This week I've been mostly...........[using a mechanical 35mm camera]

[Sewin]

All mechanical

For the past couple of weeks or so I've disciplined myself to using my all mechanical SLR cameras, no batteries allowed and I've been really enjoying it.

Nothing fancy, Zenit B and Praktica L a few preset and manual lenses and sunny 16( not that we ever get much sun in Wales) and a light meter.

Think I've lost a few frames when using preset lenses though, forgetting to close down

It's been liberating viewing a matt screen or just a microprism without a split screen and not having blackout when using longer lenses and knowing everything is old time mechanical.

Certainly boosted my photographic Mojo making me get out more with the cameras.

 

[pbromaghin]

Congratulations for your adventurousness! I tried that for a couple years with an old Zeiss folder, ruining a ton of film but learning a lot. It will make you a much better photographer.

 

[Paul Howell]

When I began to shoot in the 60s many if not most pros did not seem to use a meter for daylight, only for very tricky lighting. My first camera a Kodak Retina III C, had a meter so I have always used a meter, maybe it is time to shoot few rolls with my Tourister and Sunny 16.

 

[Ian Grant]

I rarely shoot 35mm these days but have been out with a wonderful KW Prakina FX, a real gem of a camera, it's the second version with a semi auto aperture which stops down when you press/release the shutter but needs re-cocking afterwards (on the lens). So well built amazing for an East German camera.

Ian

 

[tessar]

It's so nice and simple, isn't it?

 

[Theo Sulphate]

The last few weeks I've been using one of my Exakta VX's with a 50/2 Tessar and Ultramax 400. Totally mechanical, plain viewfinder, total concentration on the scene.

 

[RichardJack]

Good for you! Next week try a mechanical medium format camera and see what you've been missing.

 

[Jeff L]

Recently I've been using my Yashica TL Super from 1966. Fully mechanical (except for meter) M42 mount SLR.
I have one 50mm Yashinon, one 24mm Tamron and one 135mm Zeiss Jena lens for it. I find using it enjoyable. The viewfinder is not as bright as my more modern cameras though.

 

[ciniframe]

We just moved, everything packed in boxes and the to do list seems endless. But I dug out my Pen F kit. Now where is the developing stuff?

 

[Sewin]

Thanks All,

Although I like my Praktica, I'm finding the Zenit B to be really nice to use, and is very smooth operating.
T.O.E. (Technical Optical Equipment Ltd UK) might have had a hand (or screwdriver) in making it perform so well.

 

[blockend]

This week I have mostly been melting developing tanks. Left a 5 reel Patterson tank in a cold frame to dry, and promptly forgot about it. Two warm days later I remember it, but the tank has buckled horribly. I won't do that again!

I've also been using a mechanical camera, a Nikkormat FT2.

 

[R.Gould]

All of my cameras are fully mauual and completely mechanical. everything from Rollei's to folders in 120, to Leica vitessa's ambi sillette's to fixed lens folders Ect in 35mm
Richard

 

[E. von Hoegh]

In 2001 I photographed my last wedding, with a plain prism Nikon F and a Metz 45-CT1 flash. For about 10 years that F was my only 35mm slr.

 

[absalom1951]

I've been using my Minolta SRT 202 , enjoying its solid build.

 

[dynachrome]

On Sunday I used a Konica FP with three lenses: 35/3.5 Vivitar pre-set, 52/1.4 Hexanon, 135/3.5 Hexanon. I brought a Gossen Sixtar but wound up metering by Sunny 16.

 

[PGillin]

I've been shooting an F and an F2 (plain prisms) consistently for the past month or so. Kind of nice (I learned film with the F2 about 5 years ago), but it feels a little heretical to put a Tokina 20-35 2.8 on the F!
I do also miss aperture priority and the MD-4, so I'll be happy to see my F3 return from a repair next week.

 

[DREW WILEY]

What is a battery for? Are you implying cameras were actually made that needed them, like a flashlight? That sounds inconvenient. I've never seen anything like that, at least in my pile of equipment.

 

[Cholentpot]

This summer I've been working though my collection and using my meter-less (Or broken meters or orphaned meters) cameras with a stash of expired film. No meter and sunny 16. I've also been exercising my scale focus cameras and I seem to have got it down. There's nothing like nailing a roll with a meter-less, focus-less full mechanical 60+ year old camera.

 

[narsuitus]

For the past couple of weeks or so I've disciplined myself to using my all mechanical SLR cameras, no batteries allowed and I've been really enjoying it.

The Nikon F2, with a plain meterless prism, is my favorite battery-free mechanical SLR.

I also have other SLRs (Pentax Spotmatic & Fuji ST705) that require batteries for their built-in light meters but I never put batteries in these cameras because I prefer to use a handheld light meter.



Nikon F2 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Theo Sulphate]

I'm currently using a Leica III from 1934 and its nickel 50/3.5 Elmar from a few years later.

I'm also using a post-WWII Zeiss Nettar 515/16, which is a 6x6cm folder.

I've stopped buying cameras with any electronics aside from the meter.

 

[Paul Howell]

Shooting with a Miranda EE with 300, 450, and 200 lens, I also will be pulling out my Spotmatic for a few rolls.

 

[benjiboy]

This week I've been shooting Ilford HP5 plus in my Canon EF with a Canon 35mm f2 Thorium lens attached this is a great combination for street shooting because I can set the body onto auto and focus the lens onto 10 or 15 feet and point and shoot using the lenses hyperfocal distance..
The Canon EF body can be bought these days very cheaply in very good condition for under £90, it has a hybrid electro /mechanical shutter, Silicon cell lightmeter, a mirror lock, the shutter works correctly on modern PX625A batteries because it has a voltage stabilizer and will work without batteries, it's the same build quality as my Canon F1's and I highly recommend it.

 

[cooltouch]

I agree about the EF. It's a great camera and fun to shoot, especially when the meter and shutter are working.

This past week I've been trying to finish up some film I have loaded in my "old" Canon F-1 and also my Pentax MX. Medium format-wise, I still have a few frames left in my Pentax 67 and also my Bronica ETRSi. The weather's been really dreary here for the past few weeks. Cold and overcast or cold and rainy. Day after Christmas we had partly cloudy skies. First time I've seen the sun in quite a while. But I was really busy all day that day and didn't get a chance to exercise any of my photo gear. Now it's back to being dreary -- cold and rainy.

 

[OlyMan]

Sunny 16 and other associated rules of thumb go down the pan in winter when you live this far from the equator. I was out shooting with my son shortly before Christmas, with 200ASA film I was struggling to get hand-holdable speeds at my favorite aperture of f/8, even though it was only early afternoon and just slightly over-cast. Bring on Summer again; I can't wait. I sure hope I'm not working that day.

 

[Cholentpot]

Sunny 16 and other associated rules of thumb go down the pan in winter when you live this far from the equator. I was out shooting with my son shortly before Christmas, with 200ASA film I was struggling to get hand-holdable speeds at my favorite aperture of f/8, even though it was only early afternoon and just slightly over-cast. Bring on Summer again; I can't wait. I sure hope I'm not working that day.

I do winter projects. Last year was re-loading disposable cameras, then I started modding the cameras. This winter I got a few nice P&S cameras that are full auto and I'm learning to embrace the P&S on camera flash look.