Super Ikonta B and Rolleiflex 2.8C - Cranbrook School

[joho35mm]

Going along with the previous thread on the Rolleiflex 2.8C and my first attempts at film developing, here are the shots from the first four rolls I developed. I made a Saturday trip out to the Cranbrook School, a prestigious private academy and boarding school about an hour's drive from Ann Arbor, to take a look at their late-1920s Arts and Crafts architecture. In my camera bag that morning were the Rolleiflex 2.8C and a Super Ikonta B (530/16) with an uncoated and slightly hazy 80mm f/2.8 Tessar. Tri-X was loaded in the Rolleiflex and Acros 100 was in the Super Ikonta. The school was serenely quiet, and there were only a few students hanging around campus or eating breakfast in the dining hall.

I walked into the dining hall to get some photos, and asked a middle-aged guy working the cafeteria register where some good views were. The "cafeteria guy" turned out to be Cranbrook's headmaster, also a UM graduate. He pointed out a few photogenic spots near the Cranbrook House (a former mansion attached to the school, where Leonard Bernstein composed portions of "Westside Story"), chatted me up about the school, and then bought me coffee and a tasty breakfast, saying, "gotta look after our own!"

This post is incomplete, because there are still three rolls I shot that day that are still sitting in my apartment, waiting to be processed after I finish my coursework and teaching responsibilities for this week. Stay tuned!

Rolleiflex 2.8C (Cranbrook School) -







Super Ikonta B (Cranbrook House and Gardens) -

[jamesmck]

Another superb job.  One can feel the sharpness and detail in the Rollei shots (e.g., numbers one and three), not that the Ikonta is any slouch in this regard.

James

[joho35mm]

Thanks, James! The Ikonta certainly has that "swirly" Tessar signature that the well-corrected, "clinically sharp" Xenotar lacks. The differences in lens character worked out well for the subjects at hand. I'm debating whether to get the Super Ikonta cleaned out; the haziness in the lens (which only comes out when shot against the light or with bright subjects) either adds "atmosphere" or makes the photo look fuzzy, depending on the viewer's preference.

[br1078lum]

They looked a lot better Joseph after I cleaned my glasses. :cool:  A very lovely school, and wonderful looking observatory tower.  I'l be looking forward to the rest of the rolls.

PF

[Nick Merritt]

Terrific shots, Joseph.  Very little to choose from between the two cameras.

[Julio1fer]

Beautiful 6x6, all of them! Your development is on track!

The Rollei shots are much sharper, though. I'd clean that Tessar, it should do a lot better.

[CarlosE]

Excellent Joseph !
You know very well how to get benefit from your 6x6 cameras. I like them very much.
Thanks you for to share with us.

Carlos

[radiophoto]

Another terrific job, Joe!  You've really taken to the self-developing.  I was the same way, and it's still a lot of fun for me, to develop the film.

[lesged]

Joseph,

Another superb job! I remember your splendid first Rollei shots when you started advance study at UM.

I'm so impressed with your results that I'm motivated to start using my Rollei Automat with film and souping it. I've been shooting strictly with digital cameras since returning from Florida in April, IIRC.

[joho35mm]

Thanks, everyone! And Les - I'm glad that my photos are getting you back to using your Automat! I do have to say that your Italian shots got me into shooting more rangefinder street photography (nowhere near the level of your technique and timing, though), so there's a real exchange going on here