Travelling from Washington State to Long Island – Canonet 28 Roll #2

You can read about the Travelling Canonet project here. We have over 50 photographers on 4 continents waiting to take part. Two Canonets are involved, each travelling in a different direction. The idea is to take 5 or more shots and then send the camera on to the next person on the list. Previous pictures from the first roll from this camera and the first roll from the Original Canonet are also available on 35mmc.

The Canonet 28 was an additional camera which is working through the list of participants in the opposite direction to the original camera. This posting covers the second film and follows the Canonet’s continuing journey across the USA.

Pierre

My name is Pierre Saget (any pronouns). I’m a 29 year old amateur street photographer based out of Richland, Washington, USA. I’ve been a reader of 35mmc for a few years now and I excitedly jumped at Bob’s Canonet Project as soon as I saw it. I’d never done a project like this before and I’m very happy to have been a part of it. I hope to get to do more group projects in the future. You can see more of my work on Instagram @evergreenstates – Pierre

Tom

I was excited to participate in the Traveling Canonet 28 project. It’s always fun to try out a new camera. When the camera made its way to me I was coming off abdominal surgery and hadn’t been able to get out for my usual long walks on the regional trail in our neighborhood, the Luce Line. Two activities have helped me stay energized and fit during COVID, photography and walking. When it came my turn with the Canonet 28, I decided that a long walk was just what the doctor ordered. These photos are simple everyday scenes from one of those walks.

Jeff

I am Jeff from the middle of America.  I do a variety of digital, film and collodion photography.  I almost purchased a Canonet last year when I was looking for a pocketable film camera after my Ricoh point and shoot finally died.  I ended up with a Canon Demi EE17 half-frame camera but was glad for the opportunity to shoot a bit with a Canonet.   I enjoy analog photography and love the moment of surprise when you develop your film (or get it back from the developer).  I was so happy to see my Canonet pictures along with all the others from photographers who shared my roll!

Marco

I am a fairly amateur film photographer, having picked it up just at the end of last year, so I am still learning, and want to experience all types of cameras and films. The traveling Canonet and 28 seemed like just the experiment that would let me try out another camera, with little expense to my budget. The 28 was fun to use, and everything but the focus felt familiar. Since I had never used a rangefinder before, it took some getting used to, but it made sense once I fiddled with it for a while. Undoubtedly, I’ve added rangefinders to my eBay searches, as I had quite a fun time with the 28 during our short-lived time together!

Michael

I’ve never been one to follow rules, but in this case I just didn’t read the directions! Never did I think that every shot we each took would be included. Please pardon the repetitive shots in the mix.

I’ve always been intrigued by the Canonet, both for its place in the history of consumer-accessible photography and for its great looks. I’ve resisted bidding on them because I avoid cameras that require batteries not stocked at convenience stores–let alone one that’s been banned as an environmental hazard. But I enjoyed the Canonet 28 so much that I’m hooked (and, yes, I’ve bid).  It’s heavy enough to feel “serious”, small enough to be fun, and so beautifully proportioned that it screams “Pick me up and create something!”

Shooting with it was disconcerting at first. It feels like a camera designed to offer up some creative choices. Alas, taking it out of automatic mode is a bit silly without control over the exposure time. But once I let that sink in and started thinking of the camera as more of a point-and-shoot, the fun began.

I tried to shoot scenes typical of the South Shore of Long Island. We have a long, marsh & beach coastline, home to waterfowl, fishing vessels, reflections and shadows. Like much of American suburbia, malls, followed by Walmart, followed by Amazon have laid waste to our downtowns, so there’s plenty of decay around as well.

I’ve read that the lower voltage of the modern replacement battery can lead to under exposure. As this was also my first time shooting with Fuji Neopan 100, it’s a little hard for me to say. The blacks are dark and the whites are gray, but none of the shots look underexposed. In fact, I’d highly recommend the Canonet/Neopan duo: all of the shots share a moodiness that makes even my shots of suburbia somewhat interesting.

I had a great time, and can’t wait to do this again!

Thanks

The Canonet 28 has been clocking up a fair number of miles. My thanks to Michael for the excellent processing on this particular film.

I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank all those who have taken part so far. It is fascinating to see inside peoples’ communities and I’ve been quite knocked out, both by the enthusiasm of contributors and of the robustness of these little cameras.

Another short-form film should be following this one up fairly soon. Everyone I’ve contacted so far has been able (and very willing) to take up their slot.

It needs to be remembered that the Canonet 28 being used here is 50 years old. As it continues to make its way down the east coast of the USA, It is remarkable that it is enduring the post so well and that that so many of the shots are coming out well.

Share this post: