Show us your SLR ..... WHAT?

[Timmyjoe]

Not a special camera by any means (nor the lenses), . . .


Canon TX, lenses, film by Richard Wintle, on Flickr

I beg to differ! 🙂

A very special camera. I bought my TX brand new on April 1st 1976, and learned photography with that camera. I still have it, though it needs a CLA and new seals. It's a shame the PX625 mercury batteries are no longer available. But that is a wonderful camera.

Glad to see yours is still getting used.

Best,
-Tim

 

[wakarimasen]

I beg to differ! 🙂

A very special camera. I bought my TX brand new on April 1st 1976, and learned photography with that camera. I still have it, though it needs a CLA and new seals. It's a shame the PX625 mercury batteries are no longer available. But that is a wonderful camera.

Glad to see yours is still getting used.

Best,
-Tim

I think I bought one of these from eBay for the lens that was attached to it. I remember using a 'standard' 1.5v battery and was amazed at how well the camera exposed some cheap C41 film. I seem to recall that the viewfinder shows a match-needle meter, and nothing else!

 

[rwintle]

Yes indeed...!

Yes indeed...!

I think I bought one of these from eBay for the lens that was attached to it. I remember using a 'standard' 1.5v battery and was amazed at how well the camera exposed some cheap C41 film. I seem to recall that the viewfinder shows a match-needle meter, and nothing else!

Timmyjoe - my apologies. Didn't mean to dump on anyone's memories... just meant that the TX doesn't generally get a lot of "vintage enthusiast" love compared with its better-regarded sibling the FTb. 🙂

I am very fond of this camera as it works just as advertised, no fuss, no muss. And this one came with two (2) PX625's that are still reading 1.35ish volts. 🙂

wakarimasen - your recollection is correct, match-needle in the viewfinder and that's it. I find it beautifully non-distracting. 😀

For any interested, the 50mm is of the later (1976-on I believe?) 5-bladed variety.

 

[ravilamir]

I still have some 3 F-601 and as said above they work very well. Pity they're so noisy.
A secret (well, not actually, you can read about it on the manuals) about this model: it is the only Nikon AF that is completely oblivious to what flash goes on top, provided it is a TTL one.
It is also the only model that can do flash exposure compensation on remote cable TTL.

 

[ravilamir]

Knowing this was the world's first autofocus, auto-advance slr, how could I not rescue this piece of history for $25? It had a bad case of leakage in the battery compartment that cleaned up well with some careful chipping and a diluted vinegar bath on the battery door. To my surprise, besides a little lcd bleed, It powered up and seems to work as well as new (as well as these things ever did work, which was pretty slow)! The viewfinder is a beauty on these too.

Nice!
This model is this month exactly 30 years old!
I was using mine with its 2800AF flash mounted on the CG-1000 control grip earlier this month.
Someone asked me if I was a pro!

 

[Timmyjoe]

Back when I used to do more studio work (and AgfaPan 100 was still available), these were my two work horse SLR's.

Canon F-1n for B&W and D700 for color.

 

[ronnies]

A secret (well, not actually, you can read about it on the manuals) about this model: it is the only Nikon AF that is completely oblivious to what flash goes on top, provided it is a TTL one.
It is also the only model that can do flash exposure compensation on remote cable TTL.

Interesting. I thought my F4 could do both of those. 🙂

Does it work with TTL flashes for the F3 then?

Ronnie

 

[Skiff]

Back when I used to do more studio work (and AgfaPan 100 was still available), these were my two work horse SLR's

If you are a fan of the original German, "Made in Leverkusen" Agfa APX 100, then I have good news for you:
Just use the current Adox Silvermax. It is the same emulsion, made by the same Agfa engineers on Agfa machinery (Adox is cooperating with them).
There are only two differences:
Silvermax has a bit higher silver content, and is coated on a clear base. That's all.
In the picture you don't see differences. Both excellent films.

And by the way: The current "AgfaPhoto APX 100 New" is only relabelled Kentmere 100. Inferior to the Adox Silvermax.

 

[ravilamir]

The F4 doesn't have a flash exposure compensation on the body. It relies on the flash to have it.
If you have the right adapter for the different shoe from the F3, yes.

And a correction: I had read it some time ago, so it was bound to be incorrect.
It isn't the flash exposure compensation, but the REAR curtain sync in remote flash that can only be used on the F-601 models.
This is the text from the SB-26 manual:

Precaution for Rear-Curtain Sync Flash
Rear-Curtain Sync Flash can be performed in multiple flash photography only with the F-601/N6006 and F-601M/N6000 cameras.
Rear-Curtain Sync Flash cannot be performed in multiple flash shooting with F90X/N90S, F90/N90, F70/N70, F4-Series, F-801/N8008 and F-801S/N8008S cameras.

Sorry about that. And thanks for the remark Ronnie. I had to look again!

 

[ravilamir]

And by the way: The current "AgfaPhoto APX 100 New" is only relabelled Kentmere 100. Inferior to the Adox Silvermax.

You are right about the Adox Silvermax.
About the "New" Agfaphoto APX 100 and 400, they are custom coatings made at Harman based on the Kentmere emulsions. They are so slightly different.
I like and use Kentmere 400.

 

[Skiff]

You are right about the Adox Silvermax.
About the "New" Agfaphoto APX 100 and 400, they are custom coatings made at Harman based on the Kentmere emulsions. They are so slightly different.
I like and use Kentmere 400.

Not quite right, Ricardo.
Harman technology / Ilford Photo don't sell their Ilford brand films to other companies for relabelling.
But they do with the cheap Kentmere films.
I've done detailed side by side comparisons of the"new" AgfaPhoto films and the Kentmeres.
They are identical. Only tiny differences because of batch-to-batch variations.
Other photographers have done the same and got also the same results and same conclusion.

 

[ronnies]

The F4 doesn't have a flash exposure compensation on the body. It relies on the flash to have it.
If you have the right adapter for the different shoe from the F3, yes.

And a correction: I had read it some time ago, so it was bound to be incorrect.
It isn't the flash exposure compensation, but the REAR curtain sync in remote flash that can only be used on the F-601 models.
This is the text from the SB-26 manual:


Sorry about that. And thanks for the remark Ronnie. I had to look again!

Of course I'd forgotten about the F4 relying on the flash for rear curtain synch.

I think the remote rear synch feature must be using the built in flash as the trigger which of course the other models at that time didn't have. I think the same rear synch system (using the su-4 mode for the SB-26)will work with any Nikon AF film camera with built in flash.

Ronnie

 

[dogberryjr]

Knowing this was the world's first autofocus, auto-advance slr, how could I not rescue this piece of history for $25? It had a bad case of leakage in the battery compartment that cleaned up well with some careful chipping and a diluted vinegar bath on the battery door. To my surprise, besides a little lcd bleed, It powered up and seems to work as well as new (as well as these things ever did work, which was pretty slow)! The viewfinder is a beauty on these too.

A friend of mine bought one of these the same summer I bought my Canon T70. There I was, so impressed with my built-in motor drive, and she comes along with autofocus! She also had a better eye than I did . . . But I had just about every specialty filter that Ritz Camera had to offer. 😱

 

[Ljós]

Nice! That is what I have been using the last months, after downscaling my gear. Still miss my rangefinders, but a OM comes mighty close!

Greetings, Ljós

 

[ravilamir]

But they do with the cheap Kentmere films.

This isn't for this thread, so apologies for bringing it on.
No, they don't.
I spoke with one of the directors and that's what I was told: they don't do any re-branding. That's why the work they do for other companies is called a custom coating.
But, how many different emulsions can you have using the same machinery and/or film base?

 

[ravilamir]

I think the remote rear synch feature must be using the built in flash as the trigger which of course the other models at that time didn't have. I think the same rear synch system (using the su-4 mode for the SB-26)will work with any Nikon AF film camera with built in flash.

The quote I posted was about using TTL cables in multiple flash set ups. Not about the wireless system of the SB-26.But, you might be right about the wireless remote. Something for me to try.

 

[elmarman]

Among several 'Gift' cameras I got recently I got THIS CONTAX RTS II Quartz
with winder, and HUGE FLASH that when I finally got it to charge up after about 25 years of non-use went off with a huge 'CRACK' !!
Contax with Flash by pentaxpete, on Flickr

 

[Paulbe]

elmarman--wow! VERY nice gift! Have fun with it...
Paul

 

[stuart_115]

I hava a couple. But the AE-1 and the FM-2 are my favourites.

 

[rwintle]

Here's another of the sexy ME F, but this time wearing an Image 100-300 f/5.6 and 2x teleconverter. It ain't fast glass but it sure looks good. 🙂

Photo with Canon TX, 50/1.8 SC, Arista Premium 400.


Big Gun by Richard Wintle, on Flickr