Author Archives: the moderator

A test of 135mm lenses

Posted on Wednesday,15,September 2021 by the moderator

I was recently gifted a Pentax 135mm lens. That got me thinking! Back in analogue days once you had got used to using the standard lens that came with your 35mm camera the next lens choice was either a wide … Continue reading →

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Are we or are we not?

Posted on Monday,30,August 2021 by the moderator

The Photography Show – NEC Birmingham For the last decade and more my fellow photographer Colin and I have faithfully attended The Photography Show in Birmingham. This year, more than any other, we find ourselves in a dilemma. Do we … Continue reading →

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The Photographer’s Ephemeris

Posted on Saturday,7,August 2021 by the moderator

The Photographer’s Ephemeris – an essential programme for the outdoor photographer As it says on the website, this app is ‘All about the light’. If you are taking a shot outdoors and you want to know details of the sunrise/sunset, … Continue reading →

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The Russian Experience

Posted on Wednesday,30,June 2021 by the moderator

When I began my photographic journey (a good few years ago now!) My first real SLR camera was a Russian made Zenith, known as a Zenit B. This camera was the budget end of budget cameras, sporting a manual stop … Continue reading →

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Make mine a coffee

Posted on Tuesday,8,June 2021 by the moderator

Are you intrigued by the title? Wonder no more. This is a post about the use of coffee to process black and white film. Known as Caffinol, this system of processing black and white film was brought to my attention … Continue reading →

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Yashica T4

Posted on Saturday,22,May 2021 by the moderator

This is my favourite ‘point and shoot’ film camera. It’s a compact camera, even smaller than my phone; it has the following specifications: Size – 116.5 x 63.5 x 37mm Weight – 170g Lens – Carl Zeiss Tessar 35mm f3.5 … Continue reading →

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Hitech Reverse Graduated Filter

Posted on Sunday,16,May 2021 by the moderator

As many reader of this blog will know, I often use a filter of one type or another. In actual fact my STC Hybrid CPL filter is an almost permanent fixture on my lenses. Having woken early one morning to … Continue reading →

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Negative Space

Posted on Thursday,6,May 2021 by the moderator

What is negative space? How might you see it? How would you compose an image taking it into account? Anyone who has been involved in commercial photography will be aware of the need sometimes to leave a designated space for … Continue reading →

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Where’s my mojo gone? Have you lost yours too?

Posted on Tuesday,20,April 2021 by the moderator

One of the features of lockdown for some people I talk to is that they seem to have temporarily mislaid their creativity or, to put it another way, ‘lost their mojo’. The Cambridge English Dictionary describes mojo as  ‘a quality … Continue reading →

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Meike 12mm lens

Posted on Sunday,28,March 2021 by the moderator

Some of you may know that among the cameras I use there is a Fuji XT-1 and a Protech Photographic Infra red converted Fuji XE-1. Ever eager to make them even more usable I have obtained a 3rd party wide … Continue reading →

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