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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-23-2024, 12:06 AM
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From my exchanges with a Pentax technician, a late serial number LX doesn’t mean much in terms of reliability. Even the youngest of these cameras is >20 years old. Reliability is pretty much down to luck, service history and how it has been stored.
They are beautiful cameras however and a pleasure to use. Pretty much all of the high end film cameras have some reliability risk now.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-01-2024, 12:07 PM
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I find 28mm a more difficult focal length to get good photos. A common pitfall is to have too much clutter in the frame. The trick is to get close to the subject.
Pentax K mount lenses are very inexpensive on the used market so its fun to experiment with different ones. Other good ones to try are the 40mm pancake, 35mm and 85mm. I personally prefer the discipline of using prime lenses instead of zooms. I have a rule that I only take one camera and one lens on a particular outing.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-10-2023, 12:17 PM
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Good news that you got your money back. Did the seller previously have 100% rating? I hope you left negative feedback as a warning to others.
Since the camera now owes you nothing perhaps it is worth sending to a reputable Pentax technician for service? They might be able to replace the shutter using a shutter taken from a donor camera. The service will likely cost as much as you originally paid for the camera but then you will have a reliable working camera.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-09-2023, 10:09 AM
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Send that one back. The shutter curtain is not normal and should have been declared.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-21-2024, 01:44 PM
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No problem if you have 11 backup bodies :D
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-19-2024, 01:56 PM
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I thought that was an F80. Can’t be polluting this marvelous thread with digital trash :)
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
12-06-2023, 03:22 PM
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If the number of cameras you currently own is N, the correct number to own is N+1.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
12-13-2023, 01:15 PM
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Yes the pentax cases were crap after the spotmatic era during which they were proper leather. I haven’t seen many of the fake leather ones that have not disintegrated.
I never use the full case but I quite like a leather half case to protect the camera and make it more comfortable grip. I have bought a few aftermarket leather half cases from ebay and they seem to be reasonable.
---------- Post added 12-13-23 at 08:20 PM ----------
The good news about the Minolta XE-7 and XD series cameras is that Leica made cameras with same core chassis. The XE-7 is the same as a Leica R3 and the XD-7/11 was the same as Leica R4-6. The Leica cameras were a premium product so they also sold very high quality genuine leather cases for these cameras. The superb Leica cases can now be bought cheaply on ebay.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
12-08-2023, 11:24 AM
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I’m with you on that one. There’s no way I want to buy any more lenses unless they are Pentax M42, Pentax K, Canon FD, Canon EF, Nikon F, Nikon Z, Leica M39, Leica M, Leica R, Olympus OM, Contax/Yashica, Minolta MD, or Minolta AF!
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-30-2023, 09:40 AM
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Nikon figured it out for the Nikon F3P to keep the press photographers happy.
I actually prefer the cleaner look of the cameras without a hotshoe on top of the prism. I am not a pro photographer and very rarely use hotshoe mounted flash.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-30-2023, 01:44 PM
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beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder :D
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-03-2023, 01:14 AM
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Hope its ok. When the camera is really dirty like that it indicates that it wasn’t stored in the best conditions. Check for signs of mould or fungus in the mirror box and viewfinder. The light seals and mirror bumper will have likely disintegrated and need replacement. Hopefully it hasn’t been stored with a battery inside as that could of leaked.
Did the seller claim that it was working? This at least means a new battery was installed and some basic tests were done. Unless you like tinkering with camera repair I would avoid any ‘untested’ camera as it almost certainly means its not working.
If the 50mm f1.7 doesn’t have fungus or sticky aperture blades you have got a good deal because the lens alone is worth $34.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-03-2023, 12:43 AM
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One solution is to buy a 6x7 camera, then you only get 10 frames per roll :)
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
10-29-2023, 03:30 AM
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The Nikon FM doesn’t have a great user interface to be fair. Exposure and metering info on three edges of a viewfinder with terrible eye relief is not user friendly for me.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
10-26-2023, 10:43 AM
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Good shout. We could of let it slide if it was a Fuji digital camera because they have an identity crisis and still say ‘Film’ on the front :D
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
10-09-2023, 01:32 PM
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It will never fly. Tiny sensor not matched to the lenses that can be mounted, and it requires a huge battery brick which kills the ergonomics of the cameras.
How does kickstarter business model work? Does the I’m back company keep the seed funds if the product does not get commercialised? Perhaps that is the whole play here.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-18-2023, 02:14 PM
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Nice! I think the design of the Rolei 35S inspired the design of Volvo cars in the mid 70’s:D
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
08-13-2023, 12:23 AM
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Nice. I have M3, M6, SL and R6.2, plus two Barnack bodies. Love them all. The M bodies were bought 15 years ago when used prices were reasonable. I paid good money for the R6.2 but I was super fussy about condition and bought from a dealer with warranty. I see a lot of R bodies with blistering under the chrome plating unfortunately.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
08-12-2023, 01:14 PM
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I have an R6.2 with a very late serial number and it is one of my favourite cameras. I briefly had an R8, but the electronics let me down on a cold day. I also tried an R3 but immediately returned it due to failed electronics. The R5 and 7 are probably the safest bets out of the electronic models.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
08-12-2023, 01:43 PM
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I also appreciate cameras with superb build quality.
Of the K mount cameras I own, the KX feels the most solidly built. I suppose KM and early K1000 are the same.
The LX is built solid but let down by unreliable electronics (at their current 40 year age), so quite a risky and expensive buying proposition now.
The MX is also built to a very high standard but you can tell that they used thinner gauge body shell to trim weight (compared to KX). It still oozes quality and is actually my favourite Pentax. There’s a big difference between the MX which was the top of the line pro model when released and the other M series cameras which were aimed at the consumer market.
Tip for buying an MX: get a later model with serial number starting with 4. Earlier models had some mechanical flaws which were refined in the later models.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
06-30-2023, 01:48 PM
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Looks like an easy fix :D
Or just buy a new one for £25
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
06-19-2023, 02:39 PM
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If the vacation involves flights I just use my iphone. If not I will take one of my smaller film cameras like a Pentax or Olympus. If I don’t want to stress about taking something too valuable I will use my P30T. I am a huge fan of the OM cameras and nearly have a full set :)
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