[ismaelg]

Hello,

First of all, thanks for all the support and for a great forum! This is home for me as I don't do social media. Yet sometimes I wish I could reach more audience. There used to be a vintage camera forum where I was active but it shutdown many years ago.
I typically post vintage camera stuff (restorations, accessories, finds, etc.) in the Non-Pentax cameras sub forum, but it is more to discuss current offerings from other manufacturers, comparisons, etc.
I was thinking, how about a subforum for vintage photography stuff? Say Pre-Pentax or Non-Pentax classics or something along those lines. I'm sure many other forum members can contribute and help promote it. It could even bring a bit more traffic to the forum. What do you think?

Thanks,
Ismael

[BigMackCam]

I'd support that for sure, Ismael. I love your vintage gear restorations, and I own a fair bit of vintage equipment myself... mostly lenses (and mostly Soviet), but quite a few cameras too. Some are used occasionally, none of them enough. This might encourage me to shoot with them more and make some progress on my backlog of lens servicing projects! Plus, I'm always willing to share what I've learned about my cameras and lenses, and eager to learn more...

[cyberjunkie]

I don't have great interest for what you are specifically suggesting, but I greatly enjoy discussions about the use of vintage equipments (in particular lenses, Asahi's or third party) with modern digital Pentax cameras. My lack of activity on this forum is largely due to the fact that most threads deal with recent equipments. I believe that talking about the impressive features/techniques/tricks regarding the K-3 II or the K-1 could potentially always offer some new insights, but I personally don't find as interesting the discussions about new lenses. For the majority of the pictures I take I go for vintage glasses, because of an aesthetic choice, not because of lack of alternatives. I immensely love some of my old lenses, including many third party ones, and I find it's a real pity that few threads offer in depth info about this immense, fascinating field.
I started a thread long ago. It's called "Post your K-1 pics with vintage glasses". It still gets some new posts, so I guess there is some interest...

[e_nogueras]

I like Ismael's idea for a Vintage Sub-Forum.

---

Last edited by e_nogueras; 10-15-2021 at 11:46 AM.

[tonyzoc]

I'll support it. I tend to put that stuff under Film Camera/Gear Porn, but it would definitely be better to keep that location Pentax specific and use a Vintage area for all others. While Pentax is a major part of my collecting, I have more Exakta equipment and I've been building up a nice Nikon film collection, along with other odds and ends. While there are other forums out there, none come anywhere close to what goes on here in regard to member size and activity. I post some to the Nikon Forum and I get maybe one or two responses and I see a new post every month or longer. You'd think Nikon. would have a more active forum....

[Lord Lucan]

I like the principle of the idea. II repair, tinker with, and use some film era gear (but mostly compatible with my modern Pentax DSLR) and in the past I have been confused as to where to post comments about this topic.

There is a Repairs and Warranty Service sub-forum, but does that really mean " Repair Service and Warranty Service" (ie professional services only)? Because some people use it to describe their DiY repairs too (I think I've done that in the past).
Then under "CAMERA HELP CENTRAL" there is a "Pentax Articles" - "Maintenance and Repair" sub-sub-sub forum and also a "DiY" sub-sub-sub forum.
Then there is the Pentax film SLR forum, essentially vintage and in which some people have described problems and repairs.
Then there is the Pentax MF forum with both digital and film covered, the latter essentiially vintage ditto.
Then there are the accessory forums which may cover vintage stuff and repairs. I described some recent flash unit repairs there.

I'm not trying to raise difficulties but confessing my existing confusion and pointing out that it needs some thought about what a "Vintage" sub-forum would and would not cover. Nevertheless it would be good to have a sub-forum to cover repairs and restorations of all film era cameras, and pre-2000 (say) lenses and accessories, perhaps divided into Pentax and non-Pentax.

I must admit I had always thought of vintage cameras being ones made of brass and mahogany, and used with a black cloth over, so I was a bit taken aback to find that on Ebay for example it is the custom to describe any film camera as vintage, even ones as recent as the Pentax MZ series. I suppose everything become vintage in time

[wkraus]

I suppose everything become vintage in time …

Of course we do!

I like the idea of a vintage sub-forum,

[MarkJerling]

It's a "Yes please" from me!

[arnold]

Yes, it puts a balance against the overwhelming digital technical aspects that dominate discussions. Photography has a deeper history than megapixels.

[fs999]

A very good idea !

[Adam]

Yes, it puts a balance against the overwhelming digital technical aspects that dominate discussions. Photography has a deeper history than megapixels.

It's great to see the enthusiasm for this suggestion! To clarify, my understanding is that this would be a non-Pentax vintage subforum, as we already have sections dedicated to Pentax film cameras, lenses, and trchnique.

[arnold]

It's great to see the enthusiasm for this suggestion! To clarify, my understanding is that this would be a non-Pentax vintage subforum, as we already have sections dedicated to Pentax film cameras, lenses, and trchnique.

Rather than yet another separate classification, perhaps encompassing all vintage film cameras and gear in one section (add to existing Pentax film cameras?) may work. After all, film cameras are not an expanding genre, and if anything, quite the opposite. Just my thoughts; not to imply they are suitable solutions. A general legacy of photographic history belongs on a photographic forum - one reason for my thread "Post your photos before 1990." There are many brilliant minds here, but the highly technical analysis of digital advances that so dominate, go above the heads of folks who just want to enjoy the artistic and historical aspects involved in snapping a picture.

[ismaelg]

Hello,

Thank you everybody! Glad to see interest in this suggestion!
My original idea was simple: Pre-Pentax era (or pre-Asahiflex), which would be anything up to the early 1950's. Asahiflex and early Pentax have a home in the excellent film SLR subforum.
But it can also include anything Non-Pentax, say at least 25 years old, or 50, or whatever. Just trying to keep it simple.

Thanks,
Ismael

[BigMackCam]

My original idea was simple: Pre-Pentax era (or pre-Asahiflex), which would be anything up to the early 1950's. Asahiflex and early Pentax have a home in the excellent film SLR subforum.
But it can also include anything Non-Pentax, say at least 25 years old, or 50, or whatever.

If you're going to set a minimum age requirement for equipment (and I can see why you might), I think 25 years is probably about right. Much older than that and you risk excluding a lot of interesting gear, IMHO...

[lesmore49]

Rather than yet another separate classification, perhaps encompassing all vintage film cameras and gear in one section .

I like this idea of having one vintage section devoted to camera and lenses, and other photographic equipment paraphernalia. I collect old camera equipment, everything from bodies, lenses, light meters, old flashes, etc., even my 50 year old Pentax cold shoe that clips onto my '68 Pentax S1a.

If there is going to be a cut off, 25 years seems about right. Think this quarter century figure is used for other vintage items, such as cars, trucks, motorcycles...and that works well for those interests.

A great idea, don't know why we haven't thought of it before. Kudos to the OP.