Week 21 – The Pontiac, Paris, Bloc Metal 41
For several weeks now Russell has hinted he wanted me to take out the
Pontiac. If I'm honest it didn't thrill me! I don't know why as I like my
folders, in particular 6x9 format. This eats standard 120 so pretty straight
forward. It looks a lot like the Agfa Billy Record with its hints to Art Deco
just not as well finished or built in my opinion but then the Agfa is German! The Pontiac is French built
c1941, cast alloy body painted black with some chrome trim. A little brilliant
finder quite difficult to see through sits to one side and on top of the home
grown f4.5 Anastigmat lens housing their own shutter marked T P 25 50 100 150
and a distance finder ring perched on the front.
I choose to load it with an Ilford Delta 100 which although a little
expired would rate easily at box speed. I had acquired 8 of them and the 2 i had used had behaved well. Loading was a small hassle and I had to do it 3
times as the markers were really hard to see through the red frame counter
window. Once I had it I shot the first roll pretty quick along with a little
box brownie I had repaired and was testing. The weather was ok with sporadic
heavy showers that broke into short spells of blue skies with dramatic clouds.
Results – I developed quite gently safe in the knowledge I had been very
careful re the exposure so I was hoping for some nice negatives. Ah but no,
they were really thick with clear evidence of light leaks. I popped down into
the cellar and candle tested it and sadly light was visible through the shutter
which I can do nothing about with the usual electrical tape so the decision to
stop there I think is prudent, no point wasting film.
I have adjusted the blacks and lowered exposure levels in lightroom for
presentation, it isn't the sharpest lens either but it is ok, there is also a
lot of dirt in the bellows. There isn't much else I can say other than I hope
someone out their will love it. I didn't, but that is a personal taste thing as
I am holding it up to the Billy Record which impressed me.
