Vintage film cameras

[johnnyrod]

It's the X-sync switch, presumably needs a clean. The contacts are meant to be self-cleaning and it used to work. Yeah been a few years and still not touched it! I adjusted the meter so it's only the flash switch to fix, I brought it downstairs at Christmas and it's still sitting there! Got the 450mm Soligor for my wife to use at track days, it's manual aperture, max f8, pics aren't bad though. The 2x I got with some other stuff, don't think I've used it before. It's quite compact though so would be handy to turn a 50mm into 100mm rather than carrying a rather large 135mm around, it's about the size of a pancake lens. I used this for exposure:
http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages...alculator.html
but I also used a tripod as at equivalent of 900mm any movement is quite noticeable, and f16 means a slower shutter time, although it's the Lomo ISO800 film. Reminded me of using a telescope, the field of view is so narrow you could do with a small finder scope attached to get the aim right! Also need to try out the Flektogon you got me.

[Kenzie]

I never use flashes so the contact issue wouldn't bother me. The £125 Leica didn't last long on ebay, which doesn't surprise me. I'd forgotten about the Flek, I still haven't used mine either, it's on my Pentax P1000 at the moment. Maybe when lockdown eased and we are allowed out I'll use it. Tbh given their value I'm tempted to move it on and put the dosh towards something else. I've only shot the moon with digital, it's a lot easier as you just put it on spot meter and away you go!

[yokohama]

I finished the film in the Yashica. Loaded up 2 more cameras today. I have a roll of Ilford Pan F, 3 years past expiry so put that in a Minolta SRT303. i was thinking of using an Olympus but apart from the 50mm primes, nearly all the lenses start at f3.5 or f4 and Pan F is only50 asa. I've a few Minolta lenses at f2.8 which give me a bit more light to play with although today was nice and bright - but cold.

[Kenzie]

I'm about 16 shots into a roll of 36 in the Nikon F at the moment, but I have only left the house a handful of times in the last two weeks, only really for food. I'm in work Mon/Tues next week then off until the 1st. Haven't taken a walk or anything. I should be getting my Soviet gear back next week, apparently the Zorki didn't have enough room inside to load a film canister, he had to file down the inner castings to make one fit.

[yokohama]

lol. Russian Engineering.
I try to get out for a walk each day, just to escape the house for an hour or so and take a camera with me. I tried out 5 different lenses on the Yashica. Today I wish I'd taken a macro or a close up filter to picture some of the frost patterns in detail.

[johnnyrod]

The Flektogons do get a decent price, that said it's a job finding a wide angle lens that gives you a decent image so I'm at least going to wait and see. I had a Hoya 28mm f2.8 which people rated well but it was always a bit disappointing, but less so than the Pentax equivalent.

[Kenzie]

I do have a Pentax M 28mm f2.8 but as with everything, I haven't used it yet. It wasn't overly expensive so I could always move it on. I've yet to use the Flek so I don't want to judge it yet. Could always convert it to M43 and see how it performs. I only have a couple of lenses for the Yashica, I have an ML 50mm and a 24mm, I need to try out the 24mm as there is a slight mark on the inside of the sealed front element. It was cheap and came from the same place as JR's Flek. You should get an Olympus 50mm macro, not the fastest lens but works well as a normal fifty but the added benefit of macro. Minolta do one too. Fun little lens for M43 154300532000

[yokohama]

The 50mm macros sound useful. I wouldn't mind one but they tend to sell at fairly high prices. I've a few zooms that do macro but didn't have one with me yesterday. Interestingly, I've a Super Paragon 28mm with a macro which I used for a few shots on the Yashica so I'll see what that can do when the film gets processed.
Like you Kenzie, I've a 28mm Pentax which I've not had chance to use yet, though mine's the f3.5 version.

[Kenzie]

At least I thought mine was a 2.8... London Camera Exchange has a 50 macro in their Norwich store on sale for £50 but the ad says the blades are oily. Not sure how easy it would be to sort.

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[Kenzie]

Yeah, its an f2.8, had to go and check! Got these two back today, the repair list was quite considerable. The LC-A had quite a lot of rust inside which I didn't spot, the whole thing was stripped down and cleaned and adjusted. The Zorki had new curtains, a lever inside was replaced, the lens mount was replaced and shimmed as it was back focusing and the rangefinder was cleaned and adjusted. He even rebuilt the lens lock button! £99.70 including return post. Still no OMs yet.