Meopta Flexaret VII
Fuji Pro 160NS
Expired Fujifilm Provia 400 [Cross-processed]
Fuji Neopan 100
...and so i have finished taking pictures with my last six rolls of 120 film. fittingly, it had to be taken using the Meopta Flexaret VII - my very first TLR camera that isn't a toy camera. before settling for the Flexaret VII, i had dreams of owning a Rolleiflex 2.8. through the rose-tinted viewfinder of Flickr and the endless reblogging of Rolleiflex photographs, i was smitten by the Rolleiflex's beautiful rendition of images and the camera's overall classy look. had it not been for the fact that the 2.8 Rolleiflexes went for at least a couple thousand bucks on eBay, i would've scored one in a heartbeat. instead, i had to consider alternatives such as the Seagull, the Lubitel, and the Pentacon Six that sadly got away. i cannot for the life of me recall how i came to discover the Flexaret line of TLRs, but i was completely sold when i came across an unbid eBay listing with a generous price tag.
from Slovakia, with love.
four years, and around 50 rolls of 120 film later, i've decided to retire the Flexaret. it is a great camera to bring around, and as i speak from experience, it was a great conversation piece. strangers have come up to me in awe and gaped at this old contraption, and wonder how people could still take photographs with these. it was the year 2012 when cellphone photography was at the brink of ubiquity, and there i was, lugging this camera everywhere i went on my second project 365 (366 for the year 2012). with that came my love/hate relationship with the Flexaret VII. the camera ultimately limited the types of photographs i was used to taking with my 35mm cameras. careful planning is required when taking photographs with the Flexaret, and it reduced the spontaneity i was used to with my other cameras. it was only a matter of time that i started storing the Flexaret deep in the dry box in favor of my other cameras - it also didn't help when i rediscovered my love for digital and all things VSCO Film. the TLR was relegated as my secondary camera, only to be fished out when the situation allows for a no frills photo taking session.
for a greater part of 2014, the TLR and my final six rolls of 120 film sat in my dry box - at least half of those rolls of film were bought way back in 2010. it was only with a sudden burst of enthusiasm that i finally hauled my arse out for some night photowalks around the vicinity of Putrajaya. those photowalks felt like therapy, because being drowned in work and not having the time nor motivation to go out and take pictures was a huge bummer for me. though i may have not executed some more ambitious walkabouts, i was rather happy that i finally got around to finishing up those last six rolls. i don't suppose they're the best pictures i've ever taken, but it's just me stretching my legs after a long period inactivity.
dropping the films off for developing was a wave of nostalgia for me - it had been a year since i'd stepped into the photolab. the price of developing and films had increased over the past year, and it was disappointing, though hardly surprising. the photolab hadn't been handling my films as carefully as they used to, but i didn't really care. it was an end of an era in my photography book. perhaps someday i'll revisit the ol' Flexaret should the desire arise again. i reckon it will in the next couple of years, who's to say that i won't get bored of my new digital camera after a few years of post-processing and relatively instant gratification? parting is such sweet sorrow, but my Flexaret will be waiting in the dry box.
dropping the films off for developing was a wave of nostalgia for me - it had been a year since i'd stepped into the photolab. the price of developing and films had increased over the past year, and it was disappointing, though hardly surprising. the photolab hadn't been handling my films as carefully as they used to, but i didn't really care. it was an end of an era in my photography book. perhaps someday i'll revisit the ol' Flexaret should the desire arise again. i reckon it will in the next couple of years, who's to say that i won't get bored of my new digital camera after a few years of post-processing and relatively instant gratification? parting is such sweet sorrow, but my Flexaret will be waiting in the dry box.
