So what film camera/bit of kit have you been obsessing about today?

[srichards]

Yup;

http://araxfoto.com/manuals/Brochure_prism.pdf

(looks exactly the same as the Pentacon one)

The film counter and all internals are mechanical (only battery is in the TTL prism) so I think it's a combination of parts availability and the fact the springs all fly out if you open it :0)

Sounds like someone with a 3d printer and scanner could have a great old time scanning in old camera innards and making new bits... starts looking at 3d scanners....

 

[Mr Badger]

I have a Pentacon Pentina 35mm SLR and according to what I've read about those it seems some camera repairers can run screaming for the hills if you suggest sending one in for repair. Which is a bit of a shame really, as I would have probably sent mine for a CLA otherwise. It would appear from what's been written above the Pentacon 6 might have a similar reputation?

 

[35millimetre]

I pushed the boat out and bought some red and black snake leatherette covering - going to have a go at tarting up my trusty Cosina PM-1!

 

[mdjchat]

Voigtlander, all day and every day.

Are they that good? I know that they're newer and less of a gamble. My initial preference was the Canon 7/ 7s on the basis that it has a much wider rangefinder base length and the 85mm bright lines would match my Jupiter 9 lens perfectly. It's also a bit prettier.

 

[stevenelawson]

I'm currently obsessing about my first step into medium format, but don't tell the Mrs! So far I've narrowed it down to a TLR, like the Yashica Mat 124G, which I've been eyeing up on eBay.

 

[Andysnap]

Are they that good? I know that they're newer and less of a gamble. My initial preference was the Canon 7/ 7s on the basis that it has a much wider rangefinder base length and the 85mm bright lines would match my Jupiter 9 lens perfectly. It's also a bit prettier.

To be honest I am a bit of a Voigtlander fan boy but I still think that for the money they are too notch. The glass is uniformly good and the R2/3/4 cameras are extremely well made and ergonomically just about spot on. They're not cheap but they're not Leica expensive.

Chirk-Castle8 by Andy, on Flickr

 

[Sir SR]

To be honest I am a bit of a Voigtlander fan boy but I still think that for the money they are too notch. The glass is uniformly good and the R2/3/4 cameras are extremely well made and ergonomically just about spot on. They're not cheap but they're not Leica expensive.

Chirk-Castle8 by Andy, on Flickr

I'm looking at chopping my d750 in. Torn between getting a Leica/Voigtlander though.

 

[excalibur2]

I'm looking at chopping my d750 in. Torn between getting a Leica/Voigtlander though.

H'mm if I was a digi user I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket but enjoy both worlds.

 

[Sir SR]

H'mm if I was a digi user I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket but enjoy both worlds.

Still have a d800[emoji6]

 

[Deleted member 21335]

I'm looking at chopping my d750 in. Torn between getting a Leica/Voigtlander though.

Just buy the Leica and be done with it. [emoji23]
I can lend you mine if you like for a while? Get yourself over to Real Camera in Manchester and play with many cameras.

 

[Sir SR]

Just buy the Leica and be done with it. [emoji23]
I can lend you mine if you like for a while? Get yourself over to Real Camera in Manchester and play with many cameras.

Very generous offer. Might well take you up on it!!

What lenses do you shoot with on the Leica? Is it an m6?

 

[Deleted member 21335]

Very generous offer. Might well take you up on it!!

What lenses do you shoot with on the Leica? Is it an m6?

It's an M2 with 50mm summmicron. [emoji4]

 

[Sir SR]

It's an M2 with 50mm summmicron. [emoji4]

So in terms of shooting is there much difference between an m2 and m6?

 

[Steven001]

Edit: Found the thread in "New Posts" and didn't bother to read which sub-forum it was in

 

[Deleted member 21335]

So in terms of shooting is there much difference between an m2 and m6?

Shooting, M6 TTL obviously has a meter. Also quicker loading, rewind and I believe 28mm frame lines.

 

[Andysnap]

Edit: Found the thread in "New Posts" and didn't bother to read which sub-forum it was in

No you don't. Just climb up a little higher, same effect and less chance of dropping a large piece of machinery on someone's head.

Well, now mypost makes no sense at all.

 

[Strapps]

Well, now mypost makes no sense at all.

Too easy.

 

[Andysnap]

For the past 12 months I've been trying to avoid buying a Contax G1 but its becoming increasingly difficult. They are blinkin' gorgeous.

Will someone please persuade me out of spending my bonus on one. Or alternatively has anyone owned / used / fondled one and got an opinion on it?

 

[srichards]

I'm definitely not someone that exercises restraint. Buy it

 

[desf]

I agree, most Contaxes pretty great looking.

I believe they can't be fixed if they break but when did that ever stop us!

 

[joxby]

Still have a d800[emoji6]

well......you are gonna need something to shoot with for Ebay

I know where this is going, and it really is quite liberating

you will start using it less and less, people around you will call you bonkers, the push for the latest and greatest tails off, that's not say you won't hanker after stuff, it just means you alter your focus of attention, and your choice of acquisition will be limited by availability first, finance second.

in short........you're stuffed, its only a short hop now to complete filmophilia.....

 

[stevelmx5]

For the past 12 months I've been trying to avoid buying a Contax G1 but its becoming increasingly difficult. They are blinkin' gorgeous.

Will someone please persuade me out of spending my bonus on one. Or alternatively has anyone owned / used / fondled one and got an opinion on it?

I borrowed a G1 off a friend for a while. The lenses are fantastic, the 45mm was particularly tasty on my Sony Nex body ;0) The G1 however didn't feel as nice to use as it looks from the outside. The focusing is a bit disconnected and the AF sounds a bit 'agricultural'. It reminded me of the GA645 I had at the same time but smaller.

If you want a point and shoot (it's not a rangefinder or SLR so the viewfinder doesn't give any actual indication of focusing) with some excellent lenses, it's a good call.

 

[Andysnap]

I borrowed a G1 off a friend for a while. The lenses are fantastic, the 45mm was particularly tasty on my Sony Nex body ;0) The G1 however didn't feel as nice to use as it looks from the outside. The focusing is a bit disconnected and the AF sounds a bit 'agricultural'. It reminded me of the GA645 I had at the same time but smaller.

If you want a point and shoot (it's not a rangefinder or SLR so the viewfinder doesn't give any actual indication of focusing) with some excellent lenses, it's a good call.

Mmm, thanks Steve. I suspect that if I get one and dont like it the devaluation will be minimal or maybe I would make a bit as they seem to be going up in price at the moment.

 

[joxby]

For the past 12 months I've been trying to avoid buying a Contax G1 but its becoming increasingly difficult. They are blinkin' gorgeous.

Will someone please persuade me out of spending my bonus on one. Or alternatively has anyone owned / used / fondled one and got an opinion on it?

Where were you when I sold mine

I didn't get on with it, AF and RF just wasn't cutting the custard with me, I think I just don't do AF unless its a mahoosive zoom, I like em on my F100, but RF's are not mahoosive zoom country, so I dunno....

 

[joxby]

for reference..

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/contax-g1-45mm-planar-sold-enlarger-lens-sold.623894/

 

[Andysnap]

for reference..

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/contax-g1-45mm-planar-sold-enlarger-lens-sold.623894/

Bloody hell, bargain.

 

[kendo1]

For the past 12 months I've been trying to avoid buying a Contax G1 but its becoming increasingly difficult. They are blinkin' gorgeous.

Will someone please persuade me out of spending my bonus on one. Or alternatively has anyone owned / used / fondled one and got an opinion on it?

They are about the same size as a 139. I see no need for one at the prices they command.

 

[Sir SR]

well......you are gonna need something to shoot with for Ebay

I know where this is going, and it really is quite liberating

you will start using it less and less, people around you will call you bonkers, the push for the latest and greatest tails off, that's not say you won't hanker after stuff, it just means you alter your focus of attention, and your choice of acquisition will be limited by availability first, finance second.

in short........you're stuffed, its only a short hop now to complete filmophilia.....

Well I find myself reaching for the film camera rather than the d800......the d750 isn't getting a look in!!

The petri 7s is great - we are still getting to know one another. In hankering after a Leica with a fast lens!

with the petri on Saturday.

 

[wibbly]

I have a real thing for a Leica M2 at the moment. Problem is finding a good one at a sensible price and a suitable lens (Summicron/lux really out of reach budget wise at present).

 

[simon ess]

I know where this is going, and it really is quite liberating

you will start using it less and less, people around you will call you bonkers, the push for the latest and greatest tails off, that's not say you won't hanker after stuff, it just means you alter your focus of attention, and your choice of acquisition will be limited by availability first, finance second.

in short........you're stuffed, its only a short hop now to complete filmophilia.....

Truest thing I've read for a long time.

 

[Andysnap]

They are about the same size as a 139. I see no need for one at the prices they command.

Yes, I fully agree. However, its not about need..... i really like the way they look and tbh I dont need one but I want one.

 

[35millimetre]

I read this article by Hamish Gill yesterday and now I have another camera/lens combo to add to my "dream lottery win" list: http://www.35mmc.com/02/08/2015/zeiss-hologon-16mm-f8/

 

[excalibur2]

I read this article by Hamish Gill yesterday and now I have another camera/lens combo to add to my "dream lottery win" list: http://www.35mmc.com/02/08/2015/zeiss-hologon-16mm-f8/

!6mm? well it could be cheaper to use a 24mm lens on a 35mm camera and do a three shot pano...or maybe a MF sq with 50\75 mm lens for a three shot pano and crop to a nice rectangle...all less distortion as well.

 

[stevelmx5]

Did you read the article Brian? Hamish states that he didn't see any distortion, even at the edges, which is a pretty impressive result for such an ultrawide lens.

 

[excalibur2]

Did you read the article Brian? Hamish states that he didn't see any distortion, even at the edges, which is a pretty impressive result for such an ultrawide lens.

H'mm well a portrait of head and shoulders is going to look wierd using a 16mm lens close up, so I suppose it depends on the subject and maybe the word should be "perspective distortion" unless used for an artitstic purpose.

 

[35millimetre]

I guess you could stitch, but for the shots at the bottom of the post (especially the corn) it'd be a different depth of scene, different look to the photos. I love it used in portrait format - everything in focus.

 

[stevelmx5]

To be fair, I reckon if you picked a 16mm ultrawide to shoot portraits there are bigger issues than the lens :0). It's a specialist lens that's fixed at F8 (or F16 with the correction filter) so it's never really going to be used for subjects other than landscapes/architecture.

 

[excalibur2]

I guess you could stitch, but for the shots at the bottom of the post (especially the corn) it'd be a different depth of scene, different look to the photos. I love it used in portrait format - everything in focus.

Well you did say "lottery win" and I'm just saying possible cheap ideas for anyone who doesn't have a 16mm lens from a paupers perspective (pun)

 

[StephenM]

I'll admit that (viewing this as a lens for a film camera) I'd prefer not to get involved in stitching photos together in the darkroom. Photoshop is one thing, but lining up the paper exactly and getting the exposure spot on to mask the join is the thing of nightmares for me.

I've got a 14mm, 16mm, 17mm and 21mm lens (all for 35mm cameras or full frame digital) and have found them useful. The 14mm has had far more use than I ever imagined when I bought it. Only the OM 16mm is a fisheye, and even that was useful in the special case of an old shepherd's lambing hut interior, where the rounded shape of the interior was complemented by the "hobbit hole" effect of the lens.

 

[35millimetre]

Pentax apparently made 15mm and 17mm K-mount lenses - both rare as hen's teeth and wildly distorting at the edges. Would still love to try either! I used to use an 18mm for interior photography (on a cropped sensor digital), it needed adjustment in post but was very capable.