SECRETARY' S NOTES
Over the holiday I have been having thoughts on the price of Colour photography and come to the conclusion that we are lucky in the C.R.C. to be able to carry on our hobby as cheaply as we do. Two tins of Konicachrome and replacement chemicals cost around œ75.00. For that sum I used 42 - 36exp. films and processed them. Had I used any of the trade processed films available it would have cost something in the region of œ450.00., which is way beyond my budget.
The manufacturers of colour film are continually improving their products. They do not often tell you what they are doing. From the results of my Autumn colour slides it looks as if Konica have made their colours warmer, i.e. more biased to red and yellow. Slides of Exmoor are certainly better than anything I have previously produced. Bracken and grass show particularly well.
There is often controversy over the use or none use of filters with colour film. Some sources tell one to keep a skyline filter permanently on the lens, others say don`t unless you like the pink cast it will give. U.V. filters are good to protect the lens we are told, but what are lens caps for?
The opposition will tell you that modern lenses are computed with modern glasses, plastics and coatings, which will render colour true without adding pieces of inferior glass or plastic to the front.
There must be some truth with both arguments. The lenses are nowadays brilliant optical tools and need little help in normal circumstances. But a filter will help to reduce rays in most cases, a polariser will cut out reflections on glass and water and sometimes a cold scene needs to be warmed up with an appropriate filter. The days when every shot of water had a starbust and all sky`s had a permanent sunset look, thankfully seem to be gone.
As with most things in life, it is a matter of personal taste how one uses effects filters. To most people that means - when a slide can be improved. It is not too often that you can improve on nature.
Minolta have just announced their answer to the compact. It is a completely automatic S.L.R. for the price of a compact. It has Automatic 35/70 lens, Auto wind, auto exposure and flash. Cost is £299.99. The aim is to woo compact users onto more serious photography.
Ron.