Peter Blake
Well-Known Member
Started off with a couple of 35mm film slrs, Nikon mount variety, and a pair of 55mm Micro Nikkors. When I asked them what they wanted to take pictures of, they both said 'birds, animals, fish, flowers, and beetles, Daddy'. Hence the lens choice.
I particularly wanted them to experience the tactile nature of the film cameras, with the focusing, winding on, and so on. What little boy didn't want to go to the Science Museum in London if only to press every button going?
Focusing is a big hit. Winding on less so. Perhaps it was my Hobbs' Choice of Kenko KF-1 bodies. In any case, we've now abandoned film and gone straight to digital. Daddy also had be to continually reminded to take the latest adventures to the DPE shop......I had no idea it was going to be this expensive.....JPY1500 (about twelve quid) for 24 exposures dev & print, with a CD.
So now Daddy's discarded (but working perfectly - sometimes) D70, and a second D70 donated by a colleague, along with the Micro lenses, do excellent service. It would be better if we had either chipped lenses (as the D70 doesn't meter at all with rom-less glass), or ideally D200 bodies, but those may have to wait for another day.
The teaching aspect has only really taken shape in respect of holding the camera, focusing, viewing images. But those 7-year olds are little sponges.
I particularly wanted them to experience the tactile nature of the film cameras, with the focusing, winding on, and so on. What little boy didn't want to go to the Science Museum in London if only to press every button going?
Focusing is a big hit. Winding on less so. Perhaps it was my Hobbs' Choice of Kenko KF-1 bodies. In any case, we've now abandoned film and gone straight to digital. Daddy also had be to continually reminded to take the latest adventures to the DPE shop......I had no idea it was going to be this expensive.....JPY1500 (about twelve quid) for 24 exposures dev & print, with a CD.
So now Daddy's discarded (but working perfectly - sometimes) D70, and a second D70 donated by a colleague, along with the Micro lenses, do excellent service. It would be better if we had either chipped lenses (as the D70 doesn't meter at all with rom-less glass), or ideally D200 bodies, but those may have to wait for another day.
The teaching aspect has only really taken shape in respect of holding the camera, focusing, viewing images. But those 7-year olds are little sponges.
