This image makes me happy. Here's why.

This is an unedited full frame scan from a (645 format) falling-apart Zenobia camera which is 65 years old.
I've used it many times, and sometimes my breath is taken away by the results, such as with this image.

It's the lens. What a treasure. An uncoated ƒ3.5 75mm Neo-Hester Anastigmat by Daiichi-Kogaku in
a Daiichi-Rapid Compur style shutter. No filter. No lens hood. And (although in some leafy shade)
shooting directly down an early morning sunlit street. Focused at 50 feet, using ƒ11 and 1/100,
exposing the Ilford FP4+ as 200asa, and holding back development 10% to help the highlights.

I'm particularly drawn to details such as the sun flare on the car hood, the small gas flame in the
lamp, the delicate tones and shades on the houses, and the detail held at the most distant point.
And, by and large, given it is handheld, the image is sharp enough. This from a camera which is
barely workable, with leatherette mostly gone, a viewfinder almost fogged over and dented at the
top, and an 'iffy' winder button. It looks so bad that the last potential camera thief gave me a
$50 bill and let me keep the camera. (Well, not exactly - wink.) I am 'blathering on' a bit here,
but I'm looking at a roll of 16 negatives with some incredible results (again). Film. Old lens. Patina. Sigh.

MORE OF THE GALLERY is here ...