My Pentacon Six TL shoots its first rolls of infrared film

I already have one dedicated infrared camera – my black Nikon Df was converted to a full-spectrum infrared shooter some time ago, and it works like a charm. And I’ve also had some reasonable success with my new-to-me Pentacon Six TL medium-format film camera, it’s handled slide film and print film and B&W film like…

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It’s a cell phone with a physical keyboard? You mean, like a … BlackBerry?

Long-time readers of my blog will attest that I had a strong loyalty to the cell phone brand BlackBerry. Even when everybody else drifted off to iPhone and Android land, I stayed with my handheld phone with the physical keyboard for as long as I possibly could. And when new BlackBerry models came out, I…

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Donald Trump Jr and the rest of the MAGA melonheads whip up another crackpot notion

Let’s start this off with a prayer. A prayer for the health and well-being of former President Joe Biden and for his family and friends. It was announced yesterday that President Biden has aggressive pancreatic cancer, and that it has spread to his bones. There are some treatments available for this form of cancer, and…

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More attempts with the Petzval-modified HELIOS 44-2 lens

After three days with my new-to-me HELIOS 44-2 lens – whose front lens has been flipped in the “Petzval modification” to provide swirly, creamy bokeh – I’ve tried various subjects to get a picture that can rival my first attempt with this little piece of glass. This was my first attempt with this little piece…

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A photo contest where I send in a blind roll of film – should I enter it?

This looks interesting, and I’m sharing it in case anybody wants to enter this unique competition. Pro Camera Film Lab, a film processing service in Virginia, is offering a unique contest this year – a competition where the winning entries are sent in from your undeveloped film roll. You shoot a roll of film, and…

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The Petzval Mod on a HELIOS 44-2 lens

In modern photography, the “Petzval Mod” is a camera lens hack that will turn a dull, run-of-the-mill Soviet camera lens into a dreamy, kaleidoscopic master shooter. The modification will provide a surreal, swirly background field, or bokeh, that envelops the center subject. To put it in basic terms, you need a HELIOS 44-2 common 35mm…

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The Latch Hook Covered Bridge project as of May 12, 2025

It’s a very good thing I purchased all my yarns ahead of time for this latch hook rug project. And I shall explain. First, a recap. Here’s the left panel of what will be a three-panel rug. And I’m currently working on the right panel, and here’s where I was the last time I blogged…

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