Are you brave enough to tackle vintage photography?

Date: 13 January 2024 By: Anton van Zyl

To take up photography as a hobby is not unusual. Modern cameras with sophisticated image sensors and lenses that can focus in a split second mean that the average Joe can take award-winning photos with the assistance of only a few YouTube videos. But what if you must take a picture with a camera that is more than 50 years old, without the benefit of built-in light meters or even through-the-lens focusing?

The Zoutpansberger wants to invite its readers to take part in a Vintage Photography Challenge. At our offices, we have a photography museum with more than 200 cameras. The oldest is a Collins Patent Field camera, dating from 1887. The range includes numerous wooden-plate cameras as well as Kodak Box Brownies and Vest Pocket cameras. The names of the cameras on display include Voigtländer, Houghton (which later became Ensign), Agfa, Zeiss, Leica, Yashica, and we even have a Hasselblad. The collection includes most of the popular single-lens reflex (SLR) makes, such as Nikon, Olympus, Canon, and Pentax.

(And the cameras are on display at our offices at 16B Joubert Street during office hours. Should you want a guided tour, just ask and we will try and arrange it.)

But this collection was never meant to be a static “please do not touch” assortment of cameras. Most of the cameras almost plead with one to be used. They have mechanical parts that enjoy moving around a couple of times per year. If not, the mechanical shutters get stuck, and the leaf shutters on the lenses stop working.

For this reason, and the fact that vintage photography has become a very popular hobby, we want to launch a project whereby residents are invited to join us on excursions and workshops where we discuss film photography and take photos. If all goes well, we can even consider bringing out a vintage-photography calendar at the end of the year.

Many readers may be worried about their lack of knowledge, albeit some readers may teach us a lot about film photography. We will not just ask you to grab a camera and try your luck. If you do not know anything about film photography and fully manual cameras, the chances are slim of your capturing anything. We will start with one or two workshops, and the “experts” will always be available to assist.

(Those who have their own vintage cameras are also more than welcome to use these or bring them along.)

Unfortunately, some costs will be involved. Unlike digital cameras where one can simply click and delete, no such option exists with film cameras. Every time one presses the button, the film rolls on and a cost comes into play. Luckily, this cost is not excessive.

Should you be interested in taking part in the project, you need to be prepared to buy a few rolls of film. Films such as Ilford FP4 (100 ASA) or Ilford HP5 (400 ASA) cost around R200 per roll (36 exposures and 35mm). Some costs are involved for developing, but if people group together, this cost can be shared. Once the film has been developed, it can be scanned in, which only takes time and costs nothing. So, all in all, the exercise is not too expensive, but be prepared for a cost implication.

Those interested in taking part in such a vintage-photography project can contact Anton van Zyl. Send him an email at [email protected] or phone him at 015 516 4997. Depending on the interest, a date will be arranged for a planning session, a tour of the museum and perhaps a first workshop.

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Anton van Zyl

Anton van Zyl has been with the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror since 1990. He graduated from the Rand Afrikaans University (now University of Johannesburg) and obtained a BA Communications degree. He is a founder member of the Association of Independent Publishers.

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