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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-19-2019, 11:36 PM
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I always fancied F301 and F501, there's so much eighties and nostalgia in those two. But I never went for either of them because I have F80 and hardly ever use even that.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-01-2019, 10:22 PM
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I completely agree, I had good luck on UK ebay in the past, like getting Pentax K-x (digital) with strap and lens for 60 pounds, only 9000 actuations!, pristine Olympus Zuiko 28 mm f/3.5 with box, caps and hood for 25 pounds and Zuiko 50 mm f/1.4 for only 20. Not to mention some good films. But it all depends on patience of the buyer as well and I don't really have that trait.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
02-01-2019, 04:25 AM
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Happy shooting! I won't be able to try Foma. However, I found a local shop which sells Ilford film at prices lower than online so I'm basically stuck with it (no complains though, FP4+ and Delta 3200 are perfect films for me).
My XR7 cost 30$ with its own Rikenon 50 mm f/2 and a strap. The seller wasn't specialized in photographic gear so I got lucky they had it for cheap. I would have gone for Pentax P30n/t if it had manually selectable ISO and a shutter speed a little slower than 1 second. Those cameras are dirt cheap.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
01-31-2019, 10:53 AM
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The reason why I passed Chinons entirely and went straight for Ricoh is primarily their price - since the only way for me to source the gear is via Internet, I have to accept Internet prices and sellers drive hard bargain.
XR7 has a plastick plating as well and I dropped it twice already, thankfully without scratches/bruises and I have another pair of plating just in case. I'm also working my way to wear the neck strap after all that's happened :confused:
I agree on annoying LCD indication, can't shoot at night. But it takes some getting used to and I can safely say that I feel "at home" using XR7 after 8-9 rolls of film. It is extremely lightweight, especially with Russian Industar 50 lens snapped on via K-M42 adapter. Mirror/shutter slap is right there, but hey, I moved to K-mount from Olympus OM and pretty much everything sounds loud after cloth shutter and dampened mirror, so no real complains from me, most of the things are good and whichever aren't, are easy to get used to.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-24-2018, 12:37 PM
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I've seen those old generation bodies. I guess new times dictated new rules and in order to have competitive price, one had to sacrifice some things. Also, you know how the eighties were, plastic and all.
P.S. You are quite resourceful in terms of photographic, video and audio materials for comparison, which is extraordinary.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-23-2018, 11:46 PM
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Yep, that's the sound. It's much louder and a bit clunky than Olympus OM-1 or OM-2 which I had in the past. But I think ME Super had roughly the same amount of noise and slap.
My thought exactly, I'm extra careful while pulling it up to open the film door. I have another one, just in case. And a few other, metal wind levers from other cameras so I should be fine.
Definitely a downside, harder to read than a simple matchstick needle of some other cameras. But I'll get used to it. All in all the camera has everything I'd like it to have and I've heard the batteries can last forever in it.
Hm. Interestingly, Rikenon P 50 mm f/2 that came with the bundle is shorter than Pentax's own M series 28 mm f/3.5 and 50 mm f/2 lenses. Almost a pancake.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
11-23-2018, 11:14 AM
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So, let's plug this thread. I've got my hands on two XR-7 cameras. One is a non-working body which is full of spare parts and I can confirm that top and bottom plates are plastic just as shutter speed selector, collar of lens mount, ISO dial and part of rewind crank as well. However, it is also true that there's plenty of metal on behind all that plastic. So all in all it's neither good, nor bad.
Function-wise it's got a lot to offer, AE Lock button is easier to operate than I thought, so is shutter speed dial - I can switch the speeds with single finger without removing my eye from the camera (my primary concern when I was moving away from Olympus OM system). Ergonomics are nice, everything feels in place. LCD is neat, but it'll be dark in low light. Something that I'll have to live with. Shutter sounds like rusty bucket but it's bearable.
There was one "Rikenon P 50 mm f/2" lens included in the pack and I'm surprised how small and good it is. All in all, Ricoh is not Pentax (or at least, was not pentax back then) and build quality leaves me wishing for more, but for 30$ it's not bad at all. I might get XR-P or KR-30P body, slap a "Program" lens onto it and get 15$ profit.
Of course I would like to have K2 or LX or some other major body, but I'd much rather invest in film at this point. Thank you all for your input.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
10-15-2018, 05:03 AM
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I think I'll just skip everything and go to Ricoh XR-7 at this point. I have only one lens with Pentax "A" contact and I control aperture manually even on that.
---------- Post added 15-10-18 at 04:05 PM ----------
Yeah, those would be my keepers as well if they were cheaper, or lighter. Or both.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
10-14-2018, 10:49 AM
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I had ME Super around a year ago and it wouldn't cock the shutter after film advance, roughly once in every 20 frames. Regular ME which I had before didn't have that issue at all but results vary from sample to sample. I guess when you're 40+ years old and don't visit a doctor, some malfunctions are inevitable.
Thank you for the useful information, I'll keep an eye out for something suitable. I'm a little nervous because I've only serviced Olympus cameras and most of their issues were mechanical, not electronic, I have no experience with Pentax yet.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
10-14-2018, 10:09 AM
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Another question: I've learned that Pentax MX, ME, ME Super and other M series bodies suffer from wind lever / mirror issues, which are manifested either in not cocking the shutter, or some not so funny business with the mirror. So do you know if Pentax Program A (aka Program Plus) and Pentax Super A (aka Super Program) suffer from the same issue, or are they trouble-free?
P.S. SMC Pentax-M 28 mm f/3.5 is razor sharp and produces outstanding images on APS-C sensor. I'm sure it will shine on full frame film body as well. |
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-21-2018, 11:13 PM
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I won "M" version of 28 mm f/3.5 lens two days ago for 18$, I think the price wasn't high. It'll work well on my K-x as a 42 mm lens and in the meantime I will look out for either MX or ME Super (again).
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-18-2018, 09:00 PM
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I usually do CLA myself.
Indeed, Judas' window makes the difference. X-700 has it too. Pretty convenient when lenses have internediate clicks between the stops.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-18-2018, 06:04 AM
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I think I'm slowly reachig the same conclusion. I'm not a guy of data backs and motordrives, but small size and mechanical operation are very welcome.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 11:13 PM
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RIght, I forgot about it and frankly I thought it was plastic judging from the pictures. Looks can be deceiving.
All are valid points, I should look at old washed-out ads more often than I do now. The one and only Ricoh I ever held belongs to my friend and it's KR5 Super II, a rather loud and clunky mechanical camera. But if I recall correctly ME Super was also noisy.
I can't really tell what I did not like about X-700. Function-wise it is good, although "P" mode is not something I would use and therefore X-570 would suffice. 4 seconds maximum automatic shutter speed is a tad small, I used cable release and bulb mode quite often. "A" mode lock was something I never got used to, even though I understand the reason behind it.
None of my current OM bodies have the issue, but I had several OM-1, OM-2, one OM-2s in the past and more than enough quantity of them suffered from the issue. I had to change idler gears to get rid of the problem. And I fully agree about spot metering mode, that is the only feature which will truly be missed by me. However, I will still have Nikon F80 so if uncertain or in the need of Spot meter, I can use it.
I think I will settle for ME Super again, or for MX if I find either of those at a price seemingly reasonable for me. But from what I've researched so far, obtaining lenses for cheap is much more difficult than finding a body.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 10:39 AM
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I purchase all of my gear abroad, on ebay, keh, robertscamera or any other place that sells the stuff. My ME Super indeed had an issue mentioned by you, I sometimes had to "overwind" the lever second time because shutter wasn't cocked. But a regular ME didn't have the issue. This happens sometimes, desynchronizing the winder idler gear is also something that OM system suffers from. And unlike Pentax, on Olympus you have to actually advance the film twice (leaving one frame blank in the process). These are old devices after all, 35-40 years mean a lot for a human, let alone some metal box.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 09:54 AM
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I haven't had XG-M, but I had X-700 for a while. I wish it had a build quality of Mino SRT.
Light seals are not an issue, I fix all my cameras on my own as long as the issue is mechanical and not in electronics. CT-3 suggested by you seems like a son/grandson of CT-1, which was sold as so many things that I can't even remember. But all in all was a great camera.
A very welcomed bonus feature of OM cameras is shutter selector around the lens mount which allows me to do exactly that - change the speed while looking through the prism.
Maybe I'm just overthinking it all and I'll be better off with ME Super. After all, I used to own that camera for a while some months ago and it wasn't that bad, except for the buttons. If I could find a 28 mm lens for cheap, I would set things into motion.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 08:34 AM
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Oh no of course I don't have an illusion that somewhere out there the perfect camera exists. That's the very reason of having two Olympus cameras. And even ME Super had a few features that I liked and preferred over OM-1 and OM-4. Automatic mode and 25$ price tags aren't a necessity, but I would much rather invest in proper optics than the body, hence "the cheaper the better". If I find MX for 50$, I'll go for it. XR7 is somewhat cheap too, I've seen one for 20$-ish. I have also seen a few ME Supers for 30-35$ and oddly enough Super Program which is newer and has more features were going for 25$. Don't know about the rest.
---------- Post added 17-09-18 at 07:35 PM ----------
I had Bronica ETR for a few months and it was also eating the cells, especially with AE prism.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 08:13 AM
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They are fairly easy to find out here too, it's just me who is forgetful. OM bodies drain batteries like a glass of juice and I had to deal with all-mechanical speed more than once. Pentax is far better in that.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 07:01 AM
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I don't create anything worth showing, it's just a hobby and I'm pretty sloppy with it.
Indeed. And to make the matters worse, it doesn't have an all-mechanical 1/125 shutter speed for emergency scenarios.
If K2 were as compact as next generation of cameras from the 70s, it would have been nice, I might have even paid the assigned price of 100+$.
Money is tight right now, but it won't be always like that and next time I want something that will share the mount with my digital camera. Because carrying two sets of cameras and lenses hurts my back. I am happy with K-x and when the time comes I will undoubtedly upgrade to another digital Pentax.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 06:34 AM
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Unfortunately my wallet dictates it :confused:
And thank you
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 06:31 AM
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So basically K2 is the closest thing to what I want along with Super-A (Super Program), if the latter weren't plastic. And a capable shutter is a welcomed addition, I like taking photos at night, but tend to forget cable release.
Another problem with me is that I want to get a bunch of manual lenses. 28 mm and 135 mm would be good. I could cut the budget and get 75-150 f/4 instead of 135 mm f/3.5, my buddy uses it on his Ricoh and it's a reasonably good lens. But 28 mm is somewhat pricy, even M version. And I can see why - it's nearly perfect normal lens for APS-C crop factor.
---------- Post added 17-09-18 at 05:32 PM ----------
Thank you, it's always good to see someone who reassures me about not going for K1000
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 06:21 AM
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I didn't know a K-mount Chinon was a thing. I'll do some research as soon as I'm home. Thank you.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 06:01 AM
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I'm fully aware of all of that. My K-x digital has 18-55 kit, 70-300 off-brand and Sigma 50 mm f/2.8 macro lenses. I used to have and worked with manual lenses of M and A series. Won't go to autofocus optics.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 05:34 AM
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K1000 is off the list. It's a basic and large camera that costs more than MX just because it's good for students and is overhyped on the internet. I mean who would want to buy a skeleton camera which was designed to be cheap and durable. It would be a downgrade. K2 seems nice though.
I sometimes see MX for 50-60$ on Robertscamera, but it usually gets sold so quickly...
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
09-17-2018, 05:13 AM
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Good day
I've been shooting film as an amateur for some time already. I have Olympus OM system cameras (1 and 4) with 28 mm, 50 mm and 135 mm lens outfits. But I also have Pentax K-x digital camera which is quite old, but still often used by me.
Recently I have come to the situation, where I have to sell my OM-1 and OM-4 along with everything. And later I will buy a film camera again. And since I already have a K-mount machine (and because mounting OM lenses on K-mount is tricky at best) I'd like to change my mount and buy a film camera on K-mount.
I had ME and ME Super at some point in my life. ME was basic, while ME Super was good and overall satisfactory, but I never got used to button operated manual mode, I'm more of "knobs and dials" kind of a person. I looked for a while for an adequate camera body. There were several options, Kx and MX. Kx is a bit beefy, being an older generation camera and I regretfully dismissed it, because low mass is important to me. But MX on the other hand seems overpriced to me. I know it's mechanical and all, but I can't pay 60+$ for something, Olympus equivalent of which I have bought for only 25$.
Then I turned my head to Ricoh, but most of their cameras look plasticky and cheap compared to either Pentax or Olympus. And then there's "Ricoh pin" issue - I can't use Ricoh automatic lenses with my Pentax digital in Aperture priority mode. Of course I can still use stop-down metering in those cases.
So, what I want to know from competent people is this:
1. Is there anything I can look for in Pentax except Kx and MX, with good features? Please don't offer LX, I'm not that rich. And no Super Program either - I don't want plastic look.
2. Does Ricoh have anything compact like MX and made of metal, which can be affordable for me? XR7 would be perfect if it weren't plastic.
I know I'm too whimsical, but any help would be appreciated.
M.
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