What have you just BOUGHT?

[aw614]

Just got back from my work trip in eastern WA and checked out the Antique and vintage shops there and in nearby Idaho. Ended up taking this Komura 200mm LTM lens for a good price as it caught me by surprise to see an LTM lens. Minimum focusing distance seems to be over 20 ft away and really slow to focus. I guess I need to find a 200mm external viewfinder. I took my Zorki 1 on the trip and it seemed nearly impossible to use, but it seems better to use on my Canon L1.

This one specific shop had some different stuff from the usual cheaper older camera gear like a KOWA MF body and lenses and a KIEV 88. That area of eastern WA in Spokane I seem to find some pretty cool things up there, my last work trip there I ended up taking home a mint Minolta SR1 with working external meter.

 

[Tom Stermitz]

Well, I just bought a Voigtlander Bessa II (6x9), and added a hood and yellow filter from Poland. With the Helior lens, the prices on Bessa IIs are not cheap, but that says something about how solid they are mechanically.

Sent it off for a CLA, as it appears to have some gunk in the crevices, and I'm sure the aperture timing needs some cleaning up. I have a Kodak folder from 1920s, and compared to this Bessa from the 1950s, it is crazy how the basic folder design didn't change for 30 years.

Why? I was looking back at my Lightroom images, and thinking how nice some of the B&W conversions were.

I sold off my Leica lenses after the big price run-ups a few years ago, except for the 50mm Summicron on the M4. But, every time I go through my images, the Leica ones call my attention. Not sure why; maybe because I slow down to patiently compose them.

Then hmm, I finally sent my M4 in for a CLA as well. Do I really need 6x9? Do I instead want Tr-X grain on 35mm?

 

[Freakscene]

View attachment 4832264

Been putting it off but finally added a 50 mm to my lens set - the Leica Summilux.

It’s a fantastic lens. 85% of my photos over the last 3 years have been taken with it. It does flare a bit but only with light on the front element.

 

[Michael Markey]

An expensive UV filter for my SL 24 /70.
That large front element was a sitting duck .

 

[wayben]

Nikon Zfc in green with a Small Rig grip and 16-50mm kit lens.

 

[Bbsteinle]

Just got back from my work trip in eastern WA and checked out the Antique and vintage shops there and in nearby Idaho. Ended up taking this Komura 200mm LTM lens for a good price as it caught me by surprise to see an LTM lens. Minimum focusing distance seems to be over 20 ft away and really slow to focus. I guess I need to find a 200mm external viewfinder. I took my Zorki 1 on the trip and it seemed nearly impossible to use, but it seems better to use on my Canon L1.

This one specific shop had some different stuff from the usual cheaper older camera gear like a KOWA MF body and lenses and a KIEV 88. That area of eastern WA in Spokane I seem to find some pretty cool things up there, my last work trip there I ended up taking home a mint Minolta SR1 with working external meter.

Any tips for a Spokane resident? 🙂 Or is this like guarding the location of a huckleberry patch?

 

[aw614]

Any tips for a Spokane resident? 🙂 Or is this like guarding the location of a huckleberry patch?

I bought the Minolta SR1 at Tossed & Found off Monroe, but there were several antique stores nearby within the same area that might have stuff. A lot of is your typical 80s zooms and such, but you never know what you can find there.

The 200mm lens was found over in Coeur d'Alene at Looking Glass on 4th. That's the same store that had the Kiev 88 and the Kowa. Being winter and all, wasn't sure if I could fit it in my carryon luggage lol and I haven't really gotten into medium format.

 

[Out to Lunch]

Nikon Zfc in green

 

[Godfrey]

I ordered a Hasselblad Metering Film Wind Knob to replace the one I sold with my old 500CM kit 20 years ago. While it's neither as accurate nor as sensitive as my Sekonic L-358, it means that I can carry just the camera on a day walk and quickly get a meter reading that's "good enough" for most daylight exposures. A handy convenience, and a decent Gossen meter too. 😀

G

 

[Retro-Grouch]

I ordered a Hasselblad Metering Film Wind Knob to replace the one I sold with my old 500CM kit 20 years ago. While it's neither as accurate nor as sensitive as my Sekonic L-358, it means that I can carry just the camera on a day walk and quickly get a meter reading that's "good enough" for most daylight exposures. A handy convenience, and a decent Gossen meter too. 😀

G

I keep getting tempted by those, for the same reasons you cite. I never pull the trigger, however, as I doubt that a selenium meter of that age (even a Gossen) could be accurate enough for transparency work. Do let us know your opinion of yours, once you've used it. I think Vince Lupo uses one, and gives it a thumbs up; I would say that Vince is certainly someone whose opinion is to be trusted.

 

[Godfrey]

I keep getting tempted by those, for the same reasons you cite. I never pull the trigger, however, as I doubt that a selenium meter of that age (even a Gossen) could be accurate enough for transparency work. Do let us know your opinion of yours, once you've used it. I think Vince Lupo uses one, and gives it a thumbs up; I would say that Vince is certainly someone whose opinion is to be trusted.

I'll be happy to.. as said, I had one before and it was always accurate and handy, with the range of its capabilities. Nowadays, I only shoot B&W negatives with film, but I'll also use it with the CFVII 50c back. Digital capture is a lot like exposing for transparencies...

G

 

[Vince Lupo]

I keep getting tempted by those, for the same reasons you cite. I never pull the trigger, however, as I doubt that a selenium meter of that age (even a Gossen) could be accurate enough for transparency work. Do let us know your opinion of yours, once you've used it. I think Vince Lupo uses one, and gives it a thumbs up; I would say that Vince is certainly someone whose opinion is to be trusted.

Trust? Who me? Woo that's definitely rolling the dice there....

On a marginally-related note -- look another Hasselblad lens!


Olympia Sonnar by Vince Lupo, on Flickr

Just got this one back from the Marshman -- he did a very full spit'n'polish on this one, and believe me it needed it. I purchased it from a known and longtime eBay seller -- I had been 'watching' this one for quite a while and finally decided to pull the trigger (after some back and forth negotiation). It was advertised as showing very little usage, glass was very clear and everything was in overall very good condition. The lens took about a month to get here from overseas and when it arrived it was not quite what it was made out to be. There were these spots on the inside of the front element (which at first looked to me like fungus but turned out not to be) and the focus was locked solid. So I sent a message to the seller expressing my displeasure (oh and he forgot to include the large front lens cap), and he asked me to get a price on repair. So off to Mr. Marshman it went and he made it fully functional and beautiful (chemicals, heat and a few choice words were needed to get the focusing working again). Not sure if it's just a Zeiss thing or what, but old grease can pretty much turn to concrete and this lens had it in buckets.

In the end it all worked out and it's now a beautifully-working and beautiful looking lens. It also joins a similarly-sized beast in the lineup, the 12.5cm f/2 Schneider-Göttingen Xenon.

Can I conclude that with this lens I'm finally 'done' with acquiring Hasselblad 1600f/1000f lenses? Fingers crossed and a silent prayer that the answer is finally yes.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Trust? Who me? Woo that's definitely rolling the dice there....


Can I conclude that with this lens I'm finally 'done' with acquiring Hasselblad 1600f/1000f lenses? Fingers crossed and a silent prayer that the answer is finally yes.

Well, at least you give the impression that you know what you're talking about, and your photos rock! 😉 That's enough for me, and I'm old enough not to be gullible, though I do have a shelf full of some very questionable eBay purchases...
Nice work bringing the 180 back from the dead. It warms my heart to see beautiful old equipment revived and put back to use! But your prayers are an affront to the Gods of GAS. They are jealous and demand ongoing sacrifice. If not Hasselblad 1600 lenses, it will be something else. How about a nice Rollei 6000 series body to start? Now there is a money pit and a rabbit hole for you! Ask me how I know...

 

[Vince Lupo]

Well, at least you give the impression that you know what you're talking about, and your photos rock! 😉 That's enough for me, and I'm old enough not to be gullible, though I do have a shelf full of some very questionable eBay purchases...
Nice work bringing the 180 back from the dead. It warms my heart to see beautiful old equipment revived and put back to use! But your prayers are an affront to the Gods of GAS. They are jealous and demand ongoing sacrifice. If not Hasselblad 1600 lenses, it will be something else. How about a nice Rollei 6000 series body to start? Now there is a money pit and a rabbit hole for you! Ask me how I know...

Nope I think I'm coming to the end of my tether for camera equipment purchases, particularly since we're moving to the old country this year. A return to motorcycling might be in the offing, but that would be at least a year or more away.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Nope I think I'm coming to the end of my tether for camera equipment purchases, particularly since we're moving to the old country this year. A return to motorcycling might be in the offing, but that would be at least a year or more away.

I may be mistaken, but isn't motorcycling a major source of GAS attacks as well? 🙄

 

[Bbsteinle]

I bought the Minolta SR1 at Tossed & Found off Monroe, but there were several antique stores nearby within the same area that might have stuff. A lot of is your typical 80s zooms and such, but you never know what you can find there.

The 200mm lens was found over in Coeur d'Alene at Looking Glass on 4th. That's the same store that had the Kiev 88 and the Kowa. Being winter and all, wasn't sure if I could fit it in my carryon luggage lol and I haven't really gotten into medium format.

Thank you!

 

[Godfrey]

I may be mistaken, but isn't motorcycling a major source of GAS attacks as well? 🙄

hmm. Never was for me, but then I never saw the need for more than one or two bikes (unlike some of my friends for whom 4 to 10 bikes are the norm). 😉

I retired from motorcycle riding in 2021 (after riding for 46 years and 1.2 million miles...), and bought myself the Lancia Fulvia Coupé because I have to have a fun vehicle project to stay sane. Or as sane as I ever get... 😉

G

 

[Vince Lupo]

I may be mistaken, but isn't motorcycling a major source of GAS attacks as well? 🙄

Mmm could be - maybe not as far as acquiring numerous motorcycles (though I’m sure that’s a danger for some!), but in never being fully satisfied with the bike as it is. So you might first change the exhaust, then maybe the air filter, then the seat, control levers, oh now a high-lift cam and on and on. So there’s a danger in that - trying to create your ‘perfect’ bike, but of course it never will be (almost like camera bags!). And don’t get me started on the clothing!

If I might digress more-fully towards motorcycles for a moment — I’ve been dithering back and forth between a new Moto Guzzi V7 Stone and a new Royal Enfield Classic 350 and now a new Bullet 350. I think if I do end up ‘going down this road’, as it were, I’m pretty sure the Enfield is going to win out. I’ve been watching Royal Enfield for almost 20 years, and with the new J-series engines and the direction in which the company is headed, I think they’re making a reliable, quality product. As much as I’d like the M-G, it’s more bike and money than I need at this point in life, plus the roads in eastern Ontario are perfect for the Enfield (and yes I’m fully aware of their capabilities/lack thereof). I test-rode a Classic 350 a couple of months ago and really liked it. Big question now -- Chrome/Red or Halcyon Grey Classic 350, or maroon Bullet? Hmm.

 

[Godfrey]

Mmm could be - maybe not as far as acquiring numerous motorcycles (though I’m sure that’s a danger for some!), but in never being fully satisfied with the bike as it is. So you might first change the exhaust, then maybe the air filter, then the seat, control levers, oh now a high-lift cam and on and on. So there’s a danger in that - trying to create your ‘perfect’ bike, but of course it never will be (almost like camera bags!). And don’t get me started on the clothing!

If I might digress more-fully towards motorcycles for a moment — I’ve been dithering back and forth between a new Moto Guzzi V7 Stone and a new Royal Enfield Classic 350 and now a new Bullet 350. I think if I do end up ‘going down this road’, as it were, I’m pretty sure the Enfield is going to win out. I’ve been watching Royal Enfield for almost 20 years, and with the new J-series engines and the direction in which the company is headed, I think they’re making a reliable, quality product. As much as I’d like the M-G, it’s more bike and money than I need at this point in life, plus the roads in eastern Ontario are perfect for the Enfield (and yes I’m fully aware of their capabilities/lack thereof). I test-rode a Classic 350 a couple of months ago and really liked it. Big question now -- Chrome/Red or Halcyon Grey Classic 350, or maroon Bullet? Hmm.

I don't know much about the Royal Enfield bikes, but I owned and rode most Moto Guzzi and Ducati motorcycles for most of my riding years. My last motorcycle was a Moto Guzzi V7 III Racer I bought new in 2017, outfitted with some minor "improvements", and rode for 6000+ miles before finally accepting that my riding days were over in 2021. (In truth, all my "improvements" were merely personal preferences as the bike was so good that I could have picked it up from the dealer here in CA and ridden it to NY the next day without a single thought of it having any problems.) I'd had Moto Guzzi 850T-3, a very customized 850T, and an absolutely splendid LeMans V before that one and put well over 100,000 miles on each of them.

My Racer mods included a pair of Agostini mufflers for a little more exhaust note, a small flyscreen to direct the wind blast better, an improved engine map to match the Agostini mufflers, and a set of upgraded wheels/tires. None of which were needed, but I liked them. 😀

Racer with Kineo Wheels by Godfrey DiGiorgi, on Flickr

The modern Guzzis are stunningly reliable, very easy to maintain for anyone with minimal mechanicking experience, quick enough, and very durable with minimum effort. Love them! 😀

But enough of the moto stuff. I was testing the 'new to me' CF Sonnar 180mm f/4 today. A lovely lens ...!

G

 

[CMur12]

I don't know much about the Royal Enfield bikes, but I owned and rode most Moto Guzzi and Ducati motorcycles for most of my riding years. My last motorcycle was a Moto Guzzi V7 III Racer I bought new in 2017, outfitted with some minor "improvements", and rode for 6000+ miles before finally accepting that my riding days were over in 2021. (In truth, all my "improvements" were merely personal preferences as the bike was so good that I could have picked it up from the dealer here in CA and ridden it to NY the next day without a single thought of it having any problems.) I'd had Moto Guzzi 850T-3, a very customized 850T, and an absolutely splendid LeMans V before that one and put well over 100,000 miles on each of them.

My Racer mods included a pair of Agostini mufflers for a little more exhaust note, a small flyscreen to direct the wind blast better, an improved engine map to match the Agostini mufflers, and a set of upgraded wheels/tires. None of which were needed, but I liked them. 😀

Racer with Kineo Wheels by Godfrey DiGiorgi, on Flickr

The modern Guzzis are stunningly reliable, very easy to maintain for anyone with minimal mechanicking experience, quick enough, and very durable with minimum effort. Love them! 😀

But enough of the moto stuff. I was testing the 'new to me' CF Sonnar 180mm f/4 today. A lovely lens ...!

G

Handsome motorcycle!

I have a friend who really likes these, as well.

By the way, how do American riders pronounce Moto Guzzi?
(I know how it's pronounced in Italian.)

- Murray