You can read all about the Zeiss Ikon Contarex “Bullseye” by Googling it, so I won’t write much here, except to note that it’s as impressive in person as it is in description. What I will do instead is just present a Contarex gallery. Click on an image to see it really big. (For an explanation of my [...] Read the rest of this entry »

A prism finder for my Nikon F arrived today, so the Class of ‘59 was ready for its 50th anniversary reunion picture. Clockwise from the top: Nikon F, Canonflex, and Zeiss Ikon Contarex, all introduced in 1959. I bought the Nikon F back in March from KEH, but with an ungainly Photomic finder. I found [...] Read the rest of this entry »

Exa cameras were less-expensive versions of Exaktas that mostly took the same lenses and other accessories. (Exa is half of Exakta.) I bought my Exa in a small antique store in Buffalo, Wyoming, in 2008. The dealer said he had used it in high school, and that it was a gift from his sister. I doubt if she bought it [...] Read the rest of this entry »

As I mentioned last week, I just got all twelve 1959 issues of Popular Photography bound into a book. This was my second attempt at buying issues from 1959 on eBay. The first, a couple of months ago, failed even though I was high bidder. I paid right away, but the seller refused my bid [...] Read the rest of this entry »

Thursday I blogged about my imminent bid for a 1959 Canonflex on eBay. I got it for $255.50, outbidding the loser by $5. Here’s a quick review of how eBay auctions work: Highest bidder wins; all bids before close count (even if 1 second before); if a bid is more than the current high bid plus an increment, only the [...] Read the rest of this entry »

The SLR I want is on eBay. The seller says “It’s in EXCELLENT overall shape, a real beauty, featuring lively and accurate cloth focal plane shutter, sharp reflex viewing, crystal clear optics, and smooth movements.” So far the bidding is up to $153.50, auction ending tomorrow at about 8PM.
What should I do? I’m thinking of [...]

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OK, enough about trains.
On Sunday at the start of a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park, I came upon a herd of elk grazing in Moraine Park. I didn’t have a really long lens with me, so I couldn’t shoot an elk close up, but it turns out those shots are really boring anyway. (For [...]

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The train was still there today. It hasn’t moved since before yesterday morning, when I first saw it. I climbed up the hill up to the bike path that goes over the tracks: And discovered that the train is empty. I guess it will move when there’s a call for more coal. I couldn’t shoot through the [...] Read the rest of this entry »

My continuing quest for an interesting lunchtime photo continued today. (Recall my recent photo essay proving that there was nothing at all to shoot.) On my way out the door this morning to go to work, I grabbed my 16mm fisheye, last used on my newly acquired Nikon F. Today, it’s on my D700. Parking my car [...] Read the rest of this entry »

Same blog, but I just updated to the newest version of WordPress and chose a new theme, too. You can now leave comments if you like. Read the rest of this entry »