Gear Review 7: Minolta X-700, 40 Years Later

40. Forty. That feels almost strange to type with this camera. Something about it just feels so modern. Maybe it’s the integrated (albeit shallow) hand grip, or the blocky, 80s design of the top plate. Whatever it may be, let me tell you that this is a beautiful camera, with a surprise twist at the end. Go fuck yourself Shyamalan.

If you haven’t already, go give my post about the AE-1 Program a read. I LOVE that camera. For what it is and what it is meant to do, it is perfect. So I ask, can you improve on perfect, or does that go against the very nature of the word? This is the camera that will make you question that. That will make you glance at your AE-1 guiltily as you scurry out the door with the Minolta’s slim, balanced body tucked just out of sight. It’s really that good.

So let’s get into it, the why, the how, the reasons at the core of why you may have to reassess where your loyalties lie. How about a list? I heard lists are fun. Buzzfeed does them, and people read that.

Never mind on the list.
This was a poor idea, I really don’t want to make one.
I could of just erased all of this. Instead I’m wasting your time.
Alright back to the review.

We’re just going to pick up where we left off. This thing feels amazing in your hands. Solid, well built, and dependable. Just enough weight to make it feel good, not so much to tire your arms or make your neck sore walking around with it all day. You’d never know that the large majority of the components here are plastic, a slightly worrying prospect as it ages, but with no real evidence of issues thus far. In fact, the only problem I’ve had with it is the camera tricking itself into thinking it had a dead battery, simply remedied by popping them out and back in.

On the top plate you’ll find the usual suspects — shutter release, on/off switch, shutter speed dial, ISO setting, exposure compensation, frame counter, advance lever, ya know, the stuff on an SLR. Similar to the AE-1, shutter speeds range from bulb to 1/100, with flash sync limited at 1/60th. The shutter speed knob is prominent and clicks solidly into place, making adjustments on the fly easy. A small button next to the dial locks out the camera’s two non-manual modes — Program, enabling fully automatic exposure, and aperture priority. I have never actually used these on my example, so I cannot speak to their operation, but like everything else here I’m sure they’re quite good. Exposure compensation is a nice bonus on the X-700 considering it’s not present on any of my comparable models. I also have to hand it to the incredibly smooth film advance, it cranks without any signs of discontent or ratcheting of similar models. My only complaint here would be the electromagnetic shutter, you better hope those batteries don’t mysteriously disconnect as you line up your shot as there are no mechanical shooting capabilities here.

Top plate aside, there is one thing about this camera that puts it ahead, more than the good looking, well built body, more than the top notch ergonomics, more than the controls: the viewfinder. The viewfinder on this thing is absolutely out of this world. Not only is it huge, bright, and somehow makes anything you’re looking at through it seem instantly better looking, but it has one of the most clever features I have ever seen. Instead of the light meter simply showing a plus and minus range or a series of suggested apertures, it displays shutter speeds to the right of the frame and in the bottom center, through a tiny little magnified window, the aperture currently selected on the lens. I don’t think I need to tell you how incredible this single little addition is. Below you will find a picture taken with my iPhone of said feature, with the viewfinder pointed at a toilet because I’m 12 and toilets are funny.

More than anything else, this little feature had me captivated. No other camera at my disposal made composing, exposing, and taking photos easier than this one. I had no idea it was even a possibility, but now that I have it, I can’t believe I haven’t seen it more.

I shot two rolls through, trying to put it through its paces with as varied of shooting scenarios as possible.

So this is all to say that I like this camera. A lot, really. I’m far from alone in this, seeing as it is widely considered the best manual focus camera Minolta ever made, and even won the European Camera of the Year award when it came out in 1981. This means it beat out my beloved AE-1 Program, which released that same year. It is tough here not to ask the question then: which one should you buy? This is by no means an easy call, especially as the Minolta creeps ever closely to the Canon’s (admittedly inflated) prices. At the end of the day, it all depends on preference, but if you stumble on a deal on either, take it. Better yet, both, because the only thing better than one camera is two, and the only thing better than two is fifteen.

You remember that twist I talked about way back in the first paragraph? Well get ready, because here it comes. Ok maybe it isn’t a twist if I tell you it’s a twist? I don’t give a shit. The point is, this camera handles incredibly well, it’s an utter joy to shoot, and mine is broken. Yes, completely, utterly, hopelessly broken. After shooting three rolls in one day, a huge smile on my face, I found developed three mostly blank rolls. Why? Because, for all of their wonderful upsides, this is a 40 year old, electronically controlled camera, and as such is a reliability nightmare. I’m not alone in this - look anywhere online and you’ll find that myriad issues plague these poor beauties today. All is well that ends. Below are the few (partial) pictures I got out of it below. Not a bad twist ending eh?

Thanks for reading, if you liked this review, please leave a comment, check out my other writing or photographic work, or find me on Instagram @willwanderphotography.

Gear Review: Canon "New" FD 50mm f1.4, and kind of the f1.8 too

Ah, we finally made it, a gear review not centered around the camera, but rather, that magic bit of glass, plastic, and metal stuck onto the front. What is it called again? Picture window….no, that’s not it. The lens. Yes, the lens. Specifically, the Canon New FD 50mm 1.4.

You may recall my post months back reviewing my beloved and dearly departed Canon AE-1 Program. Well it turns out that I recently discovered it wasn’t actually broken after all, and the problem has since been sorted. I also happened across another one, this time in my preferred silver and even better condition for a killer deal, so now I have two. You know, normal photographer with a gear addiction stuff. Did I say addiction? I don’t have a problem, you have a problem. Don’t judge me. Anyway, we’ll get back to that.

In the interim of believing that I didn’t have a functioning Canon SLR, I decided to pick up a cheap adapter and try out some of the FD glass on my Fujifilm X bodies. Of particular interest for experimentation was my Canon New FD 50mm f1.8, a focal length I did not have for my Fujis. I had achieved what I believed to be fine results with it on the AE-1, so why not give a go right? Not quite. I won’t say it is a bad lens because it isn’t. Rather, it is a soft lens, and not in a good “it has character way.” For the vast majority of my portrait work I shoot my lenses wide open and using the 50mm f1.8 was no different. Unfortunately, this is where the problems became clear. Initially viewing the photos on the camera’s screen, they seemed great. In focus, nice bokeh though nothing earth shattering, and what I thought was sharp. It wasn’t until I pulled them onto the computer that I realized what a mess they actually were. Wide open, the lens rendered everything from the corners to dead in the middle softer than a cashmere sweater. Contrast was all but nonexistent, making it look more like I was staring at a drawing of my photo than the photo itself. I still continued to use the lens for a time, but rapidly grew disillusioned with the results. Included below are a couple images pulled straight out of camera from my Fujifilm X-T2. Note the extremely soft and low contrast rendering.

Flash forward 4 months and I had a new and absolutely stunning AE-1 Program in my hands, and after some light cleaning, it was ready to get to work. A resolution for myself was to shoot at least half as much on film as I do on digital, meaning this camera was going to see plenty of use in the coming months. But now I had a problem - do I really want to spend $8-$10 on a roll of film, then that all over again for developing and scans, all for photos rendered by a lens I did not like? If I was going to be investing this much time and money into this craft, I needed a better tool for the job. After some careful research, I found my solution, and ended up spending $50 on my old lens’ big brother, the 50mm f1.4.

Now I must say, I haven’t been this excited to see a package arrive in a while. As I said, I tend toward shooting wide open, and am therefore a bit obsessed with the idea of fast glass. I am also not in the tax bracket that affords me Noktons or Summiluxes or Nocts, so the closest I have ever gotten to “fast” is my fungus filled Minolta 55mm f1.7. So when an f1.4 showed up at my door, I could hardly contain myself. I ripped open the packaging, revealing the little lens tucked within.

Visually and tactiley, not much initially differentiates the f1.4 from its slower sibling. The same solid feeling construction of black metal and plastic, a slightly stiff and clicky aperture ring, a smooth focus throw. A bit longer and the tiniest bit wider, but from the outset, very similar. But, take off the lens cap and you are greeted by a sea of blue and purple coated glass. Stare into its depths and notice the 7 aperture blades, a welcome upgrade from the f1.8’s 5. This thing looked fast, it looked sharp, it looked like what I wanted, and this was all without mounting it on a camera yet.

Hurriedly I stuck it onto that same cheap little adapter, paired it to my X-T1, and headed out the door. I took what pictures I could, as we are all technically supposed to be inside right now, but wasn’t too worried about the subject matter. It was really just a test after all. Here are some of the results, all shot wide open.

I was instantly enamored. The subject separation was incredible, with smooth bokeh almost reminiscent of a watercolor painting. Center sharpness appeared to be flawless, and every shot came back nice and contrasty. A few simple photos told me everything I need to know about this lens, and it was indeed what I had wanted for a price I couldn’t believe.

Unfortunately, as we all know, the world has gone to absolute shit, and this has made getting out and exercising my particular brand of creativity a bit difficult, really limiting how much use I can currently get out of the lens. Luckily, my girlfriend and I did get in one shoot with it, my AE-1, and a roll of Kodak Portra 160 before everything really shut down. I just assume that walking around taking photos counts as the government approved exercise.

Before we even got out the door I captured my favorite photo of the day in the late afternoon sun. You can see how smooth the area around her is rendered, as well as the nice contrast and colors it is capable of. Slight overexposure on my part, though I wanted to ensure I didn’t lose detail out of the shadows.

I think this image in particular illustrates the painting like nature the lens is capable of in the foreground elements, particularly in the top of the purple flowers. Again, blown away by the incredibly shallow depth of field.

Another favorite of the day, despite the just missed focus on my part. Working wide open with it can make for a difficult time nailing focus, and I found a few of my shots slightly off as a result.

And a few more for good measure, if for no other reason than to show off how gorgeous she is.

All told, I couldn’t be happier with the results. I wanted a 50mm with good sharpness and contrast that would remain that way all the way into its maximum aperture and I got it. I don’t think there’s really a lens of comparable value to it, especially factoring in how easy it is to come by cheap and clean examples like mine. Whether you’re shooting film or mirrorless, get yourselves a Canon 50mm f1.4. I can’t think of a finer lens to document the apocalypse.

Gear Review 6: Yashica Micro Elite AF, 28 Years Later

Ah, the Yashica Micro Elite AF, so full of promise. You were almost the one. Almost.

Well, on second thought, not really.

We all know the Yashica T4, a legendary point and shoot, commanding hundreds of dollars on eBay even today. But what is it, what is it really, when you strip away all of the myth and legend and revere. It is a black plastic compact point-and-shooter, made by Kyocera Yashica in 1992. It features a 35 mm, f3.5 tessar lens with 4 elements. Sure that lens is a Carl Zeiss Tessar, but still. Apparently, these were the basic ingredients at the core of one of the best point and shoot 35mm cameras of all time. And that brings us here.

The Micro Elite AF is a black plastic compact point-and-shooter, made by Kyocera Yashica in 1992. It features a 32mm, f3.5 Tessar-type lens with 4 elements. And yet, while the T4 trades online between $350 and $500, the Micro Elite, also called the Minitec, trades often for $30. Squarely in the range of affordability for me, and worth finding out exactly where the similarities stop.

Though somewhat rarer than comparable cameras, there are always at least a few to be had. The first one I found looked perfect, free of any notable wear and tear and claimed to be fully operational. As a bonus it didn’t have a data back, making it a bit slimmer and perfect for slipping into a pocket. One click on the buy it now option on eBay and a $25 PayPal transfer later, it was on the way.

The camera arrived looking absolutely beautiful but you can never be too careful, so I threw in a couple AA’s and a roll of film I’ve been using for testing and fired off a few shots. The shutter was opening, film was advancing, focus seemed to be finding its mark just fine, but one thing was immediately apparent; no flash. No matter what I did, it would not fire, even when set to force flash. Oh well. I immediately messaged the seller, and they graciously gave me a full refund. It now lives happily on my shelf, a half-assed attempt at decorating.

Taking this refund and now more dead set than ever on acquiring one of these little guys, I put the money immediately toward another one, this time with a small soft case, the original manual, and the data back. Though the thicker frame wasn’t ideal, it certainly wasn’t a deal breaker. More importantly, the flash worked.

So what’s it like? It’s fine. Good even. the aesthetics are clean, simple, and attractive, if a bit similar to a lightly used bar of soap. The shutter button is a vague on mine, and finding the proper press to achieve focus lock or fire can be tricky. The top LCD is always on displaying the shot count even when the camera is switched off. Buttons along the top control the self timer, the three flash modes, infinity focus lock, and film rewind. ISO is automatically set for DX coded film from 100-400, and though there is little information to go on, general consensus puts the shutter speeds at 1/60th-1/200th.

In use, the little Yashica left a bit to be desired. As mentioned, the shutter button is soft, and getting it to remain focused can be a drag. Unfortunately the camera will not fire without a solid focus which lead to some missed moments. Funny enough, another point I don’t like is the flash. I found myself missing the camera with the broken flash as there is no way to disable it. If the camera thinks you need flash then dammit you’re gonna get it. You can attempt to get around this with the infinity focus button which disables it, but this presents the obvious issue of missed focus, especially if the goal is close up street shooting. The data back as mentioned is thick, and makes the camera difficult to shove comfortably in a pocket between shots. But enough of that, how are the photos?

I will go with nothing short of….fine? The results ended up a mixed bag, some surprisingly sharp, some woefully underexposed, most a bit flat. Take for instance the one below;

My girlfriend actually took a version of this photo as well, which can be viewed in my review of the Minolta Freedom Tele. Though hers was taken in color, both are 400 ISO films, really illustrating just how far off the camera metered for the image. It was actually broad daylight, with mild shadowing, something that shouldn’t ordinarily be a challenge. However, as we see here, the little Yashica seems to have struggled greatly, simultaneously killing all detail in the highlights and shadows alike. Another issue I had is the lack of any manual control over flash, resulting in it firing at inopportune times, such as an art gallery where photos are not allowed:

You can clearly see the flash’s reflection in the glass on either side of her. Luckily the person running the gallery was in the other room, so we got off scot free. However, this obviously poses an issue if you are inclined toward street photography, a task this camera would otherwise be well suited to with its 32mm lens, small proportions and nondescript looks. Despite these shortcomings, there were a couple that quite surprised me.

Note the fine detail in the puppy’s fur above and the leaves in the plant below. Sharpness was hit or miss photo to photo, but when it hit the little 4 element tessar style lens exceeded the admittedly low bar I had set for it. Now, onto the few favorites out of the bunch.

My top picks from the roll have more to do with the subject matter than the actual quality of the photograph. My beautiful girlfriend, her puppy, Maverick, a casual, if off centered shot of leading lines, and a rather austere looking bridge. The railroad and the portrait manage to remain interesting to my eye, despite being rather flat and gray. The bridge and the image of my subjects walking maintained more sharpness and contrast, but nothing to really write home about. I just like the pictures. All of this being said, the image quality ranges from utterly terrible to just fine, and everything in between.

So, is this little budget cam what I was hoping for, a close enough facsimile to a Yashica T4 to at least pass as good? I say with a heavy heart that no, it is not. Decidedly not in fact. It was a cheap camera when it came out all those years ago, and it remains a cheap camera today. The features, or lack thereof, make its use extremely limiting, the shutter button’s often utter disregard to being pushed led to several missed shots and plenty of frustration, and the images do nothing to bolster any remaining credit I may have lent it. Maybe giving it another chance, as I did with the Nikon, could at least try and change my mind, but I had such a hard time finishing this roll that I’m going to go ahead and say the little Yashica’s fate is sealed. Look out for it being given away for the price of a like on Instagram in the near future. $30 is not a worthwhile fee for entry, but maybe free will be.

Thanks for reading, if you liked this review, please leave a comment, check out my other writing or photographic work, or find me on Instagram @willwanderphotography.

Lessons from Life with One Lens

First published on 35mmc.com.

Before we jump in, I have a quote to share;

Limiting options forces creativity. Fishing for a year with only the Pheasant Tail & Partridge has given me deep knowledge about what to do with that simple brown fly, and a deeper understanding of fish. It has taught me that choosing a more simple life doesn’t mean choosing an impoverished life. Rather, simplicity can lead to a more satisfying way of fishing and a more responsible way of living. — Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia.

I cannot think of a finer way to begin this piece. Yvon, the man responsible for one of the greatest outdoor companies of all time, speaks a simple truth about the truth in simplicity. Fishing, like photography or woodworking or any craft, takes time, understanding, a feeling to truly master. And yet, as we move forward, we seem to move back.

The first cameras were simple affairs, with few options for the discerning professional to choose from. And so you became innately familiar with your tool, knowing every nook and cranny, strength and weakness, every possible result you may get and how you will get it. Photographers with their cameras were like fishermen with their rods; when there is only a simple stick and worm to work with, there is nowhere to hide your shortcomings. Technique becomes the name of the game, and the little bit of equipment at your disposal must become an extension of you, no less a part of you than the hand that holds it.

Today, in this age of boundless consumerism, this is not the case. Sure, you can shoot your camera on manual, but you don’t have to. Sure, you can move closer, but why not just pop on any number of zoom lenses? There is a lens, an attachment, or a mode for literally any issue that could arise, and every company, advertisement, and publication will waste no time in telling you how much you need them. It is so easy now to fall into the trap of identifying ourselves by the things we own rather than by the person we are or by what we are capable of, and I am no less guilty of succumbing to this trap than any of you. Ironically, this need for more is how I ended up with the lens in question.

When I got my Fujifilm X-T1, I had the option to buy it with just one lens or two. Thankfully, I opted for one, the 35mm f2 R WR. Now, this lens is not the fastest 35mm offered, overshadowed by Fujifilm’s own f1.4 and Mitakon’s f0.95, yet after owning it, I don’t care. I feel no need to upgrade, not in the slightest. This is my favorite lens I’ve ever owned, not because it is the sharpest or the fastest or the newest, but because it is the one I know best.

Though I did not make it quite as long as Yvon’s year, this little 35mm was my only lens for 6 months. In that time, I came to a deep understanding of the truth in his words, and grew more as an artist than all the time leading up to that combined. By not giving myself any alternatives, I pushed myself more than ever before. Without the option of reaching for a wide angle in the face of a landscape or snapping off portraits with a telephoto, I was forced to find my frame with what I had. To move around and see scenes differently, to work within limitations, and eventually, to transcend them. In a wonderful little paradox, those limitations were, in this case, completely freeing. I was no longer turning my eyes down and taking my hands off the shutter button to switch lenses or find little bits of “necessary” equipment. Instead, my eyes were always up and my finger always on the shutter, fully present.

Eventually, what I can only describe as a shift happened. The camera, and more importantly, the lens, became so natural, so fluid that I knew my framing before it was even up to my eye. I knew how it would behave from back-lighting to lens flares, architecture to portraits, and everything in between. In those 6 months, I took some of the best photos I have ever taken, a diverse bunch in theme, subject, and style, but every single one with the same setup. By the time I even thought about adding a second lens to my collection, I felt vaguely guilty. I knew how I would use it, the reasons I would buy it, what it would let me capture that my 35mm would not. And yet, it wasn’t my lens. I did finally go through with it, and now own its brother, the 23mm f2, a fantastic lens in its own right, but my unwavering love for the 35 remains.

Even as I aspire to own only a handful of clothing pieces, to purge my shelves of cluttered decor, to have little and want less, I cannot seem to do the same with my camera gear. I’ve finally begun to get rid of some here and there, and yet more keep finding their way into my hands. It can be hard for us not to do this with our passions; it is human nature to dive in and acquire all we can, both in material possessions and in knowledge. But there is something to be said for less of the former and more of the latter, and my 35mm has taught me that.

So I urge you, try it. Not to say that you have to sell your gear, maybe just put it down for a while. Pick one lens and use it for everything they tell you not to do with it. Shoot portraits with a 16mm, take landscapes with a 135. Hell, throw on a fish-eye and don’t take it off until you have nothing left to point it at. Get to know your gear on a deeper level; you’ll be surprised how much confidence you’ll gain, both in your equipment and, more importantly, in yourself.

Thanks for reading, if you liked this please leave a comment, check out my other writing or photographic work, or find me on Instagram @willwanderphotography.

Gear Review 5: Ricoh FF-3 AF, 38 Years Later

After buying many copies of crappy little point and shoots in pursuit of finding a lost gem, I have it. A largely forgotten camera, made by a company not quite famous yet, flying under the radar of its younger brothers.

So I’m just gonna come right out and say it. The Nikon FunTouch5 is not an inherently bad camera. It functions as it should, it’s compact, it’s not unreasonably offensive to the eyes. But beyond it’s name which manages to make me giggle every time, there’s really nothing notable here. So I’ll tell you a story.

Back on a Friday in October my girlfriend and I were headed to a Matt Maeson concert, a surprise for her birthday. I wanted to shoot some film, as did she, so we were both planning to bring a couple little point and shoots along. However, when the day came, everything kind of hit the fan. The camera I had originally bought on eBay arrived with a broken flash, prompting a refund. Its replacement was meant to be here on Monday, but surprise surprise, the post office lost it. No matter, we still had her Minolta, right? Nope, on the drive we discovered that somehow or another the bit the batter door attached to snapped in her bag, and no amount of duct tape would hold it functionally together. Pivot time.

I’d heard many times from a friend about a little camera shop in the city that he frequented with all kinds of old photo gear. Looking at the time, we had just enough wiggle room to stop by without impacting our plans for the evening, so we called ahead to make sure they had some point and shoots in stock and headed there. Knowing I had another camera in the mail somewhere or another, I didn’t want to break the bank, so I picked out the unassuming little piece of silver and grey plastic, along with a roll of Kodak Tri-X. The option for flash deactivation was a nice bonus. That night we had an incredible time in the city and the concert, and shot the whole roll. And the photos were….fine? Okay, the photos were bad. Out of 36 shots, maybe 10 were keepers, and even then they were nothing of note. The rest were mostly underexposed, some overexposed, and others just out of focus.

If you were looking to be impressed by some overlooked gem, you will not be. The little thing was made in China in the 90s, and man does it feel like it. Powering on requires sliding the little switch on the front, revealing the lens and prompting a green light on the back to power on. The lens is a very slow f4.5, with a slightly wider than average focal length of 29mm. Focus is fully automated, and shutter speed is fixed at 1/125. The only thing you have control of is the flash, with two buttons you hold down when firing, one that forces flash, one that prevents it. It takes DX coded, film, but only up to 400, making low light photography like we attempted with the concert pretty well out of the question. This thing does have the absolute strongest flash I have ever seen. Fire it off once and watch everyone around you get annoyed. It’s kind of funny.

However, I am not one to just call it quits after one roll. I knew I had taken the camera out of its element. Shooting a concert can be hard work for all but the best of gear, and this poor thing with its slow little lens and inability to shoot faster film was never meant for that kind of torment. Maybe the next roll would be better? Maybe if I just gave it a chance to do what it was meant to do it would shine. So, I loaded up another roll, color this time, and proceeded to shoot the next 36 exposures over the course of a couple months.

Obviously, the little camera performed much better when put to what might be considered its “correct use.” Still, I came away a little less than impressed. Any photo with motion was a lost cause due to the limiting 1/125 shutter speed. Color rendering seemed a bit off to me, not necessarily bad, just erring on the warm side. It is a Nikon after all. Exposure balance tended to struggle a bit, likely also due to the slow shutter. This often resulted in blown out highlights, especially in mid day scenes. Nor was I particularly impressed with the sharpness, seeing as the lens tended toward soft. There are keepers here and there, but overall I would call the results squarely on the low end of mediocre.

So what’s good? Well, it works, pretty reliably. Focus is fast, though useless for anything closer than around 6 feet. It auto winds, rewinds, fires, makes coffee, and did my taxes. Who gives a shit, it’s cheap. It takes photos on film. If you’re looking for a cheap film camera to take party photos, this will do just fine. Buy it, don’t buy it, I don’t care. Neither do you. The Nikon FunTouch5.

Behind the Shots: One Day in San Francisco

I realize I have yet to write anything beyond half-baked reviews on old cameras, so I figured I would give it a shot at a story. Excuse the rambling and overall lack of detail or direction here, it’s not easy trying to recall a single day from 6 months ago.

What do you with one whole day in a beautiful city with a Fuji X-T1, a 35mm lens, $30 in your pocket, and no responsibilities? You walk, a lot. I love San Francisco, it is one of the most approachable, interesting cities in the country. I had one day on my own, and was determined to see and photograph as much of it as I could. Unfortunately, a few days before I got a call from my credit card company, asking to verify that I had just spent a bunch of money in Washington DC. Upon looking down at the couch I was sitting on in Athens, Georgia, I very quickly realized that probably wasn’t me. With no working card, my transportation options for this trip were looking pretty limited. Walking it is.

I started my day with a little advice from my cousin’s boyfriend. San Francisco, like most cities, has a gritty side, this one being heroin. However, according to him, avoiding this is easy. Just don’t go all the way down any of the city’s many hills. Apparently, the addicts don’t go up hills. Probably a heroin thing? I don’t know. But armed with this knowledge and a desire to not get mugged for a small amount of money and my cherished X-T1, I headed out the door.

I can’t say enough how great San Francisco is, including the weather. A hoodie and jeans made for comfortable attire for the morning. First stop, the roof of the apartment building. And the oddly aesthetic stairwell.

Outdoor stairwell leading to the roof. All photos shot on X-T1 with 35mm f2.

As a consequence of that cool air coming in off the bay, mornings in San Francisco tend to be foggy. And some evenings. And afternoons. Actually, it just tends to be foggy there in general. However, the fog did not detract from catching views of the layered hills and buildings surrounding the Marina District.

With my first few shots in the bag and absolutely no idea where I wanted to go and no real reason to know, I headed out the door and picked a direction, excited for the long day ahead. For me, vacation is not a relaxing ordeal. Relaxation is being idle, and being idle is death. If I wanted to lay around all day, I just wouldn’t go anywhere. I moved fast, stopping only to line up shots as scenes caught my eye. First, a group of peach color walls, full of interesting lines and angles, perfectly complemented by red flowers. Then, an old car, just peaking out from beneath a cover.

At this point I was feeling good. What’s next? Well as it happened, San Francisco is an incredible place to shoot leading lines. Every other road is a steep hill, perfect for snapping off interesting perspective photos. After trying and failing at shooting downhill (it kept looking like I was shooting off a cliff, biking here seems like an exercise in terror) I turned my lens up the hill instead, resulting in one of my favorite photos of the day.

Meandering on, I came across the bustling streets of Chinatown. Perfect street photography territory. Now, at this point, I had never really attempted street photography before, and honestly, the idea terrified me. Correction, still terrifies me. The prospect of finding subjects in the random passerby on the street is a nerve-wracking proposal. Sure, you’re not really doing anything wrong, but it doesn’t feel quite right either. But having seen the incredible results of when it goes right, I figured the reward was worth the awkwardness. Here’s what I got.

Is it great? Absolutely not. Is the focus on? Not quite. Am I happy with them anyway? Less so now, but yea, sure. Street shooting experiment over, I headed out towards the piers, with one particular one in mind. I had heard of one called Pier 7, not as popular a tourist destination but apparently lined with old light posts, another perfect opportunity for shooting interesting leading lines. After a quick stop off for a late morning bagel I found it, composed, and got what I came for, as well as a couple little bonus photos of a fisherman and the bridge.

At this point I figured I would check out the rest of the piers, but the throngs of tourists quickly turned me away. Seeing what appeared to be an endless hill, I took it. Partway up, I saw what would become my favorite shot of the day. Keeping with the leading lines theme of the day, I lined up the scene with some power lines resulting in this:

National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi

Finally, I headed up the biggest hill of all time, snagging the killer view of downtown pictured at the top of this post. At this point it was early afternoon, so in my attempt to see as much of the city as I could in one day, I pointed my way toward Haight-Ashbury. After exploring the area, I decided the seemingly endless bong and tie-dye shops weren’t for me, and figured I would check out the nearby Golden Gate Park. Do not do this if you aren’t really sure what you’re getting into. Seriously. This thing is unbelievably huge. On the upside it is a beautiful walk with plenty of variety, from museums to the Japanese tea garden, none of which I had enough cash on hand to get into. Finally, with a desperate need to pee, I decided it was time to find a bathroom. Unfortunately, those are extremely hard to come by, and the only public bathroom I did come across had a very sketchy looking homeless guy hanging around at it. After two hours lost and uncomfortable I thankfully found one, and even came out of it with a few keepers.

With the end of the day looming, and clear skies all around, I had to accomplish my final and biggest goal: the Golden Gate Bridge. Could I really leave here without trying my hand at capturing the icon? Hustle time. I raced to get there, or at least as quickly I could go in my jeans and Vans. I could not miss this chance at shooting the bridge without it being obscured by fog. I was getting close, and my heart was rapidly dropping. Finally I got to the coast at what should have been a brilliant sight and looked off into what seemed to be the edge of the world. I had missed my window, and everything was engulfed in the fog. With the sun creeping ever lower, I knew I wouldn’t have another opportunity today.

A sight to be sure, but not what I wanted. If you look really closely midway through the fog, you can’t see shit.

Oh well, all the more reason to go back right? 16 long miles later and my day was done. If you enjoyed this, drop a comment and tell me what you thought. I’ll try and work on doing more, maybe sooner than 6 months after the fact. And to wrap this up on a positive note, though it wasn’t nearly the shot I wanted to take, I did at least get one of the bridge the evening before.

Looking Forward: Goals for My Work in 2020

2020 will be an interesting year. Up to this point, everything has been kind of laid out before me. For the last 16 years, the path was always clear. In elementary school, I knew what lay ahead. In middle school, I knew what lay ahead. In high school, I was just working to get into a good college. And up to now, every year in college led to another year in college. But now…what? What’s next? Where do I go, what do I do, how do I get there. In the face of uncertainty, I’m left scrambling for some sense of direction, something concrete, something I can fully control in this transition. That brings me here, putting words to paper, as I outline my goals for my work this year. In this way I have something to work towards, something challenging but constant.

Produce something I can be proud of every week. It can be so easy for me to fall into a creative slump, wanting so badly to shoot but not actually going out and just doing it.
Work with as many creators as possible. Reach out to more photographers, videographers, and models, learn from each other, and create something we can all be proud of.
Branch out more in my work, push myself to learn new areas of the craft. There are so many techniques within and outside the genre I currently do that I want to learn.
Use the gear I have. I’m always on the lookout for new bodies, lenses, and accessories. I spend more time online shopping than I do out in the field using the gear collecting dust on the shelf.
Shoot more film. As mentioned, I have many cameras, most of them film, but I only really use one or two, and even those don’t get out much. That needs to change.
Be proud of my work. I’m tired of comparing myself to others. My progress in the last two years has been huge, and I need to remember that. I believe in what I do, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Gear Review 3: Canon AE-1 Program, 39 Years Later

I spent months lusting after film cameras. Specifically this one, the AE-1 Program. I didn’t know much about it or why I wanted it, I just knew that it was a legend, and it was a Canon. And that was good enough for me. Every day I would look at Craigslist, hoping to score a deal, and every day, I kept finding them just out of reach, unable to justify spending $150 on an old camera. And then, I found it.

Sitting idly in a class, I came across an ad with no pictures, just a title and a brief description. “Two Canon AE-1, 6 lenses. $100.” Too good to be true? Maybe. But it seemed to be flying under everyone else’s radar given the lack of info or photos. Well, it was worth a shot, so I sent the email, and long story short, picked up the bodies, lenses, 6 rolls of unshot film and a vintage Leica film bag in a mountain town in North Georgia. I couldn’t believe it.

There’s really not much to say about this camera that hasn’t been said by someone else already. I loved this thing so much I spent $30 just to get that little plastic grip made in the 80s for it. I shot my first film rolls ever on it, reveling in the change of pace from digital. I took any excuse to pick it up and look at it, run my fingers over each surface, play with the little mechanical dials. You’d be hard pressed to not feel something when you pick up this thing, it’s a work of art, perfect, simple.

This is all to say that the specs, the 1/1000 max shutter speed, the electronic shutter, the program mode, you can read about that anywhere. I’m not here to tell you about that, I’m here to tell you about the impalpable, the untouchable, the feeling of the thing, the emotion. You’ll never feel cooler than you will with an AE-1. It’s an icon. A thing so instantly recognizable to the older generations, the film buffs, the photographers, the hipsters, but so foreign, so novel to those not in the know. It’ll make you better than the smart phone toting, Instagram posting masses around you, even though that is you. But seriously, it will make you stop and think, consider each shot, slow down a little bit and just enjoy the act of making a photo. It’s just advanced enough to give you room to play, and not so much that it gets in its own way. With the Program modes, it can cater to anyone from the beginner to professionals, offering fully automated exposure, as well as shutter or aperture priority.

In the time I had with mine, I took it all over town, shooting friends, cars, buildings, and did an entire portrait shoot on a roll of expired black and white I found in the bag. Half of the pictures were terrible, but it was my first foray into film, so what do you expect? Now you may be wondering, Why do I keep speaking in the past tense? Well I’ll tell you; my beloved AE-1 Program is dead. On a sunny summer day, my girlfriend and I decided to take a little picnic to a sunflower field, a perfect opportunity to shoot a little film. And then, 12 shots into the roll, the camera just kind of clicked. It did not slap, as it should when the shutter activated. It clicked. A dull, quiet, tinny click. And that was it. The shutter would not fire, the film advance would not crank. I pulled off the Tamron 24-70 I had mounted, and, to my dismay, found a mysterious piece of sharp plastic sticking out of part of the mechanism. And just like that, she died.

Now do not let this dissuade you from finding your own AE-1 to love. They’re nearly 40 years old, shutters wear out, things happen. There’s plenty of them still out there, albeit trading at ever higher prices. Get one while you can, have it gone over, do whatever preventive maintenance you can, and go shoot. Because these cameras are special, and you deserve it.

Thanks for reading, if you liked this review, please leave a comment, check out my other writing or photographic work, or find me on Instagram @willwanderphotography.

Gear Review 2: Minolta Freedom AF Tele, 33 Years Later

Leica contracted Minolta to make a re-bodied version of this camera for their first point and shoot. This camera was good enough for Leica. If that’s not enough an endorsement for you I don’t know what is. I bought this camera for my girlfriend on eBay to replace her sadly broken Minolta AF Tele for a great price. These cameras can be had all day long in the $15 to $45 range in great condition, compared to their Leica branded counterpart, which goes for upward of $200. However, both cameras come with dual focal length lenses, one a 38mm f2.8, the other an 80mm f5.6, which extends along with the flash at the push of a button. Both cameras feature an LCD screen at the top displaying shutter count, as well as buttons to force fire or restrict the flash. Her particular camera arrived in near pristine condition, excluding the inexplicably off frame lines in the viewfinder.

She brought the camera on a trip we took to Charleston, along with a 36 exposure roll of Lomography Color 400. If you haven’t tried that film, the color reproduction is beautiful, we will absolutely be buying more. Besides the excellent color reproduction of the film, the photos themselves were remarkably sharp. The areas in focus were crisp and clean, and there was surprisingly pleasing bokeh present in some of the shots. The cameras automated exposures were extremely well metered, with balanced lights and darks and nothing over or underexposed. Only a few of the frames were completely out of focus (the worst of which I took), which could be an issue with the viewfinder, ignoring the minimum focus distance, or just the camera not correctly finding focus. For the most part the images were beautiful, providing sharp, contrasty images.

I personally like the chunky late 80s early 90s aesthetics. It’s by no means a small camera, but should fit fine into a coat pocket or purse. Everything feels solidly made and of pretty high quality for a piece of plastic from 1987. Also the button that moves the lens and flash is super fun to play with. The only real downside is the battery, it takes a 6V 2CR5 which cost about $10 at BatteriesPlus. Hopefully it lasts a little longer than the standard pair of AAs in similar point and shoots.

If you’ve ever wanted to own a Leica but don’t have Leica money, this is your camera. If you’ve ever wanted an extremely capable point and shoot, this is your camera. If you’ve ever just wanted to have some casual fun shooting film without breaking the bank, this is all the camera you need. My girlfriend loves hers, and so will you.

Thanks for reading, if you liked this review, please leave a comment, check out my other writing or photographic work, or find me on Instagram @willwanderphotography.

Gear Review 1: The Fujifilm X-T1, 6 years later

In January 2014, Fujifilm released the X-T1, a weather resistant, mirrorless camera with the looks of a classic SLR. It went on to earn nearly universal award-winning praise, and at $1,299 for the body alone, was aimed squarely for the high end market. But what’s it like today?

In June of 2019, I was on Craigslist with a wad of cash burning a hole in my pocket. I had just gotten back from Africa, a trip which required me to lug around my Canon 80D and a collection of lenses in my heavy camera pack. I had done this before in LA and many trips before that, and every time came away unsatisfied with the weight and size of my gear. Now I had a trip to San Francisco coming up, and with that in mind, was on the hunt for a mirrorless system. Admittedly, I did look through numerous listings for Sony A6300s, but came to the correct conclusion that I didn’t want to be a Sony guy. Finally, I happened across an X-T1, being offered with your choice of lenses, grips, and batteries. A couple days and some light negotiating later, it was mine.

For $600, I got a nearly unused X-T1, a 35mm f/2, 4 batteries, a remote release, and two OEM Fuji grips, one the battery grip, and the other the extended hand grip. I only wanted the 35mm as it was weatherproof like the body, compact, fast, and a prime. After all, the goal was to simplify my setup, not just pivot it. A couple weeks later, my girlfriend and I took a trip to Atlanta, and after seeing what I got from it, I was sold.

Since then, I have taken my little Fujifilm on every trip, used it for nearly every shoot, and never looked back. It’s been across the country, out camping, in the city, the streets of Charleston, concerts, and on many portrait shoots. It gets endless compliments, both from those that see my work and from people on the street that see the attractive little camera and want to know what it is.

But, how does it really perform today? A lot has changed in 6 years in the camera world, not to mention the fact that Fujifilm released the X-T2 in 2016 and the X-T3 in 2018. To put it simply, incredibly well. Everything about it holds up, from the beautifully made magnesium body to the incredible colors Fuji is capable of producing. Photographer friends are often shocked to find out that the camera is working with a mere 16 megapixels considering the sharp images it is capable of. It performs exceptionally in low light, produces stunning portraits, and is light, small, and easy to travel with. Considering you can pick up a lightly used body for $300-$400, I’d recommend it to anyone today, especially if you’re working with a limited budget. It’s the best camera I’ve ever owned.

Saint Francis of Assisi Church, taken with the Fuji and 35mm

Shot in Charleston, SC, with Fuji and 35mm

What's this for?

Hello, and welcome to the blog! I’ve been trying to decide what direction to go with this, and I think I might’ve nailed it down. This blog will consist of a few things, first and foremost being hands on reviews of somewhat obscure cameras. I am a self admitted Craigslist and eBay addict, albeit an addict with a budget that does not allow for things like Contax T2s or Leica Ms. Instead, I settle for buying cheap, unloved and largely forgotten about point and shoots, SLRs, and anything else that peaks my interest. However, when I go online to try and research my latest watched item, there’s no information to be found! It’s like the world just kind of forgot that they ever existed. So, my goal is to fix that. As I acquire new (old) cameras, I’ll provide sample photos, reviews, thoughts and general ramblings about them to you good people, so that you can also feel confident spending $30 on a questionably working piece of plastic from 1987. If you have a review you would like to submit, just shoot me an email with the review and photos attached, and I’ll be happy to throw it up here so the rest of the internet has a home for knowledge on things they didn’t really know they needed. In addition to the reviews, I was thinking that, depending on your interest (or mine in writing it) I would post the occasional recap of trips, behind the scenes content and features for some of my talented friends. If this sounds interesting, please, leave a comment! I’d love your feedback.