nigel_sinkins

Hi there,

just wondered if someone could give me some advice on my Contax 167mt camera, which has a motor drive "power pack", for want of a better word, with a centered tripod thread attached. The LED window on the camera, ( which has new batteries inserted), constantly flashes and the shutter does not fire. any suggestions would be very welcome!!!

 

Thanks

Nigel Sinkins

Hi there,

am not sure I have the right category here, so apologies if that's the case. I am seeking some advice regarding my Contax 167mt which I use with the base battery pack (which has the centered tripod mount) the problem iam having is that despite changing the batteries in the "power pack, for want of a better word" and in the camera , without the "pack" attached, the camera is not working and all that happens when I press the shutter release button is the LED display continually flashes. any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

Nige Sinkins

Just to follow up on my last thread where i asked for advice because i thought my Olympus OM2n had packed up, i have just taken the existing film out and put a new one in and the camera seems to be working fine now. i cant really understand that but i could not rewind the film but had to open tthee camrera back and loose the exitisting film, to replace it with a new one, so maybe the actual film was stuck, but the new film seems to be winding on ok, Strange, again ideas would be gratefully accepted.

 

Cheers

Nigel Sinkins

Hi there, just wondered if someone can give me a litttle advice regarding my Olympus OM2n not working, in that it seems to have have packed up completly. I say that because despite working OK up untill rcently and despite having put in new batterries, the shutter doesn't fire and/or I can't wind the film on. I have tried the batttery check and reset but again there is no response, the camera just seems comoletly dead. any advice would bee greatly appreciated..

 

Thanks

Nigel Sinkins

Hi there iam looking to usr Ilford FB single weight paper as paper negatives. I have some old stock of 8 by 10 Matt but am unable to tell if its single or double weight. Any help would be great.

Cheers

Nigel Sinkins

Hi there,

I am interested in traditional monochroome photograpghy, that is using film etc,

I use Contax SLR's, Olympus OM's and sometime Mamiya 330's. Using my own darkroom up untill now have been satisfied with producing photos that have a good definition, in focus etc? However would like to experiment i bit, especially with my landscapes and try something a little more abstract, as in trying to get a "turner" effect, if that is the right way to describe it, where the skies for example are not so much blurred but as i said " abstract" in apperance. Realise that might be quite difficult but any suggestions would be more than welcome. Hope i have expressed myself OK there!

Cheers

Nigel Sinkins

Hi Richard, thanks for your interest, The 50 mm lens is not an MM lens and the 28 mm lens is, in that its smalleset aperture is painted green.While the answer to your question is that both cameras are set to aperture priority, that said there is an aperture reading in the both camera viewfinders but as ive said it doesn't correspond to that set on the lens. For exampple with the Contax 159 the aperture is about on stop out while in its viewfinder the aperture reading at the bottom flickers and then goes out. Hope that helps. Cheers nigel

Hi there. am looking for a little advice regarding a Contax 159 I bought recently and my Contax 167mt, when fitting my Contax 28 mm and 50 mm lens's to the cameras the aperture reading in the cameras viewfinders does not correspond with that set on the lens's. However when I attach the same lens's to two Yashica FR's I have the lens aperture settings does correspond with the aperture readings in the camera viewfinder. I can only assume that there must be some failure, electrical or otherwise with the Contax camera bodies. Any advice would be greatly welcome.

 

Thanks

Nigel Sinkins

Hi there, just wondering if someone could give me a little advice. Have just bought a second hand Contax 159, which is really lovely, however when attaching my 28 mm and 50 mm Contax lens's, the aperture reading on the lens's does not correspond with the reading shown in the camera's viewfinder. This I have noticed is also the case when attaching the lens's to a Contax 167mt I have. That said I have recently attached the very same lens's to two Yashica FR's I have and the aperture lens setting does correspond to the aperture readings in the viewfinders of the Yashica's. So my assumption is that it must be the Contax SLR's that are possibly faulty? Just wondering if there is anyone who might be able to give me some advice reading this problem?

 

Cheers

Nigel Sinkins

<p>hi there<br>

firstly i am not sure iam in the right category here, so if not apologies. if Iam hoping someone is going to give me a little help. i have just bought a Contax 167mt with what i think its called a P5 battery holder which is ideal for me because it has the tripod mount in the middle of the base plate. However that said there were no instructions with the camera and seems little or no indication as to where the batterries should be/go. Soo i was wondering do i need to put "two" batteries in the camera base as well as the four in the battery holder and also in what " sequence" do put the batteries in because there seem to be no plus or minus indications on the camera or battery holder. Hope all of that doesn't sound stupid or too confusing. <br>

Any advice would be more than welcome</p>

<p>Cheers<br>

nigel sinkins</p>

<p>hi there<br /> Here iam again? I am wanting to upgrade my system to possibly a 6by7 medium format camera. At present i use Olympus and Contax 35 mm gear, which iam very happy with. I also use a Mamiya 330s tlr camera, which i am also quite happy with but would like something a little more modern with better lens quality. I have considered buying maybe a 645 camera, Mamiya 645 pro tl for example but thought why not go for the bigger negative, hence the interest in the <strong>Bronica GS1</strong> as it seems very reasonably priced with really good reviews, esp the lenses.</p>

<p>However my main concern is its weight, having said that reading on the internet somewhere that the <strong>Bronica</strong> <strong>GS1</strong> is not that much heavier than the <strong>Mamiya 330s</strong> which i don't find too bad. Sooo question, has anyone any knowledge of both these cameras and if so how would you compare them, especially the comparison on weight with the Bronica also having the handgrip and metered prism..</p>

<p>Oh also i have also some time ago again owned a <strong>Bronica SQi </strong> which i also found quite comfortable to use and hold, so any comparison with that would also give me some idea about the size of The GS1 with both having speedgrips and metered prisms attached. And also while iam here wondered if anyone has any ideas of how the GS1 lenses compared to the SQ1's lenses i.e. the latest versions, the PS lenses!</p>

<p>thanks again<br /> any advice much appreciated!<br /> <br />Nigel Sinkins</p>

<p> </p>

<p>hi john thanks for your response, much appreciated. just to say i did own the Bronica at a time when medium format was new to me, so you might be right there, however i didn't for some reason feel that comfortable with the camera, again i don't know if its me but there's some cameras seem to " feel" better than others,in that some seem to handle better than others, so i thought that maybe if there's not that much difference in lens quality id give the Mamiya a go with a little, well quite a lot more experience under my belt. Regarding the Mamiya711, would love one but afraid its out of my price range and as you say has restrictions, such as close focusing.What i was thinking though that maybe i could give the Bronica GS? 6 by 7 camera a try. I have absolutely no experience of the camera but have used a Bronica SQi so wondered what the difference in weight and handling would be, because the thought of enlarging 6 by 7 negs sounds very appetizing.</p>

<p>cheers<br>

nigel</p>

<p>hi there<br>

Thanks for all of your responses, very kind and helpful! To be honest over the years i have tried various medium format cameras but have never made any real comparisons and its only recently that i 've started to make large prints e.g. 16 by 20 hence the renewed interest. That said i presently own and occasionally use a Mamiya 330s with various lenses, which i really like but although i like some the images they produce for stuff such as close up work or still life to be honest i feel i get better quality from my Olympus and Contax gear for landscapes etc Maybe its just me but i always use a tripod cable release etc so i don't think its my technique?</p>

<p>That said after long consideration and having taken everyone's comments on board i am going to go for the Mamiya 645 pro tl, i am still not totally convinced that a 645 neg is going to give me that much better quality having temporarily owned a Bronica etrs i for a while, which to be honest i wasn't that impressed with, but i guess if the Mamiya is good enough for Tim Rudman who is in my very humble opinion one of the best landscape photographers out there, then its good enough for me.</p>

<p>Again thanks for your responses and advice they were really helpful!</p>

<p>cheers<br>

nigel sinkins</p>

<p>Oh P.S. does anyone know are there better or worse wide angle and standard lenses for the Mamiya 645 pro tl, in that are there older and newer (later )versions available Oh and just one more because i life still life and close up work iam am also making the assumption that extension tubes are available for that particular model.</p>

<p>cheers again</p>

<p> </p>

<p>hi there (again) just a quick question( promise !) at the moment iam using Olympus 35 mm gear and very happy with it i am am. however i also have used and own a Yashica FR with a Contax 50 ,1.4 lens which gives me excellent 35 mm monochrome images. What i was debating though would i benefit by upgrading to a Mamiya 645 system, a Bronica 645 or even 6 by 6 system in regards to the quality i get compared to my Contax lens when using monochrome film. I realise that moving to a larger neg requires less enlargement therefore in theory giving better quality but just wondered given the quality of the Contax lens and the fact that i do my own developing (so can chose a slower film etc) would that quality compensate for the amount of enlargement needed for a 35 mm neg compared to a medium format neg, of course assuming that the quality of the Contax lens is superior to that of the medium format cameras mentioned.<br>

<br />Sorry a bit around the houses there, basically which would produce the best monochome negs enlarged to the same size,e.g. 16 by 20, everything taken into consideration film, developer etc. e.g Contax 50mm lens or the equivalent using a Mamiya 645. Bronica 645 or 6 by6 . or is it worth moving up to medium format given the quality of Contax slr lenses</p>

<p>Apologies if all of that sounded a bit confusing or even stupid but any advice would be greatly appreciated. (did i say a short question, apologies)</p>

<p>thanks <br>

nigel sinkins</p>

<p>hi there<br>

i wonder if someone can give me a little advice on the Mamiya 645 pro/tl, at the moment i use a Mamiya 330 which is great for close up work but am a little dubious regarding the lenses overall quality compared to say a more modern ? medium format system such as the Mamiya 645's, Bronicas or Pentax. I ideally what i would like is something that is reasonably portable and has a standard lens with a reasonably good close focus facility with lenes than produce monochrome images that will be better than the existing equipment i have. Lastly i also use Olympus and Contax slr equipment which i am very happy with but given the quality of these esp. the Contax i wondered would i be better off investing in some good Contax lenses rather than go for a completely new medium format system. any advice would be greatly welcomed and apologies if iv'e sounded a little confused.</p>

<p>cheers </p>

<p>nigel sinkins</p>

<p>hi there<br>

thanks very much for all your responses they were very kind and helpful. being what i guess i would call an experienced amateur i have owned and enjoyed various cameras such as Yashicas, Bronicas, Rollie Sl66 through to the cameras which i now use, a Mamiya 330s, a Contax 167mt and their lenses and more recently have been using Olympus om2n and om4 and various lenses which in some ways i prefer over the Contax lenes, although much cheaper they seem to have more distinctive, richer ? look about the black and white pictures i get from them, using delta 100 and Ilford pan f developed in Prescysol EF and Prescysol. That said i just thought after browsing the internet that some of the pictures i saw by Pentax Me super looked very good so it might be worth a try. That said from what ive now read maybe ill just continue for what iam more than happy with and save my pennies and put them towards some of the nice new ilford fibre papers on the market. or maybe even eventually some really nice Leica equipment (upgrading? ) Again thanks very much for your responses, more than appreciated.<br>

cheers<br>

nigel</p>

<p>hi there<br>

thanks very much for all your responses they were very kind and helpful. being what i guess i would call an experienced amateur i have owned and enjoyed various cameras such as Yashicas, Bronicas, Rollie Sl66 through to the cameras which i now use, a Mamiya 330s, a Contax 167mt and their lenses and more recently have been using Olympus om2n and om4 and various lenses which in some ways i prefer over the Contax lenes, although much cheaper they seem to have more distinctive, richer ? look about the black and white pictures i get from them, using delta 100 and Ilford pan f developed in Prescysol EF and Prescysol. That said i just thought after browsing the internet that some of the pictures i saw by Pentax Me super looked very good so it might be worth a try. That said from what ive now read maybe ill just continue for what iam more than happy with and save my pennies and put them towards some of the nice new ilford fibre papers on the market. or maybe even eventually some really nice Leica equipment (upgrading? ) Again thanks very much for your responses, more than appreciated.<br>

cheers<br>

nigel</p>

<p>hi there, i wonder if anyone can give me a little advice here. at the moment iam the proud owner of an Olympus Om2n and 4 and various Olympus lenses which i use specifically for black and white and am very pleased with the results. however i have been looking at photos taken with a Pentax Me super on the internet, i realise that this is not the best way to assess photos or the quality of lenses, but i was quite impressed with what i saw and thought that for some reason they looked sharper than those taken with my beloved Olympus equipment. maybe its just me but would appreciate it if anyone has any experience of these cameras and how they think they might compare especially the quality of the lenses.</p>

<p>thanks<br>

nigel sinkins</p>

<p>hi there<br>

many thanks for your responses, your right charles i was getting a bit carried away there and should have said underexposure rather than overexposure, as far as ghost images are concerned on one of the blank negs there is a very faint image but the rest are totally blank however as mentioned ive just put the other roll of negs under the enlarger and the recent ones i took indoors tonight look great so i assume its not the camera but just impatient me and i guess not taking enough time to check the film speed wasnt moving when i was adjusting the o/u dial. so lessons learnt and again thanks very much for you answers they were very helpfull.</p>

<p>cheers<br>

nigel</p>

<p>hi there<br>

thanks for your replies, ive just put the "other" roll of film under the enlarger with some new shots and some i took of the "waterfalls" ,the new shots look great but the waterfall shots as with the pan f shots came out completely blank, so i can only assume that its not the camera but just stupid me, in that when i moved the o/u dial i must have also moved the film speed dial hence and with the use of filters, a very slow film and poor light, completely, as Charles rightly pointed out, underexposing the film and not overexposing it as i mistakenly said. So lesson learnt. but i guess most make mistakes first time out with a new camera, or do they? anyway thanks for your responses they were very helpful.<br>

cheers<br>

nigel</p>

<p>thanks for the reply martin, i have just developed a roll of ilford delta 100 with the same developer, it had some of the same waterfall shots i took yesterday evening and ive just taken some indoor shots on the same roll, the indoor shots have come out fine but once again the waterfall shots are total blank. the only thing i can think of is when i took the waterfall shots the light was dying a little, i was using a 50 asa film and filters so the exposures would have been quite long which i think may have been exasperated by the fact that its the first time ive tried the om4 and although i realise it has highlight and shadow controls i opted to use the over and underexposure dial and in doing so possibly changed the film speed on the camera giving even longer exposures and therefore completely overexposing the film. To be honest its the only thing i can think of and to be honest am not to keen on the film speed /compensation dial on the camera because it seems very difficult to over or underexpose without resetting the film speed which itself is i find very difficult to read. </p>

<p>thanks again <br>

nigel</p>

<p>hi there, i wonder if someone could give me an idea as to why ive quite a few complete clear film/blanks on a roll of 36 exp, Pan f plus 35 mm film. the roll of film was recently shot using an olympus om4 camera with a 28 mm lens, most of the roll was shot late evening but the light was still pretty good and yellow and orange filters were used and a tripod. i realise most of that is probably irrellevant but i just thought id mention it because there were a few other shots on the roll taken at a different time and they seem to have come out ok but there are no numbers or film name on the roll that was developed in prescysol ef. any ideas greatly welcome</p>

<p>cheers<br>

nigel</p>

<p>hi there<br>

would just like to say thanks for all your replies, they were very helpful.</p>

<p>chheers<br>

nigel</p>

<p>hi there, iam am not sure if ive posted this in the correct category, but ill give it a go and hope someone kindly gives me a little advice.I have recently purchased an olympus om4 second hand described as in excellent condition. On first inspection that seemed to be the case, after i had put in new batteries. However i have just been giving the camera a little workout in reasonably low light conditions and it seems that on automatic using center weighted metering the shutter stays open a lot longer than is indicated in the viewfinder e.g. set at F8 for about 1/4 or 1/2 a second the shutter stays open for about 30 seconds. This does not seem to happen when using a manual shutter speed or when taking a spot reading but only a said when set on automatic using center weighted metering. also was wondering when the spotmeter button is pressed is the little red light supposed to light up because when i press the spotmeter button on mine it does not, so if that is the case wondered what its function is supposed to be.</p>

<p>cheers<br>

nigel</p>

<p>Hi there, Iam looking for some information regarding the Mamiya RZ67. i have tried various medium format cameras over the years including the Bronica Sqi, etrsi, Rollie 6 by 6, and the mamiya 330 series which currently use, but as much as i like it for it large negative and close up facility i am thinking about upgrading to try and get a better picture quality. Consequently i have been looking at the Mamiya 645 super and Pro but also the RZ67. I guess my main question is regarding the quality of the lens's compared to the 330 and some questions regarding the use of the RZ67. From what i understand all the Mamiya medium format cameras from the 645's to the 6 by7 's give outstanding image quality but it seems the RZ67 is superior to them all, however i am a little concerned regarding its "weight", i have never seen or held one and because of where i live would find it difficult to actually hold one to try it out, so wondered could someone give me an idea of how it would compare to using a Bronica SQi or even a 330, with both having the metered prisms on the cameras and taking into consideration that the difference in size of the negs how superior are the lens's compared to the 645 super for example.</p>

<p>any advice would be greatly welcome!</p>

<p>thanks <br>

nigel sinkins</p>