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Andrew in Austin

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    Classic Manual Cameras at the dawn of the Modern Film Cameras Era (1992)

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p>If you can't find a 35mm SLR with a lens for under $50 these days, you aren't trying unless you are springing for a black-bodied Nikon FM2 or Pentax LX. The question is do you spring for a 1980'ish SLR - which will have some modern electronics - or - something before 1976'ish, which probably uses a match needle powered by a 1.35v mercury cell.</p>

    <p>The Pentax K1000 was the work horse for student photography classes during the early 1990's. In 1992, I was still muddling away with a screw mount Spotmatic. At the time, I thought the Canon AE-1 was modern as opposed to the old QL FTb.</p>

    <p>The plethora of plastic clad SLR's appearing on the market at this time had me totally confused. It was around 1994 when I tried out one of the newer 35mm SLR auto-focus cameras with electronic controls. It was a N90. The experience was very different from the old Spotmatic. </p>

    Voigtlander Perkeo II & the 13th Frame

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p><img src="http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/misc/Perkeo2/Perkeo2.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="698" /></p>

    <p>Once upon a a time there was a dwarf who was the court jester and guardian of one very huge wine barrel at a castle in Heidelberg, Germany. The dwarf's name was Perkeo. A couple of centuries later, a once proud optic maker - Voigtlander - used the name for a couple of their smaller folding cameras.<br>

    If you shoot 6x6 medium format the Perkeo II is truly a dwarf medium format. Unlike many 6x6 folders like of its time, the Perkeo II is fitted with a frame stop, that allows for automatic film winding - once the photographer sets the mechanism at frame #1. I don't know if it's because modern 120 film has a thinner acetate base than it did 60 years ago - but the Perkeo II allows for a 13 frame.<br>

    The Perkeo II makes for a nice piece of kit for a hiker. A Color Skopar lens set in either a Compur or Prontor shutter puts the camera in the same league as an ZI Ikonta. Like the Ikontas without built-in rangefinders, this is a scale focusing by guestimation camera - which is doable, if your subjects are further than 10 feet away and you have enough light to shoot at f8 or f11.</p>

    My Daily Carry Camera, the Olympus 35 DC

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p>My favorite is the photo of the strawberries - pure yummyness!</p>

    <p>I've always loved the look rendered by the F.Zuiko on the 35DC and 35RD. Both are excellent for grab and go 35mm photography.</p>

    <p>I'm taking a break from the Oly 35RD this week with a 524/2 Ikonta III loaded with a roll of Ektar 100. The Zeiss Ikon is a beast.</p>

    <p>Best Regards,</p>

    The Neoca Renewed

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p>Rick first let me say, what a gorgeous camera. Both the design and build appear to be superb.</p>

    <p>Second, love your fill the frame compositions. The color rendition and sharpness by this lens are stunning.</p>

    <p>Bravo for the restoration and thanks for sharing this with us.</p>

    They're still teaching with film

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p>The photography classes at the Fine Arts Dept of UT Austin still get the ball rolling with film cameras. First semester students use a 35mm SLR and Tri-X, which means my favorite film is usually in stock at a book-store that is a couple of blocks from where I work.</p>

    <p>Second semester students can be seen using either a Hasselblad or a Mamiya 7 rangefinder. Some do use a 4x5.</p>

    <p>Best Regards,</p>

    Looking for a point and shoot 35mm with flash . Am i Crazy?

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p>Out of the 80'ies forward fixed-lens 35mm cameras, I only have owned the Olympus XA and XA2. Both models are getting long in tooth. Who knows how much life they have left int them?</p>

    <p>Not many of the fixed-lens 35mm cameras <strong>introduced after 1980</strong> were built to last more than 100 rolls of film. Today, the vast majority of the plastic wonders are semi-disposables. You use them until they break.</p>

    <p>Best Regards,</p>

    Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta A 531- My Last Folder

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p>Great presentation of the camera and the photos displayed show the capabilities of the camera in good hands.</p>

    <p>I'm still hording three medium format folders - a Perkeo II, a Super Isolette and a Agfa Record III. Unlike a grab and go compact 35mm camera, they do require added deliberate steps to use. The latter two Agfas have rangefinder patches in the main viewfinder window, so only one eyepiece for both.</p>

    <p>With that said - it is the scale focusing Perkeo II that gets brought out when someone comes by with their modern medium format outfit just to show them how small a medium format camera can be - but when it comes time to load some film and go, its Agfa Super Isolette that's usually my first pick, followed by the Record III.</p>

    <p>Best Regards,</p>

    Is anyone still using a Selenium light meter?

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p>Quite a few responses. I'm in the John Robison camp. So much so that I bought a spare for $15.</p>

     

    <blockquote>

    <p>"<a href="/photodb/user?user_id=1500304">john robison</a> , Jul 21, 2014; 10:58 a.m. Pilot user here too. Cheap, sturdy, reliable."</p>

    </blockquote>

    <p>And I'll add - once the match needle is set all the possible shutter/aperture combinations for specific light value are easily read from the dials.</p>

    <p>Best Regards,</p>

    Is anyone still using a Selenium light meter?

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p>I use an older, batteries not included, Gossen Pilot selenium light meter with my 80 year old Leica II. It works well until about EV7 @ 400 ISO for B/W negs. In its reflective mode, I do have to aim it down a bit away from any bright lighting or even a cloudy sky. It's incident mode works really well.</p>

    <p>Out of curiosity is anyone else using a Selenium meter with their vintage camera?</p>

    <p>Best Regards, </p>

    <p> </p>

    Olympus RC Prices

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p>Correction on that Vito II - went for $18.20 USD for the camera, the original case and the original instruction book. </p>

    <p>The point here is there are still compact, fixed-lens, manual/mechanical 35mm bargains out there. For example: Unless, its a black body version, the Canonet QL 17 GIII is still a reasonable buy.</p>

    <p>However, once again - it's a buyers market for some very nice 35mm SLR cameras.</p>

    <p>Best Regards,</p>

    <p> </p>

    Olympus RC Prices

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    <p>Michael - You can still get an Oly 35RC for under $60 USD on the big auction site. Granted that on the cheaper ones, they are usually untested and you'll need to add in the cost of Kanto MR-9 battery adapter. So compared to the plethora of 35mm SLR cameras available, the 35RC isn't a bargain camera.</p>

    <p>I have one. I love the concept - but my 80 year old Leica II with an Elmar 50/3.5 has seen more use - because it fits better in the front pocket of a pair of cargo pants.</p>

    <p>Fixed-lens 35mm cameras vary on how well they've aged. The 35RC has a lot of Trip 35 in its DNA both cameras have aged pretty well. </p>

    <p>On an older note - only this morning I saw a 1950'ish Voigtlander Vito II with a 50/3.5 Skopar set in a Compur Rapid sell for only $22 USD on the big auction site. There were only 2 bidders. </p>

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