One camera - one month: Ikonta 35

My camera of the month for May is my Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 35. This is a 35mm camera from the very late 1940s. It is a nice camera to use (I know 'nice' is not a good word to use here) with no design problems getting in the way. Using it is very similar to using a folding Voigtlander Vito camera. The shutter release falls naturally (for a right-handed person) under the index finger of the right hand and the ring finger on the left hand can easily turn the film advance.

My main problem with using this camera was, as with all cameras of this age, the small viewfinder. I have developed a technique now of deciding the framing of the picture without looking through the viewfinder, taking my glasses off and positioning dominant parts of the picture without the view being in focus. This actually works quite well.

The camera has a fault with the film advance mechanism - possibly two related faults. Sometimes when I try to advance the film, the advance knob will not turn. To get this to turn, I have to put my thumb over the lens (to prevent any light getting in), cock the shutter and release it a second time. This was necessary four times in a 24 exposure roll of film. This suggests that the double exposure prevention mechanism fails to release the film advance on the first firing of the shutter. The second fault is that sometimes the film will advance two frames instead of stopping at one frame - this happened a couple of times wasting two frames. Apart from these two intermittent faults the camera behaved perfectly. There are no light leaks either from the back or from the bellows, exposure is fine as is focus.

I enjoyed the topic I have chosen for this month - churches. Lincolnshire is well endowed with churches. Their ages range from the 11th century Saxon churches to late 20th century churches. Obviously, I could not photograph all of these - I am limiting myself to one roll of film which means 24 exposures with the Agfa Vista + I have used with this camera. So, the churches I have photographed have been those around where I live in Lincoln and those I have come across on my birding trips with Bestbeloved.

The churches are:

St John the Baptist, Ermine, Lincoln
Orthodox Church, Yarborough Road, Lincoln
Lincoln Cathedral
St Mary's, Frampton
St Peter and St Paul, Kirton
St Mary le Wigford, Lincoln and St Benedict, Lincoln

Actually, this has led on to a long term project to photograph all the redundant churches in Lincolnshire - there are rather a lot of them and it will take me most of this year to complete this. When I have, I will publish the photographs in another blog.

The Photographs:

St John the Baptist, Lincoln

This is a modern church built in 1963. I have only photographed the outside but I am told the inside is glorious and I might go back and see if I can photograph the inside. The architect was Sam Scorer and the building is now a Grade Two listed building.

Lincoln Cathedral.

This was built starting in the eleventh century, initially in the Norman (or Romanesque) style but finished in English Gothic. This tower has just been cleaned and restored and the builders were in the process of removing the scaffolding when I took this picture.

Lincoln cathedral - south western corner.

St Peter and St Paul, Kirton.

This church was built over several centuries - Mid C12, late C12, C13, C14, C15, and work has continued on the church up to, and including, the twentieth century.

St Peter and St Paul, Kirton, Lincolnshire

St Mary's, Frampton.

There has been a church on this site for a very long time but this church was built from 1350. As is usual with old churches, the church has been adapted over the centuries to meet contemporary needs. The church as it is now is a very attractive church.

St Mary's, Frampton, Lincolnshire

St Mary's, Frampton, Lincolnshire - gravestone

St Benedict's, Lincoln City

There was a church on this site from Saxon times and the current church was originally built from 1107 and was mostly demolished in the Civil War. It is currently used by the Mother's Union.

St Benedict's, Lincoln

St Mary le Wigford, Lincoln City.

This church dates from the 11th century with 12th and 13th century additions. It was restored by the Victorians in 1872, which is rarely a good thing. The church is still in use and has a relationship with The Nomad Trust to provide help for the homeless and vulnerable in Lincoln - I would have thought an excellent use for a Christian building.

St Mary le Wigford, Lincoln

One camera - one month

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Ikonta 35 - May 2014