Film Camera 2019/6 – Pentax ZX-L – Results

by Posted in Cameras, Pentax ZX-L, smc pentax-f 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 Leave a comment
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Above:Marker in a Patterson, NY cemetery.

I’m pleased to say that, unlike the last two Pentax SLRs I acquired (which were dead on arrival) this one worked perfectly. Film loading and unloading was easy. Although uninspired pictures they were all well exposed (if a little contrasty possibly because of the combination of Tr-X 400 and the bright mid day light) and well focused. The camera was so light I could have easily have carried it around all day. I particularly liked the use of a switch around the shutter release to adjust aperture, shutter speed etc.

I tend to frame quite tightly and the only quibble I have is that in some of the pictures the framing was off. This has happened to me with other cameras. I have to remember to frame more broadly in future.

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Sybil Ludington Statue in Carmel, NY.

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Crosses in a cemetery. Patterson, NY.

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Rusting machinery. Fishkill, NY.

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The band played on. New Milford, CT.

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Van Wyck Homestead. Fishkill, NY.

Taken with a Pentax ZX-L, SMC Pentax-F 35-70mm f3.5-4.5 and Tri-X 400.

David Austin Roses – Overview

by Posted in Flowers, Minolta Maxxum AF 50mm f2.8 Macro Leave a comment
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My wife loves gardening. She particularly loves roses, especially David Austin roses. She recently found some good local sources for such roses and she’s acquired a number of new ones for the garden.

For those, like me, who might not know who David Austin was he was the great guru growers of English roses. According to Wikipedia:

David Charles Henshaw Austin OBE (16 February 1926 at Albrighton – 18 December 2018 in the same village) was a British rose breeder and writer who lived in Shropshire, England. His emphasis was on breeding roses with the character and fragrance of old garden roses (such as gallicas, damasks and alba roses) but with the repeat-flowering ability and wide colour range of modern roses such as hybrid teas and floribundas.

You note from the above that he recently passed away, but his spirit lives on – and so does his company. Consequently I seem to have become, at least temporarily, a rose photographer. So far 12 of the new roses have opened up and I’ve been asked to take pictures of them (see future posts).

I’m not much of a gardener, but I have to admit that they’re pretty spectacular.

Above: Queen of Sweden with bug.

Taken with a Sony A77II and Minolta Maxxum AF 50mm f2.8 Macro.

Vintage Lens: Konica Hexanon AR 50mm f1.7

by Posted in Konica Hexanon AR 50mm f1.7 Leave a comment
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I’ve had this lens for quite some time – at least since 2015, but haven’t used it very much. Most Saturday’s I take the dog for a walk around Briarcliff Manor. We usually pass behind the first station; around by the playing fields; through the library and finally end up at Moon Beam Cafe for a coffee for me and a well deserved bowl of water for Harley. It’s particularly pleasant in warm weather because the Cafe was formerly a house so it has a nice covered porch in front. I love to sit and read there while we wait for my wife.

As for the lens. It feels very well made and is certainly very sharp. However, there’s something about it that I’m not wild about. It’s hard to put my finger on it. Maybe it’s the colors. I find them a little too cool for my taste.

There’s a comprehensive review of it on My Favorite Lens (See: Konica Hexanon AR 50mm f1.7 Review).

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On the playing fields.

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Purple azalea.

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Asian Structure at the Briarcliff Congregational Church.

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White azalea.

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Sundial.

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On the computer at Moonbeam Cafe.