I joined the P gang! Couple of Qs

[Robin Harrison]

I can feel no guilt with this purchase. The decision was made not by me, but in effect collectively by the members of this forum! I hadn't even heard of this camera before frequenting this site, but became a fan not long after. I wasn't explicitly looking for one, but when I saw this one for the price it was at, I thought it had to be worth a shot (or 36).

The camera has arrived and appears in good condition apart from a ding on the top plate and the commonly wrinkled shutter curtains. What a solid piece of camera! I found it slightly louder in operation than I hoped for, but on the upside the viewfinder way surpassed my expectations. I do have a couple of questions about the operation of the camera though, just checking whether everything is fully working:

I haven't put a film through the camera yet, but when winding on, the mechanism sometime makes a ratcheting noise, as if some part is winding and some part isn't. When this happens, it requires a little more winding after the normal stroke to complete the wind. Is this normal?

When the lock dial is set to 'A' and I wind on, and then move the dial back to its lock position, it appears as if the shutter fires (although not at the speed set on the shutter dial). Is this normal?

Thanks in advance,
Robin.

 

[jlw]

I'm not sure about the ratcheting noise, since it's hard to describe a noise in a way that other people can "visualize" (audibilize?) it. If the camera advances and cocks the shutter correctly, I'm guessing it's fine. You'll know for sure after you try a roll of film.

You might try making sure that the A/R dial is notched all the way in the advance position (see below.)

The behavior of the A/R dial (actually for advance and rewind, not advance and lock) that you describe is normal on Canon RFs. When you move the dial to the rewind position, the camera does this to release the spring tension on the shutter curtains, preventing the springs from losing their, erm, springiness during long periods of storage.

Some people have reported that their final frame of film has been fogged when the curtains release. I've never had that happen on any of my Canon RFs, and suspect the film was fogged for a different reason and they blame the curtain release because it SOUNDS as if the shutter fired. Still, to be safe, you may want to put on the lens cap or cover the lens with your hand before turning the dial to the rewind position.

 

[taffer]

Welcome and congrats on your purchase, after all, if it's the favorite camera of our fearless moderator then it must have something good, no ? 😉

I guess what you mention about the A collar is normal, I think it's Karen Nakamura who mentions that she uses to put on the lens cap when rewinding as the shutter seemed to fire when she turned the collar to rewind position and she suspected blids were maybe not completely closed. I must add though that I've never had that happening.

As for the winding... do you mean that the first X degrees of the wind lever turn have less friction than the rest ? I'd say that's normal too, remember you're doing two different things there at once, cock the shutter and advance film sprockets.

Run a roll through it and let the magic of P flow through you 🙂

Oscar

 

[taffer]

Heh, well, JLW types faster than me 😀

 

[back alley]

if you are using the a/r dial as a lock then yes, what you are describing is likely caused by this.
keep in at the a position-there is no lock- and only move to r when you need to rewind.
try this and see what happens.

joe

 

[Kim Coxon]

I am just waiting for Joe to join the VI-L gang. He keeps threatening that he will. 😱

Kim

Welcome and congrats on your purchase, after all, if it's the favorite camera of our fearless moderator then it must have something good, no ? 😉


Oscar

 

[back alley]

i will, i can feel it.

money is always an issue and i have given thought to trading a p for a 6l, but i always falter when it comes to choosing which p to trade.
my favourite, the one i dropped? or the middle one, in very good shape and quite presentable or the one that is near mint, with the fiewfinder that has framelines that almost glow.
you see my predicament...😉

joe

 

[Solinar]

Another congratulations with regards to the Canon P. The shutter noise, if is it like the VI-L is definitely quieter than either of my Leica IIIf's. I believe Joe has single handedly infected the group with the Canon P virus, which ain't a bad thing either.

 

[Robin Harrison]

Thanks to all for the advice. I guess trying a roll of Tri-X at the weekend is what's called for!

Looks like I had misunderstood the dial around the shutter release - I will now keep that where it belongs.

And you're right, Solinar - this Canon P virus is spreading quickly! An avatar as seductive (in a camera sense) as Joe's should be banned!

The P also came with a 50mm 1.8. That's leica mount (M nad LTM) 50 number five for me! At least two of those have to go! I want to shoot a couple of test rolls before I decide, but I think I'd rather keep this than the Nokton f.15 I've got. Half a stop slower, but half the size and no blocking in the P's finder.

Now: the hunt for a screw mount 35....Leica or Canon or Voigtlander....hmmm....

 

[back alley]

look for a nice clean canon 35/2.8 and you will be happy.
i have the older chrome version and i love it. (heard that before folks? sorry!)

the worst thing about this lens is finding a hood for it.

joe

 

[wlewisiii]

A recent black Jupiter-12 should work as well. It does just fine on my 7 - just see my avatar for proof 😀 Admittedly it is a tight fit but nothing touches. I believe the earliest models, that some consider the best made, were of slightly larger dimensions and that is the source of the received wisdom that none of them fit. You might wish to borrow one and test it with the shutter held open.

A good one is a fine lens and might well suit you well. I know I love mine, though I admit I'll probably get a Canon 35mm lens eventually.

William

 

[ChrisN]

look for a nice clean canon 35/2.8 and you will be happy.
i have the older chrome version and i love it. (heard that before folks? sorry!)

the worst thing about this lens is finding a hood for it.

joe

Joe - I'm still looking for a hood for mine. The one I got from ebay didn't fit! I've now ordered a Series 6 adapter in the hope that I might be able to use my Canon S6 hood with it.

 

[back alley]

Joe - I'm still looking for a hood for mine. The one I got from ebay didn't fit! I've now ordered a Series 6 adapter in the hope that I might be able to use my Canon S6 hood with it.

too big or small?

mine is a leitz hood for a 35 elmar and/or summaron. not only does it work great and fit perfectly...it's so damn cute i can barely stand it!!
i have been looking for a second one since i got this one but no luck so far.

joe

 

[Robin Harrison]

look for a nice clean canon 35/2.8 and you will be happy.
i have the older chrome version and i love it. (heard that before folks? sorry!)

the worst thing about this lens is finding a hood for it.

joe

Hang on...I spy one on the 'bay right now!

"This item is a Canon 35mm f 2.8 lens. Lens is free of scratches and fungus and aperture blades work smoothly. It comes with front and rear lens caps. Lens has a thread mounting which is approximately 39 mm in diameter. I think this is a lens for a range finder camera but really don't know what it fits."

It's mine. Leave off all you RFFers (see thread about RFF and prices on ebay)!

This kind of got me thinking. The auction sniping services should provide a service where it takes the interest of 'the group' into consideration (see game theory). If AuctionSniper has 3 members that bid on an item at 50, 40, and 20 pounds respectively, and there is another non-sniping bidder at 30, then the sniping service should only execute the highest bid. That way, the higest bidder will only have to pay £31 for the item instead of £41. The '40' sniper may get annoyed that the auction went for 31 when he put in a pif of 40, but even if his bid was enterred, the 50 bidder would have ended up winning at 41. An online auction tool that benefits the buyers but scews the sellers!

Robin.

 

[planetjoe]

Duh.

Duh.

I feel so stupid. Too busy to post much these days, I've been keeping up on some discussions, frankly confused when Joe mentions the "6l". I only realized today that he's talking about the VI-L.

Hence my "Duh".

Anyway, Robin, many congrats on your P purchase. I've had many successes (in my head, at least) with mine, and love it to death. Just to add my two cents, I always shield the lens when setting the A/R dial to "Rewind".

And I can confirm what William said above - a recent model (post-70s, for sure) Jupiter-12 makes a nice 35mm addition to the P kit. There seem to be no fit problems on the P as are commonly reported for other camera makes and lens vintages. And it's a compact little lens. Not as inconsequentially inexpensive as other FSU glass, but worth the price.

I second the Tri-X notion. Shoot some in the early evening, expose and develop for ISO1600 - what a treat. Enjoy.


Cheers,
--joe.

 

[back alley]

the 35/2.8 chrome is 34mm filter and the black & chrome version is the 40mm filter size - same optical configuration if i remember correctly.

go for it!!

joe

 

[Joseph Low]

Hi Robin

Make that 2 of us!

To understand the P more - I recommend you read the treatise by Karen Nakamura on this marque - one of her favorites

Or go to Stephen Gandy's superb site - cameraquest.com

By the way - I mated mine with a 35mm/1.5 and original hood - all acquired
separately

Enjoy your new toy - and let us exchange notes

Sincerely / Joseph Low / Singapore

 

[ChrisN]

too big or small?

mine is a leitz hood for a 35 elmar and/or summaron. not only does it work great and fit perfectly...it's so damn cute i can barely stand it!!
i have been looking for a second one since i got this one but no luck so far.

joe

Joe - you mean like this one?

ebay listing - hood FOOKH

Too rich for me! Shame - the seller also has a clean M4 baseplate I'd like to bid on, but he doesn't accept paypal, and international money orders (western union) cost an absolute bomb!

I'm still waiting on the s6 adapter - that might work, maybe.

 

[Robin Harrison]

Hi Robin

Make that 2 of us!

To understand the P more - I recommend you read the treatise by Karen Nakamura on this marque - one of her favorites

Or go to Stephen Gandy's superb site - cameraquest.com

By the way - I mated mine with a 35mm/1.5 and original hood - all acquired
separately

Enjoy your new toy - and let us exchange notes

Sincerely / Joseph Low / Singapore

Hi Jospeh,

That's some lens you've paired with the P, so I hear. I missed out on the 35m f2.8 on ebay yesterday, but am not too disapointed considering I haven't even shot a roll with the 50 yet! Looking forward to getting out with the camera. Not sure I can wait until the weekend, so might go a-wandering with it one night after work and take panetjoe's advice and shoot some Tri-X @ 1600.

And thanks for the Karen Nakamura tip. I had seen that photoethonography page before, but obviously forgot the tip about the rewind dial! Some good advice on that page. I read with interest the bit about rangefinder alignment. Have you found your P needed attention in that department?

Robin.

 

[back alley]

Joe - you mean like this one?

ebay listing - hood FOOKH

Too rich for me! Shame - the seller also has a clean M4 baseplate I'd like to bid on, but he doesn't accept paypal, and international money orders (western union) cost an absolute bomb!

I'm still waiting on the s6 adapter - that might work, maybe.

that's it!

ritz has one for...125 bucks u.s.
if this one goes for under 50 then it's a good deal and well worth it.
buy it once - use it forever.

thank goodness i got a deal on mine😉