OFFICIAL I HAVE A NEW (FILM RELATED) TOY THREAD!!

I've got rangefinder fever again. This is one of two new arrivals. A Zeiss Ikonta Contessa 35. Only made for five years from 1950 and has a selenium meter that is unusual for a folding camera. It has a coupled rangefinder too.


Contessa front right.jpg

Contessa top.jpg


Looks like it could be a bokeh monster

Contina open back.jpg
Contessa front.jpg
 
Last edited:
I saw a camera brand that I hadn't been aware of and had a search on the auction site for examples.
I bought this, a Japanese made Samoca 35 LE, made between 1958 and 1963 ish, my first Japanese camera from this era.
It's a fixed lens rangefinder with uncoupled Selenium meter.
It works nicely at all speeds, although the meter is dead. I've run a short roll of film through it today, it all seems to be fine.
Now I'll wait for a bit of brighter weather to go shoot 24 frames of Fomapan 100.

Samoca35LE.jpg
 
I had been looking at a digital medium format outfit. However, when I saw the prices and realised that they aren't much bigger sensors than my full frame S1 I gave myself a good talking to and looked in the freeads for a film outfit. And here it is, a Pentax 645 at around a fifth of a digital outfit including a €5 tripod and a bag from the charity shop at the same price. The lens is a A 45-85 SMC and I have another A SMC on its way; A 80-160mm.

20260307_171534_resize_39.jpg

20260307_171712_resize_69.jpg

20260307_171846_resize_97.jpg

Not exactly travelling light, but at least my wallet isn't two grand lighter.
 
Bought a Tamron 60-300mm that I don’t need for £22 inc adapter and postage o_O :rolleyes: ....well I’m bored and it’s something new to play with.

To check the lens out quickly I’ll use a Fotga adapter (canon fD) on my nex 3….silly to waste a roll of film and hope it’s a VG copy.

More info on the lens:-

Well madness has over come my boredom o_Oas I have bought another Tamron 60-300mm (previous one had fungus) for £13.74 inc.. as well as having a Canon 300mm prime also found in my collection a Tokina 100-300mm. So I'll test the three at 300mm to see how they compare on B/W film. Also have two extenders (2Xs) so will also test those as well at 600mm. (y)
 
Last edited:
I had been looking at a digital medium format outfit. However, when I saw the prices and realised that they aren't much bigger sensors than my full frame S1 I gave myself a good talking to and looked in the freeads for a film outfit. And here it is, a Pentax 645 at around a fifth of a digital outfit including a €5 tripod and a bag from the charity shop at the same price. The lens is a A 45-85 SMC and I have another A SMC on its way; A 80-160mm.

View attachment 476383

View attachment 476384

View attachment 476385

Not exactly travelling light, but at least my wallet isn't two grand lighter.
Something I would love to have... except I wouldn't, really. Weight is a real deal-killer for me! It would sit on the shelf and look at me sideways, saying, I'm wasted on you, and you wasted your money!
 
Something I would love to have... except I wouldn't, really. Weight is a real deal-killer for me! It would sit on the shelf and look at me sideways, saying, I'm wasted on you, and you wasted your money!

It isn't that heavy compared to my Lumix S1 with kit zoom or the Zeiss Contarex outfit with three primes.
 
bought a FED-2 ''body-only'' from eBay UK for my spare Jupiter-8 f2/50mm
to add to my USSR collection of a FED 3, a FED 4, and my Zorki-4K
turned out to be better than the listing images - so well pleased

all we need now is some sun.!!

tn_front.JPG
 
BTW
on the USSR F.E.D and Zorki 4 bodies, these synch socket caps are very slightly smaller than the 'standard' cap
--- however the cap from a Canon AE-1 is compatible
and can be obtained from hello@camerasbymax.co.uk

tn_synch cap.jpg
 
I started working on cars this morning and on the edge of a drive across the street this lot had been left out for the scrap man...

15573.jpg

A Phillips colour enlarger (power cables cut unfortunately) and base board minus the locking nut, a couple of enlarging easels, an "Ensign" branded made in Hong Kong tripod and a Prinz 1000w movie light!! Plus a fluorescent box that had been used as a light table.

Now the Prinz will never be used, the tripod is likely scrap but the easels will and if the enlarger doesn't work it will give up up various useful bits and it's Minolta 50mm lens. If the fluorescent stuff works I'll make a neg light box - I've been wanting one for ages.
 
Last edited:
I started working on cars this morning and on the edge of a drive across the street this lot had been left out for the scrap man...

View attachment 476933

A Phillips colour enlarger (power cables cut unfortunately) and base board minus the locking nut, a couple of enlarging easels, an "Ensign" branded made in Hong Kong tripod and a Prinz 1000w movie light!! Plus a fluorescent box that had been used as a light table.

Now the Prinz will never be used, the tripod is likely scrap but the easels will and if the enlarger doesn't work it will give up up various useful bits and it's Minolta 50mm lens. If the fluorescent stuff works I'll make a neg light box - I've been wanting one for ages.
Unfortunately the separate mixing controller for the colour enlarger is missing - a shame but there I am. If one isn't available cheaply then it will give some good spares.

Edit: this bit

Screenshot_20260314-191810.Cx File Explorer.png
 
Last edited:
Minolta MCII 300/4.5.

Came from LCE in Oxford and I think it was described as 'good' but honestly I don't think it's been used. Hardly any dust, no marks on the lenses or the body.

Chunky old thing. Feels really heavy at 1.1kg.

At f/4.5 it's not the fastest and I have to say in poorer light attached to my Sony A7i it was a little hard to nail a sharp shot - a little easier on my Canon (with IS).

Probably not a lens I'll use a lot, but a decent price.

CA is quite pronounced and it does seem to lack a little contrast, but to be fair I've had it a couple of days and it's mostly been grey.


DSC07560 by Kell, on Flickr


DSC07562 by Kell, on Flickr


IMG_0243 by Kell, on Flickr


DSC07620 by Kell, on Flickr


DSC07554 by Kell, on Flickr


DSC07610
by Kell, on Flickr


DSC07640
by Kell, on Flickr

DSC07645 by Kell, on Flickr
 
Minolta Dynax 7


20-3-26-10.jpg

A quite remarkable specification on this camera, original glass was a bit crusty so swapped it out for a 35-70 while I wait for some proper glass pop up.
I am impressed by the metering, which shows a 13 spot matrix of the scene with the difference from the average exposure indicated in each "cell" so you can adjust if desired.
Another feature that appeals to me is that the camera remembers all the exposure detail for the last 6 or 7 rolls of film, a real boon for testing out adjustments to ISO etc. to see what EI develops best.
 
Last edited:
Minolta Dynax 7


View attachment 477408

A quite remarkable specification on this camera, original glass was a bit crusty so swapped it out for a 35-70 while I wait for some proper glass pop up.
I am impressed by the metering, which shows a 13 spot matrix of the scene with the difference from the average exposure indicated in each "cell" so you can adjust if desired.
Another feature that appeals to me is that the camera remembers all the exposure detail for the last 6 or 7 rolls of film, a real boon for testing out adjustments to ISO etc. to see what EI develops best.

Nice. :)

A word of warning if you're going to shoot the Type 517 with it though - make sure you cover the film window on the back of the camera! The cassettes for Type 517 can pipe light onto the film from the window, as I learned to my dismay when I shot a roll with my Nikon F80 recently.

See here: https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/ilford-517-light-leak.766635/
 
Nice. :)

A word of warning if you're going to shoot the Type 517 with it though - make sure you cover the film window on the back of the camera! The cassettes for Type 517 can pipe light onto the film from the window, as I learned to my dismay when I shot a roll with my Nikon F80 recently.

See here: https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/ilford-517-light-leak.766635/

Thanks NIgel,

I had not seen that thread.

I have shot 18 off the roll so far, the camera does have an inspection window, for what reason who knows, so I will tape it up this morning.

(y)
 
Minolta Dynax 7


View attachment 477408

A quite remarkable specification on this camera, original glass was a bit crusty so swapped it out for a 35-70 while I wait for some proper glass pop up.
I am impressed by the metering, which shows a 13 spot matrix of the scene with the difference from the average exposure indicated in each "cell" so you can adjust if desired.
Another feature that appeals to me is that the camera remembers all the exposure detail for the last 6 or 7 rolls of film, a real boon for testing out adjustments to ISO etc. to see what EI develops best.

Possibly worth saying, the 35-70 is a good lens (or should be).
 
Possibly worth saying, the 35-70 is a good lens (or should be).

I found the lens too long in use, need 28mm or even 24.

Do not know what the image quality is like yet, will develop the rolls tomorrow.
 
Back
Top