The long way ... oder: Omi wäre stolz

About a year ago when I was visiting my parents, I found my grandmother’s camera in the attic. She had bought the camera – an AGFA Billy Compur - when my mother was born in 39, and I have quite a few photographs that were taken with it.



Soon I learned that the lubricant that had once made for smooth turning of the rings had – over the many years – turned into solid glue and the shutter and the focusing where frozen. It took me several attempts but finally I found someone who could fix it: Zacks Camera Repair in Providence, RI did a wonderful job. Three weeks ago I loaded my first roll, and Billy and I traveled to Ireland.



We still have to get used to each other. Billy is all about manual everything … exposure and focusing. (He made me dig out my light meter). I love the 6x9 cm format of the negative, but I hate that I only get 8 shots out of a roll. And he has to stop sheading dust from inside his leather bellows and tossing it on the film. Or at least I suspect that he doing that. Like I said, we have to get used to each other. We have an exciting way ahead of us. I wonder how he feels about trying out a roll of modern Kodak Portra 400 …