As It Turns Out, I Don’t Know how to Load film

I had previously promised that I would write a post about the winter campout after I got photos from it developed. Just before going back East for the holidays I had discovered this laying about.

(photo by www.D2k6.es)

Well, I had not used a film camera in a long time and I had never used a manual camera ever, but I did not let that deter me. I got some film and read a bit about it; I figured I was all set and at least some of the pictures would come out okay. So I took the damn thing camping. Unfortunately, I failed to learn how to properly load the film. So not a single photo was taken. I guess I am not Frank Hurley.

Since that time I have learned how to load the film properly. I am happy to report that the camera is fully functional and despite with my total lack of photography skill it takes rather good pictures. So, I am excited about using it a bit more, you know, learn a few things about film speed, aperture, and what not. Eventually I would like to get a good digital camera. I’m rather excited to find out that camera companies are making models that are not quite SLR’s¹ or point-and-shoots. It sounds like the candidate name for these cameras are Interchangeable Lens Compacts. I really like the one by Olympus, the PEN EP-1, but that will probably have to wait. In the meanwhile I’ll continue to cut my teeth on the Pentax. The thing is a beast and besides its old-timey appeal, it will be able to take the abuse of winter camping better than any digital camera will, I suspect.

¹Not only do digital SLR’s look ridiculous, it is an awkward marriage of old manual camera technology with the new digital. I’m sure people out there will argue a bit, but I can not see any reason to have a reflex mirror lens system in a digital camera. I’m actually surprised it has taken the camera industry this long to realize that people would want camera system that essentially acts like an old manual SLR without looking like, or even being, one.