Posted inFilm Development Photography Software

DevClock – Film Development Timer app for Android

I am working on a darkroom timer and development “recipe” app for Android. I’m focusing on making it a light-weight and simple app that is easily customizable so many films, developers, and development methods can be used. The app makes it easy to create your own development recipes and it is useful for both color and black and white film. The app comes preloaded with a set of 40 development presets that can be easily modified.

At the moment I am looking for anyone who wants to help with pre-release testing. If you’re interested, please send an email to [email protected] for details on how to join in on the beta testing.

The app does not need an internet connection, contains no ads, and does not collect any sort of user details. The privacy policy for the app is here.

Feedback and suggestions are very welcome!

Click on the post title to see screen shots, additional details, and the full list of presets.

Posted inCamera & Lens Repair Photography

Reassembling the Canon 24mm f/2.8 S.S.C. FD Mount Lens

I was recently offered a free Canon FD mount 24mm f/2.8 S.S.C. lens, but it came with a small catch. It had been disassembled for a re-lube by the previous owner due to a stuck focus ring, who was then unable to figure out how to put it back together again. 😳 They guaranteed all the bits were there, but had no pictures or any other info on how to re-assemble the lens.

Unfortunately, there are no service manuals and very little detailed information on this specific lens on the internet. There is some info for other FD lenses of this generation (which are somewhat similar – check the links section at the end of this post) but pretty much zero for this one. So this became quite the puzzle, but after a lot of fun, a lot of frustration, and a little luck, I was able to put Humpty back together again…

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Posted inCamera & Lens Repair Photography

Konica C35 Focus and Shutter Repairs

On a recent trip to Tokyo, I had some time to browse the amazing used camera stores in the Shinjuku “Camera Town” area. I found this guy in a bargain bin going for $2. I have a huge soft-spot for this camera. My grandfather gave me one when I was in my teens, and at some point it was stolen. So, despite some obvious, and pretty major issues with the camera, I couldn’t resist. There was oil on the shutter blades, so they were sticking and sluggish when fired, and the focusing ring would barely move at all. Happily, I was able to resolve everything, and add this neat little camera to my collection.

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Posted inElectronics & Retro Gaming Photography

TurtleCam Weather Station and Web Cam

Now broadcasting from Cascais, Portugal.

The webcam and weather station are based on Raspberry Pi systems running motion and weewx. They are currently running the Rasberry Pi v3 12MP camera, and a few cheap i2c based sensors for measurements – a BME280 for air pressure, a MCP9808 for temperature, and a Si7021 for humidity.

The weewx setup uses the Belchertown skin and gets the radar data from windy.com. The weather station currently broadcasts to awekas.com, weatherunderground.com, and windy.com.




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Posted inCamera & Lens Repair Photography

Adapting a Yashica GSN 45mm f/1.7 lens for the Sony E Mount

Ages ago, I bought a broken Yashica GSN as a parts camera to repair the rangefinder mechanism on my keeper GSN. (You can read about that surgery here.)

When I cannibalized the parts camera, I took the lens off (probably the only part of that camera which was in decent shape) hoping to one day adapt it for use on a Leica M body or something similar. Well, the lens wound up, like a lot of my projects, kicking around in a drawer for years and just gathering dust. Then the NEX series of cameras came along and with them adapters for every lens imaginable. Slooowly, eventually, the dim flashbulb in my head went off, I remembered the long forgotten GSN lens and I got to wondering if and how I could pair it with my NEX 5n.

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