erikhaugsby
killer of threads
Wow, this has been a great beginning of the week for me.
On Saturday, my mom went garage sale-ing and bumped into an enlarger at someone's house down the street; she called me and I ran down to look at it. I only saw the price tag--$25--and bought it on the spot. When I get back to my house and unpack the box, I find myself confronted with a Beseler 23C II enlarger, Nikon E-Nikkor (somethinglikethat) 50mm f/4 lens, negative carrier, liter of 28% acetic acid, bulk film roller, and 400 feet of Kodak Tri-X 400 film.
Wow. I suddenly feel very lucky.
Unfortunately, as my Leica was/is still at DAG getting CLA'd, I found myself without a camera to shoot the film, though I did have a roll or two of film that I shot with my Leica pre-sending off. I run a few of those existing frames through my enlarger, develop them, and fall in love with my new $25 enlarger.
Then, today, I find in my mail a nice brown box from a guy in Arizona.
My Olympus XA came, and a number of days earlier than expected.
Thank you very much, Andy! Your service was impecciable, as was the mail delivery speed.
First Impressions on the XA
1. Oh yeah, it uses batteries. Damn.
2. Wow, it's small! Not as small as I'd hoped, but small nonetheless.
3. Wow! If this is "User" condition, I would like to know what "Mint" is!
4. That viewfinder sure is small.
5. Rangefinder patch? Where is it? Oooooh, THERE it is. More like a rangefinder area than seperate patch.
6. Okay, now that I've looked at it, time to put film in it! But how? I push this button, that button, pull here, nothing works. (goes to computer, searches google for XA manuals) Found it! Pull up on the rewind knob and it pops open.
7. Now I wind it on feels alot like a disposable, but still decent.
8. That's the focus tab, right? Or is it the ISO tab? Which one is it? (looks at front of camera) Aaah, there's the focus tab. This still doesn't feel right, though, I'll just have to get used to it. The short focus throw is a plus.
9. I'm still not finding that focus tab without deliberate effort.
10. Shoot! Shoot, stupid camera! Why won't you expose? Ooooh, I need to open the clamshell another 2mm. This is quite annoying, but ohwell. There goes another picture that I should have had.
11. The roll is done, time to rewind. Wow this rewind knob is small, wow this rewind knob is angled really funny.
12. (Inserts new roll) Hopefully this time goes better.
----developes that roll of film mere hours later----
13. Wow! These negatives are sharp!
14. Yeah, this camera is pretty good; nice lens, too.
----enlarges a negative or two on the Beseler----
15. This is good.
16. I like my Leica better.
17. But this is still good.
So, there you have it. 72 hours of happiness and good fortune. I do hope it rubs off onto somebody else that needs it.
On Saturday, my mom went garage sale-ing and bumped into an enlarger at someone's house down the street; she called me and I ran down to look at it. I only saw the price tag--$25--and bought it on the spot. When I get back to my house and unpack the box, I find myself confronted with a Beseler 23C II enlarger, Nikon E-Nikkor (somethinglikethat) 50mm f/4 lens, negative carrier, liter of 28% acetic acid, bulk film roller, and 400 feet of Kodak Tri-X 400 film.
Wow. I suddenly feel very lucky.
Unfortunately, as my Leica was/is still at DAG getting CLA'd, I found myself without a camera to shoot the film, though I did have a roll or two of film that I shot with my Leica pre-sending off. I run a few of those existing frames through my enlarger, develop them, and fall in love with my new $25 enlarger.
Then, today, I find in my mail a nice brown box from a guy in Arizona.
My Olympus XA came, and a number of days earlier than expected.
Thank you very much, Andy! Your service was impecciable, as was the mail delivery speed.
First Impressions on the XA
1. Oh yeah, it uses batteries. Damn.
2. Wow, it's small! Not as small as I'd hoped, but small nonetheless.
3. Wow! If this is "User" condition, I would like to know what "Mint" is!
4. That viewfinder sure is small.
5. Rangefinder patch? Where is it? Oooooh, THERE it is. More like a rangefinder area than seperate patch.
6. Okay, now that I've looked at it, time to put film in it! But how? I push this button, that button, pull here, nothing works. (goes to computer, searches google for XA manuals) Found it! Pull up on the rewind knob and it pops open.
7. Now I wind it on feels alot like a disposable, but still decent.
8. That's the focus tab, right? Or is it the ISO tab? Which one is it? (looks at front of camera) Aaah, there's the focus tab. This still doesn't feel right, though, I'll just have to get used to it. The short focus throw is a plus.
9. I'm still not finding that focus tab without deliberate effort.
10. Shoot! Shoot, stupid camera! Why won't you expose? Ooooh, I need to open the clamshell another 2mm. This is quite annoying, but ohwell. There goes another picture that I should have had.
11. The roll is done, time to rewind. Wow this rewind knob is small, wow this rewind knob is angled really funny.
12. (Inserts new roll) Hopefully this time goes better.
----developes that roll of film mere hours later----
13. Wow! These negatives are sharp!
14. Yeah, this camera is pretty good; nice lens, too.
----enlarges a negative or two on the Beseler----
15. This is good.
16. I like my Leica better.
17. But this is still good.
So, there you have it. 72 hours of happiness and good fortune. I do hope it rubs off onto somebody else that needs it.
Last edited:
Trius
Waiting on Maitani
Yeah, the XA ain't a Leica, but it's pretty darn good and with more practice it will get better for you. f5.6 thru f11 are best apertures.
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
Cool!
I've not found any thing so good in a long time of "garage sale" ing. Nice to see some one does.
I'm trying very hard to resist the XA but it's tough since they seem so nice.
Enjoy your "new" gear!
Rob
I've not found any thing so good in a long time of "garage sale" ing. Nice to see some one does.
I'm trying very hard to resist the XA but it's tough since they seem so nice.
Enjoy your "new" gear!
Rob
Gordon Coale
Well-known
That Beseler 23C II enlarger is a score. I used one many years ago. A great enlarger.
schow
Well-known
Congrats!
Sounds like a good week for the both of us as my Canonet GIII QL17 FINALLY came in!
Sounds like a good week for the both of us as my Canonet GIII QL17 FINALLY came in!
akptc
Shoot first, think later
As far as the "extra 2mm" to get the XA to shoot, you kind of need to develop a feel for the clamshell. Best to use a one-push movement, while pressing down on it (but not hard, just firm). Sometimes the little bearing may come out but it should work even w/out it, I am pretty sure. Congrats on the great garage sale find.
The guy from Arizona
The guy from Arizona