With all the hoopla about the new mirrorless Nikon Z system, I just shrug my shoulders and say "meh." I have enough glass and bodies for 35mm Nikons that I can't get all caught up in the ever-expensive staircase to the "next" system. I already own one Nikon mirrorless camera and lens system, and it's the Nikon 1. What? That piece of crap? Those cameras made for "soccer moms"?
I purchased a Nikon 1J1 and 1V1 and lenses back in 2013. I liked the small size, the ability to change lenses, and the ability to adapt other lenses to these pocketable cameras. Yes, these cameras have their quirks, and Nikon has a reputation for dumbing-down consumer-level cameras. However, I love using the Nikon 1 cameras with a c-mount adapter, as the image circle is perfect for the sensor size. C-mount lenses are usually fairly cheap, and can come from 16mm movie cameras as well as older video camera systems. I have several favorites that I enjoy using for certain types of photography, such as the examples that will follow. Of course, with any lens that does not electronically connect to the Nikon 1 body, one can only use manual mode. As one gets used to a lens, it becomes pretty easy to gauge the exposure, and you also have immediate feedback. The small size of the camera makes it quite easy to carry, and I like the 1V1 because it has an electronic viewfinder as well as rear LCD screen. You'll note that I taped over the camera info on the front, as well as the mode select wheel on the back. Taping that over keeps me from accidentally changing the mode. Ten megapixels is fine. I have made and sold some nice prints from this camera.
Today we went to the North Carolina Arboretum to see the Bonsai Show, and it was fantastic. The camera allowed me to photograph the trees not as they are, but as something a bit more isolated from the surroundings. I shot in b&w because that's how I wanted them to be seen. The grounds of the Arboretum are also really nice, and today was just a bit wet, so that the water gave things a bit of a sheen.
Last year, I reported on using my one and only roll of Lomochrome Purple XR 100-400. In the fall, I immediately placed an order for 5 rolls when Lomo announced they were accepting pre-orders for a new batch. The film arrived back in May, I think, but due to the whole moving thing, my rolls were tucked away until things were settled here in North Carolina. In August, I finally shot the first of my Lomochrome Purple in my Olympus Trip 35. I sent the roll to The Darkroom earlier this month, and they processed the film. I scanned the negatives in my Epson V700 scanner, and of course, I am really liking the results. I shot the film at ISO 200, and the Trip 35 is the perfect camera for these wacky films. I am not tying up an SLR with an unusual film, and as the Trip 35 takes up so little space in my bag, I can carry it with me on multiple photo shoots and it's there when I see something that I think would look good in that alternate reality world of Lomochrome Purple.
