m._howard_edwards

If you are counting votes, mine is for the FG. Small, manual capability if necessary, and P and A automation if you have no battery issues.

I agree with Eric, and it is only a couple of blocks from BART. Downtown parking can be difficult.

Before you go anywhere, try this:www.upstrap.com/ It is a great product.

Robin, Lee Hamiel appeared to be headed toward my experience.

 

I reentered the photo hobby after many years absence. I bought a 120 film camera to find that the business had changed a lot. I could not buy film at the local drug, grocery,or hardware store, only at the few remaining "camera" stores, and they were disappearing fast. Finding the film, I could not get it processed except at a local lab that served professionals, or I had to mail it off. Neither film nor processing was (is) inexpensive. I had no interest in processing my own film.

 

For the amount you have budgeted, you can get a very serious 35mm kit that will serve you well. Film is still abundantly available (even after 6 PM and on Sundays), and there are still a few choices in brands and emulsion speeds although these choices appear to be shrinking fast. One hour processing is available for print film (my last slides from Kodak took 16 days), and it is widely available.

 

I would suggest that you get a modestly priced 35mm and use it until it no longer meets your needs. From there you should be able to judge where to go next.

 

Best of luck to you.

You go Bob!

If Hayward is near you, try Negative Space; Allison carries supplies for photo classes at Cal State Hayward, oops, Cal State East Bay, Chabot College and Hayward Area Recreation District. On the other hand, nothing beats K&S in Palo Alto.

See eBay item 7542281224 at $59. I bought the same soft Chinese-made leather bag a few months ago at twice the price. It is well appointed, elegant, a great size, and at this price a terrific value.

 

Damn! I have almost talked myself into buying another one.

Lex -

The F3HP Instruction Manual says the 3v. lithium or 2-1.55v. silver-oxide batteries are O.K. To quote the specs: Two 1.55 V silver-oxide cells (Eveready EPX76, D76 or equivalent),two 1.5V alkaline-manganese cells or one 3V lithium battery...

 

Guy -

I can now very well appreciate the battery installation dance you do.

Well, Lex, the third set of silver cells worked. Are we talking about shelf life of batteries here? Manufacturing tolerances? Can the circuitry be that sensitive? I always thought that 3 volts, was 3 volts, but it appears that the F3 is very discriminating - or not. At any rate it is fixed, and I thank you all for your inputs; I hope they might have also helped someone else.

Manel, the battery connections and compartment were pristine;I cleaned them anyway - and the battery. The camera would not work.

 

Alfred - Repeatedly moving the on/off switch did nothing. With the MD-4 attached, a cable release will fire the camera. Apparently a connection from the internal battery has failed??? The MD-4 battery pack appears to bypass the internal battery. Thanks to you both for suggestions, but the camera still does not work.

 

Howard

I took the camera out of the bag. It had the lens cap on, and the

on/off switch on, too. It did not work. It worked fine 7 days ago. I

replaced the batteries. It did not work. I tested the batteries; they

tested O.K.. I let the camera rest with fresh batteries. It did not

work. I installed the motor drive MD-4, and I shot a roll of film. I

tried again without the MD-4; it did not work. Am I overlooking

something, here? If it is broken is there a quick fix?

Like Jeffrey said. I think they are looking for you. They are now offering a 3-strap deal (they also do a great bag strap with serious swivel clips). I tried'em I like'em.

Try Doug at iCamera Service in Oakland: 510-763-4226. Also Apollo Camera Service around the corner on Webster Street: 510-891-9486. I have used them both for Nikon work and was quite satisfied.

Also in Hayward: Allison at Negative Space 510-782-1506. She rents space by the hour and does commercial work.

The YashicaMat owner's manual says to not use the self timer when the flash sync is set to M (bulb). I have read otherwise that trying this is the Achilles heel of the camera, though I am not sure if it causes permanent damage. The manual says, "It may cause damage." and that is all. Mine is set to X sync where it will stay. I probably have shot my last flash bulb.

Meagan, you have a Six-Twenty Flash Brownie, circa 1940-46. Per the Collectors Guide to Kodak Cameras by Jim and Joan McKeown it sold for $4.25. I inherited one in high school when my dad moved up to the new Polaroid Land camera. I destroyed it trying to disassemble it to clean the lens. I have since gotten another one, fifty years later. It does not take very good pictures. The lens on this one is dirty, too.

Your other camera, the No. 2 Brownie, is listed as made from 1901 to 1924. It sold for $2.00. ENJOY!

I just shot a roll of Ilford HP5+, 400 ISO. This black and white shoots beautifully. It is outdated by 12 1/2 years. I an not sure how it was stored, but I suspect it was refrigerated.

Damned fine child portraits!

Many thanks, John. You really put me on the right path. The Wards is definitely of the same family as the Ricoh Super Shot. It has a diffrent lens (Wards: Seiko-ES shutter, Hexanon Electronic f = 38mm, 1:1.8; Ricoh : Seiko-ES shutter, Ricoh Rikenon f = 43mm, 1:1.7). The bottom plate for the Wards seems updated from the design of the Ricoh Super Shot. Most importantly, the battery is the same.

 

It is interesting that I find no significant references to Montgomery Wards cameras but several for Sears Roebuck cameras on the Internet.

(also shown as Model No. EWN 263)35 mm P&S camera uses a 1.3 v

Eveready EIN or Mallory RM-1 R mercury cell. I can find no

replacement battery in current battery conversion tables. Does anyone

know anything about this camera (with the clockwork wind-up automatic

film advance)? About this battery? It looks like a 5/8 inch long

AA-sized battery. Any help would be appreciated.

The Stone Mills Company sells on eBay. See: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43442&item=7510309777&rd=1

a really elegant Chinese leather bag that works perfectly for your needs. It costs about 100 USD, to me seems a good value and does not cry "Camera inside!" It works as a hand bag, shoulder bag, or fanny pack.

 

For 1/3 the price, the Targus DLRV01 is also Chinese leather, well made, well designed, smallish, hand bag or shoulder bag, only. It does look like a camera bag, but does not cry "Leica inside!"

Po-Wen -

I suggest you send it back under warranty. Try this thread: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BedQ

Many, many thanks to you all.

 

It is comforting to hear from others that "They don't build'em like they used to." I think I will just turn it "until snug" as recommended and use it that way until I cannot stand it any more, then send it to Sherrie or DAG to be glued. The images still seem O.K.

 

GLUED, my God!

I noticed my 12524 lens hood was ever so slightly canted from

horizontal. Twisting it slightly counterclockwise to straighten it,

the front element unscrewed. Twisting it clockwise to restore it, the

hood is really canted. This is a Canadian #3019xxx.

 

I have never unscrewed the front element of any lens brand (including

the 50mm and 90mm Crons for the M6) accidently. Considering Leica

build quality, does this unscrew on purpose? What purpose?

 

Since I can screw the hood (and element) left and right from "center,"

what is the correct position? How do I get it to stay there?

 

I really appreciate your help. This is not the lens I want to

experiment on.

Mine seems to be leaking around the lens which is very loose in the inner bayonet mount; it rattles. I am still unsure how to seal this (Helios 103). It goes away with the Jupiter 9,11, and 12 which fit the outer bayonet mounts.