Over time I’ve amassed many cameras, each in 35mm and medium format. I’ve a selected comfortable spot for Nikon and Zeiss Ikon merchandise, but additionally love Minolta, Pentax and the previous East German Praktica cameras. For some unexplained motive, I’ve had little or no expertise of Canon cameras. This isn’t from any bias, they simply didn’t appear to return my approach. One instance which did arrive, courtesy of a charity store, was a Canon T50 full with a 50mm f1.8 FD lens. I immediately appreciated each the appear and feel of this digital camera, nonetheless it’s auto all the things nature made me put it to 1 facet. It appeared to me to be little greater than a glorified level and shoot. Subsequently the Canon remained dormant in a field for 4 or 5 years while different cameras had their second within the solar. Effectively, when the solar bothers to shine within the UK that’s. I’d, once in a while, think about using the Canon, largely as I used to be curious to see if the lens lived as much as its repute.
Taking pictures a ‘new’ digital camera is all the time a unusually addictive mixture of enjoyment and apprehension. What’s it like to make use of? Is it overrated or underrated? Will it work in any respect? Will I mess all of it up? When the outcomes return, (I not develop my very own) the anticipation is heightened as I obtain the pictures over which I’ve hung out, effort and cash. Principally I’m happy, and if there’s a downside, I’m inclined guilty myself fairly than the digital camera.
There may be in England, a stately residence by the identify of Beaulieu. Positioned on the south coast near the English Channel, it’s residence to a museum housing a large assortment of classic and traditional motor vehicles. It is usually the situation for the Beaulieu Autojumble, which is a gigantic occasion the place folks promote components for traditional vehicles. Fanatics from all around the world are interested in this mecca of rusty artifacts, oily parts, and chrome. It has been working because the Sixties, and I’d wished to attend for years. This 12 months the chance lastly got here.
The climate within the late summer time of 2023 was respectable after a moist July, and I needed to resolve which digital camera to take to Beaulieu. I wished one thing easy to make use of, but able to making respectable photographs. I made a decision on the Canon T50, largely as a result of I’d heard that the 50mm 1.8 FD lens was an actual corker. I inserted two recent AA batteries, and the digital camera was able to go. For movie, I selected Ilford FP4, which is my favorite because it’s effective grained, dependable and forgiving. The self-discipline of utilizing a single lens and never fussing about with gentle meters, is one to which I too hardly ever subscribe. Arriving with a light-weight coronary heart, and light-weight shoulder weight, I immersed myself on this orgy of historic junk, to which I and so many others are drawn.
The Canon proved to be an utter enjoyment of use. It’s properly formed, good to carry with an honest heft, and so blissfully straightforward to make use of. I’ve autofocus cameras, however guide focus is my desire. The T50’s viewfinder is brilliant and clear, with only a single inexperienced LED exhibiting P. The lens is properly damped, which makes focussing quite simple. The Canon’s automation left me free to easily compose, focus and shoot. I liked it. As for the outcomes? The Canon 50mm f1.8 is deserving of all of the plaudits with which it has been showered over time.
In conclusion, the Canon T50 and 50mm FD lens had been a joyous different to climbing round with assorted lenses, and all the opposite paraphernalia which I usually really feel I would like. It jogged my memory of being again in my late teenagers, toting my Praktica MTL3 with it’s normal 50mm, when that was all I had. Now I should be trustworthy. Utilizing the T50 wasn’t a highway to Damascus expertise, and I’m not about to promote my different cameras, giving all to the poor. My Nikon FE will all the time reign supreme, and I really like my Contaflex Tremendous. It definitely gained’t substitute my TLR and folding cameras. The Canon T50 has, nonetheless, turn into a digital camera which I can rapidly decide up and go and take images. I nonetheless regard it as one thing of some extent and shoot, however that isn’t such a nasty factor. Are there any drawbacks to the T50? Definitely, because it’s automation removes the aspect of selection from the person, and for those who’re delight is to shoot vast open, the T50 gained’t simply allow you to accomplish that. This isn’t totally not possible although. Swap the lens from A to your required aperture, and the digital camera will work, however solely at a sixtieth of a second.
All my photographs had been lab developed, and scanned at a regular stage. I exploit the easy free app, Snapspeed to hold out any modifying, which often solely entails distinction, and dodge and burn. It’s the outcomes that actually matter, and the Canon delivered faultlessly. It’s not unloved, nor will it’s ignored in future.
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