David Johnson K7DMJ
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thedavejohnson.bsky.social
David Johnson K7DMJ
@thedavejohnson.bsky.social
210 followers 390 following 210 posts
Australian-American mineral exploration geophysicist, living the dream in Saint-Vaast, Belgium and Alpine, Utah, USA.

My photos: https://www.flickr.com/people/93464106@N04/
My business: http://ziongeophysics.com
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thedavejohnson.bsky.social
By applying isopropyl alcohol and heat, I freed the shutter, which now works in Bulb mode only. Stuck on all speeds. Anyone know where I could send it in Europe to get it fixed? I'm in Belgium.

This is a €12 thrift store find. If I spend some money and end up with a working camera, I'm happy.
Franka Rolfix II folding 120 format film camera
December 12, 2025 at 9:06 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Bruges, Belgium.Sint-Salvatorskathedraal (Saint Salvatore's Cathedral) from Heilige-Geeststraat. I love Bruges! We catch the train there often from our place outside La Louvière.

Canon FTb (50mm f/1.8) on Kentmere 400

#belgium #bruges #analogphotography #blackandwhite #35mm #filmphotography #film
Black and white, slightly grainy photograph with a vintage look. The Romanesque tower of St. Salvator's Cathedral with its central peak and four spires on the corners dominates the background. The foreground shows a cobbled street lined with historic buildings, with two cyclists approaching. To the left of the cyclists, an arch covers an entrance to a courtyard. Flags hang from poles on one of the buildings on the left side.
December 11, 2025 at 6:46 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
This weekend in Tournai. Weather was crappy, so I just snapped a few pics with my phone.
December 8, 2025 at 7:22 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Snapped the other night with my phone while I was in Brussels on my way home from Leuven. Some pics don't need a good camera. (Ha! This is across the street from my usual camera store.)

#photography #Brussels #cellphonephotography #streetphotography
A bronze statue of Belgian singer Jacques Brel standing with outstretched arms in front of a vintage-style microphone. Titled L'Envol (The Flight), sculpted by Tom Frantzen. Located at Place de la Vielle Halle aux Blés, Bruxelle. The figure is posed as if singing passionately on stage, with a hat and a flower placed at the base of the sculpture. It’s set in a pedestrian street lined with cafés and old buildings, lit warmly at night.
December 8, 2025 at 9:45 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
It lives! Put in fresh batteries and loaded some cheap Agfa bland and white film. Seems to be taking photos. Flash works. We'll see...
December 7, 2025 at 3:11 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Third and final #thrift store #vintage #camera score for today. Only €5. Had a roll of film and almost totally flat batteries in it. Will it work? We'll see!

Why point-and-shoot? Why not! I can put wonky Lomography films in it. Fun!

#analogphotography #filmcamera #Olympus #thriftfinds #photography
Olympus AZ-200 point-and-shoot 35mm camera
December 6, 2025 at 8:31 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Another of today's #vintage #camera #thrift store scores. Konica S2. This one is a beauty. Lens looks good. Shutter fires at all speeds. Just needs new light seals. Don't know if light meter works. Batteries on order. €46 Score!

#analogphotography #filmcamera #thriftfinds #photography
Konica S2 camera
December 6, 2025 at 7:16 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Wife bought me this #vintage #camera for €12 at a thrift store in Belgium. The shutter is stuck. Won't cock. Anyone know how to get it unstuck?

May have bitten off more than I can chew.

#camerarepair #vintagecamera #photography #analogphotography #filmcamera
Franka Rollfix II rangefinder medium format folding camera. Picture shows the camera viewed from the front with the lens extended.
December 6, 2025 at 6:10 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Just a barn and some bracket fungus in Austria.

Canon FTb with Kodak Gold 200 film

Really want to get out and take pictures. Weather in Belgium is miserable 😞

#filmphotography #35mm #canon #analogphotography #colorfilm #kodak #shootfilm #filmisnotdead #believeinfilm #austria #barn #bracketfungus
The image shows a peaceful rural landscape with soft, warm tones. A dirt path curves gently through the scene, bordered by bright green grass. On the right side is a field of tall, golden crops—likely corn—showing signs of late-season dryness. On the left, lush green fields stretch out toward the distance. Large trees frame the image on both sides, their branches partly bare, suggesting early autumn. In the middle distance sits a rustic, light-colored barn or farmhouse with a warm, yellowish roof. Behind it, rolling hills covered with dense forest rise toward the horizon. The sky is overcast, with a muted grayish-purple hue, giving the scene a calm, quiet atmosphere. Overall, it looks like a serene countryside setting, possibly in a temperate region during early fall. This image captures a close-up view of a tree trunk in a peaceful countryside setting. The main focus is on a large cluster of bracket fungi growing out of the bark. These fungi form layered, shelf-like shapes in shades of tan, brown, and cream. Their textured, rippling edges contrast with the rough surface of the tree. The background is softly blurred, showing a wide, open field covered in bright green vegetation. Beyond the field are rolling hills with a mix of forested and open areas, all under a pale, overcast sky. Some leaves from overhanging branches frame the upper part of the scene. Overall, the image blends the quiet detail of woodland fungi with a serene rural landscape stretching into the distance.
December 6, 2025 at 6:44 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
You could just use your phone. Get the same look with filters, right?

View from Hochosterwitz Castle. Canon FTb with Kodak Gold 200 film.

#filmphotography #35mm #canon #analogphotography #colorfilm #kodak #shootfilm #filmisnotdead #believeinfilm #hochosterwitz #austria
The image shows a peaceful, scenic landscape viewed from what appears to be the ramparts of Hochosterwitz Castle, Austria. On the right side, there is a tower with a steep, shingled roof and weathered stone walls. The foreground includes a stone railing that leads the eye outward. Beyond the castle, the landscape opens into a broad valley with rolling fields, clusters of trees, and a small village. In the village, a tall church steeple stands out clearly. Surrounding the valley are gently rising hills or low mountains covered in dense forest, displaying a mix of greens and autumn colors. The atmosphere is calm and slightly overcast, with soft, diffused light from the cloudy sky, giving the scene a serene, almost timeless quality.
December 5, 2025 at 5:29 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
The level of engagement here is garbage. Posted yesterday asking for suggestions on places to see in London. Nothing. Bluesky is useless.

#London #ExploreLondon #LondonLife #UKTravel #HiddenLondon #SecretLondon #LondonSpots #LondonAdventures #LondonTips #UrbanExploration #streetphotography
Portobello Road Market. A busker with long blond hair and gold cowboy boots plays guitar and sings on a street.
December 5, 2025 at 4:06 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
What are the coolest things/places to see and do in London?

I enjoyed the Portobello Road Market on a recent trip. Where else should I go?

#London #VisitLondon #ExploreLondon #LondonLife #UKTravel #HiddenLondon #SecretLondon #LondonSpots #LondonAdventures #LondonTips #UrbanExploration
Portobello Road Market. A busker with long blond hair in gold cowboy boots plays guitar and sings in the street. An Asian tourist in a puffy coat and cargo pants with a backpack looks back as he walks past. An old corner pub is in the background. Canon FTb with Ilford FP4 film Portobello Road Market. A dense crowd of people occupy a street lined with stalls and terrace houses.
December 4, 2025 at 11:33 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Renovator's delight
December 4, 2025 at 9:11 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
We visited Hochosterwitz Castle, Austria with our friends in October. Looking forward to going back to Austria for Christmas.

Canon FTb with Kodak Gold 200 film.

#filmphotography #35mm #canon #analogphotography #colorfilm #kodak #shootfilm #filmisnotdead #believeinfilm #hochosterwitz #austria
A dramatic, picturesque landscape featuring a large medieval castle perched high on a rocky hill. The fortress stretches across the slope with multiple defensive walls, towers, and a church-like structure at the top. The hill is covered in autumn-colored foliage—warm oranges, yellows, and greens. In the foreground, a winding road leads toward a small cluster of traditional-looking houses with steep, dark roofs nestled at the base of the hill. Surrounding them are open fields and more colorful trees. In the distance, soft blue mountains fade into the horizon beneath a cloudy sky with subtle pink and purple tones. The whole scene feels serene, remote, and almost storybook-like.
December 4, 2025 at 8:18 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
It's pretty cool that, with this setup and a length of wire hanging out my upstairs window, I can chat with people all over Europe. No internet, no mobile phone.

#hamradio #amateurradio #vara #varac #preparedness #prepping #digitalmodes
December 3, 2025 at 12:04 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
My wife Natalie at Weissensee, Austria. The weather was dreary but we made the best of it.

Canon FTb with Kodak Gold 200 film.

#filmphotography #35mm #canon #analogphotography #colorfilm #kodak #shootfilm #filmisnotdead #believeinfilm #weissensee #austria
December 3, 2025 at 8:27 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
The church at Hochosterwitz Castle, Austria in October. The crop on this thumbnail isn't good - click on the image.

Canon FTb with Kodak Gold 200 film.

#filmphotography #35mm #canon #analogphotography #colorfilm #kodak #shootfilm #filmisnotdead #believeinfilm #hochosterwitzcastle #austria
A solitary person walking along a narrow gravel path toward an old stone church with a tall, pointed steeple. The path is bordered on one side by a high stone wall—part of a fortification—and on the other by trees and autumn foliage. The church is built from light-colored stone with a steep, shingled roof and a clock on the front façade.
December 2, 2025 at 2:07 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
WTF, Bluesky. I am trying to customize a feed to remove nudity (not that I particularly dislike nudity, but I don't want others to accidentally see it when I'm scrolling in public). I added the Remove block in SkyFeed, but I'm still seeing nudes. This is crap. Why isn't this implemented properly?
December 1, 2025 at 4:20 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
What about this one? "The yard is a blank slate for landscaping..."
December 1, 2025 at 10:40 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Natalie waited in the car while I ran down the road, snapped this photo of the Marterln then ran back in the rain. Raindrops on the lens give it a fuzzy look that somehow works.

Canon FTb with Kodak Gold

#analogphotography #filmphotography #canon #filmisnotdead #believeinfilm #shootfilm #colorfilm
Wayside shrine or Marterln beside a harvested field, with a farmhouse in the distance and cloud-covered mountains behind. Shot with a Canon FTb SLR that my Dad bought in 1978 on Kodak Gold 200 film.
December 1, 2025 at 10:16 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
One of my first attempts at capturing a nighttime scene on film. This is the Basilica of Saint Nicholas in Amsterdam, shot on Cinestill 800T with a Yashica MAT 124 medium format camera.

#filmphotography #analogphotography #yashicamat #120film #nightphotography #mediumformatfilm #film #amsterdam
Night scene. Old church with a rose window and two towers, flanked by houses, viewed across a canal, lit by street lights.
November 30, 2025 at 6:35 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Images from my first roll of film shot with a pinhole camera.

I used a 6x9 format Reality So Subtle camera with Ilford HP5+

#pinhole #pinholecamera #pinholephotography #blackandwhite #120film #realitysosubtle
Gare de Mons Gare de Mons Lucy and the Butterflies Searching for Utopia, Citadel of Namur
November 30, 2025 at 8:43 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Photos taken with my new-to-me 1950's Balda 120 format folder at St Pancras Station and my hotel room in Kensington. Despite the shitty lens with balsam separation, this thing takes decent photos. Does anyone have any experience with swapping out lens elements?
#Balda #mediumformat #photography
November 24, 2025 at 5:23 PM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Just bought this Balda camera at a stall in the Portobello Road Market in London. Does anyone out there have experience with the Baldix 120 format model? The rangefinder calibration is out and the shutter doesn't work on slow speeds. Just shot a roll of HP5 so we'll see if anything comes out.
November 17, 2025 at 2:55 AM
thedavejohnson.bsky.social
Nighttime photography in Amsterdam using a Yashica MAT 124 medium format camera loaded with Cinestill 800T film.
November 15, 2025 at 5:44 AM