Zed
@behindthebluemotel.com
Too many cameras, not enough painting.
https://behindthebluemotel.com
Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/behindthebluemotel/
https://behindthebluemotel.com
Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/behindthebluemotel/
Prime's impressed. Are you impressed? Left is somewhere around 4:1 and right is 5.5:1.
February 6, 2026 at 2:14 AM
Prime's impressed. Are you impressed? Left is somewhere around 4:1 and right is 5.5:1.
Chasing the ghost of time
Wings of Steel, by Collide
from the album Chasing the Ghost
collide1.bandcamp.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:47 AM
Chasing the ghost of time
Well. Ok yeah. Sometimes bts goes hard.
February 5, 2026 at 11:47 PM
Well. Ok yeah. Sometimes bts goes hard.
The 100mm f/6.3 Wide-Field Ektar on my Bender will achieve a maximum of 5.5:1 enlargement with the aperture plane 4" from the subject and all 22" of bellows.
February 5, 2026 at 11:34 PM
The 100mm f/6.3 Wide-Field Ektar on my Bender will achieve a maximum of 5.5:1 enlargement with the aperture plane 4" from the subject and all 22" of bellows.
In a pinch you can use a rocket blower as a shutter bulb
February 5, 2026 at 8:43 PM
In a pinch you can use a rocket blower as a shutter bulb
Packard shutters are really elegantly simple things. Here you can see how the pneumatic piston moves a pin that slides one of three leaves, with the other two opening in turn by a shared fulcrum between two pivot posts.
February 5, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Packard shutters are really elegantly simple things. Here you can see how the pneumatic piston moves a pin that slides one of three leaves, with the other two opening in turn by a shared fulcrum between two pivot posts.
My coworkers love me and brought me a crusty Packard #6 knowing I'd be interested. Let's get this back in service now...
February 5, 2026 at 3:47 PM
My coworkers love me and brought me a crusty Packard #6 knowing I'd be interested. Let's get this back in service now...
Day 2 purging this Supermatic. I have even more than these from yesterday's purge session.
February 5, 2026 at 3:17 PM
Day 2 purging this Supermatic. I have even more than these from yesterday's purge session.
“We’re all in the Epstein files” has the same energy as when I told my mother she and my father were supporting and repeating racist, bigoted ideas and her response was ‘we know what’s in our hearts’
February 5, 2026 at 1:30 PM
“We’re all in the Epstein files” has the same energy as when I told my mother she and my father were supporting and repeating racist, bigoted ideas and her response was ‘we know what’s in our hearts’
Hey #LargeFormat friends, anyone have any idea what that lovely ornate metal protective cover for the lens opening on a field view camera might be called? "Large format lens hole cover" is about as useful a search as you'd imagine.
February 5, 2026 at 12:28 PM
Hey #LargeFormat friends, anyone have any idea what that lovely ornate metal protective cover for the lens opening on a field view camera might be called? "Large format lens hole cover" is about as useful a search as you'd imagine.
Orders something online from here in the US: we'll get that package to you sometime this calendar year, we think
Orders something online from Japan: no problems boss we'll have to you Friday
Orders something online from Japan: no problems boss we'll have to you Friday
February 5, 2026 at 12:10 PM
Orders something online from here in the US: we'll get that package to you sometime this calendar year, we think
Orders something online from Japan: no problems boss we'll have to you Friday
Orders something online from Japan: no problems boss we'll have to you Friday
So uh, there's a smidge of difference in 8x10 vs 4x5 lenses....
Left: 14" Commercial Ektar f/6.3 (top), 6" (152mm) Ektar f/4.5 (bottom)
Right: 10" Wide-Field Ektar f/6.3 (top), 3 15/16" (100mm) Wide-Field Ektar f/6.3 (bottom)
Left: 14" Commercial Ektar f/6.3 (top), 6" (152mm) Ektar f/4.5 (bottom)
Right: 10" Wide-Field Ektar f/6.3 (top), 3 15/16" (100mm) Wide-Field Ektar f/6.3 (bottom)
February 5, 2026 at 2:39 AM
So uh, there's a smidge of difference in 8x10 vs 4x5 lenses....
Left: 14" Commercial Ektar f/6.3 (top), 6" (152mm) Ektar f/4.5 (bottom)
Right: 10" Wide-Field Ektar f/6.3 (top), 3 15/16" (100mm) Wide-Field Ektar f/6.3 (bottom)
Left: 14" Commercial Ektar f/6.3 (top), 6" (152mm) Ektar f/4.5 (bottom)
Right: 10" Wide-Field Ektar f/6.3 (top), 3 15/16" (100mm) Wide-Field Ektar f/6.3 (bottom)
The 100mm Wide-Field Ektar can't focus to infinity on the Bender, but, here it is casually pulling 4.25:1 macro and I've still got bellows left
February 5, 2026 at 2:29 AM
The 100mm Wide-Field Ektar can't focus to infinity on the Bender, but, here it is casually pulling 4.25:1 macro and I've still got bellows left
I’m not sure anything in the Resident Evil Requiem short film can be as horrific as the words ‘Resident Evil short film’
Yes I’ll watch it later.
Yes I’ll watch it later.
February 5, 2026 at 12:45 AM
I’m not sure anything in the Resident Evil Requiem short film can be as horrific as the words ‘Resident Evil short film’
Yes I’ll watch it later.
Yes I’ll watch it later.
Apparently both of my Wide-Field Ektars are '48 copies. Unexpected. The f/4.5 Ektar is a '52, and my 14" Commercial is a '54.
February 4, 2026 at 11:57 PM
Apparently both of my Wide-Field Ektars are '48 copies. Unexpected. The f/4.5 Ektar is a '52, and my 14" Commercial is a '54.
I suppose it's kinda clean that the 8x10 Ektars are in Ilex shutters with ASA bi-post flash and the 4x5 ones are in Supermatics with ASA bayonet but also it's very annoying needing TWO dead flash adapter systems
February 4, 2026 at 11:48 PM
I suppose it's kinda clean that the 8x10 Ektars are in Ilex shutters with ASA bi-post flash and the 4x5 ones are in Supermatics with ASA bayonet but also it's very annoying needing TWO dead flash adapter systems
Oh good, I finally got the blades on the 152 Ektar's Supermatic opening all the way in the standard settings. They still don't when using the press mode, but, that's less of an issue than having weird bokeh balls wide open during exposure.
February 4, 2026 at 11:36 PM
Oh good, I finally got the blades on the 152 Ektar's Supermatic opening all the way in the standard settings. They still don't when using the press mode, but, that's less of an issue than having weird bokeh balls wide open during exposure.
No such thing as a bad Ektar, not even the little 152mm f/4.5 that was popular for Graflex and can be had relatively cheap amongst its siblings:
www.flickr.com/search/?text...
www.flickr.com/search/?text...
February 4, 2026 at 7:57 PM
No such thing as a bad Ektar, not even the little 152mm f/4.5 that was popular for Graflex and can be had relatively cheap amongst its siblings:
www.flickr.com/search/?text...
www.flickr.com/search/?text...
OK I lost. I lost so much that I decided to pay the shipping and tariffs for a nicer copy from Japan.
February 4, 2026 at 6:04 PM
OK I lost. I lost so much that I decided to pay the shipping and tariffs for a nicer copy from Japan.
These little Kodak Flash Supermatics are not bad shutters but boy they do seem to be prone to getting dirty
February 4, 2026 at 5:29 PM
These little Kodak Flash Supermatics are not bad shutters but boy they do seem to be prone to getting dirty
Let me introduce you to one of my wackier rigs in a kit already bristling with wackiness.
February 4, 2026 at 2:53 PM
Let me introduce you to one of my wackier rigs in a kit already bristling with wackiness.
Y'all ever think about the large number of men who want to have very serious conversations about a franchise where a race of aliens are literally named "my squids?"
February 4, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Y'all ever think about the large number of men who want to have very serious conversations about a franchise where a race of aliens are literally named "my squids?"
Was on the road a whole mile before I watched a car blow a stop sign at 30+ mph. In a school zone. On their way to a church.
February 4, 2026 at 1:18 PM
Was on the road a whole mile before I watched a car blow a stop sign at 30+ mph. In a school zone. On their way to a church.
Bender Photographic, Schneider Tele-Xenar 360mm, Ilford Ortho (I think, didn't make a note so I'm just using the notch code)
February 4, 2026 at 12:36 PM
Bender Photographic, Schneider Tele-Xenar 360mm, Ilford Ortho (I think, didn't make a note so I'm just using the notch code)