Minolta Dynax / Maxximum 5 Body
I love this camera. It is small, lightweight like a compact but with every
advanced function of any professional reflex. Reliable, very flexible,
suits well for every situation and regardless of the mode used, from full-auto
to full-manual, thanks to its quick and very user-friendly interface,
the photographer can always concentrate just on the final scene to impress
on the film.
Tamron 24-135 SP Lens
At any focal lenght, it produces a nitid and uniform image, with
no distorsions or shadows even at the outermost corners of the picture.
Very suitable for landscapes, where the focal lenght of 24mm lets to emphatize
the vastity of the environment, it can also be used for wildlife when,
at 135mm, the distance and the size of the subject is within acceptable
limits.
Canon Prima Super 120
A compact camera that I always carry with me in my pocket. Small
and very practical, I use it where I need a smaller unit, easier to be
handled, for example when I take pictures from the airplanes or from the
buses. With a zoom lens of 38-120, takes great pictures if used properly
and, for this reason, it is also a good "backup" unit, just
in case my primary camera fails. I usually use this camera with 200 or
400 ASA print film only (never with slides).
Kodak Ultra Sport
A disposable unit that... would be better to dispose BEFORE using, so
you will not run the risk to go back at home with totally useless pictures.
I've purchsed this unit for snorkeling, as it is guaranteed to work under
water up to 10 meters of depth. Unfortunately, as it doesn't have a flash,
it become totally useless just to a depth of 2 meters because of the limited
light available down there. I really don't understand why the engieers
in Kodak made a so big mistake, a built-in flash would cost $1 or $2 more
to the end user, but would actually let to use this camera up to 10 meters
of depth, as specified on the technical sheet.
Nordmende Specre S-VHS Camcorder
An old camcorder, quite big and heavy, with the battery lasting not more
than 15 minutes. But it produces an excellent quality, also on non S-VHS
tapes (it is getting difficult to find S-VHS tapes in the stores), similar
or even better than many modern, multi million pixels, digital cameras.
I use it to capture the motion when needed and for 360 degrees panoramas.
Kodak Professional E100VS
Professional slides with vivid saturation, ideal for landscape and wildlife.
I'm very satisfied about this film. It captured the colors exactly as
I remember them, with an excellent contrast and a fine grain. It produced
white sand and blue sky without using filters and helped me to still take
true colors even on overcast days. The speed of 100 ASA guaranteed an
almost grain-free picture, without had to use a tripod each time. The
only complaint that I have is some exaggerated red tonality on the skin,
especially on close-ups, anyway this cannot be considered a defect, as
the film wasn't made for portraits (there is a special version of E100
for this purpose). I've used this film with the Minolta camera and never
with the compact.
Agfa VISTA 200
A color print film for consumer use. I use this film with the compact
camera, when I prefer to have a negative instead of a slide, or when I
prefer to have both. It is a film with a moderate contrast, vivid colors
and acceptable grain, which worked well in every situation except in low
light (because of the compact camera, not because of the film).
AVAILABLE
A cheap product without anything special. I've chosen it just for its size, as it fits well in my backpack and I can carry it everywhere. I usually use it for pictures at night and for any low light conditions, like in the forest or at sunset.
An excellent scanner, produces a quality similar to professional units but at a very low price. Because of the low speed, it isn't suitable for scanning dozens of slides daily, but for any other use it is absolutely fine. You can read a full review of this unit on my Minolta page here.
