What camera(s) are you using this weekend?

[Niels - NHSN]

On 8/8/2023 at 4:03 PM, Kent T said:

I get the love for the Retinas. I have it's last spiritual successor, the 1b. For those who scale focus or can learn (I know you know how to very well) or want a good take anywhere small 35mm folder, the Retina is superb. I've owned my 1b over 30 years. 

The Retina 1 above did not check out, unfortunately.

A few aperture blades were stuck in the center of the lens. 
By chance I got a 1a (1949-50) the other day, so I’ll give Retina another chance to sway me 😉

 

[stuart_pratt]

On 8/4/2023 at 1:01 PM, Niels - NHSN said:

 

Besides, I can't save every camera friends and acquaintances want to dump on me.

 

Kodak Retina I (Type 149) 1939-1940.

The number of posts you have to this particular thread would suggest otherwise!

[Kent T]

I hope to get a little street shooting in with my Canon L1, and my Canon 50mm/f2.8 and enjoy it! I have really enjoyed this camera, a longtime dream camera. 

[Rick_van_Nooij]

Getting ready for Tanks in Town 2023, will be taking my Combat Graphic 45 and Zeiss Contax II as main shooters.
Painted numbers on slotted Graflex sheet film holders, making my life easier to combine the photos with the info on my dope sheets.

[Niels - NHSN]

2 hours ago, Rick_van_Nooij said:

Painted numbers on slotted Graflex sheet film holders, making my life easier to combine the photos with the info on my dope sheets.

Approved 😄 Looks very authentic and vintage - nothing like my practice of using Dymo - of course my film holders are not as old as yours.

What film do you load into the Graflex?

 

13 hours ago, stuart_pratt said:

The number of posts you have to this particular thread would suggest otherwise!

True. I can't put everything I get to good personal use, so some things are quickly passed on to somebody who shows genuine curiosity for film photography - after I have established that it works as intended.

And not all cameras I show in this thread are my own. I help out in a local camera store checking the used film cameras they often receive.
Sometimes a camera needs to have a film run through it to completely make sure it works, which I normally do on weekends - perfect for this thread, sometimes I just borrow a camera or lens for the weekend to see if I like it.

Edited August 24, 2023 by Niels - NHSN

[Rick_van_Nooij]

9 minutes ago, Niels - NHSN said:

Approved 😄 Looks very authentic and vintage - nothing like my practice of using Dymo - of course my film holders are not as old as yours.

What film do you load into the Graflex?

I've loaded the holders with slightly expired Ilford HP5+, was given a couple of boxes-worth some time ago for a camera restoration job.

Should I need to carry more I also have a Grafmatic holder that fits on these "Graflex" backs as well as a "Graflex 22" roll film holder. (Though shooting 6x6cm sort of defeats the purpose of carrying a large format camera 😉 )
These slotted holders are harder to find on this side of the Atlantic.

[bruce_z._li2]

Recently I have been playing with several little guys to find out which one I like most. They are all zone-focus, semi or fully automatic exposure, tiny 35mm cameras that are truly pocketable. And they can produce some seriously good quality photos!

1) Lomo LC-A: lots of charm and character in lens, no moving parts, fully automatic
2) Minox 35 GX (not pictured): high quality engineering, good lens, aperture priority
3) Chinon Bellami (not pictured): good lens, more solidly built, better film advance lever, fully automatic
4) Olympus XA-2: good lens, no moving parts, fully automatic, shutter button lack tacit feedback
5) Ricoh FF-1: my sample has troublesome shutter, to be continued
6) Minox 35 GL: problem with shutter and film advance

I do have a Rollei 35 TE with the Tessar lens, but ergonomically it never really gels with me.

Edited August 24, 2023 by bruce_z._li2

[chuck_foreman1]

7 hours ago, Rick_van_Nooij said:

I've loaded the holders with slightly expired Ilford HP5+, was given a couple of boxes-worth some time ago for a camera restoration job.

Should I need to carry more I also have a Grafmatic holder that fits on these "Graflex" backs as well as a "Graflex 22" roll film holder. (Though shooting 6x6cm sort of defeats the purpose of carrying a large format camera 😉 )
These slotted holders are harder to find on this side of the Atlantic.

As Bruce said.. Very Authentic looknbg The Combat Graphic. (Contax II is also period correct!! )  Hand Held 4x5...wow..!!  I have used my SG with the rollfilm back... but came to the same conlusion... I have plenty of other 6x9 or 6x6 cameras... this is a 4x5 ! 
My recent attempts have been catastrophic, I really don't have a good work flow.. so every aspect of the process is still a  "work in progress" 
Looking forward to your results! 

 

[chuck_foreman1]

7 hours ago, Niels - NHSN said:

True. I can't put everything I get to good personal use, so some things are quickly passed on to somebody who shows genuine curiosity for film photography - after I have established that it works as intended.

And not all cameras I show in this thread are my own. I help out in a local camera store checking the used film cameras they often receive.
Sometimes a camera needs to have a film run through it to completely make sure it works, which I normally do on weekends - perfect for this thread, sometimes I just borrow a camera or lens for the weekend to see if I like it.

In the well known song!! "Nice Work if you can get it.... "  I definitely could appreciate a job like that.. I'm looking for a part-time job... this would suite me well 🙂

 

[AJG]

10 hours ago, Rick_van_Nooij said:

Getting ready for Tanks in Town 2023, will be taking my Combat Graphic 45 and Zeiss Contax II as main shooters.
Painted numbers on slotted Graflex sheet film holders, making my life easier to combine the photos with the info on my dope sheets.

My 4x5 holders are a bit newer.  I have always numbered the holders and the dark slides to be able to chase down any problems with a particular holder or its dark slide by making some notes as I shoot.  One of the things I most appreciate about digital is metadata...

[Rick_van_Nooij]

I normally keep my dark slides paired with the holder at all times, so chasing down any issues should not bet that difficult. I have a few spare slides lying around.

As for historical accuracy.... I'm going in casual khaki cotton summer uniform as a photographer of the 161th Signal Photographic Company. Basically because I expected the same temperatures as last year.  The 161th SPC served in the China Burma India Theatre of Operations and in the Philippines during WW2.
But the US Army SPCs were just issued regular "Anniversary" Speed Graphics, not Combat Graphics. Those were only issued by the US Navy and Marine Corps. And SPC officers would normally have been issued a Leica camera.


Last year I went to Tanks in Town dressed as a 165th SPC cameraman who was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division. The M42 Jumpsuit was still a bit too warm, but all the extra pockets were great!  The forecast for the weekend suggests the weather won't be nearly as hot this year.

(Snapped by my friend Eric)

[Niels - NHSN]

6 hours ago, Rick_van_Nooij said:
(Snapped by my friend Eric)

Great photo!

[Niels - NHSN]

Nikon F2 Photomic Black (1973) w. Nikkor-N•C Auto 24mm f/2.8 (1973) and Nikon AR-1 soft release.

I will exercise this new-to-me pristine black F2 over the weekend.

The camera body is replacing one I owned which had the annoying ring sound post exposure: A high pitched ringing sound caused by a spring resonating against the mirror box - quite common - which you cannot un-hear once it gets into your brain.

Film is ImagePro 100.

Lens is an old friend. Soft release came with the camera.

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by Niels - NHSN

[James Bryant]

F2 is in beautiful condition.

[Niels - NHSN]

1 hour ago, James Bryant said:

F2 is in beautiful condition.

Thanks, James.
Yes - it is in better condition than I normally experience.
In recent years I’ve developed a liking for Nikon cameras with pre-AI compatibility. I love that I can use all non-Ai and prong Ai/S lenses - which are the ones I love the most. 
— And pre-Ai lenses are unreasonably plentiful and cheap at the moment.

Edited August 25, 2023 by Niels - NHSN

[Bettendorf]

14 hours ago, Rick_van_Nooij said:

Last year I went to Tanks in Town dressed as a 165th SPC cameraman who was attached to the 82nd Airborne Division. The M42 Jumpsuit was still a bit too warm, but all the extra pockets were great!  The forecast for the weekend suggests the weather won't be nearly as hot this year.

(Snapped by my friend Eric)

You look great Rick, like you should have been there!   Kudos to Eric.

[Fiddlefye]

 

My father passed away a decade ago, but my sister finally relented and let me have some of his cameras. Two of his favourites were Bronicas, the ETRSi and GS-1. He shot with the GS-1 for many years, but the ETRSi was the last camera he bought and he used it very little.

I think the ETRSi will be my choice for some shooting at a local farm fair this weekend. First time shooting 645 - all of my mediu8m format experience to date has been 6x6.

[Rick_van_Nooij]

On 8/25/2023 at 11:15 PM, Bettendorf said:

You look great Rick, like you should have been there!   Kudos to Eric.

He's one of the official photographers for the city of Mons after all 🙂
I'll need to dig out one of his photos of me from last weekend, wearing my Chinos.

As for this weekend. I finally got my hands on the US Army Bolsey B camera "PH-324A" that I bought last April (through Eric)
There's a roll of expired Spector 200 Color in it for testing. So I'll probably fill up the roll this weekend on one of my bicycle runs.



 

[Niels - NHSN]

Leica IIIf RDST (1954) w. Summicron 5cm f/2 v1 (1954) and SBOOI Finder

I acquired yet another 50mm lens in Leica 39mm screw-mount - as if I needed it 🙄

This first collapsible version of the Leitz Summicron 5cm (as well as the second version) had very soft front element glass and/or coating and samples free of scratches & cleaning marks are rare and far between.
Ironically it seems that it is often the cosmetically worn samples that have the better looking glass.

My theory is that those who used their equipment intensively didn’t feel a constant need for cleaning the tiniest speck off the glass, whereas the typical anal Leica user would obsessively polish the front.

This sample fits into the category of intensively used by the look of the outside, but yet it has beautiful pristine glass.

The serial number indicates 1954 as production year - same year as the IIIf body which I owned already, nice coincidence.
I am using one of my last rolls of the now seemingly discontinued Fujifilm C200.

 

[bruce_z._li2]

Hi Niels, you have a very handsome Leica thread mount outfit there! I really appreciate their fine quality and compact size, but I got lazy and moved onto M3.

Also your Nikon F2 was a beauty. It will pair very well with a 50/1.2 or 35/1.4.

[bruce_z._li2]

I have been aggressively reducing my small camera collection and abstaining from getting new cameras. But I cannot resist the Lomo LC-A 120 30 year anniversary edition, since I was quite bitten by the smaller brother LC-A 35mm camera. Hope to get some photos to share in the coming weeks. And maybe it will be the prelude to a proper Hasselblad SWC...

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by bruce_z._li2

[rick_drawbridge]

It must be at least 12 months since I last used a TLR camera, so I'm making amends with this pretty Ricoh Diacord L, loaded with Kentmere 400.

[Niels - NHSN]

Weekend cameras: Leica IIIg (1957) w. uncoated Leitz Summar 50/2 (1934)
& Nikon F2 Photomic (1973) w. Nikkor N-C Auto 24/2.8 (1973).

The weather calls for color, but I have 2 BW rolls to finish first: HP5+ in the IIIg and Fujifilm Acros II (IE80). When finished I’ll have  a few rolls of Fujifilm C200 ready in my bag.

 

[Rick_van_Nooij]

Finally got to fill up the roll of Spector 200 Color in the Bolsey B over the weekend.
Cross developed it in HC-110 using stand development. Sooooo much bromide drag.

Loaded up my Leotax F with 5cm f/3.5 Simlar lens for this week/weekend.

 

 

[Niels - NHSN]

Konica EYE half frame camera (1965)

This little thing came my way in time for the week-end. 
A Konica Half-frame camera with a luxurious 6 element 30mm f/1.9 Hexanon lens. 

It is the second incarnation of the EYE model produced from 1964-1967. The only difference from the first is the added accessory shoe. (EYE v2 should not to be confused with EYE 2 produced from 1967 - the latter had a CdS cell and a different lens.)

This one has full automation. The camera's selected shutter speed is visible in the viewfinder along with the user selected distance. 
Speeds range from 1/30-1/800+B and aperture from F/1.9 to F/16. ASA from 10 to 400. 
If the shutter speed need to be below 1/30, a red flag will appear in the viewfinder and the shutter blocked - very much like Olympus Trip 35.
The user can take some control, as one can half press the shutter button and thereby lock the reading, on say the shadows, and then recompose and press the button fully. It is a common undocumented functionality of these types of cameras including the Trip 35.

Manual aperture can be selected for flash, and the shutter speed will then default to 1/25. 
You cannot select aperture when using B. It will always be wide open.

The automation on this camera still seems to be working, and I will check the approximate accuracy with a roll of Fujifilm 200 (aka Kodak Gold 200) over the weekend.