borrel1

<p>Do it! You won't regret it. I had my bellows and lightmeter wires fixed by Plaubel in Germany. My 67 is usually chosen before the Hasselblad, Rolleiflex or Mamiya Universal because of portability. The results are also astounding: http://abdallah.hiof.no/2010_montejaque/html/20100806_061300.html</p>

<p>A changing bag indeed. If you use film regularly, it's the best investment after your camera. To make it really useful, get a large one for emergencies like you have now for loading tanks for home development. The larger the better. It can get quite clammy when loading several reels. And also get a small one for travel. When in Amsterdam some years ago, I stripped the perforations at the last frame putting me in much the same situation you are in. Went into a photography shop just before closing time and asked if they could help. Same answer as you got. But when asked if they had a changing bag someone lit up and brought it out of a shelf. None of them knew how to use it. 3 minutes later I had the film back in the cassette, all smiles. Now my smallest changing bag always comes travelling. It's a life saver.</p>

<p>Medium format for street photography? You need something light, unobtrusive, and above all quiet. The only camera that fits that description would be one of the TLRs like a Rolleiflex / Rolleicord or Yashicamat. If you have to hold the camera to your eye, they have "sports finders", but the real advantage of the TLR is the unobtrusiveness of the waist level finder. You'll get used to the reverse image quickly and the shutter is virtually silent. Get a Yashicamat to see if you like it and then exchange it for a Rolleiflex for better quality. The Rolleis were so well made they last forever - and there are still quite a few reliable repairshops.</p>

<p>Anywhere in Europe these meters can be repaired?</p>

<p>The Ai Spoiler has been sitting on my desk for over a year and the other day I slit my first films, which was surprisingly easy. Before going through the logistics of the operation, I didn't realise how easy it actually is. Having loaded the 35mm cassette with the requisite length of film, the only part of the operation requiring a changing bag was the slitting itself and inserting the two rolls into the film side of the Minox cassettes. The rest was done in daylight. However, I worry that the foam pressure plate of the slitter will accumulate enough debris or abrasive particles over time to cause scratches and am therefore looking into getting a roller type slitter instead.</p>

<p><a href="http://abdallah.hiof.no/photography/minox/filmslitter.jpg"><img src="http://abdallah.hiof.no/photography/minox/filmslitter.jpg" alt="Al Spoil filmslitter for Minox" width="960" /></a>My "Al Spoil" film slitter for 9.2mm Minox film.</p>

<p>This is my rig for 135: <a href="http://abdallah.hiof.no/pb-4/">http://abdallah.hiof.no/pb-4/</a> You would have to compensate for the APS-C size sensor. I use a Micro-Nikkor 55/3.5 lens (not mounted in the picture) which is sufficient to digitize 120 with no additional tubes or bellows. (But that does require a different setup to hold the 120 film or slides.) My light source is a Kick (Rift Labs.) LED panel.</p>

<p><strong><a href="http://tinyurl.com/qbxb4kq/">http://tinyurl.com/qbxb4kq</a></strong></p>

I think Sais needs to tell us what form of Polaroids (s)he wants to scan - positive print or 665/55 negatives.

On an Epson 4990 (now V70?): http://abdallah.hiof.no/mamiya-665/index.html

 

-Børre

<p>Please keep us posted about your results. And when you're done, maybe you could look into printing a proper filmholder (that holds the film flat) to scan Minox filmstrips in a Nikon filmscanner?</p>

<p>What to use an SX-70 for? Why, pictures of course! Delicious pictures! http://abdallah.hiof.no/photography/sx-70/ There is something magical about the SX-70 that makes it, along with the Cousteau-Cagnan underwater breathing regulator, one of the ultimate achievements of 20th century analog technology. That it also produces instant and lasting images of its environment, makes it a miracle fulfilled. The master of integral film "instant" photography was of course, Andrei Tarkovsky: <strong>http://tinyurl.com/8v8evoh </strong></p>

<p>An interesting and fascinating story from many "points of view"! http://abdallah.hiof.no/20081204-sasse/<br>

- Børre</p>

There is plenty of good film on the market. Since the demise of Kodachrome, Kodak offerings have been mediocre to say

the least. There are plenty developers too, but I will be sad to lose HC110, although someone is sure to make a

replacement, barring some patent trick. The death of Kodak's film business is actually quite good news for those of us still

using film. It strengthens our present suppliers, those that have had the sense to downscale, concentrate on good

products and stay away from financial acrobatics.

 

- Børre

I've ordered an Al Spoiler.

<p>Thanks to all. That just about confirms my own research on the net. I was hoping that maybe Julian had discovered where his "Unknown Brand" slitter comes from, and that there might be a hoard of them somewhere. :-)<br>

- Børre</p>

<p>I am in dire need of a film slitter. Does anyone have one for sale? Know where I can get one? The only thing I can find on the net is Goat Hill's "Al Spoil" slitter. Any source for the ZipSLit? Julian's Russian roller slitter? An ACMEL slitter? <br>

- Børre</p>

<p>The 250/5's focusing ring turns a little bit (ca. 10°) further than the 4m mark, but the split image in the viewfinder stops moving at 4m (13' 1.5"). As observed on the ground glass at f=5, the lens focuses sharply at 35cm closer than 4m , i.e. 3.65m (144"/12') - but there is no way of ascertaining that closest focus distance in the viewfinder. So it's the opposite of your statement above, it will focus to 12', but the viewfinder is only accurate to 13' 1.5". The DoF tables in Robb Smith's "Mamiya Professional Systems Handbook" (Amphoto, 1974) indicates closest focus at f5 to be 11' 8" and at f45 9' 9.5".</p>

Difficult to know when the thumbwheel clogs up and even worse when the dreaded "shutter fault error" turns up. However,

if you know of a place other than its very expensive ancestral home that can repair these things, the M8 is a wonderful

camera. Especially with a good 40mm like the Summicron-C or CV 40/1.4 and IR-filters ("normal" lens with useful DoF) it

makes wonderful pictures. http://abdallah.hiof.no/2009_paestum/html/20091122_104141.html

 

- Børre

I'll put mine on my Super 23 with a ground glass focusing screen and get back to you in a day or two.

 

- Børre

<p>Or pressure them to enact a law of <a href="http://www.miljostatus.no/en/Topics/Outdoor-recreation/Right-of-access-/">"Right of Access"</a>.</p>

<p>- Børre</p>

<p>Same problem with my M6TTL. Changed film, took pictures, developed and found them all overexposed by 2 stops -- which was confirmed with my Pentax spotmeter and M9. Racked the old brain until reading this thread. Turned the ASA dial a couple of times. Lo and behold, the readings are correct again.</p>

<p>This thread just saved me the hassle and cost of sending it off for a check and estimate. Thanks!</p>

<p>However, I too suffer from "rapid depletion battery". It's OK under 3V, but not too far. But I HAVE to make sure the speed dial is set to "OFF" if the camera is anywhere near a human being with a wound shutter. The slightest pressure on the release and the battery is drained in no time if the shutter is wound. On my M9, I'm constantly forgetting to turn the power switch off and it really doesn't matter. The camera just goes to sleep. With the M6 I can't even carry it under a shirt or jacket ready to shoot.</p>

<p>Is there any way of adjusting the release on the M6 to make it slightly less responsive? Something like the M8/M9? And can the detent on the speed dial be removed so that it can be turned off in either direction?</p>

<p>- Børre</p>

<p>This one is absolutely free and very reliable: <a href="http://tomchuk.com/rf_hfd/index.php">http://tomchuk.com/rf_hfd/index.php</a></p>

<p>Here is a simple guide for a <a href="http://abdallah.hiof.no/photography/minox/minox-reel/">DIY film carrier adapter</a> to develop 8x11mm Minox film in a standard 35mm tank:</p>

<p><a href="http://abdallah.hiof.no/photography/minox/minox-reel/index.html"><img src="http://abdallah.hiof.no/photography/minox/minox-reel/20100329_122951.jpg" alt="" width="360" /></a><br>

<a href="http://abdallah.hiof.no/photography/minox/minox-reel/">Click the picture for step-by-step instructions</a>. Total cost should be less than $3<br>

<br /><br /> - Børre</p>

<p>Echoing the above, there appears to be plenty of 127 diapositive film available: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/yzbkzmf">http://tinyurl.com/yzbkzmf</a>.<br>

Also echoing the above, there are some really nice 4x4 Rolleiflexes available at reasonable prices. There is also the Yashica 44 which is cheaper than the Baby Rolleiflex and the Minolta Miniflex which is way more expensive for some odd reason. (Probably collectors.)<br>

There were also a few 4x4 scale focus cameras made in the 30's and 50's. However the 4x4 TLRs dominated the 4x4 quality camera format. They are wonderfully compact cameras with great lenses. Especially the Rolleiflex is excellent and should not be too difficult to have maintained either. As I recall they were often sold with a metal hardshell case too. The camera is so small and light that it makes a modern DSLR look positively huge.<br>

- Børre</p>