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Having a photo walk in the winter is not always the best idea. But we live in Canada, and I love getting out in the snow and taking pictures. But here in Southern Ontario Winter can be a trying time, with bitter cold, slate-grey skies, and generally not exactly lovely to be outside. Sometimes you have to roll the dice and see what you get. Last year we got treated to a snowstorm which produced some excellent images. This year, due to a busy January, I pushed the event up to February. It was worth the wait for a few reasons. We were treated toRead More →

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I will always have a soft spot for a fixed lens rangefinder, especially one that uses Zeiss Optics. And the Contessamat SE is no slouch, despite being placed as the middle child in the Contessamat family, it certainly performs like a firstborn. While you will find it slightly different from its Japanese cousins, it’s compact nature, excellent optics, and semi-automatic functions will let it stand alongside those cameras. Thanks to James Lee for loaning this hidden gem out for a review. Camera Specifications Make: Zeiss Ikon Model: Contessamat SE Type: Rangefinder Format: 135 (35mm), 36x24mm Lens: Fixed, Zeiss Ikon Color-Plantar 1:2,8/45 Year of Manufacture: 1963-1965Read More →

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While we could do an entire episode on one of the world’s most under-rated, hidden gem cameras out there, the Nikon F90(x). It’s a camera we’ve talked about so much before we just had to take out several other cameras that need a little more limelight. Zenit E When it comes to iconic Soviet SLRs, the Zenit E comes to the top of most people’s list. And it’s one of the ‘good’ cameras that came out of the Zenit line of SLR, a heavy metal camera that is built like a Russian hammer. And honestly, most people buy the Zenit E and its un-metered cousinRead More →

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Here we are, there is always a certain bittersweetness about completing a project. And for me, this one was an eye-opener. It challenged not only my world view but my view of my own country and our history. But that is what history is supposed to do, challenge us to learn from the past and see how we can change the future. And here is the trouble with history, we can only see it through the eyes of those who wrote it and our personal bias. And trust me, it is hard to overcome your own bias. But the biggest problem with history that isRead More →

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If there is one film developer that I will always go back to and use until they cease production (which isn’t any time soon) that developer is HC-110. Released in 1962 to little fanfare, Kodak HC-110 quickly found traction as being the developer of choice of Ansel Adams and those who use the zone system extensively. Kodak HC-110 is the third black & white developer that I ever used and became my developer of choice. Personally what keeps me coming back to HC-110 is the general-purpose use, the excellent results, economy, stability, and results that it continues to give. Kodak HC-110 has never let meRead More →

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One of the first History courses I took in High School was Canada in the 20th Century. Most Canadian history texts that are used in schools start at this point. And there’s no surprise. As a nation, Canada came into its own in the 20th Century. Many point the crucible of World War One as the focal point. Others state the post World War Two era leading up to the 100th Anniversary of Confederation. But everything that happened in the 20th Century built on what happened before and the sins of the past were going to come back to haunt. As Canada emerged from theRead More →

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I used to run with a 50mm f/1.8; I got one when I got my hands on my first Nikon autofocus camera, the F80. And you know that was a great lens if you want a cheap and fast lens go for the 50mm f/1.8. But if you need something a little speedier or want something with a large front element and don’t care too much about having that f/22 aperture, then go with the 50mm f/1.4. Now I got my first experience with the 50/1.4 with a manual focus version I got with my Nikon F3 and immediately thought this lens superior. It isn’tRead More →

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If you follow the film photography community and there’s a chance you do if you follow this blog, then you will have some idea of the rocky road that is the modern version of Film Ferrania. When they burst on the scene, they had the grand dream of bringing a new colour slide film to market using one of the few remaining buildings from the OG Ferrania plant in northern Italy along with a tonne of equipment, materials, and notes. You probably also realise that this dream has not yet been achieved. That doesn’t mean they’ve been sitting around doing nothing all that time. AndRead More →

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We all need that little bit extra, that extra stop, that extra degree. For that, we pick up the heavy hitters, the big glass in our camera kits. If you’re someone who is an ultra-wide junky (Lens 24mm or wider) or wants only a sliver of your frame in focus (Lenses with apertures at f/1.4 or faster), this episode is for you! Konica-Minolta Maxxum AF 17-35mm 1:2.8-4 D When it comes to wide-angle lenses, Alex is a bit of a junkie, so when he found this beautiful lens for his Maxxum system he didn’t think twice. Now there are two versions of this lens, there’sRead More →

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The term Dominion within the British Empire was not new. England first used the term to describe its relationship with Wales, much to the chagrin of the Welsh. But in the new Canadian context, Dominion would be a new concept. Canada was not a Province of the greater Empire, nor was she fully independent. A Dominion was a grey area, autonomous in all domestic concerns, but in the greater world, she remained sub-servant to England. In a nutshell, this meant that the Governor-General represented not only the interests of the Crown and the British Parliament, and Canada could neither send or receive ambassadors from foreignRead More →