Recent content by Dirb9

Nth-ing the 70-200/4 IS for a small walk around lens. The 200/2.8 is quite small as well, don't underestimate that it's almost 1.5" shorter than the 70-200s which pushes the weight closer to the camera and helps a lot with handling. There is a Sigma 180mm f/5.6 UC Macro lens that's pretty...

https://www.theslideprinter.com/services/e6-slide-developing/ Been using them for decades, they'll send you a free mailer if requested, and they process up to 8x10 sheet film in all film types.

Did that many years ago in high school, as the photography room was adjoining the jewellery metals area, and I thought it would be a fun experiment. Finer grade steel wool allows for more surface area exposed to the fix. I used 3 or 4 balls of steel wool in a gallon of fix, left it for about a...

I've been told by a local camera shop that Delta 3200 is one of their top 3 Ilford sellers, behind HP5+ and FP4+, but far ahead of the other Delta films and Pan F. Wouldn't have guessed it, but sales results (must) show the demand.

As far as I know, current/fresh paper is available up to 50" wide rolls from Fuji and Ilford, Foma goes up to 42.5". Kodak Endura was available up to 72" wide but that's long gone. Viewing distance is the main factor for large prints, billboard photos were frequently shot with 35mm cameras.

The vast majority of the 210 and 250 Apo lenses, in both RB and RZ versions, have developed haze in a cemented group by this point. It appears that heat and humidity accelerate the issue, but no guarantees. If you can get the group re-cemented, it should permanently fix the problem. The 50mm C...

Photo Systems Inc (I believe formerly Unicolor) is making all of Kodak's, and much of Freestyle's house brand chemistry. I'd say they're a safe bet for Ilford's 'made in the US' products.

The 3 (and the Elans with eye controlled focus) have lower eye relief than other similar SLRs, I suspect to accommodate the eye sensors. You are correct, the focusing system simply looks for the area of highest contrast. If you aren't using the ECF function, you play with custom function 17...

All of my 'OEM' cable releases have held up well; Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Pentax, Mamiya, Konica, etc. The Nikon AR-3 was available brand new until quite recently, maybe 2021, and can be found easily as NOS. Gepe also makes good cable releases.

A roll of twin check labels, what labs use, is about $25 on ebay for 1000 labels. Easy to stick one on the end of the roll where the tape is, so it doesn't intrude into an image, and the matching numbered label on your notes.

The Fujica GS645 and some Ensign Selfix (versions with the Ross Xpres lens) use 5 element designs.

I prefer the BP-E1 grip on the 1 series cameras, it lets you use rechargeable AAs, but doesn't add the bulk of the power/drive boosters. 40-50 rolls seems to be about normal on a set of AAs, using varied IS and non IS lenses. I've never experienced a premature rewind due to a low battery...

Rodenstock made some folding cameras pre-WWII, so technically they were a camera company Did Schneider ever make a camera?

Here is a PDF of the manual for a Morse M-21 contact printer. I believe this version is the 'civilian' model, as it doesn't offer provisions for holding aerial film. The contact printer is designed to use AR-1 Argon gas discharge bulbs, which emit primarily in the UV spectrum.

I think the electro-mechanical aspect of electronic camera repairs might be part of it. I think another aspect might be that the popular image of 'film cameras' are all mechanical cameras, the most popular/visible cameras right now are things like Rolleiflexes, Leica M3s and Hasseblads. Cameras...