The Soviet-era Helios 44/2 lens (actually a 58mm lens, and a direct copy of the Zeiss Biotar 58mm lens) has a cult following for the way it renders out of focus areas at wide apertures. I recently got one that had been adapted to work on the Nikon F mount and still focus to infinity, and I have started to experiment with it. The person who did the work on the lens has an interesting YouTube video that explains the process.
Nikon F4, Helios 44/2 58mm lens
Rollei RPX25 film
From Bluffer’s Beach a couple of weeks ago. The low angled early morning sun was amazing.
Nikon FM, 105mm/2.5 Nikkor lens
JCH StreetPan 400 film, developed in HC-110 Dilution B
Today another image from the Toronto Harbour: a Toronto Police Marine Unit boat house
Rolleiflex 3.5e3 (Xenotar lens)
Portra 400 film
On the two latest episodes of My Photography Podcast I had the pleasure of speaking with pinhole photographers Kathrena Revera and Moni Smith. Their passion for their craft and their amazing work inspired me to finally try pinhole photography. I am using my 4×5 Speed Graphic camera, with a 0.3mm pinhole in place of a lens, and though I am still at the experimental “dialing it in” phase of my work I am excited with the results. Both images below were shot on Fomapan 100 film. The exposure for the first image was 6.5 minutes, the second 1 minute, 15 seconds.
The first of a few images from a roll of Kodak Portra 400 I shot with my Rolleiflex 3.5E3 at Toronto Harbor recently.
Also, the latest episode of Classic Camera Revival is now online. We have a great discussion about folding cameras.
Shooting right into the sun, so I positioned myself to put the sun behind one of the masts.
Nikon F4, 105mm/2.5 AI lens
Kodak Tmax 400 film
Last Monday at Bluffer’s Park I noticed these plants. I liked the backlighting on them but the glare of the sun plus the breeze moving the plants around made for tricky shooting and it took a few attempts to get these two images using my Nikon F4 and 28mm lens, shooting on Rollei RPX film
Don’ forget to check out this week’s episode of My Photography Podcast, featuring an interview with pinhole photographer Moni Smith!
Waves not of water but rather an undulating pathway in the Western end of the Toronto harbour.
Nikon F4, KOdak TMax 400 film
I’ve always enjoyed the distorted reflections of old buildings in new ones. This is a reflection of Old City Hall in Toronto, with a flag in front.
Nikon F4, 105mm/2.5 Nikkor lens
Kodak TMax 400 film, developed in Legacy Pro EcoPro Ascorbic Acid developer
Underneath the pool in The Beaches, Toronto. A rather forbidding structure from this angle
Nikon N90s, 17mm/3.5 Tamron SP lens
Rollei Retro 80s Film, developed in Rodinal
My Third Eye 