Camera Woes

Don’t remember if I mentioned it here, but I started using one of the three Pentax ME Super’s I have.  I finished off a roll of film right before some guys from work and I went to Palisades-Kepler park in Mount Vernon, Iowa to take pictures.  The last two shots of the first roll of film in the camera brought about the problem I thought I had fixed, a sticky shutter.  Because of this, I decided to put one of the rolls of Fuji Superia in, mainly because it was only 12 exposures.  This roll of film was in a set of 6 total rolls I got for free from another guy at work.  I figured if the camera was messing up, I could deal to lose 12 shots.  

The photo walk at Palisades was a lot of fun.  Eric, from work, also shoots Pentax so I was able to borrow his M42 to K-mount adapter to test out my M42 135mm lens and try his Zenitar 16mm Fisheye.  The first two shots on the roll were of this house across the Cedar River and the shutter stuck.  I found that banging the back of the camera fixed it.  I put 14 shots on the roll of 12, with the last shot using the fisheye pointed at the stone hut at the top of the bluff.  I decided to load one of the two rolls of Ilford HP5+ Black and White into the camera to shoot that because I figured it’d be exciting and I had planned on doing a pano and wanted it not in color.  I ended the day shooting 21 of 36 shots on the roll of HP5.

Erica and her mom went to Sam’s later that afternoon, so I had her take both the color rolls and get it developed.  From the Kodak roll, I got 18 of 24 back and from the Fuji I got 6 of the 14 I shot.  That means that the camera was really messed up, all the shots from Palisades on the Fuji roll have a black bar at the top of the frame.  Only one of the shots from the first roll of film has the black bar, but some of the frames have a dark tint on the top part of the frame.

I ended up pulling the HP5 out of the camera not wanting a bunch of shots that may or may not come out.  I do plan on getting the 21 shots developed and hoping the pano comes out, it will be similar to this.

I think the problem is either the shutter or mirror, but when I took the lens off and opened the back, everything appears to work just fine.  I was able to get my other black ME Super fixed mechanically, but the metering circuit isn’t working.  At least I have my regular ME to shoot and have acquired more film, including two rolls of slide film (Kodak Elite Chrome and Ektachrome), and 5 filters.  It’s awesome to have acquired more film to shoot that has been free.  I need to get my film organized and into the fridge since some of it is expired and I need to update my equipment list to reflect the new filters which I need to try.

On top of all that, Eric let me borrow the Zenitar fisheye.  I do have a cool idea for a shot with it, but I need to load up some film and find the right time to go get the shot.

The Hardcore Show

So Jesse flew out here from Portland for one of the last Modern Life is War shows ever, since the band has decided to call it quits.  I’m not that big into Modern Life is War, but the music is still good and I figured why not go see them with my best friend who flew halfway across the country.  The show, held at the Amvets post in Waterloo, was a good time, like the past shows I’ve been to, the kids annoyed the crap out of me, mainly because the music, to them, is a fad.  

It was a five band line-up with two local openers, some band that said they were from Souix City, IA but lived in Seattle, a solo acoustic act, and then Modern Life is War.  The solo act and MLIW were awesome, but I didn’t care for the three previous acts.

I’m still my music elitist self.  It has it’s good and bad points, but it does allow me to stand in the back and snicker at the kids texting their friends while they’re standing in the “dance” zone.  Seriously, why go to a show and not pay attention to the music?  Doesn’t make sense to me. 

Why this years VEISHEA sucked

VEISHEA this year sucked for many reasons.

The first reason is the weekend chosen, it was earlier than last year which doesn’t help with the transition of Iowa winter to spring.  

This flows into the second reason, which happens to be weather.  Iowa’s winter to spring transition takes a while to complete and although spring officially starts March 20, mid April in Iowa can still bring about snow and ice.  In this case, it was in the low 30’s outside with snow/sleet.

These two factors caused a lack of people to show up, which prevented the clubs that usually serve food to make some money; they probably didn’t break even.  When Erica, her mom, and I were walking back from getting the famed cherry pies one last time, some of the groups were trying to offer name your price food giveaways.  

I’m not sure how the concerts went, but I doubt they were highly successful.  The school initiated a wrist band policy allowing only those with them to enter the concerts, which in the past were free to everyone.  Way to not get the community involved as the wrist bands weren’t for anyone in the city, only students, faculty, and staff.

I do hope Dr. Thomas Hill heard me and Erica say to her friends that VEISHEA sucked while we were hanging out in the University Book Store.  I also hope that the dramatic failure of the weekend will be cause for them to reconsider moving the event a week earlier next year.  You heard me correct, VEISHEA will be a week earlier next year and if that winter is anything like this past one, it could be another failure.

Rumors are that the University is trying to control the crowds, but last years was perfect weather and no problems were had.  Granted there have been problems in the past, but the 2007 event, from my experience and the words of others, was perfect.

I’m angered that the University moved the event, I do understand if it was an experiment and if it was, it failed and they should learn from it.