Vintage film cameras

[johnnyrod]

You're living the dream, I'll give you that! Made any more plans for York yet?

[Kenzie]

No not yet. Defo on the list though.

[yokohama]

That big bundle looks interesting. A hi-matic in there too. Unfortunately, quite a way away from me.

[Kenzie]

Shame nothing like that ever pops up down here! Have messaged the guy who I bought the Yashica-mat from as he mentioned he had a set of filters for it. Also enquired about the Fujica as well. Cut down a roll of Kodak Porta 160 to fit 127 using the cigar cutter. Not as hard as I thought it would be but a little bit wavey on one edge. Hardest bit was taping it down. Have just loaded it into the Comet S as I think its a half frame so will get double the frames from it.

Also uploaded a few from the Lubitel 2. Either its really hard to focus or the focus setting is out.

[johnnyrod]

That last one is the only one with a sharp bit, the near part of the branch. What settings were you using? The others just look fuzzy - are the lenses clean? The one I have, I only played with it a little, but I found it difficult to focus using the screen, and worse with the little pop-out magnifier.

Got my pics back from the Pentax K2, I shot the whole film using a 50mm f1.2 lens in the end. I tried Max Spielmann for process and scan but took them back today. The CD was a bit scratched as it didn't even have a paper envelope, though it payed fine. The scans were cropped, so in one I had a house lining the left edge but they cropped it off leaving only a box bay window floating in space. Finally they scratched the middle 8-10 negatives. I've asked them to re-scan and fix the scratches in post. it was a fiver but I'm not doing it again. Got a few good pics, and plenty of others, not uploaded any. The K2 itself is nice but not sure it's for me. The metering is good and auto exposure (aperture priority) is nice when I'm used to fully manual. It is pretty weighty though, and the one thing I didn't like was the shutter button. It's very light, so trying to engage the meter when it's wound on is tricky, so if you really want to check out settings you are best doing it before winding. Maybe I was being a bit ham-fisted but the MX is way easier to find that middle ground. Anyway it's the only gripe, nice lump otherwise and even at 1/1000 looked good.

Have you seen the guy on RFF, he started a thread about finding a Contessa 35 (called it the everyday [carry] rangefinder or something), he posted again about a Konica Pearl II he's just picked up, only $49, looks mint - the Contessa was the same, shiny, fully working, very cheap. Err... really? Maybe he should get a lottery ticket as well!

Right, off to Spain again, smoke me a kipper etc. and I'll be back next week.

[Kenzie]

Couldn't tell you about the settings, may have been sunny 16. Either way I don't think it is quite right. Shame about the K2, do you think you will keep it? I don't think there is any camera in my collection that I haven't enjoyed using so far, but having said that, I haven't shot with them all yet! Might have a medium format only day at some point. Did they manage to fix your scans? I have had a couple back recently that the scratch has caused a blue line when scanning. I really could do with a proper scanner that will handle MF. I think I did see that thread, the Contessa is the one we both have isn't it? Plus I think you were looking at a Pearl as well? Have a safe trip!

[johnnyrod]

Yep the same Contessa. The Pearl is said to be a nice camera (the version I is an uncoupled RF), but they're not cheap of course.

New scans will be a week. Nothing really wrong the K2, though it was strange going back to a plain microprism focus screen, first time since my old Zenit E in the 90s. The screen in the Pentax is much better though, when you are in focus, the image suddenly sharpens, and without a split image to obsess over, I found focusing to be quick. Nice quiet titanium shutter. I'll keep if at least for a while, I doubt there things will become less valuable.

in MF I only have the Certo I can use, the Mess Ikonta needs new bellows, judging by my last set of prints - a number of pinholes, and no doubt more to come anyway. Shame as it as fine when I got it.

[Kenzie]

Could you not get a set of bellows from a Nettar or something? I moved a set over from a scrap Dacora onto a Bessa with a little bit of effort. Just need something to make a red winow out of. Dug out my portrait brownie last night and was flicking the shutter release before realising that there was a film inside!

Sent from my Xperia

[johnnyrod]

Not looked into it, I think they are hard to remove so normally the old ones are cut off. Not sure how much new ones are, will have to get around to looking. Did yours come off the Dacora okay?

[Kenzie]

They are normally glued down but I very carefully eased it off and reglued it. You can get people online who make them to order though.

Sent from my Xperia