Vintage film cameras

[johnnyrod]

Dak what Mamiya did you have? I expect it's more press type or something newer than the folding Mamiya Six I'd really like.

[johnnyrod]

Oh and some Seagull info, with a brief mention of Shanghai. This chap collects all sorts of old cameras, he's an abstract artist from Germany I happened across and we had a convo about folders
http://www.120folder.com/seagull_203.htm

[daktulos]

Originally Posted by johnnyrod

Dak what Mamiya did you have? I expect it's more press type or something newer than the folding Mamiya Six I'd really like.

I always fancied a 6 (or probably a 7) myself, but this was a 645 - certainly not as old as some. I always used the waist-level finder ... there's something about using a ground glass viewfinder which is magic.

[johnnyrod]

So far I've stuck with 6x6 for MF, but not shot much in all, I would also fancy a Konica Pearl which is 6x4.5. Although I've previously only shot 35mm, I still find myself looking to choose whether to use landscape or portrait orientations when framing, not sure square either suits me or I've got the hang of making a good composition without the extra element of an oblong picture. Not tried TLR either, the only one I've seen in the flesh is a Lubitel I was given lately, it's not yet usable but the screen is a mare to focus on, just seems hard to figure out what's going on. Might give it a go when it's cleaned up perhaps, it's a bit of a tin box.

[daktulos]

Originally Posted by johnnyrod

So far I've stuck with 6x6 for MF, but not shot much in all, I would also fancy a Konica Pearl which is 6x4.5. Although I've previously only shot 35mm, I still find myself looking to choose whether to use landscape or portrait orientations when framing, not sure square either suits me or I've got the hang of making a good composition without the extra element of an oblong picture. Not tried TLR either, the only one I've seen in the flesh is a Lubitel I was given lately, it's not yet usable but the screen is a mare to focus on, just seems hard to figure out what's going on. Might give it a go when it's cleaned up perhaps, it's a bit of a tin box.

One of the reasons I want a Hasselblad is for the square format. With a lighter(!) camera like the 6, you can rotate it easily enough, but it's not as easy with the 645, particularly when using the waist-level finder. Because it shows a mirrored image, rotating 90 degrees really messes with your (well, my) head. The RZ67 would fix that, but would be to impractical to take out!

I quite like square-format compositions, but you also have the option of composing for a different shape after the fact when you're cropping it.

[johnnyrod]

I tend not to do any sort of post-processing to be honest!

Kenzie, made it to the USA okay? I've been a bit baffled by the Certo's focus - it's not back in one piece but I've been looking at the bits. Did you send me everything? It's front-cell focus but the stops seem to be missing. I think both front and middle elements are screwed together rather than only the front one focussing and the middle one staying put (as with the rear one). See this:
http://www.mikeeckman.com/wp-content.../01/Certo8.jpg
Fron cell is held by the silver/black ring with Xenar on it, the middle one by the black ring behind it which has the distance scale on it. Yours are slightly different but not enough to matter. You can see the stop screws sticking out, one by the X of Xenar, and the tab that it will knock into in front of the word Deckel, with the other stop screw up against it. Both screws and tab are missing - do you have them? It's a bit of a guess, normally the front cell would screw in and out to focus but there is no way to have stops if that is the case - although the middle element has a pair of notches that look like you'd screw it in hard. On the other hand, both were fairly tightly screwed together when I got it so I am guessing they are meant to be that way. I think collimation is achieved by screwing the front one in or out and maybe holding with a third screw - again, gone - I can't see how else it could be adjusted.

Anyway I still need to finish the shutter! I also tested the Contessa and the shutter is very slow, so it does nee a proper clean.

[Kenzie]

Is that my Certo? If so then you are a miracle worker!

Sent from my Xperia T

[Kenzie]

Yeah the focus stop is missing. Didn't notice until I stripped it. Made it in one piece!

Sent from my Xperia T

[johnnyrod]

Cool beans. Bit busy just now but am hoping to have a look tonight or tomorrow. Dunno if I said but T is now working nicely and the lever that seemed to be scraping (the long one that pivots in the shutter release) is hopefully rectified. It should have swung across the others without touching but when you held it up on its own it didn't look straight. It's a bit of a rough casting but I think it's a bit straighter now. Need to look more at the timed speeds and see what's next.

Just got what you meant - pffft, that's not yours! The pics on Flickr are though. This is the offending long lever, on the left:
Almost ready for shutter re-fitting by John Rodriguez, on Flickr

[Kenzie]

No worries. Is the Bessa working?

Sent from my Xperia T