Kodak Signet 40 In Autumn

[br1078lum]

Of all the Signet models, this is the one I like the best.  Shutter speeds to 400, takes Series V filters in a built-in holder on it's 3.5/46 Ektanon, is beautifully styled, and even though it's a Bakelite camera wrapped in a metal skin, it is not very heavy.  And it came with the leather ERC in excellent condition.  The only reason I haven't shot it very much is there are too many others waiting their turn.

So I loaded it up with some CVS (Fuji) 200, packed my Sunny-16 meter, and headed out looking for some fall color.  Took a couple of days to finish off the roll, and I did pretty good on the exposures.  Here are eight of the better composed shots.  No exposure fixes on these, other than on "Bounty Of Berries", which was a little over.  Crops, and negative pinhole removal (darned drugstore developing machines) the only other fixes.


Welcome To The VA by br1078phot, on Flickr
Nice seasonal display in front of the Veterans Affairs clinic in Salem, VA.


In The Autumn Of Their Life by br1078phot, on Flickr
Like two old friends, these trucks sit forlorn in the late October sun.  But soon, they will be rebuilt till they look like new.


October Blaze by br1078phot, on Flickr


Park Trees by br1078phot, on Flickr
Hollins Park, in northern Roanoke County.


Sunny Day Excersize by br1078phot, on Flickr
The track in Hollins Park where I sometimes do laps.  I gets kind of boring, so I head to the greenway on other days.


Bounty Of Berries by br1078phot, on Flickr
These are just lovely, but I wouldn't want to eat them.  I don't think anything eats them, as they are still there in the spring.


Not As Many by br1078phot, on Flickr
This plant has yellow berries, and tends to shade them from view.


Taking In The View by br1078phot, on Flickr
This black headed vulture looks like it's enjoying the scenery, but it's probably just sniffing the air for it's next meal.

The Signet 40 is a fun camera, and I highly recomend it if you are looking for an inexpensive rangefinder.

PF

[Dean Williams]

They're a fun camera, and the 1950's hep cat styling is sooo cool.  Looks like you had a good time with it!

Dean

[radiophoto]

If I had never seen the original Signet 35, I would find the Signet 40 more attractive.  Still, it's a cutie on its own.  That damned Kodak proprietary flasholder, though -- so annoying!

Enough about the camera, though.  Nice autumn pics, Phil.  Palm trees don't do that, so I'm not getting the full effect of autumn down here.  :p

[br1078lum]

Thanks, Dean.  I think it has one of the least intrusive ERC's.

Pete, that's why I never settled in Florida!  The weather was nice after coming from a blizzard in Great Lakes, but after that, I still missed the winter.  I plan on one day collecting the entire Signet line (five models).  The 35 is a beauty also, but I like the size of the 40 better, and it has the 400 speed one needs for shooting Tri-X.

PF

[LarryD]

See old things still work. Wonderful shots there.

[shadowfox]

I like the two truck shots.
Maybe go back when the light is less harsh and shoot a couple close ups?

[jamesmck]

Nice colors (and compositions) there, Phil.  I admire your tenacity in using all your cameras (and in finding good subjects to shoot),

James

[CarlosE]

Phil,
You must be careful!... You must not use this camera frequently !!!  ... It's radioactive!  ... His lens has Thorium !!!  Don't use it please!      SELL IT !     Maybe I would can to buy it... (Only for to safe your life) :rolleyes:
======

Beautiful Photos  Phil !
Congratulations !

[Jim Evans]

Awesome shots from an Old Timer.  The camera that is!  :p

I really like the image of the trucks. 

[br1078lum]

Phil,
You must be careful!... You must not use this camera frequently !!!  ... It's radioactive!  ... His lens has Thorium !!!  Don't use it please!      SELL IT !     Maybe I would can to buy it... (Only for to safe your life) :rolleyes:
======

Beautiful Photos  Phil !
Congratulations !

Nice try, Carlos.  But I used to sleep in the torpedo room when I first got on the sub, and my bunk was right above a SubRoc.  So this little old Kodak don't scare me none.  But I'll look around for another one for you.

PF

[LarryD]

LOL My kids still kid me that I glow in the dark.... My time with Cold War nukes... I remember eating lunch of them at times... I was sad to see one of them go Bye Bye in the news.... Ohh little do you all know.. That was not the biggest. LOL

[Julio1fer]

Those pictures are SHARP! Probably you were shooting at small apertures but anyway, that's a respectable lens. The Signet is not very common down here. I have some trouble placing it in the Kodak hierarchy, but then I am far from a Kodak connoiseur.

Fall colors are so nice in your area...it is sad that Kodachrome 25 is no more.  Did Kodak have a sales peak of Kodachrome in Autumn?
 

[br1078lum]

Those pictures are SHARP! Probably you were shooting at small apertures but anyway, that's a respectable lens. The Signet is not very common down here. I have some trouble placing it in the Kodak hierarchy, but then I am far from a Kodak connoiseur.

Fall colors are so nice in your area...it is sad that Kodachrome 25 is no more.  Did Kodak have a sales peak of Kodachrome in Autumn?
 

I would think they probably did, Julio.  And any holiday with lots of color, such as the Fourth of July, and Christmas.  These were mostly shot at f16, with some at f11.  There are a couple of sites with Kodak history, one being Misha Konings http://kodak.3106.net/index.php .  The Signet 40 came after the 35, but before the 30-50-80 series, which was a redesign into a more modern look.  I like this one better, as it's easier to handle than the diminutive 35.  Even though one has to manually cock the shutter seperate from the film winding, it is easy to do without taking your eye from the viewfinder.

PF