Recently I visited Włocławek. I’ve started preparations for that one day short trip a day before. I’ve prepared the backpack, the computer, some documents, photo magazine for reading – but I couldn’t decide which cameras I should take with me. I wanted to have Fuji X100 with me but I couldn’t find a battery charger and the two batteries for that camera where empty. So Fuji was out of the question. I still had some choices and I thought that I would decide in the morning which cameras I should take. Next day just after leaving the house in the early morning rushing for my train I’ve realized that I have 3 rolls of 35mm film but no small format camera which I planned to have with me. Konica was still laying on shelf. So – because of my irresoluteness I had only one camera with me – Zeiss Ikon Nettar 6×9 and two rolls of bad Shanghai GP3 film. This is a great camera but not easy to operate and not perfect for travel snaps.
I’ve decided to have a short walk afternoon and use the Nettar loaded with B&W film in the old town of Włocławek. Old, falling apart tenements would be a perfect subject for that camera and that film. Below you can see the developed second roll from Włocławek. After taking those photos and seeing the results I have some conclusions. First one: my Shanghai GP3 rolls – sucks -there are signs from the backing paper on the film so they are visible on scanned film. But I knew that when loading the film. Second: the 10,5cm lens is not-so-good for taking the photos of the architecture even at the MF camera. The camera is not perfect for the quick shots as well – but in fact those are just small obstacles and I can only blame myself for not good and uninteresting photos taken. Third: the aiming is not perfect with the bead mounted on the camera. Horizontal photos are quite okay, but still better to leave some additional space just in case around the main subject. Vertical aiming is terrible what you can see in one of the last photos -of the ruins of the entrance to one of the tenements.
OKay. Check those photos. I’m not satisfied with the results at all, but I’ve decided to show you Włocławek how it look like through the lens of the 6×9 camera. So don’t look at the technical aspect of the photos and just look at the city. I hope the second (first) roll of GP3 will be better…
Such suprising view – red brick tenement you will see when when you enter the backyard through the ordinary gate from the Tumska street.
Such suprising view – red brick tenement at the one of the backyards
Tumska street and the end of the 3rd May street. You can see the ruins of the tenement in the centre. Far away you can see sharp Gothic Włocławek Cathedral towers.
Tumska street and the end of the 3rd May street
This tenement at the Tumska street is my compulsory subject of the photo (check older photos here)
tenement at the Tumska street
This photo might be very interesting but I failed to get it right. This umbrella could be a nice pin point at the photo… View at the Tumska street when going up from the direction of the Vistula river.
View at the Tumska street when going from the direction of the Vistula river
Boulevard at the Vistula river. It was raining so the atmosphere of this photo is similar to that then.
Boulevard at the Vistula river
Drying clothers in one of the backyards at the old town. You can see here imperfections (gently said) of the film visible even after corrections with sliders.
Drying clothers in one of the backyards at the old town.
Ruined gate and tenement at the Tumska street.
Ruined gate and tenement at the Tumska street