About
I love mechanisms, mostly cameras. The articles here have some illustrative pictures showing how some things work in real life, but it is not intended to stand in for a photo gallery/critique site. The tone will not be serious (nor has it ever been), so don’t take anything here too seriously.
If you have a particular topic of interest, float it in the guestbook, and I’ll see if I have material on the old site covering it. And if I don’t, I may just sit down and write it (provided, of course, that I have some basis for doing so).
In the event you’d like to write a guest piece, contact me with your idea. I would especially welcome instructional pieces on in-camera or in-darkroom effects – since we all know what can be done with things like Photoshop.
The Machine Planet 
good luck, many photographers watch your writings
Hi
Im about to buy a retina IMac
Commin!g from PC world , I was googling for coniguration of retina IMac and I landed in your blog.
I use my computer only förr daily email,reading papers paying bills etc.
And very light word ,exel etc.
I havet about 300Gb. Of pictures and just boughgt me a full frame nikon.
I will start fresh on the new iMac with lightroom cc I havet played around with it on my PC,but nothing I ned to save.
So its going to be a fresh startup on the mac ,but i dont have a clue how to configure the IMac .
Its not going to be heavy lightroom or PS work ,bit my photo arkive is growing.
I read your blog and wonder IF you have a suggestion for me
Very best regards
Ulf Hansén
Sweden
thanks for your work !
Hi- trying to track down info on repairing a GM670. Do you know anyone who works on them? Or a step-by-step on adjusting the rangefinder? Thanks!
I hope you keep all of the gems about the medium format Fuji rangefinder cameras. They are some of my favorite cameras and I’ve enjoyed your writing
about the lenses sharpness etc. Please keep this information for those of us that
love shooting film. I went from film starting in the 1980’s to digital in the early 2000’s up to about 18 months ago. I went back to shooting in film again
in 35mm and 120 and only shoot about 20% in digital. Good luck with the new site.
You’re site was a treasure and a close friend for many years. I’m sad to see it gone but I hope you put all your articles back up here. You are one funny guy with a great point of view on photography and life.
Hi,
To wobblerone’s point, I was planning on buying a Fuji GSW 690 sometime this year. I was hoping to use your guide from the old website to see whether or not it’s worth paying more for the III vs. the II and it’d be great to have the guide back for reference.
Please do let us know when you can host it again, thanks!
I stumbled across your page while searching for information regarding Fujica g690 bl. If you have the time And don’t mind responding I would appreciate it. I have had the 690 for about a year now and finally set off to do some night shots. After processing and scanning negatives, I realized that on bulb the shutter was not closing after releasing the cable release. I read somewhere that these cameras didn’t have a bulb setting until later models instead they had a T setting, where when it was time to close the shutter you adjusted the shutter dial or advanced the exposure lever. My camera fires perfectly otherwise, but I’m essentially trying to figure out/understand if I have a mechanical issue or if this is just a quirk if the camera. I don’t have another model to compare it to so thought I’d reach out. Thanks in advance!
The GW/GSW series requires you to switch the shutter dial to something off T. The G690/GL690 have a normal B. Hope that helps!
Dear Dante Stella, what is your take on the film simulations available for lightroom, dxo, nikonpc, tiffen etc? Have you ever tried mimicing the look of film on digital photography? Thank you again, stay happy and productive!!
I think I own pretty much every film simulation product there is, but I rarely use them. I never saw a lot of joy in film grain and grew up in an era where they were chasing perfection. 1992 me would have gone crazy if I had known that in 2020, a Leica M monochrom could shoot at 25,000 ISO with the same grain as Tri-X at 400. But some of these packages (esp DxO and Nik) do help conform the look of color digital converted to b/w to match native b/w materials when part of the same project.
I’ve been reading your site for years and absolutely enjoyed it. Bought a few Fuji GA/GS645 based a lot on your reviews, and they did produce some of my favorite photos. also really enjoyed the Sonnar/Sonnatar articles.
just a note on the Canon 35mm f/1.8 LTM: had to really look to find your article again so I can reread what you wrote. I’m not a fan of 35mm focal length, but I keep getting drawn back to the 35/1.8. Loved it on a M4, hated it on Fuji x1/x2/xt1, meh on Nikon Z6, but it really seems to work well on the Leica CL. don’t know if you have access or desire to look at those lenses through the Leica APS-C or not. But again,I kept reading your canon 35mm article when I was looking for the 35mm/1.8; there seems to be a lot of useful information there for me.
Thanks for your writing, and do keep it up.