VMLP 30: The Minolta Maxxum 700si—The One with All the Awards
The Minolta 700si won the 1994-1995 EISA award and a few others after its release in 1993. Today it has faded into relative obscurity. Looking at sold listings on eBay, one finds that only a few are sold in any given period. There are YouTube videos, though, so that’s good. At theContinue Reading
Back to the 50s, an Ode to Simplicity
I’ve favored autofocus cameras for the last four years because they make creating images easier. In particular, aperture priority shooting with accurate metering leaves me unencumbered to compose and shoot. When chasing birds and insects, autofocus is a no-brainer choice. So, I am surprised by my growing affection for 50sContinue Reading
Cafe Sitting—an Acquired Taste
For my early adult years, cafe sitting was not a part of my social life. Cafe sitting is not the same as simply eating outside, like, for example, on a patio. No, cafe sitting requires being right there on the street next to people strolling by. It’s being part ofContinue Reading
Grape Nehi-ish
As a child, I lived in a small southern town. Just outside of town was a Royal Crown bottling plant, and it also produced the Nehi line of soft drinks (we called it “pop”). A relative worked at the plant, so occasionally, I got a free grape Nehi. Grape NehiContinue Reading
Star Gazing and the Vintage Minolta Love Project
The Stars, as I call them, are a group of lenses I longed to try but never thought I’d own—the 24mm f2.8, 85mm f1.7, 58mm f1.2, 100mm f2.5, and the 35mm f1.8. The Stars are expensive but readily available— unlike those I call the Legends (20mm 2.8, 21mm 2.8, 24mmContinue Reading
In Vino Veritas
These two images constitute 100% of our now sparse wine collection. This depleted state is a far cry from 10 years ago when we usually had 20-30 bottles at any time. That number increased just before the holidays. Our fascination with wine began in 1978 when we decided to seeContinue Reading
Carter Center Art Stroll
The Carter Center is in the middle of Atlanta. Freedom Park, which surrounds it, is a somewhat loose collection of green spaces scattered over a relatively wide area. Recently, I learned that some walking paths have art, specifically sculptures, like the Atlanta BeltLine. Eager to shoot my Maxxum 700si andContinue Reading
Boxes Are Nice…
I have more cameras and lenses than I need. Most were bought because of the Vintage Minolta Love Project (VMLP). When I bought them, my plan was to write a user experience report, keep the gear I liked, then sell the others. Thus far, three years into the project, IContinue Reading
Head to the Sky
I’ve always been fascinated by the Bank of America Plaza. It stands atop a rise between Midtown and Downtown Atlanta, so one approaching it from the east or west is going uphill. Standing in the valley on North Avenue that nestles the entrance to Old Fourth Ward Park and lookingContinue Reading
Washi X, First Look
It seems new color films are appearing monthly. So far, I have bought rolls of Washi X, CineStill 400D, and Wolfen NC 500, and I hope to try Lomochrome Color 92. As I later discovered, Washi X is repackaged Kodak Aerocolor IV, a surveillance film. Washi X appears to beContinue Reading
