Greetings from Oregon, USA

[Gary R. Smith]

Hamish suggested that I write up a recent experience and I ended up here from 35mmc. I've lived in various metro-areas in the USA and now reside about 15 miles east of Portland, Oregon in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I'm retired. I started my photographic journey with a borrowed camera and a class in high school. I subsequently purchased an SLR (and a darkroom set-up) and shot a lot of Tri-X. Life intervened and photography became a thing of the past until I started a job where the guy I replaced was also the company's photographer. So, there I was again. In the past decade plus I've collected a number of digital cameras of various formats as well as copies of my two first film cameras.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

Hi from Australia, Gary and welcome!
I came here by almost the same route, last year.

 

[Pete Askew]

Welcome to RPF, Gary.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

Welcome, Gary from me in Norway. I have visited your state a couple of times and enjoyed it very much.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

Thanks Ivar! I have only visited Norway once (by sea). Perhaps you recognize this view:

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Thanks Ivar! I have only visited Norway once (by sea). Perhaps you recognize this view:View attachment 18633

This looks as a film take. I'm I right?

 

[Gary R. Smith]

Gianluca, this was taken with a Panasonic LX100 digital camera. 12mp. Image taken in June of 2018. 1/1300 sec. f4, ISO 200. I wish I had kept the camera it was very much like a manual film camera.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Gianluca, this was taken with a Panasonic LX100 digital camera. 12mp. Image taken in June of 2018. 1/1300 sec. f4, ISO 200. I wish I had kept the camera it was very much like a manual film camera.

So I was completely wrong! And the strange thing is that my current everyday camera is a Panasonic LX100 II...

 

[Gianluca Drago]

In the past decade plus I've collected a number of digital cameras of various formats as well as copies of my two first film cameras.

That Canon FTb was my first camera. I loved it so much.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

My first article was published on 35mmc today. It's about the Mamiya 645 that I purchased via eBay back in December and all the problems that went along with it. I've since purchased another 645 from my "local" film camera "super store" and while I'm also having a problem with it (being sorted by Blue Moon) I'm anxious to run some color film through it as soon as I get it back.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I’ve just read it, Gary. Congratulations on joining the 35mmc Contributor list - I have a few there myself. Pity about your woes, but the Panasonic is coming up with the goods - nothing wrong with those shots. I’m the opposite of a tinkerer myself. Life is too short!

 

[Gianluca Drago]

An interesting story even if not a happy ending. Thanks for sharing @Gary R. Smith.

 

[Ralph Turner]

Sorry to red that you had so much bad luck with this, Gary. Fingers crossed for the new one

 

[Gary R. Smith]

I've been beginning to think that the universe doesn't want me to have a medium format film camera. I'm hopeful that whomever Blue Moon sent it to will sort it.

 

[Ralph Turner]

I've been beginning to think that the universe doesn't want me to have a medium format film camera.

Well, stick two fingers up at the universe, Gary, you'll get there
Presumably there's no mileage in picking up an old folder or something like it to mess about with until that pristine 1000S or even a J comes along and drops into your lap? Maybe not your thing but, as you most likely know already, they can be a lot of fun, even the more basic ones.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

Thanks Ivar! I have only visited Norway once (by sea). Perhaps you recognize this view:View attachment 18633

I certainly do. It is out west outside Aurland. I am over there quite often, taking in the sites. I have many images from that area.

 

[Gary R. Smith]

It is out west outside Aurland.

It is certainly beautiful. Hoping to come back, possibly in conjunction with a trip to Iceland and/or perhaps a trip to specifically catch the aurora since that's on my wife's bucket list. The switchbacks on the road up to this place were pretty "sporty".