An old Kodak folder lens on 4x5

Last November, I acquired an Intrepid 4x5 camera from my fellow photographer, Russ Young. I’ve already written about my re-acquaintance with large format back in April.  A month or so ago, I found an old Kodak Kodex No. 1 lens/shutter assembly in a drawer. I’m pretty sure that it came from a Kodak Pocket 1A folding camera that was in bad condition, so I just saved the lens from it.  I never thought about putting it on another camera until recently.  My first thought when I looked at it was, “Will it work with 4x5?”

Lensboard with 32mm center hole.

It needed a lens board though, before I could do anything with it. My buddy Bill Pivetta cut a lens board with a 32mm center hole for me from a sheet of gray plastic that I had in my garage. After some final sanding and trimming, I mounted the lens and attached the lens board to my Intrepid camera.    When I looked at the ground glass, it appeared that the lens does in fact, cover 4x5.  A few shots with the lens confirmed that. The photos below were taken on Arista Ultra 100, at apertures of f/22 and f/32, with a time of 1 to 2 seconds.

This lens is a 111mm Meniscus Achromat, with numbered aperture settings of 1,2,3,4.  The shutter speeds of T, B, 1/25 and 1/50 are sufficient for low ISO film.  Now, what are those numbered apertures?  From what I’ve found 1= f/11, 2= f/16, 3= f/22, and 4 = f/32. This is NOT a fast lens, and was likely found in the least expensive version of the camera.  At the maximum aperture of f/11, the image on the ground glass is quite dim, and even more so at f/22!  Of course, this lens was used on the original camera with a reflex viewfinder (which are not bright, either), and the camera had set positions for subject distance.  Using this lens on a bight day isn’t too bad, though.

Yes, it covers 4x5!  f/22 @ 2 seconds

The whole point of this exercise was to see if I could use this lens on my 4x5, and I was successful in that.  There are better lens/shutter combinations available on those old Kodak folders that may yield better results.  This lens, at 110-111mm is on the wide end of 4x5, and I’m looking at my Kodak Vigilant Six-20 with its 101mm lens and Kodak No. 1 Supermatic shutter and maximum aperture of f/4.5 and I think I’ll have to try that one next on my 4x5.  In fact, while writing this, I took a half hour to remove the lens from the Kodak Vigilant Six-20 and mounted it on the same lens board. It fit perfectly, and now to do some more testing.

Now, to try this one out. Stay tuned.

The fun thing with 4x5 is that I am able to easily experiment with old lenses, and it takes just a sheet or two of film to see the results.  There are a lot of old folders out there with beat-up bellows and extinct film formats. Why not give it a try?  

Ektapan To the Max!

The best 400 ISO film?

It’s been a while since I’ve used Kodak’s T-Max 400 (now also known as Kodak Ektapan 400) in 35mm.  I have used it occasionally in medium format, and the 120 version has been a good choice for a lot of things.  However, I just have not shot much of it in my 35mm cameras over the years.  Back in early May, I had two rolls from Ball Photo in Asheville, and took them with me on my trip to New York and Connecticut in mid-May. I shot them with my Nikon FM2N, a very reliable camera that I’ve owned since 2008, and have also not used it much in the past few years.  It was time to take it on a road trip and give it some love.  

First of all, the Nikon FM2N is one of Nikon’s longest-selling 35mm SLRs, and it is fully manual, with LEDs indicating the exposure with +/- and an “o” when the light meter determines the proper exposure.  Not really all that different from a Pentax Spotmatic F.  Since I’ve owned this camera, I’ve used it more for low-ISO films, since it has a range of 12-6400.  Being all-mechanical, it was also a good choice for winter photography when I lived in Michigan.  I have also taken it on trips as a back-up to my Nikon F3HP.  As you would expect from Nikon, it’s a very reliable camera.  Mine looks like it just came from the store. 

We drove our usual route to New York State, via I-26 to I-81, and then I-84 and the Taconic Parkway to Dutchess County.  The trip was to attend my brother-in-law’s wedding, and to also visit a spot on my “bucket list” - Steichen’s Pond in Connecticut.  On the return home, Adrienne and stayed in Winchester, Virginia, and also visited Luray Caverns on our way home. A lot of driving over 5 days, for sure.  

Besides the Nikon FM2N, I brought my Nikon Zfc and my Ansco Pix Panorama cameras. It was a short trip, so I didn’t plan on doing a lot for stopping and photographing.  I shot two rolls of Kentmere 400 and two rolls of T-Max 400 in the FM2N.  The Zfc was mostly used inside Luray Caverns (where it performed quite well).

From the Kodak/Alaris site

I developed the film about a week after I returned home, and used Kodak’s T-Max RS developer for the T-max 400 film.  The negatives were scanned on my Epson V700.  The moment I saw the negatives hanging up to dry, I knew that the T-Max 400 really delivered good images.  The Kentmere 400 negatives were likewise excellent (D-76 1:1).  However, I’m here to praise the T-Max 400.   

By this time, you have possibly seen something about Eastman Kodak rebranding T-Max 400 as Ektapan 400.  The Kodak-Alaris brand of T-Max is still available, and they are exactly the same films.  I’m glad that I chose T-Max 400 for the low-light shots, as they came out really well.  I used a 50mm f/2 Nikkor lens, and I’m really pleased with the results as shown below.

Some examples:

Poughkeepsie, NY

Chicago House, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie

Vassar College

A huge Sycamore, Vassar College

Steichen's Pond and house, Topstone Park, CT.

old train station, Winchester, Virginia

We stayed here in Winchester, VA. I highly recommend it!

I've shot T-Max films over the past 25+ years, and have generally been happy with my results from them.  T-Max 400 hits the right spot in terms of fine grain, sharpness, and shadow detail.  It also lies perfectly flat in the scanner, so that's another plus.  It's more expensive than Kentmere 400  and Fomapan 400.  I checked the B&H Photo its, and 36-exposure rolls of Kentmere 400 are $7.99, Fomapan 400 is $8.99, Ektapan 400 is $11.99 and T-Max 400 is $10.99.  So it's at least $3.00 a roll more expensive than Kentmere 400, which is my usual 400 ISO film.  It's only 50 cents/roll more expensive than Ilford HP-5.  B&H sells Kodak Tri-X for $8.99, and for more comparison a  36-exposure roll of Ilford Delta 400  (a T-grain film ) is $16.49!  So, T-Max 400 isn't the most expensive ISO 400 black and white film.  I'm definitely ordering more for future trips.

Is it the best 400 ISO b&w film?  It really depends on what one wants from their film, but I'd say that T-Max 400 is a film that I really like.  The photo of the train station and the hotel were taken near sunset, and there is a lot of detail. The grain is quite minimal, too. So, I'd rate T-Max 400 at the top.  

Below the Firmament and the Heavens

What is meant by that?  Basically, the "firmament" is the sky with its weather, and the "heavens" is the space above the earth - or "outer space."  Thus, this latest photography book about Floyd County is beneath the sky and space, but the old biblical "Firmament and Heavens" sure sounds more prosaic.  Given the number of churches in Floyd County, the title is definitely appropriate.

Brethren Church, July 2024. Nikon F3, Ilford HP-5

This latest issue of Monochrome Mania is the result of my collaboration with Russell Young, a long-time photographer, teacher, and polymath who resides in Floyd County, Virginia.  I first met Russ in person in 2024, after having seen an online presence in 2023 of the Appalachian Center of Photography, located in Floyd.  After our first meeting, we both felt like we should have known each other for years.  Russ has been all over the world, held many different jobs, has taught photography, and is an expert in a multitude of subjects.  He received a PhD from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland late in life (2008), with his thesis title being on The Soft-Focus Lens and Anglo-American Pictorialism. His photography often includes the use of soft-focus lenses, and because of that I would call a lot of his work "Neopictorialism."  Russ has lived on his 75-acre farm in Floyd for about 15 years.  

Holga Panoramic 35, July 2024

I've visited Russ several times per year to go out and photograph along the back roads of Floyd County, which has more gravel roads than any other county in Virginia.  The rolling foothills of the Appalachians in Floyd County have been wonderful places to explore with abandoned farms and derelict buildings set in a lovely bucolic landscape.  Another turn on a different road, and you might see a million-dollar home or a horse farm owned by wealthy "outsiders."    Beef cattle and timber are the major agricultural endeavors in the area.  

Russ owns many different cameras.  You never know which one will be on the dash.

Riding around the back roads with Russ has been a great experience - we have become good friends, and being able to stay in the guest cottage at his farm has been a great convenience.  No streetlights, just the wonderful night sky and the sounds of nature. Last year, I thought that we should collaborate on a book of photos from Floyd County, and thankfully, Russ agreed.  He already had a large repertoire of Floyd photos taken in the previous 15 years, and unlike me, was able to photograph in the winter months, and of course, whenever he pleased.  I felt like an interloper, but to me, these were all new sights, and as is often the case, I was inspired by what I saw.  My last photo trip there was in March of this year, and I felt that there was finally enough material to finish the book.

Overalls are the camo that Russ uses to blend in with the locals.

Choosing my images for the book was a lengthy process of "yes" or "no" or "maybe" as I went through my scans from my negatives.  It would have been easy to make this an even larger body of work. However, picking images from the photographs by Russ was much easier.  His luscious images are much different from mine.

So, here we have it: Below the Firmament and the Heavens - An Exploration of Floyd County, Virginia, by Mark O'Brien and Russ Young.  It's 72 pages of black and white photographs of scenes in Floyd Co., Virginia.  The first half of the book are photos from Russ, and the second half are photos by me.  It's the 16th issue of Monochrome Mania, and it's no longer a "zine." but a book.   Because of its size, it's going to cost more than the typical 36-page zine.  I'm pricing it at $17.50, which is fairly inexpensive as photography books go.

May, 2025. Minolta XG-M, Eastman 5222.

It's perfect-bound, 8.5 x 11 inches, in landscape format.  I believe that you will be entranced by the photographs contained within the covers.  You can purchase it from my Etsy store while supplies last. 

Some sample pages:

As I write this, Russ is moving from his farm to a house in Roanoke, Virginia.  It too, has a guest cottage, and I look forward to some new photo adventures with my friend.

Argus. Fine American Cameras by Kelley, Norwood, Reitsma, and Sterritt

I first became aware of Argus cameras back around 2000.  I believe that I purchased an Argus 75 at a thrift shop in Cheboygan, MI around that time.  I was living in Ann Arbor, the home of Argus, and in a short time, I had acquired a C-3 and perhaps an Argus A.  The most amazing thing at the time was finding out that Ann Arbor had a museum devoted solely to Argus cameras, the Argus Museum.  It’s still there, but is now part of the Washtenaw Historical Society’s domain, and no longer the private collection of Joe O'Neal.  Over the years that I lived in Ann Arbor, the Argus Museum became the gathering place for Argus collectors, as well as an exhibit space for film-based photography.  Cheryl Chidester, the curator, was largely responsible for the growth of the Argus Museum and its activities.  

My interest in Argus cameras blossomed, and along with my daughter Jorie, we accumulated a pretty good collection of Argus cameras and paraphernalia.  I don’t even want to venture how many Argus models we owned, but it was quite a few.  At that time, the prices for old Argus cameras was stunningly low. It was during those early 2000s that we ran into some really dedicated Argus collectors and photo historians, and we eventually attended an Argus Collectors Group meeting in 2005, meeting even more people that were interested in Argus. 

My only claim to having achieved something in Argus collecting, was when I purchased an old Argoflex TLR and a few other cameras from Allan Bulgrin in Dearborn, MI in 2004.  That Argoflex II was unique, and as the ill-fated Argoflex II was destined to the scrap heap, the few remaining Argoflex II models that survived - 6, are highly sought by collectors.  The Argoflex II that I once owned (I sold it to Joe Horvat in 2011) has slanted script lettering, and it’s believed that it may have come from Harley Earl’s (the designer) studios.  

My second great Argus find was an all-black Argus C-4 that arrived in a box of unwanted cameras.  That one took my breath away as I pulled it out of the box!  I also sold that one to Joe Horvat in 2011. My Argus collecting days are long over, and now I only own one C-3 and a C-4 that I occasionally use.  Everything Argus that I had previously collected has been sold off or given away.  

The reason that I’m writing this is to pay tribute to a book that was published in 2023, that I had finally purchased this year.  Argus. Fine American Cameras, by Bob Kelley, Ron Norwood, Mike Reitsma and Phil Sterritt (ISBN #979-8-218-29489-2), is I believe, the final word on Argus cameras and the company that made them.  This 480-page tome contains all the knowledge regarding Argus cameras, and is a truly amazing piece of work.  I’ve met all of the authors in my previous term as an Argus collector, and they have coalesced all their knowledge into a very readable and useful publication.  Incredibly well-illustrated in color with a wealth of useful information, Argus, Fine American Cameras certainly deserves broader recognition not only as a resource on Argus cameras, but also as a history of American manufacturing and business practices.   

The original price for the book was $124.99, which I have heard barely covered the printing cost. Obviously a labor of love by Kelley, Norwood, Reitsma, and Sterritt, this is more than just a collector’s book.  It’s a fascinating look at American industry and how post-WWII fortunes were made and lost.  You also get to see every model of Argus that was manufactured, as well as ones that never made it to production.  Not just the cameras, but the entire Argus ecosystem is inside this book.  Projectors, light-meters, darkroom supplies, enlargers, and accessories.  Pick a chapter and read it, and you’ll become amazed at just how much is packed into this book.

You can purchase Argus. Fine  American Cameras at a steeply discounted price of $49.95  directly from their website. You can email directly at argusbook@argusinfo.net

A Pentax P3 SLR

Over the past year, I’ve rekindled my love for Pentax K-mount cameras and other brands that use the K-mount, introduced by Pentax in 1975.  I’ve been working on a book about the M42-mount Spotmatics and other brands, so I suppose it’s a natural evolution to delve into the K-mount universe.  My first K-mount camera was a Pentax MG, back in 1982 or ’83.  I used that camera until 2000.  In the past year, I’ve acquired a Pentax KX and some other K-mount non-Pentax film bodies.  Earlier this year, I found a pretty nice example of the Pentax K2.  The K2, KX, and KM were the first wave of K-mount bodies in 1975.  They are all quite different from one another, as it seems Pentax was testing to see what consumers were willing to buy.  The K1000 and subsequent "M" models started appearing on the market in 1976.  Forward to 1985, when camera automation had become widespread, and camera-body autofocus was just starting among SLRs with the Minolta Maxxum 7000.  That’s the year that Pentax introduced the P3 in the US-market (P30 elsewhere in the world).  

The P3 SLR certainly was not breaking new ground, but it was a return to a more traditional manual-style body, incorporating a manual shutter speed dial and auto setting on the top deck of the camera.  The camera uses manual focus. The body incorporated a lot of ABS plastic, but retained a sleek classic appearance.  I think the P3 is a very nice-looking SLR, but there are a few caveats about the camera’s operation.

•  It requires DX-coded film cassettes to set the ISO speed. Cassettes without a DX code will be assigned the default ISO of 100. There is no manual ISO control.
• There is no provision for a remote or cable release for the shutter (later models may have a cable release socket near the lens mount).
• Flash-sync is 1/100 sec.
• No exposure compensation dial.

A very clean design as shown here.

Despite the above, this is a camera that can be easily used almost as a point and shoot in Program mode.  The ISO range for the DX coding is 25-1600.  You can use any Pentax K-A lens in Program mode, which sets the aperture and shutter speed.  If you use the camera with a Pentax M or K lens, the camera’s Program mode defaults to Aperture Priority. You can also shoot in Manual mode.

The P3 has a depth-of-field preview lever on the right side of the lens, and a mirror-lockup button on the left. There is a red LED that flashes when you use the self-timer, which is about 12 seconds.  The on-off and self-timer switch are the the top deck on the left side of the camera.  The hot-shoe on the top of the prism housing allows the use of manual and some automated Pentax flash units.  

I really like the look of this camera.

I purchased my example on the big auction site for $28.00 (not including tax and shipping), and it came with a Rikenon 50mm f/2.2 lens.  The camera was sold as “untested” but it looked to be in excellent condition (and it is).  I popped in 2 LR-44 cells and the camera came to life.  You do need batteries to use this camera. It will not work without power.   I attached a SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/2 lens on the body and set out to shoot a roll of Fuji Acros 100. 

I happen to have a physical manual for the P3, but you can find one online at Butkus.org.

Impressions from using the camera

I like the way the camera feels in the hand.  There’s a small grip on the right side that aids in holding the camera.  The metal and plastic film advance sits unobtrusively, but it’s easy to advance the film.  Same for the film rewind - it’s almost flush with the top deck.  It took me some time to get used to the Program mode automatically setting the aperture and shutter speed. I understand that in that mode, the shutter speed goes from 8 seconds to 1/1000 sec.There is also a B setting and 1/100 flash setting. The viewfinder shows about 92% of the field of view.  The split-microprism at the center of the viewfinder is easy to use for focusing.  

As K-mount cameras go, the P3 is a good example of automation without unnecessary features that a lot of people might not use.  For me, the only thing that I really miss is being able to manually set the ISO.  I shoot a lot of hand-rolled film, but it’s not something that the vast number of users would do.  

The P3/30 was quite popular - Pentax sold it from 1985 to 1997, with over 3 million units sold. It was intended for people that wanted an easy-to-use SLR. As a result, there are many for sale online at pretty low prices.  It’s not an ancient camera, so most of them ought to work properly.  

The P3 is one of those cameras that probably don’t get as much love as some earlier K-mount models, such as the very compact ME.  But it does not have the ME’s faults, either.  You can shoot in Program mode or fully manual. The mirror-lockup is a useful feature when you want to make a longer exposure on a tripod and no cable release.   My first reaction to the camera was that it was awfully simple.  However, after shooting with it, I have a much higher regard for it.  Whether you have a P3 or a P30, they’ll work the same, and give you a very solid SLR body that accepts K-mount lenses.  

A few shots from the first roll. All shot near Barnardsville, NC. All on expired Fuji Acros 100.