terry_scott

Most SLRs are noisy. That includes the OM-1, of which I have one in fine working order. But it's nowhere near as noisy as some SLRs.

 

Talking of Minoltas (someone mentioned the X-700), consider the XE-1 and XE-5. They're quite low-level in the noise stakes. They have a beautifully smooth winding mechanism, too - and were the basis for the Leica R3.

Is the Minolta Auto 280PX flashgun compatible with the Minolta 9000?

I have one for my Minolta X-700 but have also bought a 9000 - and it

would be good if it's compatible.

 

Thanks in advance...

Thanks, Mark - that's encouraging. I'll certainly use them.

Thanks, everyone, for all the suggestions.

 

What I finally received was the following, and I'm running it below (edited a bit) in case it's also of use to anyone else.

 

"The Scala Processing service in London - carried out until February 2003 by Joe's Basement - was moved a new lab, Primary Colour, in April of the same year.

 

"Primary Colour Ltd is one of London's most respected professional

laboratories.

 

"Scala users with pre-paid processing mailers to Joe's Basement need to re-address the mailers and send them to: Agfa Scala Processing Service, Primary Colour Ltd, PO Box 39098, London E2 8WD.

 

"They will accept pre-paid mailers with the old address as proof of payment for processing.

 

"Processing of Scala takes place at Primary Colour's city branch: Primary City, 80 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DP. (Telephone: 020 7729 4949.)

 

"Full detail of Scala processing prices and additional services such as mounting, Scala to CD, and prints from Scala are available on the

laboratory website: www.primary-uk.com

Thanks for the info - much appreciated. I'll follow it up tomorrow (it's getting late here).

 

By the way, the film I have (like a roll I shot years ago) has a Joe's Basement mailer. But I'm interested in getting it processed, or doing it myself, regardless.

I have a roll of 35mm Agfa Scala 200 sitting in the fridge. It's

about time I used it - I got it to check out Dr Land's theories

about color and simply didn't get around to making the experiment.

 

Till now. Trouble is, here in the UK, the lab that used to handle

the processing of this film, Joe's Basement, appears to have folded.

 

Can anyone tell me who in the U.K. can process this film? Or, if not

in the U.K...anywhere?

 

Or, failing that, does anyone know how to process the stuff? (I

assume that Scala used a chemical reversal in its process, but don't

know that for a fact.)

Nice pictures. I can imagine what they might look like blown up nice 'n' large. I have had Mamiyaflexes and loved the results I got, especially with the 55mm, 80mm and 135mm lenses.

Thanks for the tip, Mark.

Thanks for your suggestions. I had a look at the first website you mentioned, and the Jessop 280ABZ has: 'No' in the key column, followed by '70V measured by "TomCee" Cramer, 249V from Mark Butler.'

 

I'll take a look at the second site you mention...

I need a hot-shoe flashgun that's suitable for my Fujifilm FinePix

S7000.

 

Fuji don't market a gun for this camera. In the instruction book,

the only relevant comment is: "Ordinary external flash units can be

used. However, some camera-specific flash units cannot be used."

 

But I'm a little suspicious. I'd like to be sure that a gun I have*

or would buy will not frizzle the camera's electronics (e.g., by

having too high a trigger voltage). Any thoughts?

 

* Apart from camera-dedicated guns (Nikon, Pentax), I have a Jessops

280ABZ, a Rokinon 18 M and a Sunpak DC3.

First of all, hearty thanks to you all for your helpful comments.

 

Somehow, my XE-5 is working again. Maybe it's because I put it on my lap this evening while I watched an old Star Trek: Next Generation episode on tape. Perhaps it's a fan.

 

Well, I think that, when the problem manifested originally, I had turned the camera on - but I can't swear so right now. Later, even with the camera definitely switched on, it still wouldn't fire.

 

An hour ago, I tried checking the batteries: pressed the switch at the left end of the top-plate cover. Nice, bright glow.

 

With the camera still turned on, I wound the self-timer arm fully (again) and pressed its button. The arm continued all the way! Success! The shutter fired - and it's now firing every time, with or without self-timer.

 

So first and last, very many thanks for your interest and suggestions.

First of all, hearty thanks to you all for your helpful comments.

 

Somehow, my XE-5 is working again. Maybe it's because I put it on my lap this evening while I watched an old Star Trek: Next Generation episode on tape. Perhaps it's a fan.

 

The thought about the on-off switch might be more relevant. I think that, when the problem manifested, I had turned the camera on - but I can't swear so right now.

 

Later, even with the camera definitely switched on, it still wouldn't fire.

 

Then, an hour ago, I tried checking the batteries: pressed the switch at the left end of the top-plate cover. Nice, bright glow.

 

With the camera still turned on, I wound the self-timer arm fully (again) and pressed its button. The arm continued all the way! Success! The shutter fired - and it's now firing every time, with or without self-timer.

 

So first and last, very many thanks for your interest and suggestions.

My Minolta XE-5's self-timer has gone up the creek. Can anyone

suggest some gentle bit of repair I might do to fix it?

Camera was working fine. I was just finishing a roll of Ilford Delta

100. Wound the shutter, then wound the (mechanical) self-timer - and

pressed the s-t button. Buzzed happily away for a few moments then

stalled.

 

So the self-timer hasn't run down and the shutter won't release.

 

It's possible to wind the s-t arm back to full start position and

set it going again. But it stops again, partway through its cycle.

 

So - help! Please...

(Red face.) Gulp! You have a point, Dan. In my Haste For Help, I'd overlooked the fact that the XE-5 isn't quite _that_ old. Yes, it's around the mid-Seventies, come to recall. Sorry, folks.

My Minolta XE-5's self-timer has gone up the creek. Can anyone

suggest some gentle bit of repair I might do to fix it?

 

Camera was working fine. I was just finishing a roll of Ilford Delta

100. Wound the shutter, then wound the (mechanical) self-timer - and

pressed the s-t button. Buzzed happily away for a few moments then

stalled.

 

So the self-timer hasn't run down and the shutter won't release.

 

It's possible to wind the s-t arm back to full start position and

set it going again. But it stops again, partway through its cycle.

 

So - help! Please...

P.S.: The Minister III has strap lugs so you're okay on that point.

 

But consider too a wriststrap that fixes into the tripod screw. I kept one when (years ago) I let go of a Minoltina cine camera that it came with. It's a better bit o' kit than many a neckstrap.

For a fairly lightweight 35mm coupled rangefinder (c.r.f.) from the '60s, one I'd recommend is a Yashica Minister III.

 

I have one. Good lens - a five-element 45mm f/2.8. The meter has a selenium cell, so no (mercury) batteries to worry about. Mechanically-timed speeds from 1 to 1/500 plus B. Handles nicely.

 

Mine is almost spotless and works well. If you find one, check out (among other things) that the self-timer works smoothly. Also look for any haze on the viewfinder glass. If all is well and the price is right, go-for-it.

The thing that caught my eye in the NY Times bit (in the excerpt for un-registered people like I) is: "...discontinue its Kodachrome Super 8 film in favor of a new Ektachrome product."

 

A _new_ Ektachrome product, eh? That could be A Good Thing.

 

BTW, for those of you in the U.K.: In my local Jessops, the Kettering branch, last week there were several rolls of Kodachrome Super 8 in the film display. I was surprised. Amazed, even.

 

Admission, though: I no longer have Super 8 gear. I do have an ancient Bolex standard/regular 8; for which it was possible a few years back to still get black-and-white film, from Tony shapps' WideScreen Centre.

Post Script: I chose Mailshots. Three of you suggested them. And they are right up to the mark! Rang them just after lunch and, yes, they had Astia 100F. He said they'd go in First Class mail at 3 o'clock - and it did. Reached me the next morning.

 

Three fresh rolls of film, nicely packed, all in date (and same date). I'll use Mailshots again.

 

Thanks everyone for your help.

Many thanks for your ideas. Much appreciated. I'll sort them out and try, try, try again!

I'm in England and would like to buy a few rolls of Fuji Astia 100F.

I've tried ordering through my local Jessops (two-month wait -

eventual screw-up in their warehouse) and through a company on

Guernsey (long, long wait and still waiting for their stock to come

in).

 

I just want to ring or e-mail someone reliable, order the film, and

get it by mail nice and fresh two-three days later. Help...? :-)

Do a search: Praktica MTL3.

 

You will find, among other sites:

 

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/praktica_mtl3/praktica_mtl3-splash.htm

 

There, scroll down and you'll find: 'Functional range of the automatic exposure control system'. You'll get a clue from that section.

Where, when...? Who, what...? Looks like a touch of the photojournalisms!

The pictures are great, especially the first one. Thanks for sharing 'em.

If you're on a budget and you want the Best Buy for your Buck, consider: Zorki-4K (which you then get CLA'd) plus 35mm, 50mm and 135mm Russian/whatever lenses. For good measure, get a clip-on viewfinder that gives fields-of-view for these. Add a few filters and lens-hoods.

 

(Alternatives to the inexpensive Zorki include the Fed-2 and -3.)

 

For your hard-earned cash, you'll have a _system_, not just a camera.