As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, one of the cameras I chose to take on my recent holiday to Somerset, was my Rolleicord Va. This performed near perfectly in Cheddar Gorge. However, a day or so later in Wells Cathedral, I had trouble. It seems that the slower speeds are starting to stick.
I’m not sure whether this is because I haven’t used it as much as I should, certainly I haven’t used it’s slower speeds much, usually exposing hand held at about 125th. Ultimately cameras of this type are mechanical, and nothing like them, likes to sit un-used for long. Perhaps this is just one of the perils of having “too many” cameras, or just the fact that this is one of the older ones! Either way, having a tinker in the excellent coffee shop after the event, got it going again – so I got the photo above at the start of the roll. Then 5 overexposed blobs of mush. Next day I found myself in the City of Bath. Finishing off the roll ready to load in my Gold 120!
I’ve played with the camera since my return home, working my way through the speeds, up and down, and no trouble. So I think the answer is just “keep it ticking over!” All the images above were made on 1 of my last 5, original Fuji Across, the last 5 pack from the fridge (I’m down to the last roll now!). Developed in my usual Ilfosol 3 1+9, 5 Mins at 20°.
S.H.O.U.T. 