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Konica EE-Matic 260 & Ilford Sportsman C – Reviving two Instamatic Cameras
 – by Tobias Eriksson

The Instamatic cameras are anachronisms. The bloated cameras are detested plastic rubbish lately. The movie format they had been designed for will not be manufactured any extra. Did situations like that ever cease me from utilizing cameras? I’ve chosen these two cameras – Ilford Sportsman C (under) and Konica EE-Matic 260 (above) as a result of I like the best way they give the impression of being – and likewise within the case of the Konica the truth that it has a sophisticated publicity system and a rangefinder (correct focusing).  I additionally just like the ensuing sq. format of the images.

One other motive for selecting them is as a result of they had been CHEAP. My images pastime wouldn’t exist if there weren’t low cost previous stuff – I couldn’t afford it.

Instamatic movie

It has the identical width as 35 mm movie, although its sprockets are spaced another way, and on one aspect of the movie. In a darkish house you’ll be able to load the previous cassettes with trendy movie. Elsewhere you’ll find tutorials on how to do that and keep away from overlapping your images.

Instamatic cameras

There are three forms of instamatic cameras if you happen to look to how they deal with “overseas” movie – i.e. if you happen to reload the cassettes with 35 mm sprocketed or unsprocketed movie. First there are those that solely settle for instamatic movie cassettes with appropriately spaced sprocket holes. In the event you load “overseas movie” within the cassette the digicam will both freeze when winding otherwise you simply find yourself winding the entire roll with out with the ability to launch the shutter/expose images.

The second kind accepts customary 35mm movie (135 format movie). However it’s important to make each second publicity in you palm (darkness) to not get overlapping photos.

My Konica is of the third kind. It doesn’t care which movie you employ. I take advantage of unsprocketed movie and it winds on correctly so I don’t get any overlapping images.

Different quirks will happen relying on the digicam you resolve to make use of. It is very important get to know your digicam earlier than wasting your movie.

I selected my very own methods of exposing movie in these two. Right here’s the primary:

The Ilford Sportsman C digicam and Exposing an Ificolor HR 100 Movie

This authentic cassette holds a destructive color movie for twenty-four exposures of 100 ASA. The expiration date was in 1987. I don’t know how the movie was saved for 35 years.

By the best way, in case you are questioning concerning the unusual contraption popping out of the entrance of the digicam physique, learn my older weblog post about modding this digicam. (It belongs to the primary of the categories I listed above. Nonetheless it wouldn’t expose any movie, so I hacked it.)

I uncovered the movie at 1/thirtieth of a second. The digicam has fastened focus; one aperture (f/?); solely two shutter speeds (1/90 – solar image; 1/30 – cloud and flash image). This can be very tough to keep away from digicam shake when urgent the shutter. I might recommend utilizing a assist each time you make an publicity with this digicam mannequin.

So, this isn’t a digicam for that point down within the tube station at midnight. It’s a digicam/lens – and on this case movie – for that day trip within the snow. Relying on how your insta movie cassette was saved (most likely not in a fridge for 40 years) it might have misplaced a few of its sensitivity to mild. Or not. It’s all a big gamble. In Sweden the place I stay and purchase my expired movie, winters are chilly and dry and summers not so heat, and dry. Therefore cupboard space situations usually are not significantly powerful on supplies, chemically compounded or in any other case, as they’d be in additional tropical elements of the world.

I despatched the movie to be developed at Best Foto by Schröter in Riesa, Germany, the lab closest to me (1000 km) that processes Instamatic (126 and 110 format) and APS movie. I needed to sit on my fingers for months to assemble sufficient uncovered color rolls to justify the €/$25 (return) transport price.

Right here’s what got here out the opposite finish:

The negatives got here out moderately skinny, however with a lot element from mild to shadow. I’m not expert at scanning and modifying color negatives (they got here out very blue from my scanner) – that is the most effective I can do with these images. Beneath is an try at getting extra element out of the above photograph by making it B&W. Choose for your self which is most pleasing to the attention.

Exposing the movie at field velocity, I pursued a concept of mine: No expired movie wants overexposing, even a color one – it will solely blow out the highlights. You be the choose if I’m mistaken.

I additionally assume that the ‘crappy’ outcomes of the above images are 1) because of the movie being too gradual (100 ASA) for the digicam’s inflexible set of publicity settings, 2) the lower than good high quality lens didn’t add a lot (I feel a pinhole ‘lens’ would have made extra attention-grabbing images), 3) the restricted high quality of scanning/modifying. In fact, some movies appear to go grainier with age, which has probably the most destructive influence on shadow element.

The Konica EE-Matic 260 and Exposing Agfa ASP 400S

I loaded the movie within the cassette from a bulk roll of this movie. The Agfa movie has no sprockets and is generally supposed for site visitors management cameras. I purchase it to load into my insta cassettes and to roll onto 127 movie rolls (that are a bit wider than the movie however not a lot). On this case I loaded it right into a used instamatic cassette supposed for 100 ASA movie. The digicam can sense the ASA markings on the cassettes. (Most insta cameras can sense cassette “coding” for publicity values both at 100 or 400 ASA.)

The movie’s 400 ASA mild sensitivity permits it to cross by means of cameras with unreliable or restricted shutter speeds or apertures (like most Instamatic cameras) and nonetheless produce outcomes. On this case my considering was that the movie’s latitude would ideally compensate for any deteriorating sensitivity or different error occurring on this approaching 60 yr previous publicity system.

The Konica 260 EE-Matic has an publicity system fuelled by the selenium cell which is positioned across the lens. On my specimen the cell works completely. Apparently the system can mix a number of apertures and shutter speeds as much as 1/250th relying on the accessible mild. When there’s too little accessible mild a purple flag is raised within the viewfinder – additionally you’ll be able to’t expose when it’s seen. It’s an indicator that it’s time to modify to flash mode.

Let’s see what it could possibly obtain in its previous age:

As you’ll be able to see I botched up the growing a bit, leading to a darkish destructive which was laborious to scan – and edit.

Utilizing a quick movie in a digicam which is used to older, much less mild delicate emulsions was a big gamble, which on this case paid off badly as could be seen within the overexposed {photograph} above. Add the bushy growth and you’re in a nasty place.

All issues thought of – from a roll of 9 exposures, these (not the overexposed one) got here out moderately effectively! (I’m a fan of grainy B&W images.) The one with the discreet woman (my daughter) actually is a keeper, I feel.

Thanks for tagging alongside on one more of my ramblings in the dead of night alleys of analog images. Don’t hesitate to contact me or take a look at my IG, das Blog or the Etsy shop.

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