michael_linn

I would recommend that you start here: https://rickoleson-brightscreen.com/ Ciro was based here in Delaware, Ohio until going out of business in the 1950's. -Mike

Some of the batteries of that era would out-gas when failing, and corrode the wiring to the battery compartment. That is the first place I would look. The second place for a problem (less likely) would be the connection to the metering cell. The entire circuit is very simple. Good Luck!

My opinion:

The Nikkormat gets good reviews here, but it is basically a Ricoh Singlex at heart. Same shutter, similar metering, similar all metal construction, but open to the whole realm of M42 lenses. Just another alternative, of course, and of course lower status.

Petri Color 35

Thinking back to my years of repairing cameras, I am remembering some instances of this. The cause of the desilvering could not always be easily determined. It might have been a bad day at the factory, perhaps an environmental issue (humidity, temperature, etc.) not obviously determined. Or it might have been something as simple as using cello tape to affix the prism; an issue found on a number of FT series Canon cameras, and always fatal to any silvering in contact. Of course if the desilvering was the only negative impact on the camera, from whatever source, it was probably still capable of making good photographs, once the user was determined to work around the image in the viewfinder. And I am not picking on Canon..... I think it was a short run of the FT series which had the problem. I had an FT-Bn in the same time period for several years and never had any problem with it. For those contemplating having a prism resilvered, I would only say that you might easily buy a parts camera with a good prism and get the prism "grafted" into your target camera for much less cost.....

Delaware County, Ohio Court House with original jail behind on left. Petri FT II, 55mm F 1.8

That's correct. The advertised B & H prices were basically the "street" prices, as were the "call for price" examples. As a Leica AG employee back then I was able to buy cameras, microscopes, etc. at a 20% employee discount, with an occasional bump beyond that. But I worked in the instrument division, which was based in Switzerland then, and had only a passing connection with the camera group. But I still seem to have a couple R3's around here somewhere; maybe a IId, perhaps a DL2... ;)

You need to grade off into the unknown.... Better than the Rollei according to many: Unlike the Rollei, controls where you would expect to find them, and a flash where you would want it. Also a good four element Tessar formula lens. And a Petri is almost always inexpensive! And then there is Ciro: Made right here in Delaware, Ohio, about the time I was. The twin lens Ciroflex is also a classic 120 camera, in several versions. Also inexpensive. Good hunting!

Wow, an ancient thread I responded to over 16 years ago! I'll stick with what I said back then and add that I agree with what Rick Oleson and John Goodman said back then. Having serviced some of these, I can say that they are mechanically very (perhaps overly) complex and time consuming to service. If you find a "bargain" today, it will likely need a major service episode to get it working properly. Today, it's not just the cost of service, but even finding someone to actually do it.

It's an interesting topic. I guess I would lean toward the Contax-Yashica approach. The original RTS and the Yashica FR series were a lot more similar than advertised at the time. The shutters were essentially the same. The touted 1/2000 shutter speed of the RTS was actually available on the FR I and even the lowly FR II, when set on auto with the needle pegged in sufficient light. I remember servicing many of these cameras and seeing a clean and honest 1/2000 speed on the digital tester, just like the RTS. The FR series had one small weak spot, which was small nylon gear in the frame counter, which always failed after a passage of time. If that has been repaired, and the light seals and mirror bumper replaced, an FR I could be the basis of a good system. But any of these 35mm cameras are likely 20 years or more old and really need a thorough examination before serious use. For years, by photo backpack consisted of two Contax 139 bodies and a variety of Distagons, Planars, etc.

<p>Yes, the Distagon should work with this camera.</p> <p>So the question is, does the lens work correctly on another Contax or Yashica body?</p>

<p>Quite well, thank you.</p> <p>I am a retired pensioner from the company which developed and commercially introduced the 35mm camera.</p>

<p>Learning photography at a real school is a lot of work and should only be done at the college level.</p> <p>I did that in 1969 at a four year university which assigned photography to the school of applied science. There were instructors in this school who HAD NEVER GIVEN AN "A" in their entire career. Luckily not in photography. College was actually like that back then</p> <p>The course was technically and artistically challenging. Most of the fine arts majors decamped in the two week period allowed for dropping the course. I stuck it out and got one of the rare "A" grades the instructor awarded. It was a lot of hard work and that is what real photography actually is. Don't settle for less.</p>

<p>It's unlikely that you will find a really crap lens in Nikon F mount.</p> <p>Lashing something up with glue and gum bands might not be the best approach.</p> <p>I'd recommend getting an F mount body cap, drilling a small hole in it, and heading out with a pinhole camera.</p>

<p>I agree with Keith.</p> <p>It's definitely a shutter capping issue; the second shutter curtain is catching up with the first.</p> <p>Also looks like a hinge-end light seal leak. Have the whole thing gone over. It's worth repairing.</p>

<p>If the lens was otherwise returned to fully working condition, it might be a good time to ask the repairer to adjust the lens for proper infinity focus.</p> <p>It is a straightforward adjustment. It is not a helicoid or mount problem at this point.</p> <p>It has to focus on an M42 mount camera for starters. The rest, if any, will logically follow.</p>

<p>Great stuff!</p> <p>I knew that my original post would stir up a hornet's nest of responses, but what is most telling is that whether Canon, or Nikon, or something else, all of the cameras and lenses are better cameras and lenses than the posters replying are photographers. </p> <p>Great photographers dwell little on cameras. Great chefs don't dwell on which pans they use.</p> <p>Those relying on "brands" miss the whole point of photography. </p>

<p>Sony gets poor marks as it is not Nikon or Canon.<br> Sony, however, makes all of the sensors fro Nikon and Canon, so the actual question is not really about Nikon or Canon.</p> <p>It's about who will survive. In current terms, Nikon is a very small and undiversified company, dependent on Sony and other suppliers.</p> <p>Canon is much larger, and more diversified, but still dependent on Sony for sensors and survival on the new digital age. Only time will tell... It's not so much about Sony today, but who can buy and implement a Sony sensor, and have the best firmware to harness it..</p> <p>It is unlikely that anyone's current opinion about a current vendor, and the related popularity, will amount to much downstream...</p> <p>Writing off Sony, or even Panasonic, in the current phase would be problematic and unwise...</p>

<p>Further to what has already been said, which covers the details of mounting M42 lenses to your camera, I only want to say that I have been using some classic M42 lenses for years with my Sony Alpha digital cameras.</p> <p>Not really specific to your question, but just an encouragement to get an adapter or two and give it a try.</p> <p>You may be pleasantly surprised! I was.</p>

<p>Thanks JDM!</p> <p>This thread will run for a while. Good topic and lead-in.</p> <p>All of the lenses I own and use regularly were made on a Wednesday.</p>

<p>I think the ultimate for light weight and compact size is a rollfilm folder.<br> I carried a 6x4.5 folder for years when hiking. It fit in my pocket. There are too many fine classic folders in different 6x formats to even start to list here, but they might be worth a look.</p>

<p>If the 58mm Rokkor PF is the f1.2, it definitely has a value (in the hundreds of dollars) and a future somewhere.</p>

<p>Not all weddings turn out to be universally happy events.</p> <p>Ten weeks out it is probable that the photos have been distributed to all of the interested parties, and some are not happy with their lack of prominence in the portfolio. I agree with the previous posters who have suggested that, at this point, you have no further obligation to the bride. She was likely already set up as the target of issues of which you had no prior knowledge or responsibility. You are not the actual target so don't assume that you own anything like that. Move on to the next project.</p> <p>Good Luck!</p>

<p><strong>Try covering the gap around the film door with black PVC tape, especially over the hinge.</strong><br> That is certainly good advice. As you move forward with this camera, you might next check to see if the shutter is capping. Remove the lens, open the back, and while aimed at a nice evenly lit neutral surface (perhaps a wall), fire the shutter at 1/1000 second and observe if the field of view appears to be evenly illuminated. If so great; if not some service is in order, not unusual for a 30+ year old camera. I would also recommend checking the ttl light meter against a known good standard (not another 30 year old camera).<br /> Having serviced more than a few of this model 15-20 years ago I can say that it is a robust mechanical design typical of it's era. The usual lens as I recall was a 50/1.9 DSB, a good performer. If you have a 50/1.7 ML or 50/1.4 ML, you have a very fine lens indeed.<br /> My point is that, with the cost of film and processing these days, make sure that the camera is in good order prior to dropping a significant amount of money on the project. Jon Goodman is a good place to start regarding light seals. It can be a good do-it-yourself project but if you are also dealing with a failed mirror bumper with stuff on the focusing screen, understand that cleaning a Yashica screen with alcohol will likely ruin it. Stick with Ronsonol or equivalent.<br /> Good Luck!</p>