Minolta Gear Archeology: Odds and Ends
Gear Archeology is something you fall into slowly without much thought. Although I try my best to avoid it, the collecting bug always seems to bite me. Sometimes, it’s a major item, like a pristine Minolta-35 IIB or an X-600. But, often, the search for that one little thingContinue Reading
The Iceman Cameth
The coldest period in Atlanta is usually mid-January to mid-February. If there is going to be snow, this is the time it is likely to appear. Ice was this year’s winter statement. Like the typical Atlantan, I stocked up on essentials and waited for the power to go out. TheContinue Reading
Kodacolor 100: I Like It!
Last October, Kodak announced Kodacolor 100 and Kodacolor 200, neither of which is entirely new. Speculation is that they are Pro-Image and ColorPlus with new labels. Generally speaking, I have tended to use Fuji 100 because it was available in 12-exposure rolls. Kodak Ektar, I’ve used only onceContinue Reading
On a (Mostly) Clear Day…
These buildings are about three miles away and are usually veiled by haze and softened by distance. But on this day, the sky was sufficiently clear to allow them to be appreciated framed by trees and a few wandering clouds. A red filter would have made this perfect. FromContinue Reading
Requiem for a Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D
The Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D was introduced in late 2004, a product of Minolta’s merger with Konica the previous year. It came with a 6.1 MP CCD sensor, which accounts for its rich color reproduction. Its design borrowed significantly from that of the Maxxum 7, introduced in 2000. ProductionContinue Reading
Prayer for Compassion
David Darling, a cellist, was one of my favorite musicians. His albums “Prayer for Compassion” and “Eight-String Religion” are my favorites, and I listen to them almost daily. This church, stately and serene, bathed in afternoon light, reminded me of his music. The church was mostly obscured byContinue Reading
When In Disgrace with Fortune…
I have no idea what this statue is supposed to represent. My immediate reaction was that it showed a man in anguish. It’s in black and white because the Porta 400 loaded in the other camera would not have captured the despair it seemed to convey—a man beweeping hisContinue Reading
Don’t Even Think About It…
When I saw this sign, I laughed out loud. This is the only sign with this warning that I’ve seen on the Carter Center grounds. It’s right next to the hydrant and very low—at dog height. Perhaps, too many unwanted “gifts” have been left by the hydrant,Continue Reading
VMLP 44: Minolta MD Zoom 50-135mm f/3.5—Well…
The MD Zoom 50-135mm is part of Minolta’s zoom boom of the late 70s that began with the arrival of the XD/XG camera models. Between 1978 and 1985, 16 zooms were released, ranging from the 24-35mm to the 100-500mm. Many of these zooms are rather expensive and seem notContinue Reading
Stopping by a Stairway on an Autumn Afternoon
Located at the rear of the Carter Center, near the lake, this stairway allows one to descend from the noise of the city to the quiet of the lake. The bottom of the stairway is covered by a canopy of trees that blocks light as much as sound, offering aContinue Reading
