Classic Cars, Classic Camera

[David]

I took my Pentax 6X7 to the Port Costa, California, classic car show over the weekend. I brought the 55mm 1:3.5 and 135mm 1:4 macro (... stretching the definition a bit) lens. The 135 actually only magnifies to 1:3, but it is a FABULOUS close-up lens. For film, I brought Ilford PanF 50 ISO and shot it at 25 ISO, Ilford Delta 100, Fuji Acros 100, and Tmax 100. The 100 films I shot at the rated ISO. Development was Rodinal 1+100 for the PanF, 1+50 for the Fuji and Delta (which I developed in the same tank), and XTOL stock for the TMax. I really, really like XTOL, though I think I like dilutions a bit better and I think I like Rodinal more for TMax.

Ilford Delta 100
1


2


3


Ilford PanF 50 (at 25 ISO)
4

First one in the post shot with the 135 instead of the 55.

5


6


Tmax 100
7


8

135mm again

9

135mm again

10


Fuji Acros 100
11

135mm

12

135mm

13


14


15


Some thoughts:
Acros remains my favorite in-production film. I have never had a good experience with Delta 100, and when I dropped the roll on the ground and it partially unspooled (a fraction of the first frames was lost), I expect that to forteshadow more disappointment. But, I was thrilled with the Delta 100 yesterday. I'm growing more and more to like Tmax 100, though I think it blows out in the highlights WAY to easily. Then it will go and do something like this:

16

and have just surrealistic results that make parts of my brain go all gooey. There's detail outside (though not much.) That shot was hand-held at f3.5 for 1/4 of a second (I didn't expect it to be in any way sharp) and the Tmax recorded ample detail inside. To put that in perspective, the EV inside was a bit less than 6. Outside, it was about 15. That's a pretty staggering range. In fact, I think that if it had been overcast, then the outside detail would have been ample.

For the 135mm, I expected a great lens. I also expected an actual macro lens -- 1:1 reproduction. But, I actually like this lens a lot as a close-up lens, and as a general short-short telephoto. It compresses images a bit more than I expected (note, especially, the 1930s Ford image.) I'm pretty pleased with it, especially since it was only $85 ($107 with tax and shipping from KEH), which is a really nice price for this lens. When I add the fisheye to my 6X7 case, that system will be complete, for me (fisheye, 55mm, 105mm, 135mm, and 200mm.)

I was also really pleased with the PanF on this outing. I've never had the PanF exhibit such little contrast severity. Apparently ISO 25, Rodinal 1+100 for 8:30, with roll-type agitation every minute is the way to go for me with this film. I mean, look at this shadow and highlight detail:

17

I wish I'd stumbled on this a year ago when I had more than two rolls left of the 100-foot 35mm box I bought.

And one last parting thought.
18

Keepin' it classy, Port Costa, keepin' it classy.

[TrueLoveOne]

Great idea, very nice results! People choose color for carshows mostly, somehow this works really well, especially for the detailshots!

Thx for sharing!

[Yebisu]

Nice. No. 3, 5, 15 and 17 work best for me. Shapes in 5 are particularly nice.

I'd love to try a wide angle my 6x7. Widest I've got is the normal 105/2.4

[mmelvis]

The 3rd shot shots is the show stopper of this group. Very nice framing and capture.

[David]

Thank you, guys.

mmelvis, thank you. I took that shot twice, that being the latter and lower to the ground. That car was simply gorgeous. I think it was an auburn color, and it does have some of the nicest lines of any American-made car. The owner of that 1936 (or 37?) Ford was the only one who approached me and was really knowledgeable about 1930s Ford history.

Yebisu, I'm curious what attracted you to those three. For me, I like 1, 4, and 11 the most. I'm not disputing your picks, just curious.

TrueLoveOne, the whole day I was just kicking myself for not bringing any Velvia with me. The cars were just amazingly pretty. But, after I developed these rolls, I was actually glad I didn't. I had to look at the cars in terms of tones and zones and instead of just photographing them for color I was picturing them as shapes and arrangements and designs. I may visit one of the area car museums in the next few months and take some HP5+ with me (they keep it around EV 2 in there) so I can push it to 1600.
http://www.blackhawkmuseum.org/