The idea of getting the film can, camera, scissors, tape and developing tank into my small dark bag and then getting the film wound onto a 127 reel and into the camera had a certain nightmarish quality. Well, nothing ventured ...
I walked out of the house with the loaded Foth Derby thinking I would just snap a few test shots. As it turned out, the yearly car show was in progress at the nearby Albuquerque Art Museum. Seemed like a good omen. Since I was blind winding the film with no backing paper and the ruby windows taped over I got just ten shot from a film strip that had room for sixteen. Still, I was pretty happy with the outcome, and I thought some of the shots showed the surprising quality that the little Foth Derby can deliver. I'll try this again sometime soon, and maybe I'll even have a go at using some backing paper. I'm thinking it may help to break the process down into several discrete steps so I don't have everything in the bag at once.
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7 comments:
I've not had good luck with dark bags. I need elbow room to fiddle with film. I have had good luck with a darkened bathroom. It isn't even completely dark. There is a little bit of light that sneaks in under the door. I haven't ever noticed significant fog from it, but considering the age and types of film I normally use, that isn't a big risk anyway. You seem to have ended up with your usual high quality photos, so I'd say keep doing what your're doing.
I've conducted quite a bit of photographic activity in bathrooms. The bidet in my Buenos Aires apartment made a good print washer. I could light proof my current bathroom, but it doesn't actually offer a lot more room than my dark bag. I'm thinking about getting one of those big tent-style dark bags.
Well all I can say it was well worth the effort as they are amazing shots you got from the
camera and Porta 160, lovely vivid colors. I had never heard of a Foth Derby but it seems like a very capable camera.
It is a great little camera. I would have made a lot more pictures with it if 127 film could still be purchased at reasonable prices. The Foth Derby actually had a lot in common with the early Leica including a 1/500 focal plane shutter.
Again, you have tackled something I would never try and with amazing results!
Hats off my friend!
Well, it took me a couple years. Hopefully, the next round will come easier.
Nice work as usual Mike. What great colors!
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