I've been enjoying your channel immensely - both for its informative tone and the superior voicing and production values (not universally present in camera-related videos!). But this one is really special for the challenge you gave yourself and Jules - creating serious photographs with a VERY basic camera - even putting it to the test of reversal films! When one considers how sophisticated cameras and lenses have become - and how much "thinking" a camera can do for its user, this exercise shows not only the discipline imposed by shooting film but also the desire to maximize performance of technically limited equipment by carefully using it to make "serious" photographs. It was a thought-provoking essay which reminds us how rewarding "getting basic" can be! P.S.: Very good choice of music track for your Alpine photo-trek.
Nice Video. The message is clear as always. It's not about gear. It's about enjoying life and being creative with different tools. I tried the Synchro Box yesterday for the first time and now I am waiting for the results. I found it pretty challenging to compose with those viewfinders, as they don't have any guide lines like e.g. most Rangefinder cameras.
Excellent work. All the B&W pictures have an uncanny WWII look. Or maybe most of the War pictures where taken with these cameras. Good historical work.
I've no idea why I've missed this video as I have the bell clicked to get the notifications. Although your talents obviously overlap, individually your skill with the camera and Jules's understanding of the technical stuff is brilliant. Put you together as a team and you get mind blowing results. True your images might not compare to a modern £3k digital camera with a £2k lens for sharpness, but you easily match them for colour and composition, and despite the camera's limitations, exposure. Absolutely brilliant, I like this channel not only for what I learn, but equally for the amazing images.
Oh wow! Thanks so much, Mark. I really don't know what to say. This comment gave Jules and myself quite the ego boost. :) And yes, we do feel very similar about our complementary skills. :) Thanks for watching and your kind words. :)
I have one of these and I enjoy shooting black and white with it. But I wouldn't dare exposing one roll of reversible film, specially Velvia. So little latitude. You're my heroes. And an inspiration. So many new ideas now. Thank you.
Hi Max! I consider to revitalize my Agfa Synchrobox! Sometimes it's a pleasure to go out for a shoot with minimized gear and to experiment with different films and settings. I did this several times with my Agfa Click II, but now I have to try out the Synchro box. Thx for the video and that you are open for the old stuff.
Fun creative challenge! Looks like one of the cameras had dirty or maybe even corroded transport rolls and scratched the film. I have a brownie box but not planning on using it. It's a decoration in my room :) I like that you're trying really old cameras too! Maybe see if you can find a Bessa 6x9 folder next. They're fun!
Good results from a single element meniscus lens. The red window was intended to protect orthochromatic films from fogging. It won't provide much protection for panchromaitic films having higher speeds (which you probably cannot use, due to the slow shutter speed).
Those box cameras are always fun to use... I have a Kodak Brownie No.2.. but what I love about your Agfa Box camera is the fact that you can use a cable release, that's a game changer in my opinion... now I want one! haha! Also the viewfinders on your box camera looks really bright , that's nice!
Brilliant to press several times! Why did'nt I think of that? I have had several of these box cameras but the one I like the most, so far, is my EHO that actually gives really sharp images.
Thomas Hedlund Thanks for your comment. Glad you liked our video and Jules’ little idea of just pressing the shutter repeatedly and shooting from a tripod. :)
Wonderful video Max...It's amazing what even a simple "limited" camera can do in the hands of people like you and Jules...I especially appreciated the outcome of the positives...Keep up the great videos :)
I did something similar with the 3 Agfa Clack cameras I have. Surprisingly good “vintage” looks from the original APX 400 in Studional, and with Kodak 400UC + polarizer filter in Maui. Agfa made some nice gear in the past. Rudolf Hillebrand from Neuss is a friend of mine, I have a copy of his book on the history of Agfa. I highly recommend it.
Giving the creative limitations the results are very good! I'm especially impressed that slides came out good! I have an old folding 6x9 camera and I enjoy shooting it, love the gigantic negatives :)
Thanks for your kind comment. Yes, we were also a bit concerned that the slides would not come out right and were quite happy when they looked great at the end. And yes, I can perfectly relate to your enjoying your old 6x9 folding camera. :)
You don't need to release the shutter multiple times. The camera actually has two shutter speeds: 1/30 or "B". You can set it with the lever above the aperture setting. " • " means 1/30 and " -- " means "B".
A 6x9 folder is a great travel camera! Consider a Voigtlander Bessa RF. I've shot that at f16 1/125 focus@infinity from many mountain tops in the Alps while both snowboarding and hiking.
Great video! I enjoyed how you worked around the limitations of the camera and got good results. I thought to myself, "why didn't I think of that?" (Multiple exposures). Good work.
Thanks so much for your comment. Yeah, I felt the same way when Jules suggested doing it that way. So I can perfectly relate to how you feel about the multiple exposures. :)
Awesome video !!! the pictures are really beautiful, especially in color. I'm looking to get my hand on my Zeiss Ikon Tengor box camera I've ordered couple weeks ago and make a review too :)
Bester Kommentar. :) Etwas ähnliches haben wir uns im Nachgang auch gedacht. Zu unserer Entschuldigung: Wir wollten ursprünglich an einen anderen Ort fahren und kamen dort aufgrund einer gesperrten Straße nicht hin. ;)
The oldie boxes have cheap Meniscus lenses, in the days of yore only contact prints were made of the negatives, as enlargements are unsharp. The Meniscus lenses are uncoated, that is why you get bluish pictures with colour film, hence you'd need a correction filter.
Interesting. Did ya'll ever say what size images this thing shoots? It is 6x9? Thanks for another great video, always interesting and entertaining and educational!! CC
Where does the high number of scratches on the film comes from? Was there a problem with the film transport inside the camera or happened this during the development process outside the camera?
Very nice results! Just found one of these little boxes on my grandmother's old closet and wanted to try it out, i happen to also have some E100 film so just landed on the right video! Would you mind putting the little exposure card available for print or download? Danke :)
Frage zu dem hilfreichen Zettel mit den Belichtungszeiten: Die Box löst mit 1/30s aus. Bei den beiden einstellbaren Blenden lese ich immer F/8 bzw. F/11. Hierstehen jetzt F/11 bzw. F/16. Was ist richtig? Weitere Frage zum Auslöser: Hier passen handesübliche Handauslöser?
Great photos! I notice scratch marks in black and white pics, maybe caused by rollers when pressure plate flattens film. In the slide film shots I think that by adapting a neutral density filter you could control amount of light reaching film.
PhotographyisMyPassion Thanks for your comments. Yes, we had some scratch marks due to the film transport within the camera but decided to leave them in there and not edit the digital files.
hi i am having trouble in de iding what new camera to buy i would love some help making my descision.im stuck between the fujica gw690 and the mamiya rz670 pro ii. i prefer to shoot street photography and like the size of the negative however i love the modular design of the mamiya.
If you love street photography, I would recommend to go for something smaller like the Fujica GS 645 series (see my respective video about these cameras). Both cameras that you mentioned are really heavy/large and therefore not really suitable for taking street shots. :)
It all looks nice, some b&w did much better than others. Should have tried a roll of Efke 25, to help assimilate the conditions used at the time. I have about 30 Agfa cameras (love anything Agfa), but unfortunately not this model. Seems I should look for one!
Chris This was a film transport issue in the old cameras. So when advancing the film, dust/dirt or something else inside the camera caused these streaks. This can even happen with much newer and cleaner medium format cameras.
NO WAY is a Kodak brownie type "cardboard box" camera an expected topic for this title, WHY not discuss: Mamiya (6 x 7, C 33 , C 3); LINHOF (6 x 9- tecknica); HASSELLBLAD or Rollei cameras, each of these has some cult status earned by their users, and are far better known than that no name camera! these cameras are a far better contention for the title of "best medium format camera".
Which proves to me, again, that irony is a tricky thing when addressing international audiences. ;) Please take a look at some of our other videos if you'd like to see more about "real" medium format cameras. ;)
