Prototype MINT 35mm Film Camera

Back in the day, half-frame 35mm was perfect for making film strip instructional media and photo shows. All those film strip projectors and the huge library of science and art film strips that my grammar school and high school had were hallmarks of special class days when we'd draw the curtains, set up the equipment, and sit together in the dim classrooms marveling at the beautiful photos projected on the glass-beaded screens. All those film strips were made with 35mm half-frame equipment... :)

I went out shooting with my 50 year old Rollei 35S the past two days. The camera worked flawlessly, but not its meter: something has gone awry in the coupling mechanism between meter and control knobs, so it must go in for service again (third time in the 30-some-odd years I've owned it). Oh well. Sadly, none of the four or five Olympus XA cameras survived ... the plastic film transport mechanism on all of them died after a time and were unrepairable due to no parts available, no repairs to the existing cheap plastic durable. Oh well. The MInox 35GT-E that I bought in 1998 has never needed any service and continues to work flawlessly ... it's loaded now and ready for some photography. Yay! :)

As is my Polaroid SLR670a by MiNT ... one of my favorite cameras. So now the big question is, which one of the two should I carry today? ;)

G


Bench, Tree, Picnic Table - San Jose 2019
Polaroid SLR670a by MiNT, Polaroid Originals 600 BW ​
 
I would get the Rollei 35 S repaired. It is worth it. In Germany, the company FFS+Tritec still performs repair on the Rollei 35 (I am not connected with the company in any way).
 
For sure: I just filled out the shipper, it will go to my usual camera repair techs (Advance Camera in Portland, ORE, USA). I'm sure the problem is something mechanical and simple ... a lever, a gear, or whatever that's fallen off its proper pivot or position. Happily, the camera is working just fine as a meterless camera that I use with a hand-held or clip-on light meter at present. :D

G
 
Godfrey said:
As is my Polaroid SLR670a by MiNT ... one of my favorite cameras. So now the big question is, which one of the two should I carry today? ;)

G

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That's always a dilemma. When I was a very wee sprat, I would tie my classic red wagon to the back of my tricycle to take one of my favorite stuffed toys for a spin around the yard. The problem was, I never knew which ones to take, and not wanting to hurt any of their feelings, I wound up taking them all. I do remember it was a lot of work, since I had quite a few stuffed toy friends.
Some things don't change. Now, instead of Baby Bear, Poochie, et al., it's the Rollei, the Hassie, and the Horseman that always have to pile into the back seat of the Subaru.
 
Godfrey said:
For sure: I just filled out the shipper, it will go to my usual camera repair techs (Advance Camera in Portland, ORE, USA). I'm sure the problem is something mechanical and simple ... a lever, a gear, or whatever that's fallen off its proper pivot or position. Happily, the camera is working just fine as a meterless camera that I use with a hand-held or clip-on light meter at present. :D

G
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They did a great job fixing the dead shutter on a Petri Color 35 for me awhile back.
 
Retro-Grouch said:
Now, instead of Baby Bear, Poochie, et al., it's the Rollei, the Hassie, and the Horseman that always have to pile into the back seat of the Subaru.
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My wife and I used to do a lot of tent camping. Many times we shared the tent with a 4x5 Wista, big Bogen tripod, a bag of lenses and film holders and another bag with a Leica and lenses and--just in case--one of my work cameras, a Nikon F2 and a few lenses. Cozy camping.

Before we got old and gave up camping we had a 4-door diesel truck with dual rear wheels towing a 34ft trailer full of gear.

Unrestrained growth. The 'Murican way.


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The day went in an unusual way. But choosing which camera to take along is a skill I learned some time ago.
I took the Minox 35GT-E. I'd forgotten just how good a camera this is to shoot with. It's impressive. :)

I consumed about 12 exposures out of 36. I'll be walking with it for a couple more days, I'm sure.

G
 
"Oops."

It's been a while since I processed my 35mm film in anything but an Agfa Rondix 35 tank. But yesterday on a wild hare I decided to process the test roll of Ferrania P33 in my Lab Box. Last four or five times I used the Lab Box, I ran 120 film through it, so I had to switch the film modules and reels to 35mm. Everything seemed to go well in loading and processing ... But when I opened it up to look at the negatives, the film was all crunched into a tight spool and, of course, the developer and other chemistry had made a mottled mess of it. What the ....?

A quick look told me instantly what I'd done wrong: I fitted the 35mm reels onto the spindle reversed from their proper orientation. The film never had a chance to properly slide into the spiral grooves. Sigh, my own f*** ** again.

I've corrected the Lab Box error and will shoot a quick roll of Tri-X to put through it and be sure I got it right this time before sacrificing Test Roll 2 of Ferrania P33 (currently in the Minox 35GT-E) to it... At least it gives me opportunity to run a roll of film through the Retina IIc quickly. ;)

G
 
Godfrey said:
The day went in an unusual way. But choosing which camera to take along is a skill I learned some time ago.
I took the Minox 35GT-E. I'd forgotten just how good a camera this is to shoot with. It's impressive. :)

I consumed about 12 exposures out of 36. I'll be walking with it for a couple more days, I'm sure.

G
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You made me take my 35GT out of the box, 4 AG12 batteries in and presto!
it is a lot of fun, isn't it?
 
I've used up all of this lifetime's darkroom hours so returning to film is not a possibility. If I were to and wanted a sub-miniature I would lust after only one: the Rollei 35.

My old buddy, Tony, had someone give him one. They thought it was a broken light meter. This was a long time ago; light meter. Tony used it for years.
 
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