# Photographer's Travels


## Posts

- [Akureyri](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/31/akureyri/): The fifth most populous city at ~19,000, situated midway on the craggy North coast of Iceland. Deep in a fjord it’s protected from the worst of the weather and is typically a little milder than neighboring areas – certainly it was glorious the day we visited. Very early in the morning – about 06:30am when we were in the gym – ship power went out, and with it water and all other services. My rower is me powered, so I just kept plodding along 🙂 By the time I got back to the cabin power was on/off, and we weren’t […]
- [Viking onboard response to critical feedback](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/30/viking-onboard-response-to-critical-feedback/): The evening of Sunday July 30th 2023, after sailing out from Isafjordur, we went to The World Cafe for dinner. There were a number of reasons why we had quickly found ourselves more comfortable at World Cafe for all our meals: One this evening, only our 3rd onboard, were sat on the Port side of the Akvavit bar just opposite the noodle station. To our side, a little closer to the outdoor area than us, was the General Manager – the chap responsible for everything onboard that wasn’t ship operations. On Saturday I’d shared on the Viking Cruise Fans FB […]
- [Isafjordur](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/30/isafjordur/): Our first “real” port of call after departing Reykjavik is Isafjordur, a very picturesque port. We had gambled a little on the weather, and booked a kayaking excursion across the fjord. All excursions were gathered in the Star Theatre before being called ashore in groups. Unlike my previous visit in 2008 cruise ships are now able to tie up in Isafjordur, which makes disembarking much easier Our luck held, and we were rewarded with stunning weather as we approached the little bay where the kayaks launched, just alongside the folk museum I’d visited with Matthew in 2008. We were lead […]
- [An afternoon onboard](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/29/an-afternoon-onboard/): After our morning excursion seeing some sights of Reykjavik we returned to Jupiter for lunch, which we decided to take at World Cafe after our disappointing experience at breakfast. Lunch at The World Cafe was plenty tasty for me, a bit more challenging for my vegetarian wife. After sitting and watching other tables seat, and be waited on for drinks, I have to conclude that I’m putting out some sort of vibe that makes waiters ignore me. We again had to get up and flag someone down in order to get water. Thinking that the ship was likely to be […]
- [Viking Penthouse Veranda Cabin](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/29/viking-penthouse-veranda-cabin/): Viking has 5 sizes of cabin – arguably 6 if you differentiate between ES1 and ES2 which are different sizes. Veranda and Deluxe Veranda are physically the same, but the DV has a fridge that’s restocked with soft drinks. Net up is Penthouse Veranda, larger and with a fridge that is restocked daily with alcohol, then Penthouse Junior Suites – bigger still – and lastly the Explorer Suites which are multi room and really quite large. Finally there is a single Owner’s Suite, which is the size of an apartment. Apart from size, the different cabin grades also have a […]
- [Reykjavik Excursion](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/29/reykjavik-excursion/): Having walked around the town on our own, we selected the included excursion, “Panoramic Reykjavik”, that gave nice views over the city from the Perlan followed by a very informative tour of the whale museum. The Perlan is a visitor center built on 4 hot water towers, used to hold geothermal heated water within insulated towers for use by the city. Great views over the city from the roof terrace, which is the primary focus ion the visit here which does not include entrance to the museum. Statues of musicians outside The Perlan From The Perlan we were taken to […]
- [A Disappointing Start](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/29/a-disappointing-start/): Based on limited observations, service is not what we experienced 2 years ago on Orion sailing around Bermuda – when admittedly the ship was at 50% capacity. Seated in two areas of the World Cafe yesterday evening we had to flag down someone to ask for water, or walk up to the bar to request the house wine pour. No one ever checked to see if we needed refills, and we put dirty plates on a table next to us where they sat apparently unnoticed. After a good first night on board, in our very comfortable cabin, we decided to […]
- [Boarding Viking Jupiter in Reykjavik](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/28/boarding-viking-jupiter-in-reykjavik/): We had a reasonable first night sleep, our room was perfectly quiet at the back of the hotel, and the blackout curtains worked well. The day dawned bright and sunny, again! We chose to skip breakfast at the hotel, in part because we’re pretty conservative travelers when it comes to Covid exposure and public places, but also because we figured we could easily wait until onboard! We asked the front desk to arrange a cab for us, which they cheerfully agreed to. Re-packing was a little challenging simply because there wasn’t enough floor space in the room to have both […]
- [Arriving In Reykjavik](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/27/arriving-in-reykjavik/): In hardly any time at all we’d collected our bags and made our way outside the Keflavik terminal. While many aspects of the arrivals buildings and terminals felt in keeping with an international airport, the ground transportation area felt small-town! It’s around 45 minutes from Keflavik to Reykjavik, and taxis are very expensive so almost everyone takes one of the excellent buses. We’d booked with Airport Direct and went to wait at the designated part of the lot. Fortunately for us the weather was spectacular, as there’s limited cover in the waiting area. While we had booked a specific timeslot […]
- [Exploring Reykjavik](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/27/exploring-reykjavik/): We took advantage of the stunning late July sunshine to explore Reykjavik. The iconic rainbow street was being re-painted: We stopped for lunch, which was welcome and expensive. Around $72USD for the two of us to have a beer each, a panini and fish and chips. There are many murals on buildings around the downtown area. We also walked down to the water front Safe to say we enjoyed Reykjavik. It’s a very approachable city, with no imposing high-rise buildings or imposing facades. Exchange rates mean that Iceland is very expensive for foreigners, and so adjust expectations accordingly when it […]
- [Flying to Reykjavik](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/07/26/flying-to-reykjavik/): Back in August of 2021, tentatively emerging from COVID hybernation, we took a Cruise to Bermuda, and whilst onboard took advantage of discounts to book another Viking cruise for 2023 – Iceland’s Majestic Landscapes. The first decision was the direction to sail, as this itinerary is offered as Reykjavik-Bergen or Bergen-Reykjavik. I’d read that departures from Reykjavik could be hectic, with long lines at checkin and security, but the biggest factor in my mind was likelihood of flight disruption. There are direct flights to Reykjavik from O’Hare, but Bergen was going to require connections – which increase the risk of […]
- [Little known tunnels of Heathrow T5](https://adrem.net/blog/2023/05/24/little-known-tunnels-of-heathrow-t5/): Heathrow T5 is big, really big. Big enough that there is a shuttle train to take you from one concourse to another – there are 3 in all. Whether you’re coming or going, descending to the transit and waiting for the next train, then waiting again while they conduct a security scan of the carriages after they empty, then jamming yourself in along with all the sweaty oiks – it’s not a fun experience. On one of our recent trips through T5, connecting between International and domestic flights, I’d noticed signs suggesting that there was a walkway that could be […]
- [Eastman View Camera 33a](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/08/08/eastman-view-camera-33a/): Sold in 1936/37 as an affordable view camera, this unit was inherited by the museum from my wife’s Grandfather, who used it for studio portraits. As with most view cameras, this offers rising front plate along with horizontally and vertically swinging back – more limited movements than might be sought with a product or landscape view camera. The bellows are in remarkably good condition, as is most of the flat walnut finished woodwork. The 4.5″ lens board is fitted with a 7.5″ (190mm) lens, manufactured by Eastman. Focusing is achieved via twin geared rails that move the lens board back […]
- [Mamiya Universal](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/08/08/mamiya-universal/): This is an example of the final model run that began in 1960 with the Mamiya Press, the Universal being introduced in 1969. It is a medium format rangefinder targeted squarely at the professional press market, and features interchangeable backs and lenses. This example was inherited from my wife’s Grandfather, who was himself a newspaper man. When first introduced it featured a bellows back, that allowed some tilt/shift adjustments, but by the Universal model that was dropped. A variety of backs may be fitted, and the museum sample includes a 6×9 film back, several wooden two sided sheet film backs, […]
- [Argus C33](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/08/08/argus-c33/): This is one of several cameras that we inherited from my wife’s Grandfather, who was a newspaperman. Known as “The Brick’ for obvious reasons, this was an attempt to go after the Leica market by US manufacturer Argus. Since the mid 30’s Argus had success domestically with the C3, which was a 35mm rangefinder that sold very well. It’s not an especially sophisticated camera, certainly not the level of engineering associated with Leica, but it has some adventurous features. It’s a 35mm rangefinder, with single lever film advance and interchangeable lenses, introduced in 1956. In an improvement over the C3, […]
- [The Attic](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/01/03/the-attic/): This room at the top of the house ties with the bathroom for most dramatic transformation. There were two small skylights, original to the roof I’m sure as they were iron framed and cold as anything. We had them replaced along with the windows in 2003/2004, and then did little with the attic until 2019, when we cleared it ready for more major works. I forget where, but on some renovation show we had seen Velux Cabrio skylights, and they seemed like the perfect solution for our attic. This would open the attic up to the sky, provide us with […]
- [Front Bedroom](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/01/03/front-bedroom/): This room benefitted from two added walls, one for soundproofing on the wall shared with our neighbors, the other created a corridor like “lab”. This is the room I slept in, on foam mats on the floor, in November of 2003 on the very first trip to the flat. After that first trip our local builder not only replaced the window, but also removed the “lab corridor” wall – you can see there’s still a hatch through to the “kitchen” (back bedroom). That left a pretty rough room, but one that was usable for the April 2004 trip. From there […]
- [Back Bedroom](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/01/03/back-bedroom/): Initially we had used the front bedroom, but in summer months it’s pretty noisy with the cruiser traffic on Mid St, Friday and Saturday nights. This is the room that was originally the kitchen, all of which had to be removed. As part of the very first work we contracted with our builder between November 2003 and April 2004, we had him remove the cabinets, demolish the pantry, and restore the window to its original size. From there it’s a matter of decorating. The pictures below show the first cut at this in 2006, it’s been painted again since.
- [Hallway and Stairs](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/01/03/hallway-and-stairs/): We are fortunate that our portion of the house includes the original entrance, hallway, and stairs – they retain much original character. When we first bought the flat this area was very tired, having been subjected to decades of public traffic. The sheer size of the space meant that decorating was more of a challenge than I felt like taking on, and so I contracted with our neighbor at the other end of Bankers Lane, Pete The Paint. Pete has always been a good neighbor and was a great decorator – he’s retired now. He covered all the walls with […]
- [Bathroom](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/01/03/bathroom/): The original bathroom edged out the second floor kitchen to be “worst room in the flat”. I don’t think it had been renovated since the house was first divided, probably 70 or so years before we bought the flat. It’s built on a floor added to the back of the flat, supported on steel beams atop stone walls, themselves built on top of ground floor extensions. It was a small, dingy, cold, damp room. The shower was a metal cubicle, and every aspect of the room was grim. On the April 2004 trip we met with our builder and George […]
- [The Utility Room](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/01/03/the-utility-room/): Our “bonus” room above the main hallway has been a spare bedroom on occasion, but right from the earliest days it’s housed our laundry. Having the ability to wash and dry clothes while on holiday is priceless! Like all the rooms it was a disaster, and with the added bonus of a sound deadening wall having been constructed as part of the work undertaken to make the rooms legally rentable. One of these years we may strip it out in order to gain back the 6″ or so that it robbed from the width of the room. The window was […]
- [The Front Room](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/01/03/the-front-room/): The front room, or living room, is still a work in progress. It’s been pretty usable since after the second trip in 2004, but it still has areas of plaster to be repaired. The night storage heater that had been installed shortly before we bought the flat was too heavy for the floorboards, and actually caused the wall to sag. Since we’re not often there during the coldest months we dismantled it, and will just pay more to use on demand heaters. As with all the rooms this one was an aesthetic disaster, with barely-there carpet and peeling paint. Demolishing […]
- [Creating a kitchen](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/01/03/creating-a-kitchen/): From Dentist surgery to kitchen It made sense to have the kitchen on the same floor as the main living room, and to have it as an eat-in kitchen made the larger room at the back of the house the logical choice. As with all the rooms it already had running water. There were multiple issues to be addressed before this could become a kitchen:
- [Our Flat In Scotland](https://adrem.net/blog/2022/01/03/our-flat-in-scotland/): Turning bed-sits into a home The seed for the idea that grew into our place in Scotland was planted during a family holiday in France, intrigued by the romance of buying an old place and investing sweat equity to renovate it. After some thought I decided that France, while appealing for a great many reasons, wasn’t really practical for a project that would have to be managed remotely from home in the USA. A holiday trip to Scotland in 2000 re-oriented the focus there.
- [Viking Orion - Indoor Spaces](https://adrem.net/blog/2021/08/27/viking-orion-indoor-spaces/): A ship with many nooks Scaled towards 930 passengers, Viking Ocean ships are naturally more intimate than many cruise liners. The atrium, known mainly as The Living Room, for example is relatively small and understated – showcasing the earth tones and soft furnishings you’ll find throughout the ship. There’s a grand piano used for music every evening, and a coffee/cocktail bar open throughout most of the day and evening. There are spaces to read, to socialize, or to attempt puzzles or electronic games. Many of the spaces have a deliberately “library” feel, with shelves full of books to peruse. Carpets […]
- [Viking Orion - Winter Garden](https://adrem.net/blog/2021/08/27/viking-orion-winter-garden/): A quiet oasis On several afternoons, usually just after lunch, we would sit and read in the Winter garden and have the place entirely to ourselves. On one occasion we were seated for almost 10 minutes before being approached by a member of crew asking if we wanted anything – the longest we ever sat anywhere before being waited upon. We’d usually sit in the same corner, a group of 4 comfortable chairs next to the wall of glass separating us from the Pool Deck. You’ll see in the picture above one of many metal silhouette screens used as decoration […]
- [Viking Orion - World Cafe](https://adrem.net/blog/2021/08/24/viking-orion-world-cafe/): A Buffet by any other name … Not as expansive as many “big ship” cruise buffets, this venue nonetheless manages to offer a useful variety of dishes for three meals every day. On several occasions we saw the same dishes available at The World Café as were being offered in The Restaurant, although not quite as nicely presented. You’ll find an attractively presented selection of hot and cold food items; salads, very good sushi/sashimi, at least one signature sandwich, pizza, and a made to order pasta station. Seating wraps around the stern of the ship in a “U”, with slightly […]
- [Viking Orion - Manfredi's](https://adrem.net/blog/2021/08/23/viking-orion-manfredis/): Alternative Italian themed dining There are no extra cost destinations on Viking, instead the Chef’s Table and Manfredi’s are considered “alternative” dining choices. Viking guests are big fans of Manfredi’s, but I have to confess I was less enamored. The menu is always the same, with a daily fish and pasta special. Several items are famous in the cruising community: The bread is one of the things much beloved by guests, and it was good – just not “write home about it” good to me at least. Paired with the supplied olive oil and shaved parmesan it was really good […]
- [Viking Orion - Chef's Table](https://adrem.net/blog/2021/08/23/viking-orion-chefs-table/): A culinary journey paired with wine The Chef’s table is a quietly themed space in which to experience a food journey. The menu changes every few days, and is always a 5 course meal paired with wine. All passengers have access to the included wine pairing, and if you have the Silver Spirits Beverage Package you’ll be offered the Premium Pairing for no additional charge. Viking Wine Stewards were unfailingly generous during our week aboard – unstintingly generous. Each course is prefixed with a conversation about the wine chosen to pair with it; you’re encouraged to taste the wine, compare […]
- [Viking Orion - outdoor spaces](https://adrem.net/blog/2021/08/23/viking-orion-outdoor-spaces/): Quiet solitude or shared energy – you choose Our cruise sailed with only 400 passengers on a ship designed for 930, so naturally we were rather spoiled. The Aquavit Terrace (aft deck) features sun loungers and padded seating around the iconic infinity pool. This is a serene spot even underway, and the appeal is increased by proximity to the World Café, which is just forward of it and for which there are a number of dining tables. Use of this aft space is very relaxed, you’re free to bring out anything from The World Café that garbs your fancy while […]
- [Meeting Viking Orion](https://adrem.net/blog/2021/08/19/meeting-viking-orion/): It’s good to be “home” The bus unloads us in what would normally be a parking lot, but which has been taken over by the Viking shore crew. We head into the arrivals hall, here from the days when passenger steamers were the only way on and off the Island. Our passports are checked to confirm identity, and we’re handed an envelope containing our room keys. Finally we’re heading up the ramp and onboard, where the A/C feels pretty good. Our Muster Station (A) is The Restaurant, and so we head up to Deck 2 and then aft, somewhat overwhelmed […]
- [Flying to Bermuda](https://adrem.net/blog/2021/08/19/flying-to-bermuda/): What already sucked, sucks harder We took advantage of discounted airfare from Viking, which meant they arranged our flights. In retrospect I probably would not do this next time as the savings weren’t material, and I’d prefer to have more control over our flights. Our outbound flights are on American, and I’m able to enter our Known Traveler numbers but can’t pay to pick better seats. On the returning United flights I’m also able to enter Known Traveler and I can also pay a small amount for exit row seats. There aren’t many flights to Bermuda, perhaps only 6 arrivals […]
- [Preparing for Bermuda](https://adrem.net/blog/2021/08/19/preparing-for-bermuda/): Travel ain’t like it used to be Bermuda is a small Island, and by May of 2021 they’ve almost eliminated COVID. They’re keen not to let it back in. In order to travel to Bermuda we must be vaccinated (by the time we book in May we’re there), and we must have negative PCR tests no sooner than 3 days before we arrive. We hadn’t realized that there were different types of COVID , but apparently there are. The “antigen” test is fast and cheap, but seemingly not accurate enough for travel purposes – we need a PCR test, though […]
- [Viking Ocean Cruise](https://adrem.net/blog/2021/08/18/viking-ocean-cruise/): Taking a cruise in the times of Covid We aren’t cruisers … April 2021, and we’ve been largely isolated at home for a little over a year. Our approach to life during the pandemic has been very conservative; either home delivery of groceries or curbside pickup, the closest we’ve been to other people has been when we went to get vaccinated. Now that we have each had a first shot there’s a sense that the light at the end of the tunnel might not be a train coming to flatten us. We are feeling optimistic, and Tracey suggests we should […]
- [Pentax auto 110](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/11/27/pentax-auto-110/): Background This is a real oddity, a precision SLR designed around the tiny 110 film format. Pentax introduced this in 1979, at a time when electronic exposure controls could be miniaturised to the point where they could be used in a device this small. And it’s really, really, small! Technical Details This is the only interchangeable lens SLR ever produced for the 110 film cartridge – there were fixed lens 110 cameras from other manufacturers. It offers program only TTL auto exposure, and a range of 6 lenses in the Pentax 110 Bayonet format: In 1981, three more lenses were […]
- [Pentax Spotmatic SPII](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/11/27/pentax-spotmatic-spii/): Background Introduced in 1971 along with the line of S-M-C Takumar lenses – though still all metal without the rubber grips found on the later models on the SP F. Compared to the original Spotmatic the film transport was improved, as was the light meter. A hotshoe was now included in addition to the standard flash connection. Technical Details M42 screw mount lenses support automatic diaphragm for exposure, but manual stop down is required for metering – that’s the lever to the photographers left of the lens mount. Horizontal travel, rubberized cloth shutter offering 1s to 1/1000th is as standard […]
- [Pentax Spotmatic F](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/11/27/pentax-spotmatic-f/): Background Launched in 1973, the Spotmatic F was the first Pentax to offer open-aperture TTL metering – 7 years after rivals had first offered the feature. It’s visually very similar to other Spotmatic models, and continued the tradition of refinement and quality in the hand. Technical Details In common with the other late models in the Spotmatic line, the F offers an expanded light meter sensitivity range of 20-3200 ASA, up from the 20-1600 of the earliest models. The biggest advance, as already noted, was the introduction of open aperture metering. Unlike earlier models where the meter was activated by […]
- [Canon F-1](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/06/29/canon-f-1/): This represents a turning point for Canon: their first professional grade camera, introduced in March of 1971 along with a new lens mount – the FD range. The F-1 established it’s pro-credentials by offering a huge range of interchangeable parts – viewfinders, focusing screens, winders, backs – and a range of flash accessories. Also notable was the 1/2000s top shutter speed A number of interesting technical solutions are seen with the F-1, including TTL metering achieved by locating the meter cell at the side of the focusing screen, where light was directed to it by a small mirror. This allowed […]
- [Canon Pellix](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/06/29/canon-pellix/): This is a definite odd-ball, and example of creativity attempting to solve an engineering problem: how do you capture light coming through the lens for metering purposes? The Canon answer was to use a pellicle mirror; one which allows about 2/3rds of the light to pass through, and diverts the remaining 1/3rd to a light sensor. The mirror is fixed, and remains down during exposure. The CDS meter cell is moved into the path of the light by pushing the self timer towards the lens barrel, which also causes the aperture to stop down. In order to keep light from […]
- [Olympus OM10](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/06/27/olympus-om10/): In 1972 Olympus introduced their OM line, and reset consumer expectations for the size and heft of a 35mm camera body. The various OM1/2 variants were very successful and so, in 1979, the OM10 was introduced at a more amateur friendly price point. During the time when I studied photography at school – 1979-1981 – the OM10 was heavily advertised in the various photo rags of the time. Construction was a little less robust than the pro oriented single digit models (OM1 etc), but price was commensurately lower and it still accepted most of the OM line of accessories. In […]
- [Pentax KM](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/06/27/pentax-km/): Essentially an Spotmatic F, the KM is what many feel the K1000 should have been. Introduced alongside the KX in 1975 as it’s less expensive sibling, the KM still offered a self timer and depth of field preview – both features that were thought to be omissions from the K1000. Interestingly, the depth of field preview lacks the lock-out feature found on the KX. The meter is a little less sensitive than that in the KX, and the film speed range a little smaller. There’s no aperture window in the viewfinder, but there is the ability to record either the […]
- [Pentax KX](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/06/27/pentax-kx/): 1975 saw the introduction of the KX as the advanced-amateur model in the Pentax K series lineup, seen as one step up from the KM. As with all the K line, the body is essentially a bayonet mount development of the Spotmatic line, and physically very similar. Metering is of the match needle variety, and the display shows both selected shutter speed and the speed required to achieve “correct” exposure. The pentaprism window looks out onto the aperture ring, so the selected value is also visible through the viewfinder. As the advanced member of the lineup, the KX also offers […]
- [Pentax MV1](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/06/27/pentax-mv1/): Surprisingly, given it’s decidedly amateur auto-only positioning, this MV1 was “rode hard and put away wet”. It’s one of the most used models in the museum, and was filthy when received. I’ve included it as an interesting reminder that even supposedly beginner friendly cameras can earn their keep through hard work. Introduced in 1980, the MV1 is a little less basic than the MV it succeeded – it has a self timer for example, a memo holder, it can accept a data back and – as with this example – a winder. It’s still aperture priority only, with an electronic, […]
- [Pentax MX](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/06/27/pentax-mx/): Introduced in 1977, and produced until 1985, the MX represented the flagship of Pentax’s 35mm line. Unlike the ME and derivatives, it features a mechanically timed, cloth shutter. It’s smaller and lighter than the KX, which it succeeded, but other than the overall body form factor it shared little with the ME range. Only light metering required a battery, for example, and there were no automatic metering modes offered. As the “professional” model in their line, the MX offered interchangeable focusing screens, a choice of data backs, a bulk film back, and both a winder and a motor drive. There’s […]
- [Yashicaflex A-II](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/06/27/yashicaflex-a-ii/): I believe this to be an A-II model, first introduced in 1954. The Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) had gained popularity between the wars due in large part to the German Rolleicord models, much loved by press photographers. They were relatively light and simple, compared to cumbersome plate cameras that had preceded them. This TLR represents the first cameras to be made under the Yashica brand name, it having been established a few years after the end of WWII as part of Japan’s industrial recovery. After a few years of clock component manufacture, the nascent Yashica company turned it’s efforts to […]
- [Pentax MG](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/06/27/pentax-mg/): Pentax introduced the MG in 1981, as the successor to the MV1 and in the line of simpler, automated, bodies going back through MV and ME of 1977. The MG is aperture priority automatic, with no manual shutter speed other than the flash sync of 1/100th second. The metal focal plane shutter is electronically controlled – by and large photographers had overcome their initial hesitation about trusting electronics, and the increased accuracy and reliability of such a shutter was now well accepted. Shutter speed is shown in the viewfinder, but the selected aperture is not. There’s a simple clockwork self-timer, […]
- [Digital Photo Frame - DIY](https://adrem.net/blog/2020/01/02/digital-photo-frame-diy/): If you’ve ever fancied a digital display frame, but perhaps wanted more than just a simple carousel of your pictures, or greater control over how the device behaves, then read on. What we’ll build A digital display board that showcases your photographs, with an overlaid calendar and weather forecast. For those of you into home automation, I’ll also cover how to turn the display on and off by integrating with Samsung SmartThings home hub – the basic approach could serve as a starting point for other integrations. How we’ll do it A Raspberry Pi zero w (about $26 with case […]
- [The Late Show with Stephen Colbert](https://adrem.net/blog/2019/12/05/the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert/): You may have read other commentaries about what it takes to see The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and this is mine! Getting Tickets Tickets are free, and there’s only one place to get them: https://colbert.1iota.com/show/536/the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert You’ll need to create an account, and then you’re able to request tickets for the show. Tickets go quickly so don’t think you can apply for them on a whim. If you really want to be certain of seeing the show you’ll need priority tickets, as these are the only ones guaranteed admittance. Here’s the way it works: The beginning of the calendar month […]
- [Canon Lenses on a Fujifilm body](https://adrem.net/blog/2019/11/01/canon-lenses-on-a-fujifilm-x-t3/): I’ve shot with Canon digital gear since the Rebel XT/EOS 350D I acquired in 2004, and naturally I’ve accumulated a fair few lenses along the way. I’ve been shooting with Fujifilm, both fixed and interchangeable lens models, since I bought an X-PRO1 in 2012. I like the size, the controls, and the image quality. With the X-T3 my Fuji APS-C body now has a higher resolution sensor than my 5DII, and I use the 5DII less and less due simply to weight and bulk. So, the natural question: can I get more life from my Canon lenses on the X-T3? […]
- [Farewell A380, We hardly knew you](https://adrem.net/blog/2019/05/20/farewell-a380-we-hardly-knew-you/): I’ve flown across the Atlantic for decades in a variety of 747s, and occasionally a 777 or two, but mainly 747s. Thinking that they’d be retired sometime in the not too distant future, we’ve been looking for chances to ride upstairs whenever we could, while we still could. On our most recent return trip from LHR to ORD we had our first chance to sample to A380, the Airbus Industries answer to the 747. We flew on the upper deck partly because the slightly lower seating density made me think it might be a little quieter. In contrast to the […]
- [Tucson - In praise of small airports](https://adrem.net/blog/2018/12/04/in-praise-of-small-airports/): Thanksgiving 2018 – we travel to Tucson, AZ for a week of sunshine in the South West. Flying out of O’Hare is about what you’d expect the weekend before Thanksgiving – busy, mainly with recreational travelers. That means many, many more “service animals” than you’d see on a more typical business travel day. Upon landing in Tucson the first impression of the airport is that it’s small – the taxi from landing to the gate is short. Upon deplaning the impression continues – is there simply no one else here on a Saturday afternoon? Everywhere seems deserted, the only cluster […]
- [Cause & effect in amateur photography](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/23/cause-effect-in-amateur-photography/): Glass plates and room sized cameras In the early part of the 20th Century photographic chemistry was comparatively crude. Emulsions were not very light sensitive, meaning that large surface areas were required in order to expose enough of the material to light – more surface area captures more light. As a consequence photography was largely the province of the well heeled or portrait artists. Equipment was big, expensive, hand made and required lots of time to setup and operate. Look at photographs from the late 1890’s through to 1920 and you’ll see little that is spontaneous or casual; making a […]
- [Weston Master II](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/19/weston-master-ii/): I have to admit it was a particularly stubborn streak in me that lead to buying and using this meter. I’d been reading lots of material by my idol Ansel Adams, and was going through a phase where I equated results with equipment – hence a Weston Meter that wasn’t even calibrated in ASA/ISO!
- [Pentacon Six TL](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/19/pentacon-six-tl/): Produced in Communist East Germany by a company sometimes known as Practica, this is a clunky beast of a camera.
- [Eastman Kodak Vest Pocket Model B](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/19/eastman-kodak-vest-pocket-model-b/): These were churned out by the hundreds of thousands, especially the cheap and cheerful version I have here.
- [Pentax Spotmatic SP](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/19/pentax-spotmatic-sp/): This was quite a find, body and lens serial numbers match to the original documentation from Pentax!
- [Pentax K-1000](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/19/pentax-k-1000/): The camera that launched a million hobbies. If you studied photography in School from the mid ’70s onwards, you probably used a K1000.  
- [Pentax ME-F](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/19/pentax-me-f/): One of the first integrated Auto Focus 35mm SLRs offered – possibly the first. There had been other attempts where the A/F system was fully enclosed within the lens, but in this heavily modified version of the ME-Super, electronics within the camera body used contrast detect sensors to determine correct focus.  
- [Kodak Instamatic 500](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/19/kodak-instamatic-500/): Growing up, every picture we have as a family was taken by one of these!  
- [Canonet QL19](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/19/canonet-ql19/): The QL17, QL19 and QL25 are all essentially the same, differentiated only by their f/1.7, f/1.9 and f/2.5 45mm lenses. This was very much the mainstream of cameras in the ’60s.  
- [Canon AE-1](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/19/canon-ae-1/): The AE-1 marked the introduction of micro-processor electronics to photography. For the first time microprocessors calculated exposure and timed the shutter, which in this case was still a fairly traditional horizontal cloth design.  
- [Canon A-1](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/canon-a-1/): The Canon A-1 was the first camera to offer micro-processor controlled, programmed auto-exposure, where both aperture and shutter were determined by the camera.  
- [Canon T-90](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/canon-t-90/): A groundbreaking design departure for Canon, and one which established the pattern for almost every DSLR they sell today.  
- [Olympus Trip 35](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/olympus-trip-35/): A wonderfully simple and unsophisticated camera, we sold lots of Trips during the time I worked as a retail assistant in Dixons from 1981 to 1983. Despite having no battery, the trip manages to offer programmed automatic and aperture priority metering modes – made easier because it had to choose between only 1/40th or 1/200th shutter speeds!  
- [Fujica ST605n](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/fujica-st605n/): Quite a solid camera, arguably introduced just a little late. The K1000 preceded it by a year, and with it came bayonet mounts and 1/1000 top speeds – by comparison the ST605n seems a bit behind the times with its M42 screw thread and 1/700th sec top speed.  
- [Pentax LX](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/pentax-lx/): Arguably the very best camera Pentax ever made, and their only attempt at the professional 35mm market. This is a cracking camera in every way!  
- [Pentax ME Super](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/pentax-me-super/): Introduced just 2 years after the ME, the ME Super is one of two cameras that replaced the first auto-mode M series body. I had one in the early ’80s and absolutely loved it!  
- [Pentax ME](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/pentax-me/): Aperture priority only automatic was a fairly bold move for a 35mm SLR in 1977, but the great handling of the ME won many fans  
- [Pentax K2](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/pentax-k2/): In 1975 Pentax introduced a trio of cameras to launch the PK Bayonet mount, of which the K2 was the flagship. Though the basic chassis is very similar to the K1000 which came a year later, the cameras themselves are very different.  
- [Hasselblad 500C](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/hasselblad-500c/): From about 1980 onwards I always wanted a Hasselblad; everything about them was appealing: preferred camera (later in life) of Ansel Adams, camera chosen by NASA for space and lunar photography. Oh, and then of course there was the legendary longevity and Carl Zeiss lenses!  
- [Hasselblad 501CM](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/hasselblad-501cm/): Although introduced 40 years after the 500C, the 501CM looks very similar and is interchangeable with many parts.  
- [Pentax Spotmatic ES](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/pentax-spotmatic-es/): The world’s first SLR with a fully automatic Electronic Shutter  
- [Topcon RE Super](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/topcon-re-super/): The world’s first TTL metering SLR  
- [Olympus AF-10 Quartz](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/olympus-af-10-quartz/): Compact quality, the heir to the Trip  
- [Kodak DC260](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/kodak-dc260/): My first digital camera, and the beginning of the end for Kodak  
- [Topcon RM300](https://adrem.net/blog/2016/08/18/topcon-rm300/): An RM 300 was the first 35mm SLR I ever purchased, after saving money from a Saturday job working at Dixons.
- [A tale of two terminals](https://adrem.net/blog/2014/07/27/a-tale-of-two-terminals/): It’s well known that I’m no fan of Heathrow Terminal 5; the arrivals experience and flight transfer process seems unnecessarily awful, especially the security screening experience. On my most recent business trip to the UK I flew United in and out of Terminal 2, and it was a much more relaxed experience. Certainly there’s a good deal of walking involved, but the spaces seem less claustrophobic than in Terminal 5. EU passport holders can take advantage of the automated entry gates that scan your passport and use face recognition to compare you to the picture on file – it’s essentially […]
- [Ratatouille - not just a movie](https://adrem.net/blog/2014/01/27/ratatouille-not-just-a-movie/): So here’s my approach to Ratatouille : it works for me!Starts by chopping onion: Slice off the top and bottom of the onion, the bottom (root side) has the two circular shapes. Slice across the side of the onion, and peel away the skin Now stand on end and slice in half (this is the root end, or bottom of the onion) Now stand with the root end down on the cutting board; the tight knots on the root end will hold the onion together for the next steps. Starting at the cut side slice most of the way into […]
- [On the hunt for a worse traveler's experience than Heathrow T5](https://adrem.net/blog/2013/08/03/on-the-hunt-for-a-worse-travelers-experience-than-heathrow-t5/): We’ve never liked Terminal 5 since it first opened, which considering it should represent the state of the art in terminal design is pretty depressing. Our most recent transit through Heathrow’s newest terminal only cemented what we already felt. Arriving as Business Class travelers we were equipped with “Fast Track” passes that were supposed to speed our way through the immigration and security lanes to our connecting flight. Unfortunately, as ever, the weakest link came into play. It doesn’t help that the arrangement of immigration and border control lanes is permanently temporary; lines of people are divided by those temporary […]
- [The UK out-commercializes the USA](https://adrem.net/blog/2013/06/21/the-uk-out-commercializes-the-usa/): In airports, at least. In all the British airports I’ve used recently passengers are carefully managed through retail experiences. You are forced to walk through the center of duty free before reaching the departure area and, once there, you’ll find that the reader boards only exist in areas surrounded by retail. Your departure gate won’t be posted until the last minute so you’ll have no choice but to spend as much time as possible in retail areas – where there’s almost no where to sit other than in a food or drink establishment. By comparison an American airport appears to […]
- [The unbundling of air travel](https://adrem.net/blog/2013/05/31/the-unbundling-of-air-travel/): My memories of air travel in the ’70s are of a special experience; we joked about meals but in fact they weren’t bad, kids got activity packs with airline badges, drinks were complimentary and there was a sense of occasion to the whole thing. Today you’ll be asked to pay for checked bags, a very rudimentary boxed snack on board must be paid for, as must alcoholic drinks, if you want extra legroom that can be had for a price as can preferential boarding. Everything is negotiable for a price, and yet flying is more expensive now than ever before.
- [Of emulsions and equipment - quality goes small](https://adrem.net/blog/2013/04/27/of-emulsions-and-equipment-quality-goes-small/): The advent of 35mm and rangefinders Everything changed profoundly when Kodak introduced the 135 film canister in 1934 – we’d come to know it as 35mm film. This addressed ease of handling by holding the film stock in a light tight canister, and promised many more exposures per roll, with easier loading, than had ever been possible with 120 roll film. This new, smaller film format opened the door to the rapid expansion of photography and cameras, starting with the rangefinder. Over its life the chemistry involved grew ever better, and emulsions ever more sensitive, leading to higher quality color […]
- [When travel loses its glamour](https://adrem.net/blog/2013/04/03/when-travel-loses-its-glamour/): I’ve been traveling quite a bit this week, from Seattle to LA to Heathrow to Bradford, most recently flying from Bradford to Amsterdam. As a kid flying was always at least a bit glamorous, but that’s vanished in many places – certainly absent from Leeds/Bradford airport. I have been in bus stations with better decor than than this airport which caters primarily to package tours, as evidenced by the fact that there’s nowhere to sit other than bars once you get air-side. What an armpit of an airport! A fitting launch pad then for Jet2 flight, with its plastic bucket […]
- [Of emulsions and equipment - the early years](https://adrem.net/blog/2013/03/10/of-emulsions-and-equipment-the-early-years/): The camera came before film The Camera Obscure (translated as “dark chamber”) dates to around 1021 when it first appears in print in a work by a Muslim scientist Ibn al-Haytham, and it was little more than a sealed room with a pinhole in one wall which admitted light reflected from the scene. An artist could then trace the projected image onto a canvas as a starting point for a painting – perspective was not well understood at the time. The image was laterally and vertically reversed. The simplest of early cameras also used a pinhole design, projecting the image […]
- [Field of view and 35mm equivalency](https://adrem.net/blog/2013/01/16/field-of-view-and-35mm-equivalency/): Another topic that frequently seems to confuse people, and for which they appear unable to engage in even a small amount of self education. The focal length of a lens is the distance between its optical center and the point at which parallel rays of light are brought to a point, or focused. It is an optical characteristic of the lens and never changes regardless of the size or type of imaging sensor upon which the image is focused (film, digital). This isn’t a matter of interpretation or opinion, it’s physics. Lenses produce a circular image, no surprise given that lens elements […]
- [Pick a new camera for me](https://adrem.net/blog/2012/03/31/pick-a-new-camera-for-me/): Read through the Beginners Questions forum on dpreview.com and you’ll probably see one question in 4 asks “what should I buy”, or a variation on the theme. This on a site that is filled with reviews and any number of tools aimed at answering specifically this question, and yet still the posts appear day after day. There are no bad cameras, just cameras that are somewhat more or less suitable for specific types of photography. If you’re a true beginner and all the specifications confuse you, it doesn’t matter what you buy – they’ll all be more capable than your […]
- [Heathrow T5 Airport lounges](https://adrem.net/blog/2011/08/24/airport-lounged/): Unsurprisingly, airport lounges are better than general seating at the gate. There’s complimentary drinks and snacks, and free wi-fi – but more than anything else, there’s usually quiet. The Terraces Lounge at Heathrow T5, for those traveling BA, is one of the largest and best equipped. After a long haul flight it’s certainly refreshing to be able to have a free shower in the lounge to perk yourself back up. Though slightly smaller, the alternative lounge reached from the B Concourse is almost always much, much, quieter than the primary lounge in the larger Concourse A. Flights departing for the […]
- [Traveling with gear](https://adrem.net/blog/2011/08/23/traveling-with-gear/): We travel internationally every year, and have done so for the last 18 years or more. I’ve always taken my photographic gear with me. Checking baggageI’ve checked video and film equipment into the hold as luggage with only minor incident. I use Pelican cases because they are rigid and have good foam protection for the contents. Here are a few tips based on my own experiences: When traveling from, or within, the USA you should expect your luggage to be opened and searched. Secure checked baggage with plastic zip ties that can be easily cut for security inspection, and include […]
- [Search, where art thou?](https://adrem.net/blog/2011/08/23/hello-world-2/): This blog started as a result of me encountering one of the most frequently asked questions on a photography forum, for what felt like the thousandth time. If you regularly visit some of the consumer oriented forums you’ll find certain questions arise, with excruciating predictability, several times each week. This continues to puzzle me: with apparently no expenditure of effort on their part, at all, someone expects a complete stranger to give up their time answering a question that has been asked, and answered, many times before. Often many times within the last few days. How does this thought process […]
- [Filters, the great debate](https://adrem.net/blog/2011/08/23/filters-the-great-debate/): Right up there in the list of most re-asked questions seems to be “what UV filter should I buy”. There are only really two camps to this debate: every lens needs a filter and no lens needs a filter. I’m firmly in the later camp: UV filters are a waste of money and will quite probably degrade your image quality. There are specific lenses (the Canon 100-400 for example) which exhibit quite predictable image quality degradation when using certain filters for protection. But what about scratches to the front element of my lens? How often do you worry about scratches […]

## Pages

- [Renovating a Scottish Flat](https://adrem.net/renovating-a-scottish-flat/)
- [Keith Weather](https://adrem.net/keith-weather/): KEITH WEATHER Here are the tides for Lossiemouth
- [Welcome](https://adrem.net/): Thanks for stopping by. Check out the travel blog, my articles on photography history or head for the camera museum.I began photography, or at least began to take it more seriously, in 1979 while at school. I was struggling to find an arts subject at which I wasn’t terrible and had eliminated any form of drawing, painting or ceramics from the list. Photography combine a geekish interest in mechanical contraptions with an attempt at artistic expression, and then threw in a dose of chemistry and physics. I was hooked. I started collecting old cameras for several reasons: My slowly growing […]
- [About](https://adrem.net/sample-page/): Hello, and welcome. For me the act of deciding to blog was a strange one; there’s an element of ego involved that’s a little tough to overcome. Why would anyone care to read what I write? Ultimately I decided it doesn’t matter, and that I may gain something merely from the act of committing thoughts. I’ve been a keen amateur photographer, off and on, for over 30 years. I started with photography classes in school as an alternative to other forms of art at which I was exceptionally unexceptional. Over the years I’ve had a small darkroom, almost always mono […]


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