An 'Old Friend' back again !

pentaxpete · 12-09-2016, 05:24 AM - **12 Likes**

I got back an 'Old Friend' the other day -- my ORIGINAL Asahi Pentax S3 bought for £87 in 1961 in a Camera Shop in Barking, Essex !! I had sold it to a bloke over 30 years ago and he said " It was not Working any more" -- when he brought it round it looked Very Sad -- the lens was COVERED in DUST ! I cleaned up the body with Cotton Buds ( 'Q-Tips' for you Yanks -- but we still LOVE you ! ) I brushed off the lens dust and cleaned with lens fluid and tissues and it was NOT SCRATCHED !! Then I took off the base-plate and with very small amount of Sewing Machine Oil lubricated all the Cogs and Levers -- then gently wound on and LO !! and BEHOLD !! It creaked into life again !! I took a few frames on Fuji Acros processed in my Home-Made Microphen at different shutter speeds and mostly at full aperture and shutter seems accurate -- lens is a bit 'soft' at f1.8 compared with my Super-Takumars and the 50mm f1.4 SMC Takumar of my Spotmatic F but not bad for 55 years old camera !

MarkJerling · 12-09-2016, 05:30 AM

How nice! Well done!

**arnold** · 12-09-2016, 06:09 AM

Lovely, and they have such a smooth wind-on.

Ontarian50 · 12-09-2016, 08:17 AM

Very cool, and I notice you've got the "wrong way" aperture ring on that 1.8. Nice.

pathdoc · 12-09-2016, 09:22 AM

What a lovely story of the Resurrection (really needed to happen around Easter, though

).

Originally posted by Ontarian50

Very cool, and I notice you've got the "wrong way" aperture ring on that 1.8. Nice.

And it looks like Super-Tak functionality with an Auto-Tak nameplate - weren't those among the last of the Auto-Takumars before they started calling them Super? Another rarity!

Tell me more about this "Home-made microphen"...

**BigMackCam** · 12-09-2016, 10:52 AM

Lovely story and still a beautiful camera. Well done for bringing her back to life!

**gaweidert** · 12-09-2016, 01:35 PM

A thing of beauty is a joy forever. I do feel sorry for those who never got to experience the fine SLR's of 40 to 50 years ago. To me my K1 has the same "feel" as my Spotmatic II. No other way to describe it. Something that my K5, K5-IIs, and K3 do not have. That is why the moment I picked one up I purchased it on the spot. The superb image quality is just an added bonus.

Eyewanders · 12-09-2016, 03:59 PM

Welcome home!

womble · 12-11-2016, 02:44 PM

Originally posted by pathdoc

And it looks like Super-Tak functionality with an Auto-Tak nameplate - weren't those among the last of the Auto-Takumars before they started calling them Super?

I have one of those. I don't think they are that rare. K.

Retina49 · 12-12-2016, 08:45 PM

Way cool!

**Bonner04** · 12-13-2016, 07:49 AM - **1 Like**

I love that lens! In fact, I plan to bring it on my Spotmatic for our African safari next year, along with my new M42 200mm f/4.0!

It also is a favorite of mine on my Fuji X-T1

pentaxpete · 12-14-2016, 01:32 PM

I was asked about my 'Home Made Microphen -- I got it many years ago from a friend who worked in the Ilford Limited 'Selo' Factory before it closed down and those that did not re-locate lost their jobs ---
Sodium Tri-Polyphosphate 3.4 Gms ( this is a Water Softener and as I don;t HAVE any I leave it out and use filtered water)
Sodium Sulphite anhydrous 100 Grms
Sodium Metabisulphite 0.65 Gm
Hydroqinone 5 Gms
Phenidone 0.2 Gm
Boric Acid 2.7 Gms
Borax 6.8 Gms
Potassium Bromide 1 Gm
Warm Water to 1 Litre
I use it 1+1 or 1+3

Xmas · 12-14-2016, 02:09 PM

Originally posted by pentaxpete

I was asked about my 'Home Made Microphen -- I got it many years ago from a friend who worked in the Ilford Limited 'Selo' Factory before it closed down and those that did not re-locate lost their jobs ---
Sodium Tri-Polyphosphate 3.4 Gms ( this is a Water Softener and as I don;t HAVE any I leave it out and use filtered water)
Sodium Sulphite anhydrous 100 Grms
Sodium Metabisulphite 0.65 Gm
Hydroqinone 5 Gms
Phenidone 0.2 Gm
Boric Acid 2.7 Gms
Borax 6.8 Gms
Potassium Bromide 1 Gm
Warm Water to 1 Litre
I use it 1+1 or 1+3

I use ID68 cause it is close enough to Microphen to use same times.

--ID-68 PQ Fine Grain Developer --

12-09-2016, 05:24 AM - 12 Likes	#1
pentaxpete Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Brentwood, Essex Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 366	An 'Old Friend' back again ! I got back an 'Old Friend' the other day -- my ORIGINAL Asahi Pentax S3 bought for £87 in 1961 in a Camera Shop in Barking, Essex !! I had sold it to a bloke over 30 years ago and he said " It was not Working any more" -- when he brought it round it looked Very Sad -- the lens was COVERED in DUST ! I cleaned up the body with Cotton Buds ( 'Q-Tips' for you Yanks -- but we still LOVE you ! ) I brushed off the lens dust and cleaned with lens fluid and tissues and it was NOT SCRATCHED !! Then I took off the base-plate and with very small amount of Sewing Machine Oil lubricated all the Cogs and Levers -- then gently wound on and LO !! and BEHOLD !! It creaked into life again !! I took a few frames on Fuji Acros processed in my Home-Made Microphen at different shutter speeds and mostly at full aperture and shutter seems accurate -- lens is a bit 'soft' at f1.8 compared with my Super-Takumars and the 50mm f1.4 SMC Takumar of my Spotmatic F but not bad for 55 years old camera !

12-13-2016, 07:49 AM - 1 Like	#11
Bonner04 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Ventura, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 685	Pentax 55/1.8 I love that lens! In fact, I plan to bring it on my Spotmatic for our African safari next year, along with my new M42 200mm f/4.0! It also is a favorite of mine on my Fuji X-T1

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Abstract An Old Friend	Kerrowdown	Post Your Photos!	4	07-06-2016 11:42 AM
Not Work-Safe An old friend	Nick Model	Post Your Photos!	25	02-10-2013 10:52 AM
Nature an old cat friend	holycow	Photo Critique	6	08-17-2011 07:55 PM
Misc An old friend	daacon	Post Your Photos!	15	08-15-2011 08:30 AM
Nature an old cat friend	holycow	Post Your Photos!	2	07-13-2011 01:02 AM

12-09-2016, 05:30 AM	#2
MarkJerling Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wairarapa, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 20,402	How nice! Well done!

12-09-2016, 06:09 AM	#3
arnold Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,293	Lovely, and they have such a smooth wind-on.

12-09-2016, 08:17 AM	#4
Ontarian50 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 530	Very cool, and I notice you've got the "wrong way" aperture ring on that 1.8. Nice.

12-09-2016, 09:22 AM	#5
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	What a lovely story of the Resurrection (really needed to happen around Easter, though ). Originally posted by Ontarian50 Very cool, and I notice you've got the "wrong way" aperture ring on that 1.8. Nice. And it looks like Super-Tak functionality with an Auto-Tak nameplate - weren't those among the last of the Auto-Takumars before they started calling them Super? Another rarity! Tell me more about this "Home-made microphen"...

12-09-2016, 10:52 AM	#6
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,645	Lovely story and still a beautiful camera. Well done for bringing her back to life!

12-09-2016, 01:35 PM	#7
gaweidert Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Rochester, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,325	A thing of beauty is a joy forever. I do feel sorry for those who never got to experience the fine SLR's of 40 to 50 years ago. To me my K1 has the same "feel" as my Spotmatic II. No other way to describe it. Something that my K5, K5-IIs, and K3 do not have. That is why the moment I picked one up I purchased it on the spot. The superb image quality is just an added bonus.

12-09-2016, 03:59 PM	#8
Eyewanders Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Land of the Salish Sea Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,343	Welcome home!

12-11-2016, 02:44 PM	#9
womble Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Hertfordshire Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,324	Originally posted by pathdoc And it looks like Super-Tak functionality with an Auto-Tak nameplate - weren't those among the last of the Auto-Takumars before they started calling them Super? I have one of those. I don't think they are that rare. K.

12-12-2016, 08:45 PM	#10
Retina49 New Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 6	Way cool!

12-14-2016, 01:32 PM	#12
pentaxpete Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Brentwood, Essex Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 366 Original Poster	I was asked about my 'Home Made Microphen -- I got it many years ago from a friend who worked in the Ilford Limited 'Selo' Factory before it closed down and those that did not re-locate lost their jobs --- Sodium Tri-Polyphosphate 3.4 Gms ( this is a Water Softener and as I don;t HAVE any I leave it out and use filtered water) Sodium Sulphite anhydrous 100 Grms Sodium Metabisulphite 0.65 Gm Hydroqinone 5 Gms Phenidone 0.2 Gm Boric Acid 2.7 Gms Borax 6.8 Gms Potassium Bromide 1 Gm Warm Water to 1 Litre I use it 1+1 or 1+3

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

12-14-2016, 02:09 PM	#13
Xmas Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 617	Originally posted by pentaxpete I was asked about my 'Home Made Microphen -- I got it many years ago from a friend who worked in the Ilford Limited 'Selo' Factory before it closed down and those that did not re-locate lost their jobs --- Sodium Tri-Polyphosphate 3.4 Gms ( this is a Water Softener and as I don;t HAVE any I leave it out and use filtered water) Sodium Sulphite anhydrous 100 Grms Sodium Metabisulphite 0.65 Gm Hydroqinone 5 Gms Phenidone 0.2 Gm Boric Acid 2.7 Gms Borax 6.8 Gms Potassium Bromide 1 Gm Warm Water to 1 Litre I use it 1+1 or 1+3 I use ID68 cause it is close enough to Microphen to use same times. --ID-68 PQ Fine Grain Developer --