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What camera(s) are you using this weekend?


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A new to me Yashica FX3 Super 2000. As my Contax RTS II ages with me, I am aware of the potential problems which will finally arrive with the electronics. One Led is already on the blink (pun intended) and I am sure more are to follow. For some time I have been looking for a mechanical replacement to take my CZ C/Y glass. Have finally picked up a very nice Yashica FX3 Super 2000 and am impressed with what I see. Most notably, the self timer's automatic Mirror Up before firing. As I often tripod shoot, this is a real benefit in operation. Am loaded with FP4 and hope to post some images in the next few days (weeks?).

 

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Yashica & CZ C/Y Distagons 28/2.8 & 35/2.8, Planar 50/1.7 & Sonar 135/2.8.

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Tony Evans
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Lovely collection, Tony,and a good choice. My RTSII packed it in some time ago and nobody wants to delve into those electronics...I use a Yashica FRI for the Contax lenses, but lately I've also been using the FX-3 Super 2000. It's a very simple and easy camera to use and the metering is very accurate and reliable.

 

This weekend I'll run a test film through this Richo Singlex TLS that I rescued from oblivion in a local charity shop. It's a big, clunky M42-mount camera, a sort of cousin to the smaller and neater Spotmatics, but the Auto Rikenon 50/1.7 lens is a fine performer.

 

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@tony- the mirror up when self timer is activated is indeed a useful feature. I use it when I have the Yashica attached to a telescope or one of my long preset telephotos.

@rick- Ricoh offered a great value in its day and no doubt it lured a fair number of potential Pentax buyers into its camp. My dad bought his first SLR in 1968 and chose the Mamiya Sekor 1000 TL. He found the Spotmatic too expensive for his salary as a Linotype operator at the local newspaper. Years later when the paper went to offset printing he was promoted to composing room foreman and within a few more years had opened a camera shop. The Mamiya with its 50mm f 1.4 and Vivitar 85-205 were sold as he could use any camera he wanted from the display. Ricoh also sold some models that were rebranded (Sears comes to mind).

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Nice Cosinas there. :) Camera technichan Gene Pate notes that both the Ricoh Singlex TLS and the Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 were made by Cosina (though it's interesting that the Yashica still had the "Kyocera" badge on the front). The Singlex TLS looks nearly identical to the Cosina Hi-Lite.

 

Cosina Camera List | Learn Camera Repair

Edited by m42dave
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The Super 2000 is the same underneath as the Nikon FM 10, Olympus OM 2000, Ricoh KR5 Super II, and several K mount Vivitars.

I wonder how many Cosina made of those over time? It was also the base for Voigtlander L (minus prism/mirror) and Voigtlander R (rangefinder instead of prism/mirror). Seen as a whole, it could possibly be one of the best selling interchangeable lens cameras of all time?

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Niels
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I've just shot a film with the pretty Pentax Super A, not a camera that I use very often as I find it a little small for my hands. Exposure adjustments require the use of very small buttons that I operate with my fingernails. Still, it takes very good photograph, especially with this Pentax SMC 35-70mm f/4 lens. This is certainly one of the best short zooms I have, two-touch (which I much prefer), very sharp and distortion-free, and focuses from infinity down to a remarkable 100mm without the need for fiddling with buttons or other gymnastics. And, of course, it has the great SMC coating. I'll try to post some samples over in the current weekly thread.

 

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I'm trying out this US$40 Unirex from the Bay. Very reliable camera I believe, I certainly can't detect anything wrong with this one. After 50 years the light meter is still accurate, the Auto exposure system works great, the self timer works, the flash sync works, and everything else works fine. In "Auto", it's shutter priority, and the film speed is set to the lens "f" number, f2 in the case of this 50mm standard lens. It had a flat 1.5v battery in it so I inserted a still good 1.3v PX13 and the camera sprung into life. Can't wait to start shooting, first film will be either a Fuji C200, or a Kodak Portra 160.

 

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In addition to the Fujica, I also have film in my Pentax ZX-5 with manual focus 50mm f 2 SMC.

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Since AF doesn't work anymore the manual SMC 50 has all the automation I can use with this camera. Except for AF everything else works great. Even though 50 is manual I do get a focus confirmation signal.

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kmac said:

 

You should enjoy the experience! I posted some stuff on the Unirex some time ago, and it might be of some interest to you.

 

A Unirex Rejuvenated

 

That's a really good thread Rick, very inspiring for me at the moment given I'm about to run some films through the Unirex. I suspect you used spot metering in a few of those shots, was that the case, or was it too long ago for you to remember ?

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The lens (a 1967 single coated Schneider Kreuznach Symmar 150mm/5.6) came to me for free and I took it as a sign that I should try large format.

The cheapest 4x5 field camera I could find was interestingly new and made in Europe - the first new film camera I have bought in more than 25 years, if I remember correctly.

What wasn't cheap, was the needed supplies. After buying sheet film, film holders, sheet adapter for my developing tank, appropriate developing trays, dark cloth etc. I was out more on that than I paid for the camera. Luckily I already own a spotmeter, solid tripod, cable release and a loupe.

 

One may say that was a very expensive free lens, but I would never have ventured into 4x5 territory had I not received the lens.

 

I will learn the process and make my mistakes with inexpensive Formapan 200 and hopefully graduate to the more familiar - to me - FP4+ when I get the hang of things.

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Niels
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My camera I will shoot this weekend, is a new to me Konica Auto S2. Shutter appears good, the old roll of junk film I now use for testing film transport worked fine. I have a roll of Fujicolor Superia Extra 400 in it right now.
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Looking forward to spend time with friends at a Living History event this weekend.

 

I've been tasked to shoot some portraits for some reproduction WW2 US Army identification cards.

So I'll probably load up a bunch of Graflex film holders and bring an Anniversary Speed Graphic or an AutoGraflex RB.

 

I'll also bring a wartime Leica with a matching lens and my Leica M-E as a digital backup.

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Having finished and developed the film in XE-5 pictures a few days ago I've started film in these two classics:

 

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[ATTACH=full]1418366[/ATTACH]

 

Mike, have another Konica Auto S2, this one has a working film transport, the shutter's great. Running a test roll of Fujicolor 400 Superia in it right now. Enjoying it a lot. Look forward to finishing up the roll this weekend.

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