As promised to @papashittycams.bsky.social a couple of shots with the Light Lens Labs Eight Element collapsible on the M2, at f8 (l) and f11 (r). This is an abandoned stamp mill on Kodak 5222 developed in HC-110 dilution B. Scanned w/Sony Alpha, Negative lab pro log. I had permission to be there.

I slept on waxed canvas for years, thinking it was outdated and bulky. Could not have been more wrong. I love my Flint and Tinder waxed trucker jacket. I'm constantly looking at the weather and hoping it's cold enough to wear it.

The Massive Dev chart was down for a while and there were some folks complaining about having to spend $10 for the app. I was like “if $10 is too much, I have bad news for you about film photography!”

I have developed a couple of rolls of film, and in the process found a bug. I can't get 5222 to come out with a film leader retriever. I think the acetate base is slick enough for it to be hard to grab. It is designed to run though a motion picture camera at 24 frames per second without jamming.

I understand some of you live in places where the outside doesn’t look like this. Digital preview. Film to come.

My wife will wake from her nap soon, and I will have to explain why the tip of my nose is somewhat purple. Listen, I said I like fountain pens. I did not say I am any good at not getting ink everywhere when refilling.

Today is my Friday.

Received my last package from Europe for a while. Better days coming, one hopes.

What if Zorki 4 was a watch?

What is (or who is) everyone’s favorite leather camera strap maker? I may need an alternative to Peak Design every now and then.

If a certain company from Rochester dies on me, what I will do on its grave will not pass for flowers.

Some good ideas here. I’m not getting much from Insta anymore. youtu.be/Kk4UDOaBuvw?...

The four food groups that will never fail you: deep fried, wrapped in foil, on a stick and from a truck.

I just heard Lord Huron’s new single “Bag of Bones” and am astounded. So looking forward to their new album. So incredible that their music speaks to someone like me, who Is not the target demographic of much of anyone.

Looking for a new Wordpress photo theme, but between the design and photos I keep having a visceral reaction to slam the windows closed as fast as I open them. Maybe I'm out of phase with taste, maybe taste was gruesomely murdered and the body fed to a wood chipper. Could go either way.

It appears Sardonicus has deleted his internet presence. Even his blog is empty: sardonicusblog.com I understand this, and wish him well.

Sometimes I sip carefully, savoring notes of plums and cinnamon. Lately, I’m just getting hammered.

Dropped a watch at a new to me service shop. This is a test. I have more if they do well.

An afternoon plotting and planning.

Used the Reflix steel 35mm canisters for the first time.a bit fiddly to load, but zero light leaks. The price seems to have stayed the same regardless of all the recent uncertainties.

Well, that is terrifying!

Drug this beastie out for the first time in years, probably since I had it CLA’d a while back. The new Polaroid color film is surprisingly good. It takes longer to develop, but compares well to the original.

Have you supported your local degenerates today?

Is the Kentmere 200 markedly different than the 400 or is it more of the same? I only shot it at box speed and it was . . . ok. All mid-tones, lower contrast. I have since been told it gets punchy if you push it, but haven’t tried yet.

Just fiddled with an old watch and it kicked back up from the dead a second time. I swear, this thing is trying to teach me lessons no other watch could. I think there's a problem with how it's bedded in the case. I'll let it run down then open it back up and see.

A watch with a built in Sunny 16 calculator seems to have made me a target demographic for the first time in my life. Plus, it’s mechanical with a NH38 24 jewel movement. Do I need one? No. Do I want one anyway? Yes.

I just saw a Kiev 88CM called a “hasselblyat” and that’s the only acceptable name for them going forward.

Bought a cool thing, just before it sold out. Watched tracking. It left Kansas City headed west 3 days ago. No updates since. How can you get lost in Kansas?

Anybody still using Grainery? I keep forgetting my password to it. It had potential.

Maintenance of a Leica camera is critical. They should be given a CLA at a regular interval. After all, it is well known that if your Leica dies, it leaves you a grandfather.

Keep the company of those who seek the truth, and run from those who have found it. -Vaclav Havel-

I don’t think I’ve made a worse financial decision in my life than developing good taste

I had expunged every post to the hellsite. I wanted to keep my user name so no one else could squat on it. They had begun restoring my tweets and blocked the program I used to delete them before. Nuked my account, guess I'll see who squats.

A new way to get ink on my fingers trying to fill a converter. Vintage Parker 45, similar to one my Dad kept on his desk. It has the X nib in 14k. Extra fine is not my usual preference, but it’s growing on me.

Shiny!

Preach.

OK, I have mapped/scripted a years worth of videos (one every other week) I suppose I should take some time and actually do them now.

Happy Rex Manning Day to those who celebrate!

Ever lose a screw no larger than a speck of dust? I hear its a rite of passage for folks that work on watches, but it smarts.

I just accidentally looked at a vintage Parker 51. Well, there goes lunch money.

Every time a new film photographer finds the butkis manual site, an old camera gets new life. And wings.

Just finished a developing cycle for an experiment. I have images, but underexposed. Will have to see if I go back to the drawing board or does the hypothesis hold water.

Reflx Labs has metal reloadable 35mm canisters for cheap. They look like snap-caps but even if they aren't 50 for $45 is a good deal. My regular source hasn't had metal canisters for a long time and the plastic ones will not work in a Leica.

Today's age matched walkabout gear. My father's first watch, a Bulova 23 (1958) and my Leica M2 (1959) Dad is where I got my love of mid mod. Those Speidel watch bands are horrible, but I'll probably keep it like he wore it. It needs a clean and service. They make a good paring.

This is really cool. Roll film 4x5 system with a developing machine. Well, roll paper if I'm being exact. Still, cheap (except for the equipment) color large format is something! youtu.be/Mc9VYoWx7JA?...

Ever heard a shutter louder than a howitzer?

First build, just to see how hard it is. This is my “definitely not an Omega.”

Some thoughts about progress- thereaintlanguage.com/progress-is-...

Here's a thing I say every now and then: I am not going to have a fight with you on the internet. You are not worth my time.