The first close focus Nikkor for the Nikon F was the 5.5cm f3.5 lens produced in 1961. It did not have an automatic diaphragm, meaning it did not automatically stop down the aperture when taking the photo. The lens I am reviewing is the Auto Micro Nikkor 55mm f3.5 introduced in 1963. This is an… Continue reading Auto Micro Nikkor 55mm f3.5 – A Macro Prime?
Author: Aly's Vintage Camera Alley
I love vintage cameras and photography. It started out as a way to feel closer to my father after he passed away when I was 11 years old. I bought my first 35mm Canon Rebel. Then it became my own passion. Now as an adult I love the mechanics, aesthetics and look given by a vintage camera.
When I was 21 I was diagnosed with a severe case of Fistulized Crohn’s Disease and my life was changed forever. It has severely limited what I can do in my day to day life, especially with my photography.
My hope is that through this blog and through my YouTube channel I can not only share ideas and knowledge with others, but also encourage others with disabilities and limitations to keep going with their hobby with vintage cameras.
Still Life and Expelling Grief
Many times over the years I've shared my need to express myself through photography. I often do this to alleviate anxiety, but also to deal with feelings of grief. Very often, I express this through still life photography. I'm not sure exactly what it is about this form of the medium that helps me to… Continue reading Still Life and Expelling Grief
The KMZ Start
Before World War II, 35mm cameras started to gain popularity with rangefinders like Leica and Leica copies like the Zorki. After the war, and especially into the 1950's, the SLR style cameras started to take over. One being the KMZ Start. The KMZ Start (Старт in Russian), is a professional 35mm SLR camera made in… Continue reading The KMZ Start
The Leica IIIF – Final Chapter?
The Leica IIIF RD has been the subject of a lot of my articles lately, and for good reason. It has been quite the ride. I first purchased a IIIF RD from KEH last year when I discovered it had pinholes in the shutter curtain. You can read about that here. I was happy to… Continue reading The Leica IIIF – Final Chapter?
Summitar 50mm f2 – To Keep or Not to Keep
If you've been following me for a while, you'll know I have been having quite the experience with a Leica IIIF I purchased from KEH. To get the whole story you can check out these articles here. In the meantime, I had purchased a Summitar 50mm f2 collapsible lens for the IIIF. At first, I… Continue reading Summitar 50mm f2 – To Keep or Not to Keep
A Tribute to Betty White – Kodak Ultramax 400 at 200
Betty White died on December 31, 2021. I really feel that she was one of the last unifying elements we had in this country. Who doesn't love Betty White? On that day, I had a roll of Kodak Ultramax 400 loaded in my Leica M6 and decided to kind of dedicate it to her memory… Continue reading A Tribute to Betty White – Kodak Ultramax 400 at 200
Digital Flowers
In my last article I gave an update on myself and my photography where I mentioned that I have injured my neck causing a lot of pain thats kept me from shooting much lately. I have had a doctors appointment almost every day due to other issues going on as well, so to say the… Continue reading Digital Flowers
Still Life and Motivation
I've hit a little dip in my creativity lately, not for a lack of desire, but just simply having too much going on that's affecting me. When I have a lot of of health issues happening at once I tend to get depressed, which understandably affects my motivation to do anything else. It's strange because… Continue reading Still Life and Motivation
Update: Bye Bye Leica IIIF
It's been a while since I have done a camera review, almost a year in fact. I've mostly been focusing on projects and film itself, so I didn't notice it had been so long. I'm currently working on a review for a KMZ Start that Mike Eckman has lent me, so that will be coming… Continue reading Update: Bye Bye Leica IIIF
Kodak Ektachrome – Landscapes
In my last article, I shared my first roll of Kodak Ektachrome E100 film. It consisted of all portraits of Kelsey that I really loved, and fell in love with this film. I mentioned in the video that I wanted to try Kodak Ektachrome landscapes next, so that's what I did. 1987 Ektachrome 100 ad… Continue reading Kodak Ektachrome – Landscapes