Holidays activities and finds.

[Kotobukicat]

First, I want to wish everyone here a wonderful Christmas / Hanukkah season! I always try to get my Christmas shopping done in July when it is warm out so that I do not have to go out in the cold too much which kills my joints. I hope that everyone takes many photos, both digital and film of their families and loved ones. Trust me, when you get to my age, you will be happy that you did. Just remember to organize your photos in albums and negative sleeves so that you can find them. Please don't throw them in a drawer...

Next, I took delivery yesterday of a Vivitar 40.5 mm filter. I took a chance and bought the thing from ebay, and it was better than described. It had been listed since the middle of the year. The color is "light green", Wratten code x-1. It was listed as used, but the black paint was still intact on the tops of the thread ridges, a sure sign that it had never been screwed onto a lens. There were no scratches or haze on the glass, and it came in a Vivitar branded filter holder for that sized filter. I'm very happy with it. This is the size for my Minolta 110 Zoom SLR. I think that it will bring out the greens in spring time outdoor shots without killing the other colors. If it is too green, I can adjust my enlarger color.

Next, I have spent the last few weeks rebuilding my dark room. I put a HEPA air filter in there to help with the dust. I recalibrated my automatic temperature water tap unit and replaced the seals. Then I dusted, cleaned my Besler enlarger, and put a new bulb in it. After sitting unused for decades, I was afraid that the bulb color might have shifted. I kept the old one just in case. I also tested the old Jobo, made sure it worked to spec and ordered some new tanks. I filled my water bath with distilled water and adjusted it with a mercury thermometer to spot on. Busy busy busy.

Every quarter I buy film. Loaded up with Lomography's offerings, mostly color tiger and purple and turquoise. That is the only company as of now that I am aware of that makes 110 film. Then, it was a few more rolls of Aerocolor 4 (Flick film Electra), some B&W for my 127 Yashica 44, several more rolls of 120 and my favorite B&W
, Arista EDU 100 in 35. Also found and got some Crossbird. I have never used that emulsion, so I got two rolls, one to process as E6 and one to Process as C41. If I like it, I will get some more next quarter. Then I inventoried my freezer, and moved it just outside the darkroom. My color print chemistry and paper arrived and I have been re-acquainting myself with that process. Hopefully, I will have relearned and sharpened my color printing chops again by the spring after all these years. My goal is to get as comfortable with that process as I was just after graduating from high school. Hopefully it is like riding a bicycle in that you really never forget how to ride a bicycle. But I doubt it. I will continue to use Dwayn's to process my 110 film because they do a good job, and 110 carts and film are rather fiddly in my experience. I actually found a retired camera tech who will disassemble, clean, lubricate and reassemble all of those M42 VIvitar lenses that I was gifted earlier this year. That will nearly double my inventory of old screwmount lenses for my Mamiya Sekor 35mm cameras. I love those old machines as well as my Canons. For old glass from the late 60s to mid 70s, IMHO, VIvitar had some great glass.

I hesitated to even post this because I am sure that I will get a response along the lines of "oh, the OP seem to be ensnared in some old gear and old process cabal that eschews modernity" but that is neither here or there. On the last summer solstice party we had here, I made the vow (sorta like a new years vow) that I was gong to extricate myself from the digital fantasy world by at least 95%. I have made good progress on that front. I get online about once a week now for a few minutes to check my stocks and to read a few e-mails, or to order something. Then the computer is put away. Now I actually take time to write letters, complete with stamps, and now I read a lot more hard copy materials. Now, if I need to make an appointment, I call and talk to an actual person. One of my health care providers would only make on line appointments. I dropped them and found another. I am currently fighting with the state public utilities commission to get them to make the local phone company install a non-VOIP land line. You know, the old system that even if there is a power outage, you still get a dial tone. I no longer take my digital minder, oh, I mean my "smart" phone, when I go out. I can tell you that I am not so important that I need to answer every call the moment someone decides to call me. If I was an attorney or doctor, yes, I would need to. But I am not, and it is really quite liberating to not have that thing listening to what music I have on in the car and tracking where I go.

Finally, let me restate that I wish EVERYONE on this forum the best of the season, and may it be filled with joy and happiness. Cherish every moment that you have with your loved ones. There are no guarantees with tomorrow. And hopefully, next year will be less turbulent, more prosperous for you and filled with good memories and well composed photos!


Best,

Joe