So I picked up film from vision images

Sunday was a non shooting day, least for the most part. I did get the Lubitel 166b out for some sunrise photos, after using exposure app to see what i was doing wrong. Ah.... Yes.. Well never mind the main issue is this time is the 100ISO 



MONDAY was a different kettle of fish... Tim was flying a 1940 tiger moth and as i have a great soft spot for these old ladies, i was no going to miss this shooting opportunity. Alas my digital camera had other ideas.. The sandisk CF card in the camera lost it's directory structure and hence my photos went missing. Thank goodness for husbands. He retrieved them all except the movies of the plane taking off. Well, disappointing but cannot be helped. ANYWAY I had packed the Lubitel, the Diana F, the sprocket Rocket, and the TIM135.. phew!! All had half rolls that needed to be finished off..i finished all the rolls off except the Sprocket Rocket. The Diana F developed a film jamming issue at exposure 15 & 16, and I had to be forceful in making the film roll forwards. When i took the roll out, it was not sitting properly and looked fat so the tension had slackened off. Something to look at next roll. I'll see how this roll went first. I immediately put it in one of my handmade canisters. (yay for husbands again) 
New film arrived along with the flash adapter for the Diana.  It doesnt seem to fit, this camera may just be too old for such nonsense.
I may retire this camera,if the roll doesn't work out. TBA. She is more of a museum piece anyway.

TUESDAY
Tuesday saw me back a work (boo) but this meant i was close to Vision Images. Good, I'll get the films. I was really looking forwards to getting my Ilford SFX film back. I even found a park out the front. Yay!! The filwere waiting. So i grabbed them greedily and had a peak. The Ilford was brilliant!!  It was shot in the Cmena 8 camera, its first roll, and i love the photos. I am very glad that i let the specialists handle this film. 
The other film was the troublesome Lomo X-pro slide film. I had a box of three roll and the previous two had been extremely disappointing. The film got great reviews and all I got was odd colours and lines. So my theory was my filwas damaged in the shipping (x-rays) this roll, the last in the box was my test roll. Was it really shipping damage or poor processing. 
The answer???
poor processing. This roll was advertised as being able to be processed in C-41 and E-6. Lies. The specialist, processed it lovingly in the dipping process in E-6 chemicals. They explained to me that my issues may be 1. Incorrect chemicals, cross processing is all very nice but not is you want colour. True colours. And 2. The rollers at the other place may be damaging the film as it goes through. Both seem plausible as all the other films has a streak through the films. Different cameras and all have streaks. Hmm trouble is for me now, this place charges $8.95 for a medium format, but a whopping $14.95 for a 35mm. 
I will certainly be sending my medium format to them in future, the films are worth $10 per roll anyway and so they deserve the dipping process and care that they get at vision images, but my 35mm for the most part (ILFORD SFX being an exception) are not worth than a few dollars. On the other hand I don't want all the films ruined by a streak. 

Anyway below are some photos from both films processed at Vision Images

Cape Banks (digital photos at this stage)

As I finished work at 6am and had to start again at 1400, I did not have time to go home. SO I went to a favorite haunt, Cape Banks.

CApe Banks for people who do not know sydney, it in the south east, not far from La Perouse loop and it forms the entrance to Botany Bay.

I took my analogue bag and Lots of film. Cape Banks is the resting place of the SS Minmi, shipwrecked 8 May 1937. I do love shooting this wreck, but today, the tide came in too quickly for me to get to the wreck so I climbed the hill above it and shot her from above. Sunrise was disappointing this morning, almost colourless. :-( Always the way you have the cameras out and the sun wont play. :-(
For the record I had my Canon 7D for HDR, Cmena 8M (Redbird film)and Cmena 8 (B&W) film, Spinner (Lomo film) Sprocket (Unknown film) Tim135 (Happy film) and Lubitel 166B (which had to begin with Lomo ISO400 film.).


Some fishermen had climbed up the cliff behind me and so I watched them for a while, shooting the waves crashing against our position. I used up the Lubital roll (Lomo ISO 400)and then a second one (Lomo Chrome 200), changing as quickly as I could in the sea spray. I missed a frame on one roll and the next roll had frame 6 exposed as the back fell open. I was glad for the tape in my bag and I repaired the camera and soldiered on.

The spinner used a roll, and as I had not written down what film was in it, I was surprised that it had an ISO 800 in it. DAMN my photos will be overexposed. I keep better notes now....Spinner re-loaded with Fujicolor Superia ISO 100, and so I will have to use the rest of the roll in bright sun. Hmm WIll need to remember to keep the camera on cloud setting.

I headed back towards the car, then as a spur of the moment thing headed up to the old cemetery. Called the Coast Cemetery or Prince Henry Hospital Cemetery it was used from 1881 for the small pox outbreak. The infectious decease hospital being located here at Little Bay as it was far enough away from the city to quarantine the sick and dying. Eventually this little hospital house Typhoid, Bubonic plague and leprosy victims. Anyone dying of one of these diseases was interred here no matter where they died. Its a shame that most headstone have not survived, being close to the coast and also as it is so isolated, it gets vandalized. :-( Poeple here may not have even had a headstone. The stones are scattered and there is no order here. No neat rows. I wonder if these people still have any family still living. There was a grave of a 5 year old child. :-(
I didn't dwell here, I need to return on a less sticky day.

Onwards to the cliffs again. Here at Little Bay, I took out the Sprocket Rocket. I dunno what film is in this camera, but I am determinded to get at least one usable photo out of this camera. TIM135 came out to play as well but after doing a lot of shooting, I realized that I had left him on cloudy, so another over exposed roll. I have not used a whole roll from this camera yet. These 36 exposures seem to just keep going and going. It was here that I sat to update my film notes. I ventured further north towards the golf course but the heat and hunger were gnawing at me.. so I gave up and headed home.



I never did find the access to the gun shelter above me at the Westpac Chopper hanger. Something else to do next time.
Finding my car where I left it.. (WIN!) I got to the entrance to the Golf course, when a sign with a castle distracted me.. I turned left instead of right... and ended up at the La Perouse loop. The most southern point for the Sydney Trams, this was a balloon loop that was always busy. Now just tourists and not many. The castle was the Barracks tower sitting in the centre of the modern day loop.
Took a few shots, Saw the Alexander Spirit in port at Kurnell, but she was too far away for my film friends (Not having the Canon 10QS with me) SO I only took Digital.

Finally I was driven to the airport's fast food outlet, where I got supplies and headed to the lookout near the Tower. Here I shot with film and analogue, and then tried to assist a guy move his ford, which he had managed to stick on a hill in the sand. It was stuck and even with 4 adults, we could not shift her. No one had a strap, so he was stuck and had to wait for the NRMA. By this time, fatigue had caught up and I headed for work.


Showered and dressed, I slept for 2 hours before starting my shift. I felt much better for the shower I can tell you. My nose is red, my arms mildly burnt but I shot a bit of film and feel good about the trip. NO matter how many times I go to Cape Banks I always discover new things to shoot and explore.

the adventures on Cmena and a new friend Lubitel 166B

My trip to work on night shift requires me to get a rain that is actually and hour too early and hence I have an hour to kill before entering the place of employment. I took Cmena with me and though maybe we could play together.

I set her up near the NAB on Marrickville RD and fiddled with her legs. To get the angle I wanted, I tugged a little too hard and snapped my wee tripod at the base. GRR. Ok I perched Cmena precariously on the now broken tripod, and pressed the shutter. Some people walked past and giggle at me and my little Cmena. Oh how they scoff and me old lady. :-( She took it well and stayed put. I think she was just too busy to pay the young people much attention. (Her real name is Cmena)
Of course had I been using my canon 7D and a big tripod I am sure the police would have been called. Hmm Modern life suxs in that respect.
I wandered further up the road and we took another shot, this time Cmena leaned on her broken legs.

iPhone version of my Cmena Shot

iPhone version of Cmena play time

I eventually returned to my place of employment and asked just as a whim if anyone had super glue. YES I heard from the front.. REALLY?? Who carried super glue in their bags?? (Maybe I should) A colleague lent me some glue and Cmena's legs were all fixed. Maybe for the better.
I started work and CMena snoozed on me desk. The occasional admiring person fondled her and she took this in her stride. She is getting used to the attention.
Home time arrived and I got a lift to Campbelltown

Cmena and I played int he early morning sun, whilst I awaited the train. I am trying to use up her roll but she just keeps finding more film. I was going to drop off her roll whilst I pick up the other rolls but alas this will have to wait until Saturday now. AWW :-( We did double exposures this morning. Even found a sunflower and a purple flower to smell. :-)




My entry to the world of medium format will start this weekend as my Lubitel 166B arrived I ordered him BEFORE Smena and so it took a LONG time to come from the Ukraine. I know when I posted something in St Petersburg, it arrived 6mths AFTER I had arrived back from Russia. I Hope I can manage his film, I need to load it in subdued light and make sure I seal any used film tightly to avoid light leaks.

Excited all over again. Now who comes to work tonight? Cmena who nestles nicely in my work bag or Lub who will need extra attention.. Maybe I can smuggle both with me? Lub has only 160ISO film in him, I did have 800, but I wanted black and white for his first roll.

Maybe he should rest from his journey and we can play on in the city on Monday.. Thoughts?
I hope the tripod repairs work.