2007年10月25日 星期四

Yashica MAT-124G @ Old Library, NTU 台大圖書館舊館

2007.10.25

The rainy weather was not suitable for shooting color film, so I took a roll of 120 black and white negative film and a camera and walked to the National Taiwan University campus to shoot historical buildings (note 1). Because of the rainy day, the sky was almost white, and the buildings themselves were very dark due to insufficient light. The result of trying to make the buildings themselves normally exposed was that the sky was obviously overexposed. Perhaps the effect of underexposing 1 f-stop would be better.

Note 1: National Taiwan University Library was founded as the Taihoku Imperial University Library in March 1928 by the Japanese colonial government.

陰雨綿綿的天氣實在不適合拍正片,索性拿了捲120黑白負片與相機,走路到台大校園拍攝古蹟建築。因為陰雨天的關係,天空近乎白色,而建物本身則因光線不足而顯得非常昏暗,盡量讓建物本身正常曝光的結果,天空部分明顯地曝光過度,或許再少曝光1 f-stop的效果會比較好吧。
使用器材:



Yashica MAT 124 G is a reasonably priced camera with good optical and mechanical quality. I first got it in 1997, but then sold it to raise money for a Hasselblad. Last year (2007), I decided to buy another Yashica MAT 124 G from an online auction to relive the experience of shooting 120 black and white film.

YASHICA MAT 124 G 是一台價格合理,光學與機械品質均佳的相機。第一次入手約昰1997年,後來因為籌錢買哈蘇,就賣掉了。去年(2007),因為想再來回味120的黑白底片,所以又從網路上標購了一台品相尚佳的 YASHICA MAT 124 G。

This time, I decided to digitize the black and white negatives instead of printing them as usual. The tools I used are as follows:

這次拍攝120黑白負片,除了沖片以外,並未如往常的習慣去印樣。而是將它數位化,我準備的工具如下:

  1. Canon EOS Kiss DIgital N
  2. Contax Makor-Planar 100/2.8
  3. Standard color temperature light box 標準色溫燈箱
  4. A piece of non-reflective transparent glass 不反光透明玻璃一片
  5. Adobe PhotoShop
Smart readers will probably guess by now that I used a digital single-lens reflex camera to directly digitize the black and white negatives, then used Photoshop to convert the negatives to positives. The subsequent adjustments to the shades and contrast were all done in the digital darkroom. Here are some of the results of my experiments:

看到這裡聰明的網友,應該會會心一笑,原來我昰利用數位單眼相機直接將黑白底片數位化,再用PhotoShop 將負片轉為正相,之後的濃淡與對比的調教全都以數位暗房來達成。


Photo 1:  Old Library, NTU  台灣大學圖書館舊館 (Yashica MAT 124G, Yashinon 80/3.5)



Photo 2: An 120 B&W film digitalized by Canon EOS Kiss Digital N 拍攝120黑白負片

Other photos can be found in the Old Library, NTU album.  

其他照片請參閱 相簿-台大圖書館舊館

2007年8月8日 星期三

Contax S2 + Carl Zeiss Distagon 2.8/25 T* @ College of Medicine, NTU 台大醫學院

2007.8.7

The CONTAX S2 is the only all-mechanical CONTAX SLR camera in the CONTAX SLR era. It inherits the lineage of the CONTAX S single-lens reflex camera from East Germany in the late 1940s. Many people like to compare it to the Nikon FM2n. The biggest difference is that the CONTAX S2 has a spot metering mode (which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on the user's habits. Later, the CONTAX S2b was released with only central-weighted metering). Additionally, the inability to add a film advance motor is a major difference.

The Carl Zeiss Distagon 2.8/25 T* is one of the so-called Zeiss legendary lenses. The one I have is a German lens, which is colloquially known as a "German lens". Because of the discontinuation of CONTAX, the second-hand price has dropped from 18,000 to 12,000, which gave me the opportunity to buy it at a good price. I won't say much about the so-called creamy color tone because there are many predecessors discussing it online


CONTAX S2 是CONTAX SLR時代唯一的CONTAX全機械式相機(當然測光還是需要電池),繼承了1940年代末期的東德CONTAX S單眼相機的血統。很多人喜歡拿她來跟Nikon FM2n比較,最大的不同在於CONTAX S2測光模式為點測光(昰優點也是缺點,端看使用者的習慣,後來又出了CONTAX S2b僅有中央重點測光),另外無法外加過片馬達的功能也昰一項極大的差異。

Carl Zeiss Distagon 2.8/25 T*昰所謂的蔡司銘鏡之一,手邊的這顆昰俗稱的德鏡,因為CONTAX的停產,二手價從18,000跌到12,000,讓我有機會用善良的價格購入,所謂奶油味的色調因為網上已有諸多前輩討論,我就不多說了。

On a summer afternoon, I took a camera and a lens to the old campus of National Taiwan University Medical School. The old campus is located on the south side of the new campus of National Taiwan University Hospital. It looks like it has been renovated recently (the paint is new, and there are still templates left over from the workers' construction on the ground). It was about 3 to 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The front of the building just happened to be at an angle of 80 to 90 degrees to the sun. When shooting, I deliberately let the sun into the frame to test the spot metering and anti-glare capabilities of the CONTAX S2 and the Distagon 2.8/25 T*. The results are the following works, which are quite satisfactory!

夏日的午後,帶著一機一鏡到台大醫學院舊校舍拍攝。舊校舍就在臺大醫院新院區的南側,看起來最近有整修過 (油漆昰新的,地上還有工人施工後遺留下來的模板)。時間約莫3~4點,建築物的正面正好與陽光成80~90度角,拍攝時故意讓大太陽入鏡,可以同時測試CONTAX S2的點測光與Distagon 2.8/25 T*的抗耀光實力。結果就是以下的作品,算是很滿意啦 !



Photo 1: College of Medicine, NTU 台大醫學院


Photo 2: College of Medicine, NTU 台大醫學院

Other photos can be found in the College of Medicine, NTU album.  
其他照片請參閱 相簿-台大醫學院

2007年7月16日 星期一

Contax/Yashica Mount New Camera: Kenko KF-3YC

2007.7.16

I just got my hands on a CONTAX S2 camera recently. I was surprised to learn that Kenko has also released a CY mount camera. This is great news! I wonder if it is made in China by Phoenix Optical.

最近才入手CONTAX S2,想不到Kenko也出 CY 機身,真是可喜可賀!不知道是不是中國鳳凰光學代工 Made in China。




B、1~1/2000秒
X接=1/125 TTL中央部重点測光方式
受光素子 SPD
測光範圍 EV5~EV18(ISO100、F1.7)
ISO感度 25~3200
電池 LR44型2個
寸法 138×59×87(mm)
重量 420g

2007年5月25日 星期五

Kyocera Finecam S5R (A poor man's CONTAX TVSD) @ Neihu 內湖

2007.5.25

I have been using my Kyocera Finecam S5R for three and a half years now. The reason I chose this camera was because of its CONTAX heritage. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the CONTAX TVSD is a branch of the Kyocera Finecam S5 series. According to the product information, the optical composition and specifications of the two lenses are the same, with the biggest difference being that the TVSD has T* coating and more aperture options.

手上的Kyocera Finecam S5R已經用了三年半了,會挑中這台DC的原因是她的CONTAX血統,或許應該反過來說CONTAX TVSD是Kyocera Finecase S5系列的分支。從產品介紹的資訊看來,兩者的鏡頭光學組成與規格的相同的,最大的差異在於TVSD具有T*鍍膜與較多檔次的光圈選擇。


Kyocera Finecam S5R

I have been working in Neihu for nearly four and a half years now. My office window just happens to overlook the Keelung River and the center of Taipei. On a good day, the golden light of the setting sun shining on the river surface can make one forget all the worries of the day.
 
在內湖上班已經有近4年半的時間了,辦公室的窗邊正好可以眺望基隆河與台北市中心。天氣好的時候,夕陽映在河面上閃耀的金光,讓人忘卻一天的煩憂。



Photo 1: Keelung River outside the glass window (Finecam S5R wide-angle end)
玻璃窗外的基隆河 (Finecam S5R 廣角端)


Photo 2: SK sky building and Minquan Bridge (Finecam S5R telephoto end)
新光大樓與民權大橋 (Finecam S5R 望遠端)


Photo 3: SK sky building and Minquan Bridge 新光大樓與民權大橋

Other photos can be found in the Pocket DC S5R album
其他相片請參閱 隨身DC S5R 相簿

2007年4月22日 星期日

Sigma 30/1.4 EX DG HSM @ Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch, 市立圖書館北投分館

2007.4.21

The advantages of digital single-lens reflex cameras are that the cost of shooting is low, the ISO value can be changed according to the environment, and the results can be immediately viewed. This is a great help for taking pictures of my 2.5-year-old daughter who is always on the go. As a result, my Canon EOS Kiss Digital N + Sigma 30/1.4 EX is used for family life photos more than 99% of the time, and it is rarely used to shoot other photography subjects.

I had seen a TV introduction to the Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch, which is located in front of Xinbeitou MRT Station. It is a new building made of steel and wood. Our family visited for the first time. In Taiwan, there are few opportunities to see large wooden buildings. Taking advantage of the time when my wife and daughter were tired of shopping and eating snacks, I tried to leave a few first impressions of the Taipei Public Library Beitou Branch.

數位單眼相機的好處是拍攝成本低、ISO值可隨環境變更、成果可立即檢視,這對於幫2歲半一直動個不停的女兒拍照有很大助益。於是,手上的Canon EOS Kiss Digital N + Sigma 30/1.4 EX,99%以上用來拍家庭生活照,較少拿來拍攝其他攝影主題。
之前看電視介紹過台北市立圖書館北投分館,位於新北投捷運站前,是鋼骨與木造的新建築。我們一家人第一次造訪,在台灣很少有機會看到大型的原木風建築,利用老婆與女兒逛累了吃點心的空檔,我試著留下幾張市圖北投分館的第一印象。



Photo 1: Large glass windows 大面積的玻璃窗


Photo 2: Large glass windows 大面積的玻璃窗


Photo 3: A still-new wooden exterior wall 還很新的木造外牆


Photo 4: Close-up of a wooden exterior wall 木造外牆特寫

2007年2月23日 星期五

Zeiss Opton Biogon 2.8/35 T @ The Little White House 淡水小白宮

2007.2.23

This Zeiss Opton Biogon 2.8/35mm T lens, which has a history of over 50 years, has a serious problem since I got it. The glass at the last lens group bonding has deteriorated. When the subject is high-contrast and backlit, the image will show obvious white spots, especially at small apertures of f8-f16. Therefore, today's shooting is mainly for testing purposes, and I want to understand the applicable occasions and working apertures of this lens.

In the past, when I went to the area near Tamkang University and Oxford School, I was often attracted by the Little White House within the walls. Unfortunately, they were not open to the public at that time, so I could only put that expectation in my heart. On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, the sunny day finally won the favor of the rainy spring festival. I took my two-year-old daughter to take the MRT specially. The daughter was full of curiosity for the first time taking the MRT. She was following me to grab a seat along the way. I was really glad that she didn't make a big noise in the car.

To get back to the topic, after eating delicious fish balls and meat buns in Tamsui Old Street, the next stop was supposed to be the A-ge on Zhenli Street. After finally walking up the slope, we found that the A-ge on Zhenli Street was still closed. We originally planned to go to Tamkang University for a stroll, but we happened to find that Little White House was open for visiting. I couldn't wait to buy a ticket and enter to visit. There were only a few tourists in the vast park, so my wife and daughter happily played on the grass, while I took out my camera to leave a few long-awaited images.

手邊這顆五十幾年歷史的 Zeiss Opton Biogon 2.8/35mm T,從入手後就有個嚴重的問題,那就是最後鏡組膠合處的玻璃已經變質,遇到高反差與大逆光主題時,成像會出現明顯的白斑,尤以小光圈f8-f16為甚,所以今日拍攝主要是測試性質,注要想了解此鏡的可用場合與工作光圈。

以前到淡江中學與牛津學堂附近,常會被那圍牆內的小白宮所吸引,無奈當時均未對外開放,只能將那份期待暫存心中。大年初六,陰雨綿綿的春節終於獲得陽光的青睞,特地帶著2歲多的女兒去搭捷運,第一次搭捷運女兒充滿好奇,一路上跟我搶位子坐,真高興她沒有在車廂內大吵大鬧。
 
言歸正傳,在淡水老街吃完了可口魚丸與肉包,接下來原本是真理街的阿給,好不容易走完上坡卻發現真理街阿給還在公休,原本打算往淡江中學逛逛,確偶然發現小白宮已經開放參觀。迫不及待的買完票入內參觀,偌大的園區只有遊客三三兩兩,讓老婆與女兒開心的在草地上玩,我則拿起相機留下幾張期盼已久的影像。



Photo 1: 小白宮,在走廊上跑的是我女兒 (Bessa R2C, Zeiss Opton Biogon 2.8/35mm T)


Photo 2: 小白宮後門 (Bessa R2C, Zeiss Opton Biogon 2.8/35mm T)


Photo 3: 小白宮走廊 (Bessa R2C, Zeiss Opton Biogon 2.8/35mm T)

Other photos are available in the album-Tamsui Little White House.
其他照片請參閱 相簿-淡水小白宮

2007年2月4日 星期日

Zeiss Opton Biogon 2.8/35 T @ The Taipei Guesthouse 台北賓館

2007.2.4

Of course, I used vintage lenses when I went to shoot the historic landmark. Took a Voigtlander BESSA R2C with a Zeiss Opton Biogon 35/2.8 T lens.
On February 4th, the Taipei Guesthouse reopened to the public after a major renovation. I took my wife and 2-year-old daughter to visit. We had already pre-booked our tickets online, so we were able to enter quickly after presenting our ID and passing a security check. We were surprised to find that we were free to explore the guesthouse at our own pace, rather than following a guided tour.

The architecture of the Taipei Guesthouse is beautiful. There is also a video on display that provides information about the renovation process. It was a great opportunity to learn about the history of this important landmark. The back garden is paved with white pebbles, which give it a Japanese garden feel. My daughter loved playing with the pebbles, and it was hard to get her to leave.

Taipei Guesthouse online booking:
http://tgh.mofa.gov.tw/

Parking is not convenient near the Taipei Guesthouse. I recommend parking in the underground parking garage at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and walking the rest of the way (about 10-15 minutes).

Here are some of the Taipei Guesthouse's visiting rules:
Queue up and pass through security.
Do not enter restricted areas, linger without reason, or do anything that would disturb other visitors.
Leave large bags or other items at the designated location. They are not allowed inside the guesthouse.
Do not bring prohibited items or dangerous materials.
Do not smoke, eat, chew betel nuts, gum, or bring pets inside.
Do not step on the grass or climb, destroy, or damage the flowers, trees, or other public property inside the guesthouse.
Do not use cell phones inside the guesthouse buildings.
Do not bring banners or flags inside.
Visitors should be neatly dressed. They are not allowed to wear sweaty shirts, slippers, or other inappropriate clothing.
Do not take photos or videos in prohibited areas.

拍古蹟當然是出動老鏡,一切從簡的 Voigtlander BESSA R2C 與 Zeiss Opton Biogon 35/2.8 T。
2/4當天艷陽高照,台北賓館重新整修後首次開放民眾參觀,於是帶著我親愛的老婆和可愛的2歲女兒到訪。因為我們事先已經先上網路預約,所以在入口處查驗證件,並進行簡單的安全檢查,確認我們沒有攜帶任何「刀劍槍炮彈藥」後就放行了。原本以為要跟著導引人員走,走完一圈就結束,卻發現只要在規範的區域內,愛參觀多久就參觀多久。
台北賓館的建築很美,館內還有賓館整修過程的影片可供了解古蹟修復的程序,算是不錯的知性之旅。賓館後院走道鋪的是日本「枯山水」用的白石子,勉強有日式庭園的味道。女兒就蹲在地上玩起了白石子,玩得不亦樂乎,好不容易用「吃麵麵」的引誘把她帶離現場。


台北賓館網路預約 http://tgh.mofa.gov.tw/
台北賓館附近停車不便,建議停在中正紀念堂的地下停車場再走路過去(約10~15分鐘)。


台北賓館參觀注意事項節錄如下:
依序排隊並接受安全檢查。
不得擅自跨越非開放區域、藉故滯留或有其他影他人參觀之行為。
大型包裹或物品請托寄於指定地點,不得攜帶入館。
禁止攜帶違禁品或其他危險物品。
禁止吸煙、飲食、嚼食檳榔、口香糖及攜帶寵物進入。
禁止踐踏草皮或攀折、破壞、毀損賓館內之花草樹木及其他公物。
禁止於賓館建? v物內使用行動電話。
禁止攜帶標語、旗幟進入。
參觀民眾服裝應整齊清潔,不得穿著汗衫、拖鞋等不雅服裝進入。
不得擅自於禁止拍照之地點拍照或攝影。



Photo 1: 台北賓館 (BESSA R2C, Zeiss Opton Biogon 2.8/35mm T)


Photo 2: 台北賓館右翼 (BESSA R2C, Zeiss Opton Biogon 2.8/35mm T)


Photo 3: 台北賓館長廊 (BESSA R2C, Zeiss Opton Biogon 2.8/35mm T)

其它精采照片請參閱 台北賓館 相簿。