Vintage film cameras

[Kenzie]

My wife says it is very bad. The scratch is on the front lens. Will use one of my many digital cameras and try to get a shot for you. Loaded up one of the Vitos with Poundland film, and some Kodak Ectar in the Ensign. Have also ordered some Ilford HP 5 plus 400iso black and white. Will chuck the this in the other Vito

Sent from my Kindle Fire

[johnnyrod]

Front lens isn't so bad, it can tolerate a lot of abuse and still give a good image. On the plus side it's an SLR so you can lob it if it's that bad, but also you can see through it to you can judge for yourself.

I don't know about HP5 but the 120 roll I had was FP4, and this can be underexposed 2 stops or overexposed 6 stops. If you look at the extinction info, it basically is much easier to under- than over-expose, so that takes the heat off a lot in terms of working out exposure settings.

[johnnyrod]

Vitomatic arrived today, wife thankfully laughed at me, I guess her Kindle habit is more expensive. Anyway seems to work, covered in very sticky yellow stuff, all over the rings, which seems determined to stay put, but clicks nicely and still has a film in it. Not sure if it will work on the fastest shutter speed, selector ring a bit rattly but otherwise looking good

[Kenzie]

Get a pic up. I have been cleaning mine with lens cleaner. Seems to eat through most things.

Very faint in the top left of the lens. Don't think it will affect IQ.

[johnnyrod]

I doubt you'll even notice

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...9&l=d057bb9146
I did the flashlight test on it, lens looks fine with the shutter closed, but opened it on B (as the back had been open anyway) and the back element looks grubby, but not too bad, reckon it'll come off okay. Will have to have the film out to clean it - hope it's on the back of it! 1/300th won't engage on the speed ring, and the rangefinder is dirty but usable and very complicated. Meter works well enough though, but might try adjusting it. Hopefully unjam the top shutter speed this week and run through the rest of the film next weekend as we are going away. Most of the cack came off with a combination of IPA, WD40 and elbow grease. Overall a good £4 so far.

[johnnyrod]

This morning I spent an hour or so on it. Took out the lens and got down tot he speed selector ring. There was a loose screw that was jamming it, stopping you from turning the ring as far as 1/300. No idea where it's from, everything seems to work fine with no rattles. Looks like I'm not the first person in there though. Cleaned the back lens element, also checked the meter again (seems fine), and tried my best to clean the rangefinder, which is now good enough.

[johnnyrod]

Finally scanned a couple of pictures from the 120 folder. They look loads better on paper, I haven't made any corrections to the scans, though they seem to have come out quite washed out and not nearly as sharp. Anyway first one at f11 and 1/300th:
http://www.johnnyrod.co.uk/ikon/millpond.jpg

Next one at f22 and 1/10th:
http://www.johnnyrod.co.uk/ikon/home.jpg

[Kenzie]

Any chance of resizing these? Even on my 22in screen they don't fit!

[johnnyrod]

I've changed them to links, i can't figure out how to set the size, and on the rangefinder forum they auto resized anyway.

[Kenzie]

Which forum do you use?