rajmohan.

Rick - thank you for the comments. Total darkness is difficult to achieve at my place, and I like things to be simple. So I might pass on this little camera, and set my sights on a Tenax II instead!

Thank you, John. This makes me reluctant to purchase the camera, as it sounds like a fiddly process!

Does the Minolta 24 Rapid camera require dedicated film and take-up cartridges that are specific to the camera? From the instruction manual, it appears this way, but I'm not entirely sure whether I can just use standard 135 cartridges and a generic take-up spool. Thank you!

Brett - thank you for adding your detailed and fascinating account from which I learned much! Rick and Robin - if you're ever in my neck of the woods, you're welcome to try the Contarex which I purchased in a moment of madness. But it is every bit as special as I had hoped! :)

Thank you, Marc! Fascinating stuff :)

Beautiful camera and great results. My Super B lacks a light meter and the Super BC's light meter is kaputt, but with an external meter, they still deliver. I find the viewfinders on mine to be bright, but the focusing aids need a bit of a squint!

Michael - thank you for your detailed response. Your points about the older F-mount lenses (many of which are mechanically and optically fantastic) are well taken. I can get the (apparently fully functional) F2AS for just over $100, so I think I will do that, and then seek to have the SB serviced when funds permit.

Thank you, Ross.

Sound advice, Wouter - thank you. I do have 2 other Nikons (F3 and FE). So the rational thing would be to just service the F2 I already have, and then have 3 fully functional (and excellent) bodies. However, I must say that sadly, my rational brain deserted me when I began my interest in classic cameras :)

Great to hear, VIncent! :)

Vincent and Gus - thanks for your input. For the price, I'm tempted to jump on the F2AS. And it looks like the voting so far is unanimous. You chaps seem to have little regard for my wallet! :)

Good point! It is getting harder and harder to get these old cameras serviced.

I have a Nikon F2SB in excellent cosmetic and mechanical condition, but the meter tends to turn off at random moments (and then functions again); nevertheless, I have been able to make pleasing (to me) images with it. I was told that to check out this flaw would likely require a full service ($200+ dollars), but then I came across a F2AS, reportedly in full working condition, that I could buy for half the service cost of the F2SB. The dilemma, of course, is: should I buy the F2AS or should I refrain and instead have the F2SB overhauled? This may be a silly question to ask of the members here, given that many of you are not only fine photographers, but also camera collectors (and the expected answer would therefore be, 'you can never have too many F2s').

Lovely images, Don, Bill and Rick!

Rick - unfortunately the weight constraint is due to my back injury (what might unkindly be described as 'a weak spine'!), so carrying a P67 system is sadly too much of a stretch, even thought I'd love to try it. Thank you, Tony. You're right - I'm blessed with two, and I only really need one!! :)

Thank you. So are the 40 and 135mm bayonet lenses the only ones made for the Robot Royal III? Or were there others?

Rick - lovely examples from the Pentax 67. A great system with excellent optics, to be sure. Unfortunately I need to have a light kit, and often shoot handheld - from what I've read the Pentax 67 seems to be best used on a tripod, and is a heavy beast to boot. So I might try and extend the loan of the SWC from my friend for as long as I can. I've decided that I'll hang on to my kidneys - I may need them to fund some other exotic camera gear that takes my fancy!

My 3 are all from a Hasselblad Super Wide C - sadly it is not mine! A very generous friend lent it to me, and these 3 images are from the first roll of Tri-X that I put through it. Marvelous camera with a wonderful Zeiss lens. What is the going rate for kidneys these days? :)

This is one for April 2: Florist, shot on Portra 160 with a Mamiya Six folder

Rick - I'm a square format junkie, and would love to get my hands on a Minolta 24 Rapid. Would you mind sharing where you obtained yours, and if you have any suggestions for where I should look? (A quick search of the big auction site and the web yielded no results). Thank you, Raj

Hi Martin, Do you have additional lenses for your Robot Royal Model III? I'm thinking of buying additional lenses, but would like to know which lenses would suit, and how they perform. I'm expecting a 40mm f1.9 on my camera (on its way to me now). Thanks, Raj

Rick, if it must be Leica, your options are between the screwmounts and the Ms. Both can be serviced by several skilled people. Screwmount bodies and lenses are cheaper, but their viewfinders are often more challenging (smaller, separate VF ad RF windows etc). The M finders are generally more user-friendly. I like both - the screwmounts are smaller and offer collapsible lenses that make for a very small and light outfit. The Ms are superbly designed and made cameras, and my favorites are M3, M5 and M2. You should be able to get a less popular (and therefore cheaper) M, such as M4 or M5, along with an older Leica lens (either M-mount or screwmount lens adapted to M-mount) for under $1000. Ultimately it will depend on whether primo Leica glass (like a late generation Summicron/Summilux) is more important to you than the ergonomics of the body - if the latter is less important, you could drop cash on a Leica lens and wed it to a cheap-ish M-mount body eg Bessa. Alternatively you could marry an M body to an adapted screwmount lens. On the other hand, if it doesn't have to be Leica and you're after a lightweight, portable 135 format rangefinder camera, there are many options that will deliver great results at a (much) lower cost than Leica - i.e. fixed-lens RFs from many manufacturers eg Konica IIIA, Olympus 35RC/35RD/35SP, Minolta HiMatics etc. Sorry for the ramble, but there are so many options that will be dictated by your needs, style of shooting and flexibility on the budget. :)

Thank you, Brett, for sharing this sad news. My condolences to Tony's family and friends. He was a lovely and generous man, who sent me an Agfa camera when he discovered that mine did not work. His photographs and writing were wonderful, and he will be greatly missed.

<p>I second Louis' sentiments!<br> <strong>Rick</strong> - your detailed and informative articles are a wonderful resource for anyone researching cameras. Thank you for continuing to write them.</p>

<p>Rick - nice write-up and great images from a classic.<br> I always wanted a Contax S2, but they do not come up all that often, and I had the opportunity to buy a 139Q with missing leatherette for a song - naturally, I did! It has some similarities to the RTS, but shares the same quirk of having a separate button on the front to activate the meter display - a little annoying, but one gets used to it after a few frames. I'm a huge Zeiss fan, and the CY-mount lenses are stunning indeed; my CY lens collection is limited to the 28mm and 85mm f2.8 versions, but I've heard great things about many of the others, including the 50mm f1.7 that your RTS is sporting. Is this the lens that you used to make these images?<br> Raj :)</p>