Classic cameras

I have been lurking on the classic camera section for a while now. I have a old

leica IIIc ,kodak bantam, retina etc.I mainly shoot Hasseys thought, but I have

found the people posting on this classic forum to be a lot more knowledgeable

and pleasant than on the Med format forum. Thanks for the participants that

make this so. If God had intended us to shoot digital he would not had given us

triX plusX or Kodachrome........and of course night and day. Day to photograph

by....night to print by......I started taking pictures for our local newspaper

at age of 13 using a 4X5 camera.....then they moved me up to a faster Rollie

twin lens camera for sports. I bought tons of pentax spotmatic cameras and lens

on my own.Kind of morphed into Hassey equipment latter. I really love the

pictures you guys post......thanks for being here.

Welcome aboard. The collective knowledge on this forum has been of great help to me on virtually every subject. The only thing I would change is to define a classic camera as one that is over 30 years old, but that is a minor quibble, and often overlooked.

Well, while I use medium format gear, I agree the medium format forum has become pretty bogged and not very interesting lately. The Canon EOS forum on the other hand has many regular and very knowledgeable posters, and since I nowadays shoot mainly with a 20D, it is no contradiction visiting both forums. But still I have my classic camera collection and try to use it whenever I can and funds permit it (processing costs have skyrocketed here and it's pretty hard to get decent printing/scanning cheap). And I love to play around with M42 lenses on my Canon, and hope I can find the time to make some presentations in the near future. But I miss the exciting community stuff here lately, like interesting W/NW threads or camera-around-the-world projects (I am always wondering if I should sacrifice one of mine for this).

Hi Russ! I have found this forum to be more helpful than most books on classic cameras, as it seems that there is always someone here who knows something about most of the cameras mentioned. It's also nice to just have others to discuss classic cameras with, since most attempts to do the same here at home are met by rolling eyes or a request for a back-rub if I'm going to "talk about your cameras!". Like Bueh, I shoot a 20D most of the time along with a 1vHS, so I frequently spend time reading on the EOS forum as well. But I find the Classic Camera forum to be absolutely fascinating, and the knowledge and work of the other forum members to be most impressive.

A post on Med Format last month...Hi I bought a Hasselblad my pictures were not good should I have bought a Bronica?

I replied....I bought a hammer and it did not build a house.....should I have bought a different hammer?

 

I sent a e-mail to the poster explaining how to use the camera....and what books to buy,and read.

Also I get tired of digital post on film camera forums.

You may find that many on this forum do not find digital and film to be opposites, but alternatives.

Thats true...but digital not classic yet.

That may be, but somehow I've ended up with a Canon 650,620, 700, and a 5 (A2e), and I'm willing to bet that they will someday be seen as "classics", marking as they do some important transitions in the development of the EOS cameras. Some of these still nicely working cameras are Sooo cheap now, it's a shame not to grab a few to use.<div></div>

Yeah, it bleeds oily goo onto the shutter, JDM.

If you drop me in water do I not sizzle? ;) This forum is great. Over the last 3 years Ive learned the bulk of what I know about photography from this forum. The fact that there are several certified repair technicians, and current or retired pros who hang out here, makes it a really great resource. Often when Im looking for answers to my questions I do a search and I have found that the archives of this forum contain a collection of some of the best information and fact checking on the internet. Its real easy to get false information from fan sites and collectors sites and ebay ads... around here cameras usually get merit based on performance, durability and REAL results. And after a time, if you look through enough of Gene M.s posts, you will realize that while cameras and lenses have their own flavor and character, they alone do not make great or terrible photographs, its the eye behind the viewfinder that does that!

 

Particularily if you are interested in shooting with all-mechanical cameras with no automation, this is one of the few places on the internet to talk to people who wont tell you that you are crazy and that you are better off to shoot digitally. There is also a wealth of information in the archives here on WWII and Korea/Vietnam era war photography. Its really great to have access to it all!

What I find reassuring is the fact that no matter how advanced and complicated photographic technology gets, the principles never change: it always comes from the basics. I use a Konica Minolta digicam for a lot of things, but I've also got around twenty classic cameras that I use. Some more than others, but nevertheless, they all get used. Sometimes, I cheat a little. I use the digicam's spot meter to set up a classic camera for a long exposure time (night shot). I set the digicam on aperture priority (f/8), zoom to a standard focal length, meter it, and figure out the rest from there. It's worked so far.

O.K. I'll admit that even though I love Medium Format cameras. I felt the same way as Russ felt,that there were too many people writing in about Digital Backs in the Medium Format Forum.

 

My point is this: The reason why we use classic film cameras and medium format cameras is because we love film! When I buy a classic camera,is the like buying a classic car. I just feel so much better,than someone who is driving a new Euro Box or walking around town with a modern-day digital mega-do-it all.

 

Yes, I have owned classic cameras and I could name a few.

 

1949 Kodak Retinette I

1953 Rolleiflex 3.5 MX (Currently Own)

1954 Franka Solida

1954 Rolleicord

1955 Zeiss Contessa Folder

1956 Exakta V and Exa

1955 Voigtlander Vito B

1959 Yashica A TLR

 

 

1959 Nikon F Eye-Level Prism in chrome with Nikkor Non-Ai 35mm f/2 lens, Nikkor Non-Ai 50mm f/1.4 lens and Nikkor Non-Ai 105mm f/2.5 lens, five focussing screens,waist-level finder in original box and clip-on meter 1. (Stolen)

 

1965 Nikon F Eye-Level Prism in Chrome with Nikkor Non-Ai 85mm f/2 lens. This was part of a Halloween Costume,where I dressed up as Al Rockoff in the Killing Fields.

 

1965 Nikkormat FT in Black with Non-Ai 50mm f/2 lens.

Used as back up to the one above.

 

1967 Nikon F Eye-Level Chrome Prism with Black Body Nikkor Non-Ai 180mm f/2.5 lens. Third camera to be used as back-up for the one mentioned above.

 

 

1968 Nikon Eye-Level Prism with Nikkor Non-Ai 28mm f/2. Fourth back-up camera for the other two but in matching black body and prism.

 

1971 Nikon F2 Eye Level Prism Nikkor Non-Ai 50mm f/2 with Ever Ready Case. This camera had chrome prism and chrome body. I built it to resemble the one that was used by Sam Waterston,in the Killing Fields. (Nickname: Sid Schanberg).

 

1972 Nikon F-2 Photomic in Black with MD-1 Motor Drive and MB-1 Battery Pack Nikkor Non-Ai 28mm f/2.

 

1972 Nikon F-2 Photomic in Chrome with MD-2 Motor Drive and MB-1 Battery Pack Nikkor Non-Ai 50mm f/1.4

 

1976 Pentax 6x7 with Metered Prism SMC-Takumar 105mm f/2.5.

 

2-Minolta XD 11 with Winder D Rokkor 50mm f/1.7 MD, Rokkor 24mm f/2 MD and 105mm f/2.5 MD.

I also enjoy this place (both the forum and photo.net in general) as a bastion for those who would hold on to what many consider to be a dying aesthetic.

 

I can't boast a list like simon here, but I've shot plenty with a 50s(?) Walzflex, a 4x5 Busch Pressman, and a sweet Bronica EC system- all infinitely more fun than any expensive digital toy (incl. hi-res backs) I've handled. As more photograhers sell their MF equipment, more enthusiasts will show up here, strengthening our Luddite fellowship.