Daft questions start...help?

Alexandra

Alexandra

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Alexandra
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I dug out the film camera I've got. I thought it was a Nikon but it's actually a pentax. I have no idea where to start if I'm totally honest :amstupid:

Here's some pics:

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Obviously, the first thing I am going to need is a film but which one?
 
I'm dumping my 35mm gear this year, luckily I don't have much film but there's a roll of HP5, Rollei Retro 100 (both B/W) and a roll of Velvia 100f (colour slide) with your name on it if you want it..:)
 
The Pentax MV-1 is an aperture priority camera, which means you set the dial at the top to the green 'auto' setting, set your aperture on the lens and the camera automatically selects the correct shutter speed to give you the correct exposure. The 100X setting is for using a flashgun which is mounted onto the hotshoe on the prism, whilst the 'B' setting allows you to make long exposures by keeping the shutter open whilst the shutter release is pressed down.

The first thing you must do is set the film speed, which is the dial on the left hand side (when viewed from above) below the rewind knob. As for which film to use, well do you prefer colour or black & white? I personally only tend to use b&w now and can recommend highly either the Ilford FP4 (125 ISO) or HP5 (400 ISO) to start with. The HP5 is more light sensitive which means it is better suited for lower light situations, which is handy anyway at this time of year in particular.
 
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Carl V said:
The Pentax MV-1 is an aperture priority camera, which means you set the dial at the top to the green 'auto' setting, set your aperture on the lens and the camera automatically selects the correct shutter speed to give you the correct exposure. The 100X setting is for using a flashgun which is mounted onto the hotshoe on the prism, whilst the 'B' setting allows you to make long exposures by keeping the shutter open whilst the shutter release is pressed down.

The first thing you must do is set the film speed, which is the dial on the left hand side (when viewed from above) below the rewind knob. As for which film to use, well do you prefer colour or black & white? I personally only tend to use b&w now and can recommend highly either the Ilford FP4 (125 ISO) or HP5 (400 ISO) to start with. The HP5 is more light sensitive which means it is better suited for lower light situations, which is handy anyway at this time of year in particular.
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Thank you so much that's great :) Given me a lot more understanding of what I'm dealing with. :thumbs:
 
Alexandra said:
Thank you so much that's great :) Given me a lot more understanding of what I'm dealing with. :thumbs:
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You're welcome. Anything you're not sure about, feel free to ask. I should have pointed out earlier, with this particular camera being quite an old model (production ended in the early 80's), it's likely the light seals will need replacing if they are still the original ones. I'd run through a test roll to start with to check if there's any light leakages. Apart from that, it's a nice easy camera to use. :)
 
Pentax Cameras from that era are great. The Pentax lens you have, which I'm going to guess is the SMC Pentax-M 50mm f/2, is a fine little 50mm which certainly will perform. The MV-1 and the Pentax-M lens were amongst the lightest and most compact body and lens in 35mm SLR photography.

I assume you want a colour film? I think getting a roll of Fuji Superia 400 might be a good start. It's ISO400 so it gives enough flexibility to be a general use film for a wide range of lighting situations, and it is very tolerant to under and overexposure. If you want a cheaper option, if you have a Poundland near you they stock Kodak ColorPlus 200 24exp. It's an old emulsion, but if you want a cheap first roll to shoot it's a decent candidate.

You may want to have a flick through the manual, available for free here. You'll need 2 button batteries to operate the camera functions.

Once you have shot the roll, have a look at the "Film Developing in the UK" thread, stickied on the top of this forum.
 
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You also appear to have the SMC-M 40mm f2.8 which I also have, and whilst many people pay silly money for it, it's generally regarded as inferior. However I have one, and I love it - for example (excuse the subject matter Lex it's just pretty much all I shot with that lens to finish off a roll of film, unless you want to see the inside of next door's shed!!):

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Shot on Fuji 160C with a Super A body.

if you need batteries let me know where to send them I have a shed load of them as my OM2 eats them. :thumbs:

The MV is basically an ME without exposure compensation, it's got a great viewfinder, I'm not sure if the MV gives you shutter speed readout or not, it may be the MG that doesn't, Either way I think the viewfinder in the M series is the best ever viewfinder ever in any SLR so you should be ok with it!

If you're joining us on the North Wales meet and I'll deposit you a load of Fuji 800Z I've got that I'm never likely to use. :thumbs:
 
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The lens mounted on the camera looks more like a Tokina f2.8 wide angle to me (notice different colour focusing scales). It's certainly significantly longer than the 40mm pancake.
 
Awwwwww Dex!!!!! :'( lovely pic though :thumbs:

Will try and make the North Wales meet if I can. Just need to make sure I can deposit the sproglet with someone.
 
freecom2 said:
The lens mounted on the camera looks more like a Tokina f2.8 wide angle to me (notice different colour focusing scales). It's certainly significantly longer than the 40mm pancake.
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The lens mounted on the camera is a tokina but I'm not sure what it is. The other lens is a pentax 50mm F2 (according to my massive chart of lenses :lol:) Please feel free to correct if I am wrong.

I found all the original receipts for the camera today along with all original documents and booklets it came with. It was bought from Comet for £89.45 in 1981 :lol:
 
Alexandra said:
The lens mounted on the camera is a tokina but I'm not sure what it is. The other lens is a pentax 50mm F2 (according to my massive chart of lenses :lol:) Please feel free to correct if I am wrong.
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Generally speaking, Pentax SLR's were normally sold with either the 50mm f/2 or f/1.7 lenses and both of them had great optics. As for your other lens, it should say on the outer edge of the front element as to what focal length it is. Tokina made excellent manual focus lenses back in the day, so you've got no problems there.
 
Oops, I should use the proper glasses - there's blatantly an F2 stop on the Pentax lens, ruling out the pancake completely! I just saw 0.6m as minimum focus and a 2 and an 8 together! :bonk:

Again, the 50mm F2 is an excellent little lens, especially considering how cheap they are!

The Tokina will be a 24mm, 28mm or 35mm wide angle, probably 28mm. WIth that colour focus scale it means it's the good version, I really liked my old one, but prefer 24mm lenses so it went.

You better get to the meet, as the new kid on the North Wales scene it becomes you duty to carry the bags! :p
 
The tokina is a 28mm.

Haaa...how about no :P I'm not being used as pack mule :lol:
 
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