- Joined
- Mar 13, 2011
- Messages
- 365
- Format
- 35mm
Might this have been Ringo's camera in a "Hard Days Night"?
sound of the shutter of the SP is something special, and I prefer its advance lever to the later Pentax Ks.
Yeah, through all this Spotmatic worship (self-imposed and from the APUG outer-crowd) I have to say this: In 1966, when I was 16, I got my first REAL camera. I was not about to dither with UNprofessional 35mm, so I got a Minolta Autocord CDS, brand new, for $120, at the discounter CALDOR (remember them?). I enjoyed it for years, never, ever thinking about the 'inferior' format, 35mm. (You see, at 16 I was very smart.)
In 1978 I FINALLY tried 35mm, with a new Canon AE-1. From that point onward, my work has largely (but not always) improved. The Autocord was certainly 'up to it' with a razor-sharp lens, but, you see, for pragmatic reasons, it is somewhat impractical with oftentimes not being able to hand-hold the larger camera, due to necessarily slower shutter speeds. I was often frustrated with not being able to capture images in low light, and, with Tri-X being decidedly grainy during that era (the sixties), I HAD to use it to photograph even moderately lit scenes, handheld. I 'progressed' to the Mamiya TLR system (at least I had optical choices) but, again, in 1978 I finally graduated to 35mm and never left it since. 35mm does, at least to me, seem to be the 'ideal' compromise in photography. I would have opted for a format of 32 X 24 (as Nikon wanted in the immediate post-war years, but, instead, had to yield to the Great Yellow Father, Kodak.)
Certainly medium format has its rightful place: but that 'place' is usually upon a pedestal called a tripod. And, I could never figure out why fast film would be used in a 120 size camera, as the use of a slower film in a 35mm would equate the two formats (and the use of such slower film would be feasible, given the almost 2 stop advantage from the 35mm's shorter focal length lenses). - David Lyga
Already in 1959 an employee at Ihagee proposed to install TTL-metering at the Exakta Varex. The proposal was dismissed...
I completely understand!
Many years ago, I was going to get a Leica M2 or M3 with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. However, I began using a Spotmatic with an 8-element 50mm f/1.4 lens that performed so well that I never purchased the Leica.
By the way, I am a current Nikon F2 and F4 user and a former Nikon F, F3, and EM user who still prefers the 8-element 50mm f/1.4 Takumar lens to the 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor lens.
https://flic.kr/p/93ks5X
https://flic.kr/p/93kvne
Did you do a clean and lube on the mechanism. I've come up with a small pile of Pentaxes lately, but most have the common issue of the mirror hanging once in a while (or more). This seems to be related to the mechanics on the side of the mirror box, but I haven't been in there yet. I did obtain a Nat Cam manual for the Spotmatic and hope to learn to deal with them more thoroughly this winter, but am not sure I've really got the aptitude. I like to do basic repairs, but don't usually go that deep. I think I have eight screw mount Pentaxes now with only two fully working. Of course, that is plenty, so not much pressure to fix more. I do have a nice H1 (IIRC) "Store Demonstrator" in black enamel that I'd particularly like to get up and running.
I did "fix" a very heavily used black MX that was abandoned as junk. It had laid for years with no lens, and I though maybe had a torn shutter curtain. I don't know why I even pulled the bottom off, but it immediately started working; there was a small dent in the baseplate that had locked it up. Not even much crud since the mirror was up the whole time sealing off the mirror and screen.
using slow film in medium format with the camera on a tripod would beat 35mm easily (but, unless enlarged greatly, not necessarily noticeably). - David Lyga
For my purposes, hand holding 'demands' 35mm for best results with most situations. But I also was really stunned with the high quality available using slow 35mm film and a tripod, although, of course, using slow film in medium format with the camera on a tripod would beat 35mm easily (but, unless enlarged greatly, not necessarily noticeably). - David Lyga
Roger Cole: one could disagree with me, and with complete legitimacy, if one usually took pictures with the camera on a steady support. However, I cannot understand using fast film with medium format if you could get the same results with 35mm and, say, TMX 100, or Pan F+. You really could.
the larger negatives are much, much easier to print well.
You nailed it. 35mm negatives are damned difficult to print well at any serious magnification. It can be done - look at an exhibition by the great street photographers if anyone's in doubt - but it's a real skill at 15 x 10" or bigger. Those guys also used fast film pushed even faster, generally speaking, which gave high contrast and solid grain to compensate for lack of pearly greys and give the eye something to hook onto.In the days I only owned a 35mm camera I did a lot of architectural photography. With Agfapan 25, or Kodak 32 ASA and a tripod I could get a beautiful image with good light if I printed small on Grade 0 or 1, in fact one pro thought I'd contacted printed 5 x 7 negatives for a book, but blow it up big enough for the grain to intrude, and slow 35mm is hard work and neither fish nor foul aesthetically. Medium format doesn't suffer from the same issues, and if you're prepared to print a foot square or less, it's essentially grain free if properly exposed and developed.
For that reason I stick to shooting fast black and white only on 35mm. YMMV.
Pentax the Leica killer? Which one still makes a film camera?
32X24mm was a Nikon twitch. Any other 35 used 24X36 and Kodak had nothing to do with Nikons change.
Pentax the Leica killer? Which one still makes a film camera?
32X24mm was a Nikon twitch. Any other 35 used 24X36 and Kodak had nothing to do with Nikons change.
Leica?Ah, the company that used to be top name in the market and now it's just a luxury brand...from the 60s I assume, when it became clear they couldn't design a proper slr.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2413964#post2413964
That's just sour grapes. Yeah it's getting what you pay for. LOL
SLR or not, Which one still makes a film camera?
Prototype:1914
O-Series: hand built, 1923 & 1924
1st production: 1925
Still going: 2014. The Energizer Bunny of the camera world!
Go buy a Koenigsegg. Now that's luxury.
....However this thread celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Spottie, so I would suggest to refrain posting adverts of fashion stuff, we are talking about a camera that made history, not luxury brands.
....the facts are that after the 60s Leica has become irrelevant in the photography world, their last attempt to cope with the Japanese competition was the remarkable M5, after that model they just played on the nostalgia factor and luxury image.....
And that has what to do with the topic?
Leica fell behind because they couldn't or wouldn't service the mass market. Pentax realised that there was more money to be made in getting reliable cameras which were simple to use into the hands of as many people as possible.
“Pentax” was originally a ZEISS registered trademark (“Pentaprism” + “Contax”); post WWII, Zeiss, Leitz and the rest were struggling to re-establish itself in Germany and as all Germans patents were annulled with the country's defeat... - surprise-surprise -... the name "Pentax" was “taken” by the Asahi Optical company...
After WWII, U.S. GA MacArthur stunt in Japan “cleared” the way for Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Oly etc. etc.
And that has what to do with the topic?
Leica fell behind because they couldn't or wouldn't service the mass market. Pentax realised that there was more money to be made in getting reliable cameras which were simple to use into the hands of as many people as possible.
Mr cuthbert.
From day one, Leica has been a luxury brand and never a system camera like Nikon, Canon and even Pentax. Apparently that was never their targeted market.
Back to your original statement about Spotmatic being a "Leica killer". You haven't responded.
So, reverting to my twelve year old measure of maturity I say "Bronx cheer/Raspberries".
Have a day.
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