New York Greetings From Hill-Billy Calvin, AKA Augie

Cal,
From what I hear "Linhof Disease" is proven to cure "Leica Disease", but from what I gather it not particularly helpful against "German Camera Disease", in fact it makes it worse.
I've even taken to chopping up a Praktica, so clearly it is not getting better.

Swiss camera/lens disease will be a detractor, but not a cure for all of the above.
Alpa, Bolex, Kern, go get some expensive gear. Add a Hermes typewriter while you're at it.

Phil Forrest
 
Swiss camera/lens disease will be a detractor, but not a cure for all of the above.
Alpa, Bolex, Kern, go get some expensive gear. Add a Hermes typewriter while you're at it.

Phil Forrest

I've avoided "Swiss Camera Disease" so far by steering clear of Bolex, getting a french camera, a Beaulieu 4008 ZM with an Angenieux for my cine experience. I did get another Schneider lens for it, you can never have too many Schneider lenses.
That being said I have a Sinar in a case under my desk, though I am only selling it for a friend (it is not mine), it is a curious beast....and Swiss.
 
Cal,
From what I hear "Linhof Disease" is proven to cure "Leica Disease", but from what I gather it not particularly helpful against "German Camera Disease", in fact it makes it worse.
I've even taken to chopping up a Praktica, so clearly it is not getting better.

Christian,

My data suggests that first it was Leica, then Linhof. I never have been cured. Non the less I remain diseased with both.

So now it gets perhaps better and "German-Disease" has grown since I bought an Audi A4. I read a feature where they had a runway drag race against a AWD EV, a Porshe AWD, and of all things an Audi RS 6 Avant (station wagon).

Well the station wagon was the slowest, but it still had a zero to 60 in under 3 seconds.

Back in the day a Shelby AC Cobra with a 429 Side-oiler could do zero to one hundred and back to zero in under 10 seconds. That was impressive, but not so impressive today.

So I'm such a happy guy that I would still live in my small Baby-Victorian. I don't need a big fancy house to make me happy, and I'm in love with this old lady of the the Avenue (block), but if I won a lottery that Audi RS6 is looking mighty attractive.

Augie
 
I even have a Viewmaster stereo camera made by GAF in Belgium. Who would have thought they made cameras there. It is nice, but not a cure for anything.
 
I've avoided "Swiss Camera Disease" so far by steering clear of Bolex, getting a french camera, a Beaulieu 4008 ZM with an Angenieux for my cine experience. I did get another Schneider lens for it, you can never have too many Schneider lenses.
That being said I have a Sinar in a case under my desk, though I am only selling it for a friend (it is not mine), it is a curious beast....and Swiss.

Devil Christian,

Seems like you and Devil Dan have "Schneider Disease." I'm sure that he might open a cabinet full of Schneider glass.

I never did show you my 16 MM Bolex. I got it for free. I used my good looks and charm blinking my eyelashes three times and by saying "Pretty please" to the stock gal at Grumman who was loading skid of equipment from research labs that was being X-S.

Oh the good old days when we wasted tax payers money...

Calvin-August
 
Devil Christian,

Seems like you and Devil Dan have "Schneider Disease." I'm sure that he might open a cabinet full of Schneider glass.

I never did show you my 16 MM Bolex. I got it for free. I used my good looks and charm blinking my eyelashes three times and by saying "Pretty please" to the stock gal at Grumman who was loading skid of equipment from research labs that was being X-S.

Oh the good old days when we wasted tax payers money...

Calvin-August

I'm pretty sure Dan has me beat, but I do think I have more Schneider lenses than any other manufacturer. I did at some point get a few Rodenstock lenses to mix it up when there were Schneider options, so I am not religious about it. It seems there are some Japanese companies that have made quite good lenses as well over the years.

There were a few times when I was very close to getting a Bolex, but it never happened. They are very nice. For cine cameras Beaulieu really are the sexy beasts. If you can overcome their weird battery requirements they are great cameras.
 
Phil,
Did I once give you a 6x18 'torpedo camera' back? If you still have it let me know. I have developed a 3d printed winding knob for it that includes a frame counter. I think I outdid myself in sophistication. I have not yet film tested it yet, but it works well with a dummy roll.
I have built a body connection to a 4x5 Technika, that will let me use it with 90mm and 121mm lenses. Having a working counter is kind of essential to using these backs for practical photography.
 
I have a wall of Schneider glass. And Rodenstock as well. I have no idea how many lenses, but a lot. Use 'em too :) I've had Swiss disease since the 80s. Sinar Norma Collector, they made over a hundred items, I have most of them. Even some Kern large format lenses from the Norma catalog.

I am also hopelessly infected.
 
Christian,
I do indeed still have that torpedo back. This last several years has seen everything go into storage and get moved, with another hopeful move on the horizon. I think of getting that back out of the box at least once a week but I have enough projects I'm mid-way through that I shouldn't start another.

Speaking of Schneider lenses, I have 3 Cine-Xenons on my Bolex, and 1 Xenon in a Retina IIa, as well as 1 Xenon in an Ansco Karomat. That Ansco is actually one of my project cameras, as the main spring which pushes out the front standard needs to be reset. Real pain in the butt. I'm going to service the shutter while I'm at it.
Here's the Ansco: http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/500830-2/IMG_20200109_194311222.jpg

Here's my latest find, a Feinwerke Mec-16SB 16mm camera:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/500822-2/IMG_20210216_182048307.jpg

And here's its insides:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/500826-2/IMG_20210216_161816994.jpg

My Bolex REX4 with 10mm Cinegon (top), 25mm (middle), and 50mm (bottom) Cine-Xenon lenses.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/500814-2/IMG_20210224_125829637.jpg
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/500818-2/IMG_20210224_125812288.jpg

Just two weeks ago, I did some restoration work on a first generation Hermes 3000, also made by Paillard of Yverdon. That machine is amazing, and one in good condition costs as much as my car is worth right now. Ouch.

Cal, if you ever want to get rid of that Bolex, think of Christian, sounds like he needs one; if he doesn't want it I probably do, even though I don't need it.

Phil Forrest
 
Christian,
I do indeed still have that torpedo back. This last several years has seen everything go into storage and get moved, with another hopeful move on the horizon. I think of getting that back out of the box at least once a week but I have enough projects I'm mid-way through that I shouldn't start another.

Speaking of Schneider lenses, I have 3 Cine-Xenons on my Bolex, and 1 Xenon in a Retina IIa, as well as 1 Xenon in an Ansco Karomat. That Ansco is actually one of my project cameras, as the main spring which pushes out the front standard needs to be reset. Real pain in the butt. I'm going to service the shutter while I'm at it.
Here's the Ansco: http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/500830-2/IMG_20200109_194311222.jpg

Here's my latest find, a Feinwerke Mec-16SB 16mm camera:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/500822-2/IMG_20210216_182048307.jpg

And here's its insides:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/500826-2/IMG_20210216_161816994.jpg

My Bolex REX4 with 10mm Cinegon (top), 25mm (middle), and 50mm (bottom) Cine-Xenon lenses.
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/500814-2/IMG_20210224_125829637.jpg
http://gallery.leica-users.org/d/500818-2/IMG_20210224_125812288.jpg

Just two weeks ago, I did some restoration work on a first generation Hermes 3000, also made by Paillard of Yverdon. That machine is amazing, and one in good condition costs as much as my car is worth right now. Ouch.

Cal, if you ever want to get rid of that Bolex, think of Christian, sounds like he needs one; if he doesn't want it I probably do, even though I don't need it.

Phil Forrest

Phil,
I know what you mean, I always have at least as many incomplete cameras as I have functional ones. When you do have a plan for it, let me know and I'll hook you up with the winder.
I finally got desktop 3d printer that I was holding off getting out of fear that it would be another rabbit hole. It has actually turned out to be the one thing that is helping me finish projects, because I can test them right away and make changes quickly. I am trying to limit new projects before finishing old ones. I couldn't help myself and got a shell of a Rollei XF 35. I want to convert that 40mm f2.3 sonnar to ltm.

I can't see myself shooting much 16mm though as much as I would enjoy it. In the 90's I got to shoot 16mm footage of a long boarder in Yorkshire for a music video that unfortunately never got released. It was loads of fun.

I also have a Xenon on a Retina IIIc which I've had forever. That lens had a great look when I shot it on slide film. I recently got a Robot Vollautomat Star II with a xenar 38mm f2.8. So there is no getting away from schneider lenses. I hold Sam fully responsible for the Robot since he showed me his at the last meetup.
If I remember correctly I gave Sam the other Torpedo back.
 
Phil,

The Bolex is long gone and was lost in a gear churn.

You know the expression, "You know you are a hill-billy when half the cars you own are not running."

Seems like you and Christian have a bit of hill-billy in them in a camera kind of way.

Cal
 
I have a wall of Schneider glass. And Rodenstock as well. I have no idea how many lenses, but a lot. Use 'em too :) I've had Swiss disease since the 80s. Sinar Norma Collector, they made over a hundred items, I have most of them. Even some Kern large format lenses from the Norma catalog.

I am also hopelessly infected.

Devil Dan,

I always knew you were "diseased." LOL.

Also a bit crazy, and by that I mean crazy-good.

Augie
 
Yesterday "Maggie" was raging.

The way my imaginary girlfriend named "Maggie" came about is she is a fic-TISH-ous older sister of Martha Stewart who is OCD. She drives me nuts because she is kinda fussy, and all my habits seem to bother her, like leaving a draw open or a cabinet open.

So I come home and drapes are missing, curtains are shortened, and the Baby-Victorian looks very different. The living room looks bigger and less cluttered without the drapes and more light enters the room though lace curtains. Then the broad framing of the windows is exposed and highlighted.

Upstairs the smallest bedroom is officially now a certified closet filled with 4 clothes racks and a shoe rack that has over 50 pairs of shoes. The door is closed just as if a closet. This is a wore-DROBe of a fashion blogger and all the clothing is from luxury designers cost mucho money. Kinda funny how in Peekskill no one knows who she is, but when I take her to Metropolitan Hospital for her second Covid vaccine injection she gets approached by one of her followers.

This is the smallest bedroom that eventually will become the bathroom annex with a "slipper" shaped soaking tub and possibly a corner shower. The clothing Maggie says will get culled down because now she identifies herself as a writer and she says "Fashion is dead."

So here we go again. I have another new girlfriend. "Don't tell Maggie."

The office tower off the master bedroom has the furniture reconfigured. Of course because of Maggie factor all the furnishings are antique vintage correct Victorian pieces that are carved and inlaid with a delicate touch.

So in this case I don't know if "crazy is good." Coming home and learning all about this architect George Eastlake and period correct window treatments and all the possibilities of what we could or should do in the kitchen, dining room, and hallway kinda gives me a head ache but don't tell "Maggie" that.

I'm not sure, but it is either today or next Friday we get this kinda crazy Victorian piano stool with this long gold fringe going around a square velvet cushion that will be the seat for the secretary that now is in the living room.

So the Baby-Victorian is getting to look a bit like a film set because it is so manicured. Kinda pretty and photogenic. Then there is all this light from the 40 windows. I don't think I could add any more windows to this house and it is a small house. Around 4:00 PM the golden hour enters into the house.

Even though it will likely be rainy looks like we will head up to Rhinebeck opposite Poughkeepsie for more antique hunting. We want this object called a "Hall-Tree" which is a combination chair and part coat rack to be the centerpiece of the hallway. Many have mirrors and are ornate.

Likely won't fit in the A4. Hmmm. A good reason to get a pickup truck. Seems like to be a real hill-billy all my neighbors seem to have three vehicles and no car or truck is ever parked in the garages.

E-Ha.

Augie
 
You know the expression, "You know you are a hill-billy when half the cars you own are not running."

Cal

Cal,
If I buy a house, it's going to have plenty of property, a heated garage for at least one car, but hopefully more. There will undoubtedly be at least one non operational car at a time, because this is just how I am. Remember, I grew up in New Mexico, so having numerous vehicles, all in varying states of operation and repair, is in my blood. Back when I was in the Navy, there was a time when I owned four vehicles at once. One working full size 1986 Ford Bronco, and three first gen Mazda RX-7s. Those cars are too fast, too agile and just too dangerous, for a sailor with money to spend. These days I'm searching for a Mercedes-Benz diesel wagon, something durable and a little more pedestrian and utilitarian.

Phil Forrest
 
I have a wall of Schneider glass. And Rodenstock as well. I have no idea how many lenses, but a lot. Use 'em too :) I've had Swiss disease since the 80s. Sinar Norma Collector, they made over a hundred items, I have most of them. Even some Kern large format lenses from the Norma catalog.

I am also hopelessly infected.

Devil Dan,

Not sure if I should call a building inspector yet over a possible safety hazard. I wonder if someone might open a cabinet and get crushed to death by an ave-O-lanche of lenses.

Cal
 
Cal,
If I buy a house, it's going to have plenty of property, a heated garage for at least one car, but hopefully more. There will undoubtedly be at least one non operational car at a time, because this is just how I am. Remember, I grew up in New Mexico, so having numerous vehicles, all in varying states of operation and repair, is in my blood. Back when I was in the Navy, there was a time when I owned four vehicles at once. One working full size 1986 Ford Bronco, and three first gen Mazda RX-7s. Those cars are too fast, too agile and just too dangerous, for a sailor with money to spend. These days I'm searching for a Mercedes-Benz diesel wagon, something durable and a little more pedestrian and utilitarian.

Phil Forrest

Phil,

I never thought I would own a house, but now I do. Covid is the reason and trying to keep "Maggie" safe. Was thinking of retiring somewhere around Center City because we thought we wanted to stay urban and Philly is what we could afford.

I say stay hopeful and one day you will be surprised.

I once had a Mazda. It was the first with a rotory engine. That engine pulled like a MoFo. The seals were not the best on this new revolutionary engine design and it consumed mucho oil. Engine was kinda small but powerful.

RX7's must of had very balanced handling.

At Grumman I knew a technician who champaigned a rotory powered Migit Racer. Somehow the rules and sanctions allowed this.

So I too am guilty of owning many cars and not having all of them running. Out in Long Island it is illegal to have an unregistered vehicle parked in a driveway. Somehow I got away with it.

So I definitely was a hill-billy back then. For about a year I hid a spare Jeep CJ-7 on the side of his house in Santa Fe.

E-Ha

Calvin-August
 
Seven miles from my house if you follow Main Street east you end up in Mohegan Lake where they have a gigantic strip mall with all the big box stores.

One of my favorites stores is Home Decor where every week it seems the have a new piece of Viking cookware that closely resembles All-Clad cookware with its bonded and laminated surgical stainless steel inside and outside cladding an aluminum intermediate layer.

For some unknown reason the prices are "no-money" and a fraction of the cost of All-Clad. I paid $120.00 for a 1 1/2 quart All-Clad pot in the past at Bed Bath and Beyond using a 20% off coupon ($150.00 full price), but I started by buying a 3 quart Viking pot for $39.99.

Then came a 3.5 quart sausepan, a 2 1/4 quart pot, an 8 quart with pasta strainer, all at crazy low prices, but you had to check in every week.

So I ended up with a complete set excluding frying pans because I have copper frying pans for eggs and my deadly grilled cheese with carmalized onions.

So this week we stopped at Micheal's because "Maggie" needed some illustration board, but I secured some foam to use as light seal for the camera known as "The Devil Christian." This is like one of Devil Dan's "Handies" that uses a 4x5 Graphmatic or a 4x5 film holder.

So at a Meet-Up Christian gives me this camera that somehow I owe him for because he has to many projects. So its been over a year and I still owe him.

That reminds me that I owe Joe some printing on the "Jersey Barrier" (Epson 7800) for a Nikon F5 somehow he gave me. Somehow I don't remember needing a F5 or wanting one, so it was another cast off.

Then Joe brings a carcus of a Linhof Color Kardan and I end up taking it home.

So somewhere I end up with all these orphan cameras. Oh. I forgot there is all these cameras that Maggie buys and disgards where I do the right thing and recycle them at Meet-Ups as prizes for Beauty Pagents.

Then Chris gives me all this surplus gear he collected over the decades to redistribute and recycle...

*********************

Yesterday we went to a local masonary supply to look at stone for building out patio, but it was closed. We went by the hours on the Internet which were "summer hours." Oh-well.

So then I scouted around. We were under the viaduct for Route 9 near the river. I discovered a arch-E-Text-U-AL salvage within our local lumber yard.

There was a tough guy waterfront dive bar where it might be cool to have a Meet-Up. Not far away is some waterfront preserve. Also under Route 9 are brick ruins that they built the viaduct over that was formally part of an iron foundry.

Then we discovered this coolest waterfront location that formally was a residence for iron workers in the 1800's that is a very cool antique electrical shop. Check out the link:

https://radio-guy.com

Take the tour of the showroom and tell me that this is not a shooting gallery for a photographer.

So I got some smut from Steve "The Radio-Guy." Formally he was a creative "Idea Guy" at a Madison Avenue agency in Midtown, and when he retired he open up this shop.

One of his clients was Donald Trump. The only good thing he had to say was that he would meet The Donald in his office face to face and when doing business decisions were decisive and it was not a lot of talk or bantering.

So I asked Steve if he ever got "Stiffed" and not paid for services, and once he was stiffed for $50K, but that was too little money to fight with a lawyer over.

The Globe at Trump Tower in Columbus Circle was Steve's idea.

When The Donald ran for President, Steve guess he got called from a Rolodex and was asked if he would like to contribute and help The Donald run for office.

"I would like to contribute $50K, the amount on that open voucher that is still owed me," Steve said.

About 27K people live in Peekskill and it is considered a "city." Maggie tells me that some progressive candidate is running for Mayor who is an urban planner. What comes evident by driving around that Peekskill is a walkable city, and then Maggie points out that there are lots of residents that don't own cars. Anyways this candidate wants Peekskill to be sustainable.

Maggie digs in an discovers a program where food pantry's take surplus produce from local residents to feed the hungry. We will have in mind to grow more food than we can use to support this program.

Evidently some electronics company that makes PCB's (Printed Circuit Boards) is relocating to Peekskill from California. One of the buildings is on Water Street is part of this operation that includes three more in Peekskill.

Maggie points out how tight the housing supply is in Peekskill and somehow we got in just in time. One of her followers says Peekskill reminds her of what Beacon was before it got hot.

*****************

Sunday I turned the first 1K miles on the Audi A4. I have owned the car since the first week of December. We went up to Rhinebeck which is north of Poughkeepsie, not across the river like I thought.

More antique hunting. I found a very clean Leica IIIF with a 50/1.5 Summatar for $950.00, but I didn't buy it.

Some discoveries is that the town of Garrison is mucho big. So we explored parts of the "mid-Hudson" valley. Very much majestic beauty.

The more I look around the more Peekskill stands out as being special. Taking the Bear Mountain Bridge to cross the Hudson is like flipping a switch and entering a more distant location.

Further north things spread out and it is very rural.

******************

Yesterday we started rewiring this lamp-table which is this table with a lamp built in for Maggie's office. She is like a 5 year old in a playground taking this small task in. We also removed a leg and re-glued it.

A bad switch needs to be replaced, the two wire zip-cord is dry rotted, and overall it needed a cleanup and tightening up. She is fascinated by this easy task.

Lots of tools and spare parts I had on hand, but I jibbed her for all the times she complained that I have "Too much stuff."

She promised that she will never say that again. So then I hint that our across the Avenue neighbor has 4 vehicles and our next door neighbor has 2 cars and a truck.

"We are the only folks who only have one car."

Well it didn't work. LOL.

"I know what your doing," she said.

Evidently there is some huge warehouse full of antiques in Hudson. At some point something isn't going to fit in the A4 I figure.

Also bought and antique bottle and an airbrushed floral framed print. On my way to work I stopped at Home Depo at 59th Street (they open at 7:00 AM) to buy more lamp rewiring supplies including the switch I need.

Perhaps if I have my way Maggie will buy me a Ford Raptor or the new Ford Bronco. LOL.

Cal
 
BTW, if you click the Google map minus sign twice you can see that if you follow Route 9 south to where Peekskill ends you can see Dickey Brook which runs behind my Baby-Victorian.

Peekskill as far as area goes does not sprawl.

Also "Maggie" corrected me. Our house is a transitional style between a Craftsman and a Victorian.

Example we don't have 9-10 foot ceilings that traditional Victorians have.

If you drive through Peekskill you see mucho Craftsman style homes and you definitely see a strong transition that is kind of abrupt once you leave Peekskill.

All these small Craftsman homes on small lots right next to each other. Once you leave Peekskill the change is drastic.

Cal
 
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