So I’ve been given a film camera and I’m clueless (Koni Omega Rapid M)

EspressoJunkie

EspressoJunkie

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A friend of my mums has kindly given me this

5D83BD37-BFDB-4207-A37A-EA1BFD758785.jpeg

It’s a Koni-Omega Rapid M. I also have several rolls of (expired) 120mm film.

Although I’m old enough (43) to remember film cameras, I’ve never used one as an adult and certain nothing like this. But I’m really keen to give it a go!

Thanks to YouTube, I’ve worked out how to load the film, take a shot etc.

Focussing however is still confusing me. I know it’s the knob on the right, but I’m not sure how to make sure the image is sharp? There are ‘lines’ in the viewfinder that move ( and some that appear in the middle of the frame) as I move the focus knob but I’m not sure what these indicate?

I’ve also downloaded a light meter app which should will help with exposure.

I mainly photograph abandoned buildings and I’m hoping that this camera will add a whole new element to what I’m shouting.

Does anyone have any tips, or advice? Particularly around focussing etc but as a film newbie any help is appreciated!
 
EspressoJunkie said:
A friend of my mums has kindly given me this

View attachment 354892

It’s a Koni-Omega Rapid M. I also have several rolls of (expired) 120mm film.

Although I’m old enough (43) to remember film cameras, I’ve never used one as an adult and certain nothing like this. But I’m really keen to give it a go!

Thanks to YouTube, I’ve worked out how to load the film, take a shot etc.

Focussing however is still confusing me. I know it’s the knob on the right, but I’m not sure how to make sure the image is sharp? There are ‘lines’ in the viewfinder that move ( and some that appear in the middle of the frame) as I move the focus knob but I’m not sure what these indicate?

I’ve also downloaded a light meter app which should will help with exposure.

I mainly photograph abandoned buildings and I’m hoping that this camera will add a whole new element to what I’m shouting.

Does anyone have any tips, or advice? Particularly around focussing etc but as a film newbie any help is appreciated!
Click to expand...
Wow! I didn't even know such a thing existed. So I can't be much help apart from pointing out the manual is here:

Koni-omega Rapid instruction manual, koni-omega 100-200, PDF user manual

Koni-omega Rapid instruction manual, koni-omega 100-200, user manual
www.butkus.org
Have fun!
 
Hope it all works ok.

How old is the film you're using? If it's very expired you might have to compensate when exposing - particularly if you don't know how it's been stored. My general rule of thumb with expired film is to overexpose by 1-stop for every decade of expiry (or 1/2 stop per decade for B&W film) so, for example, for a roll of 400asa colour film that expired in 2000, I would shoot it as though it was 100asa. If it's E6 film (slide film) then I just shoot it at box speed regardless of how old it is.

If you know the film has been well stored (in a freezer of fridge) throughout its life then you can probably shoot it closer to, or even at, box-speed.

Expired film can be a bit of a crap-shoot. Sometimes the results can be great (I shot some forty-year-old HP5 the opther week and the results were really good), but they can also be awful. So don't judge the camera purely on the results from expired film.

Whetever the outcome, don't forget to post your results here. We'd all be very interested to see them. (y)
 
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FishyFish said:
Hope it all works ok.

How old is the film you're using? If it's very expired you might have to compensate when exposing - particularly if you don't know how it's been stored. My general rule of thumb with expired film is to overexpose by 1-stop for every decade of expiry (or 1/2 stop per decade for B&W film) so, for example, for a roll of 400asa colour film that expired in 2000, I would shoot it as though it was 100asa. If it's E6 film (slide film) then I just shoot it at box speed regardless of how old it is.

If you know the film has been well stored (in a freezer of fridge) throughout its life then you can probably shoot it closer to, or even at, box-speed.

Expired film can be a bit of a crap-shoot. Sometimes the results can be great (I shot some forty-year-old HP5 the opther week and the results were really good), but they can also be awful. So don't judge the camera purely on the results from expired film.

Whetever the outcome, don't forget to post your results here. We'd all be very interested to see them. (y)
Click to expand...
The film is 2008, I doubt it’s been stored in a fridge though. If the results aren’t great, I’ll just call it ‘arty’ and pretend it was intentional

Mechanically the camera seems to work ok, but obviously only time will tell!
 
EspressoJunkie said:
The film is 2008, I doubt it’s been stored in a fridge though. If the results aren’t great, I’ll just call it ‘arty’ and pretend it was intentional

Mechanically the camera seems to work ok, but obviously only time will tell!
Click to expand...

For expired film, 2008 is not that old in the grand scheme of things. Unless it's been left on a sunny windowsill or something it'll probably be fine. (y)
 
Wow! You lucky boy, that's a great camera. :)

The optics on that were reputedly very sharp and a good contender for the Hasselblad 500. It was used by a lot of wedding photographers because of this.

I would recommend a service (CLA) and a new set of light seals. With this done, you'll have a great camera and you should see some really nice results.

Enjoy . . .
 
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