Hi folks, and other matters.

Apparently I'm not yet a fully fledged subscriber, but here I am (thankfully) at last!

I have been "lurking for some time, now I'll be able to participate -at last.

I have been itching to ask for some information from other subscribers and to share my interest in "veteran" 35mm cameras.

First up: has anyone any information on an "Astron MC 80-250mm 'Macro'" zoom lens.

I found this lens in a "well used" but functional condition at a local charity shop in Pentax K-mount for Aus$5-00.

I have already put a roll of Fuji Superia ISO 400 past it and have been more than satisfied with the result, especially for $5-00, but would appreciate any info.

As time permits, I intend to participate more.

So long for now.

 

Thanks for the welcome, Kevin. I'm out of Adelaide (a Crow-Eater ). I have about a dozen 35mm film cameras (ranging from a Voigtlander Vito II to a Minolta 5000si and a Canon EOS 50), the most recently acquired being a pair of Olympus Trip 35s (an earlier and a later edition), both of which work very well indeed: no batteries, selenium cell metering, purely automatic function with "zone" focusing (my bug-bear, as I often forget to reset the focus).

The Olympus Trip 35s ($8-00 each) are in excellent aesthetic and working order, and the lenses are surprisingly sharp (comparable to if not better than my -much more expensive- Canon lenses)(zone-focussing and all). They have an unusual, very angular aperture (only two V-shaped blades which slide across each other to vary the size of the opening), which appears to be very effective and -so far- seems to produce quite a good "bokeh". There are only two shutter speeds (1/40 and 1/200 sec) and the aperture ranges from f/2.8 to f/22. The automatic exposures (even contra-jour) are amazing.

These cameras are solid and well made (all metal and glass), easy to operate, and feel good in the hands. One would almost need nothing else