Tag Archives: Olympus OM-1
9/11 Tribute in Lights on Color Slide Film
Last week I posted a 9/11 Tribute in Lights photograph taken on Fuji Neopan Acros 100 black and white film. Here are two shots from the same evening, one taken with the Olympus using Fuji Provia 100 slide film, and one taken with the Toyo 4×5 also using Fuji Provia 100 film.
The 35mm picture was a shorter exposure (only 60 seconds).
New York City 9/11 Tribute in Lights, Lower Manhattan, and Brooklyn Bridge, 35mm Fuji Provia Slide Film
This was the same exposure ( 120 seconds) as the Neopan Acros 100 black and white film.
New York City 9/11 Tribute in Lights, Lower Manhattan, and Brooklyn Bridge, 4×5 Fuji Provia Film
I much prefer the black and white image. In fact, I just had this black and white version scanned (605MB file!) to make prints.
NYC Tribute in Lights, Brooklyn Bridge, and Lower Manhattan, Fuji Neopan Acros 100 for Prints
Olympus OM-1 and Kodak Ektar 100
Despite having all but forsaken using a 35mm SLR in favor of medium format and format, I recently took my Olympus OM-1 on a trip to Bushwick. I had my newish Nikon D700 with me and didn’t want to commit to all-digital for the trip, so I popped a roll of Kodak Ektar 100 into the OM-1. During my outing, I took a few shots of the same thing with the Olympus and the D700. I was astounded at the difference in the two cameras. The Olympus paired with Kodak Ektar rendered everything with a richness and texture that the Nikon D700 just smoothed over. The D700 shots were too cool-toned and the aging building facades looked smooth and slick rather than worn and beaten by time. I posted an example on Flickr of the same shot side by side with Ektar and digital and it’s beyond obvious which is better for this particular shot. Overall, film simply renders things like buildings, storefronts, and street art in a much more true-to-life manner. The D700 files are just too polished, too perfect. Lesson learned. The D700 is unmatched in shooting events and low light, while film is better for everything else.
Last week I had uploaded a few of my normal type shots to Flickr using the D700 despite thinking they looked a little flat. I thought it was just me being too used to the way a film shot looks. Then as I was showing Kate the comparison shot (linked to above) she was like, “Yeah, those D700 shots don’t look very good.” She didn’t think they were up to my usual standards and hoped that I wouldn’t be using the D700 for shooting my everyday stuff. What looked obvious to me was just obvious. Film simply looks better for the type of things I like to shoot.
Here are a handful of OM-1, Kodak Ektar shots from the trip.
Spector’s El Adios Brooklyn Bodega, Bushwick, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
Self Service Deli Grocery Bodega, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
AC Grocery Bodega, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
Larry’s Liquid Love, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
Bushwick Art Park, Jim Avignon, Pictoplasma, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
Grace Baptist Church, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
Brooklyn, Flatbush Street Art, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
Random Shots from the Olympus OM-1 on Kodak Ektar 100
While I’m definitely over the “I have to carry my camera everywhere” feeling that gripped me last year, I still like to occasionally wander around aimlessly with a camera over my shoulder. I’ve had a roll of Kodak Ektar 100 in my Olympus OM-1 over the last week or so and after getting the film back from the lab on Tuesday night, I found more than a dozen images that I really loved and several I had forgot that I had taken. Some of the latter were my favorites from the roll.
Most of these were taken in various parts of Brooklyn as Kate and I enjoyed our normal, meandering, long walks. I still can’t remember being in the East Village with this camera and this roll, but I had two shots of the East Village Cadillac on there somehow.
Yellow Brick Building and Blue Sky, Gowanus, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
Yellow and Green Bicycles, Brooklyn Heights, Kodak Ektar 100
4 TEN Letters Outside Antique Store on Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
No. 162, Tribeca, Kodak Ektar 100
East Village Cadillac, Kodak Ektar 100
Funny story about this Cadillac, a couple of my images were used by the New York Times East Village Local and the owner of the Cadillac responded in the comments section.
Little Orange Car, Gowanus, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
Church Board, Gowanus, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
Eventually, I’m going to do a whole series on these church boards of Brooklyn. I’m not religious in any way, but I’m fascinated by these signs and the level of detail they preserve about the church. I’m attracted to the signs that use different fonts and sizes to get their message across.
Empty Lot, Downtown Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
Triceratops Custom Cab, Gowanus, Brooklyn, Kodak Ektar 100
I’ve passed this truck before without taking a picture (it’s on the way to our favorite pie place Four and Twenty Blackbirds) and this time Kate saw me hesitate and reach for my camera. “Go ahead,” she said as she stood there waiting for me as I waited out the traffic.
Film Photography: Weekend Shots with Olympus OM-1 and Kodak Portra 400
While I normally use my Nikon FM2n if I’m shooting 35mm, lately I’ve been using my 40-year old Olympus OM-1. It’s paired with a versatile 50mm Zuiko f1.8 lens and is a bit smaller than the Nikon. I love that this camera served my father-in-law for dozens of years, then Kate during high school photography classes, and is now working like a champ for me. I’m not sure how how many digital cameras we use today will still be around in 40 years. Probably none.
This past weekend I loaded the OM-1 with Kodak Portra 400 for our random exploring.
Candy Factory Wall, including Clown Soldier, Soho, December 2011, Kodak Portra 400
Orange Vespa, West Village, Kodak Portra 400
JR Eyes, West Village, Kodak Portra 400
Fuji Bicycle Detail, Chelsea, Kodak Portra 400
Soho Graffiti, Kodak Portra 400
Virginia Slims Poster, Prospect Heights, Kodak Portra 400
I think this poster is as old as my Olympus camera.
Film Photography: Latest Film Friday at Embarrassment of Riches
My latest Film Friday features the Meatpacking District and the West Village. Check it out over at Embarrassment of Riches.
Film Photography: Sing for Hope Pop-Up Pianos
Over the last week, we have run into a few of the Sing for Hope Pop-Up Pianos. If I have a camera on me, I stop and take a shot. Sometimes there are people playing them, other times not.
Sing for Hope Pop-Up Piano in Williamsburg
I love the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop for this one. I wanted to get someone playing on the piano, but no one was around. This shot was with Hasselblad 501cm and Kodak Portra 400.
Sing for Hope Pop-Up Piano on the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk
I was just walking up to this one adjusting the settings on my camera when this man approached and aked me if it was one of “those pianos.” We chatted a little about the one that was vandalized in the Bronx and then I asked him if he would mind setting down at this one for a picture. He didn’t play, but was happy to pose for me. Taken with Hasselblad 501cm and Fuji Reala 100.
Sing for Hope Pop-Up Piano in Fort Greene Park
This gentleman was trying to get the two kids interested in the piano. And he could play. One kid was kind of into it and the other was having none of it. Shot with Hasselblad 501cm and Kodak Portra 400 at dusk in shade.
Sing for Hope Pop-Up Piano in Meatpacking District Median Park
This guy was entertaining everyone around him with his playing. Since I had a 35mm SLR camera with 36 exposures (instead of my usual 12 with the Hasselblad) I stayed and snapped a couple pictures of him. I love these pianos and this gentleman clearly enhanced the evening and mood of the people sitting at tables around him. It was one of those, “Man, I love this city moments.” Taken with Olympus OM-1 SLR on Kodak Portra 800 film.
Check out the Sing for Hope website for much more information including a map of where the pianos are located.
Dumbo and Financial District on Film Last Weekend
Spent last Saturday in Dumbo goofing off and snapped off most of a roll of Tri-X 400 in the Olympus OM-1. Kate mentioned something tonight that I’ve noticed about the Olympus with the Zuiko lens – it has really low contrast. The images look a bit washed out and lack sharpness. The Manhattan Bridge photo was deliberatley under exposed, so it’s pretty contrasty. I don’t think it’s the film of the developing since I developed at home. I have a roll of the same film sitting on reel waiting to be developed from the Nikon FM2n. Will be interesting to compare the same film, the same developer, but a different camera.
Waiting for Vinegar Hill House to open…
Delivery Bike Street Art in Dumbo
The Manhattan Bridge with the Empire State Building peeking out between its legs
Don’t forget to look up
Smoke Stack in Dumbo
Wet on corner of Maiden and Pearl
Wall Street was wet the next day as I snapped off the last few frames of the roll.
Testing the Newly Repaired/Serviced Olympus OM-1
I had to send my 1972 Olympus OM-1 in for repair and servicing. Got it back quickly and I’m happy to report it’s as good as new. To test it out, I shot these pics of our new turntable in low light at maximum aperture (f1.8 for the Zeiss 50mm lens).
Shot on Ilford Delta Pro 100 film and developed in Kodak D-76 for 8.5 minutes.
Don’t mind the dust on the negatives, I thought it was okay considering they were shots of vinyl.
The turntable is a Rega P1, a no frills number from a British company.
Saturday Noon in Greenwich Village
While Kate treated herself to a pedicure/manicure on Saturday, I snapped some shots in Greenwich Village while on my way to the Blind Tiger. These shots are from the Olympus OM-1 and developed in Rodinal. Side note: you can see some cloudiness in the shots caused by me having Kate slide a pair of scissors into the darkroom bag between the bag and my arm. I didn’t think that would make a difference, but it did.
Very patient dog on corner of Sixth and Bleeker carrying his owner’s baguette. You can tell that I had some spooling issues with the Fuji film. This pic was pretty scratched up pretty badly.
Kate at new pizza joint Olio. I knew the light was going to be really harsh, but am surprised how well the Olympus handled the amount and intensity of the light. I think I shot this at full aperture – f1.8.
This guy was awesome. When I walked by he was like, “Hey Mr. Photographer, you gonna take my picture?” He would not take no for an answer and even acted out the words to the sign above him while I snapped a couple of pics. He was disappointed that he couldn’t see the shots immediately on the back of the camera.
I’ve always loved the facade of this barber shop; look at that awesome sign! If you look closely you can see my mug in the mirror.
Scans of home developed shots from new-to-me Olympus OM-1
Olympus OM-1 passed to me from my father-in-law. It’s a great manual camera from 1972 with a 50mm f1.8 Zuiko lens.
For this roll I used Fuji Neopan Acros 100 film and developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 11.5 minutes. Normal fixing time of 4 minutes.
Corner of Mott and Kenmare, NYC shot with Olympus OM-1 and Fuji Neopan Acros 100
Scooters on Crosby Street, Soho, NYC shot with Olympus OM-1 and Fuji Neopan Acros 100
Shark! in NYC shot with Olympus OM-1 and Fuji Neopan Acros 100
Passing and looking on Kenmare, NYC shot with Olympus OM-1 and Fuji Neopan Acros 100
Busty manequin, NYC shot with Olympus OM-1 and Fuji Neopan Acros 100
A couple of color shots from St. Michaels vacation developed at local lab.
