Vintage film cameras

[Kenzie]

Bet you were confused! I don't think there was anything up with it, the only thing was the wind lever was a little sluggish to return. How do you like it compared to your other slrs?

[johnnyrod]

It's very nice, feels solid. What's the little R switch on the front for?

[Kenzie]

That's the rewind release. Just turn it and crank away.

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[johnnyrod]

Ah, and what do you do about a battery instead of the mercury one?

[Kenzie]

You can use a normal LR44 which is only 0.15v different from the required 1.35v mercury, but modern film should have enough give to be a non issue. Or you can get a hearing aid battery, or you can do the mod from the fix old cameras vid on YouTube and solder in a resistor.

[johnnyrod]

I'll have to look up the mod, or maybe just adjust the ISO instead, ta. I made an O-ring adapter for the Spotmatic, but it has bridge circuit so is fairly independent of voltage. I think the zinc-air ones run down after 6 weeks regardless of use, it takes me longer than that to finish a film!

[yokohama]

In dangerous waters now you've been lured into the Olympus club Johnny.
Hearing aid batteries last 3 months or so, longer if a couple of the holes are superglued over. I've just had one last 3 months in a rangefinder and it's still going. Alternatively, a px625 alkaline will do the job. I used one to test out an OM1 and the film came out fine.
How come it takes me ages to finish a film when 12 weeks in China produced 1103 pictures - that's the equivalent of almost 4 x rolls of 24 per week.

[Kenzie]

Maybe because the scenery is more interesting over there? You back in the UK Yoko? I seem to gravitate to Olympus more than any other, but You I got me into Minolta. I did see an Olympus Pen EPL1 set with 14-42 and a 40-150 lens in for £65 in a charity shop. Tempted but need to save! Having said that I just picked up a Pentacon FM (Export Contax D)

[johnnyrod]

I know it yoko! The pictures from my 60s RF are just great, so it'll be interesting to try this. Am wondering if I should get a flash shoe first, but I doubt I will, maybe just try it out then see. Thanks for the battery info, I didn't realise there were more or less direct replacements. Might try to O ring again. Looks like the alkaline battery has a slow voltage drift, the silver oxide one doesn't, but they're £6-7 each!

[Kenzie]

I know you like things to be exact Johnny, but a bit of foil works too. The focus screen is interchangeable too. I do have a flash shoe here but it would need some attention.