I had high hopes for my 203-i. On paper it looks like a great camera. My first experience was otherwise, but it got better.
My gripes are small, but they kept me from enjoying the camera. The leather case is thick enough that it casts a shadow on the film windows, making accurate film advance difficult. I did find this to be less of a problem in more subdued light. The lever actually feels odd on this type of camera. I wanted to advance until something told me to stop. Nothing did.
I left the camera partially exposed for over a month. When I took it up later to finish the roll, my experience was much better. I removed the case and had no problem advancing the film properly. The whole experience just felt better without the clumsy case.
This one will be revisited soon.
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On October 11, we took the bus for a day with our fellow VW nuts (enthusiasts!) at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline. Although named for the iconic buses, VW’s of all stripes were welcome.
The People’s Car
Transporters
Windows
Pop-top
Camera: Seagull 203-i
Film: Ilford FP4+
Developed at home in D-76; scanned on Epson v700
Notes from Mosquito Hill 