When you were young

[lesged]

Santiago,

Note: I started this response right after I saw your photo posted, but as in more and more cases, I think I’ve posted what I wrote and only find out the contrary when I open the thread when alerted there is a new comment--and find no comment made by me.  My grey cells are evaporating

Your joy comes across clearly. You look proud as punch holding your prize of a camera. Btw, is that a lens cap on the camera? I hope you didn't leave it on for any of your exposures.

The reason I bring it up is the disastrous results I had with the first 35mm roll exposed in a Univex Mercury, my introductory 35mm rf camera. I wrote this account before, but there may be a lot of folks who didn't read it.

My father bought a demonstrator Mercury (I) at his friend's photo shop in 1939; it became my depression era bar mitzvah present. The first roll was shot while visiting relatives in New London, CT. All pics were taken of a column of surfaced submarines, under power, slowly moving up the Thames river. 

At home, after I processed my first roll of bulk 35mm film, I found to my surprise and disgust, the film was blank except for one very black exposure that bled beyond its normal frame; it had never advanced one frame. The advance crank was turned for each exposure, but I didn’t know then about checking the rewind knob, to see the film was advancing*. I had cranked away the advance knob, tripped shutter lots of times (it was ½ frame 35mm)-- all in vain. I returned the Mercury to the camera shop where the owner, Billy Barkin, opened the back of the camera, reached for a small tool, adjusted the pressure plate and handed it back to me, saying, “Here, Lester! it’ll work just fine now." And so it did for many, many years

*I’ve repeated that stunt several times throughout the years, especially when there was no film in a camera.

Wayne,

That’s a fine photo of a happy child, for sure. Looks like you were blond from the tuft of hair protruding from under your hat. Is there something prophetic about liking to play with found natural products that evolved into your profession?

[jake]

Not much changes for me - cameras, bicycles, baseball. I am still obsessed with all three. Pajamas, not so much, especially not out of doors.

[NancyB]

Hey Jorn, I have that camera that's hanging around your neck.  Well, maybe not that particular one, but that model.  :-)

[radiophoto]

I love my Duaflex II!  Mine has the focusing f/8 Kodar lens.  (Oooooo....)

[LarryD]

I have that Kodar on my Radar but soon I will write a song about it for my Guitar.. and then sing it in a cheap Honky Tonk Bar. So far as I can go without a car and my old trusty Kodar and my Guitar to the Honly Tonk Bar and that is not that far without my car.. .