Gloomy London = Seen by Mag Lens

Some pictures of the London = According to the Mag Lens view.

When the image is murky and dark, it will be seen as Gloomy, and this is it.   And it happen to be quite close to my own view as well. (Zennists are not so optimists though they are not necessary having a gloomy life = simply it is just not funny.  —– I can’t understand why people excite about kicking the ball or the ball on the line ?  —– What that ball to do with the person ?   We are nothing to do with the ball, do we ?    😀 )

Mag Lens doesn’t necessary make the things gloomy.  The image was just murky = hence if it was dark days, it become awfully gloomy. (I’ll show you the opposite case in the next post.)   😀

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Zeiss Ikonta is this ?

After Brownie camera and its 90mm lens, Ebay sent me quite few Junk (they say vintage) camera’s AD = then,  £10  Zeiss Ikonta  caught my eyes. — When I was young and interested in to such as 6×9 format camera, I envied the Zeiss Super Ikonta 531/2 of which quite few professional photographer was using for their daily work. (such as taking picture of Kabuki dancer for their stage photo = because those old camera’s shutter makes almost no noise and unlike modern camera, no noise of moving mirror or even film winding noise = essential to the live theater environment)    So that, a second-hand 6×9 Super Ikonta was traded with the price much more than a Nikon F camera then. (No way I could afford.   I settled with an old Mamiya Press and modified it for macro work.) 

So, I bought one of them from Ebay—– without knowing what I’ve actually bought.   😀    ( and it arrived in a large box)

Then, with my utter amazement, what I got out of the box was —– a really tiny Zeiss camera !    Till this moment I didn’t anticipate to see such a tiny camera. (I found, it was nicknamed Baby-Ikonta)  Especially under the name of Zeiss Ikon.   (The funny things was, as I’ve found a description on the lens  ” Nover-Anastigmart  1:4.5  F5cm”  which suggests that the format (or the size) of the picture is about the 35mm image —– yet still I didn’t think of the 4×4 (in fact 4×3 on this camera) size, using 127 film —– which was not mentioned on the Ebay AD)

This tiny camera was in a well used condition, and on top of that, the winding knob was missing. (see a cotton bud stick on the picture)  And the view-finder was not an original, etc = not possible to test this camera with a film = its mean, only a positive use could be, to test the lens on a 35mm DSLR for a fun !

(Photo right = Top left, M42 extension ring, M42 to NEX adapter. Middle left, M42 to M39 adapter, ring to fix the lens bottom, a spacer, panel ring I made to mount the lens to M42 Extension ring, The bottom, the back of the lens = fixing was 18mm )

I took the lens, out of the old body and mounted it on the Sony A7R = while making a metal panel to screw the lens on, and mount the lens in the exact position by adjusting the minute shift of M42-M39 ring. = One rotation of this ring shift the lens 1mm forward or backward  (—– this lens has front focus design = only 1mm shift of the front lens makes Infinity to 1m adjustment, which makes the distance of the lens to censor very critical) —– It took me a while to find the exact position.   😀

They are the test shot on far subject. And the enlarged center of F11 and F4.5 (right photo) —– Not so much difference between the F11 and F4.5.

And they are on the minimum distance = 1m.    Left was at F4.5 and the right was F11.   F11 image is pretty good, and fully opened F4.5 image shows almost iconic Zeiss softness. Since the lens has no coating, the halation is inevitable, still the lens made 80, 90 years ago showed this quality IS remarkable. (Though, to get this quality needed to pay so much attention.  The focus needed to have A7R’s critical focus peeking and use heavier tripod with remote trigger )   There must be the hundreds of the Anastigmat lens design, yet still, the Carl Zeiss able to keep this “Softness character” over the years, there must be an established policy or philosophy behind. —– (of which, the rumor said that non of the Japanese lens could manage to copy)  That IS what we call “The Tradition”or even “German Spirit”

(To make the point clear, I show you the comparison, the images made by the latest Zeiss lens for Sony E-mount = FE 1.8 / 55 ZA.  The photo above left was F1.8 and the right was F8 — at F1.8, the image showed slight chromatic aberration (blue edge) — still, this is the today’s standard of the image quality (away from the traditional softness). (Above photos may need to compare with Zeiss Planer 55mm   somewhere in the other post)

(What I found so far was, that this old lens still makes good images as long as the focus was correctly given and the camera was rocksteady.) —– Now I may need to go out for a  walk with this Lens.    😀

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Kodak Brownie camera and its Images

To bring the analog B/W image to show, its needs to make a paper print (unless we use the scanner and upload straight)  Unlike a color process, B/W print-making is not a kind of automatic mechanical process (even just to choose which paper and one of 5 contrast grade of paper to start, then where to burn etc etc) = lots of interpretations and intentions could bend the original concept. = (if it was only to  check  the quality of the lens or the images, it can be done by just looking close into the Neg’ —- though, just develop the Neg’ = the half century old Ilford film has jumped around and self-scratched by their strong carl, which was made by their own fate =  tightly wound on the narrow spool such a long time ) —– so, I show you the contact print here and forget the individual print at a moment. ( Despite such awkwardness, the B/W test shot showed quite consistent results — made me amazed a bit = So, don’t misjudge the Brownie from its humble looks = once they were the Darling of the era like an iPhone camera now.   😀 ) 

(B/W contact print above = The film was 50 years old Ilford Selochrome ISO160 / Though, Exposure was given as ISO80 / developed by D-76, 1+1 / 11 min’ on 18°~23° )

Obviously, Brownie camera has no focus neither a good viewfinder (their aerial image finder needs to look-down from feet away = its mean, no eye-level shooting other than a blind-shot) so that, beyond the fun snapshot or memento pictures, it may not suite for critical “Creative” work. 

And this was the test shot by the 15 years old Fuji color film on Brownie camera — (400 ISO Fuji Provia seemed to retain only 200 ISO after 15 years) = still, looks pretty good aren’t they !

On a casual shot of the Nuns Head Pub, I realized that the notice board was almost legible (Photo right — Did you notice heavy chromatic aberration on the man’s head ?)

(do not ask the quality of the digital copy —– it was just a DSLR copy by a flash light behind the transparency.) (—– I’ll make more properly digitized photo = when I found white perspex board which  I used before)

I show you the comparison, The same Brownie photo and the other by Sony A7R — It is obvious, the disadvantage of the blind-shot. (In fact, the Sony’s shot was made next day)

In this situation, not only to test the lens on 35mm DSLR,

(Those photos here were Brownie lens on the Sony A7R.   Not too bad mean, not brilliant —– on the Bokeh test, this lens showed halo together with chromatic aberration = blue fog on the edge)

I mounted the Brownie lens on a 6×7 SLR (Pentax 6×7) with the additional focus control to see how this lens could perform. (Since, only the lens was taken out ( leaving the shutter mechanism behind, which has been acting as a smaller F-aperture as well)  now the lens is effectively F8 = As the peripheral of the lens which is not the good center part, the image became lot more foggier.)

—– This 6×7 body was a spare-body when Pentax 6×7 and  Hasselbrad was my main camera.  I’ve sold those mid’ format cameras when I had a Court battle.  ( I fought for 3 years battle without a lawyer, and in the Court of Appeal, stand against the President Judge who tried to white-wash the case) — It was my same stance “If Canon can do, I can do it too = If the English Lawyer can do, why not a Japanese” —– But, about the camera, nobody wanted to buy this body which has no viewfinder, so that it remained in my hand = still its works as a big camera.   😀  —– On this occasion, I made a waist level view finder using juice-cartoon ( = good to be a sculptor as well)   😀   

(So, those photos were a bit more properly digitized 6×7 images = Copied on a white perspex, with TTL flashlight behind.)

Those are the photos of Brownie lens on the 6×7 SLR. (for those macro shot, extension ring were added too)    (waist level finder was not easy to use = such as, to see reversed left and right in a vertical image ? — Where am I looking at ? )

(Brownie lens on the Pentax 6×7, shot on the 15 years old Fuji Provia film which were  Digitized by the Canon 5D Mk-3, like making a Copy )

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Kodak Brownie camera and 620 Film (B)

At last, I got 620 film from the Net and some more 120 film to play with Brownie camera.  😀

And I perfected the knack to use 120 film on the Brownie camera (by enlarge the holes of 120 film spool, etc.    With much annoyance of the purists over there.  I guess.

And now I’m ready to do a dark-room work since I got the chemicals, thermometer etc.   I wish I’m still maintaining the skill to wind the film on to a developing reel without leaving my finger-print on the film, in a total darkness.

Though, the room temperature these days are 27, 28 degree = rather hard to keep the developer’s temperature in the tank to 20 degree constant —– on a dry-run test, start with the developer which has been kept in a fridge and 18 degree (after 9, 10 minuets process, it would end-up to 23 degree) may be acceptable. — (have a water-bath with ice-cube, is the another approach though I’m a lazy man and I don’t have ice-cube tray — as they have been used to keep elec’ components.)

So, to see the images in a developed film (color transparency needs to go to a lab) would be a fun.    😀

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Kodak Brownie Camera and 620 Film (A)

I got THE famous Kodak Brownie camera. In fact my friend found it in a junk shop and brought it to me. I’ve been testing the lenses of many antic cameras, such as Ensign  or other camera.  In most of the case I just tested those lenses mounted on a DSLR’s body = regardless whether the camera’s original format was much larger 6×9 or even larger (such as Kodak Folding No.1A which takes post-card size picture) than DSLR’s 35mm format. Theoretically, by cutting a 4”x5”film to test Kodak Folding camera and take picture, is possible though, its gone too far. (I’m not such crazy) In fact, the film for this Kodak Brownie camera is still available (in certain extent) = In such situation, just test the lens on 35mm DSLR would be a bit of the lost opportunity.    I decided to take silver film photo with this camera.

Kodak Brownie box camera use 620 size film and takes eight 6×9 (55mm x 85mm exact) photos. The film itself is the same as 120 film but only on much thinner metal film spool. (which mean, 120 film can be re-wound on 620 film spool in the total darkness. (if we could manage = if you google, you may find a Tutorial viz “How to re-wind 620 film”) 

(Photo from left: 120’s Spool is a bit longer. Second : The pin to hold Spool’s base is 5.4mm so that the hole of 120 film needs to make larger = third photo.  Last photo showed the frame number = 1 on the back of the camera = while wind the film, the number has to be watched.)

Yet still, as the physical size of the 120 film is about the same (though 120 film’s spool is 1.5mm longer), in practice we can use the 120 film on the Brownie camera. (the hole of the 120 film spool may need to make a bit larger.— Fuji film’s spool seems to run much smoother.) In my cabinet, I found old 120 films, so I’m going to test this Brownie camera with Ilford and Fuji film. —– But before that, I need to know a lot more about this camera.

The situation is as such unclear. The brightness of the lens was not yet known. Even worse, the shutter on the camera, which says 1/80, 1/40 and B setting = we only know B will be B, but who knows how accurate 1/80 or 1/40 was ?

The focal length of the Lens was found to be about 90mm. (90mm lens to 6×9 picture would give nearly 60 degree angle of view = rather wide-angle)

Then, I tested to see how bright this lens is. —– (It may seem rather scamp approach though, in such uncertainty, it may work and good enough. = To deal with antic Brownie may not need a rocket science) —– So, the Sony mirrorless A7R body was pressed against the back of Brownie of which shutter was fully opened, and with such and such ISO, see which “Shutter speed” was recommended by Sony ?    Then 90mm lens was mounted on the same A7R with the same ISO, and see which F-aperture of the 90mm lens makes the same shutter speed on A7R ? = With this test, the Brownie Lens was found to be F11. (fixed = no iris control but having so-called “filter”(ND filter ? — but it’s not grey. still makes one stop darker) was built-in)

Now the last question IS, how the Brownie’s 1/80 and 1/40 shutter could perform now ? Again, I used Sony A7R body to measure its exposure level. (Aperture is the size of the supply, say a water pipe, which allow how much amount of water you can get in each moment. And the shutter speed is, how long you open the tap = total amount is the multiply of both)

= While the shutter of A7R was set to 2 second, and its body was pressed against the Brownie’s back, then Brownie’s shutter (either 1/80 or 1/40 setting) was clicked while A7R’s shutter was open (its mean, while 2 second shutter open, 1/80 amount of exposure was given) —–Result of each exposure was compared against the photos taken by the 90mm lens at F11 with A7R’s 1/80 and 1/40 shutter = Amazingly results were quite consistent.   Its mean, on a bright day, Brownie camera could make pretty acceptable picture (I mean, in its exposure level — how pretty would depend on the subject) —– (but only in a bright place = straight under the sun — shadowy corner, cloudy days may need to use higher ISO film = like ISO 400 and even push development) Having only two shutter speed (with the additional effect of “Filter” it’s would be + 1/160 ) seems very restrictive though, think about, to have even the slower speed = 1/20, 1/10, 1/5 would only be the possibility (quick push on B setting may work as ½)  But such as the needs of 1/5 could be substituted by the use of 1/40 with ISO 800 film (one stop push development of ISO 400 film) —– Is it too barbaric approach ? —– Don’t be too serious.   It’s mere Brownie !   Lets make a joke.

On the end, I actually tested this camera with Ilford HP5 B/W film.  (Though, in order to develop this film, re-start to use dark room after 10, 15 years gap needed to workout a lot, not only to get new chemicals, but also to find many small things = where the Temperature-meter has gone ? etc.)  = Fun continues. 

But, in reality, it was found to be not a fun at all.   In order to get hold the B/W film processing things — 120 films, Chemicals, Temperature meter etc, I was asking around many shops who supposed to deal with,—– though Silver Print has gone, either Park Camera or Jessops are no longer dealing with B/W process, and the shop they recommended = Aperture also stopped.   Another possibility is, either Process Surplies in Mountpresent or Parallax of Fusion in Brixton. unless otherwise, get everything from the Net.  (I don’t like)

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Short Walk (B)

Those photos were another product of the same Short Walk (A), hence using the same homemade lenses Helicoid (A) and (B) on the Sony A7R.     While walking through the park, finding which flower is really a chance encounter, and how to capture it, while seeing the character of the optics and the shape of the flower, how to compose it, in which angle and the distance IS what all about the Photography.  In certain extent, it is a game or the match between the two personalities.  In Zen Buddhist term, we are living on the moment to moment life.   And to deal with the Person (subject just encountered) as if there is nothing else exists and nothing else to do is, so-called Mindfulness, and in this mind-set, there is no Ego.   So, this situation is a proof of the No-self or Anatman.   Yet still, in other stance, to see a subject as a subject might be seen as yet another Ego, therefore not aim the subject but to see everything as the everything may be a right view.   Though, in practice, the image of an ultra-wide angle lens clicked random is just a mess —– so, the question is, whether the Zen needs a nice answer ?    Or such answer itself is not Zen ? ? ?  —– Good question.   What a nice day ! —– Ha ha ha,  😀  

Helicoid (A) lens happen to have an Iris, so that, by the depth of field control, flower showed a bit more details, still, take the image of Helicoid (B) (photo right) is a matter of the taste.

Both (A) and (B) lenses, its center of close-up images are amazingly good.

Those two pictures were given a shake when the shutter was opened. (Don’t ask me what for — it’s only for a fun)

I realized that I don’t have many photos of the Blue Bell.  May be their flower is too common, yet only in a short period.  Still, why it makes the difference to the Cherry ? —– M m m ?  —– I might have an unconscious notion, that the Cherry is the Japanese but the Blue Bell is English.   But why ? ? ? —– May be because, I didn’t grow up with Blue Bell but with Cherry.   As the photography is a way of the Self expression, it became a kind of a biography.

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Short Walk (A)

In deed, I haven’t have done a photo-walk a while. —– without a reason = IS a problem = just getting lazy.   So, bashing myself and went out with a camera and two lenses. (still, all in one pocket = that’s a beauty of the small homemade lenses. = Helicoid (A) and (B) lenses with Sony A7R)

You may wonder what was a point to have those two lenses.   Ha ha ha, you are right.  Both of them are equally fuzzy lenses.  The differences were, —– if the fuzzy surrounding has Coma bokeh, it was the (A) lens.  And if it was with Astigmatism bokeh, it was the (B) lens.   Both for the sake of painterly effect which I like very much.

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Deeper into the Zen

Some of you, the keen followers might be wondering what this man is  talking about ?   And what would it to do with Zen ?

—– The fundamental question is, “If the Zen is to deal with the life in the absolutely empty mind =  in Mushin, (completely dispassionate, almost like a machine) —– Hey stop joking, which part of the brain is actuary handling it ? ”  (If somewhere the brain IS handling = with the intention to handle it, IS not Mushin but just not aware what he is doing, it’s a fraud ! )

How I came to here, you may find how our condition of the Guts (and the chemicals of its bacteria, parasites) influencing our “Feeling = Heart = Mind = ultimately the way of thinking”   We are not really in control. (Since this blog IS the live description of the DIY Zen research, I need to see the mechanism what makes the Zen as Zen —– in fact what IS so-called Zen ? = if any at all ?)

Now you must be convinced, that the so-called Zen teaching in the town IS fraud. Zen couldn’t be learned or taught, while saying Zen.  As long as the notion of Zen in mind, even if it was hidden in the deepest unconsciousness.  It IS not Zen.  I’ll show you “The legend = the Archer who try to reach Zen while learning Archery in Japan” in the next post. (If you like to start ahead, find a book and read it before hand = Zen in the Art of Archery : by Eugen Herrigel —– It’s a small book = 100 pages or so in a Penguin books)

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PS : I’ll explain you, my utterly strange Lens Making Game.  Do you think is there any complicated theory or creative notion ? —– Non at all.  It was the same process of the cutting a lemon.   In other word, a kind of work of Just Do It with a material I found then —– Imagine, do you think would it be any sophisticated philosophy or scientific theory behind ? = far from it, cutting minute depth of metal barrel to match the focus = IS the ZEN.  (I don’t have a skin thick enough to have a pretense to show-off “Copy the mantra” kind)   😀

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Cherry Cherry – 2018

Since I put the photo of the first cherry, it’s already 3 weeks past.  They are still in full bloom though, the flowers started falling. The end of Somei-yoshino season.   (Then Multi petals cherry is coming.)

So, this year’s Cherry pictures were made by “Helicoid-B” lens.  (One of the worst reputed lens ! = therefore in these days I’ve been using the most.   😀 )

Without me shake even a single finger, the picture became almost trembled. ( = The technique to produce the paintary effect in the most economical way !     😀 )

(Only the problem was that the image in the finder was too fuzzy to see the focus.)

So, those two (three) photos were taken by a kind of normal lens = Tamron SP 500 mm Mirror lens. —— Somebody teased me saying “Can’t you take normal picture ?” “I leave that kind of business to the Phone camera user, otherwise no point for me to use bulky interchangeable lens camera”   😀

Though, the Tamron gave me too pale color.  (May be I need to use Photoshop kind though, that’s what I hate most.)

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Feeling – Heart – Mind – Thinking

Because of its nature of ambiguity, what going in the depth of our Mind has no clear picture or even the defined notion or name.  Nevertheless, we are using a kind of the name for the sake of convenience.  And, we are using a kind of words to describe each Psychological phenomena.   So, from the murky deep to clear conscious, we named each of them such as to Feeling, Heart, Mind, Thinking. 

With the advancement of the technology and the medical science, the research and the understanding toward those mechanism of the psychological phenomena were becoming clear day by day.  And the development of experimental psychology is started to show quite new fact and the reality. 

One of the experiment, which was — the two group of the volunteer was given the Adrenalin hormone (so, the blood pressure rose and the heart started pounding) and one group was told by a decoy volunteer as “I heard we are going to have a  pretty funny game after this. So, I’m very excited” and the other group heard the other decoy murmuring that “I heard that the after effect of this experiment could be very bad. I’m very much worried of this”  On the after interview, the first group told that he (she) was very excited with the expectation of fun.  But the second group answered that they felt fear.

—– The same physiological effect = risen blood pressure and pounding heart was felt by the first group as a joyful excitement.   But the second group felt it was a tension of a fear. = Each were biased to the opposite direction by the dubious suggestions.  So, the feeling could be as simple as the balance of the chemical, same as too much acid in the stomach.  And to figure it out (with the biased expression) “I’m very heavy” is your heart.  Then, describe it with more objective words “I feel very heavy” is your mind.  And you might started to think “Should I take a pil ?”

Ambiguous shadow in the deep, may not have any holy truth.   Neither Carl Jung kind of romantic belief not mention Freud’s delusion.  (Now those kind of so-called “Psychology” was dead long since = simply because no such memory device which hold like Oedipus Complex etc or unconscious memory was found under MRI —– all those were our own creation inspired by the learned story in the daily life = same as a Dream.)    So, the unconscious mind = “Heart” might be just an unsorted complication of the chemical mix. —– As you know, when you feel so crazy and hot in love, the reality was that you were just filled with Oxytocin and Dopamine in your blood. = So, you feel its urge, still as it was nothing to do with any logic or hi-level thinking, you can not describe its factor or reason in word. (In fact, if you could describe it, you were not in love but just observing third party !) —– We call such invisible drive or a vector as the Heart.   😀

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