What camera(s) are you using this weekend?

Thanks, Rick.. I remember seeing ad copy that told how they selected glass and exercised a high level of quality control from producing blanks to the grinding and polishing of the finished lenses. During the 1980's Minolta began to outsource lenses by either buying the glass from other manufacturers or having a lens maker produce lenses to their specifications. Not sure when that happened but the first two lenses I read Modern Photography test reports on where the 35-105 f 3.5-4.5 MD and the 100-300 (don't remember the aperture). This was a superior lens to the much later 70-300 that I think was made by Cosina for a lot less money. My theory (haven't found proof yet) is the Rokkor designation might have been dropped from lenses that were not using Minolta-made glass. When my family had a camera shop I asked the Minolta representative that served our region and he didn't know. Maybe someone here knows.

Had one of those bad days where two rolls of medium format film got ruined by not rolling tightly on the take-up spool or starting to unroll from the feeding spool before it was in the camera. :mad:

Got a few usable images, but most of it got ruined.

 

...they can't all be zingers....

I've been using this little gem for the last few days. Picture below shows the effects of too slow a shutter speed and shallow depth of field on a close up. Normally I would stop the 100 mm f 3.5 macro down to f 11 for photos this close.

MX and 40mm f2.8 in late afternoon window light

Despite its compact size the 40mm f 2.8 SMC manages to pack five elements into that small space. Pentax had several M series SMC lenses that debuted the same time as the MX and ME.

Those little Pentax cameras of the 70’s were underrated in a Nikon world back then.

I still love ‘em.

In the Pentax camp the MX had the most features (motor drive, bulk film back, etc) until the LX came along. My MX works fine except the metering LED's are dim.

The Argus K images from last week were all blurry. Turns out I should've tested it before taking it out in the field.

So, I took the camera apart pretty much to the last screw. I fixed the loose strips of acetate of the extinction meter. Tightened up the play in the focus helical.

And finally figured out that someone had flipped the front lens element.

 

So, now I've loaded it up with a fresh roll of Agfa APX 100 once more, but I've got plans for the weekend.

Maybe a flea market, or maybe take the jeep out for a little tour.

Started a roll of HP5+ in my Minolta XE-7 with 28-85 f 3.5-4.5 MD lens attached. Hope to finish it up shortly.

Finished a roll of Velvia 100 in one of my FM2ns today. My newest FM2n has a roll of 400TX in it.

My Vito II needs some exercise, so will use it at the Sunday Market. Aloha, Bill

Rolleiflex 75mm/3.5 Xenetar, Sony Nex 3c with 30mm/3.5 Xenagon, Nikon N75 with 50mm/1.8.

Since it's raining again and I'm stuck inside, I'm in the process of tidying up a couple of nice old Canons that arrived yesterday. The TLb is a sort of dumbed-down version of the FTb, but it's still a very solid and workman-like mechanical camera, while the AL-1 is a fascinating and complex camera that was in production for a very short time. It has an electronic "focus assist" feature that was a forerunner of the first AF Canons and in a sense it's a sort of bridge camera. If the rain ever stops I'll take it out for a spin. I'm working in the conservatory and the light is nice, so I snapped this pic of the work in progress.

 

Cleaning the Canons

 

 

 

 

 

Rick Drawbridge said:

the AL-1 is a fascinating and complex camera that was in production for a very short time. It has an electronic "focus assist" feature

My wife has an AL-1 which is now all but forgotten as she uses only digital now. I tried some film in it once and I was impressed with how well the focus assist worked. I look forward to seeing your results, Rick.

The Argus K after I rebuilt it earlier this week.

 

Took it with me for a chilly walk around the local nature reserve yesterday.

This one arrived today and I will put some film in and try and take some shots between the rain here in Northern California.

 

BTW, Thanks Rick, more money spent because of you and all the beautiful cameras you post!!

 

Don Harpold said :

Thanks Rick, more money spent because of you and all the beautiful cameras you post!!

 

My pleasure Don, I just like to encourage others with my addiction. But this time, the shoe is on the other foot; that's one lovely Minolta and I'm very envious! Hmmm... A black SRT 101... I can feel another addition to the list coming on...

I recently received a Minolta X-700 with a Vivitar Series 1, 28-105 attached. I suppose I should finish the roll of Neopan 400 that is threaded in it?

I'm running a test roll through this nice Fujica ST901, one of a handful of autoexposure screw-mount SLRs made. It was also the first camera with a numeric LED display in the viewfinder, four years before the Canon A-1, though its display only shows the approximate shutter speed. Still pretty cool for 1974, though.

 

 

Fujica ST901

It's been a while since this question has been asked so I thought I'd give it a try. Post a photo of the camera(s) if you wish.

I plan to finish a roll of Ilford FP4+ that I started a few days back in my Olympus 35RC. Since we have sunny weather I'll keep my K2 filter on the camera. I might also use my Ricoh KR5 Super II with its 50mm f2 Rikenon (loaded with Eastman 5222). If time permits I'll also take out my Fujica GS 645 S (Tri-X) for an outing.

[ATTACH=full]1189037[/ATTACH]

 

What is your choice of battery power for the 35RC? I bought one many years ago and have yet to try it out!

 

Stay sharp,

Bob

Wein cell in 625 size. I usually just set by sunny 16 though.

Once exhausted, you can tap the metal ring off the Wein cell and press a 675 hearing aid cell in its place for an even cheaper replacement.

1pcs PX625 Film Camera Battery Adapter for QL17 OM1 ROLLEI 35 | eBay

I hope to get a few younger folk excited about "Old Time Photography". . .The two folders get some fresh air. Aloha, Bill