[Jonathan Mac]

I've been updating my website and thought I would post some of the photos here too.


Pentax AP par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


Pentax K2DMD par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


Pentax K par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


Ondu pinhole par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


Minolta 7000 par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity

I didn't know you used AF Minolta stuff - how do you find it? It can be had quite cheaply these days but I've read bad things about the build quality. I use old SRT Minolta cameras and they're wonderful but never tried their AF stuff.

[womble]

I didn't know you used AF Minolta stuff - how do you find it? It can be had quite cheaply these days but I've read bad things about the build quality. I use old SRT Minolta cameras and they're wonderful but never tried their AF stuff.

I don't use it very much. The 7000 has a back story. My friend Kate had Raynaud's and needed a camera she could operate with her badly damaged hands, and the 7000 was ideal for her. Sadly, she died in 2000 at the age of 38. Many years later her father, Tony, gave me her camera which by then was covered in a thick layer of dust, and still had a half-used roll of film in it from before she died. It cleaned-up nicely and works fine. I don't use it very often, preferring my manual focus Pentaxes, but I make a point of running at least one roll of film through it every August. The 35 to 105 lens is really quite sharp, and I have had some nice photos from it. This is one of my favourites, a picture of Tony looking over the parapet at the River Mimram flowing below.


Looking for holly par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity

[womble]

<begin nerd warning>

Some time ago I purchased a Pentax copy stand P. This is a collapsible copy stand that I thought might be useful for the work I do. Here is the beast:


copystand (1) par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


copystand (2) par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


copystand (3) par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


copystand (4) par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity

Although I have had it for a few years, I'd never used it in anger but I decided to use it this afternoon. I had forgotten that one reason I hadn't used it was that my K-3 did not fit on the plate on the focus rail. Arrgghhh. Then I remembered that I have a focus rail on which the K-3 does fit. Curious. I removed the one from the copy stand to find it has two pins to locate it. These match those on my other rail perfectly and so I was in business. When I had finished I compared the two focus rails. The one on the right is the one from the copy stand, the one on the left is the separate one I had purchased at another time.


focus rail par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity

As you can see, one has a much deeper attachment plate, and the rail mechanism is reversed. How very curious. I suspect that my copy stand is an early model (Phil has a P-III) and I wonder if the change in the attachment plate reflects larger cameras, or perhaps one with a motordrive? Whatever the story, I'm glad I can now use my stand with my digital SLR by swapping out the two rails.

<end nerd warning>

[kevinWE]

I didn't know you used AF Minolta stuff - how do you find it? It can be had quite cheaply these days but I've read bad things about the build quality. I use old SRT Minolta cameras and they're wonderful but never tried their AF stuff.

I own the Minolta XTsi, it's not the greatest build, it's all plastic, but it still works as it should after all these years and my photos are just fine even while using the kit lens. The camera is as light as a feather due to all the plastic. The XTsi is kind of built like my Sigma SA-7n. Just treat the camera right and it will outlast you.

Here's an image of my XTsi I just shot on my desktop.

---

Last edited by kevinWE; 09-04-2020 at 01:40 PM.

[ismaelg]

I don't use it very much. The 7000 has a back story. My friend Kate had Raynaud's and needed a camera she could operate with her badly damaged hands, and the 7000 was ideal for her. Sadly, she died in 2000 at the age of 38. Many years later her father, Tony, gave me her camera which by then was covered in a thick layer of dust, and still had a half-used roll of film in it from before she died. It cleaned-up nicely and works fine. I don't use it very often, preferring my manual focus Pentaxes, but I make a point of running at least one roll of film through it every August. The 35 to 105 lens is really quite sharp, and I have had some nice photos from it. This is one of my favourites, a picture of Tony looking over the parapet at the River Mimram flowing below.

That is the kind of story that makes some items so special. Thanks for sharing the story behind it.

Thanks,

[redrockcoulee]

Pentax SFXn &amp; Tokina 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 AF Aspherical by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

My wife still has her's. With the F 70-210 lens. 8t doesn't get any use as she shoots either toy cameras, tin cans or her Hasselblad SWC

[Lord Lucan]

Some time ago I purchased a Pentax copy stand P. .... one reason I hadn't used it was that my K-3 did not fit on the plate on the focus rail.

What stopped it from fitting?

[womble]

What stopped it from fitting?

If you look at the last photo with the two focus rails you can see that there are two metal lugs on the bottom (as seen in the photo) of the attachment plates. These are to keep the camera body square to the plate and thus, when on the stand, vertical to the baseboard. On the one from the copy stand the distance between the two lugs and the attachment screw is not deep enough to accommodate a dSLR. On the other focus rail, the plate is large and the attachment screw is in a longer slot so you can place the camera body against the lugs and then fit the attachment screw.

[Lord Lucan]

Interesting. It sounds possible to remove the rubber padding, file those lugs down somewhat, and stick the rubber back on afterwards. It may be that the second bracket was a later version when Pentax realised that the first one was too restrictive. I level (using a tripod) with the aid of a small spirit level placed on the back of the camera.

[womble]

Interesting. It sounds possible to remove the rubber padding, file those lugs down somewhat, and stick the rubber back on afterwards. It may be that the second bracket was a later version when Pentax realised that the first one was too restrictive. I level (using a tripod) with the aid of a small spirit level placed on the back of the camera.

Yes, one could easily remove the lugs, but as I have a rail that works I'd rather not damage the copy stand more than it has been already. I've spent many years photographing stuff using a tripod and a spirit level, but when you have a lot to do and they are all different sizes, a copy stand makes life much easier. I have an adjustable "finds stand" too, which means I can move the object up and down rather than the camera!


Me taking photos par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity

Best wishes, Kris.

[WPRESTO]

<begin nerd warning>

Some time ago I purchased a Pentax copy stand P. This is a collapsible copy stand that I thought might be useful for the work I do. Here is the beast:
As you can see, one has a much deeper attachment plate, and the rail mechanism is reversed. How very curious. I suspect that my copy stand is an early model (Phil has a P-III) and I wonder if the change in the attachment plate reflects larger cameras, or perhaps one with a motordrive? Whatever the story, I'm glad I can now use my stand with my digital SLR by swapping out the two rails.

<end nerd warning>

I have just the Pentax close-focus rail, although there were many times when I was tempted to purchase the collapsible copy stand back ing the 1970-80's when doing a lot of specimen photography at remote locations.My unit has the long slot.

I have two complaints with the Pentax close-focus rail:
1) The fitting is not tight, there's a lot of loose wiggle when the rails are not locked, so you dare not take your hand from the focus knob when using one in vertical orientation or the rig will immediately drop to the lowest position.
2) The lock lever and the rack-&-pinion knob are on the same side making it awkward at best to lock the rail after getting the camera into focus.

I have multiple rails now, including the old Pentax unit. Except for size, almost all the others are superior to the Pentax unit, but none of them are perfect.

[womble]

I have just the Pentax close-focus rail...

I'll admit the one I have was bought because it was the Pentax one... I've often looked at others, and having one with a more subtle racking/locking set-up would be good. Its OK if you aren't working at minimum focusing distance, but if you really want to set the lens to a specific value and focus by moving the camera, its not very easy with the Pentax one. More extreme close-ups by reversing the lens, etc., are equally difficult.

And talking of close-ups, I took this image this morning. Cross-posted with the lens fetish thread.


SMC Pentax 50mm "K" f/1.2. par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity

[tonyzoc]

I own the Minolta XTsi, it's not the greatest build, it's all plastic, but it still works as it should after all these years and my photos are just fine even while using the kit lens. The camera is as light as a feather due to all the plastic. The XTsi is kind of built like my Sigma SA-7n. Just treat the camera right and it will outlast you.

Here's an image of my XTsi I just shot on my desktop.

I've got one of these with the 35-80 and Minolta flash. My brother-in-law gave it to me when gave up on film. It's not a bad camera at all...to bad it's not worth much.

[kevinWE]

I've got one of these with the 35-80 and Minolta flash. My brother-in-law gave it to me when gave up on film. It's not a bad camera at all...to bad it's not worth much.

Yep, I think you can find the camera and lens kit for under 50.00 USD on the bay, in good clean working condition.

[Sam_I_am]

I've got one of these with the 35-80 and Minolta flash. My brother-in-law gave it to me when gave up on film. It's not a bad camera at all...to bad it's not worth much.

Now that is funny, my brother in law is giving me one.

I have a few different models of these and they are all clean, great working cameras....that are heading for ebay. I don't know if I will get rid of one though. I cannot remember what model off the top of my head, but when I first picked it up, it felt like an extension of my hand. Best ergonomics of any camera I have held, and the auto focus is super fast, quiet, and the viewfinder is large, bright, and super clear. I bought a battery for it (most expensive battery purchased in a long time) stuck an old, not cared for roll of film in it, and now want to see what a new roll of film will do.