nuno_campos1

I have, right now, the opportunity to buy a rangefinder from a

friend. One of the following ones: Minolta HI-matic E; Yashica

Electro 35 G; Yashica MG-1; and Olympus RC. The problem is: only

one, because the seller has other buyers interested. But I can

choose first. And I am having a little problem to decide which one,

from the tottaly automatic HI-matic to the manual RC.

So, I would like to ask you: which rangefinder, from the listed

above, has the best lens? The Zuiko is legendary, but also the

Yashinon. And a Rokkor 1.7 has to be good.

Thanks in advance,

Best regards.

Barry,

You may consider the Nikon FG. It?s not really a classic, but It?s small for a SLR; excellent metering quality; you can use a lot of Nikon glass (all lenses except the G and pre-AI lenses); you can use it without batteries (1/90 sec. only); has TTL flash control; and I bet you can find one in great condition on the action site for less than $100 USD. But it?s not silent and has no DOF preview.

Best regards,

Nuno Campos

Hi,

I am the idiot that recently bought a Moskva 5 with a missing

rangefinder (arm).

The bellows are ok and the shutter seems accurate. The lens is

spotless. But without rangefinder.

Just wonder: Is the lens distance scale truthful or the best thing is

to use the camera as a bibelot? If the scale as the minimum of

accuracy I can use it the same way I use my Isollete I, can't I?

Best regards,

Nuno Campos.

Thanks for the recommendation, Michael.

After buying the camera, I realized that many people complain that the FG is a battery-eater, so I always store the camera with the shutter speed dial set to M90.

Hi,

I have just a simple question. I suppose it is just a simple question.

I have to buy batteries for my Nikon FG. If I am right, I can use:

Two 1.55V silver-oxide batteries (SR-44 type), or

two 1.5V alkaline-manganese batteries (LR-44 type) or

one 3V lithium battery (CR-I 3N type).

Is there any reason related to their performance and longevity, or an

environmental motive to prefer the silver oxide, the lithium or the

alkaline battery to any of the others?

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Nuno Campos.

Hi,

Here goes another beginner question.

Could you recommend me a color print film for general use (well,

mainly street photography), that is fine grained and has saturated

colours and good skin tones?

Right now I use consumer films, usually the Fujifilm Superia 200 (I

get better results with this than with the Superia 100 and the

Superia 400 X-tra) but I would like to try the normally

called ?professional? film. Since I use Fujifilm, and I go to Fuji

lab, is Reala the step to make?

Thanks in advance,

Best Regards

JB,

I don?t think that the Yashica GSN, Konica S3, Konica Auto S2 (excellent cameras, people say) and the soviet rangefinders are really pocketable cameras, and I doubt that you can find a working Konica S2 or a Minolta 7sII for $25-30.

Some suggestions: Olympus XA series; Minolta Hi-Matic G (not really a rangefinder); Ricoh 500G; Konica C35; Yashica Electro 35 CC.

Maybe you can find some useful information over here: http://35mm-compact.com/

Several SLRs are quite lightweight also, like the Nikon FG (a very underrated, but nevertheless a great camera) and some of the (nice) Minolta X-series.

Best regards,

Nuno Campos

Thanks for your answers.

Well, right now I really do not care if the camera is heavy or not (I bought a Minolta HI-Matic GF to be my beach-camera). I am looking for a nice viewfinder and low speeds. I was told that the Fed 2 was a great camera, but it has no slow speeds and I remember the horrible Fed 5B viewfinder.

Hi,

After selling my Fed 5B, because it was so big and heavy for a beach-

camera (her main purpose when I bought it), I realised that the

camera was quite useful to have in the car. No problems with

batteries, inexpensive, rugged and with an average lens. Now I have

to buy another rugged, inexpensive and mechanical camera. Probably

another soviet camera. I could buy another FED 5, but the viewfinder

is really tiny.

I do not need a meter, but a normal/large viewfinder would be very

handy. And low speeds also. The Zorki 3, the Zorki 4 and the Kiev 4

seems nice. I know that they have slow speeds, but what about the

viewfinder?

Could you give me a help with this?

Should I look to different models?

Is it better to buy other camera than soviet (of course: rugged,

inexpensive and mechanical)?

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Nuno Campos.

Hi,

Can you give me just a simple question?

I know that it is possible to use the MF K-mount lenses on the AF

and digital Pentax SLR bodies. But: will the bodies meter?

I am asking this because I have some Nikon gear, and I know that,

for instance, in the Nikon D70 and some 35mm non-pro Nikon AF bodies

we can mount the AI lenses but we loose the metering.

If it is possible to have metering with the K-mount (or M42+K-

adaptor) MF lenses, and regarding to the relation price/quality of

those lenses, the Pentax digital SLR seems like a very good option.

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,

Well, I have just find out that the camera has a second ring on the lens, with some figures that I supose to be the aperture. I have put some batteries on and it blinks when under exposed.

Thanks for every thing, best regards

Nuno.

Hi,

I have bought lask week a mint Minolta Hi-Matic GF for 5 euros in a

fair (the great Feira da Ladra, in Lisbon).

I do not know how to work with this camera. It has some figures (body-

moutain) on the lens ring but does that refer to the focal distance

or the aperture of the lens? I bought it assuming that would be a

nice beach-camera. It is very inexpensive, so what is the problem

with the water and sand?

Can you help me with this?

Best regards,

Nuno Campos

The best thing you have to do first is no to buy the first camera you will see. Make some research about cameras on the net, and with no hurry select some of them that you would like to have, and buy one (or more?).

All the major brands (Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Pentax, Olympus) had great manual focus cameras in the 70?s and 80?s. And great glass too. Look also to the Ricoh, the Yashica and the Konica cameras. They are less expensive but just as fine as the others.

I do not recommend you the Zenit. If you what to buy a M42 screw mouth, buy a Praktica L series (personally, I like the MTL50, MTL5 and MTL5B). It is a better camera and you can have one for less than $50 USD with Carl Zeiss Jena glass.

Regards,

Nuno Campos.

Well,

Thanks for all your recommendation. I have just ordered a kit from Jon Goodman. I expect to be able to do the repair myself. If that occur, I will definitely buy some of those Japanese rangefinders of the 70?s that I have not bought yet because everybody says that they always need a light seals replacement.

And, Michael, I am sure that your explanation will be very useful. Thanks.

Best regards,

Nuno Campos

Hi,

Here is another beginner question. The mirror damper of my FG is

deteriorating and I have to replace it. The light seals are getting

pretty greasy also, and I will have to replace them within some

years. I have never replaced foams or light seals, but to seems to

me that with care I will be able to do so. I have read some on-line

tutorials but I have some problems with the materials.

Would it be safe to buy some self-adhesive foam sponge that we can

find easily on e-bay, or should I buy in some specialized shop like

micro-tools?

What should be the thickness of the foam?

Should I remove the old foam with alcohol only?

or

Should I take the camera to a repair shop instead?

Thanks for everything.

Nuno Campos

Beginner C41 B&W film recommendation

Hi,

This is really a beginner question.

I am planning to build a darkroom ? I am still learning by my own ?

but meanwhile I will like to try some B&W photos using the C41

process. It seems to me that I have 3 options, the Kodak Portra

400BW, the Neopan 400CN and the Ilford XP2 Super. Can you give me a

suggestion?

I shoot mainly street, architecture and portraits with 35mm Nikon

gear and 120 old folders and TLR?s.

Thanks for everything.

Best regards,

Nuno Campos

Hi,

I am looking for a little digital P&S camera, and the Ricoh Caplio

RZ1 seems quite nice, inexpensive (about 160 euros/200 $USD), and

very pocketable. I have not find reviews of this camera, so can you

give me any opinion? Or a different suggestion within the same

budget?

Thanks in advance, best regards,

Nuno Campos

Hi,

I was just wonder, since the F801(N8008) is not a speedy auto-focus

camera, but has a high-eye point finder, 1/8000 top speed and

integrated motor, would this camera perform well with AI/AIS lenses,

or is it stupid to use only manual focus lenses on an AF body?

I know that I will loose the matrix metering, and the speed priority

program, but it seems a very good camera for the money.

So, since almost all my lenses are MF, what about buying a F801 to

use with them?

Should I buy a MF body instead?

Another thing: can I use a Sunpak 433d with the F801?

Thanks for everything, best regards,

Nuno Campos

Hi,

Almost anyone of us has or loves one camera in particular that many

others seem not to like the same way (or not to like at all!). The

question is merely made so that you could defend your lady, so

accept my suggestion and, please, do it.

In your opinion, what is the most underrated camera ever made?

I will answer first, and designate the one that probably I know

best: the Nikon FG.

Released in 1982, it is, even today, a highly featured camera. It

was Nikon's first multimode AE camera, and the second one (after the

F3) that had TTL flash control. But to many people it was/is a toy

and a piece of plastic. Do not ask me why.

Best regards,

Nuno Campos.

Hi,

A few days ago I have asked for some recommendations about a

lightweight and little rangefinder. All the suggestions were quite

helpful, but it seems to me that I was looking for something

different. The 70's rangefinders are very nice but the issues with

the batteries end the CLAs...

The budget makes me look for a P&S right now. I have only one

dilemma: the Olympus Stylus Easy fixed focal or the XA2. It seems

that their price (2nd and) goes similar. The XA is more expensive.

So, I would like you to give me a recommendation: the Stylus or the

XA2? Which one will give me the best picture quality?

Thanks in advance,

Nuno Campos.

Well, that's a lot of answers, thanks.

I realy don't need a camera with interchangeable lenses. I am not looking for a system (I've choose Nikon SLR's and I don't regret it). Just a little camera and easy to use. But now I have some nice suggestions.

Thanks,

Nuno.

Hi,

Last year I have decided to buy a rangefinder. I wanted a mechanical

camera to take in the car, to use during some walks and to take to

the beach. Unhappily I bought the FED 5B. It is not totally bad

optically but it is weighed and too big. It is a monster! Right now I

am going to sell the FED and buy other camera.

I would like to ask you for some recommendations on a camera. I need

a lightweight and small camera that I could buy with less than 75

USD, and with some optical quality. I have a Nikon FG and I wanted

something smaller, a rangefinder. I have read something on the net

and the Konica Auto S2 seems quite nice. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Nuno Campos

?Join the 21th century and get an AF body. (...) Why buy older/used Nikons MF cameras??

a) Because they are great?

b) Because they are cheap?

c) Because they are great and cheap?

If I were you I would stay out of the MF Nikkors and leave them all to me.

Nuno Campos