2nd Roll...that's a bit better

[dazedgonebye]

As a follow up to my whining about my first roll out of the Bessa R...I promise not to share every roll as a topic of conversation, don't worry.


25 shots on the second roll (I never seem to finish a 36). I tackled 5 subjects with that film and ended up with 3 shots I like. I think perhaps that's a better measure of sucess than how many shots from a roll as it reflects what's really important to me. I saw something possible and 3 out of 5 times managed to get something like what I had in mind.
The two that did not make it were more a failure of vision than of technique. I don't mind that much either. The days you walk around seeing nothing...those are disapointing.

Anyway...film is Kodak 400UC (my new porta samples came in, so I'll be checking that out next). First two shots are with the 21mm color-skopar. I tweeked both in PS for a bit of perspective correction. Not all they necessarily needed, but shooting at the angles I chose, you have to live with the odd lines of very wide angle.

Pushing Dirt Nice sharpness from that lens, all the way to the corners.

5 and Diner 1/4 second exposure with the camera rested on the padded bench. That's a ceiling fan light up there showing motion.

White House Cafe I'm just a bit obsessed with tables and chairs. That J9 I got off a member here is very good. I'll have to shoot it head to head with the CV75mm that I have on the way.

 

[like2fiddle]

Nice shots Steve!

 

[jamesj]

very nice shots. I really like the one at 5 and diner.

 

[fishtek]

Nice stuff, Steve!

I particularly like the "5 and Diner" shot. Just like any other tool, we have to get used to it.....

Regards!
Don

 

[lZr]

Also I liked the '5 and Diner for the fine light gradient on the floor. The white in 'White House cafe' is beauty worked with gray stains. Keep them comming

 

[dazedgonebye]

Also I liked the '5 and Diner for the fine light gradient on the floor. The white in 'White House cafe' is beauty worked with gray stains. Keep them comming

The dapled light on the rumpled tablecloths is certainly what got my attention for that shot...that and the repeated pattern of tables.

 

[kb244]

I am curious as to how those looked in color in terms of the film + len's color redention. (or whatever the term is).

 

[popstar]

Hey Steve! Nice job! I also particularly like the '5 and Diner'. That would probably make a pretty cool print.

Glad to see you're having fun with the Bessa R! 🙂

 

[B_Algood]

I think you got the bugs worked out Steve, especially on the " 5 and Diner " shot, good eye and a great take..now you're having fun!..

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

All are very good.

 

[dazedgonebye]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the comments.

I thought I'd show the 5 and diner shot before corrections and conversion (I suspect Karl is still checking out that 400UC film). In the original, you can see what happens when you don't put the camera to your eye to compose the shot. I had it sitting on the bench in front of me to support the 1/4 second exposure time. Mixed light of tungston and some natural light from the windows made the colors a little off as well, but since I convert to B&W anyway... (Still haven't found the white balance control on this thing!)

 

[pcfranchina]

Looks great! Nice work!

 

[Rogrund]

Very nice shots indeed! You really have a great eye of composition. I look forward to see more from you!

 

[Scarpia]

Completely captures the flavor of a 1930's diner. Now you've done it... I have to have an open Virginia ham sandwich with gravy and mashed potatoes.
Love the shot.
Kurt M.

 

[kb244]

Well not so much checking out the 400UC, as I got plenty of it in 220 rolls (just not 35mm), but sometimes I'll notice the lens can actually affect the colors the film can receive, so was kinda curious to a degree how much contrast/color "redention"(if thats even the right term) the 21/4 had with the 400UC. I won't get my 21/4 until tuesday, but I plan to run some Fuji Reala 100 thru it, and maybe some slower speed B&W.

I don't have a dedicated scanner at the moment ( would like one tho but meh ), rather just the Canon 8400F flatbed which works excellent for medium format, and so-so for 35mm resolution (ie: be lucky to get 3 to 6 megapixels out of a 35mm, but easy to get 20 to 25 megapixels out of a 6x6 after downsampling for sharpness).

Also any enlightment on your channel mixer conversion method? I assume you are simulating the various colored filters.

 

[dazedgonebye]

It might be dangerous to judge colors from my scans. I pay no attention at all to getting them accurate, since I'm going right to black and white anyway.
I also tend to wing it with the channel mixer. I usually toggle back and forth between the channels in the channels tab, to get an idea of what each would look like. Then I dial in my first try based on that impression.
I think the diner conversion was about 10% Red, 60% Green and 30% Blue. I wanted the ceiling dark, so I avoided the red channel.
At times I will get radical with it. If I wanted the ceiling very dark. I could have used -20%, 80%, 40%.
No set system really. One channel usually jumps out as the one I want to emphasize and I just mix from there for whatever pleases me.

My scanner situation is similar to yours. If I ever got serious about wanting to print one of these images large, I'd have to send it out for a proper scan.