jim_gardner4

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>

<p>Sorry that was not the best one obviously. There is also a roll back to the back itself and a fairly simple shutter/door the other side. I dont think images will be enough to go on to make one but I will send another of repair work to mine.</p><div></div>

<p>Tony,<br>

I attach a couple of photos I have on file and would be pleased to send more if required. I think it will be quite a task but will help where I can. Are you in the UK? If so you are very welcome to come over and take measurements etc.<br>

Jim.</p><div></div>

<p>Alan, buy it and use it for a few days. If it works as it should you will not regret it and if it does not, you said you can get a refund. I have one with 3 lenses and I am very pleased with it.<br>

You mentioned it is cheaper than a blad; I would say that is a bit of an understatement. A Hasselblad with 3 lenses will cost you way more as you know but the other benefit I find between the 2 makes is the lack of mirror on the Mamiya. I use a 330f and a blad and find the 330 more usable for some types of photography (i.e hand held).<br>

It is true to say the image quality of the blad lenses is better to my eye but not to the point of the Mamiya lenses being bad quality at all (as Dirk has proved).<br>

The only issue I can think of is the bulk and weight of the Mamiya system but if you are looking for high quality medium format results, its a small price to pay, as is the £320</p>

<p>I use a PME51 on a 503. Yes its easier for hand held and "street" photography but for some reason I prefer waist level for still life and portraits.</p>

<p>Alexander, I dont own a Rollei so I am guessing but dont some of them have a type of auto load mechanism in which the film goes under the rollers? Are you putting film under or over?</p>

<p>John, look at The Negative page72. I should say that while I fing all three books in the series very helpful and interesting, I do not follow them to the letter. One reason is that every single variable needs to be checked and callibrated including shutter speeds etc. When using many different cameras and lenses as I do, this is not possible. Also, things would change for differnt devoloping methods, again I sometimes use trays or different tanks. If I do want to expand or contract during devolopment, I never really go more than about 10% on time.</p>

<p>I am not sure if that helps but if this is a scene you can return to, try it one way and if it doesnt work try it another way.</p>

<p>John, I think what you are trying to do sounds easy in theory but may not work in the way you want it to. Also, it depends a lot on what you have worked out to be N-1, N-2 etc.<br>

Although over exposure and reduced development would bring the values a little closer, it may only be very slightly because you are working with zones VII and X rather than IV and IX for example. That is to say than N-2 would alter both values by almost the same amount.<br>

It may work better to use a ND grad for the sky and do a little dodging of the rocks and burning of the sky.<br>

According to The Negative by Ansel Adams, N-2 would bring Z X down to Z VIII and Z VII down to Z VI. That is to say the sky would now be "placed" on Z VIII which may still be difficult to print with detail.<br>

Are you able to bracket and develop sheets or lengths of film differently?</p>

<p>Gene, just looking at the shots of the gorgeous camera and its results have lifted the February gloom. I do hope it gets used regularly from now on. Thanks.</p>