jim_gardner4

I didn't want to make this a public post but,,, having been a member for many years I have seen the site change over the years. Doing some banking recently I can see I have been charged twice for this years membership. It took a long time to find a "contact" tab but when I click it I get a mainly dark screen with no option to email. Could there be an easier way to get in touch or send an email to admins? Can I have one of the two yearly subscriptions refunded please? Thanks, Jim.

Just found the answer. Shutter release button must be kept pressed until exposure is complete.

I dug my 503cw out today and almost immediately jammed it when I released the shutter without the lens fully engaged. Fortunately I removed the film back and could clearly see the "cocking" screw, gave that a turn and all was well,,,I thought. After unjamming I wound and fired the camera a few times but noticed that on slower speeds, say 1 second, the rear curtains close if I release the shutter button before the exposure is complete. Now I cant remember if it was always the case that I must keep the shutter release button held in for the full duration of the exposure or if I should be able to release it immediately and expect the curtains to stay open for the full 1 second. I hope that makes sense and hope you can help. Many thanks,Jim.

orsetto, that's very helpful, thank you. I will make some calls and get prices. As another option, I may buy a lens on eBay and have a go at taking it to bits myself with a view to doing my rough one next. Thanks again.

Having decided it was time to start using my Mamiya C330f again I thought I would run through the shutter speeds etc on the 3 lenses I use. All were ok except the 80mm blue dot which now has a really rough noisy movement to the aperture ring. Can anyone recommend somewhere in the UK that they have used to repair/service this lens? I have looked on the web but, as usual, it seems everyone and his brother services every make of camera/lens ever made. Unfortunately as we all know, what the advert says and what some people can actually do, are often not the same. I would appreciate any advice/recommendation from someone who has had work done on a Mamiya tlr lens. I would much prefer getting this one repaired than buying another, to avoid the possibility of being in the same situation soon after buying a s/h lens.

Brian and Jean, Thank you for your posts and information. What a shame Ricoh dont repair them.I guess I will have to use it sparingly and hope, one day, a name comes up that will repair.

Many thanks for your reply. Yes it is a film camera and it would be easy to get a simple point and shoot. However, my interest is in film not digital. This camera has an amazing, razor sharp lens and I like to use it. s/h on ebay they are going for around £700. Also it has been around Africa with me on many occasions and I am attached to it. As I regularly develop and print all my b+w films, getting that done is no issue at all.

Hi, I have a Ricoh GR1v which I have used on and off for many years. I tried it yesterday after not using it for a couple of years and found the top lcd was not showing some segments and it sounds a bit rough when advancing film. It really is a great camera and the lens is razor sharp. Does anyone know of a company in the uk that could repair these cameras? I did a search of Ricoh but they seem to have moved away from cameras and especially film cameras. Many thanks, Jim.

Conrad, Thanks for your reply. I think I will send it off and get a couple of quotes. These cameras become old friends after a while and I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to it yet.

Andrew, I hope you do start collecting. High quality film cameras are cheap now and if you get hold of a vintage bulb type flash gun as well its great fun. Decent MF, LF and ULF can be had for sensible money too. I have a 16"x20" and the results are mind blowing.

Thanks for that Sandy. I will look into it.

Nikon UK not interested nor are some of the "Top" Nikon repair centres in the UK. One wont even look at the F4

JDMvW, Thank you for your reply. It does hold some sentimental value so I will keep looking for recommendations. I may try Aperture in London.

Sorry to post a year after your question but yes, I have used Sover Wong and have to say he is fantastic. He send a CD of photos of my camera in various stages of repair, didn't charge too much and -most importantly- did a brilliant job.

Well it's years since I posted on here but I have been thinking recently about trying to make some time to get back in the darkroom. Last night I decided to get a Nikon out rather than the MF or LF that I have been using. I also set aside an hour to "exercise" some of the cameras as I believe it's not good for them to sit idle for really long periods. The third camera out was my gorgeous Nikon F that I love to pieces. I fired the shutter on various speeds, locked the mirror, tried self timer and then it all went wrong! The film advance lever moves, the mirror comes up but the shutter curtains don't move at all. This results in the camera never cocking. I'm desperate to get it mended properly as I love using it. Sover Wong would be my choice but I understand he only does F2s. Could anyone recommend a really good UK based repair company that they have experience of please?

Hi, I have just been browsing the site after a lay off of about 6 or 7 years. Wow, its changed a lot! I am having a bit of trouble navigating the "new" site and have a few questions. 1. I seem to remember that years ago I could click on something like "my forums" which would list the forums I was most interested in and leave out those I wasnt. Does this still exist and if so, how do I set it up? 2.In the various forums, I'm fairly sure there was a "film" category. I.E.photographs that were taken on film, not digital. Does that exist or are film users so few not that its all under one banner? Many thanks, I will make more time to explore the site but a headstart would be great. Jim.

<p>Started with 35mm b&w 25-30 years ago, tried 35mm transparencies, went back to b&w. Started with medium format about 15 years ago and loved it. Tried digital and really tried to like it 10 years ago but went back to MF. Large format came to me soon after MF as did ultra large format.<br> I will probably stay with MF and LF now. Digital is a wonderful tool and I can see its uses and appreciate it, but personally, I don't enjoy it, and that's what its all about. I don't "need" to take photographs, I take them because I "want" to.<br> Its a bit like making something out of wood or metal. I could use a CNC mill/lathe but personally would prefer to use a chisel/file.<br> My photographs are more simple now-a-days. Less in them, printed bigger and generally FB paper. I take far far fewer than I was years ago but I am pleased with a far higher percentage of them.</p>

<p>Thanks. I have tried Firstcall and Silverprint in Uk but it seems neither of them sell it. Even Amazon sell the pearl and gloss versions but no matt.</p>

<p>Ok its been a long time but I am getting some time to do some photography. 99% of what I do is traditional darkroom printing but very occasionally I take a digital photo or print a negative on an inkjet printer.<br> Last time I did any I was using Ilford Galerie Prestige. 100% cotton rag, acid free, matt paper. 330 gsm. I know a lots happened in the last couple of years but it seems its been discontinued. Knowing not a lot about inkjet papers I wonder if someone could recommend an equivalent. I would like acid free 100% cotton rag matt paper but even after trawling the web for the last half hour I cant seem to find any.<br> Any suggestions please? Thanks.</p>

<p>Andrew,<br> You have just reminded me I must actually use the thing!<br> The film I got was sold as 100ASA I think, but no markings on the box at all. I rate it very slow I.E. 12-25ASA but this could be due to 2-3 feet of bellows or reciprocity effect, and of course a very small aperture. Even with photo floods, a still life could be anything upto half hour, so for portraits its definitely flash.</p>