What camera(s) are you using this weekend?

[gary green]

@rick_drawbridge A "classic manual film camera" with eye-controlled auto focusing?!  Way to "push the envelope", Rick!  😀

[bruce_z._li2]

Hi Rick @rick_drawbridge,I have the non-e version Canon EOS 7N and like it a lot. Never tried an eye controlled one though. 

[rick_drawbridge]

gary green said: "A "classic manual film camera" with eye-controlled auto focusing?!  Way to "push the envelope", Rick!  😀

You're right, Gary. However, for some time I've been wondering if we should start featuring all film cameras in an effort to rejuvenate the posting and keep this forum afloat. I think there used to be a Modern Film Cameras forum, but due to lack of participation it died a natural death, and the "DSLR and Film Cameras" forum is hardly a hive of activity. With the depth of experience and knowledge demonstrated by members of this forum it could be a place to discuss the more modern film cameras such as the Canon EOS 30, or the Minolta Alpha 7. Perhaps a "Classic Film Camera" approach might be fruitful. I'd be interested to hear. what other members think.

[bruce_z._li2]

I agree that all film cameras are kind of classics by now. I am using Nikon F4 recently and really enjoyed it. We can even include the new breed of film cameras expected from Pentax and Mint. 

[gary green]

@rick_drawbridge @bruce_z._li2 I've actually got no problem considering all film cameras as "classics".  I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to give Rick a little ribbing.

I agree that we want to encourage participation in this forum and including all film cameras may stimulate some new discussions.

I think the word "manual" is most confusing.  Maybe, as Rick suggests, we can eliminate that word or just (in)formally define "manual" as the act of loading/unloading the film?

Edited December 9, 2023 by gary green

[James G. Dainis]

I would say that all film cameras are classics in the making.

[chuck_foreman1]

This hasn't been discussed for a while.. .. Endless arguments what makes it Manual andsplitzting hairs on audo-excposure or auto advance..BTW I hadn't  noticed the "Modern Film Camera" forum as being gone?!? However, I think others will post here regardless. So If we change the Forum name to "Film" cameras,,, That's fine with me too! Please don't use the "A" word (a-----g) !! 🙂

 

[bruce_z._li2]

I believe modern film camera forum had already been merged with CMC, thanks to the vibrant activities on CMC. 

[James Bryant]

Most of what I post is from all mechanical cameras, but occasionally post from the Nikon F6 which is the last of the Nikon Fs. I personally welcome all film cameras.

[gary green]

This coming week I plan to use this post-war Retina 1 Type 010 with Compur-Rapid shutter and the "Made In U.S.A." Ektar 50mm f3.5 lens.

 

This is another of my collection that I purchased years ago and have never run a roll of film through.  I was drawn to this camera by the USA Ektar lens which seemed unusual since Kodak introduced the "Anastigmat Ektar" lens in 1937 on the pre-war Retinas.  However, after further research, it appears that the "Anastigmat Ektar" was simply a rebadged Schneider Xenar.  I'm not sure why Kodak did this other than to minimize the fact that the camera was completely manufactured in Germany due to political tension that was mounting in Europe.  Kodak did a similar thing prior to the U.S. entering WWI by eliminating the "Zeiss" name from the identifying ring on the lens faces.  This is just a guess on my part however.

I also liked the looks of the USA Ektar lens.  With its bright face, black lens surround, and coated ("Lumenized") surfaces, the lens simply sparkles.  Also, because it's an "authentic", Kodak-made Ektar, I was expecting great performance from it.  However, my enthusiasm was dampened a bit when I came across the following Consumers Research Bulletin review of the camera from 1949.  While the review was generally favorable, it skewered the USA Ektar lens saying that it "... was inferior to the 3-element Cintar and Novar lenses previously listed by CR on the Argus Markfinder and Ikonta 35, respectively."  Here's the full review:

Inferior to an Argus Cintar?!  Ouch! That had to hurt.  Now, I'm really curious to see what results I get or if I will even notice any issues.  The review itself doesn't specify how they tested the lens or if they tested multiple copies of the camera.  Since it's a scale focus lens, it seems plausible that a poorly calibrated example made it into their hands.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

[rick_drawbridge]

Very nice, Gary, a little icon. I'm sure the Ektar lens will perform better than the review suggests. I have the slightly later Retinette 1A with the Xenar lens, and I have no complaints about that. Looking forward to seeing your results!

[bruce_z._li2]

Hi Gary, fear not! I have an identical model Retina I with American Ektar 50/3.5 lens. It is tack sharp, even better than the Tessar on my Rollei 35 TE. That research bulletin must have gotten a lemon. 

https://www.flickr.com/gp/blee1996/83jfN701W6

[chuck_foreman1]

I suspect this will work ok... but I'm most impresed with the immaculate condition of this camera. I have three Nagel Kodaks..while the build quality is unsurpassed... their overall condition.. is not very good. These are all post-war cameras too I believe mine are Retina I, Retina Ia and the IIa( RF) ..I'll have to look! Age and memory can no longer me trusted! 

Please do put it to use :)!!

 

[bruce_z._li2]

This is my 2nd Argus C4 with Geiss modification for interchangeable lenses. I cleaned up all the shutter blades, checked rangefinder and shutter speeds, and it is now fit for service, :-) My 1st C4 (with Geiss as well) died the second time I released the shutter, due to the weak shutter actuation pin.

Some people have anecdotal stories of 50/3.5 Cintar on Argus C3 better (sharper) than 50/2.8 Cintar on C4. I don't have a C3, but will find out if the 50/2.8 Cintar is any good.

  

[rick_drawbridge]

Back to an old favourite this weekend, a Minolta XD7 in combination with the excellent 35-70mm Minolta MD f/3.5 lens.

 

[Niels - NHSN]

This weekend will be the first time I use an Olympus-Pen half frame SLR.

This is FT model with build-in uncoupled meter. The finder meter readout shows the light level expressed as a number from 0-7, taking shutter speed/ISO into account.
You then transfer the number to the front ring of the lens. The number effectively correspond to an f-stop, but I guess Olympus thought users would find this solution easier.

The lens is a 38mm f/1.8, which corresponds to 55mm in full frame. The viewfinder is bigger and easier to focus than I expected, but I admittedly didn't expect much. The finder of this model is said to be darker than other Pen F models due to the presence of the meter.

Film will be some bulk rolled HP5+.

It is on loan from a friend. He wants to sell it to me, but I am not yet sure if I need yet another half frame camera - I am quite happy with the size and simplicity of my Pen-S and Koncia EYE, but I'll see if the experience sways me towards another decision.

 

[Rick_van_Nooij]

The PEN-F / FT / FV are fun. Unfortunately the meter on my FT is broken, but the camera still works fine.


Currently loaded with Fomapan 100 Classic:
Leica MD-2 with VC 15mm f/4.5 Super Wide-Heliar.



Still looking to add a suitable half case to it. Not decided on what color, though.

[rick_drawbridge]

This Nikon F80 (N80) has been sitting unused on a shelf for at least six months. It was  included with of some other items I had won on our local auction, and I really wasn't all that interested in it.  A week or so ago I decided to try it out with the very good Nikkor 28-105mm lens in the illustration, and I discovered that I really like this camera. Often considered to be a lesser version of the F100, in reality it has very similar specifications to that esteemed camera, though it lacks the ability to meter using manual focus lenses. Other than that, it has a delightful smoothness and simplicity of operation, with probably the quietest shutter and film wind I've come across. Furthermore, it's considerably lighter than the F100 but still nicely constructed, though it lacks the weather sealing and general robustness of the F100. The metering is very accurate using the Nikon matrix system.

I'm about to load another film to shoot over the weekend.

 

[morrisbagnall]

Err, one of these maybe though I do still have a part used roll of film in my Pentax ME Super so maybe that first? 

Too many choices? Yeah, probably (and these are the ones I haven't yet shot a film in yet)

[bruce_z._li2]

Finally got a nice working Contax IIIa with the Zeiss-Opton Sonnar 50/1.5 lens at a reasonable price, and the test roll looks good.

In the past, I had a few unsuccessful encounters with Zeiss Contax / Kiev siblings, which all had some sort of shutter problems. This latest sample from Japan has almost all the shutter speeds right on spec, except the 1/1250 is blank. And I braved into opening the top according to the service manual, and thoroughly cleaned the viewfinder and rangefinder. Very usable now.

 

[rick_drawbridge]

Another camera I haven't used for a while, the Canon T70, another short-lived model from Canon that nobody liked very much. Apart from odd people like me who considers it no-fuss FD mount camera, light and tidy, pleasant to use, one step up from a point and shoot.

 

[richard_]

I haven't shot any color film in over a year - so for this New Year's will shoot a roll. "Sears" KSX Super (aka Ricoh), K-mount, 16s - 1/1000sec. (About the same size and weight as the Pentax ME).

[morrisbagnall]

Decided to load up the Harman Phoenix and start the New Year in Colour like @PhotoNet Pro

Weapon of choice, a recently acquired Canon A-1

[Rick_van_Nooij]

Got a roll of Fomapan 100 Classic in my Canon Dial 35.
I've got a modern battery in it that, so I needed to lower the ASA setting by 2 stops to cover the voltage difference for the light meter.

While I'm about halfway through the roll, I fear it will last me well into springtime. 😉
 

[bruce_z._li2]

Hi @Rick_van_Nooij, have fun with the Canon Dial 35! I found the Canon Dial 35 and Ricoh Auto Half, both with clockwork auto film advance, are joy to use. And both have good quality lens as well.