Old Camera Stuff Given to Me

krp · 06-12-2011, 03:25 PM

I was just given some old camera stuff.

A Fujica ST901:

Fujinon 50mm 1:1.4
JcPenney 28mm 1:2.8
Vivitar 273 Flash
Some weird gadget called Starlite that mounts on a hotshoe
Yashica Electro 35

At first I was a little disappointed nothing was Pentax. But then I realized the lenses were screwmount. Can I buy any m42 to k mount adapter or does it need to be Pentax brand? I know some don't allow infinity focus. It looks like the flash is too powerful to mount on my K-x, but there's gotta be something I can use it for, right? I've actually never used a film slr. Is the Fujica easy enough to use or would I be better off selling it? It looks like the Fujinon lens is worth $100-$300 and I can't find the Jcpenney lens selling anywhere with a screwmount.

epqwerty · 06-12-2011, 03:59 PM

The fujinon lens is very nice but will shoot wide open unless you modify it. For the jcpenney, it is not a really nice lens. It needs to be stopped down for some sharpness. Adapter wise my version of the fujinon50mm 2.2 has a small piece that protrudes out and causes some mounting issues. Howver my other fujinon 50mm 1.4 hasno problem but it is not ebc. Id keep the fujinon and toss the 28 as a paperweight.

krp · 06-13-2011, 06:44 PM

It sounds like it wouldn't be worth buying a m42 to k mount adaptor if the fujinon lens can only work wide open. I think I'll buy a few rolls of film and if I like the results I'll keep everything, if not I'll sell.

stevebrot · 06-13-2011, 09:31 PM

As mentioned above, the Fujinon may not mount cleanly when adapted. OTOH, the EBC lenses are highly regarded. If the camera is in working condition, it might be worth buying a roll of Ektar 100 and seeing how the prints turn out. The Fujica bodies are supposed to be pretty good.

BTW...You did not say anything about the Yashica...the Electro 35 can also be a very capable and fun film shooter and continues to be very popular in rangefinder camera circles.

Steve

krp · 06-14-2011, 10:58 AM

The Fujica camera seems to be working properly. What's the difference between Ektar 100 and this: Kodak GA 135-24 Gold 100 Color Print Film (ISO-100) 1863505 B&H Sorry I don't know anything about film. I was thinking of buying a color 100 iso film and a b&w 400 iso film.
The Fujica seems like the easier camera out of the two.

Aegon · 06-15-2011, 10:21 AM

Ektar 100 is higher quality than Gold 100, but they both have their own aesthetic appeal.

Ektar colors are saturated. Ektar tends to blow highlights (at least when I use it). It has super fine grain.

Gold colors appear... Gold! It has a warm cast and vintage look, especially with its visible grain. It is perfectly usable, especially at about $2 for 24 exposures, but Ektar is easily better and arguably worth twice the price too.

I'm not a film expert either, these are my own notes.

I've been eyeing the Electro on Craigslist every month or so. I've got enough film cameras to keep my busy but that one keeps wooing me. I think you should give it a try before passing it on.

Nesster · 06-15-2011, 10:40 AM

Simple advice: buy the cheapest color film you can find. Use it. Results will be good! Fancier more expensive film may do some things differently, maybe better... but for example Ektar for me tends to come out overly red when scanned. I've found the 100 and 200 (consumer) films to be pretty uniformly excellent and do not hesitate to use them, though I also use and appreciate the more expensive stuff. But to get started, go cheap!

For the B&W, as you probably won't develop it yourself, get Kodak BW400CN - this is developed like color film at any minilab or drugstore.

If you do decide to sell, the Fujinon EBC, being a 1.4 lens, will probably get you maximum money if sold alone. The camera itself will get nearly as much as if you sold it with the Fujinon - you might throw in the JC Penny with it.

This particular Fujica is their top screw mount model, a real gem - bright view finder, well made, and offers OPEN APERTURE METERING and APERTURE PREFERRED AUTO EXPOSURE. Can't get any more convenient in M42. I really like the Fujicas though I've only used ST605's...
http://www.pentax-manuals.com/fujica/cameras/st901.htm

I wouldn't necessarily rule out the Penny as over time they sourced their lenses from different manufacturers, and this may be a very good one. Try it out, what does it hurt?

The Yashica, +1 on what Steve says. These have excellent lenses and are fun to use. Flash fill is ultra simple. The main issue is the battery... although you can sort it out with info and/or an adapter from the yashica guy:
Yashica Electro 35 & Rangefinder camera user Homepage

Let us know which Yashica you have!

Last edited by Nesster; 06-15-2011 at 10:47 AM.

krp · 06-15-2011, 03:55 PM

Originally posted by Aegon

Ektar 100 is higher quality than Gold 100, but they both have their own aesthetic appeal.

Ektar colors are saturated. Ektar tends to blow highlights (at least when I use it). It has super fine grain.

Gold colors appear... Gold! It has a warm cast and vintage look, especially with its visible grain. It is perfectly usable, especially at about $2 for 24 exposures, but Ektar is easily better and arguably worth twice the price too.

I'm not a film expert either, these are my own notes.

I've been eyeing the Electro on Craigslist every month or so. I've got enough film cameras to keep my busy but that one keeps wooing me. I think you should give it a try before passing it on.

Thanks for explaining the differences.

Originally posted by Nesster

Simple advice: buy the cheapest color film you can find. Use it. Results will be good! Fancier more expensive film may do some things differently, maybe better... but for example Ektar for me tends to come out overly red when scanned. I've found the 100 and 200 (consumer) films to be pretty uniformly excellent and do not hesitate to use them, though I also use and appreciate the more expensive stuff. But to get started, go cheap!

For the B&W, as you probably won't develop it yourself, get Kodak BW400CN - this is developed like color film at any minilab or drugstore.

If you do decide to sell, the Fujinon EBC, being a 1.4 lens, will probably get you maximum money if sold alone. The camera itself will get nearly as much as if you sold it with the Fujinon - you might throw in the JC Penny with it.

This particular Fujica is their top screw mount model, a real gem - bright view finder, well made, and offers OPEN APERTURE METERING and APERTURE PREFERRED AUTO EXPOSURE. Can't get any more convenient in M42. I really like the Fujicas though I've only used ST605's...
FUJICA

I wouldn't necessarily rule out the Penny as over time they sourced their lenses from different manufacturers, and this may be a very good one. Try it out, what does it hurt?

The Yashica, +1 on what Steve says. These have excellent lenses and are fun to use. Flash fill is ultra simple. The main issue is the battery... although you can sort it out with info and/or an adapter from the yashica guy:
Yashica Electro 35 & Rangefinder camera user Homepage

Let us know which Yashica you have!

I'll just buy the cheap films then. The Fujica came with a manual, and the Yashica did not, so that's why I say the Fujica is easier to use. I'll have to search online for the Yashica manual. It's a Yashica Electro 35 GSN.
Thanks

epqwerty · 06-15-2011, 04:14 PM

The ST901, i think was the last camera before they went bayonet. The ebc is highly regarded and worth a pretty penny. If you can keep the pin down then you can user the lens with whatever aperture you want. But i only hope you dont modify it in a way that permanently destorys the lens.

krp · 06-15-2011, 04:34 PM

Originally posted by epqwerty

The ST901, i think was the last camera before they went bayonet. The ebc is highly regarded and worth a pretty penny. If you can keep the pin down then you can user the lens with whatever aperture you want. But i only hope you dont modify it in a way that permanently destorys the lens.

Because of how wide the rear lens element is, I don't think there is a way to hold the pin down. I've heard of people using metal tape or something like that, but there's just no room for it on this lens.

unixrevolution · 10-05-2011, 07:16 AM

Originally posted by krp

Thanks for explaining the differences.

I'll just buy the cheap films then. The Fujica came with a manual, and the Yashica did not, so that's why I say the Fujica is easier to use. I'll have to search online for the Yashica manual. It's a Yashica Electro 35 GSN.
Thanks

The Electro 35 GSN is the roaring, screaming, jumping-up-and-down-in-a-clown-suit bargain of film rangefinders. It has a wonderful, fast f/1.7 lens, and shoots aperture-priority automatic only. Though it doesn't have TTL metering, it has some of the most unbelieveably, scarily accurate metering of any 35mm camera I've ever seen, save one: The Pentax LX. It has a 1/500 leaf shutter that is extremely quiet, and the shutter speeds are stepless: If it thinks it needs 1/248s, it'll use it.

Russ Sisco is THE source for Yashica Electro 35 parts and repairs. He's at info@camerarefurb.com.

I have an Electro 35, and despite the fixed lens and the fact that you can get them for under $100 in working order, it's one of my favorite cameras. For rangefinders, it comes second only to my Leica M2.

The camera requires 1 6v battery to function. A PX628 is an alkaline battery that is widely available. Russ sells adapters to make it fit the Yashica's battery compartment. The original equipment mercury cells are long gone.

Sorry for ressurecting a 4-months-dead thread, but I felt this information was needed!

06-12-2011, 03:25 PM	#1
krp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Illinois Photos: Gallery Posts: 470	Old Camera Stuff Given to Me I was just given some old camera stuff. A Fujica ST901: Fujinon 50mm 1:1.4 JcPenney 28mm 1:2.8 Vivitar 273 Flash Some weird gadget called Starlite that mounts on a hotshoe Yashica Electro 35 At first I was a little disappointed nothing was Pentax. But then I realized the lenses were screwmount. Can I buy any m42 to k mount adapter or does it need to be Pentax brand? I know some don't allow infinity focus. It looks like the flash is too powerful to mount on my K-x, but there's gotta be something I can use it for, right? I've actually never used a film slr. Is the Fujica easy enough to use or would I be better off selling it? It looks like the Fujinon lens is worth $100-$300 and I can't find the Jcpenney lens selling anywhere with a screwmount.

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06-12-2011, 03:59 PM	#2
epqwerty Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ontario Posts: 550	The fujinon lens is very nice but will shoot wide open unless you modify it. For the jcpenney, it is not a really nice lens. It needs to be stopped down for some sharpness. Adapter wise my version of the fujinon50mm 2.2 has a small piece that protrudes out and causes some mounting issues. Howver my other fujinon 50mm 1.4 hasno problem but it is not ebc. Id keep the fujinon and toss the 28 as a paperweight.

06-13-2011, 06:44 PM	#3
krp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Illinois Photos: Gallery Posts: 470 Original Poster	It sounds like it wouldn't be worth buying a m42 to k mount adaptor if the fujinon lens can only work wide open. I think I'll buy a few rolls of film and if I like the results I'll keep everything, if not I'll sell.

06-13-2011, 09:31 PM	#4
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	As mentioned above, the Fujinon may not mount cleanly when adapted. OTOH, the EBC lenses are highly regarded. If the camera is in working condition, it might be worth buying a roll of Ektar 100 and seeing how the prints turn out. The Fujica bodies are supposed to be pretty good. BTW...You did not say anything about the Yashica...the Electro 35 can also be a very capable and fun film shooter and continues to be very popular in rangefinder camera circles. Steve

06-14-2011, 10:58 AM	#5
krp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Illinois Photos: Gallery Posts: 470 Original Poster	The Fujica camera seems to be working properly. What's the difference between Ektar 100 and this: Kodak GA 135-24 Gold 100 Color Print Film (ISO-100) 1863505 B&H Sorry I don't know anything about film. I was thinking of buying a color 100 iso film and a b&w 400 iso film. The Fujica seems like the easier camera out of the two.

06-15-2011, 10:21 AM	#6
Aegon Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,416	Ektar 100 is higher quality than Gold 100, but they both have their own aesthetic appeal. Ektar colors are saturated. Ektar tends to blow highlights (at least when I use it). It has super fine grain. Gold colors appear... Gold! It has a warm cast and vintage look, especially with its visible grain. It is perfectly usable, especially at about $2 for 24 exposures, but Ektar is easily better and arguably worth twice the price too. I'm not a film expert either, these are my own notes. I've been eyeing the Electro on Craigslist every month or so. I've got enough film cameras to keep my busy but that one keeps wooing me. I think you should give it a try before passing it on.

06-15-2011, 10:40 AM	#7
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	Simple advice: buy the cheapest color film you can find. Use it. Results will be good! Fancier more expensive film may do some things differently, maybe better... but for example Ektar for me tends to come out overly red when scanned. I've found the 100 and 200 (consumer) films to be pretty uniformly excellent and do not hesitate to use them, though I also use and appreciate the more expensive stuff. But to get started, go cheap! For the B&W, as you probably won't develop it yourself, get Kodak BW400CN - this is developed like color film at any minilab or drugstore. If you do decide to sell, the Fujinon EBC, being a 1.4 lens, will probably get you maximum money if sold alone. The camera itself will get nearly as much as if you sold it with the Fujinon - you might throw in the JC Penny with it. This particular Fujica is their top screw mount model, a real gem - bright view finder, well made, and offers OPEN APERTURE METERING and APERTURE PREFERRED AUTO EXPOSURE. Can't get any more convenient in M42. I really like the Fujicas though I've only used ST605's... http://www.pentax-manuals.com/fujica/cameras/st901.htm I wouldn't necessarily rule out the Penny as over time they sourced their lenses from different manufacturers, and this may be a very good one. Try it out, what does it hurt? The Yashica, +1 on what Steve says. These have excellent lenses and are fun to use. Flash fill is ultra simple. The main issue is the battery... although you can sort it out with info and/or an adapter from the yashica guy: Yashica Electro 35 & Rangefinder camera user Homepage Let us know which Yashica you have! Last edited by Nesster; 06-15-2011 at 10:47 AM.

06-15-2011, 03:55 PM	#8
krp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Illinois Photos: Gallery Posts: 470 Original Poster	Originally posted by Aegon Ektar 100 is higher quality than Gold 100, but they both have their own aesthetic appeal. Ektar colors are saturated. Ektar tends to blow highlights (at least when I use it). It has super fine grain. Gold colors appear... Gold! It has a warm cast and vintage look, especially with its visible grain. It is perfectly usable, especially at about $2 for 24 exposures, but Ektar is easily better and arguably worth twice the price too. I'm not a film expert either, these are my own notes. I've been eyeing the Electro on Craigslist every month or so. I've got enough film cameras to keep my busy but that one keeps wooing me. I think you should give it a try before passing it on. Thanks for explaining the differences. Originally posted by Nesster Simple advice: buy the cheapest color film you can find. Use it. Results will be good! Fancier more expensive film may do some things differently, maybe better... but for example Ektar for me tends to come out overly red when scanned. I've found the 100 and 200 (consumer) films to be pretty uniformly excellent and do not hesitate to use them, though I also use and appreciate the more expensive stuff. But to get started, go cheap! For the B&W, as you probably won't develop it yourself, get Kodak BW400CN - this is developed like color film at any minilab or drugstore. If you do decide to sell, the Fujinon EBC, being a 1.4 lens, will probably get you maximum money if sold alone. The camera itself will get nearly as much as if you sold it with the Fujinon - you might throw in the JC Penny with it. This particular Fujica is their top screw mount model, a real gem - bright view finder, well made, and offers OPEN APERTURE METERING and APERTURE PREFERRED AUTO EXPOSURE. Can't get any more convenient in M42. I really like the Fujicas though I've only used ST605's... FUJICA I wouldn't necessarily rule out the Penny as over time they sourced their lenses from different manufacturers, and this may be a very good one. Try it out, what does it hurt? The Yashica, +1 on what Steve says. These have excellent lenses and are fun to use. Flash fill is ultra simple. The main issue is the battery... although you can sort it out with info and/or an adapter from the yashica guy: Yashica Electro 35 & Rangefinder camera user Homepage Let us know which Yashica you have! I'll just buy the cheap films then. The Fujica came with a manual, and the Yashica did not, so that's why I say the Fujica is easier to use. I'll have to search online for the Yashica manual. It's a Yashica Electro 35 GSN. Thanks

06-15-2011, 04:14 PM	#9
epqwerty Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Ontario Posts: 550	The ST901, i think was the last camera before they went bayonet. The ebc is highly regarded and worth a pretty penny. If you can keep the pin down then you can user the lens with whatever aperture you want. But i only hope you dont modify it in a way that permanently destorys the lens.

06-15-2011, 04:34 PM	#10
krp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Illinois Photos: Gallery Posts: 470 Original Poster	Originally posted by epqwerty The ST901, i think was the last camera before they went bayonet. The ebc is highly regarded and worth a pretty penny. If you can keep the pin down then you can user the lens with whatever aperture you want. But i only hope you dont modify it in a way that permanently destorys the lens. Because of how wide the rear lens element is, I don't think there is a way to hold the pin down. I've heard of people using metal tape or something like that, but there's just no room for it on this lens.

10-05-2011, 07:16 AM	#11
unixrevolution Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Waldorf, MD Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,861	Originally posted by krp Thanks for explaining the differences. I'll just buy the cheap films then. The Fujica came with a manual, and the Yashica did not, so that's why I say the Fujica is easier to use. I'll have to search online for the Yashica manual. It's a Yashica Electro 35 GSN. Thanks The Electro 35 GSN is the roaring, screaming, jumping-up-and-down-in-a-clown-suit bargain of film rangefinders. It has a wonderful, fast f/1.7 lens, and shoots aperture-priority automatic only. Though it doesn't have TTL metering, it has some of the most unbelieveably, scarily accurate metering of any 35mm camera I've ever seen, save one: The Pentax LX. It has a 1/500 leaf shutter that is extremely quiet, and the shutter speeds are stepless: If it thinks it needs 1/248s, it'll use it. Russ Sisco is THE source for Yashica Electro 35 parts and repairs. He's at info@camerarefurb.com. I have an Electro 35, and despite the fixed lens and the fact that you can get them for under $100 in working order, it's one of my favorite cameras. For rangefinders, it comes second only to my Leica M2. The camera requires 1 6v battery to function. A PX628 is an alkaline battery that is widely available. Russ sells adapters to make it fit the Yashica's battery compartment. The original equipment mercury cells are long gone. Sorry for ressurecting a 4-months-dead thread, but I felt this information was needed!

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