glenn_stauffer1

Sounds like a neat idea.

I have an Olympus XA2 with flash that I'd donate to the project. Simple little camera that should hold up just fine and weighs next to nothing. Not much room for people to engrave a name, though the back is just painted metal with no leatherette covering.

--Glenn

I have a non-auto 12 back, but no instructions for loading it. I

searched around on the net and can find out how to load 220 film in it

(why I bought this back), but not 120. Anyway, here is what I am doing:

1) load film on insert and wind onto take-up spool until the double

arrows show.

2) insert take-up spool into the magazine

3) wind backwards to set the counter to one

4) pop-up the rear hatch and advance the film while watching in the

peep hole until I see the number 1

5) reset the counter to one

Correct procedure?

Thanks, Glenn

I asked a similar question on another forum. I've been using a Minolta Dual IV with mixed results. What was recommended to me was the Epson 4870 - soon to be 4990 in the states. I'm waiting until the 4990 hits the shelves or until I confirm that the only change is to the size of teh scan area and not a change in the light system. If the scanner is basically the same as the 4870 but able to handle larger transparencies, I'll look for the 4870 on sale.

--Glenn

There are plenty of M6's around, so if the seller is being difficult about a small detail like this, go elsewhere. What does it take, like 5 minutes, to take a digital photo and email it to someone?

Watch those M6's with the plastic film counter! I bought one before I knew better and sent it back once under the seller's warranty only to have the film counter go out almost as soon as I got it back. It has now been nearly a month since my camera went back to have the problem fixed the second time. Next time it breaks, I'll take over the little window until it is time for a CLA.

Glenn

Thanks for the replies. Actually, it is the C lens, the one that came with the camera, that has excessive play in the focus. Given that the C lenses are going to be irreperable at some point and this one has a some problems, I'm going to look at selling it. KEH lists a C in bargain condition for $325 - any chance I'd get that much for it on ebay?

Glenn

Is the CF lens significantly improved for outdoors use? I'm thinking about the coatings and how they handle flare.

How is the price at $425 for the CF lens? Could I expect to get over $300 for my C lens? It is in nice condition; I've noticed that there seems to be some slop in the focus, though.

--Glenn

I have a Hasselblad 500C/M that came with an early planar C lens. An

opportunity has arisen to buy a 80mm CF lens for $425 and I'm

wondering if it is a worthwhile upgrade to get a newer lens and sell

my C lens to recover some of the cost.

Thanks for any advice,

Glenn

A friendly Leica seller has posted information about these sellers on ebay. The posts get removed periodically since they don't really offer anything for sale and ebay doesn't like publicity about these scams.

I would suggest as others have that 0 feedback sellers are to be avoided at all costs. Also, check feedback for stuff that doesn't look right. A friend of mine got excited about a trombone purchase from a seller who had about 35 positive feedback listings. I took a look at it and pointed out to my friend that this feedback was all obtained very recently and most of it was related to small dollar purchases. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these folks create a feedback loop where small items are exchanged - or just small amounts of money - to build a good feedback profile.

I've had relatively good experiences on ebay but I steer wide of the suspicious deals.

Glenn

I just obtained a Leica M6 body and am starting to think about the

lenses I should buy to build out a nice system at a reasonable cost.

I have a small collection of screw-mount Leica lenses: Summaron

35/3.5, Summitar 50/2, Elmar 90/4, and Hektor 135/4. These are all

from the mid-1950's and were obtained new by my father with his Leica

IIIF - I'll keep them and have them cleaned up to make them useable

again (some show internal fogging). I also bought a newish

Voigtlander 21mm lens a few months ago. Given this combination, I'm

starting to think about what other lenses to add to the mix. The M6

will be my every day camera and my real interest is in street and

people shots that I take to document my travels. Most of my existing

screw-mount lenses are a bit on the slow side which is a constraint

I'd like to live without, but I don't want to spend a ton of money -

I'd actually like to keep the cost of a couple of extra lenses below

$1000.

Any suggestions? Some of the new Voigtlanders? What older Leica

lenses are worth picking up used? Any other m or screw mount lenses

worth looking at? Do those screw-mount to m-mount adapters work OK or

are they a pain?

Thanks, Glenn

I picked up a Zuiko 35-105 f3.5-4.5 lens on ebay and I'm not satisfied

with the way the aperature control works. If I hold the ring at 3 and

9 o'clock, the control is stiff and rough - it works through the

range, but not smoothly. If I hold the ring at 12 and 6, it works

smoothly. I have agreement from the seller that I can return it for a

refund, but, before I do, I'm trying to determine if the lens is in

need of repair or this is just characteristic of this lens model. This

particular lens is in nice shape otherwise and does not appear to have

been dropped.

Any idea what causes the aperature control to work like this?

Thanks, Glenn

I picked up a Zuiko 35-105 f3.5-4.5 lens on ebay and I'm not satisfied

with the way the aperature control works. If I hold the ring at 3 and

9 o'clock, the control is stiff and rough - it works through the

range, but not smoothly. If I hold the ring at 12 and 6, it works

smoothly. I have agreement from the seller that I can return it for a

refund, but, before I do, I'm trying to determine if the lens is in

need of repair or this is just characteristic of this lens model.

This particular lens is in nice shape otherwise and does not appear to

have been dropped.

Any idea what causes the aperature control to work like this?

Thanks, Glenn