Welcome to the Blue Moon Camera blog The Codex

Yes, it’s a blog – though it often Won't seem like one. 

 
 
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Inspiration

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Inspiration
Artist In Solitude: Faulkner Short
Artist In Solitude: Faulkner Short
Minox with David Paulin
Minox with David Paulin
Vivian Maier, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Photography
Vivian Maier, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Photography
Artist In Solitude: Sarah Graves
Artist In Solitude: Sarah Graves
Artist in Solitude: Sophia Diaz
Artist in Solitude: Sophia Diaz
Artist in Solitude: Molly Strohl
Artist in Solitude: Molly Strohl
Tintypes with Ashley Jennings
Tintypes with Ashley Jennings
The Analog Profiles: Marissa Marino
The Analog Profiles: Marissa Marino
Light and time May Not be Endangered Species but we are Still Always Losing Them
Light and time May Not be Endangered Species but we are Still Always Losing Them
Safelight
Safelight
Vivian Maier’s 1950s Self-Portraiture and the Invisibility of the Unmarried Woman
Vivian Maier’s 1950s Self-Portraiture and the Invisibility of the Unmarried Woman
Project Self Portrait
Project Self Portrait
The Analog Profiles: Jon Moore
The Analog Profiles: Jon Moore
Color Infrared Film with Heather Boyd
Color Infrared Film with Heather Boyd
The Permanence of the Analog Kit-“Why use film?”
The Permanence of the Analog Kit-“Why use film?”
On Traveling with Film
On Traveling with Film
The Analog Profiles: Mia Krys
The Analog Profiles: Mia Krys
Harley Cowan’s “Manhattan Project”
Harley Cowan’s “Manhattan Project”
To Confront a Portrait in the New Year
To Confront a Portrait in the New Year
Holgamania
Holgamania
 

Technical

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Technical
Nikon Nikonos
Nikon Nikonos
Flying with film, X-rays, TSA and other fun stuff, Part 2.
Flying with film, X-rays, TSA and other fun stuff, Part 2.
Flying with film, X-rays, TSA and other fun stuff.
Flying with film, X-rays, TSA and other fun stuff.
CatLABS X 80 Film Review
CatLABS X 80 Film Review
Shooting Super 8 Today, Part III
Shooting Super 8 Today, Part III
Shooting Super 8 Today, Part II
Shooting Super 8 Today, Part II
Shooting Super 8 Today, Part I
Shooting Super 8 Today, Part I
Darkroom Printing- A Harmony of Art and Science
Darkroom Printing- A Harmony of Art and Science
Becoming Medium Format
Becoming Medium Format
Beginner 35mm SLRs
Beginner 35mm SLRs
Adventures in Color Film
Adventures in Color Film
Typewriter Troubleshooting
Typewriter Troubleshooting
Nikon Non-AI, AI, AI’D, AIS…. oh my. Part 1.
Nikon Non-AI, AI, AI’D, AIS…. oh my. Part 1.
Nikon Non-AI, AI, AI’D, AIS…. oh my. Part 2.
Nikon Non-AI, AI, AI’D, AIS…. oh my. Part 2.
How to Date your Hasselblad (but not in THAT way)
How to Date your Hasselblad (but not in THAT way)
 

Interviews

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Interviews
The Analog Profiles: Katharine Jacobs
The Analog Profiles: Katharine Jacobs
Chris Gampat - The Phoblographer
Chris Gampat - The Phoblographer
Drinking with Jake (Round Five) – Heidi Kirkpatrick
Drinking with Jake (Round Five) – Heidi Kirkpatrick
Rescued Film Project Interview : Levi Bettwieser
Rescued Film Project Interview : Levi Bettwieser
Drinking with Jake (Round Four) – Mike Bain
Drinking with Jake (Round Four) – Mike Bain
Drinking with Jake (Round Three) – Ray Bidegain
Drinking with Jake (Round Three) – Ray Bidegain
The Pinhole Camera Makers and Users
The Pinhole Camera Makers and Users
How to Run your Own Instant Film Photo Booth
How to Run your Own Instant Film Photo Booth
Interview with Clarke Galusha
Interview with Clarke Galusha
Jake’s speech at the Portland Art Museum – The Decisive Morning
Jake’s speech at the Portland Art Museum – The Decisive Morning
Drinking With Jake (Round Two) – Blue Mitchell
Drinking With Jake (Round Two) – Blue Mitchell
Drinking with Jake (Round Zero) – Jason Kelley
Drinking with Jake (Round Zero) – Jason Kelley
Drinking With Jake (Round One) – Chris Bennett
Drinking With Jake (Round One) – Chris Bennett
 

Topical news

See All in Topical News

Topical News
Film Friday - October 11th, 2019. Fuji Velvia 50.
Film Friday - October 11th, 2019. Fuji Velvia 50.
Film Friday - October 4th, 2019. Ilford XP2 Super
Film Friday - October 4th, 2019. Ilford XP2 Super
Blue Moon Camera kicks off Film Fridays
Blue Moon Camera kicks off Film Fridays
Remembering Miss Daisy
Remembering Miss Daisy
Whither the School Darkroom?
Whither the School Darkroom?
Meet the Blue Moon Crew
Meet the Blue Moon Crew
The History of the Customer Show
The History of the Customer Show
Five tips for your Fireworks Film Photos
Five tips for your Fireworks Film Photos
What’s New on the Blue Moon? (since the last blue moon)
What’s New on the Blue Moon? (since the last blue moon)
MINOX Spy Film Announcement!
MINOX Spy Film Announcement!
An Impossible Party
An Impossible Party
What’s New on the Blue Moon?
What’s New on the Blue Moon?
‘Roid week 2012: celebrating the instant…. right now.
‘Roid week 2012: celebrating the instant…. right now.
New-Fangled Automatic Ordering Windows Amaze and Amuse Blue Moon Clientele
New-Fangled Automatic Ordering Windows Amaze and Amuse Blue Moon Clientele
HOLY MACKEREL! All systems are go!
HOLY MACKEREL! All systems are go!
 

popular

Featured
Becoming Medium Format
Becoming Medium Format
Light and time May Not be Endangered Species but we are Still Always Losing Them
Light and time May Not be Endangered Species but we are Still Always Losing Them
Adventures in Color Film
Adventures in Color Film

Our Favorites

Featured
Meet the Blue Moon Crew
Meet the Blue Moon Crew
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The History of the Customer Show
The History of the Customer Show
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The Permanence of the Analog Kit - “Why use film?”
The Permanence of the Analog Kit - “Why use film?”
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Jake’s speech at the Portland Art Museum – The Decisive Morning
Jake’s speech at the Portland Art Museum – The Decisive Morning
Read More →
 
 
 
 

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Postcard from France No 2:⠀ ⠀ The castle is designed and built with many, many narrow windows from which to defend yourself with bow and arrow - this is the one from our bathroom.⠀ ⠀ Perfect for sneaking and peeking with the always elegant Minox IIIs.⠀ ⠀ But if I had known the fortifications were so hardy, I would have brought longer glass...⠀ ⠀ Maybe we should conduct a workshop here - we could equip each of the innumerable balistraria with telephotos of all kinds.  You know, for birding...
Not named after a Mercury Retrograde; astrological practices could not be used to predict the fast Mercury II. ⠀ ⠀ This postwar half-frame camera requires its user to think about what's in front of them. It requires one to literally look around the lens of the camera to make changes to the shutter speed, and to advance the film. The design of the camera is weird in its unique qualities, but it serves a functioning purpose.⠀ ⠀ The circular bump that juts out atop of the camera serves two purposes: printed on the outside there is a hyperfocal scale that allows one to determine what is going to come through in your photo after you've set the aperture and focus. Since the Mercury ll isn't an SLR, this proves to be fairly useful when trying to gauge your depth of field. The second purpose is that it houses part of the rotary disc shutter- moving with a quiet precision that works up to 1/1000th of a second. Normally these shutters are reserved for cinematic cameras, but not in the case of the Mercury cameras.⠀ ⠀ Normally Mercury ll's have a lot of wear and degradation due to the corroding aluminum housing, but this one that we currently have on our shelves still shines like it was just made, and works as such too.
One page at a time⠀ a colorful moment⠀ documented.⠀ ⠀ We couldn't be more excited about our new BMC journals! With Hahnemuhle's fine paper intended for artists like ourselves, these are the perfect place to write down your thoughts, dreams, exposure settings, or whatever else your heart desires.⠀ ⠀ Portra 400 developed and scanned by @bluemooncameralab
The boss is on vacation in Bordeaux, France. Naturally we asked him to do a bit of work while there and make some photos of his cameras in the scenery. He responded with two virtual postcards to share. Here’s the first and stay tuned later this week for the second. ⠀ ⠀ Postcard from France No 1:⠀ ⠀ My newest camera in the oldest place I've ever stayed - the camera from the 21st century and the castle from the 14th.⠀ ⠀ The castle built on ruins from the 12th, the camera built on the ruins of the 20th.⠀ ⠀ The panoramic aspect ratio has always appealed to me, but the flexibility to not constantly use wide angle lenses really sets the TX2 apart.  I always naturally see wide and wish to focus in close.⠀ ⠀ Overwhelmed here, really.  Castle life is leaving me in constant awe, and there is no format wide enough, no lens long enough to possibly confer the way all this is making me feel...
Enjoying your summer? 35mm SLRs like this Canon EF combined with a "nifty fifty" lens are a staple for the season that always has us out and about. As for the rest of the equation, what type of film is your go-to for enjoying a day full of sunshine and why? This photo was made with Portra 400 - a classic stock with warm, soft tones that make it perfect for sun-kissed faces and backyard picnics.
While the list of Swiss camera makers is not terribly long, we feel comfortable saying that Alpa cameras are our favorites. ⠀ ⠀ There are a few noteworthy things to point out about this Model 7. For instance, it is both a rangefinder AND an SLR. We know what you're thinking: "Wait. What? Why? How cool!" This is the same mix of thoughts that we experienced when we first laid hands on one of these cameras. ⠀ Additionally, the prism for the SLR viewfinder is at a 45 degree angle rather than the usual 90. Oh, and the placement of the lower rangefinder window (see it down there at about the 5 o'clock position on the lens?) made it easy to cover up with the left hand and led to what was referred to as the "Alpa grip". Also, the wind lever runs front-to-back instead of the more common back-to-front. This one stumps us but we're sure there is a good reason for it.⠀ ⠀ Someday, we'll get another of these Alpas in, but til then we can enjoy some of the images we made of those that have already come and gone.
The Reflex 5x7 is more of an Ent-like camera than many in the world. It is tall, feels earthly, and moves slowly. It works to produce a garden of photos that are beautiful and soft like the morning dew on a Damask Rose. ⠀ ⠀ Jim loves showing and chatting about this camera to people who come through the shop. The next time you pay us a visit, be sure to to have Jim talk with you about the Reflex before his last day tomorrow.⠀ ⠀ Swipe through for photos that @jimhair has taken with this tall friend.⠀ ⠀ P.S. We are having a closing reception/going away party for Jim at the store tomorrow night. We have a link to the event in our bio for more details, otherwise stop in at the store and tell Jim thanks for all heart he has put in at our counter these past several years.⠀
These summer days seem to draw us to the water's edge. Be it rivers, lakes or the ocean, we seek to spend the hot afternoons splishing and splashing. Of course no fun daytrip is complete without one's favorite camera. We have many preferences here at Blue Moon Camera, but one of them is the Hasselblad 500C with heavy ND filters. The all-mechanical nature of this camera makes it perfect for doing super long exposures while we go play.⠀ ⠀ So what cameras do you take out on your summer escapes?⠀ ⠀
A flare of ascension⠀ from a forlorn offering- ⠀ more valuable than perceived. ⠀ ⠀ If you're interested in point and shoots and rangefinders then look to those that were made in the 80's and the 90's. Many were produced, and many of them are quite remarkable in all of their simplicity - like this Nikon L35AF here.⠀ ⠀ This Nikon L35AF is a semi compact, auto-focusing point and shoot wonder. This camera is its own independent camera and focuses on what it wants, but it enables you to enjoy good results, despite having less control. ⠀ ⠀ The gem of this camera is the 35mm f2.8 lens. Not only does it yield sharp images, the lens also features a 46mm thread for the attachment of filters. A nice feature if you're using black and white film. ⠀ ⠀ While somewhat limited by the mostly automatic interface, the lens and build of this camera is worthwhile especially if you're just taking an interest in the point and shoot cameras.⠀ ⠀ Considering the prices that most Contax and Yashica point and shoots go for, the L35AF can be procured for much less and more cost effective prices. Should you find yourself interested, we do currently have one in our inventory - if your curiosity needs satiating.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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