What's your latest new old camera ? (Part 2)

aldevo · Jan 14, 2018

I bought another Fujica ST801. These have a 1/2000th shutter speed (unique for an M42 camera originating in the early-1970s) and a wonderfully-bright split-image focusing screen. The metering circuit is also very, very easy to adjust - and opening up the camera doesn't require you to improvise "custom" tools like filing down compasses to remove the cover for the takeup spool shaft Ever try to open up a Pentax Spotmatic? UGH! I'm not fond of the LED-based metering - which is a classic example of "why-tech?" not "high-tech" - and Fujica ditched it for their later STX05 cameras in favor of good old match-needles. Nonetheless, the accuracy of the meter (one of the first to use SBC metering circuits) is very good - better than, say, the meter on a Canon FTb - which was a competing model at the time and which I also own.

These cameras handle superbly with the smallish (frequently 49mm filter threaded) Super and SMC Takumar lenses. As a point of caution - there are some largish M42 lenses that should not be mounted to these cameras (e.g. a Yashinon DX 50mm f/1.4) because they will interfere with the movement of the mirror.

The weak point of the these cameras is their film transport mechanisms. I've owned 5 ST801s and three of them experienced film-transport-related failures. Two of them were the result of a very sad decision by Fujica engineers to under-spec the material for the film advance lever assembly. It is composed of a relatively soft metal with the consequence that the film advance shaft steadily "machines" the once-rectangular hole in the film advance assembly into a useless circular hold that causes the film advance lever to ultimately spin uselessly about the shaft. A shame.

I should also mention that all of the Fujica M42 SLRs are also susceptible to developing front-focusing problems - i.e. the focusing screen indicates that the image is focused further back than it actually it is - I would recommend that anybody looking to purchase one test for this as soon as possible.

WilmarcoImaging · Jan 14, 2018

Couple weeks ago I was gifted a nice Minolta SR-1 set with a body, 35, 50 and 135 Auto Rokkor lenses, extension tube set, manuals and nice leather hard case. Almost finished with a roll of film through it, looking forward to seeing what it can do.

Kodachromeguy · Jan 14, 2018

Theo Sulphate said:
Also last month: a Leica IIIf RD ST with 50/3.5 Elmar.

View attachment 193518 View attachment 193519 View attachment 193520

Theo, what a gorgeous IIIf. I am a bit surprised at the shutter speeds. My 1949-vintage IIIc has 1-30 on the low-speed dial, then 40, 60, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 on the top dial. As for your 50 Elmar: it looks like famous red-scale Elmar. I used a 2.8 Elmar-M of 1967 manufacture for many years. Nice item. And, of course, I should have never sold it.....

dynachrome · Jan 14, 2018

Fuji STX-2

Theo Sulphate · Jan 14, 2018

Kodachromeguy said:
Theo, what a gorgeous IIIf. I am a bit surprised at the shutter speeds. My 1949-vintage IIIc has 1-30 on the low-speed dial, then 40, 60, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 on the top dial. As for your 50 Elmar: it looks like famous red-scale Elmar...

Apparently Leica experimented a bit and had different sequences of speeds for different models. Here is my III from 1934 and its period-correct nickel Elmar:

E. von Hoegh · Jan 14, 2018

Theo Sulphate said:
Apparently Leica experimented a bit and had different sequences of speeds for different models. Here is my III from 1934 and its period-correct nickel Elmar:

View attachment 193524

Stop posting pictures of that. It's making me want one.
Actually the different sequences of speeds denoted slightly different shutter curtain speeds, the clue is where the speeds break from the high to low speeds, that indicates the full-gate speed.

Theo Sulphate · Jan 14, 2018

E. von Hoegh said:
Stop posting pictures of that. It's making me want one.
...

Then I won't tell you KEH has one, though they're asking more for their BGN priced one than what I paid for mine (private sale), which I'd rate as EX+.

As a matter of fact, I've just finished making a nice series of photos with it this afternoon (RPX 25 film). The sound of the shutter is wonderful. And the heft... !

People always mention the difficulty of loading these Leicas -- funny thing is that before I owned my very first camera, I saw a diagram on how to trim the film for these Leicas and I thought all film had to be trimmed that way. So, for about 10 years, that's how I trimmed and loaded my Pentax SP500 before I realized it was unnecessary. So now, my first time loading this camera, I trim the film, insert it, and I immediately see that a sprocket hole on the film has fallen nicely onto a tooth of the sprocket-shaft. Perfect. Nothing more to do. I put the plate back on, wind it, and all is fine. 10 seconds to load. Overall, I really enjoy this camera. I mean, just look at it...

E. von Hoegh · Jan 14, 2018

You're such a thoughtful person. However, I'm quite well acquainted with the feel, sound, heft, and loading of that particular model of Leica. Having had M3s, a IIIg with Summarit, R3 MOT; a black III is the only Leica I desire. Ideally with a Summar, however a Hektor or Elmar will do. It's odd, being not much of a fan of black cameras - but black is the proper color for first generation Barnacks. I waited and watched for a year, to get just the right Contax II; somewhere there is just the right Leica III. I'll settle for a body without lens as I have a nice Summitar to struggle along with until the right lens shows up. Come to think of it, there's a good Industar 22 lying around somewhere...

Martin Rickards · Jan 15, 2018

I managed to pick up a very clean Minolta X500 with an unknown at the time Hanimex 35-70 short zoom, which a first I thought wouldn't be that good, but which I learn may not be too bad, and a compatible flash for 40€ Just waiting to see the first negatives.

John_Nikon_F · Jan 16, 2018

Two chrome Nikomats, an FTn and an FT2, were sourced last week. Today, won an auction for a well-used F3P which will be replacing my fairly clean F3HP when it arrives.

-J

narsuitus · Jan 16, 2018

John_Nikon_F said:
Today, won an auction for a well-used F3P which will be replacing my fairly clean F3HP when it arrives.

Hi John,

Why replace the clean F3HP with a well-used F3P? Why not keep both?

ciniframe · Jan 16, 2018

Although I've sworn off buying hardware I could not resist a Olympus Pen FV on ebay. I can justify it by saying 'you always need a second/backup body'. I find half frame 35mm addictive, never been without at least one since 1971. This body will complement my Pen F body and give me options of having two different angle of views mounted and handy.

StanMac · Jan 16, 2018

A Ventura 66, from an online auction site. It looks in amazingly good condition. Now if only the lens focus and shutter speed selector would turn .....

Stan

bdial · Jan 17, 2018

A Nikon F5, I seem to be only hitting the odd numbers with Nikon F models. Had an F "back in the day" until it got stolen, replaced it with an F3 which was current at the time, which I still have, and now the 5.
So far, my biggest disappointment with the 5 is that it cannot accept non-AI lenses, though it's a minor issue. That, and I had to download the manual to my phone so I can figure out all the controls while I'm out and about with it.

John_Nikon_F · Jan 17, 2018

narsuitus said:
Hi John,

Why replace the clean F3HP with a well-used F3P? Why not keep both?

John,

I guess I don't feel like I need duplicates of everything anymore. Lens-wise, I'll have a few 50's of various max. aperture lying around, that way, whatever camera I grab will at least have one of those on it and I won't have to pilfer the lens from another body, then hunt down a BF-1b to attach to that body, when I want more than one lens. Plus, I could use the F3HP as trade fodder toward an 85/1.8 I had last year that I got rid of due to the fact that there were no donor 85/1.8 H or HC lenses lying around with AI conversion rings on them (and due to my wanting that 15/3.5 AI I picked up in July of last year). Now I have one that I scored for $53.00 or so. Has some issues with one of the elements, so I don't feel bad about demoting it back to pre-AI.

-J

Theo Sulphate · Jan 17, 2018

bdial said:
A Nikon F5 ... So far, my biggest disappointment with the 5 is that it cannot accept non-AI lenses, though it's a minor issue. ...

According to KR, the F5's could be modified (by Nikon) to allow stop-down metering with pre-AI lenses:

(scroll to F5 entry in table, follow the footnote)

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm#e

I don't know if Nikon still offers that, but maybe someone does.

bdial · Jan 17, 2018

Thanks, that's interesting to know.

WilmarcoImaging · Jan 19, 2018

Maxxum 9, what a great camera. Found a low mileage sample at a reasonable price. Now I can use the Minolta 28-70/2.8 G, which is a high performer.

My 35mm fleet is pretty much where I want it. Need to donate one body/lens/flash to a young up and comer. Also need to move 2 unused lenses.

BayG75 · Jan 19, 2018

I stopped by my local used camera store today and discovered they were having a 90% off sale in the clearance section. I spent $12 on two non-working Nikkormats - a chrome FTN and a black FT2. They are in very good shape cosmetically, and I’m hoping I can get them working myself. If not, it might be worth having them professionally repaired. The worst case scenario is that they become parts cameras for my working Nikkormats.

Siompa · Jan 20, 2018

I got a Hasselblad 503cx with the 80mm 2.8 for Christmas. I was saving up for a Mamiya system so I spent that money on a 150mm f4 and an extra film back

Love it so far!

Sirius Glass · Jan 20, 2018

Siompa said:
I got a Hasselblad 503cx with the 80mm 2.8 for Christmas. I was saving up for a Mamiya system so I spent that money on a 150mm f4 and an extra film back

Love it so far!

You will be happier with the Hasselblad especially when you start looking for accessories, lenses or services. I have the same camera and lens. Stick to CF and later lenses and then almost all the lenses will use B60 filters. One set of filters and a haze or skylight filter on each lens for protection.

dreamingartemis · Jan 24, 2018

I know this is a bit late but Santa claus bought me something VERY nice! A minty Hasselblad 503cw with the winder and PM51 unit!

jimjm · Jan 24, 2018

Eastman View No. 2 (5x7) from around 1915, mated to a Wollensak Velostigmat 7-inch f:4.5 lens, from around the same period. The camera was purchased last year from another user here on PHOTRIO who had rescued it from a very sorry state and did the bulk of the restoration. I added a leather handle and new ground glass, made some lens boards from laminated mahogany, fine-tuned the focusing gears and rectified some light leaks in the rear standard. I just need to find a rear rail bed, but it's perfectly usable for shooting if I don't have to extend the bellows too far.

Erik D. Herrmann Sr. · Jan 24, 2018

My new FA. Near mint condition and I can't wait to run a roll through it. there's not a lot of talk about this model, but it was the first SLR to offer multi-pattern metering, the precursor to matrix metering. It is also the first Nikon to have Shutter priority and Program modes.

BayG75 · Jan 24, 2018

Erik D. Herrmann Sr. said:
My new FA. Near mint condition and I can't wait to run a roll through it. there's not a lot of talk about this model, but it was the first SLR to offer multi-pattern metering, the precursor to matrix metering. It is also the first Nikon to have Shutter priority and Program modes.
View attachment 194067

The FA never sold as well as Nikon hoped, and it was only in production for four years. I’ve never quite understood why - with its Matrix metering, shutter-priority mode, and program mode it added several useful features to their 1980s FE2/FM2/FG20/F3 line-up. I think it is an excellent camera.

The FE2 has always been my favorite Nikon film camera, but the FA is right up there, maybe tied with the F2 for second place. I use mine quite often (and just bought two semi-working FAs at a camera store clearance sale).

Congrats on your purchase - enjoy!

What's your latest new old camera ? (Part 2)

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