michaelchristensen

<p>Tony, to preserve such a nice camera I would have it serviced/cleaned. But until then, ignore the meter and use an incident or reflective meter for situations where you need more precise exposure. When I shot w/my F1 I did so mostly for studio and landscapes .. and actually had fun using a hand-held light meter to tweak my exposures ..</p>

<p>The "dark slide is out" .. but is the pin stuck in the "depressed position?" ... sort of guessing as there are so many safety interlocks on this camera .. and I don't shoot it much anymore ..but a few years ago I took my Pro-S to have it serviced and found that the cocking lever springs in the camera body were broken .. springs replaced and it works like new ..</p>

<p>sounds to me like the cocking lever itself is the problem .. but you'll have to have a camera tech open it up and look into it .. may sound strange, but these cameras are very well built and problems easily corrected .. my technician (probably long retired now) took me into the shop and showed me the camera completely disassembled .. my camera was purchased second-hand and to our surprise the previous owner had cannabilized one of two cocking lever return springs .. can't tell you how many rolls of film I shot with only one of two return springs working .. but the camera worked perfectly until I broke the only remaining cocking lever spring.</p>

<p>Technician put in another spring .. his cost about $2 at that time and charged me $100 for labor and to clean and lube up the camera and check the shutter speeds .. it now works like new. KEH should be able to help you get it back in operation or perhaps trade the camera .. depending on how long ago you made your purchase .. but don't give up on it .. it most likely is easily fixed.</p>

<p>Great article .. every once in awhile you could see the shadow of the drone on the ski slopes moving at a fast track .. I wondered more about that than the workflow .. seems like such technology is going to change a lot of things photographically speaking. And the photography was indeed stunning and spectacular.</p>

<p>check out this website .. <a href="http://www.yashica-guy.com/index.html">http://www.yashica-guy.com/index.html</a></p>

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<p>The world looks better in Panatomic X .. well, at least to me.. when I think of great films that seem to have a unique personality ... but that film was long gone when I got into photography. And a Nikon F100 likewise fits my "classic coke" paradigm .. a small coin in the vending machine and a icy-cold glass bottle of coca-cola was a simple pleasure ... that is being lost as generations move on. (meh!)</p>

<p>I fussed and pondered a N80 purchase when they became popular. I settled on a pair of Nikon F100s and my "fun-meter" pegged with such a fine tool. To one of which I added the bulky battery grip .. again thinking it was an improvement .. however, I found I liked the F100 a bit better just the way she came from the assembly line. </p>

<p>I paid good money at the time for the F100 and still believe .. it was money well spent .. it is one of those classic cameras that seemed to embrace those shooting situations that had the right mix of technology and practical usage .. that a novice or pro could embrace. The F100 obviously produced great pictures with ease but right out of the box .. the camera fit the photographer's hand in a way that was quite intuitive, useful, and comfortable. </p>

<p>For those reading .. perhaps new to the "untethered freedom" that film offers versus other media .. well, an F100 is a great way to explore that nostalgia at a very reasonable cost, and even in this digital age, it can excite you. A fresh set of AA batteries and three rolls of film in your pocket .. and you're off.</p>

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<p>Have you looked at the S100? Seems to be about the same size and an updated version of the S90/S95 cameras .. The Canon G-series are significantly larger and not really something to slide easily into your pocket.</p>

<p>dpreview says the S100 is an improvement in many areas over the S90. You might want to do some reading and see if such features are important to you. The S100 may provide a small increase in image quality .. but it also provides a faster user-interface which in small cameras is more important for me than all the other tweaking points they have made ...</p>

<p>My smallest camera is a Panasonic LX5 ..which gives me some good pictures .. and I compared that to the Canon G-series some time ago. It goes in a coat pocket or briefcase .. but not a shirt pocket. So, the G-series may be a little too bulky for your needs .. </p>

<p>Still have my Canon A1 .. and reading JDM's article above brought back all the memories of using such a fine camera .. my A1 was my slide film camera camera at the time and co-exited with other more heavily used print film cameras .. so didn't get as much use as my F1N, F1, or AE1 Program; believe the last time I used it was at the St. Louis Energizer balloon race with the film winder attachment .. with the 35-105mm lens I got some really well exposed and rich colors .. as those baloons sailed from ground to treetop levels and beyond, the only thing slowing me down was how fast I could frame and focus.<br>

The A1 was such a feature rich camera that I doubt that I ever needed whatever it was that this camera offered. And I really thought the 28mm lens was my most useful at the time. It gave me many years of pure joy and some nice pictures.</p>

<p>JDM, you're a brave man to try to get that top plate off .. I read about it a number of times and though I was sure to lose all those little parts.<br>

I may have to dust her off and run some film again after reading this.</p>

<p>I don't have my F5 or F100 books handy, but assuming that the manual knobs and switches all work .. I would reset the camera to its' default settings in the menu. See if that causes the "erratic operation" to go away/correct the situation .. with the F5 you can remove the screen and check the electrical contacts .. the camera works with the screen removed .. then re-seat the screen .. and try again.</p>

<p>You could also take your camera to a camera retail store and plug on one of their new lenses and see if the camera recognizes the lens properly .. really, there are many things that can cause erratic behavior .. poor electrical contact, moisture/humidity where it should not be ..or an electrical short or defective capacitor ..</p>

<p>The exposure problem may be a response to changing light .. sometime making a long exposure .. you might want to look at the top screen or inside the viewfinder to see if the camera is changing ISO without you wanting it to do so .. that would account for exposure behavior and shutter timing .. if you have a light meter you could run some tests to see how your meter is reading the light vs. your camera .. for such a test I would set the camera to "center-weighted" mode .. point the camera and light meter to different areas and compare the reflective light readings on the light meter and that on the camera .. don't be too concerned if they don't show the exact same readings .. be concerned that they show that they show unequal variations in response to the same lighting condition .. ie do they change +/- 1 or 2 stops in agreement with each other... or does the camera want to expose wildly different that the hand held light meter .. just a thought to get you troubleshooting.<br>

If ambient light is constantly changing, you can use a regular light bulb .. center weighted meter for this exercise. Just trying eliminate some of the uncontrollable variables .. <br>

PS: are you sure you don't have the "self timer" set when the shutter is released? ISO/ASA setting constant .. and did you use an air blower around the switches to dislodge the dust bunnies, etc.</p>

<p>Well, the F5 does have better specifications than the F100 (something not important to me).. both cameras are about as good as it gets in 35mm film cameras. I have 2 F100s and 1 F5 .. both exceeded my expectations in performance and ease of use. The F5 was built to take greater abuse .. and it is built well. It is a marvel of engineering and just plain fun to use. Its' weight is an advantage, not a liability .. you may feel just the opposite, but you'll never know until you try it .. and work with it for a few weeks .. </p>

<p>I've used both the F100 and F5 side-by-side on outdoor and indoor portrait shoots .. and I've traveled with both on all day long treks through urban and scenic landscapes .. I like the F5 simply because it is heavier and the autofocus works with authority. I always felt I needed to be "careful" with the F100s because simply they were more delicate by design .. there is something about a robust and strong camera that doesn't require I gently handle it .. a feature I personally like. </p>

<p>Both take great pictures and have good meters .. I simply felt the meter in the F5 to be superior and shot a lot of slide film in the F5 just because I felt more in-tune with that camera.. I'm not one easily influenced by red vs. black meter indicators .. or ergonomics and weight alone .. so, for me the "cool" factor goes toward the F5 .. it is old technology .. but you can't tell it by the pictures .. just plain fun to use.</p>

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<p>+1 buy a decent light meter.</p>

<p>I haven't used a phone-app to replace a light meter because that is like a "solution in search of a previously solved problem" vs. "selecting the proper tool for the job"</p>

<p>It would seem to me that the light meter is specifically made to do what you need it to do, costs less, has more features related to solving a photo specific task .. and has been thoroughly tested for that application.</p>

<p>I understand the fun one has when using an 'inspector-gadget' approach, but seriously, why hamstring yourself with gadgets that have limited utility .. buy a light meter .. experiment with incident and reflected readings and get to know how film is reacting to that light .. there are years of accumulated knowledge and skills on the subject available to the reader .. </p>

<p>I think you can get into the right exposure by using another camera to meter the scene, but the RB76 is already a handfull of photographic machinery .. which is complimented with a small, portable, and highly capable light calculator (meter)... once you begin to use a light meter, you'll probably find it a better tool than that which a phone-app provides.</p>

<p>It is important to remember that not all States in the USA agree on this subject. Illinois in particular makes recordings of police a crime in most circumstances, and not all police departments have policies and training in place needed to address such concerns.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/know-your-rights-photographers">http://www.aclu.org/free-speech/know-your-rights-photographers</a></p>

<p>In light of political events transpiring in the State of Illinois - Chicago, those photographing the protests and civil disobedience would be well advised to expect confrontation and challenge of local authorities.</p>

<p>some good advice here: <a href="http://www.nyip.com/ezine/outdoors/sunsets.html">http://www.nyip.com/ezine/outdoors/sunsets.html</a></p>

<p>generally, any film will work well, but I used to love a color-saturated film like Fuji Reala for this; but even less contrasty/colorful portrait film (ie. Kodak Portra) gave me good results. The advice on bracketing exposures and use of a tripod is important. Get on location about 1 hour before the "event" because you'll need to be ready as the sun sets seemingly fast when the "light" becomes good.</p>

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<p>Don't discount the Nikon Ti35 .. an unusual design with a sharp lens. I have yet to try it but it intrigues me with its' design. And yes, the Yashica T4 is a better camera than the price it sold for would indicate - and the superscope on the T4 lends the body to creative use that other point-and-shoot cameras lack.</p>

<p>Contax cameras in the point-and-shoots through the Contax G2 are simply elegant cameras with superior lenses. I currently own the Contax G2 and the Yashica T4. These cameras travel well without being intrusive and clunky; require just film and a battery and that in itself is photographically limiting and at the same time liberating.</p>

<p>I would be satisfied with whatever camera at hand when I want to photograph as long as the lens is sharp, be it the Yashica T4 or Stylus Epic .. I just find the T4 to feel the best for no-nonsense - take the picture photography. If you like people cluttering up your land/city-scapes who are real close to the camera perhaps the limits of the built-in flash on these point and shoots is more important than the lens.</p>

<p>AE1Program is a classic .. very easy to use, great meter, good build quality (for plastic). I have had and sold/traded this camera no less than five times over the years .. currently have one left; also an A1 (which is a bit on the complicated side for flash) but has LED readout that is very bright and responsive .. an Old F1, a couple of New F1's, and a T90. Really each is a great camera.</p>

<p>I have found the meter to be accurate in all of these models. The T90 really is a good camera which evolved from a series of refinements .. none of which are important to me .. but may be to you. I love a camera that has some weight and heft to it; one which is easy to set (less menu/choices), has an uncluttered viewfinder without beeping.flashing LEDs (I find it fun to use when I'm learning about the camera, but seriously .. less is better as time goes on) .. all of these cameras meter quite well. I love the match-needle meter in my F1N and this is my mainstay in the Canon FD world .. although the T90 is a bit seductive and fun to use.</p>

<p>As these camera prices have really dropped over the years .. and everyone knows that you always have at least two cameras .. well, you should play with a few of them. I really thought I would love the A1, but I found the bright LED readout a bit too much of a distraction .. although I can tell you with confidence .. the A1 with slide film was spot on accurate and very fun to use; and the A1 is a very sophisticated camera when you need that. I've slapped power film winders on all my FD cameras; if that is important to you .. look at the T90 which integrated that into the body.</p>

<p>I find that the T90 cleaned up the meter display issues of lesser bodies .. and moves film smoothly with authority. By today's standards, the buttons and switches are a bit old-school and some are hidden under a side-door .. a very expensive camera when it appeared on the scene .. I have to say it was probably worth the price .. very refined and a pleasure to use.</p>

<p>As good as FD glass is .. I would have no problems keeping these bodies around for occasional useage. I am not as endeared to the lesser T-series bodies which I find to be cheaply manufactured, but have no doubt the meters are equally good. </p>

<p>If you are the type that tends to be harsh on equipment, the New or Old F1 .. and the T90 are built for you. My daughter dropped my prize AE1P (black version) into a mud bank which put the return mirror out of spec; that camera traveled all over Europe with me without a glitch .. she now shoots a Nikon F5 which has scratches and war wounds but just won't quit working! .. and she likes the autofocus (I digress) ..</p>

<p>Every time I pick up an old camera .. I begin thinking how can I make this thing "sing" .. and can say, that the FD line-up is quite a chorus of song. Use them and enjoy the gift of fine Canon technology .. you select the vintage per your taste.</p>

<p>I don't consider it to be a "rant" .. more like a revelation. Perhaps such an essay should be a foundation and a warning to all of us .. who feel the need and constant pressure to seek out the higher-end tools of trade .. seeing a problem for what it is .. is the beginning of a solution to that problem.</p>

<p>I'm always inspired by those who use but the simple tools of a craft to do whatever it is they desire to do. Our technology certainly is interesting and affords many opportunities to do new and different things .. mind you, not better, just different .. I see evidence of such thinking in crafts ranging from wood-working to architectural design .. art surrounds us and if we look at a "camera" as a tool which is distinct from the art of the photographer .. well, I think we are all better for it. I can't say with any self assurance that a better tool made me better at my craft .. but then, good photography begins before the photographer embraces a camera .. it is indeed about the process and not the tool.</p>

<p>Walmart, Target, CVS pharmacy, Radio Shack, BatteriesPlus, .. etc. Very common battery.</p>

<p>Duracell PX28A or PX28L (lithium) ..or Energizer equivalent; usually in stock at my Walmart .. they last a real long time in an AE1 Program .. </p>

<p>Great shots John. Love the cabin and the church for the texture in the wood and composition. Blow ups on my screen really pull out the details. Good time of year to visit there .. not too many tourists/traffic ... I have not been to this park but my daughter was there a few days ago and can't stop talking about the beauty therein .. thanks for sharing.</p>

<p>A + vote for the Panasonic LX5 .. neat little camera. Panasonic has a software version update on their webpage which adds a few features over the version 1.0 that comes in the camera. I think the current price is a bargain for the quality of pics this little gem produces.</p>

<p>I believe I saw this "strobist" .. word for word ... should give credit to the author.</p>

 

<p><a href="http://www.photographyblog.com/news/photographers_guide_to_the_panasonic_lumix_lx5/">http://www.photographyblog.com/news/photographers_guide_to_the_panasonic_lumix_lx5/</a></p>

<p>This little book has some good reviews at Amazon.com I'm pleased with my LX5. Easy to use and produces better than average shots. Very good lens. I just ordered the lens tube to make use of filters and am pleased with daytime landscape and night shots. Grab shots with this little camera have very good to excellent quality. Pics are sharp with good contrast in varied lighting conditions .. battery life is good for a day's work. I bought a spare battery but have never really needed it. It still suffers from digital signatures when shooting into the sun (a bit disappointing) or a hot light source .. so I would caution against that. I keep thinking I can do things digitally like I did with film ..but for all other things this camera does quite well .. reds look red, yellow looks yellow and green looks green (that's refreshing). </p>

<p>I played with in-camera flash and decided not to bother with it. An aux flash unit has more utility .. of course this could just be my inexperience with this model camera. I've toyed with the idea of Fuji X100 which seems to do skin tones just right for my liking, but they want too much for that right now. I will tell you that the LX5, once you set it up to your liking, requires very little post processing work .. and prints right from the camera are quite good.</p>

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<p>inspect the lens electrical contacts ... the pins should move if you press on them .. believe there is spring tension in them .. and they should all "feel" the same; ensure that a pressed pin properly bounces back when you release it ... if it feels weak or sticks a bit .. use a blower to move out the small amount of dirt/dust and then wipe the contact pins on both the lens electrical contact pins and camera body's electrical connection in front of the mirror box to ensure good electrical contact... try again. </p>

<p>The fact that you "twist the mounted lens" to get it to work makes me think it is an electrical contact issue either in the lens, the camera, or both .. also inspect the lens to camera mount itself to ensure it is properly aligned and locking. I clean these periodically .. it is amazing how dirty the camera's lens mount becomes and it still looks shinny-new .. but dirt is thin .. and it is there for the cleaning. </p>

<p>Second, make sure you eliminate such issues as low battery, etc. Should go without saying but simple things can cause significant problems in cameras .. giving intermittent errors. Use top quality batteries and check them on a battery meter (not just the camera lcd) .. I've had brand new batteries that did not pass the test a number of times .. simple wipe down usually does it .. </p>

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<p>The 50mm AF-D or AF-S gives a rather narrow field of view on the D90. Perhaps a better lens would be the 35mm AF-G 1.4 lens. AF means simply auto-focus; AF-S means auto-focus with a silent wave motor; and AF-G simply has a silent wave motor but no aperture ring on the lens. I own a few Nikon's 50mm lenses for my film (full-frame) cameras .. they are very sharp and give good results, but don't bother to use it on my DX camera.</p>

<p>Lens choice, focal length and other features are subjective .. I believe that guy named "ken" did a rather lengthy discussion of the 50mm 1.4 & 1.8 lenses which says basically, they are optically sharp and good lenses and compared them with the new 35mm "g" lens. A simple google search will give some good leads to defining what lens you will like.</p>

<p>Thanks John. There is quite a lot to see and this too is interesting. DC indeed has many things to offer a photographer. I am finding I'll have to pace myself a bit and take in the historical significance of so many landmarks. I love military history and this site popped up on my internal radar as do the military cemeteries ... </p>

<p>Thanks Laura, I know DC has a lot of traffic and parking is expensive so I will most certainly do so as you suggested. On binoculars, I should have a set of Nikon Monarch's 8x42 arriving from BH Photo tomorrow by mail order .. did a little reading on this purchase so I hope they are a good choice. </p>

<p>Wow, thanks again guys .. the information is greatly appreciated. </p>