ped
Small brown dog
Hi everyone
It's been a while since I was active here. I shot a to of film through my braun paxette collection (I think I have nearly every lens they made) but scanning the film was always what put me off. Well, recently I took a punt on a scanner that can do a whole roll at once and it's put me right back into the game.
Having sold my Leica M4 years ago, I have continued using my R-D1 and still completely love it. However film has lawyers been that extra bit special, and with my new Rondinax tank and scanner (Primefilm 3600pro) I am armed and ready to shoot film again.
Naturally I started looking at cameras, and found this Aires 35-IIIc which sounded great on paper. I love reading up and learning about new camera systems, particularly vintage manufacturers with their quirks and potted histories formed from blogs, old catalogs and bits of information scattered across the internet. The Aires proved no different; soon I was down the rabbit hole researching different models, and then this one came along from Japan.
First of all, it feels great in the hand. Very weighty, but reassuringly so. Fit and finish seems excellent. I was initially confused about not seeing the aperture blades when stopped down as I'm used to on my R-D1 and Paxettes, until I realised that they're behind the leaf shutter mechanism - a mechanism that's so quiet that I wasn't sure it was working!
I have just shot a test roll which I'll develop this eve (I dug out my Rodinal) so fingers crossed it's ok.
Side point - this is the first camera I've used with the LVS system, implemented here quite well in that the light value and aperture turn freely together or independently. As such, I'm looking for a light meter that'll read EV at different ISO - most of the meters I can see give the exposure wheel for aperture and shutter, but I can do that on the camera using the LVS. It seems like Polaroid had a meter that read only LVS which look like what I'm after - but is the only modern option a meter that gives EV as well as everything else? Ideally I want something shoe mounted. I can see though, if I get used to using LVS I should be better at judging the value by eye.
Anyway - here it is.
It's been a while since I was active here. I shot a to of film through my braun paxette collection (I think I have nearly every lens they made) but scanning the film was always what put me off. Well, recently I took a punt on a scanner that can do a whole roll at once and it's put me right back into the game.
Having sold my Leica M4 years ago, I have continued using my R-D1 and still completely love it. However film has lawyers been that extra bit special, and with my new Rondinax tank and scanner (Primefilm 3600pro) I am armed and ready to shoot film again.
Naturally I started looking at cameras, and found this Aires 35-IIIc which sounded great on paper. I love reading up and learning about new camera systems, particularly vintage manufacturers with their quirks and potted histories formed from blogs, old catalogs and bits of information scattered across the internet. The Aires proved no different; soon I was down the rabbit hole researching different models, and then this one came along from Japan.
First of all, it feels great in the hand. Very weighty, but reassuringly so. Fit and finish seems excellent. I was initially confused about not seeing the aperture blades when stopped down as I'm used to on my R-D1 and Paxettes, until I realised that they're behind the leaf shutter mechanism - a mechanism that's so quiet that I wasn't sure it was working!
I have just shot a test roll which I'll develop this eve (I dug out my Rodinal) so fingers crossed it's ok.
Side point - this is the first camera I've used with the LVS system, implemented here quite well in that the light value and aperture turn freely together or independently. As such, I'm looking for a light meter that'll read EV at different ISO - most of the meters I can see give the exposure wheel for aperture and shutter, but I can do that on the camera using the LVS. It seems like Polaroid had a meter that read only LVS which look like what I'm after - but is the only modern option a meter that gives EV as well as everything else? Ideally I want something shoe mounted. I can see though, if I get used to using LVS I should be better at judging the value by eye.
Anyway - here it is.
