Flashback Friday March 2018

Just a couple of random items for your Flashback Friday…,

I saw this photo on my desk. It was from a few days shy of 2 years ago, “3/26/16” and I was a bit surprised that it was not one, but two years ago!

It felt like yesterday when I shot Baby Zayda cheerfully eating her Cheerios. I also used this image in my Fuji Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic review. As I said in that article, I was not fond of the wallet sized photos but this shot is my favorite from it. Upon close inspection, Instax Mini files are sharp!

Anyway, the photo got me thinking about today’s subject…

Ah friends, is it springtime already? As the years go by and as you grow older, do you ever say to yourself…there are just so many springs left in your life?

“Cheeri-O” 2016. Fuji Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic.

As a kid and young adult, life seemed timeless and full of possibilities. As a middle aged man, the realities to what may lie ahead seem more real and though not yet urgent, the feeling is there that I have to do what I need to do and do it soon…whatever it is I need to do! I really am not sure what that is! 😊

Someone once said I was a nostalgic fool and indeed I am! But if memories are all we have, then what is a person to do but look back?

The beauty of looking through the eyes of a child is that you kind of relive at least some of your youth through their experiences.

“Sunset Park” 2018. iPhone 6s Plus, Argentum b&w filter.

I don’t know friends, I just see life flashing before my eyes. Kids growing up. Years going by faster and faster. Is it just me?

CONTAX AX VIDEO REVIEW

As a complement to our 2016 review of the CONTAX AX, the camera from 1996 that tried the titanic attempt to “autofocus” manual focus lenses, I have added a short YouTube video review of the camera.

You may remember the article as part of the “Tuesday Titans” series. On the video, I have changed it to the “Camera Legend TITAN” series so as not to be tied down to a Tuesday timeframe 🙂

The video does include additional features such as tips on using the AF, and a video view of the ingenious autofocus drive mechanism. Hopefully it helps anyone who is looking at buying one of these cameras.

I plan to do more of these YouTube videos for other cameras already reviewed on our blog, if and when I can and then embed them directly into those specific articles.

Speaking of YouTube, I can tell you this will be an uphill climb. So many photography related channels! But I’m not so much concerned about the views or number of subscribers at this early stage because just like this blog, I am looking at it as a long term project.

Just like the articles here, I figure whoever will be interested in the cameras we have profiled will eventually stumble upon the video, as they have with the article since YouTube is apparently the second largest search engine.

Staying for the long haul is not a problem for me. I have dedicated myself to do this. Creating the videos, the editing, the time taken, even for my low budget videos? Now that is a little troublesome!

Anyway, this written blog will always be my base and so I thank you all so much for your support over the past few years. I wouldn’t be doing all this if there wasn’t anyone to write for! THANK YOU! 🙂

Fuji Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic

Fuji Instax Mini Kit

Fright Night Special: Friday The 13th

“Black Cat” 2011. Canon EOS 5D Mark II, EF 85mm f/1.2L in Bangkok, Thailand.

Yes, it’s Friday the 13th. It is a day that causes fear, hesitation, and all sorts of other anxieties in people. Heck, they even made movies and a tv series out of this! Here is a little tribute to Friday the 13th. I hope it is full of good luck for everyone! 🙂

“Bad Asses” 2011. Ricoh 8.1mp GRD in Chinatown, NYC. It’s “Child’s Play” for Chucky, Scarface and the entire badass crew 🙂

1743724_10204461306485061_8624589383073931463_n

“The Camera Monster” 🙂

12036658_10206879677222818_42288699852716121_n

“Flashback Fri…” No, no, wait a minute. This is NOT Flashback Friday. For Samuel J. Voorhees, every freakin’ day is FRIDAY!! shh…shh…shh…shh…shh… 🙂

Flashback Friday: The Nikon Coolpix 100, The First Nikon Coolpix Camera

UPDATE 11/01/15: Just want to pass along some info for our Nikon fans out there that I have been informed of HUGE instant rebates going on for a limited time. You can check out all the Nikon deals HERE. From what I can see some of the instant savings are up to as high as $1100!! on certain Nikon camera/lens combos. If you’re looking to buy new Nikon stuff, this is the time to do it!

You may also find the Nikon deals HERE. While browsing/dreaming, I was amazed at the deals and wish I had the funds! For example, you can now get a new Nikon D7100 for close to the price of a USED D7000. This is a screamin’ deal for some of Nikon’s hottest cameras and lenses.

“Retro Thang.” The Nikon Coolpix 100, released in 1997, is Nikon’s first camera under the “Coolpix” banner.

The Nikon Coolpix 100 is a .03mp digital camera introduced by Nikon Corporation in 1997. It is the first Nikon Coolpix camera and the first Nikon digital aimed at the general public.

The Coolpix 100 featured 52mm f/4 fixed lens and a whopping .03mp resolution, proving a maximum of 512×480 in Fine mode on a 1/3″ sensor.

The camera takes no media card as it is built around an old school PCMCIA serial connection and has a built-in memory which holds a maximum of 19 images in Fine mode and 37 images in Normal mode.

The Coolpix 100 is a long and funky camera. The camera is built around a PCMCIA device and takes no flash media. Instead it has built0in memory for very limited storage of images.

I found this camera for…59 cents!! The camera was in “As Is/Parts” condition. At first it didn’t seem to work, but after fiddling with the battery compartment, it came back to life.

However, I can’t show you any pictures from it because I have been unable to locate my oldest computer which might have a PCMCIA slot.

The Coolpix 100 with its “jeans” off revealing its PCMCIA computer connection.

Information is scarce on this camera. In fact, if you search “Nikon Coolpix 100” what comes up is a more recent “Coolpix P100” camera.

That said, this camera, as with many from the dawn of digital are not worth much if anything. It is only valuable to me as a collector, but financially it’s worth almost nothing.

Despite its low value and (now) low tech, the Nikon Coolpix 100 is indeed Nikon’s first ever consumer digicam under the “Coolpix” label and therefore has its place as a Camera Legend.

Flashback Friday: The Olympus M-1 Film Camera

The Olympus M-1 35mm slr. Basically an OM-1 with a few external and internal differences. The most obvious give away is the “M-1” logo on the top plate of the camera. Otherwise, the M-1 and OM-1 are cosmetically and functionally the same.

The Olympus M-1 is a 35mm SLR introduced by Olympus in 1972. It is the original OM-1.

The M-1 was originally a part of the Olympus “M System” as they called it. They were all set to go, even having a full set of lenses made to support the M-1. Only one thing they forgot…Leica already had an “M System” out!

From all accounts, Olympus changed the designation of the M-1 to the “OM-1” because Leica protested the use of the “M” and “M System” as it conflicted with their M series rangefinders and their lenses.

The M-1 is basically an OM-1, which is among the finest and most iconic systems camera ever made. A modern masterpiece from the brilliant mind of the late great Yoshihisa Maitani, the genius camera designer of Olympus.

There are some differences between the M-1 and OM-1. Main thing you need to know is that the M-1 says “M-1” on the top plate and it cannot accept a motor drive.

There is a wonderful page that tells you everything you need to know about the M-1 if you google “Olympus M-1 film camera.”

As a camera, it has an all manual 1s-1/1000s plus bulb shutter and originally took a PX-13 mercury battery, which has long been outdated/outlawed. The battery is only needed for the meter and yes, the camera can operate without a battery. You can use a replacement battery and my recommendation would be the Wein MRB625 Zinc battery which at 1.35v is closest to the original mercury cells.

RARITY, PRICE AND COLLECTABILTY

This one is not as easy as it looks. While the M-1 is certainly not as common as the OM-1, I don’t think I would call it rare either. “Rarer” would be a better word I guess.

They don’t seem to come up for sale often, but you do see them at fairly regular intervals on eBay, usually by sellers who stress that it’s “RARE.” I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but you know what I mean 🙂

I got mine for $40. It is not in perfect condition, eyepiece and focus screen looks to need replacing, viewfinder needs cleaning, but the shutter works though I haven’t tested it for accuracy. It’s going to be a fixer-upper for me which should be fun.

I have seen people asking up to $500 for this camera, usually on eBay, but they ain’t getting $500! 🙂

Most camera lovers will know or search and find out that the M-1 is basically an OM-1, a camera you can get anywhere from $10-150 dollars depending on condition and how much you want to spend.

A more consistent and fair price for this camera I think is around $150-250 in excellent condition and preferably with a lens thrown in.

“Zuikoholic” 2009. With the black Olympus OM-1 and 40mm f/2 Zuiko lens. As far as I know, the M-1’s were only made in chrome.

Of course, for a collector with money, and if you are a true Zuikoholic you probably wouldn’t mind paying extra just to have that “M-1” in the house 🙂

BOTTOM LINE

The Olympus OM-1 is one of my favorite manual SLR’s of all time. The beautiful styling, mechanical shutter and all manual exposure makes it a pleasure to use just for the pure joy of photography.

When I gave up on my Minolta X-700 from 1985 and after trying Canon and Nikon in the 90s, I settled on a couple of OM-1’s and it carried me through the rest of the decade giving me thousands of precious memories on film. And as the 90s came to an end and digital was dawning, my first digital camera was an Olympus C-3000.

The M-1 being the “rarer” version of the OM-1 makes it just a little more special.

These cameras live on in their OM-D incarnations although I think all the OM-D’s lack the true heft and feel of the classic film OM cameras. As imagers, I think the OM-D’s are great!

“Generations” 2015. The Olympus M-1 film camera on the left and the OM-D EM-5 on the right. Yes, I know that OM-D needs a little dusting off 🙂

In closing, there is no doubt that the Olympus M-1 (and OM-1) is a true Camera Legend that inspired a whole generation of photographers and continues to influence photographers and camera designers, even today.