Film cameras in Seoul - 1.

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The main area to find secondhand camera gear in Seoul is a narrow band of shops which stretches from just northwest of Chungmuro station, through the back of Myeongdong, and along to Namdaemun. The band of shops is interrupted here and there by main roads and fashion malls but essentially one can spend a whole day (at least) browsing the camera trail.

Some shops are high end, such as the many Leica specialists, and some cater more to the collector of odd old film cameras. There's even a large format specialist with a dazzling range of gear from 4x5 to 8x10 and beyond.

One of my favourite shops is Jang-shi Camera in the Howhyun underground shopping centre between Myeongdong and the Shinsegae Department Store. They sell mostly high end gear: Leicas, Contax, and also have Mamiya 7 lenses. Their website is at www.j-camera.co.kr

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Film cameras in Busan

Busan doesn't have as many film camera shops as Seoul but there is a small concentration of them in the Nampo area.

I made just a quick reconnoitre there today - will go back again soon. I saw some nice cameras though. A Nikon F - first model with a Photomic prism; Leica IIIf with an Elmar lens, another with a Summar; Leica IIIg - a real beauty with a Summaron. Also M3, M6 & an ugly duckling M5. Also a CL and a Minilux. Contax T2… and that's just the 35mm stuff.

I won't even tell you about the Fuji 6x17 and a lovely heavy Rolleiflex SLR. The students I saw buying boxes of Velvia 4x5 however rate a mention. Two young girls bought a box each. I tried to engage them in conversation but our mutual knowledge of each other's languages didn't quite mesh. good to see interest in large format.

Whew! There's lots of film activity here! Can't wait to get to Seoul.

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That Ansan panorama in full...

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A nice piece of camerabilia

Seen in Kyobo Bookstore in Centum City, Busan, today. A pencil sharpener shaped like a twin lens reflex camera.

There is really no limit to the things one can collect. I resisted the urge to buy. I'll stick to real cameras.

Much more worrying, nearby were "dog staplers".

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Daegu's "Beer Factory" : a brief review.

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I was in Daegu, Korea, this week and spent an evening with some very good folks at a microbrewery style of bar called The Beer Factory. They had quite a range of beers from a pale Pilsener to quite a dark stout. I only tried the brown ale and can attest to it's deliciousness. Prices are on the high side but typical for a bar of this type. Food was the usual fried chicken dishes but they were generous with their free "service" dishes. Then again we were a largish party and spent quite a lot.

One thing really amuses me though (see second picture): in the gents, above each urinal, is a menu if their beers so one can plan what to drink next even as one voids the last beer.

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A bar called "Arse-hole"

똥꼬 (Ddong-ggo) the sign says, over this bar in the PNU area in Busan. That translates as "Arse-hole".

I am so curious…

Love the picture!

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People I met today in Busan

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Warming myself in the sun outside Jagalchi fish markets in Busan today I noticed the woman next to me was using a real camera - a Nikon FM2 to be precise. I asked if I could take her photo and she held up her camera and took mine. I also took a film shot with my Mamiya 7 but that will have to wait. Her name is 이가영 (Ka-yeong Lee).

Later, in Nampodong subway a young fellow saw the Mamiya around my neck and came straight up to me saying, "Take my photo." I shot him with the "pinhole" setting using the Retro Camera App on my iPhone.

"What's your name?", I asked.

"이정진 (Jeong-jin Lee). Remember me!

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Korean ukulele review - Countess tenor

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I just played a very nice solid tenor uke in a Yamaha store next to exit 1 of Nampodong subway station here in Busan, South Korea. The instrument, branded Countess and strung with what look like Aquila strings is Korean made and was shown to me with some pride by the very friendly shop assistant.

The top is solid spruce and the back and sides mahogany. Sound is strong and clean. Build seems a little rough with some machining marks visible at the top of the sound-hole under the end if the fret board. The neck is accurate but the ends of the metals are a little rough and scratchy in the hand as I play. Tuners are well geared and smooth and the head is slotted. Overall a good instrument but lacking in finish and not really worth the 485,000 won (~AU$430) they want for it.

In the same shop I also played another tenor branded Dexter. This one was unimpressive but had an unremarkable set of strings. It was priced around 250,000 won.

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Secondhand camera gear in Seoul

There are two areas in Seoul where there are many secondhand camera shops. One is near Namdaemun and the other in Chungmuro. I usually spend a couple of days searching for bargains there whenever I'm up this way. It's wonderful just to look at all those Leicas and dream.

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Secondhand camera gear in Seoul

There are two areas in Seoul where there are many secondhand camera shops. One is near Namdaemun and the other in Chungmuro. I usually spend a couple of days searching for bargains there whenever I'm up this way. It's wonderful just to look at all those Leicas and dream.

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Busan views

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From the top of Yongdusan tower. Photos follow a clockwise circle starting facing northward.

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A small piece of beauty - Nature in Busan

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As I walked this afternoon along the Oncheon-cheon, a stream that runs through Northern Busan, I saw a rare thing: a white bird, stalking fish in the near frozen water.

I watched him for a while and saw him catch 3 small fish. Later I saw two more white birds. A good day for nature.

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Konglish, weirdness and old haunts

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After a sub-zero walk along the beach at Haeundae I thought I'd try and find some coffee in the Busan National University (PNU) area.

The search for coffee was a dismal failure. I settled for a weak as piss cappuccino in Starbucks. I did however see some weirdness… and visited an old haunt of mine, though it was closed.

The bag simply defies explanation. The Kenny Rogers Norae-bang is a singing room, rather like karaoke. The Crossroads Bar is one of the better expat-friendly bars in the PNU area. they have an excellent collection of records.

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Happy happy happy E-Mart

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We arrived in Busan yesterday morning. I spent the entire day sleeping yet still managed to sleep all last night too. Air travel is hell.

Today we ventured out into the cold day to do some shopping at E-Mart. I was surprised at the amount of Australian produce on sale, particularly meat. Of special note Darling Downs Wagyu beef and even Aussie prawns.

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