Manualized Canon 10d

In a previous blog post I mentioned a Canon 10D that was experiencing the dreaded Err99. The previous owner knows that I'm familiar with the 10D as I use one for some of my lens reviews. He didn't want to waste time with it and sold it to me, with a BG-ED3 battery grip, for a low price.

After some research and experimentation I came to the conclusion that the camera was having trouble communicating electronically with the lens. The err99 would only occur when the camera attempted to communicate with the lens at the moment of exposure. By fitting an adapter that allows M42 screw mount lenses to be mounted I was able to get the camera to function in AV (aperture priority) and manual modes. Of course the M42 lenses require manual focus and manually setting the aperture with the on-lens aperture ring.

Before selling this body I decided it should be used a bit to guarantee it would still function in what I call 'Hobbled Mode'. I already owned an M42 to EOS adapter. My adapter has the focus confirmation chip. A strip of tape over the contacts prevented electrical communication and prevented the err99 from occurring. From my box of unsellable camera gear came an M42 screw mount Hanimex Automatic 35mm 1:2.8 and an M42 screw mount Auto Exaktar 35mm 1:2.8. Neither of these lenses inspired confidence in their optical quality potential. The Auto Exaktar felt cheap, had already lost a mount side dust cover, and possessed the unusual feature of excessive focus dampening in one direction and none in the other. The Hanimex felt better built with a well damped focus mechanism and more legible aperture and focus markings.

The Hanimex 35mm 1:2.8 was fitted for the following images. I didn't expect much from the camera or lens. My first outing started at dusk and went into the early evening. The shutter speeds were long and required the camera to be rested on or against whatever objects were available. Most images showed enough camera movement that the lack of lens sharpness was not an issue.

Despite all these shortcomings, one of the images was perfect. As my wife and daughter started off towards the restaurant I noticed their silhouettes and shadows on the wet pavement. I had only enough time to set the focus to infinity, rest the camera on the ground, and get off a couple exposures before they moved out of the path of the light. Technically they were duds. But emotionally, the one shown below is one of my favorites.

Walking to Steamer's

A light pole lights itself. Shot handheld, it was one of the few images I attempted without something to brace the camera.