fun time at a camera show

[ampguy]

spent a couple hrs browsing tables and tables of cameras at a show in san jose. lots of rf stuff, maybe 20-30%. there seemed to be a couple of great deals, some of the sellers were even buying boxed new lenses from other dealers. I was interested in an F3 user, and a used Nikonos 3, but had no way to test them or anything, and didn't really want to get more cameras without getting rid of unused stuff first.

Lots of XA-2s and GSN/GTN's for $10-$20. Several tables of hoods, lenses, caps, filters. Could not find a press-on filter for my 40.5 heavystar wide angle hood.

Did end up with an inexpensive selenium sekonic batteryless meter that matched up to 1 step of my digicam on center-weighted mode, a couple of cases, hexar af batteries.

Maybe next time after selling off unused stuff, I may pull the trigger on a used F3 or F4, but that may not be of interest to many here.

Then again, if the M8 is out by the next show, I may be scouring other RF stuff...

 

[willie_901]

I must encourage you to find a nice F3. They are cost effective and can do just about anything. Prices are at an all time low, so it is a good time to buy. Nikon MF lenses are also an excellent value right now.

I use mine for long exposures, action work, close up/macro work, if a flash is required and when I want to use a 24mm lens.

Without the motor drive the camera is fairly easy to handle and carry. With the motor drive the camera is easy to hold and you will not miss a shot as the reponse feels instantaneous.

Unless you shoot with eye galsses, I would purchase the non-HP model (DE-2 finder). This finder make the camera just a bit smaller.

willie

 

[Rich Silfver]

Some REALLY bad photos from the photofair. They were mostly taken with a small digi p&s held above my head and it appears that I am incapable of holding it steady that way. Thought it would be fun if I accidentally caught one of you though.. 🙂

(Would be hard to tell though judging from the photo quality...) 🙂

 

[MelanieC]

You had to include the boob shot, didn't you?

My favorite guy had Rubbermaid bins full of random stuff, including lenses thrown in there with no caps on, just kind of jumbled in all over the place. He (a) thought I had an M2 (it's an M3 -- but hey, honest mistake), (b) thought I had a 90 on it (I have a 50, but it had a hood on it so I guess it looked longer), and (c) asked me if it was actually "his" camera (meaning Richard's) which as far as I'm concerned there's no excuse for.

Three people tried to buy my camera, which was amusing.

I got a new hood for my 50, which I think is the same as the "most beautiful hood" referenced in a thread here a few weeks back. I like it because it (a) looks cooler than the old hood and (b) blocks much less of the viewfinder. It came with a cap. No pr0n yet, unless you cound the last of Richard's photos above.

 

[Rich Silfver]

You had to include the boob shot, didn't you?

It's for Ruben.

 

[ampguy]

lol! Melanie, I think you should get one of those fuji "Professional" cameras, it looks great on you!

If anyone knows who the folks are who had the Nikon F3 beater w/lens for $175, let me know, I don't think I see it in those pics above, unless the tables got rearranged a little before I got there.

 

[ampguy]

Thanks Willie

Thanks Willie

Yes, I need an F3. I also like the looks of smaller prism.

I must encourage you to find a nice F3. They are cost effective and can do just about anything. Prices are at an all time low, so it is a good time to buy. Nikon MF lenses are also an excellent value right now.

I use mine for long exposures, action work, close up/macro work, if a flash is required and when I want to use a 24mm lens.

Without the motor drive the camera is fairly easy to handle and carry. With the motor drive the camera is easy to hold and you will not miss a shot as the reponse feels instantaneous.

Unless you shoot with eye galsses, I would purchase the non-HP model (DE-2 finder). This finder make the camera just a bit smaller.

willie

 

[bsdunek]

Hey, I love those tubs full of 'junque'! Never know what you will find there - sometimes some real prizes and at a low price. Also, don't forget to look under the tables. At our local shows, there are usuelly some more boxes of junque under the tables. Sometimes nice filters, adapter rings and other good stuff we can use on our
RF cameras.

Happy Hunting!

 

[MelanieC]

I did forget to mention that I kind of developed an affinity for the Olympus OM series SLRs. There were about a zillion of them for sale and I was really surprised by how small they were. I have less than no need for another camera, however.

Here's my M3 with the new, beautiful hood on it and the old, less beautiful hood next to it.

 

[RayPA]

Wow! The San Jose show is MUCH bigger than the Hayward show! I wish I could say I was in one of your pictures Rich, but I didn't go. 🙁

 

[Rich Silfver]

Wow! The San Jose show is MUCH bigger than the Hayward show! I wish I could say I was in one of your pictures Rich, but I didn't go. 🙁

Ray I'd swag it and say that the San Jose show is 5-6 times bigger than the Hayward show (that I have given up on due to it's small size).

 

[Kat]

WOW! I wish we had those here in the Philippines. Do those shows not allow buyers to test cameras, at least for the basics?

So, if I one day just happen to find myself in your part of the world, are there particular places I can try visiting and find regular events like this?

 

[JimG]

WOW!

So, if I one day just happen to find myself in your part of the world, are there particular places I can try visiting and find regular events like this?

Kat- SHUTTERBUG magazine has a section where they give information about upcoming shows. (At least they did when I used to subsribe to it.) Jim

 

[pcfranchina]

Anyone know If they hold any shows like that in the NYC area? That looks great!

 

[jshelly]

I did forget to mention that I kind of developed an affinity for the Olympus OM series SLRs. There were about a zillion of them for sale and I was really surprised by how small they were.

Funny you mention this, I fell in love with a beater OM1 that I just had it sent off for a CLA. It's tiny, even smaller then my M6, and the 50 1.8 lens it came with has been pretty impressive so far.

 

[ampguy]

I like the size of those OM's as well. I wish they took canon, or nikon lenses.

 

[Peter Klein]

The "beautiful" 39mm hood is indeed beautiful. I got one recently, too, and it's great. Very much like the Leica clip-on hood in design, with the reverse-conical shape that makes only a thin line in the viewfinder. Except that it screws on rather than clips. Since I leave my hoods on all the time when out shooting, no big deal. And unlike the clip-on Leica hood, the "beautiful" model has enough space for my big fingers to operate the aperture ring comfortably when affixed to my DR Summicron, whose front end is basically the same as Melanie's rigid Summicron pictured above.

And in further appreciation of beauty, I commend Melanie, Jshelly and Ampguy on their good taste in liking the Olympus OM cameras. The most Leica-like of SLRs. And Ampguy, the Zuiko lenses are quite nice. I hardly shoot my OM-2 anymore, but I have been known to mount an OM lens on my E-1 now and then.

The camera show looks like it was fun. A bunch of us in the Northwest like to converge on the Vancouver, BC camera "swap meet" once or twice a year. Same kind of stuff, different latitude. With the additional bonus that since it's Canada, there's a bit more FSU and former GDR cameras and optics to ogle.

--Peter

 

[RayPA]

...
Here's my M3 with the new, beautiful hood on it and the old, less beautiful hood next to it.

Looks like the Heavystar hood. Is it?

🙂

 

[ampguy]

zuiko lenses

zuiko lenses

The problem with zuiko lenses is I think you're pretty much stuck with olympus, like Nikon.

With Canon (to an extent), *ist, and K-mount/m42 bodies and lenses, you can mix and match inexpensively since adapters do not require any elements, just a mechanical connection.

Yes, at the San Jose show there were virtually no FSU cameras or lenses.

The "beautiful" 39mm hood is indeed beautiful. I got one recently, too, and it's great. Very much like the Leica clip-on hood in design, with the reverse-conical shape that makes only a thin line in the viewfinder. Except that it screws on rather than clips. Since I leave my hoods on all the time when out shooting, no big deal. And unlike the clip-on Leica hood, the "beautiful" model has enough space for my big fingers to operate the aperture ring comfortably when affixed to my DR Summicron, whose front end is basically the same as Melanie's rigid Summicron pictured above.

And in further appreciation of beauty, I commend Melanie, Jshelly and Ampguy on their good taste in liking the Olympus OM cameras. The most Leica-like of SLRs. And Ampguy, the Zuiko lenses are quite nice. I hardly shoot my OM-2 anymore, but I have been known to mount an OM lens on my E-1 now and then.

The camera show looks like it was fun. A bunch of us in the Northwest like to converge on the Vancouver, BC camera "swap meet" once or twice a year. Same kind of stuff, different latitude. With the additional bonus that since it's Canada, there's a bit more FSU and former GDR cameras and optics to ogle.

--Peter

 

[plummerl]

Here is a site with worldwide listings of camera shows (appears that the next Vancouver BC show is in Aug.):

http://www.antiquewoodcameras.com/shows.htm