jon_b.1

<p>Pentax Spotmatic SPII with Tri-X. Hasn't failed me yet. Simple, lightweight, dependable, and the meter is dead-on with modern batteries. </p>

<p>Ralf, I really LIKED the Solaris 126 film. I ran tons of the stuff through the Instamatic Reflex before it went away. <br>

I was in my local CVS yesterday and not only did they have 400CN B&W, but, oddly enough, they had 3 rolls of fresh Tri-X. At $7.95 for 24 exposures it was not exactly a bargain, but it was there. </p>

<p>Efke/Rollei/Adox have already ceased film and paper production. The announcement is on Freestyle's homepage. This might not be significant to you, unless you shoot 127 format, as they were the last ones still making the stuff. Now's the time to hoard THAT film. I believe Efke was the last company still making 3X4 sheet film as well. In the past few years we've seen the end of 126, 110, and now 127 formats. Minox is not currently making their 8X11 film, although they claim on their website that they plan to resume production when they can find a supplier. Polaroid is dead. (Yes, some wealthy enthusiasts are re-making films for the Polaroid cameras, but the product is horrible). Kodachrome and Ektachrome are gone, and it's very difficult, even in a big city, to find E6 or B&W processing. Yes, the end of film is nigh. It won't be this year, or even next, but it will end sometime. In the meantime, continue to buy fresh film to keep the demand present, shoot lots of pictures, and hope for the best.</p>

<p>If I had one I would certainly use it. Decades ago I bought a used Instamatic Reflex, and over the years took thousands of pictures with it. At first I shot Kodachrome until they stopped making it in 126 in the mid 1980's. Then I shot Kodacolor, and when they stopped making that in 126 I used Ferannia/Solaris. I ran out of that about 2 years ago and, sadly, had to retire the camera. It is surely not the "best" camera I've ever owned, but it is my hands-down Sentimental Favorite. </p>

<p>The camera has been claimed. I am glad to know it will find some use.</p>

<p>I can't use this, maybe you can. It's a Kodak Retina Reflex, the older type that uses...if I am not mistaken...the same front lens elements as the folding Retinas. It does NOT use the same lenses as the later Retina Reflexes or the Instamatic Reflex. I don't have a lens for it, so I've never taken pictures with it, but everything seems to function fine. There are some specks on the mirror, which is probably typical of these cameras, but that won't affect its picture taking. The meter is alive and seems accurate when compared to my hand-held meters. There are no dents or scratches ant the leatherette is intact and in nice shape. And it's free!<br>

I will ship it free to the first person in the Lower 48 U.S. States that asks for it. It is my hope that the recipient will go through his or her cache of equipment and offer up something useful to the Forum to keep the Gear Giveaway thing going. </p><div></div>

<p>Blue Moon Camera in Portland, Oregon or Dan's Camera City in Allentown, Pennsylvania.</p>

<p>Be sure to put fresh batteries in the camera before you load the first roll of film... the electronic shutter depends on them, and even though the mirror flaps and the camera clicks, it won't take a picture without battery power.</p>

<p>Considering that a Holga or Diana costs double that amount, the Yashica A is a bargain. You will certainly get $25 worth of fun out of it.</p>

<p>First of all, thanks to Steven for the Pentax body. I put a "Sears" lens on it, loaded it up with Arista 400, and will give it a go this week.<br>

In the spirit of the "Gear Giveaway" I am offering up, sent free of charge to the lower 48, a Mamiya/Sekor 528TL. The 528TL is a fixed-lens SLR, with a leaf shutter, as opposed to the focal plane shutters found in most SLRs. It also includes the screw-on "wide angle" and "telephoto" lenses, and fitted cases for both the camera and lenses. The meter does not seem to work, but the camera is fully manual and everything else seems to be working fine. And it's FREE.<br>

The catch...offer up something from your vast stores of photo equipment to give away on Photo.net. Something you no longer use, but might be fun or useful to someone else. Email me and let me know what you are offering up and where to send the Mamiya.</p>

<p>I've got a roll-film holder for my 3x4 Speed Graphic. It's called the "Adapt-A-Roll 620". I found it on eBay. I've only used it once, but it worked quite well. It lets you take 8 6X9 or 12 6X6 shots. At some point in its life a previous owner converted it to use 120 film on both the supply and take-up side instead of 620. Also, the camera came with some "No. 3 Adapting Sheaths for Cut Film" made by E. Suydam & Co. of Pasadena, California. They are thin metal plates that hold a sheet of 2X3 film, and then fit into the 3X4 holder. Mostly, though, if I use the camera at all I just use the available Efke 3X4 film, since they carry it at my local camera shop (Freestyle Photo).</p>

<p>I use mine all the time, and take it with me whenever I travel.<br>

The film and processing are available at Blue Moon Camera in Portland, Oregon. <br>

http://www.bluemooncamera.com/index.php</p>

<p>My first real camera (not counting the Diana I bought for .99 when I was in the third grade) was a Ricoh 500G I received for Christmas when I was 13. I was a bit disappointed at first, because I had wanted a Rollei 35, but the camera turned out to take amazing pictures. A few years later I bought a Rollei 35 with money I had saved from mowing lawns. Shortly after that, though, I had to trade to Rollei in on a used Nikkormat, as I was taking a photography course and the teacher insisted I have an SLR. In retrospect, the Rollei would have worked out fine for the course. </p>

<p>I converted mine to use 3 "N" batteries, with battery holders purchased at Radio Shack. They fit into the chamber with no trimming.</p>

<p>Sears TLS. A bullet-proof camera that uses M42 screw-mount lenses and can be had for about $10-$20.</p>

<p>I bought an 18" X 24" sheet of red acetate at the art supply store for $3...it will do thousands of red windows.</p>

<p>I was just guessing, really. My Instamatic Reflex and Brownie Fiesta R4 use PX825s, and my Instamatic 800 uses the N. The advantage of the 825s was they were not as leaky as the AAAs of the period. Back then AAAs would leak like madmen after a very short time in the camera, while 825s could stay dry in the camera for years.</p>

<p>I don't know that particular camera, but many of the Kodaks used the PX825 batteries, which were about the size of a big button, and some used the N size battery which is about half the size of a AAA. The latter can be had at Radio Shack or the larger drug store chains, the former is pricey and hard to find...$10 each at Photobattery.com.</p>

<p>I've been using the Brownie Twin-20. I guess I want my kid's Christmas photos to lok like mine, and It's fun to see people rub their eyes after that flashbulb goes off.</p><div></div>

<p>Chris, I have no insights on the camera, but in the future, try rolling your own 620 film. It only takes a few minutes to roll 120 onto a 620 spool. Also, next time you are in L.A. check out the Travel Town Museum in Griffith Prark, if you haven't already. They have a great colletion of locomotives, and it is a great place to test out your cameras...and it's free.</p>

Great Presentation! My son is 7 and gets pretty annoyed with me snapping away at him...I always tell him he will thank me someday.

If you want to get it fixed...and live in the L.A. area...take it to Walter's Camera Repairs on Cesar Chavez near Chinatown. http://walterscamerarepairs.com/

He is a great old guy, honest, and he won't charge you a dime to look at it. I might be worthwhile to spend a bit more fixing it, than to take a chance on another one.

I live near Freestyle also, and it is always a pleasant experience going in there.

This question might get more response on the Minox forum. I still use my Minox...the film (8.5mm actually, not 16mm) is still available in the U.S. via Frugal Photographer, Blue Moon Camera, and...if I am not mistaken...B&H. The processing is available via mail order from Blue Moon Camera. I am not sure if Minox Labs in the U.S. is still in business, but no matter...their service is horrible. My last roll sent to them took over 5 months. If you have a cartridge and want to spool your own, Goathill Photo in Colorado sills bulk film slit to size, and there are film slitters available for about $30 on eBay.

I still use mine (Minox B), but the film and processing issues keep me from using it very much anymore. I suspect it won't be long before the film will no longer be available. I tried developing and scanning my own B&W, but I did not get very good results, so I just shoot the color film and send it out to Blue Moon Camera for processing. I still love the camera, and I will surely take it with me on vacation this summer.

The Yashica A and Plus-X are a very good combo. If you are ever in Los Angeles, check out the Travel Town Museum in Griffith Park...they have a great collection of locomotives.