your gallery submissions. For most people, I think it's a case of shooting your photos and uploading your best ones. I'm not sure if the subject of replacing entries has ever come up before. I lean towards allowing replacements during the upload period - I think it's good that the gallery becomes 'active' once things are underway.
 
looks like proper planning, just like properly organized Proletarians of Rangefinder Forum should! :D

nice to see FSU-lens, any-body category. but its good idea to limit number of photos, otherwise digital files might flood whole contest.
 
How about using a FSU yellow filter? does this count as FSU ....very well organised Nomad
and i am just kidding about the filter.
 
Oh yeah, how about those that wish making a donation to cover shipping/postage of prizes? I can start with a $10.00 donation, you can sort how this is to be transferred.
 
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