Sandy Lunitz | Seen through a lens

I was wondering how much infrared light on the Praia Evaristo would be visible with color infrared film. Having a couple of rolls from Kodak’s rare and discontinued Ektachrome Infrared EIR in the freezer, I decided to make invisible light visible.

To make things more complicated, I wanted to shoot the coming tide with more than one film. Fuji’s Astia 100F and Velvia 50, Kodak’s Kodachrome 64 and Ektachrome Infrared EIR.
Just for the fun of comparison and to enjoy one of the greatest feature of film. You can change/upgrade your cameras “sensor” within minutes, from an accurate color response to vivid color boost or to capture invisible light.

Tide, Evaristo, f16

Praktica B100, Pentacon 50mm f1.8, Fuji Astia 100F

The first image was taken with Fuji’s Astia 100F, a very color accurate film. Although I don’t work that often with Astia, I have to say that it’s a very nice film, with the highest dynamic range I have seen with color reversal film.

Tide Infrared, Evaristo, f16

Zeiss Ikon ZM, C Sonnar 50mm f1.5, Kodak Ektachrome EIR

The Ektachrome EIR is the only 35mm color infrared film on this planet and unfortunately it’s discontinued since 2007. The EIR is a infrared-sensitive, “false-color” transparency film. It is intended for many photographic applications, industrial, aerial, technical and of course artistic. The amount of reflected infrared light will affect the final color rendition.
The algae on the stones was just a guess, since we cannot see infrared light with our eyes, you have to find elements, reflecting infrared light, like stones with algae. 

Tide Tunnel Infrared, Evaristo, f16

Zeiss Ikon ZM, C Sonnar 50mm f1.5, Kodak Ektachrome EIR

The third image was captured with Velvia 50 and a warm up 85B, to accentuate the golden setting sun.

Tide, Evaristo, f16, 85B

Zeiss Ikon ZM, C Sonnar 50mm f1.5, Fuji Velvia 50

Cameras Praktica B100, Zeiss Ikon ZM, Lenses Pentacon 50mm f1.8, Zeiss C Sonnar 50mm f1.5, Film Fuji Astia 100F & Velvia 50, Kodak Ektachrome EIR, self developed. The Kodachrome 64 image will be added later, because I can’t develop this film on my own.

I have sinned and I have to confess it. Since my blog is named “The beauty of the Algarve seen through Zeiss lenses”, I’m in trouble. I was searching for a Leica M mount 85mm lens, to fit my Zeiss Ikon.

Steinheil Culminar 85mm f2.8  

Not an easy task, Zeiss is offering two lenses, the Tele-Tessar 85mm f 4 and the Sonnar 85mm f2, the latter is listed for 2600 Euros, I haven’t met one, lucky enough to own the new Sonnar 85mm.
Already owning the famous Zeiss Planar 85mm f1.2 “60 Years”, I’ve had my fill of pricey portrait lenses and I would always choose the f1.2 Planar over the f2 Sonnar.

Oleander, Silves, f2.8

Zeiss Ikon ZM, Steinheil Culminar 85mm f2.8, Fuji Provia 100F

There are other choices, the old Sonnar 85mm f2 in Contax RF mount, but it would need a Contax RF to Leica M adapter to mount it on my Ikon.
Besides the needed adapter the prices for old Sonnars have reached high levels within the last months. This is because of the growing demand in Asia. 

This should make us think, we get overflown by newest cheap plastic lenses made in Korea and China and asian buyers and dealers are collecting our ancient glasses like Zeiss, Leica, Steinheil, Meyer-Görlitz and some others.
With unmeaning names like Samyang, Mitakon those factories dump more and more lenses on the European and American market. 
Prices for many old lenses have more than doubled in the last couple of months, this is a performance that would make every investment banker happy in these days.

Vinho Tinto, Silves, f3.5

Zeiss Ikon ZM, Steinheil Culminar 85mm f2.8, Fuji Velvia 50

After breaking my head for a while I’ve stumbled over a different brand, Steinheil München, in this case the Culminar 85mm f2.8.
The optical company CA Steinheil & Söhne was founded 1842, that was even four years before Carl Zeiss founded his famous company.

The Culminar is mostly seen in Leica screw mount, I was lucky to find a rare coupled Leica M version, but I’ve also seen a rare Contax RF mount version. It’s a very beautiful f2.8-f32 lens, leightweight and very well made with a chrome finish.
Something modern lens manufacturers could take a leaf out of Steinheil’s book.

Oleander, Silves, f3.5

Zeiss Ikon ZM, Steinheil Culminar 85mm f2.8, Fuji Velvia 50

I am not sure if the Steinheil would be worth it for me for landscape work alone, for outdoor photography it is almost too beautiful.
For me the 85mm focal length is ideal for portrait work and I’m sure that it won’t let me down with its beautiful creamy rendering capabilities and the very interesting drawing of out of focus areas, a friend of mine found a very nice description for the oof area, “it almost looks like stained glass”.

Hibiscus, Silves, f3.5

Zeiss Ikon ZM, Steinheil Culminar 85mm f2.8, Fuji Velvia 50

Camera Zeiss Ikon ZM, Lens Steinheil Culminar 85mm f2.8, Film Fuji Provia 100F & Velvia 50, self developed

Beaches like Castello have many opportunities, I like the massive yellow orange rocks, distributing their warm light as reflections on the ocean waves. Weather was warm, waves calm, everything was sublime.

Rolling Waves, Castello

5D, Zeiss Planar 100mm f2, 1/2 sec at f22

After a while, I started watching the golden reflections from the rocks in the flowing water. There were loads of salt in the air, leaving dried up spots on my lens. Fortunately they are nearly impossible to spot on the image.

Reflections, Castello

5D, Zeiss Planar 100mm f2, 1/2 sec at f22

Then we wandered around to Evarista, I spent time on working with the sand, glowing golden from the setting sun. I’ve managed to capture some very interesting patterns.

Gold Rush, Evarista

5D, Zeiss Planar 100mm f2, 1/2 sec at f8

Sandy Gold, Evarista

5D, Zeiss Planar 100mm f2, 3.2 sec at f8

The rolling waves were pulling my tripod towards the ocean, not so easy to find a solid stand on the moving wet sand to make a few second exposure. Otherwise the waves created the geometric pattern on the sand, a vital component on the last two images.

As the weather is very sunny at the moment, I’m currently working on a new workshop, concerning in particular the composition of images.

While I’ve been searching for adequate images, I stumbled on 3 images of last December taken near Praia Marinha.

Praia Marinha

5D, Zeiss Distagon 21mm f2.8 

The effect of the image depends on the composition. But there are also other elements, the light, the color shades, the location and other components. To cope with landscape photography means to master the composition and the color shades. If one part of the image doesn’t work, the image won’t work.

The perfect light, the most beautiful colors and the most fascinating location won’t result in an image without the right composition.

This evening I took only 3 pictures. A lot of photographers, whether beginner or amateur, simply try to shoot everything, but at the end the result is that they didn’t shoot anything. No relation to the landscape in front of the camera. We have to learn to see selectively, to see something that others don’t see. This vision means to me that we approve a part of the object not the whole object.  

Bridge Rock, Praia Marinha

5D, Zeiss Distagon 21mm f2.8 

Every human being is able to see selectively. It’s our vision, a product of learning.

The right equipment is important too, I favor the right equipment over the comfortable equipment. There’s still a lot of space between a 35mm-fullframe chip and a large format camera, it’s a tempting idea to work with a large format camera. Why?

Some time ago, I already wrote that it obliges me to proceed more slowly. It allows me to define and improve my vision. By setting the camera, choosing the lens, setting the focus and calculating the exposure, I examine the object. This is what I can’t do while running around with my camera and simply shooting a lot of things.

Rocks & Tree, Praia Marinha

5D, Zeiss Distagon 21mm f2.8 

Composition is the organization of a natural chaos, the creation of an image full of visions.

Summer time in the Algarve and also time for Black & White images. The sunlight is too harsh, especially in the afternoon. The colors will look dull with very hard contrast, not pleasing the eye.

We can’t change neither the light nor the weather and we have to live with consequences.

Praia Arrifana, near Aljezur

Zeiss Ikon, Zeiss C Sonnar 50mm f1.5, Rollei ATP1.1 at ISO12 

It was the moment when I was thinking about my 20 fresh rolls of Rollei’s new ATP1.1, a superpanchromatic film. I have tried a few rolls in last summer, a very interesting film. But I’ve found out that Rollei’s RHS, the high speed developer did not work properly, blown out highlights and no details in the shadows, flaws I would like to avoid in landscape photography.

Pedra d’Agulha, near Aljezur

Zeiss Ikon, Zeiss Biogon 25mm f2.8, Rollei ATP1.1 at ISO12

So I’ve ordered Rollei’s RLC developer, recommended by Rollei for the pictorial photography. The ATP1.1 is rated at ISO32. When working with the RLC devolper, Rollei recommends the ISO setting between 10 and 16 and expose to the shade. The RLC developer is a one shot solution.

Praia Arrifana, near Aljezur

Zeiss Ikon, Zeiss C Sonnar 50mm f1.5, Rollei ATP1.1 at ISO12

Later, just before sunset, I switched over to Fuji’s Velvia 50, the light was better now, but still far from perfect. The sun was sinking without a nice red glow. I wonder if the clean air from the atlantic winds might cause the “problem”.

Praia Arrifana, near Aljezur

Zeiss Ikon, Zeiss C Sonnar 50mm f1.5, Fuji Velvia 50

With very few or no dust particles in the air and atmosphere, the sunset will look kind of unimpressive. Winds from the south, might help. A very rare constellation can bring desert sand from North Africa to the Algarve, usually in the summer time.  

Camera: Zeiss Ikon ZM, lenses Zeiss Biogon 25mm f2.8, Zeiss C Sonnar 50mm f1.5, film Rollei ATP1.1, Fuji Velvia 50, self developed and scanned.

My latest Alentejo trip brought me to a strange place, the Mina de São Domingos.

This place is the oldest copper mine in europe, more than 4000 years ago, the Phoenicians started to mine copper at this place. In 1966 the last mining company has left São Domingos, since then it’s an abandoned place. With all it’s architectural and toxic legacies. The crumbling rocks contain sulfur and rain is washing them into the groundwater. Resulting in serious ecological damage. And some very strange colors – apart from a rotten smell.

Toxic Lake, Mina de São Domingos

Zeiss Ikon, Zeiss Biogon 25mm f2.8, Velvia 50 

The craters are filled with red liquid, something I haven’t seen before. It’s hard to stand the rotten smell of the sulfur, but the unusual colors were attracting me. The whole area measures thousands of square meters with lots of interesting craters and ruins to discover.

Ruin, Mina de São Domingos

Zeiss Ikon, Zeiss Biogon 25mm f2.8, Provia 100F 

Two kilometers to the south I’ve found some tower ruins, not sure about their former task, again surrounded by red lake craters, black sand and some solitary smokestacks. Only some black birds were flying around the towers. Very impressive.

It was short before sunset and I had difficulties to find compositions in less than 20 minutes.

Smokestack, Mina de São Domingos

Zeiss Ikon, Zeiss Biogon 25mm f2.8, Provia 100F 

My new Zeiss Ikon did very well and before some people will aks me again, why are you shooting film, don’t you have digital cameras in Portugal? Yes we have and I do own some of the best digital cameras. So please don’t make any donations, except you would like to buy a print. 

Red Lake, Mina de São Domingos

Zeiss Ikon, Zeiss C Sonnar 50mm f1.5, Provia 100F  

This is something different, like a rangefinder and a DSLR. I like to choose film for the subject, I prefer the slower approach instead of firing five frames per second. Film allows me to change my cameras sensor, to the emphasize the mood, to get beautiful colors without to buckle a digital image on the computer.

Camera: Zeiss Ikon ZM, lens: Zeiss Biogon 25mm f2.8, Zeiss C Sonnar 50mm f1.5, film: Fuji Velvia 50 & Provia 100F.