The Thresher

[Two23]

I'm mostly a winter lover, but each season has its opportunities. Here on the Northern Plains August is a great month to catch old threshing machines and tractors in action. What camera should I use to photo farm equipment from the 1930s? How about a 1937 Voigtlander Bessa, and an 1890s E&HT Anthony rapid rectilinear on my 4x5? I loved the classic look from these lenses on HP5. One thing I did learn is that uncoated lenses do not like to be shot into the sun. :rolleyes: Shots are from Lennox or Humboldt, South Dakota:


Kent in SD

[TheDeardorffGuy]

Nice Kent. The "Portrait" of the farmer is a classic.

[GPS]

...
I loved the classic look from these lenses on HP5. One thing I did learn is that uncoated lenses do not like to be shot into the sun. :rolleyes: ...

Kent in SD

Make a simple circular lens shade for the lenses - the camera will tell you "thank you" and you will be able to take pictures you couldn't before...;)

[Scott --]

Pretty close to that thresher, weren't ya? :eek:

That second shot's a killer. Nicely done.

[Two23]

Pretty close to that thresher, weren't ya? :eek:

That second shot's a killer. Nicely done.


I very carefully walked up close to the belt and then did NOT move once I started taking the shot. I stayed more to the middle of the belt so it couldn't grab me and wrap me around a pulley. :eek: That second shot is my favorite too. It enlarges very well! I used a 4 & half inch Darlot Petzval and a home made f32 stop. I was considering selling that lens but after playing with it for the past several weeks, I think it's a keeper!

This weekend I'm headed to Madison SD where they're having a live steam traction engine threshing bee. There are photo ops galore at these things, especially for historical lenses and cameras!


Kent in SD

[Two23]

I got back another batch of sheets yesterday, and scanned a few. These are from a threshing bee in Humboldt, SD. I was using HP5 and an EH&T Anthony 4 inch RR lens duct taped into a Copal 1. (I'm having an adapter made so my wife will quite making fun of me.) I'm having a lot of fun with these weekend shows, and went to another one over the past weekend that featured some steam traction engines! I have yet another lined up for this weekend, and am trying to talk my 14 yr. old son into going with me to the large regional show in Rollag MN over Labor Day weekend. (He's now at that age where doing anything with dad is uncool.) I think I'm getting better with shots with practice. What I'm after is making a shot that keeps that "classic" feel for these classic scenes from the 1930s.


Kent in SD

[Richard Rankin]

When I clicked on this, I thought it would be about the nuclear sub that went down in the 60's...

Very nice shots. The vignetting on the farmer shot is very interesting.

[Two23]

I've continued to go to threshing shows, and am learning how to use my old lenses better and better. The threshermen LOVE having their pictures taken with old gear! I've picked up a 165mm f4.5 Carl Zeiss Jena lens in Compound, serial # dates it to 1914. I used that lens for most of the below shots, or the BF&Co. Darlot Petzval. HP5, Efke 25, Chamonix 4x5. This weekend is the BIG one--ROLLAG! I'm going even though I might overdose on steam engines. :D


Kent in SD