alex_hollmann

<p>I like the lens, though haven't used it as a convertible.<br>

I agree with the previous poster - a 500C kit can be had for much less than that, and through KEH too. Maybe it's just a question of checking the site every day until you find one for a lower price than that. I'm very happy with my 1962 500C and chrome 80mm, bought through Craig's List for $300. That's an exceptionally low price of course, but on KEH I think I have seen 500C kits go for $400.

 

I know many people recommend the 500CM as being newer and offering the ability to change focusing screens yourself, and agree, but if money is an issue and you need to start shooting, then I think the 500C is really perfectly fine, provided it's one in good condition.

I second the black background idea - looks good and it provides continuity if you're going to do a month-by-month series. When I photographed my wife, I used side-lighting and then a reflector on the opposite side. I felt a more dramatic lighting accented the beautiful forms. And in terms of clothing, the less the better, I think. For this reason I'm afraid I can't post my shots here.

My father's Kodak Retinette, bought when he was a young man in the 50s and passed on to me in 1980 when I was 12. He taught me how to use and point a light meter (Zeiss Ikophot), transfer the EV reading to the lens barrel, how to focus using a Watameter rangefinder attachment or guestimate, how to use depth of field and hyperfocal distance. My first roll of black and white through that camera was a milestone for me: the pictures were sharp and I loved the way shallow depth of field threw the background out of focus and kept the important parts of the picture sharp.

 

As others have pointed out, part of the satisfaction was the sheer physicality of the camera: its pleasant heaviness, the sound of gears and parts working smoothly and perfectly, the smell of the leather case.

 

Non-stop with classic cameras since then. The only brand new camera I ever bought was for work-related reasons, a Nikon 90 I think. I lost it within six weeks of purchase. I have often wondered whether I lost it because subconsciously I did not really care about it or love it. What I really miss is the set my pen and ink drawings of Turkey that was in the same bag as that camera - irreplaceable.

Rebecca, the latter: distorted and fuzzy.

Thanks to all above for the responses. Ken, I have now rotated the knurled ring you indicated and experimented with focussing. This helps somewhat with the edge-distortion I was experiencing, but I still find only the center is in sharp focus. I wonder why that is - but I'll keep trying to adjust it.

I recently acquired a Hasselblad chimney finder via e-bay

 

 

When I look through it, the center of the focussing screen appears perfectly

sharp, but there is a very marked deterioration in focus that sets in outside

the immediate center. The edges of the screen appear to be bent inwards. All in

all, not very satisfactory.

 

My question is whether this is the best that can be expected from a chimney

finder of this type, which does not appear to have a lens that can be adjusted

to various diopter settings.<div></div>

One place to ask might be Camera Techs in Ballard (www.cameratechs.com). I don't know whether they deal with Hasselblad, but they might know who does. They're pleasant people to deal with, and did good work on my Rolleiflex.

Thanks to all that have replied - yes, prices are such now that it's worth getting a fully functional one.

Sorry if I misled anybody with my post, was just giving my impressions of what happens with my Moskva 5. Seems like the relatively minor resistance I encounter is not of the same order of magnitude as that which Sam encounters, and that something needs attention on his.

I'm considering buying a Pentax 645 which is described as having an inoperative

LED button. What I would like to know is how serious a defect this would be.

From reading the manual, I understand the LED display in the viewfinder can be

activated by pressing down slightly on the shutter release or by pressing the

LED button. So would I be able to get by and just rely on being able to depress

the shutter button slightly when I need to take an exposure reading?

 

The price on the camera with 120 insert, without lens, is $172.

The advance knob on mine always seems to be pretty rough - and I do get a sore thumb, so maybe this is just one of the charms of the camera. My Moskva 2 might have a slightly easier advance (but then again, the pressure plate doesn't quite press against the film enough). The camera does have a mechanism that won't allow you to advance film if the shutter is cocked, if I recall correctly. Hope this helps.

I see Annie's difficulty, also being from a Russian family. Russians are not going to listen to polite requests: if they have a camera, they'll take a picture as they see fit, and won't see why they have to listen ("Nu, za chem?"), or that the prohibition applies to them personally. I think the blocking maneuver suggested in one reply is the best option here, though it is of course stressful. Maybe having a tough-minded assistant to use as crowd-control?

"Half frame" refers to the fact that these cameras produce an image size that is half the size of the usual 24X36 mm frame for 35mm. So a 36 exp. 35 mm film will allow you 72 frames on one of these cameras. I think that's how it works - have never used one myself.

Yes - the lens has a standard PC socket, if that's what you mean.

One good photo opportunity might be the following: it's traditional at a banquet after the wedding for the guests at some point to shout "Gorko! Gorko!" (pronounced "GOR-ka"). This means lit. "bitter": the metaphor behind this is that the wine (I think?) is bitter and needs to be sweetened. And what makes everything sweet is a kiss between the bride and groom. So it is a call for the bride and groom to kiss in front of all the guests.

 

But the Russian guests might not do this at all at this wedding. Still, if you hear the cry, you'll know a good photo-op is coming up.

I have one of these, and it works fine, but can be a little wobbly. What I would like to get is the sliding tripod block mount for it - this enables you to balance the camera better. It often gets lost, and so you don't often see them for sale with the camera. I was lucky enough to get the additional extension rail that fits behind the camera (illustrated in link below). I think I paid about $300 for mine off ebay four years ago (came with four film holders, bellows had to be replaced).

 

See here for dates of manufacture (c.1914-1920) and references: http://www.fiberq.com/cam/ekc/2.htm

Spud,

I was there in the early 1980s, so I'm not sure what might have changed, but I'll tell you what I remember. Sand shifts fast, so I don't know what might be covered by now. In Kolmanskop, look for the old opera house, half-filled with sand, with giant electrical switches marked "Ein" and "Auf", houses in German style with snow roofs - in short, a monument to 19th c. and early 20th c. colonial folly. I would imagine the nearest place to stay would be in Lüderitz, right on the coast - ditto for German colonial buildings. I remember an impressive flamingo colony nearby. As for getting into the desert itself, I was able to go through contacts into the Sperrgebiet (forbidden zone), once owned by the major diamond mining company there, and that was spectacular. I would imagine someone would be running tours of it by now - not something that one would want to do unprepared, unless tracks are clearly marked now and you have radio and water and knowledge of desert driving and people to help push you out. There is a natural arch along the Skeleton Coast north of Lüderitz called Bogenfels - when I was there, access was not given to the public, but things might have changed by now. Spectacular gemsbok in the dunes, too. The sand gets everywhere, so cameras need to be very carefully protected.

I'd be interested to see pictures when you return.

Alex Hollmann

Elarude? The name on the body reads Etyud (Russian transliteration of

French "etude", "study"). Would be interested to see the pictures and know

what format this takes.

Best of luck,

Alex

My experience with the developing times for this film in D-76 is that Agfa's

new recommended developing time shouldn't be followed - the result will be a

very overdeveloped negative. The response you've already received about

times in Rodinal therefore makes sense to me.

 

Alex

Any chance that the little space on the glass that has to be left uncovered for

self-calibration was covered? Covering that can produce interference and

strange colours.

 

Alex

I see someone has already suggested Cameratechs in Ballard. I used them

last summer for a Rolleiflex CLA and found them helpful too.

Dear Mark,

As a South African in exile I appreciated seeing a "dam" again - judging by

the mountains in the background, I'm guessing it might be around the

Magaliesberg area.

 

About the pictures: I think the composition of the shot taken with the Brownie

is definitely better. The shot with the Yashica seems a bit off kilter. But I like

the quality of the Yashica better. I use one of these grey babies myself (and

my wife thinks it's very cute, so has no objections) and am very impressed

with the Yashikor lens, even if some say it is not as good as the Yashinon.

 

I've been using the Efke 100 127 format film, and wonder if this is what you

use and whether you or anybody else has had problems with a sort of

gelatinous goop after processing that forms threads of about the thickness of

a hair. At first I thought they were cat hairs, but they are not. Processing temps

were normal.

 

Alex

I've just bought a Moskva 2 folder which has been recovered in bright red -

irresistible, though my purchase was motivated also by the central position of

the viewfinder as opposed to the inconvenient location of the viewfinder on

the Moskva 5 (right at the edge of the camera).

 

My question is simply whether others have had experience with these

recovered cameras (red, blue, green, yellow) - how well have these coverings

been wearing so far?

 

Alex