Mamiya Six Archives

[P C Headland]

I was browsing the camera cupboard a couple of months back, with the intention of maybe, just maybe, selling a camera or two. Perhaps something I'd not used much. Maybe. Before doing that though, I'd need to check the camera worked properly.

I bought this Mamiya Six at a real auction quite a few years ago. It's an early one, from around 1947 as best I can tell. Shutter only goes to 1/200. It had a few minor issues that were easily fixed, and I shot with it a few times. However, it had sat unused for a while. On a fine long weekend day, I grabbed a couple of rolls of film, one black and white, and one roll of expired Agfa Portrait 160.

The new National Archives building has recently been finished, including a small park area, opposite a historic wooden church in the Thorndon / City area, not far from the Beehive (parliament building). Nice, strong summer's sun combined with some nice forms and shadows is just what I like.

The New:

Stairs

Seating steps

Stairs 'n shadows

The Old:

Old St. Pauls

More Old St. Pauls

Having shot a roll of B+W (Agfa Scala 200 developed in 510-Pyro), next up was the expired Agfa Portrait 160. The blue sky and bronze of the new Archives building, along with the colour of the wooden areas made for some nice contrast. I think I exposed this at EI 100.

Bronze posts

Sky Lights

Shadowy Steps

Steps again

Bronze Archives 1

Bronze Archives 2

Of course, I've decided not to sell it, at least for now!

[Julio1fer]

Very interesting series, and the colour roll with that bronze, metal and wood well captured came out wonderfully. The Scala is a reversal film, IIRC, did you process it?

Agree with your decision to keep that camera!

[P C Headland]

I didn't reverse the Scala, just developed it as a negative. I've still got two or three expired rolls left, so I may well try the home-brew reversal process again.