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Saint Médard, Naillat 23800 Fr.

This church was built in the 13th century, but the tower and spire are later 15thC alterations. There is some speculation about why the spire is twisted, the most likely explanation being the use of unseasoned oak for the internal carpentry, combined with premature removal of the external scaffolding, but what is certain is that it was not intentional!

This was taken on Foma 200 film, and developed in PC-Glycol and the result is a bit too "soot and whitewash" for my taste, although almost grain free. I scanned this neg at a higher resolution than normal, so it's a 32mb file which would result in an image over 2m wide if printed full size, and if you look at the original scan you will see why I like my old Kodak Tourist so much !!

When the camera was built, it was unusual to make prints much bigger than about 6"x 3½", so the original owner could never have realised what this fine triplet lens was capable of!

1948 Kodak Tourist, f4.5/105mm Anaston lens, x2 yellow filter. Foma Ultra 200 in PC-Glycol, 8mins@21C. Scanned in 48bit colour@2400dpi on Epson V500
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4 comments

Murray Kelly said:

Actually the contrast isn't too bad. Like yourself I don't go for the present day 'fad' of contrast, but this looks pretty good to my eyes, Mike. In 1953 I traded my Kodak Vigilant 620 for a Retina Ia but it had taken plenty of pleasing pictures for me by then. I cannot recall the lens, however, and it seems there was a raft of different ones used.
Thanks for the memories.
Murray
7 years ago

Mikeinlagardette replied to Murray Kelly:

Murray, many thanks for your encouragement!

I also had a Vigilant a few years ago, nice camera - from memory it had the same Anaston lens as this Tourist, but a different shutter, possibly without flash? Can't remember!

Kodak were very good at singing a different song from the same hymn sheet ! The Tourists went from a fixed aperture f11 doublet in a single speed Dakon shutter, up to a Tessar in a Synchro-Rapid that went up to 1/800th, with everything in between! (Although I don't think the Synchro-Rapids sold in any numbers, they are delicate and easily broken, and with two sets of shutter blades, they are absolute b******s to work on !!)
Mike
7 years ago

╰☆☆June☆☆╮ said:

Your beautiful capture is greatly admired

Historical & Architectural Gems
7 years ago

Mikeinlagardette replied to ╰☆☆June☆☆╮:

June, thanks for your encouragement!
7 years ago