Meikai Switchable Panorama Camera Walk Through Waterville

This afternoon, after laying in a field musing about last fall's leaves, I walked across the street to the Goodwill to have a look around. While sifting through old waffle makers and LL Bean fleeces, I found this Meikai Switch Panarama camera sitting next to a sprinkler timer. The geniuses at Meikai spelled panorama "Panarama," so you know it's good. The Meikai's ability to switch between Panorama and Standard mode caught my eye, so I took a 99¢ leap of faith. I loaded the Meikai up with Fujifilm 400 film and walked around Waterville with my Canon 5d Mark II on back up.

The exposure reader works like two legged stool.

The Meikai is 100% plastic, even the lens.

The Meikai is manual winding like a disposable camera.

Meikai in Panaroma mode, note the plastic cropping that partially covers the film.

Meikai in Standard Mode, all of the light hits the 35mm film.

Meikai in Standard Mode. Mainards often put insulation over the windows to cut down on heating costs.

Meikai in Panarama mode. I have no idea whats going on with the red rectangle.

Canon 5D Mark II.

Meikai. While taking these photos I often looked at the back of the Meikai after every shot expecting to see a 3 inch LCD displaying the recent exposure.

Canon.

Meikai.

Canon.

Meikai into an abandoned Dollar Tree.

Canon. I really like these two.

Meikai.

Canon. That's my dojo in the background, second floor above the front door.

After half an hour and 24 exposures, I walked to the neighborhood CVS to develop the film. It took Laurie 10 minutes to pull the film from Meikai. I had low expectations for the 99¢ and the $3 setup and awaited the developing like seven year old at five thirty on Christmas morning. Grab some 400 speed film and go to a Goodwill near you. I am sure you will smile like I did.

Here are some more links,
Waterville Through With the Meikai (Picasa),
Meikai vs Canon 5d Mark II (Picasa),
Meikai Switchable Panorama Camera (Picasa).

A Lazy Sunday Afternoon

For a college student, Sundays are reserved for the general malaise of procrastination. After months of brutal cold, the snow is finally melting and exposing brown grass and the leaves from last fall. This Sunday I wandered up behind the soccer fields and laid down to enjoy the balmy 52 degree weather. For about an hour I laid talking and playing with old leaves. I am glad spring is finally here.

In more temperate climates, these leaves wouldn't make it to spring.

Here are some more links,
Brandon Bird,
A Lazy Sunday Afternoon by Bill Waterson (Amazon),
A Lazy Sunday Afternoon by Bill Waterson (Google Books).

BBQ from the South

Few things are more gluttonous, and thus more American, than eating a pound of meat or a rack of ribs. BBQ and cheap beer fueled our odyssey to find the American dream like the 87 octane unleaded gasoline that powered our 2003 Yukon XL. We plotted our stops to coincide with lunch specials at BBQ restaurants throughout the south, with the hope of finding the perfect plate of meat. Our quest for marinated meats led us to the ghetto of Knoxville and the backwoods of South Carolina. At each stop, I photographed my orders.

Hickory Smoked Barbque, Knoxville Tennessee where a pulled pork sandwich was a steep $2.75.

I prefer dry rub BBQ to messy wet rubs like this plate of BBQ.

Luella's BBQ, Ashville North Carolina. Some of the best ribs I have ever had.

10 minutes later.

JB's Smokeshack, John's Island South Carolina, located twenty minutes outside of Charleston. This place was unbelievable. Hands down the best BBQ we ate on the trip.

This is what buffet looked like. All you could eat for 8 dollars. Needless to say I went back twice.

Maryland Fried Chicken, Little River South Carolina.

I cant wait to have more.

The voyagers in a food-induced coma.

Here are some more links,
BBQ (Picasa),
JB's Smokeshack,
Luella's BBQ,

Portraits from the Roadtrip

I love taking pictures of people. On my road trip I had the opportunity to take a bunch of photos of my fellow voyagers and random people that caught my eye. Thanks for letting me put my camera in your face.

Unknown, Lancaster Pennsylvania

Christ Stonerook, Eastern Tennessee

Edge Trullinger, Smokey Mountains, Eastern Tennessee

Mike Panzer, Knoxville Tennessee

Bruce Hallett, Smokey Mountains, Eastern Tennessee

Bruce Hallett, Gettysburg Pennsylvania

Unknown, Charleston South Carolina

Edge Trullinger, Gettysburg Pennsylvania

Bruce Hallett, Charleston South Carolina

Mike Panzer, Gettysburg Pennsylvanian

Chris Stonerook, Charleston South Carolina

Bruce Hallett, Knoxville Tennessee

Foster Huntington (Self Portrait), Gettysburg Pennsylvania

Edge Trullinger, Bristol Tennessee

Here are some more links,
Gettysburg (Picasa),
Portraits from the Road (Picasa),
The Smokeys (Picasa).