tricia

<p>I see it's two years since anyone added to this post, but thought I'd offer an updated comment anyway.<br>

I've recently switched to the Lumix DMC-LX5 which is compact and lightweight and offers the features that I most desire: has a bright (f/2), wide angle (24 mm) lens, allows fully manual exposure, shoots in RAW, and has a high quality lens that results in good image quality. (I don't make huge enlargements, so very large prints are not an issue for me.) It also has a small zoom range (up to 90 mm) which is handy. While I did use my previous camera (Fuji F30) extensively and got a lot of good shots on it, I greatly prefer the higher quality of the LX5, and still find it manageable to use. After all my years of film shooting, I'm able to shoot handheld at pretty low shutter speeds, which means I can really enjoy night photography with it, too.<br>

Alan, I hope you found a camera that suits your needs. Every time I visit a camera shop, I am discouraged by the complete lack of cameras made for left-handed use. It seems like such an obvious gap in camera manufacture and something that would be useful not only to those without use of a left hand, but to anyone who is left-handed and would like the option.<br>

Tricia</p>

<p>hi Alan,</p>

<p>Some days it certainly gets me down to not be able to do photography like I used to do, but then I figure that I can consider using a more limited camera to be a challenge, and do my best to take interesting photographs within the parameters it allows. I'm very much a black & white film photographer at heart, but am gradually learning to appreciate colour and other possibilities of digital photography, too, so that's positive.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I know nothing about the cameras you've mentioned here so can't be helpful with your question, but I think it's great you're seeking a camera that will better suit your purposes, and wish you very well with that search and with your photography!</p>

<p>Tricia</p>

<p>Hi Jim,</p>

<p>Thanks very much for responding and for passing on those links. I'm particularly interested in the Rolling F-stop site.</p>

<p>I've been looking at your page here and am very much enjoying seeing your photography .... and am looking forward to contributing some photos to the site soon.</p>

<p>Tricia</p>

<p>Thanks for your reply, Lex. Such a remote would be a great thing to have, for sure. Even a simple cable release would be helpful - I've been thinking about ways that I might put a very lightweight bracket on my little F30 to let me use a cable release. Meanwhile, for low light shots, I brace the camera on something and use the 2-second timer, which gives decent results in many cases.</p>

<p>Hi folks, just thought I'd add an update on the off chance that someone peruses the archives and is interested in this topic.</p>

<p>I ended up trading in the F80 because it became too heavy for me to handle. (Brackets and monopods, etc., were great ideas, but I now use two forearm crutches rather than one, and so carrying extra equipment has become completely impractical. I also quit using the darkroom because of physical limitations and allergies to the chemicals.) I've switched to a compact digital camera. After much research, I chose the Fuji F30 because it allows for decent results in low light, and gives a good amount of manual control, which makes it far more than a "point and shoot" camera. While I certainly miss shooting with a film camera, and miss making my own prints (I rarely get anything printed anymore because I'm never satisfied with the results!) I am now able to take my camera everywhere and actually use it. Now I just need to find the time to participate in photo.net to a greater extent!</p>

<p>Hope you're all enjoying doing photography wherever you are ... and please know that I very much appreciate the help you gave me back when I posted this topic.</p>

Hello Ralf,<br><br>

 

I was just given this same camera and have been looking for similar information. I know nothing about the camera, and have been searching on line but have found no instructions and few details. Have you yet found any more information about it? <br><br>

 

Do you have the earliest version, with the rigid viewfinder, or the next one with a flip-up viewfinder? According to <a href="http://kodak.3106.net/index.php?p=209&cam=1286"><b>this site</b></a>, the early was made 1935-37 and the later 1938-47. (Mine is the early type.)<br><br>

 

 

 

I'm going to take mine into a local shop that deals with some older cameras and will reply here again if I do learn more.

Ooops, typo in my previous post: that's an F80, not F70!

I have great admiration for those who carry and use a camera all the time. When I don't, I

wish I had. It's not that I'd rather photograph than simply experience life; it's more that I'm

always noticing light and shapes and thinking about how they'd look in black and white.

 

Physical disabilities are keeping me from using my camera much these days, and I miss it

terribly. I chose my camera (F70, usually with either 50 mm or 28 mm lens) as a

reasonably lightweight camera that would do everything I wanted it to; now it's too heavy

for me to use much. I was very interested to see that a couple of people mentioned the

Olympus Stylus Epic (a.k.a. mju) as a compact camera to keep handy. I've just borrowed

one of those and am giving that a try: figuring out if I'm happier to have a camera with me

that I can use, or if the lack of control over exposure is too frustrating.

 

One thing I've noticed is that I'm much more interested in having a camera with me all the

time now that I no longer work as a photographer. I guess when it was my job, I did

enough of it to satisfy that desire.

Thank you everyone for your responses!

 

Tapas, and Jim M. -- I've never used a monopod (and am not sure that carrying another

item help more than hinder) but am curious and will take a look at some at my local shops

this week. Thanks for the suggestion. And Tapas, here's hoping your elbow heals well and

quickly!

 

Eric -- Right angle finder is an intriguing idea, especially as my ability to raise either arm

all the way to eye level is variable. I'm not sure if they're made for specific camera models,

or if such is available for the F80, but am going to check it out. Hey, that's great you could

still go on your trip even with a new injury. Those parks sound like beautiful places to see.

 

Ramon -- You're right, it may be good to combine a couple of ideas. I guess it's a matter

of experimenting and finding the right combination. Thanks for the encouragement to

"keep shooting" -- not taking pictures makes me sad and I miss it a lot.

 

Alex -- I don't know about the electronic releases but I do have some mechanical ones

and am going to give that a try.

 

John -- The grips look very interesting. Thank you for looking up and posting the photos.

Looks like when you hold it the shutter release will fall under your thumb, is that right? It's

something I'll check out because even though my camera is fairly small it can be hard to

keep a firm hold on it.

 

WJ Gibson -- I'm in Canada but could still contact Nikon and have been checking out their

information online just now. I chose the F80 (N80 in U.S.) because of its combination of

reasonably light weight and features that I like to use. Used to have the FM10 but between

my less-than-perfect eyesight and somewhat limited manual dexterity, manual focus was

too difficult. (I actually loved that camera otherwise: didn't even need a battery, as I rarely

agreed with its light meter so used a handheld one or made my own estimations.)

 

Jim I. -- I really appreciate your contribution. The photos showing how you hold your

camera are particularly helpful. I've been trying various hand positions but hadn't come up

with your method yet. I have the camera on a very long strap and hang it diagonally across

me so it rests by my left hip when I'm not using it. I suspect that I too would find a

monopod too cumbersome to use. Fumbling with changing lenses is really what got me

into using the 50mm lens so much, and fortunately I no longer find it limiting in most

situations. Yes, balance and patience do seem to be the big issues. I may well take you up

on your offer to email you about this more. Thank you for that.

 

Adam -- Yes, I thought so! Thanks for confirming that.

 

Matt -- I haven't seen flash brackets yet, but am adding it to my list for my camera shop

visit. Thanks for another idea. Yes, the F80 is a nice camera for sure. I'd much rather find a

way to use it than get a different camera.

 

Everyone's suggestions are giving me a lot of new ideas to try. It's very encouraging, and I

thank you for your help. In the mean time, I've borrowed a decent compact camera

(Olympus Stylus Epic, a.k.a. Mju) and am seeing what I can do with that. It's quite an

adjustment for an SLR user but I'm going with the idea that the best camera is one that's

there when you want to photograph something. I develop and print my own pictures so I

can still retain control of what I'm doing in that regard. It'll be interesting to see how it

goes. But I'm really looking forward to being able to use my F80 again!

I'm having difficulty using my camera (F80) because of disability-related issues.

 

1. I use a forearm crutch on the right side which means only my left hand is free to hold

my camera up to eye level. I can use both hands to briefly hold the camera in front of me

and adjust the settings but I can't reach to hold it at eye level with both hands. I've been

trying to figure out a way to hold and operate the camera at eye level with just the left

hand.

 

2. I have weakness in both hands/arms so find the camera a bit heavy to hold in one hand.

(Actually there are times when it's too heavy to hold in both hands. But not all the time,

fortunately.) I really like this camera. (Have had F601 and FM10 in past; this one is my

favourite.) Mostly use a 50mm f/1.8 lens. I really like having control over all the settings,

but am wondering if I'll have to switch to something much smaller and lighter. I can't

afford to buy anything new, so would have to trade in this camera.

 

I am wondering if there is a particular way to hold the camera that might work, or some

way to adapt it. Any suggestions?

I was just wondering what to use for grain and strong contrast. I do develop my own, and already use Tmax developer with other films. I just bought some Tri-X film, so I am all set to try this combination. Thank you for the suggestion.

Thanks to Richard Milner for the suggestion of Jane Bown's book -- I checked it out of the library and am finding it very useful.

Hi Cliff,

 

I get best results from Ilford HP5+ at 3200, and don't use flash. It's nice because you can see how bright the scene is and then decide to shoot at any speed up to 3200, and get good results. I don't use labs anymore(do my own, using Tmax developer) but in the past I've found they were prepared to push film only in full stops -- so I'd have to shoot at 400, 800, 1600, or 3200.

 

Good luck!

I have the Polaris Flash Meter and the tiny manual that came with it. I'd be happy to photocopy the manual and snailmail it to you. Let me know.

 

You said: "On the flash modes, it just blinks odd error codes at me when I try to use them..."

 

In cordless flash mode, the flash icon will blink while it's waiting to measure the flash. That might be what you're seeing. If the meter doesn't sense the flash, it may be because it's weaker than the ambient light.

 

The only error codes I know of are Eu for underexposure and Eo for overexposure. Good luck!

 

Tricia McDonald (cutegirl@vcn.bc.ca)