Using a half frame camera gives you 48 pictures from a regular 24 image roll. It’s very freeing to have all those extra pictures but not crazy like digital. I was shooting this roll of film to create in camera diptychs and these are just the images that were not in pairs. Yes I know there is a fiber that shows up at the edge of all the images, someone should really do something about that.
I’m missing a major part of this camera which renders it a point and shoot in the strictest sence. I can’t even over ride the flash. originally this camera had a cover that also functioned as a controller that could be moved from the front of the camera to the rear or as a remote using IR. It’s not a common camera, in fact mine is the only one I’ve ever seen, so the prospect of finding one with the cover is low. Once my limited supply of APS film is gone there may not be much reason to keep this otherwise interesting camera.
This is what APS film looks like if you were wondering, the scanner at the lab jammed and it had to be extricated.
I just picked up my Q to K-mount adapter so that I can use the lenses from my DSLR or Pentax K-01 as telephoto lenses. The crop factor in terms of 35mm film for the Pentax Q is a whopping 5.5x. What this means is that my 100mm macro becomes a 550mm equivalent lens. Even a 50mm lens gives a field of view that a 275mm lens would on 35mm film or a “full frame” digital sensor. When I choose to add photographic equipment I ask myself “Does this expand what I am able to do photographically?”, the Q with this adapter certainly does provide me with something I didn’t have before.
I only had about an hour of fading light at a nearby park to make a few test shots but even in that short time I was able to see there are some new possibilities with compressing the view (extreme telephoto) and macro where the small sensor gives more depth of field. All of this takes up very little extra room if you are already carrying the lenses for use on a camera with a larger sensor. The limitations with the Q relating to its small sensor and high ISO performance are brought to the foreground with the need to use higher ISOs to achieve fast enough shutter speeds. With further testing I’m sure I will find the point at which I can balance these competing parameters and achieve a result that I am happy with. For now though here are images from my first foray into K-mount lenses on the Q.
I used the DFA 100 WR macro, the SMC Pentax-M 1:1.7 50mm and the SMC Pentax-A 1:2.8 28mm.
