Years ago I found an Ohnar negative and slide copier in a second-hand store (known as a thrift store in the US I believe). It had an Olympus adapter on it so I bought a Nikkor adapter as I already had a K&F Concept adapter for my Nikkor lenses to fit my Sigma fp L camera. For some unknown reason the photos were not pin sharp focused even though the Ohnar instructions said the built-in lens was low in aperture in order to ensure adequate depth-of-field to give good focus. Plus I had no light source, For these reasons, I decided to build a dedicated arrangement to fit my camera.
I cut up 18mm plywood to give a case for the small LED panel I had bought for this project. I then added small blocks of plywood to act as spacers and alignment stops so having put the camera with the Ohnar tube in place, the blocks had wood glue added and were gently pushed into place ensuring a snug fit.
The two lower panels that meet at right angles are hinged to allow this thing to pack up smaller. The piece that sits vertically was held in place by Blue Tack. That worked well and I didn't need anything more secure especially as I doubt I'll need to use this copier again.
If you have any comments or questions, use the Contact page to send me an email and I'll add it to this section for others to read.
My photographic equipment had been provided for me by my parents, right up to the age of late teens, when I bought myself a second-hand Practika SLR (I cannot remember which, TL or MT something). Then in my early twenties, newly married, I bought a Nikon F3 having been inspired by my brother-in-law's Nikon F2 which he used when he went diving. Plus a couple of lenses; 50mm f1.2 and a 35mm fsomething. I totally fell in love with that camera and still consider it to be one of the very best 35mm film cameras ever made. The F3 stayed with me for many years, including one month travelling in Thailand in 1986 and my time at college taking a BA degree in photography.
I then went through a long period of finding film too expensive. Digital was too young during this time so and didn't suit me for anything other than recording daily life. Several years ago I bought a Panasonic Lumix LX3. That camera allowed me to start shooting again and I will be eternally grateful to it. The resolution wasn't as high as I wanted and the menu system drove me nuts - I'd be out taking photos, looking down at it and saying "why is it doing that!" or "how the **** do I get it do do this?". But it was with this camera that it occured to me I could change the screen from colour to black and white and at first it felt like cheating but I got used to this new concept and became much happier with my images as I could now see them as they were (in my head that is). This was a transformation for me, an enlightening. At last I felt like I was a photographer again, not just someone recording my life and my family's life.
In further pursuit of my F3 replacement I tried a Fujifilm X-E1. The resolution was higher. it had interchangable lenses and had a much improved settings menu. But it felt very plastic and I missed the size and lightness of the Lumix. It dawmed on me that I no longer wanted a large and bulky camera and that I no longer want a replacement for my Nikon F3 but instead something more modern and suitable for my current needs.
Panasonic brought out their latest update to the Lumix, the LX10 (aka LX15). The Fuji was sold and the new Lumix felt much nicer to use. The menu system was much improved on the LX3 with a lot more control over how the function buttons worked. At first I was really happy but I started to get confused with the menu system again - there were several different customisable function buttons activatable from different areas - slide in side-menu on the screen, a sprinkling on the back, one on the rear bottom that could act to control lots of functions. I started to forget which of the function buttons I had set for what and this interferred with my taking of shots. With digital we get to control lots of stuff we never had access to with film and I can't help thinking 'just because you can put it in, it doen't mean you should'. Plus its resolution was still not up to Full Frame. My joy turned to frustration again.
Then one day, I thought to search for the 'smallest full frame camera' and saw images of the Sigma fp L. It immediately intreaged me; the diminutive size, the blocky Bauhouse shape, the dropping of anything that would allow it to be smaller whilst allowing them to be added if wanted. A big criticism of it in reviews was the lack of EV (electronic viewfinder) but I had already dropped using the viewfinder or screen on my Lumix cameras as I had started to rely on instict/experience/subconscious or whatever it was that meant I didn't look. The reviews all talked about it being a great camera if a bit querky. All the things that were missing I no longer cared about and all the things it did well, I definitely did care about. I had finally found 'The One' - a replacemnt for my Nikon F3. After using the camera for about one year, I can state that for me, it blows the F3 out of the water.
Reviewers didn't like the handling but I find the handling of the fp L to be superb. Many reviewers complain about the lack of right-side finger grip and the tiny right-side thumb grip. It took a while to realise why this did not affect me but the penny finally dropped. I do not carry the camera in my right hand (I am right handed) but hold it in the palm of my left hand. The hand strap is also around my left hand, doable because Sigma have put three 1/4" sockets on the camera; one on the left side, one on the right and one on the bottom - genius. I can now carry the camera in my left (as I always have) but without fear of losing or dropping it. The lens dials are easly controlled with my left hand from underneath the lens and this allows my right hand to easily access body controls and fire the shutter. Since I do not have to tightly grip the right side, my right hand is not getting tired at all and neither is my left. It also means the camera is nicely supported and whilst this way no longer forms a tripod support (as it did with my SLRs), it is still more stable than holding with just my right hand. Here's a photo to show what I mean.
I now have a range of lenses to go with this camera and will list them below. At some point I will review each in turn, along with sample photos and images of the lens on the Sigma fp L to show relative sizes and how they fit. The last lens I bought (and I really don't need any more lenses - promise) is a Jupiter-8 50mm f2.0. I love its diminutive size, shape and look, the fact it is Russian, old, cheap (for me only £26 inc. postage) and most of all the image quality. Here are the very first two photos taken, having just received it, followed by an image of it on the fp L.
