What have you just BOUGHT?

[Retro-Grouch]

Shawn, no problems with the microprism until about f/4 or f/4.5, using the preview. Since you have the 45-85 f/4.5 zoom, I'm going to assume that's when you have the issue with the microprism going dark, since that's the maximum aperture. The f/2.8 and 3.5 lenses don't show that effect for me. But even at f/4.5, I still find the microprism quite usable for focusing.
Interestingly, a lot of reviews I've seen of the 645 state that it has a dim finder; I don't find that to be the case at all. Funny how somebody makes an offhand statement on the internet, and it gets recycled until it becomes "fact".
And yes, it's solid! Seems like a superb bit of engineering; the more I use mine, the more I'm puzzled that there is no cult following.

 

[jsrockit]

Fujifilm GFX-50R with 50mm 3.5
Voigtlander 35mm 2.5 Color-Skopar

 

[shawn]

Shawn, no problems with the microprism until about f/4 or f/4.5, using the preview. Since you have the 45-85 f/4.5 zoom, I'm going to assume that's when you have the issue with the microprism going dark, since that's the maximum aperture. The f/2.8 and 3.5 lenses don't show that effect for me. But even at f/4.5, I still find the microprism quite usable for focusing.
Interestingly, a lot of reviews I've seen of the 645 state that it has a dim finder; I don't find that to be the case at all. Funny how somebody makes an offhand statement on the internet, and it gets recycled until it becomes "fact".
And yes, it's solid! Seems like a superb bit of engineering; the more I use mine, the more I'm puzzled that there is no cult following.

I am seeing the weird microprism "artifact" with my f3.5 lenses too. It isn't going totally dark, but you see black triangles in part of the ring and where you see them depends upon eye position. Focus doesn't change it. And at the position where it mostly goes away is way off center viewing as the bottom of the finder isn't visible. I tried removing and putting back in the focus screen but it didn't change it. Not sure what the deal is.

With the great glass and price of the bodies I'm surprised it doesn't get more attention. Even better bonus is the rear lens caps for the 645 lenses and my GF lens (or adapters) are basically interchangable. Nice touch when using the lenses on the GFX 50R along with other adapted lenses.

Shawn

 

[davidswiss]

A Zeiss Biogon 35mm f2.8 for the Contax IIa. He He He

 

[zuiko85]

A thrilling purchase!
Well….no…not really.
Ten FSU reloadable 35mm film cartridges. Much better than my ratty 20 year old Agfa style carts.
A Kiev 30 subminiature camera for 16mm film. All my Minolta cartridges will fit. An outgrowth of the FSU copy of a Minolta 16, but it has a 12x17mm frame size and the lens has focusing. So….we will see how well the 23mm f3.5 triplet does.

Edit; And, only 11 days from Ukraine. Not too bad.

 

[madNbad]

A Kodak red filter for my Retina IIa. Exposing TMX @ ISO 32:





Kodak Retina IIa with red filter

 

[ChrisPlatt]

6 rolls 135-36 Bergger Pancro 400 film

It's now back in stock at Freestyle.

Ten FSU reloadable 35mm film cartridges. Much better than my ratty 20 year old Agfa style carts.

That's good to know. I have seen these and wondered about their quality.

Chris

 

[zuiko85]

6 rolls 135-36 Bergger Pancro 400 film

It's now back in stock at Freestyle.

That's good to know. I have seen these and wondered about their quality.

Chris

They were new old stock, still wrapped in thin wax paper. Nice heavy duty felts.

 

[Hari]

Regarding the re-useable 35mm cassettes, wait 'til a grain of sand mars the whole roll!
For my old Nikons and Leica, I've found the right metal cassettes that open in the camera and figured out how to use them in a Watson loader.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Simple - Just check felt with finger before reloading cassette.

If you are getting sand in your closed camera you've got bigger problems.

Chris

 

[mpaniagua]

Power adapters for my plustek and Epson scanners. They both just vanished. SHMBO insist she didnt throw them away but oh well.

 

[Coldkennels]

Regarding the re-useable 35mm cassettes, wait 'til a grain of sand mars the whole roll!
For my old Nikons and Leica, I've found the right metal cassettes that open in the camera and figured out how to use them in a Watson loader.

Can vouch for this - the felt-trap cassettes are a bloody nightmare. I've been using FILCAs exclusively for years but dug out some old felt cassettes for a Leotax I bought at the start of the summer and they're impossible to clean. So many scratches.

Also, I had one single Kiev cassette I tried using in the Contax II for the first roll and it was no good. Don't know if it wasn't sitting right, wasn't opening fully, or a combination of both, but it absolutely ruined film transport, causing overlapping frames and torn sprocket holes. I contacted a dealer in London and he'd got some proper Zeiss cassettes so I've got those coming to me at the start of next week now.

 

[maryland_fotos]

Yes, I once owned an RF645 and that description was mine.
"like some asthmatic rodent" IIRC. Finally, I'm a somebody...

Chris

See what it took Chris 😀 I still go around quoting you about the Bronica sound 🙂

 

[zuiko85]

Regarding the re-useable 35mm cassettes, wait 'til a grain of sand mars the whole roll!
For my old Nikons and Leica, I've found the right metal cassettes that open in the camera and figured out how to use them in a Watson loader.

Not everyone use Leica or Nikon. Indeed, with reloadable cassettes one must take extra care with keeping the felts clean. Mine stay in zip-lock bags or those Fujifilm airtight 35mm plastic cans when not in use.
My Minolta 16mm cassettes are all that will ever be and so must be reused over and over, also kept in clean conditions. Although Film Photography Project is selling 3D printed 16mm cassettes, you need to felt them yourself.

 

[dwojr]

My first Leica, a 246 monochrom, along with a voigtlander 50mm f/1.5 II M Vintage Line Aspherical and a yellow and orange filter.

Got camera, waiting on lens and filters to arrive.

 

[shawn]

Bolex 'Praying Mantis' Minipod.

From a Popular Mechanics Review "you'll never figure out all the tricks it can do; obviously the work of a very good, mad genius."

Shawn

 

[Godfrey]

So my recent Kodak Retina Obsession has been continuing on... I was looking for the original bayonet type 50mm lens hood for the IIc and saw a couple going for $60-$75. Then I saw something described as a "lens hood case" with the description saying "I'm not sure what this is, but my friend said it was a case for the Retina lens hood... Well, I don't know but it says Kodak on it and I figured someone would want it." and a couple of blurry pictures. One of which looked like it might have a lens hood in it, but it was hard to tell. I bought it for $34.

It arrived yesterday:

When I opened it ...

So yes: It's the Kodak Retina Lens Hood Case, with slots for three Kodak Retina filters (32mm with 29.5mm threads) and the 50mm lens hood ... and the lens hood was in it! AND .. I have three of those filters on the way here. 😀

G

 

[Dralowid]

There is also a nice case for the Kodalux meter.

 

[Godfrey]

There is also a nice case for the Kodalux meter.

I saw that in the accessories list. Probably just as nice as all the other bits for these cameras from that era! But I'll pass on the Kodalux meter ... have several good, modern light meters that will do me well, when I don't just guess. 🙂

G

 

[madNbad]

I have the bakelite box, three Kodak filters, yellow, green and red plus a UV. Had the hood once but never used it.





Kodak Retina Filters