Photography question? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 04-14-2003, 06:13 PM

Well I was asking my father about photography. Oddly enough at one time he was a pretty nutty photography. He has been letting me use his Yashica TL Electro-X, 70's era I believe. I've have been messing around. So far, I know I press a little button, and it tells me if I have enough light. I adjust the lens, and when the arrows go away I have enough light to shoot.
Is this a pretty good camera for a beginner?
It uses either black and white or color: what looks better for a cmera of this vintage?
I hope for this to grow into a cool hobby.

pentoman · #2 04-14-2003, 06:36 PM

Old mechanical camera's still have a lot of uses today at which they are better than modern battery operated models - specifically night photography. Moderns need the battery to keep the shutter open for a long time, which goes flat rather quickly.

I'm interested in night photography, simply because you can make such damn cool pictures.. and they are very easily done.

check out http://www.psiaz.com/polakis/skyphoto.html

leathermang · #3 04-14-2003, 07:33 PM

Have you looked at the price of film and processing ? Are you wanting to share your pics mainly with people on the internet ?

#4 04-14-2003, 07:57 PM

Mostly just as a hobby. Not professional or anything. It is normal 35MM film. Just to get developed at a normal place. Thats all.

wbain5280 · #5 04-14-2003, 09:12 PM

I still have my Nikon F2. Works well, heavy and durable. Now I have a Canon G2.

MTI · #6 04-14-2003, 09:25 PM

If you want to learn the craft of photography you really should start with some good tools, which oddly enough in this time of digital photography and auto exposure, auto focus, auto flash, should be pretty cheap these days. Start with a camera that at least offers you a manual mode, both shutter speed and lens apeture, not a "shutter priority" or "apeture priority" automatic. If you like sports or fast moving photography, go with a single lens reflex body. For less speed demanding work, you can go with a rangefinder type camera. But for great portrait or landscape work, bigger film is better, a 6x6 Yashica, Rollei, Mamiya twin lens, or the more costly Bronicas and Hasseblads. Beyond 6x6 you're in the realm of tripod mounted cameras.

Shoot lots of film, but only show the good ones
Learn to shoot in available light, don't be a slave to flash
Learn the Zone System
Remember that "eye level" is rarely the best level

leathermang · #7 04-15-2003, 12:24 AM

Use that Yashica until you see if really enjoy photography... but when you start to BUY... get the best digital camera you can afford...
The film costs for an old camera will very soon be more than you paid for the camera...It is like owning a bargain MB ... but having a dealer do all the work on it...

_____________________________________
Rolleflex (twin lens reflex) 2.25 by 2.25(have to take out a loan to buy film for it)
Contax 3 ( range finder but with famous lens)bought new 1950
Nikon Photomic FTN with all the accessories...
500mm tele
bellows , slide copying adapter,
90-230 soligor zoom
24mm wide angle Nikor
55mm macro close up Nikor 2.8
50 mm 1.4
etc...

BUT I love my Olympus 460.....would not be without a digital camera...

blackmercedes · #8 04-15-2003, 12:26 AM

I have a few cameras, but the one that gets hauled when I need to create "art" is my 1972 Pentax Spotmatic. I consider it "high-tech" because it has Through-The-Lens metering. My previous workhorse was a Pentax SV, requiring a hand-held meter. I still use a hand-held for tricky shots, but have adapted to the TTL meter.

Heck, I might even buy a zoom lens one day...

1967250s · #9 04-15-2003, 02:32 AM

Film/prossesing (color) is cheaper than ever, I don't see it going out of style soon...
Black & white is best to hone YOU'R compositon "style", don't fall for the "system" technic of any kind, don't box yourself in. Take picture that YOU think are cool.
Best B/W film : T-MAX family. Use an orange filter for that extra contrast.
Best night film : any tungsten film; that will give you the "Blues" you'r looking for. Place speed dial on "B" or "T" on some cameras, that setting is for long exposer, you will need a cable release to eliminate shakes. A good starting point is 20 sec. exposure @ f5.6 with a 100asa film and go from there.(write everything on paper)

Equipment :
I recommend a 24mm lens to get those long lines and good dept.
Get yourself a GOOD hevy trypod (you'll thank me later)
Revese ring for macrophotography (close-up)
Experiment with defirent type of film until you find the 1-2-3 ones that reflex you the most.

Show us what you do.......

For more info go to www.photo.net

The pic in my sig was taken with a 1976 Nikormate FT2 with a 24mm lens.

leathermang · #10 04-15-2003, 10:06 AM

Time Life put out a " Photography" series of books.. they are great ... should be able to be found on Ebay now...

Study National Geographic magizine.... they usually list the camera/film that was used on a picture...(hint: wide angle,kodachrome or ektachrome the slightly greener tint,but faster film)
Slides are cheaper than prints.... ( but not free like digital pics)
You can then print the good ones.. destroy the bad ones....LOL

The 24 mm is excellant... and you will notice almost all the pics in NGM are wideangle....

For color slides you can't beat Kodachrome 2... when you see people talking about color slide films... this is the one they compare all the others TO. But it is slow.. you will have to learn to deal with that if you want the fine grain and the color rendition.... particularly warm skin tones on people....

If you are going to do Black and White.. then learn to do your own darkroom processing.. that is where the 'mistakes' are fixed and the 'art' is usually implemented.... this is also much much cheaper than a lab doing it.. and more fun... and faster.... but mainly it gives you the control over your product...

#11 04-15-2003, 06:39 PM

But I bought a 4 pack of some 400 speed Fujifilm, which the film guy recommended for all around stuff.

I understand the speed setting (400, 27) but what are all the little ticks going from 1-1000? I assume this is the shutter speed? I have it set to 500 right now...what is a good speed for still objects...or does it matter? I assume if object is moving, you want higher shutter movement to catch it before it leaves?

As you see, I am a n00b. I've read the 1970's era manual, and have it down to loading and unloading the film, focusing, and using the light meter. Now to the intracacies. Once I develop this roll, I'll post some pics of the 240D I took.

MTI · #12 04-15-2003, 07:25 PM

Faster shutter speed will "freeze" the subject, but you what you get in shutter speed, you give back in terms of "depth of field" which is the zone of reasonably sharp focus you have to work with.

The ISO 400 film will help you use a slower shutter speed with a smaller lens apeture opening, which increases the depth of field. Think of it this way, when you squint and make your eyes "smaller" you can focus on more things closer and farther away from you, whereas the wider you open your eyes, the thinner the zone of focus gets.

As a fun exercise, try a few shots like this: get someone else to drive your car at a moderate speed past where you're standing. Select a slow shutter speed and track the car with the camera like a movie camera would while snapping the shutter. Try to be steady with the "pan" and the result should look like your car has been turbocharged, the car will be sharply in focus, but the background will be whizzing by. Have fun!

leathermang · #13 04-15-2003, 08:01 PM

"you want higher shutter movement to catch it before it leaves?"--Kyle

Yes, there is nothing more embarrassing than having a bunch of photos where the subject has already left the area.... people get tired of you telling them about the subject of the photo attempt instead of looking at the actual object....

#14 04-15-2003, 08:15 PM

Love your sense of humor Leathermang

As I said, I am a "newbie" so I ask dumb questions.
Similar to the dumb questions I still ask about these cars

pentoman · #15 04-15-2003, 08:34 PM

Well, it's not necessarily so much as to 'catch it before it leaves', but rather, a short shutter speed to catch it in one spot, rather than long speeds, which catch it over time, and then the subject will blur if it's moving.

If you do use a shorter shutter speed, you let in less light, so then have to compensate by opening the lens more (larger aperture). For some reason, a more open lens is a lower 'aperture number' (eg. f/3.5 is more open than f/5).

Oh and then, this aperture setting, in turn, will affect the 'depth of field' (as MTI said).. but you needn't worry about that nearly as much. So you see, everything is connected and eventually you'll be messing around trying to find a compromise between these things.

That pretty much gives all the basics you need, now it's down to you to take some practice shots.. Make a note of the settings you use for each shot, or you won't really get anywhere

Russ!