I still don’t know what happened. One of the last things I packed to move was my scanner and I made sure — absolutely sure — that I had everything for it because my scanner is necessary for how I create. But, after a marathon film developing session and I had eight rolls hanging to dry, I realized my thirty-five millimeter negative holder had gone missing. Missing!

And, I did not panic. And, I did not fly off the handle. And, I did not freak out. No, I grimly set about the most methodical search I have ever undertaken for any misplaced possession in my misplaced history. I was rockjawed and steely eyed as I examined every container and resting place within the domicile. I took apart the seats of my car. I looked everywhere. Five times! No luck. It was gone.

So I put out a cry on social media for help. Would anyone sell me theirs? No, they would not. I searched the Internet. It is not a common item to locate. Someone was selling negative holders for forty bucks on eBay. A dusty forum post from five years ago suggested that they could be ordered direct from Canon USA’s parts division, that you had to order the top and bottom separately and that each piece was ten-to-fifteen dollars. Forty bucks in today’s dollars was starting to sound about right. So, I bit the bullet called Canon. A supremely sunny saled rep was extremely helpful, and seemed to know exactly what I needed. But, it was just one part number. And, it was eight bucks. Eight and change, shipped! Skeptically, I plunked down my credit card. And, I waited.

Four short days later, UPS dropped off this rather large and tattered box. From Canon. I assumed the worst. I mean, look at the thing. It probably cost more than eight bucks to ship. But, after biting my lip and opening it, it was exactly what I needed.

So, this is where the big DSLR dollars get spent — helping poor schmoes like me get back to scanning expired Kodak gold negatives. Thank you Canon USA! You do rock.

Got a surprise from a friend this morning: he gave me his ol’ Canon A-1. What a legendary camera! He kicked over a 50mm macro lens too. I just ordered a 25mm extension tube on KEH for it. Looking forward to some walk-around macro distractions. This is such a gorgeous, classic design. I’m very, very grateful!

My 24-105 has gotten very loose, I can’t even gaze at my shoes without it zooming in. So off to Canon it goes. Canon service has always done right by me, so I’m not worried.*

If you’ve never done a factory service with Canon, it’s easy. In the USA, just use their site to create a repair request which generates a tracking number and shipping slip. They’ll email you an estimate pretty quickly. This is fantastic for sensor cleaning, too,

* OK maybe just a little.

I was freezing when I took this. As I bided my time, waiting for a clear moment to move out into the road I greeted every passing car with a storm of silent obscenity. I’d passed this spot countless times and now was the moment to get this shot.

Jonas Åkerlund‘s new video for “Girl Panic” by Duran Duran features supermodels acting as the band members. It’s a really lavish and entertaining mini-movie, and it was apparently banned by MTV for girl-girl sexuality and excessive product placement. But, I was delighted to find that much of the “placement” was for some classic cameras! I love that Åkerlund used vintage cams from the 1980s even though the video is ostensibly set in the modern day — a nice little detail. A couple of them are really interesting pieces as well!

Check out a vintage 1982 Polaroid SLR 680 wielded by Helena Christensen. The 680 was basically a version of the legendary SX-70 that took the newer 600-type film. That would be nice to have these days, since 600 is easier to come by.

(more…)

A few trusted friends have pointed out that some recent work of mine has been plagued with a lot of crud on my digital sensor. I’ve huffed and puffed and rocket-blown the heck out of it. Alas, the gloop persists. I have all the materials to clean the sensor on my Canon 5D on my own. However, since I have been having spotty luck with cameras lately, and knowing I’m down to my bottom dollar, I just didn’t want to risk it. The possibility of damaging it during the tricky business with no means to replace it was something I’m not ready to risk at the moment. So, I wheeled it into the Canon Service Center down in Irvine, CA. They said I should also get the mirror adjusted — free — so it’s gonna be a week. They’re also gonna replace my worn-down serial number plate. Unexpected bonus!

Fingers crossed. Can’t wait to get it back.

Play: “Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)” – Flock of Seagulls

As strange things go, this is me: a month ago I never would have considered myself a candidate to get into film photography. I was a digital guy for all the reasons digital cameras make sense. Film is tricky, unwieldy, expensive, slow, and requires skill I probably don’t have.

But, a few weeks ago I read up on this classic type of camera called a “rangefinder” and it sounded pretty neat. I read of some enthusiastic accounts by fans of the camera, and decided on a whim to set up a craigslist alert for one specific model – this Canon QL17 “Canonet” .. the budget rangefinder that compares to deluxe Leica cameras ten times its price. I don’t know why I did it, the idea of film still seemed ludicrous to me. The Canonet seemed to go for $40 to $140 bucks depending. At the very least, I thought, if I found a cheapo one, it would be something cool to take pictures of if not with.

“I’ve Got A Miniature Secret Camera” – Peter Murphy

But, not a week in, an ad came down the feed for a Canonet right in my neighborhood — well, the Valley anyway. The price? $50 with case and flash. So on an overcast Saturday morning, I went out to an Encino hair salon — the seller’s place of business — to check it out. As I understood it, the camera had been inherited after a recent passing in the seller’s family. It was screwed into its case and looked like it hadn’t been removed in 30 years. It was gorgeous. I was sold. I got myself an old camera.

Once, I had it, I was still unsure what the heck I was doing. I drove to a drugstore to try to find some film. It was cloudy. I looked through the viewfinder, and: Whoa! The act of focusing a rangefinder camera is an amazing enlightenment. The viewfinder presents the scene in front of you, and a ghostly superimposed version. You slide a lever back and forth and watch as the two versions of the scene merge into one. It’s a transcendent moment of satori.

“Focus On Sight“  Thievery Corporation

So over the next few days, I took pictures. I had no idea if the camera was working. I was using a rule-of-thumb method of guessing exposure called “Sunny 16” — for there is not much automatic about this camera. I went through that roll of film. A film-nut friend recommended I try the cheap Kroeger-branded film at Ralph’s, for it is actually an Italian film notorious for a antique look that some people hate and some love. I shot three rolls of that — still not even knowing if the thing worked. I was hooked. The rangefinder shows a scene in the viewfinder and lets you focus even with the cap on. of course, I kept clicking pics with the cap on. Newbie! I even had a little micro-adventure when I was out taking photos in Santa Monica. I left the cap on when I tried to take a photo of a mysterious photographer.

Then, I had to get it developed. Really? What year is this? Who even does that now? I found a lab near work. I rolled in and said, “I’m here to drop off film. I have never done this before!*” The proprietor was amused and then helpful. I had to wait a day to get the pics back. A day! I still was convinced the camera wasn’t even taking pictures. See with a rangefinder camera there is no “mirror slap” — that’s the telltale mechanical event in a common single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, the reflex! — when you trip the shutter. Very little happens to reassure you, when you use this camera. Every press of the shutter is a lottery ticket into the photographic future. I hoped I’d be lucky.

“Photograph” – The Verve Pipe

But, the next day came. I had been told they’d be ready at 2:30. I called the lab at noon hoping my photos would be early. Nope! “There are no shortcuts! Get used to it,” I told myself.

Fine, enough anecdote! The pictures came back. Some were surprisingly good, even great in my eyes. Some examples? Sure. Even some pictures I was positive that I took behind the lens cap miraculously really happened. very strange. Strange and wonderful, I guess. At least it distracted me from everything else for a few moments.

“Pictures To Prove It” – Mighty Mighty Bosstones

* In actuality I had dropped off film dozens of times when I was a kid — even when i took photography in high school with a film SLR. But that was clearly some other universe. I remember no details.

This trick below just worked for me on a Canon 430EX flash I have been craving for a long time.

HOW TO: Get an Extra 5% off ANYTHING From Amazon.com ~ Tech News.