Photoclubalpha

When I was a kid in 1968 I was given a plastic toy 120 film camera. It was my first camera that was my own. I mostly took photos using it without any film in the camera. Actually, I think I only shot one roll of film with it and that was the B&W roll that came with it. Not too long ago I was going through a box of childhood stuff and found a very old undeveloped roll of 120 B&W film. I got it developed. It was the roll of 120 film I shot in 1968 with the toy camera. Here is one of the photos.

By the way, these days this toy camera is known as the Diana. It looks exactly like the one I had in 1968, but in those days the name wasn't Diana. Unlike now, it wasn't popular with the art crowd. It was just a cheap toy camera for children. These days it is probably made in China, but back then the same camera was probably made somewhere else. Probably in a toy factory in the U.S. Here is info and photos of the Diana camera.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_%28camera%29



I wrote some about it and other things here:

http://www.bakubo.com/ramblings.html

Here is one of the photos on that 1968 roll of B&W 120 film. This toy camera with the very simple lens also usually has some light leaks and it doesn't produce a perfectly square exposed area on the negative. The resulting negatives are not what you would expect from a Rolleiflex. I don't have a 120 film scanner and since the quality of the negatives don't need a high quality scan I just put them on top of my lightbox, used 2 books to hold down the top and bottom negative edges to make the negative flat, and then using the macro mode of my digicam I photographed them. Then in PSE 9 I converted the color negative photos to B&W positives. Of course, with these cameras you don't get or expect sharp results. I used my loupe to examine the negatives and this photograph and conversion of the negative is true. The digicam is properly focused on the negative.

My 2 sisters and the next door neighbor boy in Austin, Texas in 1968:

hi i saw one (similar) at the since museum in London on sale as an analogue camera.

happy days
mike hawthorne

Sheesh H a time capsule, if you don’t develop a film for about 40 years it could be like you took it just the other day when you do get it developed, it turned out pretty good too for that amount of time and considering the trinket quality of the camera itself with a shutter that varies between 1/30 and 1/200sec all by itself. Maybe your sisters would be interested in the photo as well.
Greg
Ps I should have had a hotdog for dinner tonight, I watched the game on TV, Dodgers 3 Diamondbacks 1.

Oh this is great!!! You know you can purchase a Diana lens (or Holga or Lensbaby Double Glass) for modern digital cameras as well. With modern sensors they won't look anyhing like that, but it's an option and gives good results to some people.

Would really love to see more of pics. Time makes the picture, doesn't it.

--
Toni Ahvenainen (1976)
Year of the Alpha - 52 Weeks of Sony Alpha Photography: http://www.yearofthealpha.com
Flickr-account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/109262328@N06/

Greg Beetham wrote:Sheesh H a time capsule, if you don’t develop a film for about 40 years it could be like you took it just the other day when you do get it developed, it turned out pretty good too for that amount of time and considering the trinket quality of the camera itself with a shutter that varies between 1/30 and 1/200sec all by itself. Maybe your sisters would be interested in the photo as well.

Yes, I sent it to them already. The rest of the photos on the roll of film were all taken at the same time. I wish I had taken some on this roll at other times too. I guess I loaded it up and over the course of maybe 30 minutes shot all of them. Certainly like opening a time capsule. Darn, 46 years ago. Since it was B&W film I think that helped it stand the ravages of time unprocessed so well.

Greg Beetham wrote: Ps I should have had a hotdog for dinner tonight, I watched the game on TV, Dodgers 3 Diamondbacks 1.

I rarely have one, but occasionally when out someplace I might get one. Been a long time since I had one at a baseball game. I think the last time was actually in Tokyo at Tokyo Dome in 1996 when I took this photo:

Kalainen wrote:Oh this is great!!! You know you can purchase a Diana lens (or Holga or Lensbaby Double Glass) for modern digital cameras as well. With modern sensors they won't look anyhing like that, but it's an option and gives good results to some people.

It was such a surprise and pleasure to discover this old, unprocessed roll of film. I think I have heard of the lenses or attachments, but never investigated. I suspect there are PS and LR plugins that can do a pretty good job too.

Kalainen wrote: Would really love to see more of pics. Time makes the picture, doesn't it.

I photographed all the negatives, but I haven't worked on the others yet. I sort of like the one I posted the best. It is amazing and sort of staggering to discover 46 year old unprocessed film and then seeing the photos.

Nice shots and the memories. I'll bring some old shots too. It's not from 1968 (I lost my negatives), but from 197x I do have.

I still have some 5 rolls of Ektachrome not developed yet. And I don't see where I can do that here.

Doc there would surely be places in Europe that can process E6 (slide) and C41 (negative film if needed) for you, I’ve been able to find a place in Melbourne that can if I need too, so I’m sure you could get them done up your way…somewhere.
I can also buy the Tetenal chemicals for E6 here http://www.vanbar.com.au/catalogue/prod ... 3#overview if I wanted to resurrect my Jobo drum processor, you might be able to get a second hand Jobo and do them yourself...maybe.
Greg

ValeryD wrote:Nice shots and the memories. I'll bring some old shots too. It's not from 1968 (I lost my negatives), but from 197x I do have.

Yes, please post them.

Praktica FX2, Agfa 35 mm film, 1974


Praktica FX2, Agfa 35 mm film, 1974


35 mm Film 1978 year Praktica FX2



I hope I didn't break any rules of the community.

A great find Henry. A Fabulous window in time to be able to look back all those years. I wonder if digital media means that pictures like this taken today will last as long?

Very nice pictures from the 70s Valery

ValeryD wrote:Praktika F2X, Agfa 35 mm film, 1974

Wonderful old photos!

I don't recall the F2X model and when I searched I couldn't find anything. Do you have a photo of that camera?

bakubo wrote:

ValeryD wrote:Praktika F2X, Agfa 35 mm film, 1974

Wonderful old photos!

I don't recall the F2X model and when I searched I couldn't find anything. Do you have a photo of that camera?

Sorry! It's my mistake with typing. It's Praktica FX2.

Valery,
#3 and #1 are my favorites in that order. Since Henry asked you to post, you have not broken
any rules. Only rule we (always) follow is extending basic courtesy . That about sums it up.

Sury