Latest gear score

[FrankS]

Over the last 6 weeks I have been recuperating from hip replacement surgery. I have a comfy lazy boy chair, bought used on kijiji (craigslist) and I have lots of free time, being absolved from my typical duties around the house. I spend a lot of time on the Internet, including forums like rff and buy and sell sites like kijiji.

Over the last 4 weeks I've snagged some interesting photo gear: Rolleiflex Automat tlr with tessar lens (150), rigid Summicron 50 (50 after selling the M2 it came with), Fujica st800 with 50f1.4 and 28f3.5 (30), Pentax spotmattic F with Takumar 135f3.5 (20), Kodak Retina lllc with Heligon lens (80). The Summicron has come back from a CLA (100) and a brighter focus screen has been ordered for the Rollei (100).

Just today I scored a Nikon FM with long nose Nikkor 50f1.8, Nikon 100f2.8 series E, Nikon extension tubes K, off-brand 2x convertor, Makinon 28f2.8, and Nikon winder MD12. The FM's focus screen is dirty and it's an early model that requires removal of the top to change screens, but it doesn't affect the picture, only the viewing of the scene. The only other negative is that the motor drive doesn't work. The power light doesn't come on with fresh batteries in it. Maybe dirty contacts, we'll see. I got this bunch for $80.

 

[Darthfeeble]

Get well before you go broke Frank.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Wishing smooth recovery!

 

[FrankS]

🙂. Thanks!

My fun money account is dwindling. This stash was accumulated by selling unwanted gear and is totally separate from my pension income/household account.

I hope I have enough left for a winter motorcycle project that will make me more money in the spring once it's cleaned up and running.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Spottie F is great!

 

[Shac]

Keep up the good "work" Frank and enjoy your purchases

 

[rfaspen]

The MD12 is almost certainly suffering from dirty contacts. Its a common, very, very common issue with them. Ask me how I know....

Glad to hear one can spend "down time" so productively. My wife would probably take the credit card away if I ever had such "luxury".

Oh, and that rigid summicron sounds like quite a score..

 

[FrankS]

Rf aspen, I've cleaned the 4 contact points at the end of the battery chamber of the MD12, to no avail. I assume that the red led lights up when the winder is turned on. Mine doesn't, and also no winding action when winder button is pushed.

The FM2 is the very early version with a knurled finger guard ring around the shutter button, that activates a shutter lock when rotated to L. Later versions had the winding lever stand off angle unlocks the shutter. Shutter is locked when the winding lever is fully retracted. This is a pain to us left eye shooters, as the wind lever pokes your face.

Sorry about the gear-headedness.

 

[nikon_sam]

Sometimes the MD-12s don't cycle completely...shorting out two of the contacts will complete the cycle and most times it will fix the problem...if the trigger finger is sticking up on the MD-12 it didn't cycle...but I'm thinking you might know this...

 

[FrankS]

Sometimes the MD-12s don't cycle completely...shorting out two of the contacts will complete the cycle and most times it will fix the problem...if the trigger finger is sticking up on the MD-12 it didn't cycle...but I'm thinking you might know this...

No I didn't, thanks Sam. How would I go about shorting out 2 of the contacts to complete the cycle?

 

[nikon_sam]

I forget which two but there are side by side...I used a regular nickel for this...unmount the MD-12...turn it on...short out the contacts...you should hear the motor wind...I don't remember if you have to press the button for this to happen...
This works if the shutter release pin is sticking up...the drive shaft coupling will spin half a turn and the pin will return to the down position...before remounting it back on the body make sure the FM is cocked to the next frame and ready to shoot...

 

[farlymac]

A coin will do, Frank. I think it's the left two as you look at the winder from the back. A pencil eraser can be used to clean the contacts on the winder and the camera, or a fiberglass pen if you have one.

Nice haul on all the new gear. I just love a good bargain. That's why I can't afford film sometimes.

PF

 

[FrankS]

That's a great help, thank you very much. I'll give that a try.