Yashica Samurai X3.0 #3 and Pruning The Holly Tree

25-09-17

Thought it was about time the Holly Tree had a good pruning. With all the rain we have had this year it’s grown like mad and is blocking out a lot of light in my back room. So out came the ladder, and armed with a pruning saw, teetering at the top I managed to reduce it’s height without getting too horribly scratched up. Not quite a work of fine topiary but the room is now much brighter.

Before

After

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A few more film images from the Yashica Samurai.

Street Art With Waste Pipe

Last Orders

Behind The factory

I love the old Victorian factories in the city, lots of them are sadly being demolished to make way for bland apartment blocks, but some are being converted to living accommodation.

New Living

This was the central post office, I used to top up the franking machine here in the late 1970’s.

Impose Yourself

 

Yashica Samurai X3.0 #2 and Thursday Doors

14-9-17

Here’s my contribution to “Thursday Doors” hosted this week by Manja Mexi Movie check out the link for lots more doors.

Got The Blues

Street Art vs Taggers, and a Door

Slightly Spooky Doors & Gate

The Yashica impressed me with these shots, considering the film expired in 2001.

Yashica Samurai X3.0 #1

13-09-17

Yashica Samurai x3.0

Thought it was about time the Yashica had another outing, bought this lovely camera around 10 years ago, and only ever put 1 roll of film through it. So when I met up with my photowalk buddies a couple of weeks ago I took it along loaded with some Kodacolor 200 that had expired in 2001. The Yashica is an auto only camera but has a 35 – 105mm zoom lens and through the lens viewfinder.

Old Lantern

Dizzy

Barbie

Satisfaction

Really enjoyed using the Yashica, and considering how old the film was the results were pretty good. Think it deserves a fresh roll of film for it’s next outing.

Cosmic

Well my Cosmic 35 film camera.

I persuaded my parents to buy me one of these in 1966 as I was going on a school trip to Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, my first visit abroad, and my first holiday without my family. I hadn’t got much of a clue how to set the correct exposure, and soon realised that I needed an exposure meter. So I bought a little Stitz meter that slipped on the flash shoe. The camera lasted about 3 years until the shutter gave up the ghost. The one in the picture above I bought a couple of years ago for very little money, half expecting the shutter to be faulty and the take-up spool missing, but the shutter is fine, the take-up spool is present, and the viewfinder and lens are really clean.

Helsingborg

Mini-Land

Mini-Land and Me

Mini-Land – Model of the ship we sailed on

These were taken on that school trip using Gratispool slide film, you bought the film which included processing and mounting, sent the exposed film off, and got another film back with your slides.

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So last week I loaded up the Cosmic with some Kodacolor 200 that had expired in 2001 and met my buddies for a photowalk.

Sunshine

Reaching For The Sky

Clouds and City

Blighty

Cathedral

Back Doors

Coffee Time

Underpass

Considering the age of the film, and that I’d forgotten to bring my exposure meter, I don’t think they came out too bad. One of the foibles of the camera is you have to cock the shutter with a little lever on the side of the lens, and it’s very easy (for me anyway) to catch the lever with a finger slowing the shutter when the shutter button is pressed. The pale blue shot of the underpass is an example. 

Last few from the Olympus OM1n and expired Kodacolor 200

Blue

Electricity Substation #1

Electricity Substation #2

Autumn – Vivitar 19mm with Polariser

Canopy

Spooky Door

Some of my favourite subject matter for the last few images, Old Garages, Electricity Sub Stations, Trees, and of course Doors. Really surprised how the kodacolor performed considering it was more than 10 years out of date. I have mainly used Kodak films for colour over the years, and really miss Ektachrome.

 

All The Right Notes,

but not necessarily in the right order ! 

Olympus OM1n, Vivitar 19mm + Polariser, Kodak Gold 200 asa, Expired 2006

Seating

I Think These Are Seats !

Olympus OM1n, Zuiko 50mm, Kodak Gold 200 asa, Expired 2006

Memorial Seat

Olympus OM1n, Vivitar 19mm + Polariser, Kodak Gold 200 asa, Expired 2006

Blocks

Curtains

Olympus OM1n, Zuiko 50mm, Kodak Gold 200 asa, Expired 2006

Blocking My View

Olympus OM1n, Hoya 300mm, Kodak Gold 200 asa, Expired 2006

This is the distant view from my spare bedroom window, an excuse to try out my Hoya 300mm lens that I haven’t used for years. There used to be more of these housing blocks over to the left but they were demolished a few years ago. If they would only demolish the remaining four on a clear day I would have a lovely view of Bradgate Park !

 

Time & Art

Park Pavilion Clock 

Olympus OM1n, Zuiko 50mm, Kodak Gold 200 asa, Expired 2006

Sculpture

Olympus OM1n, Zuiko 50mm, Kodak Gold 200 asa, Expired 2006

Wrought

Wrought Iron Finials

Olympus OM1n, Zuiko 50mm, Kodak Gold 200 asa, Expired 2006

This gate is quite close to where I live, you can only see a bit of the house at the end of the driveway, it’s really grand, probably built in the early 1900’s. The grounds have lots of trees and is quite a wildlife haven amongst the surrounding suburbia.