I've shot a few rolls now with the Ansco Speedex, enough to form an opinion on the shooting style (though I still have only received the one roll back).

Compactness

I admit that I'm in love with the idea that I am carrying around a medium format camera that slips easily into the front pocket of any of my shorts or jeans. However, it is bulky and heavy. If you remember the days of the first Sony Walkmen, it's like that though slimmer. Still, it is compact enough that I wouldn't hesitate to take it with me anywhere I go (except perhaps dancing) and is a no brainer to slip into the camera bag where it takes up 1/8th the space of its larger EOS cousin.

Loading film

In my first Holga days I spoiled more than a couple spools of 120. I hated loading that thing because of how tight it was trying to get the spools in and how you had to squeeze in a tab of cardboard in order to have the spools stay in place. Awful awful. In contrast, the Ansco has this wonderful arm in the carrier side that swings out and opens up so that loading the film spool is extremely easy (see pic below).

The take up spool also fits snugly into the left side and needs no cardboard tab. Amazing, eh?

The film transport system is, of course, the most basic. Use the winder knob to roll the film, watch the red window until the frame number comes up. I was advised by someone on Flickr who uses these more often to tape up the window, so I have. Of course, the problem with these manual transport systems is that you have to remember if you wound to the next frame or not. I've probably made a couple double-exposures already but now my system is to always wind to the next frame after an exposure.

Opening the shutter

I'm discussing this next since it is the simplest but also the most unique part of this sort of camera. To open the shutter, there is no control on the actual body, it is on the lens. Secondly, it is a double-action. You have to first cock it, then release the shutter. (The "T" device below the shutter is a way to lock the shutter open for bulb (long exposure) shots.)

To release the shutter after you've cocked it, you have to pull the lever out from the lens. Although the manual says you can press down on it, it is more of a 'flick'.

It takes a bit of time to get used to it, especially when you have the ingrained Canon index finger reflex. But it does make sense in a way since the camera is so light, if you had to press down on something you might jar the composition.

Focusing

For an all-manual camera, the controls are not the best. After all, this was really meant to be a consumer camera (even though it sold for possibly two week's average wages back in the 50s). The focusing ring is stiff and even if there was a way you could quickly confirm your focus (see my previous post on seeking a range finder), the ring takes quite a squeeze before it will move.

The Ansco manual advises that you zone focus and gives a reasonable run down on hyperfocal theory. Basically, you must pre-focus and hope that your subject comes within the range of distance in which everything is in focus, and then take your picture.

Incidentally, I have two accessory rangefinders coming my way from eBay. This will make the focusing a bit easier.

Setting Exposure

The most challenging aspect of this camera is that it has no meter. For anyone who started taking photographs seriously with electronic assisted cameras this is bound to be a hurdle since it takes you back to the first days of understanding exposure. For me, that's back in high school and I probably didn't understand it then. Since I've been playing with manual lenses for the past couple years I have no problem with manual adjustment, but when you get no exposure feedback (no LCD chimping, no in-camera meter), you have to get it right in your head or you will be under or over-exposing your valuable film.

The Ansco Speedex provides you with a ring for shutter speed (Bulb - 1/200th) and a lever slider that allows you to select aperture from f/4.5 - f/32. Again, as with the focusing ring, the shutter speed takes some finger strength to adjust. The aperture slider -- or "diaphragm setting lever" as the manual calls it -- is much easier but is also easy to knock astray as all of the controls are very tightly placed together.

This is a camera where you have to prepare yourself for the shot. There really is no time for a recalculation at the moment of the shot.

Ways of calculating exposure 1: using the light meter

It's because of this uncertainty of getting the exposure right that I had to bring out my Gossen Luna-Star F light meter. The first thing I realized was that the Gossen needed to be recalibrated after testing it alongside the 20D. For whatever reason the Gossen would under-estimate by 2 stops. After I used exposure correction I believe I have it metering correctly (though, again, I need to get my subsequent film back). Even with the meter it takes a bit of guesswork since the Gossen's shutter and aperture readings do not exactly correspond to the marks on the Speedex. Then, there is also the problem that you don't always have the opportunity of getting out the light meter. Okay for portraits where the subject is willing to stay still for it, not great for candid and street photography and useless for landscapes.

Calculating exposure 2: chimping with the DSLR

Another way of getting the exposure close is to chimp with my loaner-20D. First match the ISO of the film (I've gone to ISO400 now). Take the shot and then look at the 20D's preview and histogram. Close enough? Then try and get the Speedex (within its constraints of f/4.5 and 1/200th) to match it. Or vice versa. Obviously, the problem with this scenario is that you are juggling two cameras. So much for spontaneity and so much for taking advantage of the compactness of your folding camera.

Calculating 3: use your head

This finally goes back to your early days of understanding exposure and finding ways of estimating it without the aid of any kind of metering system. There is the famous "sunny-16 rule" where you set the camera at f/16 and match the shutter speed with your chosen film ISO in sunny conditions. Frankly, that's the only rule I really remember.

In search of other more precise ways I went back onto the net and found a couple interesting pages.

Rod Barret has a handy exposure calculator where you can input your ISO, choose the lighting conditions, and then play around with various shutter speeds and apertures to get the one you want. The web page calculates it all. Obviously, the problem is that you cannot bring the Internet with you on a walk.

Fred Parker has basically the same system but in tables that -- if committed to memory -- would eventually make you the most knowledgeable walking light meter available to your friends. Both systems use an Exposure Value chart that you consult first to see what lighting conditions are present. Parker's page is a lot of reading (if you want to understand the theory of exposure values) but you can skip right to the table and try to grind that into your skull.

Calculating 4: software for mobile devices

A fourth option is open to those of you who have iPod touches or iPhones. My friend Matt turned me onto this set of software for your mobile computer that has many different calculators for your photo taking.

I don't have either of these devices and I doubt I will given the data plan expense.

I suspect the more I shoot with this camera the more I will simply remember a handful of situations and get close enough to get an adequate exposure. Practice makes perfect.

Links discussed in this post

• This is a good page on hyperfocal theory
• Rob Barret's Exposure Calculator
• Fred Parker's Ultimate Exposure Calculator
• Photocalc: The Photographer's Calculator for iPhone and iPod touch
• Karen Nakamura's Photoethnography has an excellent page on this lineage of cameras