We’re in the midst of a cold snap here in Ontario but that’s no reason to always stay inside. So the gang brings up their best and worst choices for cameras out in the cold weather! We also discuss the weird things we do to film in shooting and processing.
Cold Weather Cameras – The Best
What are our cameras of choice when out in the cold? Well everyone has a different approach to why they pick certain cameras when heading out for some cold weather shooting.
Mamiya m645 – When it comes to usability outside, a camera that relies on a battery and electronics may not be the best choice. But to Alex, part of usability in the winter includes the ability to use the cameras with gloves on. And with the m645 being a professional workhorse, it’s large controls makes it easy to operate even with mittens on! Plus he’s never had an issue operating the camera even in close to -30C weather over the Christmas holidays.
Camera Specs
Make: Mamiya
Model: m645
Type: Single Lens Reflex
Format: Medium Format, 120/220, 6×4.5
Lens: Interchangeable, Mamiya m645 mount
Year of Manufacture: 1975
Hasselblad 500c/m – John’s first pick for his winter camera is the reliable Hasselblad 500c/m, even in the winter wearing gloves he doesn’t have an issue with the exposure control on the lens. Although a large focusing lever does help!
Camera Specs
Make: Hasselblad
Model: 500c/m
Type: Single Lens Reflex
Format: Medium Format, 120/220, 6×6
Lens: Interchangeable, Hasselblad V mount
Year of Manufacture: 1975
Fuji GSW690II – When it comes to winter there’s something to be said about capturing the beautiful winter snowscapes especially when it’s on a 6×9 negative. That’s why the GSW690 is James’ pick for a winter camera. Not to mention with a nickname “Texas Leica” it’s big enough to use with those winter gloves.
James with his newly aquired GSW690II
Camera Specs
Make: Fuji
Model: GSW690II
Type: Rangefinder
Format: Medium Format, 120/220, 6×9
Lens: Fixed, EBC Fujinon-W f=65mm 1:5.6
Year of Manufacture: 1985
Nikon FM2n – When it comes to winter photography, Bill’s choice is out of both need for something that works in cold weather, and is compact enough to pack when he’s out skiing. And the vertical shutter on the FM2n is his choice as it has yet to fail even deep into the -20s.
Camera Specs
Make: Nikon
Model: FM2n
Type: Single Lens Reflex
Format: 135 (35mm), 24x36mm
Lens: Interchangeable, Nikon F-Mount
Year of Manufacture: 1983
Canon A-1 – Despite what Bill says, Donna’s main choice of winter cameras is the Canon A-1, it’s compact enough to fit in a pocket and has the needed size to be handled even in gloves.
Camera Specs
Make: Canon
Model: A-1
Type: Single Lens Reflex
Format: 135 (35mm), 24x36mm
Lens: Interchangeable, Canon FD-Mount
Year of Manufacture: 1978
Canon Elan 7ne – The best way to handle cold weather, easy, get a camera with eye-focusing and a great program mode. For Mike that’s the Elan 7ne, with one of the best eye-control focus, the camera tracks his eye movement across the frame and adjusts, if that’s not good for gloves, then we don’t know what is!
Camera Specs
Make: Canon
Model: Elan 7ne
Type: Single Lens Reflex
Format: 135 (35mm), 24x36mm
Lens: Interchangeable, Canon EF-Mount
Year of Manufacture: 2004
Contax N1 – When it comes to cold, there’s no better choice than the biggest, baddest camera you can get your hands on. And for Trevor, that’s the Contax N-1, built by Kyocera and features some amazing Zeiss lenses. But don’t go out looking for one, your wallet will hate you for it.
Trevor showing off the Contax N1
Camera Specs
Make: Kyocera
Model: Contax N1
Type: Single Lens Reflex
Format: 135 (35mm), 24x36mm
Lens: Interchangeable, Contax N-Mount
Year of Manufacture: 2001
Film Abuse
We’ve all done some crazy things to make film do what we want. From extreme pushes and pulls, cross-processing, and odd developing methods. But sometimes you just have to do what you need to get the results you want. Or just because you want to see if you can! Not to mention tales from the deep jungle and hockey arenas across the country there are plenty of ways that you can abuse film and make it give you the results you want!
Alex’s favourite, the Panatomic-X trick,
take TMax 100, expose at 32 and soup in Rodinal or Xtol
Kodak TMax 400 pushed rather far and souped in Diafine
Who says you can’t take a 50-speed film up to 1600, Mike sure can with Polypan F
And you can’t deny that Tri-X you can do pretty much anything you want with it and it’ll spit out great results
Looking for a good spot to get your gear and material fix check out Burlington Camera (Burlington, ON), Downtown Camera (Toronto, ON), Film Plus (Toronto, ON), Belle Arte Camera (Hamilton, ON), Pond’s FotoSource (Guleph, ON), Foto Art Camera (Owen Sound, ON). Out West there’s The Camera Store (Calgary, AB) and Beau Photo Supply (Vancouver, BC). Additionally you can order online at Argentix (Quebec), buyfilm.ca (Ontario), the Film Photography Project or Freestyle Photographic.
Also you can connect with us through email: classiccamerarevivial[at]gmail[dot]com or by Facebook, we’re at Classic Camera Revival or even Twitter @ccamerarevival