Topic: I just picked up...

[Kayos]

Just received this, I've neglected film (and photography) for a while so this should help




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[Bryan]

I got this 1935 Leica IIIa off eBay for $120 (without the lens).  The seller, a camera store in Minneapolis, listed the condition as

Condition: FAIR: Fully tested and working, in well-worn condition with moderate to heavy cosmetic wear from regular use.

The tested and working part is correct, the rangefinder is calibrated and the shutter speeds sound good.  I wouldn't call it moderate to heavy cosmetic wear, other than a few small scratches and brassing on the strap loops it looks pretty good. 

The flash was added by International Camera Corp., Chicago, Ill.  The flash is designed to operate at 1/100 speed.  The Bulb flash requires #26 or GE #6 flash bulbs.  I tested the X-Strobe flash and it seems to be working properly.  Whoever owned this camera before used it but also took very good care of it.  I suspect it was probably serviced when they added the flash since the shutter speeds would need to be accurate for that to function properly.

http://www.icamera.com/node/3


Leica IIIa by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[Indofunk]

I suspect most ebay sellers err on the conservative side on condition so that they don't get angry/negative feedback from very picky buyers. But that's quite a score! The flash looks like it was integrated very nicely.

[Francois]

And it looks like it's got a soft release button...

[Bryan]

And it looks like it's got a soft release button...

Not a soft release but it does extend the button up to a better spot and it has the funnel to prevent accidental firing. 

[Indofunk]

it has the funnel to prevent accidental firing.

I don't understand this part.

[Sandeha Lynch]

it has the funnel to prevent accidental firing.

I don't understand this part.

Ah, that's because you're not a dog.   

[Indofunk]

it has the funnel to prevent accidental firing.

I don't understand this part.

Ah, that's because you're not a dog.   

Is that a reference to the "cone of shame"? In that case I get it

[Sandeha Lynch]

Well, I gather that we share about 84% of our DNA with our canine friends, so you were likely to get it quickly.   

[Francois]

I don't understand this part.

Yes, even if it's raised it still is called a soft release.
This one just happens to also lift the position of the button and improve the ergonomics of the camera (for the previous photographer's hands)
It most probably just screws on top of the other button.

I decided to try one of these things a few years ago when I got my Fed 5B. On the original, the button is relatively stiff and hard to reach behind the frame counter. By adding a round dome button on top, it raises it just enough to make it easier to operate and the dome makes the whole thing easier to operate.

[Bryan]

Yes, the "cone-of-shame" just screws onto the threads of the other button.

[Kayos]

Canon EF (my fave FD mount camera)
50mm f1.4 ssc lens
70-210 f4 lens

Just need either a 35-70 or a 35-105 now


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[Aksel]

I wanted one for the past ten years. One came up for sale locally at a good price. No supper for me the rest of the month. My grin is about as wide as the frames.

[Urban Hafner]

Oh Aksel! That camera has been on top of my mind lately as well. I'll still have to wait a few years to save up the money though.

[Kai-san]

Congrats Aksel, I almost expected you to jump on that one when I saw the ad. 
The XPan is a rebranded (and painted) Fuji TX-1 which sometimes might be had for a little less money.

[Late Developer]

Nice one, Aksel.  It's a great camera.

I had one a few years ago with the 30, 45 and 90mm lenses.  I found that if I was using relatively slow film (up to 200 ISO) I didn't "need" the centre spot filter for the 45mm or 90mm lenses. However, there was a fair degree of vignetting when using all lenses with 400 ISO film upwards.

Also, the shutter speed doesn't show in the viewfinder.  Not such a big deal when there's plenty of light but I tended to use a tripod more when it got to lower light conditions.

The lenses are all fantastic.  As Kai-San says, you can get the Fuji equivalents a bit lower priced (and they are identical, aside from branding) but I never came across any in Europe / UK when I was looking.

[Aksel]

Thanks guys, according to the tracking details it should be delivered later today!
I`m always willing to pay a premium for black cameras Kai-san, they take better pictures  Also, might actually get myself an adapter to use a cupel of my nikkor pc lenses on this one, as I see it´s the cheapest way to go wide.

[Urban Hafner]

I've been loaned this Harman Titat 4x5. And as a surprise I even received an unopened box of 4x5 film!


Harman Titan 4x5 by Urban Hafner, on Flickr

[Aksel]

That´s a nice surprise! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it Urban.
I´m not comfortable leaving my Graflex out over night, this one looks like it could handle a bit of rain without delaminating 

[Late Developer]

Thanks guys, according to the tracking details it should be delivered later today!
I`m always willing to pay a premium for black cameras Kai-san, they take better pictures  Also, might actually get myself an adapter to use a cupel of my nikkor pc lenses on this one, as I see it´s the cheapest way to go wide.

I hate to disappoint you, Aksel, but it's a matte grey colour, not black    Still, grey is the new black. 

They're also known for being very easy to mark up the paintwork - and it's not always the result of a hard life. I read somewhere that the paint job wasn't 100% as expected but found out too late as units had been sold.  I saw one that I was considering buying (before the one I actually bought).  It looked as if it'd been dragged behind a tractor - but was in perfect working order, mechanically.  However, the one I bought was almost mint and only £20 more.

If you use for landscape (on a tripod) there's a Kirk plate available for it (if you can find one - which I never did).  I also had the adapter.  I didn't have any PC Nikkors but I used AiS 24mm and 35mm lenses with it.  It cut the corners off but the centre of the photo was fine / usable with a crop. 

If you ever get to use the official 30mm f5.6, you will see what the XPan is really capable of.  I loved the 45mm and 30mm lenses but ended up trading the XPan as I had a 500c/m and could get "similar" wide shots across the centre of a frame with the 40mm lens I had at the time and I'd been offered more than I paid for it against some other kit I wanted.

Hope it arrives to have a play with it over the weekend.  Can't wait to see the photos.  Enjoy...

[Adam Doe]

I've been loaned this Harman Titat 4x5. And as a surprise I even received an unopened box of 4x5 film!

Nice!

[Francois]

I seem to be on an Olympus acquisition roll these days.
I went to a local charity shop yesterday and got an original, almost new in box, Olympus Stylus for a whopping 2$.
The original price sticker is still on it! I can't believe it used to sell for a staggering 119.95$ in around 1992...

[Bryan]

I seem to be on an Olympus acquisition roll these days.
I went to a local charity shop yesterday and got an original, almost new in box, Olympus Stylus for a whopping 2$.
The original price sticker is still on it! I can't believe it used to sell for a staggering 119.95$ in around 1992...

I believe it, that's about when I bought my Stylus Zoom DLX. 

[Francois]

It's hard to believe the devaluation on these things. 24 years later, they're worth essentially nothing since it was given for free to the charity shop.

[Urban Hafner]

A Voigtländer Bessa L for a 21mm f/4. And a Voigtländer Kontur finder for the Jupiter-8 I had lying around.

[SLVR]

It's finally happening. I'm going in for the winter.



Picked up an Omega C67 with 50mm Nikkor lens
Looks like I have holders for 35 and 6x6. Gotta hunt down a 6x7 holder.
Came with trays for 8x10 and 11x14, tongs and the like for the chemistry side of things
Print dryer
a TON of paper
a TON of 120 film as well as some instant

I should be almost ready to go. Just getting a few final pieces and I've gotta build a workstation so this beast doesn't hit the ceiling.
Aiming to be printing by October!

[Sandeha Lynch]

Get yourself a sheet of 2mm aluminum and you can probably cut yourself a 6x7 holder based on the others.

[Francois]

That is really nice.
Omega enlargers are really well built.
All you need now are contrast filters.

[Aksel]

A Voigtländer Bessa L for a 21mm f/4.

That´s such a great little non nonsense camera.
Congrats´s!

[SLVR]

Yeah I need some MG filters still and a safelight. I did read that you can develop paper in xtol. Otherwise I'll have to shell out for some dektol which i won't like because canadian prices...

[jharr]

Yeah I need some MG filters still and a safelight. I did read that you can develop paper in xtol. Otherwise I'll have to shell out for some dektol which i won't like because canadian prices...

Any of the Rondinal family members can also develop paper. I have used Rodinal, Caffenol and Parodinal. They are a bit contrasty, but cheap.

[SLVR]

I swore back when I started souping myself like 10 years ago D76 packets had paper and film icons on them. A packet of dektol here is $20. seems steep. I don't trust the places here anymore everything is basically double what you would pay if you bought from the states with dollar conversion, shipping, tax, duty.

[Francois]

I always use Ilford PQ Universal for paper. I get the small bottle as the stuff is hard to kill.
Since it's liquid, I just mix enough concentrate to fill my 1 liter beaker.
And besides, it can also be used with film for HUGE grain and high speeds.

Let me know what size filters your enlarger needs. I'll check to see if I don't have a spare filter pack I don't use.

[SLVR]

thats a kind offer francois. I'll check when I get home.

[jojonas~]

time to drag oneself into the confessional I think, some recent acquirements including a Kiev 303 for that 16mm plus-x film I got (unfortunately it was double perforated), a Minolta 7000 that you might recognise as a body cap someone recently got and finally a new kiev (to replace the black one from urban that broke in so many ways) and the jupiter lens that will probably see a lot more action on my Contax than the Kiev.

Quite surprised at the weight difference between the rangefinders. differing materials used I guess

[jojonas~]

btw, anyone used a Kiev 303 or earlier model or minolta 16 model before? can I open up and close the camera without advancing a frame?

[John Robison]

btw, anyone used a Kiev 303 or earlier model or minolta 16 model before? can I open up and close the camera without advancing a frame?

Unfortunately the answer is no. I have several Minolta 16II and the Kiev 30 and 303 have very similar film transport/shutter tension mechanisms. That limitation on the Minolta 16 always caused me problems also. I had a Kiev 30 for a while and the bigger negative was nice but, on my sample at least, the lens resolution was just so-so.

[jojonas~]

btw, anyone used a Kiev 303 or earlier model or minolta 16 model before? can I open up and close the camera without advancing a frame?

Unfortunately the answer is no. I have several Minolta 16II and the Kiev 30 and 303 have very similar film transport/shutter tension mechanisms. That limitation on the Minolta 16 always caused me problems also. I had a Kiev 30 for a while and the bigger negative was nice but, on my sample at least, the lens resolution was just so-so.

dang. oh well, thanks for the info.

[Bryan]

Leitz Focaslide for macro and photomicrography with a Leica M39 camera (That's a Leica IIIa attached).  It has a ground glass for focusing then the camera slides into position behind the lens.  I picked it up cheap to see what I can do with it.  I ordered a few extension tubes as well.  The current setup pictured below will allow for focusing from infinity to 15-1/4 inches.

Leitz Focaslide by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[jharr]

That is so sexy. You know... in a Margaret Thatcher meets HCB way.

[Bryan]

That is so sexy. You know... in a Margaret Thatcher meets HCB way.

Wait until I add some extension tubes to it 

[02Pilot]

I just received a collection of film from a friend who is an accomplished pro photographer (he won a World Press Photo award in 1977), as well as a very rare copy of his long out-of-print first book, and signed to boot!

[Kai-san]

........ a Nikkor 85mm f2.0 Ai lens. Near mint at a sensible price, should go nicely with my F3.

[Francois]

That is really bright glass!

[imagesfrugales]

... a Minolta 7000 that you might recognise as a body cap someone recently got

Funny that my "Knight Rider" Minolta finally made it from a Heidelbergian flea market to Umea via Munich :-D

[Late Developer]

........ a Nikkor 85mm f2.0 Ai lens. Near mint at a sensible price, should go nicely with my F3.

Had a couple of those down the years and hard to find any fault. Superb companion with F, F2, F3........

[Kai-san]

..... a Micro Nikkor 55mm f2.8 Ai-S in nice condition. Don't know how much I will use it for macro work, but these are super as a normal lens as well.

[Bryan]

My Meopta A8IIa that Peter sent finally arrived after almost two months.  I have had my eye on Meopta cameras for a while so when Peter offered it up I was pretty excited.  I had given up on it arriving at all thinking that it may have been stolen off my porch.  It turned out that Royal Mail decided it shouldn't be put on an airplane so it came by boat, train, truck, pony express, etc.

This is a Czechoslovakian made 8mm movie camera with standard and telephoto lenses on a rotating turret.  It has some interesting options that are not found on most 8mm cameras.  The viewfinder raises up for parallax correction.  It has a back-wind crank built in to fade from scene to scene.  The lenses are geared together so you can switch from lens to lens without having to adjust the focus.

It's in excellent condition, shows very little sign of use.  I gave it a lube job, cleaned it up a bit, checked the speeds and loaded some film in it.  I just took a few shots with it today, can't wait to see how it does.   

Meopta Admira 8IIa by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[AJShepherd]

I'd been thinking about one of these for a while. Was tempted by the Mamiya C330 which was next to this in the shop window, but figured that looked quite a bit bigger and was probably heavier, so stuck with my first choice.

Must try and get hold of a lens cap, though.

[jojonas~]

... a Minolta 7000 that you might recognise as a body cap someone recently got

Funny that my "Knight Rider" Minolta finally made it from a Heidelbergian flea market to Umea via Munich :-D

it has had quite the traveling recently after, I'm guessing, many years in a closet