[disconnekt]

There is a lesson somewhere here. Below are two recent acquisitions from eBay, both at the same price point, the one on the left at minimum bid and the one on the right as make offer. Both sellers claimed no knowledge of cameras and both descriptions were rather vague.


Note Shamu stealing nectarines in the background...

On the Right

• Ricoh Singlex TLS (v2), reasonably clean appearance in the listing, but working condition unknown (knew nothing of cameras), smoke-free house, no returns
• Seller communication poor, shipped promptly
• Packaging possibly the worst I have ever seen, sort of a ball of bubblewrap and "eBay" tape with an outer covering of "eBay" tape and cardboard
• Aside from top plate, all surfaces had a heavy varnish of tobacco residue and all controls are gummy and non-functional from unknown substance. I suspect I will find mud inside.
• No big problems since I purchased for parts, but I sort of expected better packaging for the shipping charge
• Strangely, the Copal shutter still works, but meter is toast. The no-name 28mm is of zero interest. Ditto for the "Pro" brand skylight filter.

I will be able to use the bottom plate and am hopeful that the resister strip for the shutter speed/ASA will be usable.


Steve

My first slr camera is a rebadged version of the Ricoh Singlex TLS, the Sears TLS & auto sears 50mm 1.7 & I love it. I finally got the MR-9 battery adapter for it last month.

My mom bought it for me in 2014, and I dont know if it ever had a CLA before that but everything worked, so I'll eventually need to sent it out to get a good CLA when I have the money saved up, and the 50mm f1.7 lens that came with it has a slightly dented rilter-ring I'll get fixed at the same time (dont wanna do that part myself).

[FreeSpirit9]

I believe I have failed to report the earlier receipt of my Pentax-FA 645 400mm f 5.6 ED (IF). It is now among my very longest lenses (focally as well as physically), the longest being a monster Pentacon 6 500mm lens which is so large and heavy that I am afraid to take it out of its leather case! Any way, I very much like the new 400mm lens, and have attempted to assess its length in SMU terms. The length is too great for me to use the standard SMU stacking approach, so I have developed the concept of V-SMUs, or virtual SMUs. To explain, I am employing Benton Fudge Mint cookies, available from Aldi, covered in rich fudge, using real cocoa and having a minty chocolate flavor and verified as currently edible and flavorful. Lengthwise, these fudge mint cookies are sold in packaging containing 42 cookies in two lines of 21 cookies each, with each line measuring exactly (well approximately) 6 inches, or 3.5 cookies to the inch, with average cookie width being 0.28571429 inches, which I am taking the liberty of rounding off to 0.2857 inches. Thusly I have arrived at the concept of the V-SMU, being equal to 0.2857 inches. Using this new measurement concept, I am able to report the following for my new lens:

Length of lens with hood: 14 5/8 inches or 14.625. Dividing this length by the V-SMU of 0.2857 yields 51.19 V-SMUs.

Length without hood: Using a similar process for the unhooded lens at a measured length of 11 inches yields 38.50 V-SMUs.

I am highly cognizant of the various piddling and inconsequential objections that are sure to be raised to this advanced and more scientific measurement concept. However, I wish to request that any person offering criticism first make an effort physically to stack 51 mint cookies in order to replicate the feelings of frustration that I experienced in trying to do so prior to the flash of insight that led to the development of the V-SMU.

Thank you.

Would you please provide a metric version 👍

[ChrisPlatt]

Praktica BX20 body



From an eBay seller in Lithuania (Sveiks!)

Late DDR SLR
Praktica bayonet mount

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Praktica_BX20

Full information viewfinder:


I've been looking for a nice body for my 35/2.4 Flektagon lens...

Chris

[jeallen01]

The BX series bodies were pretty good (and tough, unlike the early Pratika's! ) and worked pretty well - but "noisy" to say the least, especially when using the motor winders.

My BX10 and BX20 (both with winders) are still sitting in the cupboard - partly for sentimental reasons, and partly because it would cost me more to advertise and ship them than I would be likely to sell them for (even if anyone wanted them??)

[Jome]

According to the lens review thread here on PF, the lens has sold new for about $800 to $1000, so the price being asked is less than half the lowest price new. That's a good deal IF THE LENS IS IN THE CONDITION YOU WANT. Make sure it isn't something that was chased as it tumbled down the Spanish Steps.

Hello WPRESTO,
I will be fixed next week
Damn LBA
Take care.
J.

[stevebrot]

My first slr camera is a rebadged version of the Ricoh Singlex TLS, the Sears TLS & auto sears 50mm 1.7 & I love it. I finally got the MR-9 battery adapter for it last month.

My first SLR was a Singlex TLS (in black!) with a brand-x 50/1.7. That camera served me well until I passed it on to my brother in the mid-1980s. Several years ago, I replaced it with one in silver with the Auto Rikenon 50/1.7 (great lens). It is currently in need of a couple of parts, hence the purchase of the camera above.


Steve

[ChrisPlatt]

I have another Praktica B series body, which isn't too bad.
IIRC they all used the same or similar Praktica-made shutter.

For nearly a decade my only SLR camera was a Nikon FM2n.
Now that's a camera with a loud shutter!

Chris

[jeallen01]

I have another Praktica B series body, which isn't too bad.
IIRC they all used the same or similar Praktica-made shutter.

For nearly a decade my only SLR camera was a Nikon FM2n.
Now that's a camera with a loud shutter!

Chris

My first Praktika was an FX-2 in the early 1960's, and then a couple of MTL5's, then a long gap to another MTL5 in the 1970s plus a BC-1 for work, a BC-1 (IIRC) for myself (plus a used BC-A which soon got traded - didn't like it!) and then finally the BX10 and the BX20 in the mid-1990's - so you can see that I was very Praktika/Pratica-oriented for a very long time .

However, I'd always wanted a Pentax, and thus bought my first one (MZ-5N) for our wedding & honeymoon in 2000.- and been "Pentax" DSLR ever since 2008 (apart from several small "pop in the pocket" Canon P&S from 2006 onwards).

[richard0170]

I have another Praktica B series body, which isn't too bad.
IIRC they all used the same or similar Praktica-made shutter.

For nearly a decade my only SLR camera was a Nikon FM2n.
Now that's a camera with a loud shutter!

Chris

Then add an MD12 to really experience the decibels!

[ChrisPlatt]

Then add an MD12 to really experience the decibels!

I always joked that My FM2n with MD-12 would make a great New Year's Eve noisemaker.

Chris

[D1N0]

Found a Panagor PMC AUTO TELE 200mm 1:3.5 (second version with 1.8mfd and red lettering instead of 2.5m and orange)for Project Panagor. It came for free with the Panagor 135mm 2.8 next to it because of fungus (but that is barely visible) so I am considering the 135mm a freeby since I already have it.





and the Pentacon six to pk adapter for my Kaleinar 150mm 2.8 arrived.

[bdery]

My last acquisitions are two prototypes for the upcoming RevoRings from H&Y:


from 46 to 62mm, with a single 67mm ring)

I really like these. The bottom one is the simplest. What it does is provide an adjustable ring so that you can use a single filter and mount it on lenses with varying filter diameter sizes (that one covers from 46 to 62mm, with a single 67mm filter).

The top one is basically the same (except that this model is larger, going from 67 to 82mm) except that it includes a variable ND filter / circular polarizer. The included filter appears to be high quality.

The RevoRing works by using "claws" which grip the inside of the lens front (where the filter threads is) so they can adapt to several sizes. The grip is strong but not too much, it won't damage the threads. It means you cannot use a hood, but it also means you can purchase a single, high quality filter, and use it on many lenses. It also means you can swap in seconds, which can be a godsend for landscape photographers.

Oh.

One more thing.

I also received the DFA* 85mm for testing.

Just saying

[WPRESTO]

The RevoRing works by using "claws" which grip the inside of the lens front (where the filter threads is) so they can adapt to several sizes. The grip is strong but not too much, it won't damage the threads.

That is similar to the way Raynox achromatic filters are attached. There have been a variety of attempts to make a better filter attaching mechanism than threads, or a retaining ring with unthreaded filters. Zeiss had bayonet filters for the Contarex (a failure), Hasselblad has a bayonet to almost guarantee that only its own filters could be used. I had an ancient (1930's or earlier) Kodak yellow filter that fitted onto several of its folding cameras. It had a circular spring band that was partly within the filters metal ring, and partly outside. You pressed the part outside with expanded the two sections inside, slip onto the lens and release and the filter was on. Not especially secure, but it worked. Another attempt recently introduced involves magnets, but it means leaving a metal ring permanently on each lens. And there are the various drop-in filters such as Cokin, but what a clumsy thing to have on the front of the lens unless you are doing scenics with a tripod mounted camera (similar to the filters at least once used on professional movie cameras). Filters must take second place to tripods as the accessory we love to hate and think we'll use more when purchased than in practice.

[stevebrot]

I also received the DFA* 85mm for testing.

Cue the thunder clap!!!


Steve

[WPRESTO]

Cue the thunder clap!!!


Steve

re: He's only getting it "for testing." Presumably he'll have to return it after he writes up his review.