Good morning;

While going into one of the larger camera shops here in Latte Land to get some film (35mm, 120 roll film, and some 4 by 5 sheet film), I passed a display cabinet and noticed some interesting things inside it. These things are very unusual for this particular camera shop; some FSU and some very old cameras. It turns out that they had bought part of an estate, and this was what was left.

So, I came home with what turned out to be yet another M-42 mount camera; a KMZ Zenit-TTL fitted with a Helios-44M 2/58mm lens. At least there are already some other lenses here that can go right onto it.

Not only did the M-42 group grow a little bit; so did the FSU camera group. In addition to the Zenit-TTL (Or is it a Zenit-12?), there is also a Kiev-5 rnagefinder camera. Lots of nice toys out there still. Now I just need to find a couple of Owner's Manuals. I already know about the standard recommendation for almost all FSU cameras; wind the shutter to the cocked and ready setting BEFORE you try to change the shutter speed.

Enjoy;

Ralph,
Latte Land, Washington.

Good morning;

Yes, I am still at it.

Today while wandering through one of the local photo shops (the original ones; not the computer program for digital image manipulation), after visiting the NorthWest Flower and Garden Show at the Washington State Trade and Convention Center ($20 for a one day ticket to get in on a weekday!!), I found on their bargain shelf another M-42 lens in need of a new home. Well, it actually needs more than that. It also needs some repair to the zoom section of the lens, but the rest of it is in nice condition for a 40 year old lens. This one is a YASHICA AUTO YASHINON 1:4.5 75mm-230mm Zoom Lens. It is long and it is heavy. And it has an M-42 mount, so it will go onto the Honeywell-Pentax SPOTMATIC or the Vivitar 450/SLD when the zoom section is repaired. Or perhaps the KMZ Zenit-TTL. It is interesting to have a lens just a little different from the more common 70-210mm zoom lens. Time to find the shallow baking tray and the small screwdriver kit.

Enjoy;

Ralph,
Latte Land, Washington

Good morning;

Yes, I am still at it. Again. I know, "again?"

This was a surprise. One of the local camera pushers was suggesting that "You should get that lens" referring to a long thing sitting fully across the depth of the display shelf in his glass cabinet. Yes, my pushers know their addict's habits very well. Then I noticed that it was in his Pentax Camera area. Yes, it had an M42 Thread Mount on the back. We discussed a few other things, and he was going to check on the status of some photo processing equipment for me. It turns out that when I went back this week, the lens was still there. So were the drum processors. I bought them, along with a couple of short zoom lenses in Minolta SR mount also.

That long lens turns out to be a Tamron Type PZ-150Au AUTO TAMRON ZOOM 200-500mm 1:6.9 zoom lens. It does have an early Adapt-A-Matic M42 mount on it, so that is why it was on the Pentax shelf. It is almost 15 inches long and it weighs just over 5 & 1/2 pounds (37 cm and 2.57 Kg). Yes, it is a big lens. and it takes 82mm filters. I was a little concerned with the suffix on the end of the model designation of "Au" and wondered if it might explain the price the camera guy was asking for it originally. No, it is not gold plated, and when our negotiation was completed, it was a much more reasonable price. It had been sitting on that shelf for a while.

This is a very nice addition to the other M42 gear here. One plan for it is to place it on a tripod with either the Vivitar 450/SLD or the Honeywell-Pentax SPOTMATIC and aim it out the bedroom window watching the bird feeders out there. With a cable release on it, I should be able to get some photographs without disturbing the birds that appear at the feeders. And, with that M42 mount, I can even put an M42 to Canon EOS/EF adapter on one of the DSLR cameras and use it "in a modern application."

I have not yet finished the Yashica 4.5/75-230mm M42 mount zoom lens repair. There are a lot of little pieces in there that had come loose and were rattling around in the grooves.

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington