Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Post
  • Reply
Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
God drat those own. The viewfinder on the Moskva looks really tiny and I imagine it would be maddening to use with glasses on. How troublesome do you find focusing with that camera?

My Spotmatic sometimes does a partial double exposure near the last frame of the roll for some reason I've never figured out. I've had it apart a few times and its guts have no noticeable wear or misalignment in them. Old cameras eh?

Sauer fucked around with this message at 20:03 on Aug 25, 2017

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!

Martytoof posted:

I've been looking for a replacement for my olllllld Epson 3600 scanner which involves just using my XPro1.

If there are macro lenses available for that camera then its pretty simple. Even extension tubes will do the job if you have a good sharp lens with little distortion. I use an old "Pentax SMC 50mm f4 Macro" with a 10mm extension ring that let's me perfectly fit a 35mm frame on my a6000's sensor. A tripod that lets you point the camera straight down, a good light box (I use the smallest Artograph Lightpad LX), and a small bubble level are all you really need. I've sexed up my setup a little with 35mm and 6x6 negative carriers I got for next to nothing on E-Bay to hold the frame perfectly flat but you can get away with just taping the negative down. I prefer the stand off the neg carriers give since any dust or small scratches on the lightbox surface will be completely out of focus and its fast to move to the next frame without having to move anything but the film strip. I'm keeping an eye out for a use copy stand for even more rigidity and not having to touch the lens to focus.

Sauer fucked around with this message at 19:55 on Aug 25, 2017

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
I just dumped the developer in my paterson tank into the sink... along with the funnel cover, the reels and the film on the reels. Its dim in my kitchen and the negatives look fine after fixing but I'm having trouble digging the shorts out of my clenched buttcrack. Make sure the lid is properly folks. Didn't notice it during agitation as I use the agitation stick to swirl my drink, I'm not some shaken savage.

Sauer fucked around with this message at 20:05 on Aug 25, 2017

Helen Highwater
Feb 19, 2014

And furthermore
Grimey Drawer

Sauer posted:

God drat those own. The viewfinder on the Moskva looks really tiny and I imagine it would be maddening to use with glasses on. How troublesome do you find focusing with that camera?

My Spotmatic sometimes does a partial double exposure near the last frame of the roll for some reason I've never figured out. I've had it apart a few times and its guts have no noticeable wear or misalignment in them. Old cameras eh?

The rangefinder window is not that small, it's bigger than a 35mm rangefinder window. It's for sure not as comfortable as a nice big ground glass, but that's the tradeoff for a 6x9 that fits in your jacket pocket. The rangefinder and the viewfinder are separate windows too. The main issue is that the lens is so far away from the rangefinder plane that it's hard to be sure what's actually going to be in the frame, I'm always cutting off peoples' feet or half of an arm. The foldout magnifier and the end of the bellows also take up a bit of space in the viewfinder window so it's a bit cluttered. The rangefinder is fairly bright though and it's easy to see when you are focused as long as you remember to grip it so that your hand isn't in front of the focus prism. The left hand shutter button trips me up more often than the rangefinder does to be honest.

8th-snype
Aug 28, 2005

My office is in the front room of a run-down 12 megapixel sensor but the rent suits me and the landlord doesn't ask many questions.

Dorkroom Short Fiction Champion 2012


Young Orc

Sauer posted:

God drat those own. The viewfinder on the Moskva looks really tiny and I imagine it would be maddening to use with glasses on. How troublesome do you find focusing with that camera?

My Spotmatic sometimes does a partial double exposure near the last frame of the roll for some reason I've never figured out. I've had it apart a few times and its guts have no noticeable wear or misalignment in them. Old cameras eh?

That problem is caused by the mechanism that keeps the film under tension slipping. I'm not sure exactly what that is in the spotmatic but that's almost always the cause of end of roll over laps. It might be the bit telling the camera how much to rotate the takeup spool based on how much film is on it is not functioning properly, but that usually shows a progressive problem in the frame spacing as the roll goes on.You could test this but shooting a short roll and if it overlaps the its a tension problem.

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
That would probably also explain the inconsistent spacing between frames with that camera. Spaces can be anywhere from a millimeter to four millimeters. Good to know. I enjoy that camera so much I'm saving up to send it to Eric Hendrickson for a proper CLA so that will likely be taken care of.

8th-snype
Aug 28, 2005

My office is in the front room of a run-down 12 megapixel sensor but the rent suits me and the landlord doesn't ask many questions.

Dorkroom Short Fiction Champion 2012


Young Orc

Sauer posted:

That would probably also explain the inconsistent spacing between frames with that camera. Spaces can be anywhere from a millimeter to four millimeters. Good to know. I enjoy that camera so much I'm saving up to send it to Eric Hendrickson for a proper CLA so that will likely be taken care of.

Also check the film advance sprockets then if you have inconsistent spacing throughout the roll you might have a worn or missing tooth that just hasn't been facing out any of the times you've inspected the camera.

Cacator
Aug 6, 2005

You're quite good at turning me on.

Ended up purchasing the Epson V550 and although it's not the sharpest tool in the shed the results are more than adequate for Filckr posting. These are from my first two rolls I developed myself (HP5 and Pan F+ developed with Ilfosol 3 which I probably wouldn't have picked in retrospect but that's the one the store guy handed to me), I'm glad it's much harder to gently caress up than I thought it would be. Really liked how the Pan F turned out in particular and I probably won't stick with HP5 because I like things a bit more contrasty.





Cacator fucked around with this message at 18:35 on Aug 27, 2017

SMERSH Mouth
Jun 25, 2005

Oof, though I was getting a good price on a Japanese "EXC +++" Minolta XEb but now here I am with a beautiful SLR that nonetheless meters two stops off, has a barely-movable power switch, and has a whole lot of gross looking poo poo in its (not user-removable) focusing screen. Smells weird, too. Definitely not +++ material. More like zero plusses, maybe one plus at most with a note about the meter.

I've already had to disassemble and reseat the iso selector dial as it was partially lifted up. Unfortunately that didn't fix the meter response. Now I have to decide if it's worth removing the lens mount to access what I think is the plate that holds in the focusing screen. Kind of depends on whether I can get by with the meter as-is, or fix it.

But still, I've only ever seen pictures of an XE. Mechanically and ergonomically, it's a very nice camera. Definitely would be a favorite if it was clean and fully functional.

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
Unless you're head over heels in love with it, return it. I've never had an issue with a Japanese ebay vendor taking a return; though they often times have trouble understanding why you're returning it. I've mostly stopped searching outside of North America for camera stuff since everything out of Japan is Exc++++ but covered in fungus. So much fungus.

Wild EEPROM
Jul 29, 2011


oh, my, god. Becky, look at her bitrate.
I saw a seller whose grades are

New in box 100%
Like new in box 95%
Mint+ 90%
Mint 85%
Mint- 80%
EXC+++ 75%
EXC++ 70%
EXC+ 65%
EXC 60%
AS-IS 50%

motherfucker, "EXC" is not 60%. 60% is barely a C.

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
Broke the film latch on my Nikon F80 while at Niagara Falls this week. The two little plastic tabs on the door side snapped off. Probably closed the door to hard when changing rolls. Gaffer tape saves the day again. Always keep a small roll in the bottom of your bag folks. Otherwise the F80 didn't mind getting completely drenched. Viewfinder compartment got flooded and water was dripping out of the film compartment but some time in the sun fixed all of that. Bought a parts junker on ebay for a few bux to steal the door from. Replacing it involves dismantling the entire outer shell :geno:. Scans from the trip later.

Since my GAS knows no limits I will be picking up a "Mint, Like New" OM-1n with 50mm f/1.8 from a local seller later this week. Comes with the manual shutter speed dongle used on the OM-10 so I'm going to assume this seller knows nothing about the camera and its battery compartment is full of green schmoo and the shutter curtain is a moth nest.

Sauer fucked around with this message at 03:14 on Sep 4, 2017

8th-snype
Aug 28, 2005

My office is in the front room of a run-down 12 megapixel sensor but the rent suits me and the landlord doesn't ask many questions.

Dorkroom Short Fiction Champion 2012


Young Orc

Sauer posted:

Broke the film latch on my Nikon F80 while at Niagara Falls this week. The two little plastic tabs on the door side snapped off. Probably closed the door to hard when changing rolls. Gaffer tape saves the day again. Always keep a small roll in the bottom of your bag folks. Otherwise the F80 didn't mind getting completely drenched. Viewfinder compartment got flooded and water was dripping out of the film compartment but some time in the sun fixed all of that. Bought a parts junker on ebay for a few bux to steal the door from. Replacing it involves dismantling the entire outer shell :geno:. Scans from the trip later.

Since my GAS knows no limits I will be picking up a "Mint, Like New" OM-1n with 50mm f/1.8 from a local seller later this week. Comes with the manual shutter speed dongle used on the OM-10 so I'm going to assume this seller knows nothing about the camera and its battery compartment is full of green schmoo and the shutter curtain is a moth nest.

That's so weird on some Nikons to replace the door all you have to do is pinch two releases in the hinge and pull. I don't know where they think that dongle goes there isn't even any place on the om-1n to plug it in, it uses a pretty distinctive miniphone plug.

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
This is a "modern" plastic Nikon. The upper and lower panels hold the door on and getting those off involves removing the bits covering the view finder & prism and unscrewing the lens mount ring. The door has buttons on it to select AF points so there's a cable connection in it as well but I'm pretty sure its got a plug and isn't soldered.

Xabi
Jan 21, 2006

Inventor of the Marmite pasty

Sauer posted:

Since my GAS knows no limits I will be picking up a "Mint, Like New" OM-1n with 50mm f/1.8 from a local seller later this week
Good choice.

Dudeabides
Jul 26, 2009

"You better not buy me that goddamn tourist av"

Where's the best place to grab film in the Boston area? I've found one place near my house in Newtonville, but I want more sources.

bellows lugosi
Aug 9, 2003

Just buy it online

Karl Barks
Jan 21, 1981

if you like to buy local~~~ there's hunt's photo which has a bunch of locations around here. bromfield is downtown too.

SMERSH Mouth
Jun 25, 2005

Sauer posted:

Since my GAS knows no limits I will be picking up a "Mint, Like New" OM-1n with 50mm f/1.8 from a local seller later this week. Comes with the manual shutter speed dongle used on the OM-10 so I'm going to assume this seller knows nothing about the camera and its battery compartment is full of green schmoo and the shutter curtain is a moth nest.

If you end up getting OM-1n, I triple-dog dare you to focus on one particular mark on a yardstick or something, make an exposure at f1.8, and see how true the screen, mirror and pentaprism really are to the film plane.

Ever since my first 35mm camera (FE2) started to back-focus after I had the shutter replaced, I've been kind of obsessive about focus accuracy. OM-1's are great and their mechanical actuations are kind of soothing. I've tried three, and three 50's. They all back-focused by an inch or so around the MFD. One was so bad that I'd get OOF shots with an 28/2.8.

Except for one Minolta XD-5, every other 35mm SLR that I've tested using the same setup as OM-1n's has been spot-on for accuracy, including an OM-4 and an OM2SP.

So I'd be interested to know if you get one that is accurate, because it seems like the -1n's have some kind of issue. That, or I'm cursed. Which would suck, because they're pretty great to use otherwise. Back in the day, Olympus' OM-system had pretty much the top-of-the-line scientific macrophotography lenses, or at least parity with Nikon's, so it makes no sense that their premier camera would suffer from bad QC for focus accuracy.

Edit: By the way, the OM-1n that I adjusted the mirror on still has much-improved (if not perfect) focus accuracy, but unfortunately the slow shutter speeds went off shortly after.

SMERSH Mouth fucked around with this message at 04:15 on Sep 7, 2017

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
Funny you should ask that. I picked it up this morning and immediately went shooting around downtown Montreal. Its gray and rainy so there was hardly anyone around so had to contented myself with closeups of flowers and annoyed geese; a couple at minimum distance (the flowers not the geese). Should be a few shots that would show inaccurate focus. Will develop the roll in the morning. I'll take a photo of a tape measure next time I load a roll though to be sure.

Otherwise the camera pretty much is "Mint, Like New" aside from some dust and assorted shmoo. There is hardly any wear on the bottom plate and the battery cap isn't all chewed up which is a good sign in my opinion. Light seals are intact but I'll have to replace them because there is... something growing on them. The things I'm iffy about are probably just because I'm unfamiliar with the OM series. Seller states he received it as part of a lot of other cameras that he only wanted the Canons from and otherwise knew nothing about it (he didn't care about the OM-10 dongle so that's in my bits box). Hot shoe mount has a chunk missing from it but no damage on the camera so the mount was probably dropped while off the camera at some point. Still fires a flash fine and seems sturdy enough; I'm sure I can find a replacement easily if it ever becomes an issue or just stays off all the time anyway since the camera is sexy without it. Tested the shutter when I got home with a photo-diode and its pretty darn close when averaging a series of firings at each speed. Didn't test 1/8" and lower but they sound pretty good. No squeaks or grinding noises on any of the turny flippy doodads. There's a noticeable double click at the end of the film winding stroke. Don't know if that's normal or not but my "its hosed" sense isn't tingling. The meter is functional... for whatever that's worth.

The lens is optically immaculate. Not a single "cleaning mark" to be seen and clean as a whistle with the flashlight test. The detents on the aperture ring are soft and don't really have a strong positive click. Don't know if that's normal for a Zuiko lens. The aperture changed on its own while bumping around on my side a few times. The focus ring has a good bit of resistance to it. Its not stiff or hard to turn but its not "Pentax" either if anyone knows what I mean.

The view finder is insane; you can fall in to it. This is probably kind of sappy but there's some cameras where you get the sensation of the world around you disappearing and the image in your eye is all there is. This camera has that; the ME Super is the only other camera I've gotten that sensation from. Its amazing for cutting out distractions and just concentrating on the scene. Can also see the whole frame with my glasses on. I really like the shutter release. The slightest little brush and its off. Almost like taking a breath. The strong snap when it fires is also pretty neat. Not a slap or a bunch of mechanical noises, but a snap. Shutter speed on the lens mount is a good idea. Don't know why every camera isn't like that.

This is the honeymoon period so everything is wonderful and perfect and I'm all excited about a new camera and all that. We'll see how it still feels in a few months, but I like the OM-1 so far. For $40 I feel like I probably should have scampered off from the seller like I stole it. Its not as comfortable in my hands as the ME Super but I suspect no other film camera ever will be. Nice to find something close though since ME Supers break for no good reason all the time and if its electrical (its always electrical) you can probably forget getting it fixed. Comfort and handling are more important to me than all the gizmos and fiddly bits.


My pics, not the sellers. Getting all cleaned up tomorrow.

Sauer fucked around with this message at 07:04 on Sep 7, 2017

SMERSH Mouth
Jun 25, 2005

I'd probably just keep rocking that flash shoe as long as it works. The version for the 1n is different from the OG 1; rarer and more expensive. Maybe put some gaffer tape to cover the gap; I don't know but there could be chance of a short if the interior is exposed.

I'd be less concerned about a click when winding on than a resonant sound like a ding or twang when firing the shutter. My 'good' OM's shutter went off after it started making a louder twang when the shutter was tripped. It seems to indicate a sticky or worn spring somewhere in the shutter and/or mirror mechanics.

I got a second-hand hearsay story once from an old camera person. The gist of it was that one of the big news wire companies switched their in-house photo gear from Nikon to Olympus back in the 1970s. It was a huge expense and a major transition to make, but at the time Oly was really disrupting the PJ gear market with the size and ergonomics of the OM cameras, and their optics were considered as good as Nikon's, which was significant too.

But there was a problem. As it turned out, the OMs had a weak point: the linkage between the camera and the lens diaphragm control. This started to become statistically apparent. A large number of units that the wire company tracked in their inventory were going out of service with aperture control problems. Lenses and bodies. Eventually the company (at more great expense) switched their inventory back to Nikon.

This was never a problem for consumers. You'd have to be a hardcore newspaper photographer hammering away with a motor drive for hours each day to put enough stress on the mechanism to run a significant risk of damage.

But, you can feel where the critical action is happening. Remove the lens and watch and feel the vibration from the aperture stop-down lever moving when you fire the shutter. (It's just to the right of the mirror when looking at the lens mount from the front.) There's a sharp vibration emanating from the movement. Lock the mirror up and you can still feel it.

My theory is that something about the constant vibration-induced wear on the stuff around the mirror box, caused by that hammering lever, can eventually make things like the mirror and focusing screen shift around and throw off the focus. But I'm not able to measure the tiny parts so I don't really know.

One positive thing I can say, though, is that when I tested all my 35mm SLRs at 1/8sec with wide open 50s, the OM-1 was one of the two sharpest, and (at least with a good tripod) didn't seem to even need to have it's mirror locked up to get very crisp negatives.

aricoarena
Aug 7, 2006
citizenh8 bought me this account because he is a total qt.
Anyone live near Bloomington and need a bunch of expired kodak?

https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?fa=Main.Item&itemid=6110&acctid=3923

Or some other sweet stuff, that Nikon F3T is too cool.

https://www.govdeals.com/index.cfm?...&timingWithin=1

8th-snype
Aug 28, 2005

My office is in the front room of a run-down 12 megapixel sensor but the rent suits me and the landlord doesn't ask many questions.

Dorkroom Short Fiction Champion 2012


Young Orc

For $40 you absolutely stole that. I totally agree, I've sorted and tested over 200 vintage slrs in the last 4 months and the OM1 has hands down the best vf of anything out there. Oh and for what it's worth lots of old cameras have white or blue spots on disintegrating light seals, I'm not 100% sure if it's mold or just what that the seals and glue break down into because I've never seen it on fully intact ones.

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
RE: OM-1n Film Plane Parallelism

I think its okay on this camera. For now at least.


Focused on the number 25.


Focus on the middle flower's spiky bits.

Think I'm going to try to hunt down a 1-1 focus screen for it. The split prism is nice when I have time to be precise but I'm way faster with a micro-prism screen. Probably all the Spotmatic practice.

Sauer fucked around with this message at 07:31 on Sep 8, 2017

SMERSH Mouth
Jun 25, 2005

Yeah that looks like focus is pretty spot on. All those I've tried would've been focused on the tick marks behind the 20 on the lock.

Also looks like you got one of the later multicoated 50s. Nice.

Thanks for posting the proof. I guess I've just been really unlucky with OM-1n's.


Anyway, another question:

I just got some 4x5 film. It's going to be some time before my field camera gets here, but I went ahead and ordered a box of Arista 100 sheets so I'd be ready to go when the camera arrives. Unfortunately, it looks like the shipping box was dented when I found it on my porch today. Then, inside that, the film box looked like this:

There's a sticker on the box that says 'only open in total darkness'. Is there any kind of internal lightproofing besides the box lid itself? It looks like maybe there could be some light leaks in that, considering how beat up it is. I don't have a dark place to open it up and feel around right now.

Maybe I should just send it back? Sucks because freestyle packed it in their usual good way, but the carrier (USPS) seems to have damaged it in shipping.

polyester concept
Mar 29, 2017

There's another smaller inverted lid inside the box and then the film itself is in a dark bag. It's probably fine.

Spedman
Mar 12, 2010

Kangaroos hate Hasselblads
Unless the box is split, it'll be fine

SMERSH Mouth
Jun 25, 2005

Good to know. I thought it would be kind of weird if the outer box was all that was there to protect the film.

Google Butt
Oct 4, 2005

Xenology is an unnatural mixture of science fiction and formal logic. At its core is a flawed assumption...

that an alien race would be psychologically human.

A lot of the links in the OP are dead, anyone have links to the suggested gear (including any accessories that make life easier) to get started developing 135 b&w? Greatly appreciated.

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
Looks like the crumbly light seals on the door hinge gave up the ghost. New ones on the way from Hugo Studio.

Father O'Blivion
Jul 2, 2004
Get up on your feet and do the Funky Alfonzo

Google Butt posted:

A lot of the links in the OP are dead, anyone have links to the suggested gear (including any accessories that make life easier) to get started developing 135 b&w? Greatly appreciated.

Here's a quick rundown of what I started with:

Basic tank (up to 2x 135, or 1x 120)
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/886586-REG/Paterson_Universal_Tank_with_Two.html

Changing Bag
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/253370-REG/Paterson_PTP125.html

Developer(s) - HC-110 for one-shot developer (or Rodinal, or D-76, or ... etc)
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/926496-REG/kodak_5010541_hc_110_professional_developer.html

Stop Bath
Use water

Fixer - Get a 1L amber growler and reuse the working solution. 1L of prepared fixer is good for 12+ rolls of 35mm, maybe more.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/27937-REG/Kodak_1464080_Kodafix_Solution_Liquid_for.html

Final Rinse - Photoflo (and distilled water)
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/28195-REG/Kodak_1464510_Photo_Flo_200_Solution.html

You'll also need a thermometer, some kind of timer (ie cellphone), bottle to mix working developer solution (I use 1L pop bottles), scissors, plastic pipettes, graduated cylinder / volumetric measuring cups, and a rig to hang the film to dry. I use cheapy mini wooden clothes pins and a piece of twine. And a film scanner / enlarger to actually do something with the negatives.

Have fun; its like magic.







Edit: If your camera rewinds the film all the back into the canister, not leaving an accessible leader, you'll need a leader retriever or you can pop the top of the canister off inside the changing bag using the rounded end of a can/bottle opener.

Helen Highwater
Feb 19, 2014

And furthermore
Grimey Drawer

Father O'Blivion posted:

Edit: If your camera rewinds the film all the back into the canister, not leaving an accessible leader, you'll need a leader retriever or you can pop the top of the canister off inside the changing bag using the rounded end of a can/bottle opener.

With most film brands I've tried, you can jam your thumbs into the light trap on the canister and pull it apart without too much difficulty. Just be careful not to cut yourself on the edges as it comes apart from the top and bottom parts.

I made a video a while back to show B&W processing with Rodinal, there's a bit about equipment, chemicals and so forth too. http://www.serialforeigner.photo/developing-black-white-film/

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
A bottle opener also works pretty well. The kind you'd use for beer bottles.

Spedman
Mar 12, 2010

Kangaroos hate Hasselblads
Just Hulk Hogan those canisters open.

k-zed
Dec 1, 2008

Fallen Rib
One extra idea: you can use 2% acetic acid solution as a stop bath. (I buy 8% cleaning acetic acid in the grocery shop and dilute it with tap water.)

Skipping the stop bath is OK, but this helps your fixer last longer (which is good, because you'll have to take less trips to the dangerous chemical collection place).

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
When I was in high school so many decades ago the camera store where I used to develop my color film would give you a roll of cheapy film if you brought them a jug of fixer. They'll still take your fixer but won't give you a roll of film anymore :(.

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
Had to open the Yashica Mat up again. Turns out the finest little whisk of machine oil was still way to much machine oil. It was working okay but oil on the shutter blades would have eventually become a problem. All the guts are sitting in lighter fluid again.

Lighter fluid and gaffer tape, there's nothing they can't do.

Edit: Going back in the bath after some use may have been a good idea actually. Bunch of new crud coming out of the entrainment. Hopefully whatever was left of the crud that jammed it up in the first place.

Yeah that might have been a bit much:

Sauer fucked around with this message at 04:41 on Sep 12, 2017

Sauer
Sep 13, 2005

Socialize Everything!
It happened again:


A little cheaper than the OM-1n I all but stole which means I'm probably going to hell for buying this off a young lady that didn't know there wasn't anything wrong with it when she advertised it as broken on Kijiji, mirror stuck up. Flicked it to M250 after leaving her place and the mirror popped down and shot fine. Claims she received it as a gift and never used it. Put in new batteries and works like a charm. Small ding on the prism housing that doesn't effect anything but otherwise in excellent condition. Probably don't even have to worry about the seals; the door hinge is felt and the mirror bumper isn't sticky. Rubber eye ring is missing on the viewfinder. I'll have to find a replacement; don't want that metal ring near my glasses. Didn't come with a lens, that one's mine. I haven't had an aperture priority SLR since my last ME Super died so this is a welcome find.

Question for any of you that might have a Nikon with K2 type focusing screen. Do they normally have what looks like dingy ash-like concentric rings radiating from the center or is this screen rather filthy? I only notice it when looking at something very light colored. Don't want to pop it out if I don't have to.

Edit: The lock button on the exposure compensation ring is annoying. Exposure lock lever is cool; AE lock is something the Pentax ME's never had.

Sauer fucked around with this message at 01:05 on Sep 19, 2017

8th-snype
Aug 28, 2005

My office is in the front room of a run-down 12 megapixel sensor but the rent suits me and the landlord doesn't ask many questions.

Dorkroom Short Fiction Champion 2012


Young Orc
Yeah that's a huge issue with all the electronic shutter nikons if there's no battery they look broken.

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

SMERSH Mouth
Jun 25, 2005

Sauer posted:

It happened again:



This is funny. A silver FE2 is exactly what I replaced my OM-1n with.

Mine has the standard K screen and it's clean and clear overall. Hard to say without a photo but it sounds like yours might be dirty/have a coating of crud on it. The concentric pattern is probably because it's stuck onto the etchings of the fresnel.

I don't remember the process exactly, but you can easily remove the focusing screen for replacement or cleaning. I did it once long ago on an FE.

More recently, I've taken out and cleaned the screen from a Minolta XD. Wiping it down is not advisable, and using any kind of solvent like acetone or alcohol will ruin the matte finish. I just pour up some distilled water into a small paper cup and soaked it for half an hour, then swished it around in the cup, poured some more distilled water over it to rinse, and set it out to dry in an upright position. That seemed to do the trick.

Edit: I think the FE2 is a fantastic camera. Not as elegant as the OM-1, but very solid and with a retro yet high-quality, high-tech look. I do think it looks best in all-black, though. The exposure comp button and the black plate around it are not only hard to reach and use while shooting, but they break up what would otherwise be a very well-balanced top plate, aesthetically speaking. But yeah, it's pretty much my go-to 35mm camera.

SMERSH Mouth fucked around with this message at 13:43 on Sep 20, 2017

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • Post
  • Reply