Rollei Retro 400S - Agfa Isolette I

 Have you ever had one of those days when you find a camera in a bag and there's several shots already done? This happened to me in early November when I was sorting a bag for my OM cameras and I found my Agfa Isolette I in a bag and I had taken 8 photos with it. For the life of me I couldn't remember using it, which is a hazard you face when you have had a stroke, no matter how mild it may have been.

I totally and utterly forgot when I started this film! With it being in a bag with my Nikon D90, you would think that would trigger a memory. It did, but not the one I really wanted so I finished the final four frames whilst out and about with my OM-1n and OM-2.

I had to know what was on it. I developed the roll in Bellini Euro HC 1+31 dilution B for 6 1/2 minutes at 20 celcius and soon had it hanging to dry in my bathroom. I digitised my roll of Rollei Retro 400S with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi medium format film holder, Pixl-Latr and A5 size led light pad. I processed the RAW files with Affinity Photo 2.

I took one look at my freshly developed film and the penny dropped. I had nipped out to the Post Office to send my colour film for developing and after finishing that task, I took a few photos with my Isolette. I totally forgot about it! I get that sometimes and it bugs the crap out of me for a bit, but we get there in the end. Don't say I'm losing my marbles, I know they are in my pocket...

I shot eight frames in town on a bright day and had started to lose the light that I had enjoyed for an hour or so and headed home. I shot the final frames around the local farms and I got a little action as the Farmer was grading the dirt track road. I grabbed a shot with my Isolette and my film was done!

Here's a few faves from my roll of Rollei Retro 400S shot with my Agfa Isolette I. As always I have placed them and more in a album on Flickr you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Rollei Retro 400S - Agfa Isolette I 

Autumn Colour with my Nikon D90 and AIS 50mm f/1.8

 It's not often I go out with my DSLR, but Autumn is irresistible, especially when I use my Nikon D90 and manual focus 50mm f/1.8 AIS longnose lens. The Nikon D90 was unleashed upon the world in 2008, around the same time as the legendary pro grade Nikon D3 and the semi pro D700 full frame DSLR's. With it's 18x24 APS-C CMOS sensor, the Nikon D90 gave us HD Video for the first time in any Nikon DSLR, but that's not the reason I bought the camera. I bought it back in 2017 for the glorious colours it renders, which is perfect for the most colourful times of year, spring and autumn.

Sadly the autofocus on my D90 stopped working some years ago, but it still works perfectly well with any one of Nikon's splendid AI and AI-S manual focus lenses. I was given the 50mm longnose by my mate Muzza along with an F801 some years ago and decided to try it on my D90. Oh my giddy aunt! it was the best thing I ever did with that lens and it has lived on my D90 ever since. 

When out and about with my DSLR, I shoot it in RAW and process the RAW files with Affinity Photo 2. If I decided I wanted an easy time of it, I could just have the camera save my shots as Jpeg's and post them straight to my Flickr account when I get home. The colour profile on the D90 is what makes this one of my favourite digital cameras and I enjoy using it when I'm out and about. Its simplicity is its strength and you can pick up a decent low shutter count example for around £100. Add an auto focus 18-55mm DX lens for another £50-£60 and you have a lightweight digital set up that punches way above it's class.

Here's a few of my favourite photos from my walk in the park to enjoy the autumn colour. I have placed these and more in an album on my Flickr account you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Autumn Colours - Nikon D90 - 50mm f/1.8 AIS