Retro-Grouch
Veteran
Rollei A26 picked up cheap. Thought it would be fun to see if it can become usable again. 3d printed a reloadable film magazine for it, took a little extra work to get it to fit inside and then a little more to get the advance working. I have it loaded with cut down 120 backing paper and it is advancing and shooting. With 35mm in it it will likely not advance properly due to the sprocket holes. I will either need to shoot 3 or 4 blank shots between each exposure or remove the sprocket feeler from the camera. I am leaning toward removing the feeler since it fires fine without the sprocket holes. Without the feeler it is going to advance every time it is opened though, with the feeler it won't advance again till it is shot. Spacing will be more uneven without the feeler too.
The auto exposure looks like it is working on the Rollei. Seems like its shutter speed is fixed and it adjusts aperture based on the light. I haven't been able to find anything showing how the ISO feeler works on 126 so I am not sure what speed film the camera thinks it has in it. Will probably try 200 speed first and then go up or down depending upon the negatives. Not going to use backing paper so I will have to keep track of frame number myself.
Shawn
I'm sure there are many of us who, upon seeing this project, would ask, "Why?". But the answer is simple: Because! Because it's fun to tinker, to perform weird camera hacks, to resurrect a bit of history, etc. Any good photos that come out of this project are a bonus. Go for it
shawn
Veteran
Pretty much, and I enjoy a challenge. The lens on it is a sonnar and looks like it is a quality lens based on some pics of it adapted to FF. Shooting square can be fun, and the camera is pretty slick on its own as the lens extends/retracts automatically when you push/pull it.
Shawn
Shawn
agentlossing
Well-known
I've got a Lloyd's daylight film loader and an Ars Imago Lab-Box on the way to spruce up my 35mm film process.
seany65
Well-known
I bought a no-name bayonet 1 Green filter as a replacement for a F&H Rollei Green -1.5 filter, which I bought as a replacement for a F&H Rollei Green "no number" filter, which I bought as a replacement for a Photax Green filter (which I would've been happy with but for the marks on the glass which I hadn't noticed), which I bought as a replacement for a Rollei Green filter.
The no name filter is just under a half shade darker than the F&H Green -1.5 filter, which is the same shade as the F&H Green no number filter, which is is the same shade as the Rollei Green filter despite all looking to be different shades/darknesses in their ebay listings.
I've also seen Green Hoya and Photax filters (with the writing on the front) that look at least as light, if not a bit lighter, than the Rollei ones. The Photax one that I have, has the writing on the side and it's dark enough but it's damaged.
I get the impression that Bayonet 1 Green filters are going to send me round the bend. lol.
The no name filter is just under a half shade darker than the F&H Green -1.5 filter, which is the same shade as the F&H Green no number filter, which is is the same shade as the Rollei Green filter despite all looking to be different shades/darknesses in their ebay listings.
I've also seen Green Hoya and Photax filters (with the writing on the front) that look at least as light, if not a bit lighter, than the Rollei ones. The Photax one that I have, has the writing on the side and it's dark enough but it's damaged.
I get the impression that Bayonet 1 Green filters are going to send me round the bend. lol.
boojum
Ignoble Miscreant
Filters, filters, filters. They used to be on cigarettes I smoked. Now on cameras. Two "mist" filters, 1/8 and 1/4, 72mm, for the A7M III with the Sony 24 - 240 zoom. They work alright and add something but they are not a replacement for a Cooke Amotal. And a tiny series V UV for the Cooke Amotal. While it is clear to look through it strips some blue from the images and leaves them a layer of warm sepia. This is unlike other UV filters I have. Has anyone else had this phenomenon happen to them?
Retro-Grouch
Veteran
I bought a no-name bayonet 1 Green filter as a replacement for a F&H Rollei Green -1.5 filter, which I bought as a replacement for a F&H Rollei Green "no number" filter, which I bought as a replacement for a Photax Green filter (which I would've been happy with but for the marks on the glass which I hadn't noticed), which I bought as a replacement for a Rollei Green filter.
The no name filter is just under a half shade darker than the F&H Green -1.5 filter, which is the same shade as the F&H Green no number filter, which is is the same shade as the Rollei Green filter despite all looking to be different shades/darknesses in their ebay listings.
I've also seen Green Hoya and Photax filters (with the writing on the front) that look at least as light, if not a bit lighter, than the Rollei ones. The Photax one that I have, has the writing on the side and it's dark enough but it's damaged.
I get the impression that Bayonet 1 Green filters are going to send me round the bend. lol.
Maybe there's a 12-step program for the green filter thing?
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
shawn
Veteran
Rollei A26 works!
I loaded the cassette with Orwo UN54 ISO100 (18 exposures on my Watson loader) film. The 3d printed cartridges doesn't have any ISO notch so the camera should be assuming ISO64 film. Just went around shooting today expecting to get nothing but instead got about 15 frames that are pretty well exposed. I actually thought it wasn't winding so opened the camera to check in the darkroom and realized that it had been working fine and a little bit of film was left. Need to take 1 shot at the start to wind enough to avoid burn. I removed the sprocket pin on the camera so each push/pull advances the film. Spacing grows as the exposure increase but that is fine and there was no overlap. I didn't cover the rear window which is where I think the interframe burn is coming from as the light is probably bouncing around inside a bit. Will cover that for the next roll. I tweaked the adapter design for the A26 and am printing the next version now.
This is just shot with my phone of the drying negatives..
Will scan the roll tomorrow.
Shawn
I loaded the cassette with Orwo UN54 ISO100 (18 exposures on my Watson loader) film. The 3d printed cartridges doesn't have any ISO notch so the camera should be assuming ISO64 film. Just went around shooting today expecting to get nothing but instead got about 15 frames that are pretty well exposed. I actually thought it wasn't winding so opened the camera to check in the darkroom and realized that it had been working fine and a little bit of film was left. Need to take 1 shot at the start to wind enough to avoid burn. I removed the sprocket pin on the camera so each push/pull advances the film. Spacing grows as the exposure increase but that is fine and there was no overlap. I didn't cover the rear window which is where I think the interframe burn is coming from as the light is probably bouncing around inside a bit. Will cover that for the next roll. I tweaked the adapter design for the A26 and am printing the next version now.
This is just shot with my phone of the drying negatives..


Will scan the roll tomorrow.
Shawn
seany65
Well-known
No way am I going to buy 12 more Green filters!Maybe there's a 12-step program for the green filter thing?
Probably.
It depends on whether the sellers tell me they are darker than the ones I have now.
Or on whether I can find a Photax one with the writing on the side of the mount.
das
Well-known
ChrisPlatt
Thread Killer
Retro-Grouch
Veteran
The GOAT! Had no idea what to expect but the P6 is a nice camera. Hopefully, it actually works.
I do hope it works! Back in my college days, I had a Norita 6x6 SLR, and would kill to have it back. A 6x6 eye level SLR is a wonderful thing. However, having thrown money away on two Kievs, I'm not going to try a P6, given their reputation. What I can strongly endorse is the Zeiss Jena lens line for them. In particular, the 120mm f/2.8 Biometar is just plain wonderful. I use one with an adapter on my Pentax 645N and it is superb for portraiture. Of course, the Russian lenses can be great, too; the glass seems to be consistently good, but mechanics are another story. Zeiss is the way to go.
das
Well-known
I do hope it works! Back in my college days, I had a Norita 6x6 SLR, and would kill to have it back. A 6x6 eye level SLR is a wonderful thing. However, having thrown money away on two Kievs, I'm not going to try a P6, given their reputation. What I can strongly endorse is the Zeiss Jena lens line for them. In particular, the 120mm f/2.8 Biometar is just plain wonderful. I use one with an adapter on my Pentax 645N and it is superb for portraiture. Of course, the Russian lenses can be great, too; the glass seems to be consistently good, but mechanics are another story. Zeiss is the way to go.
Thanks for the advice! I was looking at the CZJ line and decided to go with the Arax (Volna-3) lens to start, as it is the closest thing to a lens that is somewhat "guaranteed" to be clean and operate correctly. The CZJ lenses are slowly creeping up in price and the 80mm Biometar can be a bit pricey if on its own. I have heard great things about that 120mm Biometar. I plan on replacing the screen with a brighter one and adapting a Kiev 60 TTL prism finder (3-D printed, as old the metal adapters by Baier Photo are all long gone, unfortunately. Someone should really start making them again).
Retro-Grouch
Veteran
Thanks for the advice! I was looking at the CZJ line and decided to go with the Arax (Volna-3) lens to start, as it is the closest thing to a lens that is somewhat "guaranteed" to be clean and operate correctly. The CZJ lenses are slowly creeping up in price and the 80mm Biometar can be a bit pricey if on its own. I have heard great things about that 120mm Biometar. I plan on replacing the screen with a brighter one and adapting a Kiev 60 TTL prism finder (3-D printed, as old the metal adapters by Baier Photo are all long gone, unfortunately. Someone should really start making them again).
One of those nightmare Kievs I bought came with a Volga 12B 90mm f/2.8. It's a bit of a mess mechanically, but the glass is perfect. If you are a fan of swirly bokeh (I confess that I am), that lens is king. The rendering is a lot like the legendary Helios in 35mm. Unfortunately, the situation in Ukraine has dried up the supply of many of these old FSU lenses, and the prices seem to be going up accordingly. My Biometar came from a German seller; it was truly mint and dirt cheap, but those deals may be a thing of the past.
agentlossing
Well-known
My film gear arrived today, I'm really not too hot on the Lloyd's daylight bulk loader. It's weirdly misshapen and the handle likes to fall off, the crank and the shaft that's turned by the crank appear to be two pieces which just kind of shove in together. I don't think I'll be keeping it. The Lab-Box arrived in a fancier box, I haven't opened yet but will hopefully baptize the thing with some Rodinal this evening. I'm excited to keep my process "daylight" since it will make it a little faster to develop without blacking out my bathroom every time.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Photographic purchases today were limited to baker's dozen packs of various Polaroid instant film. 
G
G
jankap
Established
I bought the so-called Canon dream lens. I intend to use it on a fp.
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
Nikkor Micro 55mm 2.8 Ais lens in "For parts or not working" condition...it looks nice and clean, hopefully it just has a stiff focus ring...
For under $50USD its not that bad a gamble...another attempt on my part to rescue an unused lens...
For under $50USD its not that bad a gamble...another attempt on my part to rescue an unused lens...
Leica M240 black...
Malcolm M
Well-known
Nikkor Micro 55mm 2.8 Ais lens in "For parts or not working" condition...it looks nice and clean, hopefully it just has a stiff focus ring...
For under $50USD its not that bad a gamble...another attempt on my part to rescue an unused lens...
I bought one of those a few years ago (£25?). Next camera fair, I bought one that worked properly.
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