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What camera(s) are you using this weekend?


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With this one, I now have acquired the 3 dream Nikon cameras of my youth.

My interest in photography was triggered around 1977 where the F2 was king, and many F's were still in use by the pros.

Both were way out of reach, nor did they fall enough in price for me to afford one of them when the F3 was introduced in 1980.

This black Nikon F FTn Photomic is in nice functional condition, and I'll enjoy it over the holidays.

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Niels
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A fortnight ago I very nearly binned this Retina IIc. It arrived in a gummy, sticky, filthy condition, as if it had been played with by kids with treacle on their fingers. The rangefinder didn't move, the focusing was very stiff, the shutter blades were stuck and the shutter release linkages had been forced down into an immovable position, probably by the use of an over-long cable release, or somesuch. However, the IIc is one of my favourite Retinas and the lens was relatively clean, and the case, despite the filth, was in really good shape, so I spent most of a wet afternoon disassembling and washing, cleaning and polishing, sticking the peeling leatherette back down, retrieving the shutter release button and adding a drop of machine oil here and there, until it was once again functioning as it should. It even looks pretty presentable, and I'm about to offer it for sale as I really don't need another Retina IIc. Not exactly a profitable use of time and effort, but high on satisfaction.

 

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The camera Gods have smiled upon me most graciously in the last months, first a professional Mamiya 645 Super dropped in my lap, and now a local widow is downsizing her life and gave me her beautiful Nikkormat FT3 with Nikkor F2, in excellent nik, with original invoice and handbook as you can imagine a fastidious lady might be.

(snip)

 

It does need an eyepiece, though.

 

Well, it doesn't need one but it is nice to have one.

Yes I know what they look like without one, as I have some of those, too.

 

It might even be the FT3 that doesn't have one, or I moved from something else.

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-- glen

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I was going to have a folding 127 camera for the week. (That is, long weekend from 26 to 2.)

 

I didn't find it fast enough, so got a Fed 2 that I hadn't tried yet.

I had thought that they opened like a Leica, but finally figured out how to get it open.

The spring on the take-up spool wasn't strong enough, so I had to use tape.

 

The shutter sounds about right, and it was cloudy so a little extra exposure wouldn't be so bad.

 

It has (only) 9 year old Tri-X in it, that I think I bought new.

 

If there are enough more days without so much rain, I should finish the roll before the weekend

(and year) is up. Maybe a picture of it later.

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-- glen

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Currently in the process of servicing a Soligor Miranda 5cm f/1.9 PAD lens (left). Diaphragm is oily and a pivot pin on one of the blades is missing, so will have to improvise. The Miranda DR camera that was attached to the lens is in nice cosmetic condition, but shutter is jammed. If I can muster up some ambition I might take a look under the hood.

 

Also re-lubing a Pentacon 30/3.5 with dry focusing (right).

 

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Tomorrow, Jan 1, I will walk off my hangovers with a black and somewhat worn Nikon F2 which I purchased this past week. It came with a later Nikkor 50/1.8 Ai which I will try out as well.

I don't know if I am just lucky, but the CdS meters of the 4 1970's Nikon cameras purchased this year, have all been i very close agreement with my lightmeter, which is a nice convenience.

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Niels
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In an odd sort of way Christmas came early for me. My Contax IIa disappeared several years ago, much to my consternation. Of my rangefinder cameras it is the one I've owned the longest (since the mid-80s) and it is still probably my favourite. Today it appeared like magic in a box containing my Christmas decorations that my wife isn't fond of. How it got there I cannot imagine and my wife has no recollection of putting it in the box, but at least it is back and, apart from needing a good cleaning appears to be working just fine. Needless to say it will have a roll of film in it tomorrow!

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That's Great!1 I will be using mine soon.. I knew where it was ..but just retrieved it. The high sppeds don't work, but otherwise is Ok!

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I was going to have a folding 127 camera for the week. (That is, long weekend from 26 to 2.)

 

I didn't find it fast enough, so got a Fed 2 that I hadn't tried yet.

I had thought that they opened like a Leica, but finally figured out how to get it open.

The spring on the take-up spool wasn't strong enough, so I had to use tape.

 

The shutter sounds about right, and it was cloudy so a little extra exposure wouldn't be so bad.

 

It has (only) 9 year old Tri-X in it, that I think I bought new.

 

If there are enough more days without so much rain, I should finish the roll before the weekend

(and year) is up. Maybe a picture of it later.

 

Fed 2 seemed to work fine, and I finished a 24 exposure roll.

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-- glen

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My Contax IIa shooting just expanded a little in terms of possibilities. I shot a roll of HP5 last week, but when I stopped to visit my tech last week he offered to lend me a Helios 103 53mm f1.8 (1981) that came with a non-functional Kiev 2 that he has. Of course I borrowed it only to be told he doesn't want it back so it looks like I have a Helios as well as the Zeiss Opton 50 f2 Sonnar. If we ever see a hint of brighter skies this week I'll load up some PanF and shoot half a roll with each lens. In the end I'll have a Sonnar and Planar type "normal" for both the Canon and Contax rangefinders. I'm getting antsy to see how they compare.

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Loaded up "Lufty" again just before the end of 2020. Hoping for some snow in the next few days,

Not much inspiration beyond that.

 

RLMLeicatime.jpg

Leica IIIc-Sync. Originally delivered in 1940, upgraded with flash-synchronisation in the 1950s

Rebuilt with new red curtains like it originally would have had and painted in RLM grey by CameraWorks UK a few years ago.

With a 5cm f/1.5 Xenon and loaded with Kodak 5222 Double-X.

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Leica IIIc-Sync. Originally delivered in 1940, upgraded with flash-synchronisation in the 1950s

Rebuilt with new red curtains like it originally would have had and painted in RLM grey by CameraWorks UK a few years ago.

With a 5cm f/1.5 Xenon and loaded with Kodak 5222 Double-X.

Sweet!

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Niels
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It does seem that old VP127 is more than some other old films.

 

I forget now if there is any factory new film, not counting hand rolled film.

 

It does seem that there is someone selling hand rolled Velvia 50,

cut from rolls of 120 film, for about $49 including processing and scanning

(and returning negatives?).

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-- glen

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It does seem that old VP127 is more than some other old films.

 

I forget now if there is any factory new film, not counting hand rolled film.

 

It does seem that there is someone selling hand rolled Velvia 50,

cut from rolls of 120 film, for about $49 including processing and scanning

(and returning negatives?).

Freestyle has several 127 B&W films available. About $15 a roll though.

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It seems I got my rolls of VP127 for about $6 each.

Also $12 for a stainless steel 127 reel.

 

I usually have good results with old VP, so I expect those to work.

(Last time I tried one, the camera had a bellows light leak, so not the films fault.)

 

I also have a roll of TX127, and even CX127 and EX127, that I might not use.

 

Otherwise, I don't think it is all that hard to spool your own.

I believe that there is Portra 160 in 46mm 100foot rolls.

 

I have cut film down in a paper cutter in the dark, too.

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-- glen

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It seems I got my rolls of VP127 for about $6 each.

Also $12 for a stainless steel 127 reel.

 

I usually have good results with old VP, so I expect those to work.

(Last time I tried one, the camera had a bellows light leak, so not the films fault.)

 

I also have a roll of TX127, and even CX127 and EX127, that I might not use.

 

Otherwise, I don't think it is all that hard to spool your own.

I believe that there is Portra 160 in 46mm 100foot rolls.

 

I have cut film down in a paper cutter in the dark, too.

I was thinking a jig that fits 120 film with side rails then a spacer that creates the proper distance for 127. Razor blade from there. Hmm

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I was thinking a jig that fits 120 film with side rails then a spacer that creates the proper distance for 127. Razor blade from there. Hmm

 

I will have to try the paper cutter again.

I did it before with electrical tape at the right spacing from the blade, and then put the film against the edge of the tape.

Not all that hard to do in the dark, especially as 127 isn't all that long.

But than again, I have a lot of expired 120 film, too. Maybe less expired.

 

One that I never did in the days of 127 film production, was 127 super slides.

The projector my father bought about 50 years ago came with a sample 127 slide.

The only one I ever saw.

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-- glen

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