Saturday, April 14, 2018

Getting familiar with the Signet 35

I like compact cameras, and the Kodak Signet 35 nicely meets that requirement.  The camera's small size, however, does require some attention to how it is handled in operation.  The controls are closely spaced and it is easy to let a finger obscure the rf window, or to inadvertantly block the movement of the shutter cocking lever.  I managed to commit both errors in the last roll of film I put through the camera, but  over-all I am very pleased with the experience of shooting the little '50s Kodak.

I shot a roll of TMAX 100 in the Signet 35 during one of my usual walks through Old Town and on a longer walk the next day through a nearby industrial area.  Some of the pictures I got showed me that it would have been a good idea to keep my Series V lens hood on the camera as getting the lens too close to the sun caused some loss of contrast.  Otherwise, the Ektar turned in a good performance.

Decorating Old Town


beemer and little red


Sprouts

I don't usually think about close-ups when shooting my rangefinder cameras, but the Signet 35 is more capable in that regard then most because of its capacity to focus accurately down to two feet, as well as needing little compensation for parallax error.

Margaret's Redbud

My second day's outing with the Signet 35 took me north on 12th to the rail tracks through an industrial district and then east as far as Fourth Street.  I stopped to grab a shot of the engines in the AFD service yard on Fifth; that was tricky as I had to shoot against the sun and through a wire mesh fence.

AFD Phalanx

Albuquerque's Fourth Street is a long north/south corridor which runs from the city center up to where the road curves around to cross the Rio Grande on the way to Bernalillo.  The street is lined mostly with one-story buildings housing many small Mexican restaurants, and every other block features a tire store or a used car lot.


4th Street

'57 Chevy

Garcias

The Farmacy Cafe on Mountain Road

4 comments:

JR Smith said...

Seems like a capable little camera. I see these in the antique stores here from time to time, but never in good enough condition to pick up. These days, I find myself liking lightweight compact cameras more and more. You made some fine pictures here.

Mike said...

I read recently that the new price of the Signet 35 adjusted for inflation was $800. I'm a little surprised that my step-father acquired something of that value in the '50s as I don't recall the family being flush with cash at that time. Of course the Kodak was still a lot less expensive than the European competition. I imagine the the Contessa 35 which I will be taking up shortly sold for at least twice as much.

JR Smith said...

I am always quite amazed when I look up the price (adjusted for inflation) on many of the classic film cameras I own. Expensive! Of course, with new iPhone prices kissing the $1000 mark, I guess everything is relative. :-)

astrobeck said...

Nice photos in spite of the suns interfering.
I think it's a rule that a tire shop is located near the good Mexican restaurants..