Jun 19, 2017 | Camera Body Category Descriptions, Daily Image 2017, Nikon Zoom Touch 500
The Nikon Zoom Touch 500 is a stylish, point & shoot 35mm film camera that will provide photos from 35mm wide-angle to the glamorous 80mm portraits. It features fully automatic operation in focus, exposure, load and rewind as well as a variable-power flash providing soft illumination. Its small size, compact body, continuous shooting, and a self-timer make it a nice travel companion.
Nikon Zoom Touch 500 Specifications
- Lens: 35-80mm F/4.5-7.5
- Autofocus: AF
- Focusing Range: 2.6′ to Infinity
- Films: 35mm
- Exposure: Center Weighted Meter
- Shutter: 1/500 To 4 sec.
- ISO Range: 50-3200
- LCD Information: Flash Modes, Film Status , Self Timer, Focal Length, Low Battery
- Flash: ISO 100 (35mm) 2.6 – 14.4′ (70mm) 2.6 – 7.5′
- Flash: ISO 400 (35mm) 2.6 – 28.9′ (70mm) 2.6 – 15.1′
- Power Source: CRP2 6v Lithium Battery
- Self Timer: 10 sec. delay for up to 2 pictures
- Continuous Shooting: Yes w/o flash
- Weight: 14.6 oz (414g)
- Dimensions: 5.5 X 2.9 X 2.4″
Jun 18, 2017 | ~ Film Type, APS, Camera Body Category Descriptions, Daily Image 2017, Minolta IX-Date VE TIS2000
The Minolta Vectis 2000 is small compact zoom camera using APS, the advanced photo system, with built-in flash. The Minolta IX-Date VE TIS2000 camera body was designed as its own case. The little camera has typical features of a compact camera of its time: autofocus, meter-controlled exposure, date imprinting, automatic flash mode with or without red eye reduction, night portrait mode, landscape mode, focus by pressing the shutter-release-button halfway, and a self-timer.
Minolta Vectis 2000 Specifications
- Lens: 1:5.4 -1:6.6 / 22.5-45mm zoom
- Autofocus: infrared
- Films: APS films of 25 ASA up to 3200 ASA
- Exposure: dual-segment metering through meter window, range EV 4-17 (ASA 200)
- Shutter: lens shutter with speeds 8 sec down to 1/500 sec.
- Viewfinder: magnification 0.32x – 0.57x, field of view 85% at 3m
- Flash: 5.1 meters with ISO 400 film and lens at wide angle
- Weight: 5.1 oz. (145g) without the CR-2 battery
- Dimensions: 4″ x 2″ , 2″ x 1.1″ (102 x 55 x 28.5 mm)
Mar 7, 2017 | ~ Film Body, Camera Body Category Descriptions, Daily Image 2017, Minolta 50mm f1.7, Minolta XG-9
The Minolta XG-9 Camera is an electronic 35mm SLR film camera with automatic and manual exposure control. It’s also known as the XG-S in Japan. By providing automatic exposure photography at a reasonable cost, the Minolta XG-9 camera was designed to be used in aperture priority auto-exposure mode. It reflects the advances in electronics and miniaturization resulting in a much smaller body than the SR-T cameras. And, the XG-9 also accepts an auto winder, the Minolta Auto Winder G, that provides motorised frame advance at up to two frames per second.
The XG-9 included many improvements over its predecessors. The new Acute-matte screen results in easier focusing and improved light transmission. When set to auto-exposure mode, it provides a full information viewfinder. It also includes a depth-of-field preview button and is available in both chrome and black.
The Minolta XG-9 was in production between March 1979-1981. List price for a new Minolta XG-9 Camera in 1981 was approximately $250 (app. $657 USD in 2016 dollars). Today, used price for a camera in very good condition runs around $100 USD including several lenses.
For a story about using the Minolta XG-9 Camera along with images, see Minolta XG-9 to Maui | a 7 Image Story.
Minolta XG-9 Specifications
- Type: Electronic 35mm SLR with automatic and manual exposure control
- Focusing Method: Acute-Matte Fresnel screen with a split-image rangefinder inside a micro-prism collar
- Viewfinder: Fixed eye-level pentaprism displays include manual f-stop, auto shutter speed, +/- exposure
- Focusing: Matte Fresnel microprism focusing screen with split-image spot & manual
- Shutter: Fully electronic, horizontal, cloth, focal plane shutter
- Speeds: Mechanical: none Electronic: 1 – 1,000; B Automatic (stepless): 1 – 1,000 Manual: 1 – 1,000; B
- Meter: TTL , full-aperture, center-weighted meter, coupled to aperture & film speed
- Meter Sensitivity: CdS type from EV 2 to EV 17 at ASA 100
- Exposure Modes: Unmetered manual mode & Aperture preferred mode
- Automatic Exposure Compensation: +/- 2EV dial
- Battery: Two A76 (or equivalent) Built-in battery check
- Flash: Built-in, hot shoe auto sets shutter speed to 1/60 with X-type flash units X and FP PC contacts
- Flash Synch: X: B; 1 – 1/60 FP: B; 1 – 1/15 M: B; 1 – 1/15 MF: B; 1 – 1/15
- Film: 35mm Film-speed Range: ASA 25-1600
- Film Advance: Lever type or optional Autowinder G
- Lens Mount: Minolta Bayonet Mount (MC/MD)
- Mirror: Over-sized, instant return mirror
- Self Timer: Electronic, non-adjustable 10 seconds
- Dimensions: 2″ x 3.5″ x 5.5″ (52 x 88 x 138mm) Weight: 1 lb. 2 oz. (500g)
- Construction: Single stroke lever film advance, drum-type loading, and exposure counter
- Depth of field preview button, automatic reset film counter, tripod threads
- Film safe-load window, cable release connection
Minolta Rokkor-X 50mm f1.7
- Focal Length: 50mm
- Lens: 6 elements in 5 groups with achromatic coating Filter Thread: 55mm
- Aperture: f1.7 – f16 Angle of View: 47°
- Minimum Focus Distance: 0.45 meters / 1.5 feet
- Dimensions: 2.5″ x 1.6″ (64x40mm) Weight: 6.9oz (195g)
Mar 6, 2017 | ~ Film Body, Camera Body Category Descriptions, Daily Image 2017, Minolta SRT-102
The Minolta SRT-102 Camera is a single lens reflex film camera with a through-the-lens CLC meter coupled to shutter and film speed. It’s also known as the ‘SR-T Super” in Asia and the Pacific, or the ’SR-T 303’ in Europe. Minolta’s innovation on the SR-T series was to add through-the-lens (TTL) metering. Minolta then added Contrast Light Compensation, CLC, to give correct exposure in high contrast light. CLC uses two CdS photocells in series to expose for the darker of two segments. The SRT-102 has a ground glass microprism and split rangefinder focusing.
The shutter speed ranges from 1s to 1/1000s, including ‘Bulb’ mode with a cable release. It also synchronizes a electronic flash with the shutter speed from 1s to 1/60s. ISO can be set for films from 6 to 6400, so it’s compatible with any 35mm film. The light meter functions with a needle seen through the viewfinder. The shutter speed and aperture, also seen through the viewfinder, adjust by matching the meter needles to get the perfect exposure. As an addition feature, this camera can also achieve multiple exposures with a simple trick. By pressing the release button for rewinding the film, the advance lever can be advanced re-activating the shutter without actually advancing the film; allowing many exposures in a single frame.
The Minolta SRT-102 was in production between March 1973 to 1975. List price for a new Minolta SRT-102 Camera in 1975 was approximately $290 (app. $1,285 USD in 2016 dollars). Today, used price for a camera in very good condition runs around $100 USD including several lenses.
For a story about using the Minolta SRT-102 along with images, see Minolta SRT-102 to Yosemite NP | a 7 Image Story.
Minolta SRT-102 Specifications
- Type: 35mm SLR w/TTL exposure metering
- Focusing Range: approximately 50cm (1.75 feet) to infinity
- Focusing Method: Direct helicoid focusing with infrared index
- Viewfinder: Real-image through fixed pentaprism with focus & exposure information
- Focusing: Matte Fresnel microprism focusing screen with split-image spot & manual
- Shutter: Horizontal cloth focal plane, mechanically timed
- Speeds: B, 1 – 1/1000 sec; with electronic flash: 1-1/60 sec
- Meter: TTL metering system, CLC with two CdS cells on the pentaprism
- Meter sensitivity EV 3 to EV 17 at ASA 100
- Battery: 1.35v mercury battery, Mallory PX-625 or equivalent
- Flash: PC Terminal, Hot Shoe, 1/60 X-sync, FP sync
- Film: 35mm Film-speed Range: ASA 6-6400, DIN 9-39
- Lens Mount: Minolta Bayonet Mount (MC/MD)
- Mirror: Oversize quick-return mirror with mirror lock up
- Self Timer: Time adjustable up to 10 sec maximum
- Dimensions: 5.75″ x 1.87″ x 3.75″ Weight: 25 oz
- Construction: Single stroke lever film advance, drum-type loading, and exposure counter
- Depth of field preview button, automatic reset film counter, tripod threads
Minolta Rokkor-X 50mm f1.7
- Focal Length: 50mm
- Lens: 6 elements in 5 groups with achromatic coating Filter Thread: 49mm
- Aperture: f1.7 – f16 Angle of View: 47°
- Minimum Focus Distance: 0.45 meters / 1.5 feet
- Dimensions: 64x36mm Weight: 165g / 5.8oz
Mar 5, 2017 | ~ Film Body, Camera Body Category Descriptions, Daily Image 2017, Petri Color 35 - 44mm f2.8
The Petri Color 35 Camera is a compact mechanical, scale-focused, leaf-shuttered 35mm film, viewfinder camera with a 44mm f2.8 lens. The camera has a built-in coupled CdS meter with a match-needle indicator, visible in the viewfinder. All camera controls are easily accessed with three little dials using the right index finger. The 40mm f/2.8 C.C coated Petri lens focuses and retracts into the body by turning the focus wheel to the right of the viewfinder eyepiece. The shutter speed and aperture control wheels sit on the top right of the camera. It also has a unique, elegant collapsible film rewind crank, near its top left side-located hot shoe. The bright frame viewfinder shows the focus scale (distance estimated manually), parallax indicator and the match needle light meter. The frame counter with clear numbers in black on white is tucked right under the hot shoe. The ASA/ISO is set with the ring on the lens barrel when the lens is extended.
Introduced in 1968; it was a very affordable, high-quality camera that apparently sold very well. Ergonomically, this camera was ahead of its time. Being the smallest Japanese full-frame 35mm camera at time of introduction; it was smaller than Olympus 35RC but a bit bigger than the Rollei 35. This Petri camera is pretty common in the used marketplace today. Buy it for its use-value not the collector-value. List price for a new Petri Color 35 Camera in 1972 was $89.95 (app. $514 USD in 2016 dollars). Today, used price for a camera in very good condition runs around $60.00 USD.
For a story about using the Petri Color 35 along with images, see Petri Color 35 to Europe | a 7 Image Story.
Petri Color 35 Specifications
- Lens: Petri 40mm f2.8 Color Corrected/Coated, Collapsible (Tessar Type) Filter: 5mm
- Focusing Range: approximately 1M (3 feet) to infinity
- Focus Scale: Inside view finder
- Shutter: Leaf-shuttered Cocked when film advanced Double-Exposure prevention
- Speeds: Petri MS Shutter B 15 30 60 125 250
- Lens Opening: Four Bladed Aperture 2.8 4 5.6 8 11 16 22
- Meter: Cross Coupled Match Needle CdS meter ISO 25 – 800 / EV7 – EV17
- Meter turns on by cocking the shutter; needle viewed inside Viewfinder
- Battery: PX675 1.3V Battery (Works with 675 Zinc Air & LR44)
- Flash: Hot Shoe and PC Sync Terminal, X-Sync At All Speeds
- Film: 35mm Body Release: Bottom plate of camera
- Dimensions: 101mm x 64mm x 43mm / 3.8in x 2.5in x 1.7in Weight: 390g / 13.75oz
- Construction: Single stroke lever film advance, drum-type loading, and exposure counter
Mar 4, 2017 | ~ Film Body, Camera Body Category Descriptions, Daily Image 2017, Kodak Signet 30 - 44mm f2.8
The Kodak Signet 30 Camera with 44mm f2.8 lens is a completely manual 35mm film camera. Although it will mechanically fire an optional flash bulb attachment, it has no battery; no electronics at all! Exposure estimation can be either manual using the provided exposure cards or by using an external light meter, like the Skan light meter. Distance is also estimated manually. The distance, aperture, and shutter speed are all set manually on the lens barrel. Of course, the film used determines the ASA/ISO value.
The Kodak Signet 30 was the third model in the Kodak Signet line, introduced, along with the Signet 50, in August of 1957. The Signet 30 is a viewfinder camera; it does not have a built in rangefinder. No control over the right distance selection is given through the viewfinder; otherwise, it would be a rangefinder camera. The viewfinder has a brightline for the 44mm lens and the word “WIND” is displayed when the film needs to be advanced. The advance lever is fitted to the base of the camera; the automatic frame counter and rewind switch are located on the camera’s bottom right front. The shutter release is on the right front and a threaded cable release socket is located on the lens barrel. The shutter will not fire unless film is loaded into the camera. The body is made from bakelite with metal inserts, fittings, and attached plates. Like many of Kodak’s better lenses of this period, the Signet 30’s Ektanar lens is somewhat radioactive. In production from August 1957 to April 1959, the camera originally sold new for a list price of $55.00 (app. $467 USD in 2016 dollars). Today, a good used Kodak Signet 30 can be purchased for $20 – $30 USD.
For a story about using the Kodak Signet 30 along with images, see Kodak Signet 30 to Garden of the Gods | a 7 Image Story.
Kodak Signet 30 Specifications
- Lens: Kodak Ektanar, 44mm f/2.8, Lumenized (a 4 element lens with front element focusing)
- Lens Openings: f/2.8 to f/22
- Shutter: Kodak Synchro 250 – Cocked when film is advanced. Double-Exposure prevention
- Speeds: 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, and B
- Film: 35mm Body Release: Right front of camera
- Flash: Built-in synchronization using No. 5 or 25 and M-2 bulbs to 1/30 second
- Electronic flash (X-synchronized) at all shutter speeds
- Exposure Value Numbers: 5 to 17 with exposure cards on rear frame
- Focusing Range: 2 1/2 feet to infinity
- Viewfinder: Optical, projected view frame type
- Dimensions: 5.0in x 3.5in x 2.75in Weight: 14.5oz
- Construction: Single stroke lever film advance, drum-type loading, and exposure counter
Aug 10, 2016 | Animal Category Descriptions, Pugs
Category Description: Pugs Pugs are love; little bundles of love on four legs. They love everybody; particularly their family, their pack. A purebred pug comes in two colors only, fawn and black, which are the registered standard colors of the breed. Pugs are happy and affectionate, loyal and charming, and playful and mischievous; just a happy-go-lucky little dog. Pugs often are described as a lot of dog in a small space. Sturdy, compact dogs, part of the Toy group, they are known as the clowns of the canine world because they have a great sense of humor and like to show off. Originally bred to be a lap dog, they thrive on human companionship. Pugs are clowns at heart, but they carry themselves with dignity. Although playful dogs, they are also lovers and must be close to their humans. Pugs love to be the center of attention, and get heartsick, if ignored. The Pug’s comical face, with deep wrinkles around big, dark eyes and a flat round face, can’t help but make you smile. Its name comes from the Latin word for “fist” because his face resembles a human fist.
The Pug, one of the oldest breeds known today, originated from China dating back to the pre-Christian era, before 400 BC. They were prized possessions of the emperors of China, lived in a luxurious atmosphere, and at times were even guarded by soldiers. The artist Hogarth had a Pug named “Trump” that he often depicted in his works. The breed became popular during Victorian times in the 19th century. Tibetan monasteries kept Pugs as pets. The Dutch traders brought Pugs from the east to Holland and to England. The breed made its way to Japan and Europe, where it not only became a pet of royalty but the official dog of the House of Orange in Holland. Prince William II owned Pugs. One dog in particular saved his life in 1572 at Hermingny, when it barked at approaching Spaniards alerting him of their presence. In France, Napoleon’s wife Josephine had a Pug named Fortune. On their wedding night, when Napoleon refused to allow the dog to sleep in their bed, Josephine told him, “If the Pug does not sleep in our bed, neither do I!” When Josephine was sent to prison she used the little dog to send secret messages to her husband by placing a note under the collar of her Pug. In 1860 when the British took over the Chinese Imperial Palace, they discovered several Pugs and they were brought back to England with them. The AKC recognized the Pug in 1885. The Pug’s popularity grew by leaps and bounds but then dwindled by the turn of the century. A few dedicated breeders kept the breed going and slowly the pug reappeared on the American scene. Currently, the Pug is enjoying a rather steady rate of growth in popularity.
Aug 8, 2016 | Common Snapping Turtle, Wildlife Category Descriptions
A Category Description: Common Snapping Turtle The Common Snapping Turtle is a very large turtle. Its top shell, called a carapace, generally grows to 10 – 20 inches long while the turtle can weigh 15 – 55 pounds. Their colors are usually dull brown to black with a large head and hooked jaw. They have webbed feet with long claws and a very long tail. Although they ambush prey underwater during the day, snapping turtles are most active at night. These turtles are very shy in the water, but on land they can be very aggressive giving a painful bite. Snapping turtles are believed to have evolved the ability to snap because, unlike other turtles, they are too large to hide in their shells when confronted. Snapping is their defense mechanism. Snapping turtles will bite humans if threatened, but only as a last resort. A wild turtle can bite even if picked up by the sides of its shell. The turtle will try to scare off threats by hissing before it bites. When stressed, they can also release a foul, musky odor from a gland on the underside of their body. And, they should not be picked up by their tails since it can damage the turtle’s vertebral column and tail.
They can live 12 – 40 years in muddy lakes and ponds as well as in slow-moving rivers where they eat a large variety of: aquatic plants, fish, frogs and tadpoles, salamanders, insects, snails, leeches, worms, snakes, small mammals, and baby ducks and goslings. In May or June, Snapping Turtles lay 20-40 eggs, each the size of a ping-pong ball. The eggs hatch in early autumn. The eggs and babies are often eaten by predators including: herons, hawks, crows, large fish, raccoons, snakes, and larger turtles. Although some do not hibernate because these turtles tend to be very cold tolerate, most northern Snapping Turtles hibernate in the winter. Hibernating snapping turtles do not sometimes breath for more than six month if ice covers their hibernating site. These turtles can get oxygen by pushing their head out of the mud and allowing gas exchange to take place through the membranes of their mouth and throat.
