What have you just BOUGHT?

I treated myself to a Minolta Autocord to mark my turning 30 this month. The ebay seller out of Japan advertised it as EX+++ and you can probably guess what the glass actually looked like when I unwrapped it today: The taking lens was full of scratches, dust spots and even fingerprints from the inside. It also reeked of mold, though the glass weirdly appeared to be free of fungus. But I'd never held a TLR before. I was surprised how small it was! It was cute! I'm sending this one back and hoping to find a clean one for a price I can afford.
 
Judge Holden said:
I treated myself to a Minolta Autocord to mark my turning 30 this month. The ebay seller out of Japan advertised it as EX+++ and you can probably guess what the glass actually looked like when I unwrapped it today: The taking lens was full of scratches, dust spots and even fingerprints from the inside. It also reeked of mold, though the glass weirdly appeared to be free of fungus. But I'd never held a TLR before. I was surprised how small it was! It was cute! I'm sending this one back and hoping to find a clean one for a price I can afford.
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Sorry to hear about your bad experience; we've probably all had our share. Experience has taught me a few tricks. First, go to the seller's "store". Someone selling six items out of their basement, two of which aren't photo equipment, is a big red flag. Deal with real stores, and look at the range of inventory and the condition. Higher end stuff in good shape is what you want to see.
Second, inspect the pictures and think about what you aren't being shown. With TLRs, you want to see a view into the viewing lens that gives you a sense of possible mirror deterioration. You also want an image of the viewing screen, in focus, with a bright image projected on it so that you can check for crud on the screen. Too often sellers show you only an exterior shot of a camera with good cosmetics but badly deteriorated internal optics. Ask me how I know.
Generally, I've had good luck with the bigger Japanese sellers, though it's always a bit of a crap shoot. But keep looking, and enjoy the world of TLR shooting when you do get a good one! Personally, I'm fond of the Mamiya TLRs, but small and cute are not words that come to mind when I think of them...
 
20220710_201613.jpgI'm happy to have bought a Kodak Retina I 118, the camera that Hillary took up Mt Everest and took the famous photo of Sherpa Tenzing on the summit. This one has a Schneider Xenar lens rather than the Zeiss that Hillary had. It is missing the rewind knob key and has one panel of non-original leatherette, I'll look to restore those over the coming weeks. Shutter works beautifully except at half a second or slower. Focus is smooth. Such a well engineered and compact camera (folded its one of my smallest cameras) and the zinc controls on a black body look superb.
 
I bought this a while ago, very inexpensively, and had it serviced at a fair price. It's become one of my favorite 35mm film cameras now ... I had the Hasselblad 500CM out with the CFVII 50C back on it yesterday so snapped this photo as part of testing the focus calibration/mirror alignment on the Hassy:


Kodak Retina IIc​

Focus was on the K in "Kreuznach" on the lens bezel and the exposure wide open, so I think the 500CM mirror is still in good alignment. :)

G
 
largedrink said:
I'm happy to have bought a Kodak Retina I 118, the camera that Hillary took up Mt Everest and took the famous photo of Sherpa Tenzing on the summit. This one has a Schneider Xenar lens rather than the Zeiss that Hillary had. It is missing the rewind knob key and has one panel of non-original leatherette, I'll look to restore those over the coming weeks. Shutter works beautifully except at half a second or slower. Focus is smooth. Such a well engineered and compact camera (folded its one of my smallest cameras) and the zinc controls on a black body look superb.
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Nice camera and it even has the mini cable release extension that makes hitting the shutter a little easier. The dial wind, scale focus Retinas are all great little cameras with little that can go wrong with them.

Shawn
 
I just got back from the camera store
Voigtländer Nokton 23mm f1.2 (X-mount) lens​

DSCF5130.JPG
My kitchen - Yokosuka, Japan - July 14, 2022
Image resized smaller than original​
 
Just ordered a lens that I've been wanting for a few years -- a Nikon 19mm f/4 PC-E lens. I have the Nikon 24mm PC-E lens and it's great, but there are times when it's just not wide enough for some of the architectural interiors I do for work (I do a lot of work for homebuilders, architects and interior designers). I have a 17-35/2.8 Nikon lens, but it doesn't have the perspective control movements, so it can be limiting. I also ordered a WonderPana Filter Holder from Fotodiox, as it is one of the few lens hood options out there for this lens, as well as being a filter holder. We'll see how it all works out.
 
SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

4 inch wide strip fits tightly in holders by Nokton48, on Flickr

This cuts down nicely (I just test cut some in the dark) into 4 inch wide sheets, going directly and perfectly into my 4x5 film holders, of which I have quite a few kinds. For shooting 9x9cm full frame images with my Plaubel Makifexes, this couldn't be better. This roll will produce 1,050 sheets of 4x5, at a total net cost of 28 cents each. Pretty darn good ! :)

Fits tightly in the film holder too.


SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

WOW. It fits my 5x7 holders, too :) 5 inch Plus-X Aero 2402 350 feet
 
Speedy said:
for my r-d1 and hopefully future digital leica, couldn't resist while stock available
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Great decision! In one of my rare fits of reverse GAS, I disposed of all of my 50mm lenses in order to purchase The One. I got the Heliar, and have never regretted it. Best 50 in M mount that I've ever used; well-balanced in all respects, perfect compromises where they're necessary (for my taste, at least, and on film). I hope you enjoy yours as much on your rd-1!
 
Frankly, too much:

IMG_4426.jpg

I found an auction in London that I could bid in remotely and got a bit carried away. This is four lots in total - two that I actually wanted (the 135mm Hektor, Weston, Sekonic spotmeter and - oddly - two empty M cases; the Canon IIIc and the Serenar), and two that I didn't need, but were going for a steal (the 400mm f/6.8 Telyt-R and the various close-focus accessories).

Now comes the awkward step of figuring out what I want to keep and what I'll sell on. I tried the Telyt out with an X-mount adapter and it's definitely not for me - I don't really have a use for lenses that long - so that's first to go, along with the two other R bits (the ELPROs - the catalog listing didn't mention they were the later R versions). But I'm already weirdly fond of that Focoslide, which I didn't expect. Hmm...
 
Coldkennels said:
…the 135mm Hektor …
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The 135mm Hektor seems to be an ignored lens in the Leica world. A few years ago I bought one in very good condition - very smooth focusing, clear optics - and used it quite a bit. Results were excellent. Using the 135mm framelines on my M3 was not a problem - one gets used to the framing.
 
The Telyt comes into its own and balances very well when with shoulder stock and attached to a heavy camera like an SL or SLMOT. It feels all wrong with a digital lightweight attached.

Do not take it anywhere near an airport...
 
Pál_K said:
The 135mm Hektor seems to be an ignored lens in the Leica world. A few years ago I bought one in very good condition - very smooth focusing, clear optics - and used it quite a bit. Results were excellent. Using the 135mm framelines on my M3 was not a problem - one gets used to the framing.
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Problem is I thought the Hektor was the LTM version! It wasn't easy to see in the photos for the lot and I took a guess. I actually don't own a single M-mount camera, so I'm now wondering if I just sell it on or if I pick up the short mount to use it on the Visoflex instead. That might be the easiest option, as I don't have a good 135mm external finder - only a VIOOH and a Soviet turret finder.

Dralowid said:
The Telyt comes into its own and balances very well when with shoulder stock and attached to a heavy camera like an SL or SLMOT. It feels all wrong with a digital lightweight attached.
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I was surprised by how well balanced and easy to handle it was even with just the X-Pro 2 hanging off the back. My tripod definitely didn't like the arrangement, though. My only problem with it was figuring out where exactly I was pointing! I really don't know how people use such long lenses and frame quickly enough to catch birds mid-flight. I felt like I was just waving the thing around aimlessly - it takes me ages to find the intended subject.
 
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