Lake Garden, First Visit, with my Exakta VX500 Camera

On our first visit to Lake Garden, I was using two film cameras: the Exa 1C and its 'older brother', the Exakta VX500.

I have already posted photos from my Exa 1C. The photos taken by my Exakta  have just been processed, and the results are very satisfying.

For the camera buff, a little bit of history on the Exakta camera. The Exakta VX500 was made in 1969 by the East German Ihagee company, that also made the Exa range. This camera is entirely manual, with manual focusing lens through the SLR viewfinder, and also has no built in exposure meter. This model does have a reflex mirror.

On the day, I was using an Exakta 80-200mm zoom lens, and also a  f2/50mm Carl Zeiss Jena lens. A handheld exposure meter was used for some of the photos. Others, especially the zoom photos, were guesses. I was using Fujifilm 200ASA.

I am very satisfied with many of the photos. You really can't help but be astonished to think that these photos were taken with a camera that is 44 years old. You just have to be in awe of German camera technology.

A beautiful photo with the Carl Zeiss lens

Stunning detail with the Zeiss lens

A very satisfying photo

Although taken with the zoom lens, with no proper exposure reading, the result is satisfactory

Taken with the zoom lens

Taken with the zoom lens

My Exakta Vx500, fitted with a f2/50mm Carl Zeiss Jena lens

My Exakta VX500, fitted with an Exakta 80-200mm manual lens

First Roll from the Leica AF-C1 Compact

 My first roll of developed film from my Leica AF-C1 has been disappointing. However, much of this is due to the fact that I took too many photos requiring a flash and should have started with taking photos in clear bright light.

The 'lamp' photo is probably an example of what good, acceptable shots this small camera can take. The 'available light' shots of the Mercedes Benz display were also acceptable. And the photos of my friend also show the camera, or should I say, the photographer, has potential!

Yet, I am still on a learning curve with film photography and discovering just what each of my cameras will do, and where I am making mistakes. This is surely a part of the fun and the challenge of this form of media.

A nice shot, but marred by what appear to be a developing problem with the small spots

 

My Leica AF-C1 compact film camera; the first in the Leica range, made with the Minolta camera company in the 1980's.

An Evening on the KL Helipad - 'Helipad Cafe'

 The KL helipad is not used at night. So someone thought that this would be the ideal place for a open-air cafe! So tables and chairs are scattered around the helipad, a safe distance from the unprotected side, and the 360 degree view of KL that patrons get is spectacular.

During our evening visit, I captured a number of shots, using my Leica R8 loaded with Kodak 400ASA film. All shots were hand held. If I had taken my tripod, I could have captured some really brilliant night views