Pictures of the friends you used to know...
As much as I like digital photography and the convenience factor of being able to carry around our little Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P92 point and shoot, there's just something about using my good, old fashioned Minolta Maxxum 400si 35mm SLR camera that still appeals to me.
And it's been quite some time since I've used it. The poor boy has been sitting on the shelf in our closet since the summer of 2003 when I last used it on our cruise.
A couple weeks ago, I broke the 400si out of the bag, popped in a fresh battery and a roll of hi-res film, and started snapping.
Can I tell you how good it felt to use that monster again? For a camera that's nearing 15 years old, it still runs like it's fresh out of the box. I was alternating between both the 35-70mm lens and the 70-210 mm lens and just hoping for the best. I have no formal photographic training and, taking that into consideration, digital photography really is the best option for me as I can delete what doesn't turn out. But damn if that big ol' SLR camera body doesn't feel good in my hands. It just fits.
I really need a digital SLR. But that's a purchase planned for down the road a bit.
Here are some of the resulting shots.
The corner of James and 3rd Streets in downtown Geneva, IL.
Driving down a street near our house in Geneva.
In an attempt to save my homepage from being too long vertically, I've put some more photos in an extended post...
This is the garden in a shopping plaza in downtown Geneva. Damned if I can remember the name of the plaza.
Looking back up 3rd Street.
The Kane County Court House. I love this building.
The sunset over our little townhome development.
There a couple more available on my Flickr site if you're interested.
Ooo, I love the cloud pics and the one of the shopping plaza. I think people become too random when they use a digital camera - they just take pictures of everything! I am guilty of it! When you are using real film you have to be more careful and compose your shoots - and the results are usually better! :-)
Posted by: kilax | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 07:45 AM
I don't have a digital camera at the moment so everything is taken on film and then transferred to CD. It's a pain but I love the feel of having the photos in my hand. I do need to buy a digital camera though... It's on my list...
I adore these photos!
Posted by: Bec | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 10:04 AM
I do have a digital camera and I do take to many pictures while using it. However, with the digital camera I can take some video shots. Also, because I take to many pictures I get a couple of shots and can see which one is better. I took a great shot of a marine plane landing on an island of Hawaii. If I was limited to how many pictures I could take, I might not have the picture today. I was able to get pictures of a volcano erupting as well as a video. Whales, mountains, sunsets, etc........... On and on I take pictures and then I can delete the rest. If I had all day to just take pictures, then I might use film.
My favorite picture is the first. I like the sign and the white building in the back.
Posted by: MadIrishMan | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 10:55 AM
Love the pics. Oh BTW myspace friend approved. How cute are you and Katie as a couple, and the whole "Thong" thing WAS a bad idea.
Posted by: mikey | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 11:34 AM
Nice pictures. There's just something about the old school.
Posted by: Johnny C. | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 11:43 AM
Kevin, you're artsy!
Posted by: sandra | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 12:53 PM
Kilax, the one really nice thing, though, is that you can see how it turned out right away with digital so you know if you have to reshoot. I hate when I take a shot on my SLR and then find out, after processing it, that it didn't turn out at all. Big bummer. I do agree, though, that the SLR results are quite nice!
Bec, these two rolls I just took came with free CD burns of the pics. I was happy. I hate scanning.
MIM, I agree that digital can be better because it's easier to wind up taking that perfect shot. One of the many you take has gotta eventually turn out nice. But the quality of SLR photography just whips the booty of my Cyber-shot. And that photo is my fave of the bunch as well.
Mikey, what is it with you and thongs? Yikes!
Johnny, you gotta love old school, don't ya?
Sandra, nah, not artsy, just occasionally lucky with my camera. ;-)
Posted by: Kevin | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 01:07 PM
No, I would definitely say that you're artsy. Nice pictures!
Posted by: Elaine | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 02:18 PM
Jeff (my SE) uses his Dad's old film SLR as well as some older cameras from the 1920s... with twin lens reflexes. There is just so much more mystique to film. The happy accidents, and just the total control. (It's close with my D70, but never quite the same.) I miss loading the film... and the whole process of the thing... maybe I'll go out and finish off some old rolls
N.
Posted by: Nat | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 05:01 PM
Good work on the photos! you should do it more often!
Posted by: Jacynth | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 06:32 PM
Elaine, thanks. Now I've gotta find a place to use them other than just my Flickr account.
Nat, it does feel good sitting there rushing against time to get that new role of film in the chamber and make sure that it's all good to go. I feel like I'm constantly racing myself to see how quickly I can get the camera set up and ready.
Jacynth, I really want to. However, digital is so much less expensive. Another one of the big draws to digital. But my 400si isn't going anywhere soon. Thankfully.
Posted by: Kevin | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 06:54 PM
Love 3rd Street and the pictures of the sky. Gorgeous.
(I wish that camera were easy to sneak into concert venues.)
Posted by: Carly | Wednesday, 03 May 2006 at 11:10 PM
Believe me, I've tried to sneak it into concerts. Doesn't quite work. However, sports arenas have no problem with it. This might change now that the NFL have changed their rules regarding video footage (no non-NFL cameras in stadiums at all starting next year; all TV networks will have to buy footage from the NFL), but for now it works. The 3rd St. shot is my fave as well and I think I may submit it to a local photography contest I found.
Posted by: Kevin | Thursday, 04 May 2006 at 06:52 AM
I just saw a box DSLR for sale at costco yesterday. A nikon D-50, I think? $800 for the body, 28-80mm and 70-300mm lenses, camera case, 256 MB memory card... I don't know anything about the camera, but that's a pretty good price with lenses.
Posted by: claire | Thursday, 04 May 2006 at 09:31 PM
Someone told me I should check into blogs for my business and so since I don't understand blogging completely I saw a link to this blog for pond because that is my business, we sell and install garden ponds, but the big surprise to all this was your pictures, you see I live in Geneva. is that a fluke or what?
Posted by: Jim | Thursday, 04 May 2006 at 10:19 PM
Claire, that is a nice price! $800 is the standard price just for a decent camera body. I may have to look into the D-50 and find out a little about it. I know I'm interested in both Nikon and Canon, just not sure of the model. Now I may have to scam off my brother's CostCo membership.
Jim, it does work out nicely. I see your business is out of St. Charles. Do you do much work around Geneva?
Posted by: Kevin | Friday, 05 May 2006 at 08:16 AM
We are out of Geneva and we install most of the fox valley area, our main focus has been online sales www.pondworksetc.com we just recently started the pond construction part last year.
Posted by: Jim | Friday, 05 May 2006 at 09:44 AM
Gotcha. Just saw St. Charles on one of your pages and assumed. My bad. Sounds like fun. Talk about creative outlets.
Posted by: Kevin | Friday, 05 May 2006 at 12:33 PM