OM-1n Pictures

[doubs43]

These were all taken with my OM-1n MD Olympus camera that I purchased off of ebay about three weeks ago. It came with a 50mm f/1.8 Zuiko lens with a small filter ring ding that was easy to repair. I installed an air-zinc hearing aide battery (size 675) and the meter is accurate. Shutter speeds have checked out to be very close to marked speeds across the board. Here are three images from my first roll of film. Agfa APX-100 developed in Rodinal 1:25. All were taken with a 135mm Zuiko lens.

My friend Pebbles from across the street.


Where old dolls go.


I have no idea what this plant is but I like it.



Walker

[GeneW]

Really nice shots, Walker! The last one is some kind of decorative grass -- lovely stuff for photos. Great shot of the pooch. The doll shot is existential

Gene

[John Parry]

Pampas grass. Missed a superb shot of this against a sunset - no film!

These are so bright and contrasty - very well done indeed! The doll is showing the grain though - thought at first it was the fabric on the doll's legs, but it appears on the plastic bag. Less available light on that one?

Regards - John

[doubs43]

johnrparry said:

Pampas grass. Missed a superb shot of this against a sunset - no film!

These are so bright and contrasty - very well done indeed! The doll is showing the grain though - thought at first it was the fabric on the doll's legs, but it appears on the plastic bag. Less available light on that one? Regards - John

Pampas grass. Thanks John..... my neighborhood seems to have plenty of it and the light was right to set it off against the dark trees.

The doll's legs do show the grain and it seems to be a characteristic of APX-100 when there are even, untextured tones in large areas such as the sky, the white plastic bag, the doll's legs and the concrete with dead leaves behind the legs. The lighting was very even that day with an overcast sky and that, no doubt, played into it as well. Even the "dust bin" is an even medium gray color. More contrast would have helped IMO. I used f/5.6 to ensure that the background was as out of focus as possible on all three shots.

Regards, Walker

[PeterW]

Walker, you wrote:

The doll's legs do show the grain and it seems to be a characteristic of APX-100 when there are even, untextured tones in large areas such as the sky, the white plastic bag, the doll's legs and the concrete with dead leaves behind the legs.

I don't think it's grain so much as Rodinal 'grittiness' which I always seem to get on FP4 whereas I don't get it with FP4 developed in ID11 or D76.

I first used Rodinal many years ago, and it was quite easy to distinguish between its grittiness and the grain of a high speed film under the enlarger using a focusing magnifier.

Rodinal does have excellent contrast and high acutance, or 'sharpness' in its favour, and it's very economical and long lasting, even in half-empty bottles. But because of its grittiness I reserve it for atmospheric high contrast shots, quite often old rusted farm machinery or vehicles, and old abandoned buildings - if I can find any in this crowded south-east corner of the UK where land prices are so high that very few buildings stay abandoned for long enough to get interesting.

PeterW

[backalley]

nice shots walker.
i like the last one especially and that apx 100 looks pretty good. i like the grain structure.

joe

[doubs43]

Peter, you may well be correct that the appearance of the grain is a characteristic of Rodinal. It's a high accutance developer and I think gives the grain a sharp edge.

Thanks to all who have complimented the pictures. Here's another one from the same roll that I've just scanned.

C-46 "Commando" transport aircraft of WW2 vintage.



Walker

[herron]

Pebbles and pampas grass, Walker! Neat shots!