OT: The OTHER Dark Side ...

[hugivza]

OT: I found the receipt for my first Canon F1 with 50/1.4 SSC lens - $US369 in 1979 from Best Products in Houston. They even included a Winter Olympics logo. It seemed like a fortune at the time. I gave my AE-1 to my son who still has it. I bought a 300/f4 a few weeks ago for about $US220. It would have been way beyond my reach in 1979. It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good.

 

[GeneW]

The person who would do the worse damage/devaluation to your lifetime investment in photographic equipment is likely to be your spouse or next of kin who would gladly sell your fricking worthless obsession for $1 a piece after your untimely dearly departure from this earth.

Funny you should mention that. We had our wills updated a few months ago and the only special bit I put in was -- any photo gear my son doesn't want (he's not into photography) goes to the local camera club to be auctioned off to members as a fund raiser for the club. That means my wife won't have to figure out what to do with it, and someone down the road may continue to enjoy it.

Gene

 

[jja]

Gene, I had not noticed the Rolleiflex and Hasselblad in your signature? Are they new also?

 

[GeneW]

Gene, I had not noticed the Rolleiflex and Hasselblad in your signature? Are they new also?

I picked up my Rollei in 1969 and it has aged better than I have 😀

The Hassy I picked up last year. It's an incredibly elegant camera system. My New Year's Resolution will be to use my MF cameras much more in 2006.

Gene

 

[jja]

I hope to one day be able to say I've kept my Nikon or my Leica as long as that. I owned a Rolleicord III for a brief time, and I miss it. Oops, I'm OT on the OT. 6x6, yet another 'dark side.'

 

[dostacos]

Man if I only knew there were ambidextrous RF / SLR types on RFF I would have made my enquiries here first!

we also speak MF 😀

I have been having GAS attacks regarding my Bessa R, I also have a nice Pentax spotmatic kit, and ME SUPER kit, and now I won the OM1n charity auction so I have ANOTHER brand :bang:

at least I am at one with my Kiev 88 and 60 medium format system 😛

 

[GeneW]

I developed my first test roll from the F3HP this morning, and the negs look really fine. I used the inboard meter to see how accurate it was and as I was shooting it agreed very closely with Sunny-16 so I felt confidence in it. I used my only Nikkor lens -- a 135/3.5 I traded for with PeterC. The other lenses are 'in the mail'.

It was a sobering experience though. The test roll was my last roll of APX100, developed in Rodinal 1:50. Two products that have defined much of my B&W work, both of which are disappearing from the shelves.

A bittersweet experience ...

Gene

 

[Uncle Bill]

Gene OM-1 is in good hands

Gene OM-1 is in good hands

Don't be afraid, Joe. I have some really nice OM gear that I'll be putting up for sale to fund my new SLR direction. The OM stuff is lovely, but I've been using it for 30 yrs and, as you say, am looking for a change of pace.

I have one OM-1 left, and it's currently being overhauled with CLA, new focusing screen, and meter upgrade to modern batteries. It's black. And some very nice Zuikos to go with it 😀

Gene

I picked up Gene's other OM-1, the chrome one back in November. What a sweet camera! I got the test roll back and I am very impressed. I then picked up a 35 and a 135 lens to compliment the 50/1.8 that was on the camera. I can see why there is a hardcore following out there.

Bill

 

[back alley]

that other om has been on my mind ever since reading that line from gene.

part of me wants it, no question and another part is trying to talk me out of it.
no clear winner yet.

joe

 

[GeneW]

that other om has been on my mind ever since reading that line from gene.

Once it gets in your mind, 'resistance is futile' ... That's what happened to me with the Nikon ...

But, I gotta say, I'm a happy camper! 😀

Gene

 

[DougK]

I've always been curious about the OM series cameras. I used to call myself a Pentax fanboy but when I look around the camera shelf, the majority of my cameras say "Olympus" on them. Funny how that happened.

 

[doubs43]

It was a sobering experience though. The test roll was my last roll of APX100, developed in Rodinal 1:50. Two products that have defined much of my B&W work, both of which are disappearing from the shelves. Gene

Gene, a quick search of Freestyle's offerings show that they still have APX-100 in 24 and 36 exposure rolls.

They also still have Arista II in 100 feet rolls at $24.99. It's rebadged APX-100.

Another alternative might be the ISO 100 EFKE/ADOX films offered by JandC Photo. It's more expensive than the Arista II but it's excellent film that does very nicely in Rodinal.

Walker

 

[GeneW]

Gene, a quick search of Freestyle's offerings show that they still have APX-100 in 24 and 36 exposure rolls.

They also still have Arista II in 100 feet rolls at $24.99. It's rebadged APX-100.

Another alternative might be the ISO 100 EFKE/ADOX films offered by JandC Photo. It's more expensive than the Arista II but it's excellent film that does very nicely in Rodinal.

Walker

Thanks, Walker. I'll be checking out the alternatives!

Gene

 

[karmakamera]

Funny you should mention that. We had our wills updated a few months ago and the only special bit I put in was -- any photo gear my son doesn't want (he's not into photography) goes to the local camera club to be auctioned off to members as a fund raiser for the club. That means my wife won't have to figure out what to do with it, and someone down the road may continue to enjoy it.

Gene

>...and someone down the road may continue to enjoy it.<

Your intentions and legacy is admirable. 😉

 

[karmakamera]

we also speak MF 😀

I have been having GAS attacks regarding my Bessa R, I also have a nice Pentax spotmatic kit, and ME SUPER kit, and now I won the OM1n charity auction so I have ANOTHER brand :bang:

at least I am at one with my Kiev 88 and 60 medium format system 😛

Hi friend
I am a RFf newbie, kindly tell me what's GAS?

 

[Poptart]

OT: I found the receipt for my first Canon F1 with 50/1.4 SSC lens - $US369 in 1979 from Best Products in Houston.

OMG! I used to work at a Best. In fact, we liquidated it down to the bare flooring. Remember the "post modern" architectural facades of some of the stores? The owners were big art collectors and had some avant-guard pretentions.

 

[Poptart]

BTW, Photographer's Formulary sells a Rodinal clone that's even described as such in their catalogue.

 

[Uncle Bill]

I have all my Nikon gear for now however everyone once and a while I window shop Nikkormat FTn/FT2's and Nikon F2's. Maybe next year..........Gene enjoy what you have and let us know how it turns out.

Bill

 

[Uncle Bill]

Gene,
I still have a couple of rolls of APX 100 and 400, if you want to do a trade.....Ilford works for me.

Bill

 

[karmakamera]

Hey Karma, that sounds like the only M3 I could afford (similar to one ran over by a bus) 😀 Is it really THAT bad ???

Another SLR system I've enjoyed is the old manual focus Minolta. I still love my SRT 303b black body and lenses, even though nowadays it doesn't see a lot of use as I prefer the handling of the F2 and the set of Nikkor lenses I have is more suitable to my current use.

Hi Taffer

Getting an M3
-----------------
Leicas are not that expensive if you consider that it would cost more buying and selling gears as substitute in the ultimate search for perfection.

IMHO, most 35mm RF photographers would attempt to scratch this Leica RF itch at least once in their life.

Yet the simplest and most effective Leica combo is M3 with 50/2 cron, bought used, mechanically functional and cosmetically challenged, period.

Minty and expensive Leicas usually gets to sit on the shelf or in the box for some unknown reason(s).

My battered M3
--------------------
It's not as bad as being ran over by a bus, the shutter got jammed at 1/60 x-sync and I tried all means including getting a chopstick into the act, 😱 the jam was "fixed" at the expense of a defunct shutter release button,konked the self timer and I am also left with a loose speed dial.

The panzer is still working at all speeds with no visible damage to the curtain, only BIG PROBLEM is that the shutter fires by itself upon everytime when I wind the film advance it became sort of like it has a winder, maybe a Leicavit winder works like this. 😀

As you already know the Leica service agent in my area had suggested a resurrection at Solms for USD1200++, an amount which I could try to source for a M6 locally as an affordable alternative.

My heart tells me I should keep this M3 body for a future resurrection since I got lots of memorable photographic moments with it. Or I suppose I could try to use it my winder equipped M3 at higher speeds 1/250 & above.

Nikon & Minoltas
The Nikon SLRs are the ultimate Nippon panzers, I would sell the Minolta to a Minolta guy and add to the Nikon MFs, its better to be focused in your collection.