chazfenn

Given the extra info I'd go with the Rollei. The prism head slides off to the rear. There's a catch at the back that you push down to unlock it. The screen stays with the camera when you do so but can be pushed slightly forward then hinged up from the front to allow changing screens & cleaning the mirror & so on. If you do this be very careful its a front-silvered mirror & delicate. All you need for waist level viewing is the viewing hood. You can do a preliminary check of the meter very simply. Just wave your hand slowly in front of the measuring cell at the top front while watching the thin needle.It should flick freely back & forth as the cell is covered & uncovered. If that works set an a.s.a. point ahead but slightly down & match the "lollipop" needle to the thin one. If it is basically correct the aperture should be between 8 @ 11 when the shutter speed is set to the same value as the ASA set in the meter knob..

What lenses for the Mamiya? The Huge difference between the Rollei & the Mamiya is the ability to interchange lenses. Does the Rollei have a light meter? (either built in or separate), actually is there a separate meter for the Mamiya for that matter.

Its an older type of cable, no longer made. There used to be adapters & I've even seen the old cable releases sold & still working. (This was 30 years ago, so don't quote me)! Anything tapered is gong to be "Compur" type, & as you've discovered wont fit. IIRC (I may be wrong) the type you have is "Kodak"?. Photo swap meets & e-bay would be my best guess.

There was a different thread on some of the older cameras, not like the tapered Compur type we're used to currently. Look at the male thread on the button. Is it parallel like a nut & bolt, or tapered like the cable release tip?

Durst parts use a letter, rather than a numeric part # system. Various lens-boards may be flat or recessed, depending on focal length of the lens. Recessed ones frequently end in "TUB" & flat ones in "LA", its confusing until you get the hang of it. "IXOTUB"s & "SETOPLA's for example. The thread diameter forms the last part of the cat # so a "SETOPLA 25" Or an IXOTUB39, will be flat or recessed for 50 or 80mm with either the 25 or the 39mm thread. The 80mm won't cover 6X7 adequately, you need a 105 for that.

That's a good way to test. Where do you lose the more quality, enlarging or optically? Many criticize the afocals without figuring in enlargment of the original to the same magnification.

Scroll down to the description, some interesting info there on these unique bits of glass. Rarest Solid Cat Camera Lens! Perkin Elmer 680mm F/12 solid catadioptric lens!! | eBay

That's a descendant of the original "FatCat"! a very nice bit of oddball glass. The Solid Cats One of the least known yet most interesting of the Series 1 lenses was the 800mm f/11 Solid Catadioptric lens. It was originally designed and built for the U.S. military by Perkin-Elmer. IIRC the NASA version was a 650mm?

Its going to depend on the quality of the individual unit. I was always a doubter when it came to afocal attachments, but since I now use a fixed-zoom lens Bridge Camera, they're the only way of getting more tele or W/A than comes as standard. I reluctantly bought the manufacturers (Fuji) w/a & tele as a kit for my old S 7000, dreading it. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how little the quality was effected. Now I'm a convert to Good, high quality ones. I even bought the w/a one for the S9100 that replaced the old 7000!

I use the shoulder, set up so that when I pick up the camera to a shooting position the strap tensions round the shoulder & arm adding a little extra stabilization to the setup. When carrying i have the camera just behind my arm/elbow, trapping it against the waist & protecting it from jostleing by people coming the other way. My "generous girth" plays into this also as the lens faces up @ 45 degrees with the camera resting on the upper curve of my gut if I wear it round the neck.:eek:

Certainly. They used to be made commercially with a fan/heat box at the top & tubes big enough to take a processing spiral dropping down. The drawback to drying in the spirals was the curvature of the film was pretty drastic. You could simply drop the film down with a weight at the bottom,so that it just hung in the center of the tube I guess but you'd have to invent an opening loading & retrieval system. Wild thought why not use that telescoping coiled hose? You could just fold it to transport & unfold it to use!

I used to use a fixed, but not developed sheet of paper as a focus aid. (You could also use the back of a gash print for the same thing) If you make several you can actually draw your desired mask position with a fine sharpie. All you'd do then is slide the easel clamps & arms to fit the drawn lines.

I've been using something called "Lawson Super 77 Moly Grease" for this kind of thing for a long time. Its given me no problems yet, I just hope its still made!

The best tip I can give for multi-start threads is to start backwards, unscrewing it. What you do is slowly & carefully mate up the ends of the threads, then being careful to keep alignment feel for the "drop" as the threads just engage, then reverse & start gently screwing in.

Yup, it works but you have to save the updates (at the bottom of the page) & then refresh to actually see the change as its reloading from the site not your cache.

Great idea. I remember taking a long time exposure at night in Baltimore's inner harbor. It was a coincidence but someone walked through the viewed area wearing white sneakers. They ONLY recorded when the foot was stationary on the ground! The effect is like a set of 30 or so transparent white sneakers in 2 rows. Time can bw messed with & it can mess back with you too!

I prefer the old, the new is too bright & busy so it takes away from the image IMO

Yes that a great trick for saving batteries. I use a similar idea on all my intermittent use stuff, especially the rechargeables. There seems to be a "trickle drain" with most equipment if its turned off. The ONLY place I don't do it is equipment with a\n o\n board backup that recharges from the main for things like on board calendars & dates.

Absolutely not.

4 X Ms76 are the same as 2 XDl 1/3 which, when you add 2 together make a PX 28 is way shorter than a "AA". If a "AA fits" then it needs an "AA", if it wanted any of he 6v options the chamber won't take an "AA".

Ships cabins in cruise brochures!:D

No such thing as over thinking. 1/2 of today's problems are caused by not thinking it through. Thought for you. "What is under-exposed white"? Hmmmmmm?

It seems to me we/they have progressed, or is it regressed beyond "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin" to "What size army boots do angels wear, as that may influence the head count"?

Separate the background by distance & it won't be a problem

You could even shade the gel for a shift from white to the color of your choice (or maybe even 2 from opposite angles.)