Topic: I just picked up...

[Francois]

I know. I think the Nikon F-401 had an indicator. And there is a few rangefinders that had that too... but I'd have to look through my collection to remember which ones.

[hookstrapped]

Koniflex. This is the later improved model with a much more secure door latch and double-exposure protection. I  seriously worried about the door popping open on my earlier Koniflex. From the mid 1950s. This one is in great condition. Very pleased. Easily among my top 5 favorite cameras, maybe my number 1.

[Kai-san]

That's a very nice TLR, congrats! I haven't seen any of those for sale here. I understand that the Koniflex was a very well made camera, but didn't sell well in the west. I've had a few Konica cameras and the lenses are very good, expect that is the case with this one as well.

[hookstrapped]

That's a very nice TLR, congrats! I haven't seen any of those for sale here. I understand that the Koniflex was a very well made camera, but didn't sell well in the west. I've had a few Konica cameras and the lenses are very good, expect that is the case with this one as well.

I came across the Koniflex during the pandemic, from the Konica II, another beautiful well-designed and well-built Konica from the 1950s. My understanding of why it wasn't a commercial success was simply that it was too expensive, occupying a nonexistent market niche between the Rolleiflex and a number of other Japanese TLRs. I got both this one and my previous one (actually previous two because I cannibalized one to repair the other) from ebay sellers in Japan.

The lens is fantastic, an 85mm of Heliar design. It's why I love the camera -- you can see some samples in my 3D Pop thread on the Essays page. The viewfinder is also a unique design and very bright.

[Bryan]

Walking Quincy around my neighborhood yesterday I came across a garage sale.  Got this Voigtländer Vito C for $2.  There's a partially shot roll in it, have no idea what it is.  I'll finish the roll off and see if I can get anything off it.  Also got the tripod it's on for $1. 

Voigtländer Vito C by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[Francois]

Those are pretty neat!
I have one in which I need to put film through. Mine has the black button option.

You had better luck than I did. I found a Canon Rebel S and an old digital one and a zoom at a garage sale. When I asked how much they wanted for them, they checked Marketplace and promptly said 400$.... I just turned around and left.

[Indofunk]

Walking Quincy around my neighborhood yesterday I came across a garage sale.  Got this Voigtländer Vito C for $2.  There's a partially shot roll in it, have no idea what it is.  I'll finish the roll off and see if I can get anything off it.  Also got the tripod it's on for $1. 

Voigtländer Vito C by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

How did you find out that there's a roll in it? I've ruined my share of rolls by just opening up a new-to-me camera, even though I always try to remember to open it in a dark bag the first time 😁

[Francois]

You just try and spin the rewind knob.
If it spins freely: no film.
If it resists: film.

That simple.

[Indofunk]

You just try and spin the rewind knob.
If it spins freely: no film.
If it resists: film.

That simple.

🤦🏽‍♂️ I think I'm due for a brain upgrade 😁

[Bryan]

You just try and spin the rewind knob.
If it spins freely: no film.
If it resists: film.

That simple.

It wasn't spinning freely so I knew there was film in there.  The counter was on 20 so I assumed some may have been shot.  It turns out the film was off the take-up spool and some sprockets were torn.  So it felt like it was loaded but the film had never advanced.  It's a roll of Kodak Royal Gold 400.  I guess I got a free roll of film out of the deal.  Problem is, the shutter button is sticking so I may need to do a little work on it.

[Francois]

🤦🏽‍♂️ I think I'm due for a brain upgrade 😁

Or just find some sort of trinket that easily attaches to the neck strap and that you remove when the film is out.
Heck, it could just be a piece of rope that you tie to the strap with a Berlutti knot, nothing fancy there.

[Francois]

I haven't picked up anything new in so long, but yesterday at a local charity shop, I got a new flash unit for 4$.
I looked at it and, while I need another flash like I need a hole in the head, I was attracted by the insane 140 feet range at 100 ISO that was labeled on the box. I tested it inside and can say it's probably true as I saw a bunch of green rectangles for what seems like an hour!
Best of all, it's still got that new plastic and electronics smell from the 1980's. I really miss that. 😊

[Indofunk]

I tested it inside and can say it's probably true as I saw a bunch of green rectangles for what seems like an hour!

Sorry, I had to laugh at this 🤣

[Francois]

You don't have to be sorry, I somehow always manage to do it every time I try out a new flash unit and I always laugh it off 😊

[Kai-san]

Reminds me that I purchased a National hammerhead flash at a flea market some years ago for a fiver. It doesn't see much use, but it's nice to have in the unlikely case I should need it one day. 

[Francois]

One thing that always amazes me about these things is just how powerful they actually are.
You can actually feel the heat coming off the light.

[hookstrapped]

I didn't just pick this up but I just found it in stuff I had packed away. It's not worth selling (like most of my old cameras I've discovered) so I decided to load it up for the first time and shoot it.

Primo Jr 4x4 127 film tlr. When I bought it a few years ago I intended to use it but other cameras got in the way.  I have this roll of chrome and you can get b&w 100 and 400 so we'll see.

[Bryan]

I didn't just pick this up but I just found it in stuff I had packed away. It's not worth selling (like most of my old cameras I've discovered) so I decided to load it up for the first time and shoot it.

Primo Jr 4x4 127 film tlr. When I bought it a few years ago I intended to use it but other cameras got in the way.  I have this roll of chrome and you can get b&w 100 and 400 so we'll see.

Great camera, right up there with the Baby Rolleiflex, maybe better.  It uses Bay I so all those filters, hoods and close-up lenses will work with it.  Here's some of my shots with it. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/60348236@N07/albums/72157714796470783/

[hookstrapped]

Cool! I look forward to using it!

[Francois]

I always found 127 cameras to be so cute. Too bad the film is now so rare and expensive...

[Indofunk]

I always found 127 cameras to be so cute. Too bad the film is now so rare and expensive...

Is it possible to cut down 120?

[Bryan]

I always found 127 cameras to be so cute. Too bad the film is now so rare and expensive...

Is it possible to cut down 120?

That's one way to do it.  I buy bulk rolls during the Ilford ULF sale and roll my own re-using backing paper.

[hookstrapped]

$14 for B&W, $15-$18 for color neg. Expensive but not too ridiculous compared to 120.

[Indofunk]

$14 for B&W, $15-$18 for color neg. Expensive but not too ridiculous compared to 120.

Oh that's actually normal price. 12 exposures?

[hookstrapped]

Yup, 12 exposures. Availability seems to be better now than a few years ago when I got the camera. In addition to the Japanese film available then, there are a couple Chinese brands and some folks offering cut 120 film.

[hookstrapped]

Another from the "just dug out of the closet to sell but decided to keep" category -- Voigtlander Vitessa with Ultron 50mm f2 lens.








This is one I put a lot of work into, adjusting the rangefinder and messing around with to get the plunger actuator to work properly. It's supposed to both advance the film and cock the shutter but it would cock the shutter earlier in its travel without advancing the film until I made an adjustment (bent a piece of metal). But happy accidents, inadvertent double-exposures...







That Ultron lens is very sharp. It's kind of a shame that it works properly now because those inadvertent doubles were the best pictures I took with the camera, but you can't re-create the past...

[Francois]

These always made me laugh with their film advance. Somehow, it always felt wrong in the silliest way 😊

[hookstrapped]

These always made me laugh with their film advance. Somehow, it always felt wrong in the silliest way 😊

It's supposed to make rapid sequences of shots possible by dividing the tasks of shooting and advancing/cocking the shutter between right and left hands. But the Rollei 35 has a left-hand advance without a plunger (though with a reverse direction film movement), so I don't think the plunger is the necessary tool for the job. Still, a very nice camera.

[Francois]

What I find a bit funny about those is that none of those devices really manages to be as quick as the Leicavit.

[hookstrapped]

Just got a 1959 Jupiter-9 85mm f2 for my Kiev 2a, along with a 85mm viewfinder

[Francois]

Just got a 1959 Jupiter-9 85mm f2 for my Kiev 2a, along with a 85mm viewfinder

Last year, I was tempted to get a Kiev like that. How is it to use and how does it compare to by usual Zorki6/FED5B stable?
I know the lenses in Kiev/Contax RF mount are dirt cheap when compared to similar M39.

[hookstrapped]

Just got a 1959 Jupiter-9 85mm f2 for my Kiev 2a, along with a 85mm viewfinder

Last year, I was tempted to get a Kiev like that. How is it to use and how does it compare to by usual Zorki6/FED5B stable?
I know the lenses in Kiev/Contax RF mount are dirt cheap when compared to similar M39.

I love it. I've never had a Zorki or FED (though I was thinking about getting a Zorki 4 to get a 28mm lens before my recent epiphany). But compared to a Leica M2, its rangefinder is easier to dial in (has a very wide base), has a brighter viewfinder, easier to load film, quieter shutter, all shutter speeds on the same dial.

For 50mm lenses, you focus with a little thumb wheel attached to its internal body focusing mechanism. I like it, others don't. Because of the wide rangefinder base it's easy to block the rengefinder window but that's easy to learn to avoid.

The shutter is this vertical metal slat affair that runs on silk ribbons. They can fail. But as long as Oleg is around to repair them (he used to live in Russia but now lives in Slovakia), no problem. Very reasonable high quality repair work. He repaired my Zeiss Ikon Super Nettel shutter, which is identical to the Contax/Kiev.

Yes, lenses are cheaper but there are also fewer choices in focal length and models.

The word is get a 2a (mid to late 50s) or 4a from the early to mid 60s. Later 4a models reportedly have higher rates of issues due to poor quality control. I got mine from Fedka.com, who are great to deal with.

[Francois]

Thanks.
I got my Zorki from ussr_photoworld on eBay and am happy with the camera even though I haven't had much of a chance to put it through it's paces.
Like the Kiev, the Zorki6 has a pretty wide rangefinder base, so on mine the second window is always full of finger smudges 😊
It's got the horizontal cotton shutter like the Leicas. One of my favorite parts is the diopter adjustment... I know, I need glasses.
While the Zorki6 is much older and more primitive than the FED 5B and has no slow shutter speeds, it's got some strap lugs and pretty darn good ergonomics, so that's a win for me.

I'll have to check for a Kiev... I might just fall in love.

[Kai-san]

Almost everything packed, I snapped up this Pola 636 Talking Camera for 15 USD. I'll keep it in the passenger seat on my way up in case I see some birds.....

[Francois]

Talking camera... I didn't remember Polaroid getting into that fad.
I must admit that that was probably one of the most useless use of the voice chips. But it was new when they came out so it must have looked pretty futuristic.
At least it wasn't like those talking cars of the day 🙄

[Kai-san]

It's got three pre-recorded soundbytes, number two is probably the most useful: A hysterical laughter that can make your subject crack up. And it's f...ing loud! Luckily there's an off-button.

[Francois]

At least it's not like the 80's cars that had that robotic voice saying "door ajar".
Just imagine the camera saying: subject out of focus, underexposure warning, overexposure warning, flash ready, flash not ready, last frame, film empty...
That would be annoying as heck!

[hookstrapped]

From Russia, just came in the mail today. A diopter lens holder for my Kiev 2a




Now I just need to find, or cut, a lens. It's a 11-12 mm diameter housing (internal) and I can't find anything that size. I can find a 19mm and I've been reading up on cutting glass but I'm not sure how that would turn out. I need a -2. It's not that critical -- one of the reasons I like rangefinders is they are easy to focus even with my eyesight, but when it's dark I could use the help of improved focus through the viewfinder.

[Francois]

Have you thought of cutting down some cheap readers?
The lenses are plastic so it's easier. And bonus, you get a second glass in case you mess-up the first one.
But you will need to find the optical center of the glass in order to avoid distortion.
To do that, you will need a sheet of paper with a cross-hair printed on it, making sure that the lines are 90° to each other. You will also need an acetate pen.
Hold the lens at a distance over the target and move it until the lines through the glass match the lines on the paper. Do one axis at a time. You need to watch the edges. Once they align, take the pen and pit a tick mark on both sides. Repeat for the other axis.
Once it's done, you can draw the lines through it using a flexible ruler. That will be close to the perfect center (optometrists have a special tool to do that).
Use a flexible circle gauge (Staedtler makes some nice ones) to mark the circle. Cut and sand the edges to fit.

That's how I cut the lenses for one of my handmade crap-cams and it worked pretty well.

[hookstrapped]

Have you thought of cutting down some cheap readers?
The lenses are plastic so it's easier. And bonus, you get a second glass in case you mess-up the first one.
But you will need to find the optical center of the glass in order to avoid distortion.
To do that, you will need a sheet of paper with a cross-hair printed on it, making sure that the lines are 90° to each other. You will also need an acetate pen.
Hold the lens at a distance over the target and move it until the lines through the glass match the lines on the paper. Do one axis at a time. You need to watch the edges. Once they align, take the pen and pit a tick mark on both sides. Repeat for the other axis.
Once it's done, you can draw the lines through it using a flexible ruler. That will be close to the perfect center (optometrists have a special tool to do that).
Use a flexible circle gauge (Staedtler makes some nice ones) to mark the circle. Cut and sand the edges to fit.

That's how I cut the lenses for one of my handmade crap-cams and it worked pretty well.

Thanks, I'll try that! What power corresponds to a -2.0. They are just magnifiers, aren't they?

[hookstrapped]

Have you thought of cutting down some cheap readers?
The lenses are plastic so it's easier. And bonus, you get a second glass in case you mess-up the first one.
But you will need to find the optical center of the glass in order to avoid distortion.
To do that, you will need a sheet of paper with a cross-hair printed on it, making sure that the lines are 90° to each other. You will also need an acetate pen.
Hold the lens at a distance over the target and move it until the lines through the glass match the lines on the paper. Do one axis at a time. You need to watch the edges. Once they align, take the pen and pit a tick mark on both sides. Repeat for the other axis.
Once it's done, you can draw the lines through it using a flexible ruler. That will be close to the perfect center (optometrists have a special tool to do that).
Use a flexible circle gauge (Staedtler makes some nice ones) to mark the circle. Cut and sand the edges to fit.

That's how I cut the lenses for one of my handmade crap-cams and it worked pretty well.

Thanks, I'll try that! What power corresponds to a -2.0. They are just magnifiers, aren't they?

I found a cheap ($12) online pair of glasses for my actual prescription (I said my left eye was the same as my right eye so I get two lenses to work with) and I know the pupillary distance, which will help me find the optical center. But I'll use your method to confirm. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion, Francois!

[Francois]

You're welcome.
This should give you something pretty good at a much more reasonable price than getting a custom lens from a place like Edmunds.

[hookstrapped]

Despite my uncertain love and fidelity to 28mm lenses, I decided I still want one -- just not enough to spend $900 on a Minolta TC-1 that might turn into a brick. So, I was thinking of the Voigtlander 28mm f1.9 I used to have for my Leica M2, and was thinking of a Zorki 4 for a Leica mount but those Voigtlander lenses are too damn expensive.

That's what led me to the Contax and C/Y mount lenses, specifically the Zeiss 28mm f2.8. Arriving from three different places, I yesterday received a Contax 139q body, a Zeiss 28mm f2.8 and a Yashica ML 50mm f2 (there's a wide range of opinion on this lens but I've seen samples that I like in terms of 3D pop). BTW, all for the cost of about one-third the price of a Minolta TC-1, paid for by the money I got selling my Mamiya C220 and Minolta Autocord (BTW 2, B&H offered me a much better price than Adorama or KEH).

[Francois]

I must admit that many of the Yashica lenses definitely don't get the respect they deserve.
My first lens for my first camera was the Yashica 50 f/1.7 and I don't believe I ever appreciated how good it really was at the time.

[Kai-san]

The Yashica ML lenses are very good, some say they are equal to the Zeiss lenses. I haven't compared, so I cannot judge. But there are money to be saved  compared to Zeiss glass. I've got six ML lenses included two macro models and I think they are all top quality.

[Bryan]

Picked up a Kodak Retina IIa (type 016) at an estate sale for $35 yesterday.  It looks like it has been used but well taken care of.  Everything seems to be functioning properly. 

The previous owner, Fred Lillian, engraved his name and driver license number on the back.  I looked him up, turns out he was in the battle of the Chosin Reservoir in Korea in 1950.  They call the survivors the "Chosin Few".  That lines up with him probably getting the camera when he got back in 1951. 
This model was made from 1951 to 1954.

Kodak Retina IIa (type 016) by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[Francois]

Funny coincidence, one of the channels I subscribe to on YouTube has been showing how to completely refurbish one of those.
(https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisSherlock)

Might be worth saving a note of that in case you need to perform some repairs on this one.

[hookstrapped]

I have been tempted by Retinas in the past but never pulled the trigger. Look forward to seeing some pics from it.

[Bryan]

I have been tempted by Retinas in the past but never pulled the trigger. Look forward to seeing some pics from it.

I have a few others, I'm quite impressed with them, both the build quality and the lenses.  Hopefully I'll have something from this one in the near future. 

[astrobeck]

Despite my uncertain love and fidelity to 28mm lenses, I decided I still want one -- just not enough to spend $900 on a Minolta TC-1 that might turn into a brick. So, I was thinking of the Voigtlander 28mm f1.9 I used to have for my Leica M2, and was thinking of a Zorki 4 for a Leica mount but those Voigtlander lenses are too damn expensive.

That's what led me to the Contax and C/Y mount lenses, specifically the Zeiss 28mm f2.8. Arriving from three different places, I yesterday received a Contax 139q body, a Zeiss 28mm f2.8 and a Yashica ML 50mm f2 (there's a wide range of opinion on this lens but I've seen samples that I like in terms of 3D pop). BTW, all for the cost of about one-third the price of a Minolta TC-1, paid for by the money I got selling my Mamiya C220 and Minolta Autocord (BTW 2, B&H offered me a much better price than Adorama or KEH).

I'm  a fan of the Yashicas and have the lens. It is an underdog. Since you've mentioned it, I'll try to dig it out and give it some love for the weekend.
Good to know that B&H offers better money for cameras.