This time of year Sweden is a beautiful place (well it can be all year around of course). Near midsummers eve the landscape blooms and flowers of many kinds prosper. In july many people have vacation, but I will look for work and fight to survive for a couple of months I guess. I can still admire the beauty of nature.

The images was created with Yashinon-DX 50mm/1.7 on Canon EOS 350D.

Oh, by the way if you wan’t to hire a webdeveloper with 7 years experience of PHP and MySQL, trained in artschool and design as well – contact me! ;)

Brian on Epic Edit has made a post about his photography wishlist and challenged the readers to make their own. So here is mine as a post instead of a comment ;)

1. S-M-C Takumar 300mm/4 or other long tele prime
   I had one but sold it. Would really like to shoot images of birds and wildlife. Actually I would be ok with a modern one here. But I would need…
   
2. A new tripod
   Hade on but had to sell it :/ Arggh.
3. A Takumar-version of 85mm/1.8
   Had one but had to sell it. I love the Auto-Takumar 85mm/1.8
   
4. A good Yashica Electro 35 GSN
   I like the Electro, but the one I own is smashed (by previous owner).
5. Pentax K20D or Canon EOS 50D
   My EOS 350D is ok… I can live with it. But gosh now it would feel nice to upgrade. I like Pentax but I need to keep using my Contax/Yashica-lenses so I guess Canon is the way to go.
6. A 120mm-format TLR or SLR
   I have a Agfa Isolette V, but I would really like a Yashica-Mat or Mamiya or something larger and a with a focus of some kind.
   

We are now 120 passionate Yashicausers on Yashicaforum.com – I’m very glad I started the forum. But I wonder, why are there no forums on this domains? Maybe you should start one?:

• www.agfaforum.com
• www.voigtlanderforum.com
• www.mamiyaforum.com
• www.m42forum.com
• www.jenaforum.com

Of course these were ideas just taken on the top of my head, I’m sure you can find even better ones … or why not compete with me and start yashinonforum.com ;) Competition can be healthy.

Condensation – We who live in the colder countries in the world (like Sweden where I live) have a small problem with this. So what to do with your cold cameras and lenses after shooting outside and take it indoors?

The solution
The discussion came up on MFlenses.com the other day. I have been taught that having the camera in the bag and warming it up slowly was the thing. But it was questioned and suggested warming up as fast as possible was better. I had a theory that humidity had something to do with the two versions. Sweden has COLD and DRY air in the winter, when I can imagine some countries further south can have a higher humidity and and slightly warmer – maybe it is better to warm up fast there? But I haven’t got a scientific proof that my solution is best. Do you?

• Manual lenses and cold (0º C to -20 º C) What to do? @MFlenses
• How to prevent condensation in camera / lens? What cause it? @photo.net
• Condensation Can Cause Problems @NYTimes
• Prevent condensation @SnapJunky

This weekend I have been hiking for over 12 hours in steep landscape of Kilsbergen where I live, taking photographs with most of my Yashica and Pentax-gear. A lot of pictures to sort through and aching legs to rest, but then some tests will be posted here :)

Balancing on a stone in the creek

Sure, we retronuts like to take pictures with old mechanic cameras. But this guy don’t need a camera at all

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAfaM_CBvP8 w=425 h=344]

Have a look at Stephens website.

Uhh, this one feels sharp! Just took some snapshots yesterday, no masterpieces but interesting to see the characteristics of this lens. Will have to compare with my other 50mm lenses later on.

Tree against clouds

Read the full article "First try with Yashica ML 50…" »

Maybe not the best saturation (it was a gray day, though), but sharp and very interesting bokeh. Here at f2, if I remember it correct. Today my C/Y->EOS adapter arrived, so now I can try my ML-lenses and compare. I see a test of 50mm-lenses in the not to distant future :)

Yashinon DX 50mm/1.7 berries

The other day I went in to town and tried some streetphoto. I’m not very good at photograph strangers like that, and didn’t wan’t to much attention. Therefore the little modest, functional and quite cool Minolta Hi-Matic F I got from my in-laws came really handy. Small, easy focus, some autmatic exposure, fits in one hand. Nice… I took a couple of rolls Kodak Tri-X (black and white) with this, will show results when back from lab.

Minolta Hi-Matic F

Minolta Hi-Matic F on a brake, with Coffee