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What camera(s) are you using this weekend?


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A great acquisition, Don. If you like the ST 701 a lens you might want to look for is the 43-75 f 3.5-4.5. It has a reputation of being very sharp. Not a wide range, but what people used to call a "framing lens". I think Yashica offered something very similar in its C/Y mount. The only Fujinon I have is the four element 50mm f 2.2, but I have a fair number of Pentax Takumars that fit. Looking forward to seeing some pictures.
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Nice find, Don. There are instructions online for adjusting the meter on the ST701, if you feel inclined. The 200/4.5 is a sharp lens, as is the 43-75mm Mike mentioned. I also like the little 29-47mm zoom, though it's hard to find. I think the Fujinons compare well with the Pentax Takumars optically, though the Takumars probably have the edge on build quality.

 

Speaking of Fujicas, I recently picked up a ST605n with 55/2.2 lens for just 99 cents (plus shipping) in good working condition. I think it's the best of the later "budget" models. The plastic barrels of the 55/2.2 are often found badly cracked, but the focusing ring on this one appears to be aluminum.

 

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A Pentax ME-F with it's dedicated 35-70mm AF f/2.8 zoom lens. The ME-F was the only camera to use this lens, the first Pentax attempt at AF. The AF is awful by today's standards, slow and noisy and hopeless in low light, and the lens is heavy with it's load of 4xAAA batteries, but it does work. However, optically it's a beautiful lens, the only f/2.8 short zoom that Pentax made, and I've often wished that it had been released in a manual version, but I guess there was no going back. I use it with the AF mode disabled, and it's worth the effort.

 

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Neils, I believe that Minolta and Leica developed the XE and R3 at the same time. Same shutter and body construction but the metering system of the R3 was different from the XE. Both have the very smooth film advance. I'd be tempted to buy an R3 since the price is quite reasonable, but the Leica R series lenses are pricey, even the basic 50mm f 2. One way, though, to enter into R series cameras for less is to get an R series Tamron Adaptall mount and pair it with one of Tamron's many Adaptall lenses.

Curiosity bankrupted the cat (or something along those lines - you know what I mean).

It happens that I just won a low bid on a box of 3 classic cameras from an estate sale, including a R3 with what seems to be a 50/2 born as a 2 cam (which would mean stop-down-metering, unless it is converted to 3 cam).

I hope to get it tomorrow and try it out over the weekend.

Edited by NHSN
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Niels
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Also put a roll of Kentmere 100 in the Fujica ST 605N with 50mm f 1.4 Takumar that I posted on page 112 of this thread. I took it cycling with me early this morning and was able to get a few images. I cut my ride short as the derailier was giving some trouble and the bicycle is currently stuck in high gear. I'll work on it tomorrow.

 

Had similar issues with disraeli gears cycling with an adaptive group recently. The pictures were sure nice I took that outing. Glad you enjoyed the Fujica ST 605N.

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Congrats, Neils. I hope the R3 performs well for you.

Thanks Mike. It arrived a few hours ago.

Luckily the 2 cam lens was updated to 3 cam so it should work with full functionality. I have just loaded it w some inexpensive Foma 200 (rated 100) to check it out in the botanical garden nearby.

Only cosmetic issue is the plastic tip on the wind arm which is missing. I’m probably not so lucky that Leica still have the part, but If not, it is not difficult to make a substitute I think.

 

BTW- it came in the original ever-ready case and it is the heaviest case I have ever encountered. Haven’t put it on the scale yet, but wouldn’t be surprised if it weighs in around 400gr. It is not going to see much use during my ownership.

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Niels
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Thanks Mike. It arrived a few hours ago.

Luckily the 2 cam lens was updated to 3 cam so it should work with full functionality. I have just loaded it w some inexpensive Foma 200 (rated 100) to check it out in the botanical garden nearby.

Only cosmetic issue is the plastic tip on the wind arm which is missing. I’m probably not so lucky that Leica still have the part, but If not, it is not difficult to make a substitute I think.

 

BTW- it came in the original ever-ready case and it is the heaviest case I have ever encountered. Haven’t put it on the scale yet, but wouldn’t be surprised if it weighs in around 400gr. It is not going to see much use during my ownership.

52153523240_d7e03f8974_k.jpg[

 

Really nice.

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A further note on the Fujica ST 701- although it was designed to run on mercury cells (or equivalent voltage) at a time that many makers were switching to silver oxide, the 701 had silicon metering rather than the more common CDS metering of the time. This may or may not be an advantage. From my experience CDS seems to have more red sensitivity than silicon which sometimes causes meter readings through a red filter (like #25) to be slightly underexposed. Never had that problem with any of my silicon metering cells.
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A fleamarket find this weekend, a Bilora Bella complete with matching flashgun. Shutter not working due to a rotary pivot inside held by a c-clip gummed up. A little electronic contact cleaner took care of that. 1/50 still hic-cupping but won’t use that i guess. Lens hazed out due to ancient mineral grease inside. I removed front cell, to clean, and only after removal did i realize that resetting focus would be a b…h. Should have marked infinity after set screw ring removal. The film plane for this camera is curved so i had to approximate using a slightly curved magic scotch tape, ugh . Should be fine now and it is loaded with rerapan 400.

 

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Finished the roll in the Contax II last sunday. The shutter repair seems to have worked out well, frame spacing is iffy though.

 

Next weekend I really need to finish off the last of the loaded 4x5" sheet film holders with my Speed Graphic. Got another Living History event lined up at one of the Dutch 19th century forts. Not sure yet which 35mm film camera I'll be taking along.

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Can't wait to see the Contax II images, Rick. Before starting on the SR 505 I remembered I had a roll of Kentmere 100 in my Konica Auto S 1.6 so I took that along on a Saturday trip to Jackson to see my son and granddaughter. My wife was patient while I took pictures. It's a about a 2.5 hour drive to Jackson, even better since they finally repaved some areas and got rid of the annoying dips and ripples in highway 25 just north of Jackson. I recall hitting one of those dips at 75 mph and it felt like my car momentarily lost contact with the road. I hope to process and scan the Auto S1.6 film in time to start the new weekly thread.
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Robot Star (24x24mm) with Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 38mm 1:2.8 (early/mid 1950's)

 

This little gem was included in a box I purchased for other reasons.

I had certainly heard of the ROBOT brand before, but never held one, and it turned out I was in for a positive surprise.

After having sorted out the many weird specs, it revealed itself as a very capable shooter.

 

The Foma 200 test film checked out perfectly fine, so I'll use a roll of ProImage 100 this weekend.

 

The camera also came with a 7.5cm Schneider lens and the corresponding viewfinder but the camera is without a rangefinder, so I imagine scale focusing the longer lens will be a little challenging.

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Edited by NHSN
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Niels
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It's the turn of another camera I haven't used for quite a while, the unusual and radical Carl Zeiss Jena Werra 1.

 

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Love these great little cameras.. Although I have a few, they are all the hard edged.. I really like these later models with the rounded edges.

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This camera is the last of a batch of 3 classics I bought from an estate sale auction the other week. The other two were a Leica R3 (my main reason for bidding) and a Robot Star.

 

I didn't have high expectations for this Contax IIIa, but I hoped a least the Sonnar 50/1.5 lens would be OK.

As expected the shutter was unreliable, but the lens looked clear and in good working order.

 

Malfunctioning Contax RF's sadly appear to be a dime a dozen, but the lens is said to be a diamond.

 

While I was considering if I should just get an adapter for mirrorless or go all the way and buy an expensive Amedeo Leica adapter (for a film Leica M), I discovered that the camera would actually trip the shutter IF it was wound WHILE the camera was upside down !!?

Speeds from 50 to 500 sounded reasonably reliable.

 

It gives me an opportunity to check the lens with film before deciding how to proceed. I hope to find time to shoot a roll of Foma 200 this coming week or weekend.

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Niels
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What's the problem with the IIIa, Niels? The slow speeds are relatively easy to fix as the mechanism is under the top cover. Getting into the shutter crate for curtain strap replacement requires a lot of disassembly.

The curtain roller spring might have weakened a little over the years. I think you can adjust this without having to fully tear down the camera.

 

Got another roll of Fomapan 200 in my Rolleiflex K4B. The double-exposure prevention jammed the camera a couple of times on the previous roll, requiring the removal of the front cover and charging the shutter directly.

 

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