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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
08-01-2021, 11:01 AM
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Max Clarke, amateur photographer
I am an Englishman, now living in South Wales, aged eighty-three. I took up photography as a schoolboy in 1952, and within months began developing and printing black and white films. Ten years later in 1962 my wife bought me my first Pentax, an S1, fitted with an f2.2 Auto Takumar. High quality cameras had only just appeared on the UK market because a acute shortage of foreign exchange following the second world war had demanded very strict import controls. My Pentax and lens cost £69.19.9. I must admit I would have preferred a Nikon F1, but at £120 it was almost twice the price
At the same time an older and wealthier friend bought a Zeiss Contarex fitted with an F2 Planar. That camera cost about £250 and weighed a ton! We carried out a comparison test with our lenses set at various apertures using Adox KB14 film, considered to be the sharpest film then available. I developed them in a tank which could take two films. We then enlarged the results in the same enlarger. The results were virtually identical, with my lens having a little more contrast, and the Planar having slightly more even coverage. Other friends told me that my camera, though optically good, would not last, being made from cheap materials. But to disprove the point, I have put hundreds of films through that camera, mostly taking family photos. Twenty years later I replaced it with an LX (in my opinion, the most beautiful camera Pentax has ever made) giving the S1 to a daughter when she left for university. That camera was stolen from her digs.
Those early happy days cemented my loyalty to the brand. I have used Pentax cameras ever since, now owning a K3, a K1, and a 645Z. Of these three, I prefer using the 645Z. These days I am mostly taking pictures of landscapes rather than babies.
I attach three photos, spread over fifty years:
The first was taken of my father-in-law, I think in 1968. The interest here is that the photo was taken with an S1A using home processed Ferraniacolor, a very slow transparency film rated at an ISO of 12. The film had to be physically reversed, which was hard work. The chemicals had a very short shelf-life once mixed, so I made up the solutions one evening and developed the film the next.
The second photo was taken with a Pentax 645 film camera with a 55mm lens, using Kodak Technical Pan, a monochrome film. That film was extremely sharp, but very tricky to develop. Streaking near the edge of the film was the problem. The subject is the setting sun over the Rhinog mountains in North Wales.
The third is of wild honeysuckle, taken with a 645Z, using a 90mm macro.
Max Clarke
August 2021
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Forum: Lens Sample Photo Archive
10-26-2020, 12:42 PM
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
07-10-2020, 04:17 PM
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Film ?
If you like color: Kodak Ektar 100
I took this photo with my SV (thanks Colton, again!), SMC Takumar 28mm, and Ektar 100
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
05-08-2020, 08:05 PM
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-18-2020, 05:21 AM
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I recently take apart an broken Pentax M42 Spotmatic for decoration.
Fun to see the inside...
Did not fully take it apart because that will be messy.
Leave your e-mail below if you want to DIY using this background with annotation and picture for reference.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
04-08-2020, 08:17 AM
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Hello everyone, my name is davey and I'm new to Pentax forums. I've shot with canon, Nikon, Fuji and Sony but have now got myself a Pentax k-5 and enjoying it. I have to say that Pentax cameras are very much underrated and to be honest I was offered this camera along with 18-55 and 50-200 both weather resistant along with battery grip for £300. It was only then I reviewed these cameras and it's as if Pentax cameras are a secret nobody knows about. Anyway thanks for having me and looking forward to speaking to you all. Kindest regards.......davey
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
04-07-2020, 04:47 AM
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I have only had a Pentax camera for a few years. Analog and 110 format. Lately I have added a number of cameras.
So now I have the versions Pentax Auto 110 and the Pentax Auto 110 Super. In addition, I now have several complete sets. So with the following objectives:
* 18mm pan focus, 18mm, 24mm, 50mm, 70mm, 20-40mm zoom, 1.7 tele converter. All accompanying conversion lenses, flashes 100 and 130, motor drives, casings, straps and even the belt clip.
Shooting with these cameras is a pleasure and with modern films the quality of the photos is just good.
Oops almost forgot this::D my name is Ben van Eperen, 50 yrs, from the Netherlands.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
03-22-2020, 12:54 PM
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- No, this is the one I was born with.
- I think the usual process is to die
- You interest me strangely. Do tell more! :lol:
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Forum: Do-It-Yourself
03-21-2020, 12:23 AM
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It is wonderful. But how much does a spot welder cost?
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Forum: Maintenance and Repair Articles
03-19-2020, 03:59 PM
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Continuation of the operation on the cage.
After having straightened and cleaned the axis and the supports, I also made a small inspection tour and I noted that foams were present on the points in photo. In addition, I took the opportunity to clean, oil and grease the mirror mechanism which was relatively clean, but whose old greases had disintegrated over time. Classic cleaning with 70 ° alcohol and cotton swab on the shafts and cams. We will avoid touching the contact blades as Oriu told us, at the risk of distorting correct operation. Then, we will grease and oil the friction points with a micro brush and syringes loaded with consumable while following the instructions in the service manual. Pentax uses different types of grease for its maintenance.
During the calibration of the shutter, I noticed that the locking lever was not in contact with the pinion of the first curtain, so I had to straighten the axis again to make it coincide. To be more precise in the operation, I measured the spacings with a set of gauges.
The first measurements gave:
0.60 mm => 1st curtain
0.30 mm => 2nd curtain
Which is a huge difference for such small parts. Lest the game worsen over time, I continued the recovery by going in small strokes on a dozen interventions (you have to go smoothly, it's brass).
The final measurement:
0.40 mm => 1st curtain
0.30 mm => 2nd curtain
We are in something more acceptable now.
The curtain was too far of the edge on the point 2. If the curtain is too far, when you cocking the shutter, the gear can't take the shaft correctly and problem coming.
We are moving slowly, but surely!
I repositioned the upper plate of the arming mechanism (0-C34) successfully, I think, the rest will wait while waiting to reassemble the cage on the chassis. Indeed, it will be easier to couple it this way.
I also started the repair of the prism coupling chain with the housing. As we can see, the spring is completely destroyed by inappropriate tension. Following an aberrant fragility of the original coupling chain, I decided to replace it with a 0.25mm diameter nylon thread. If you need to do this, I recommend replacing the chain completely with this type of wire. It is much more resistant and stable in drive pulleys. However, the spring is so destroyed that it releases the wire each time it is mounted. I will come back to this at the end of the process so I have just changed the foams for now.
There is a problem with the frame counter dial. I dismantle the part to see the problem inside. The spring was gone on the wheel, so I re mount it, but when I turned the wheel, the spring was destroying :/
I was lucky cause Remy on the Forum sent me new spring of Kiev 88 and VHS player ! Thanx so much again <3
After reassembling the mechanism, I encounter the same problem as at the beginning.
The mechanism arms the shutter and the mirror, moves the film to the first view, stabilizes it, the shutter exposes the view. Then, the successive armings only arm the mirror and the shutter, but the film does not advance further, it remains on the first view counter does not advance further.
Observed facts:
- The view counter does not reset when I open the door. I must remove the O-C33 plate and therefore the O-C24 cam so that it returns to its starting position ( fig 1 ).
- On my functional unit, I note that when I rotate the winding pin C48 in the loading direction, a rattling occurs by the jump of the pinions C43 and C44 ( fig 2 ). Clicking that there is no faulty case.
- The friction spring in C118 ( fig 3 ) seems to no longer play its role. When I removed the film, it comes easily in the blocking direction by pulling it. I had inspected it briefly before reassembly and it seemed to work at the beginning ...
I suspect the friction spring, but why does it cause the film on the first view if it is broken ?
My mistake !
It was indeed the friction spring located between the winding lug and the transmission gear. It allows the good winding of the film by forcing the direction of it in one direction only. We see on the video that the film no longer advances if we maintain a slight pressure at its base.
Youtu.be
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src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8EMV8NSMJpk?controls=1" allowfullscreen>
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Re re re re complete disassembly of the mechanism, but not going any further this time. I had to put down the first plate which contains the spring, but the screw which holds the assembly is very soft and did not hold the shock. I'm going to have to work on a way to extract it, I will run a new one later. First bath in WD-40 to facilitate the process, then I will think about the best way to extract this spring dirt C118 with a special tool.
After 48 hours of WD40 bath, it remains tough this little screw! I was surprised by the amount of dirt that bleed from the cavity, probably a mixture of grease dust ... We can see the state of the WD40 on the attached image.
Disassembly was done with a rectified screwdriver and a caliper whose chevron spouts adapt perfectly to the gear. Unfortunately, without success : cry:
It will leave for 48 hours more in the pool, it will give me time to machine a more precise tool to avoid the nonsense that could occur, the caliper is quite large and does not allow maneuverability optimum. This small room makes me particularly anxious ... The composition of the tray does not reassure me at all ... To be continued !
Not without difficulty, I finally dismantled the group. The thread is reversed and the thread lock was present which did not facilitate its removal. I had to rectify and enlarge the impression of the screw head. The tightening torque was really strong and the screw material quite soft, which does not help of course.
The spring appears to be in good condition. The only explanation would be that a fatty substance accumulates in the cavity and interferes with friction. I cleaned everything with a fine brass brush followed by a Trichlorethylene bath. I noticed a lot of dross coming out of this small group, it was quite impressive ... If the problem persists, I do not see where the failure could come from ... Cross my fingers !
To be continued...
---------- Post added 03-19-20 at 04:00 PM ----------
Hi Tuco !
Here you are : ASAHI PENTAX 6X7 SERVICE MANUAL Pdf Download.
---------- Post added 03-19-20 at 04:08 PM ----------
So !
The spring of counter dial frame is repaired with new spring.
You Tube
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src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rBzuO6FK3_o?controls=1" allowfullscreen>
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The Camera is repaired but not completly, the shutter work and the mirror too, but the transport film not. I'm gonna check this part with the friction spring.
You Tube
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src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-S4hgEFkHIE?controls=1" allowfullscreen>
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Stay tuned !
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Forum: Pentax SLR Lens Discussion
03-07-2020, 01:16 AM
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My Sigma EX 70-200mm f/2.8 + 2x was bought "back in the day" when I bought my *ist film camera. It's a fine lens and has recently found a new lease of life as an "astro" lens for use with my recently acquired O-GPS1.
One point to consider, for a "walkabout" lens, having something as heavy as this mounted on the camera really needs a shoulder/neck strap fastened to the lens, to take the strain off the lens-mount on the camera whilst it's all being carried. The Sigma EX doesn't have a suitable fastening point for a strap, neither is the tripod "foot" really big enough to use as a practical carrying handle ... I don't know about newer options.
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Forum: General Photography
02-01-2020, 06:51 PM
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I haven't noticed a threat of this ilk around the forum, so if I have missed it please redirect me.
I guess I could have named it "forgive me for I have sinned..." but that may give the wrong idea, but I feel I should relate this tale of how I messed up primarily to educate but also to give you a laugh.
I've been working on desktop macro photography for a while, and always have a problem getting enough light on the subject. I've tried various diy options (I can never justify a proper lighting setup both in terms of space and cost} so when clearing out the garage the other day I came across something that made me think "I wonder if that would work..."
The something in question was a security floodlight that would be attached to the outside of the house. I bought two several years and a couple of houses ago but never got round to wiring them up. They have been moved from place to place under the banner of "that'll come in useful, I'll keep hold of it", but this time I had time on my hands and a will to achieve, so I set about wiring one of them up with a mains plug with the intent of using it as a general worklight.
Anyhow, after checking that yes I was indeed permitted to wire it up myself in this state, I attached a metre or so of three core cable, added a plug on the other end of the cable, and tentatively plugged it into a mains socket in the garage. I waited specifically for a cool day, I didn't want to blow the house RCD when it was hot as the memsahib would not be impressed if the air conditioning went off. Anyway, plugged it in, switched it on, as as the bible says "Let there be light", and there was!
The next step was to see if I could use it for macro work. I took the newly tested floodlight into the house, put it on the table next to the gadget I use to hold the subject of my attentions, and plugged it in. Well the result was fantastic, all of a sudden I could see the difference in light levels on the subject so I set about focusing and adjusting. After about a minute however I looked up from the viewfinder to see a wisp of black smoke. Bit of a panic there, so I immediately pulled the flood light plug out of the mains and went looking for the source of the smoke.
A rapid investigation did not find any electrical issue, but did find a rubber hood over the lens was extremely warm to the touch and slightly sticky.
So children, the lesson for today was - a 2 kw quartz halogen flood light puts out a lot of heat very quickly...........
Anyone else care to share some gaffs while in pursuit of an image?
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
01-09-2020, 05:19 PM
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Welcome to the forum from Arizona. If you ever make it to Arizona, be sure to visit this spot. (2 of my grandkids taken last summer with my phone)
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Forum: Pentax K-S1 & K-S2
11-23-2019, 05:27 PM
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The wild west coast of Tasmania. K-S2 + DA 12-24.
Temma.
Couta Rocks.
Nelson Bay
Sundown Point.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
11-09-2019, 11:16 PM
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Hi Dave, welcome to the forum. Just came back from NZ after a quick visit to the South Island. You may like the picture of the Wanaka Tree.
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Forum: Pentax Q
06-23-2017, 06:16 AM
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I did not want to encumber myself too much and wanted something more fresh than just that shallow DOF look on FF with fast lenses, so the Q7+08 lens was the perfect combi for this short trip to Legoland.
20170620-IMGP5809 by jenkwang, on Flickr
20170620-IMGP5808 by jenkwang, on Flickr
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Forum: Pentax Q
06-23-2017, 07:30 PM
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Ha..ha.
Looking at the constructions, I got thinking "maybe I can do it".... then reality sinks... :D
---------- Post added 06-24-2017 at 10:42 AM ----------
I am quite surprised by the versatility of the 08 zoom.
But on closer look at its equivalent FL, maybe its not that big a surprise.
17.5mm to 27mm (like a 17-28mm lens), ultra wide to get the whole scene or to exaggerate the perspective and wide for a reportage type of coverage (useful with family and kids)
20170620-IMGP5819 by jenkwang, on Flickr
20170620-IMGP5828 by jenkwang, on Flickr
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Forum: Pentax Q
06-26-2017, 01:53 AM
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The thing about the Q/Q7 is that whenever I use it, there is that initial lack of confidence that the IQ will be ok.
You know... that feeling that we need ISO 128,000 to make night into day, the pixel peeing resolution to read off someone's credit card numbers from a 100% cropped shot, etc. :D
But once I start to use a Q7, and get the picts out, I know that its certainly good enough for the usual viewing mediums we use nowadays (usually the phone, tablet, or a laptop).
Its also more than enough to make 5R prints, in which back in the day, 3R, 4R was what most of us did at the most with our film shots as well.
20170620-IMGP5698 by jenkwang, on Flickr
20170620-IMGP5683 by jenkwang, on Flickr
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
07-19-2019, 09:19 AM
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Hello
I'm Alan (Al), located near Bristol, UK.
I have been taking photos for as long as i remember, starting with an old Praktika manual, through Minolta M300, a few point and shoots, most recently, i am using a Sony A6000 mirrorless.
Image quality from this is far superior to anything i've previously had. I've been using it in semi-manual mode with completely manual lenses - with adaptors, with some degree of success. Sony E-mount lenses seem to be very expensive!
However, a recent visit to a 'bird of prey' centre, suggests that moving subjects are much more difficult to capture with a good degree of sharpness.
Images were taken with A6000 + tamron adaptall 2 70-210. aperture priority.
Wife and I are off to Kenya later this year and part of my reason for joining up here at Pentax Forums, is that i have bought a 'used - like new' Pentax K3 during the amazon prime time... with a 16-50mm + 50-200mm kit. Camera body and lenses are supposed to be weather resistant, and with better battery life, which should be helpful.
I'd welcome suggestions/comments/thoughts on my images, and ideas on whether the K3 is an appropriate tool for an african adventure - longer reach lenses? Plenty of 70 > 300 ish on ebay for example...
al
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
07-19-2019, 07:31 AM
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Hi everyone, Today I signed up to the forum but in the past have visited often, mostly looking at pictures or at reviews of lenses and cameras.
I recently have become fascinated by refelections in small waves and the strange patterns that occur in the waves. My first upload will be an example.
shot with K10d, DA50-135mm, iso400, 1/750s, F5.6
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
07-06-2019, 06:01 AM
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Hi, I'm new here but not to Pentax. I've been using them since the early eighties - when I px'd my Zenit E for an ME Super!
Although I use my K-70 quite a lot, I've gone back to film photography with an ME Super. My original was rather 'cream crackered' so I found another for sale which I now use. :)
I'm getting into medium format as well, so I expect that a lot of my questions will be focussed on that at the moment.
Big into black and white - and enjoying it.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
07-04-2019, 08:17 AM
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Hello! Welcome to the forum! :)
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
07-04-2019, 04:11 AM
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Great intro, welcome to the forum from the Highlands of Scotland.
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Forum: Welcomes and Introductions
07-04-2019, 02:20 AM
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Welcome to the forum!
Kind regards,
Mark
:aotearoa:
(New Zealand)
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