What have you just BOUGHT?

Arsat 30mm f3.5

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Second attempt at one of these from KEH. Tried for one a few months ago, it was listed as a Pentacon 6 mount but ended up being screw mount. This time it was correct. Big piece of glass, only mildly fishy. I fear it will lead to a 6x6 body for this lens.....

Shawn
 
3 - Zuma Z-1454 rubber eyecups with glass eyepiece from B&H Photo.

These fit Nikon F, F2, F3 and Nikkormat cameras with round eyepiece.
They are considerably cheaper than new or used Nikon DK-4 as well.

Chris
 
An Oleson Bright-Screen for the Mamiya C3, the flagship of my Mamiya TLR collection. The Mamiya finders are not the brightest, and this should make a great camera perfect! I very highly recommend the Bright-Screens, BTW.
 
Arsat 30mm f3.5

52523755448_6444b66863_z.jpg


Second attempt at one of these from KEH. Tried for one a few months ago, it was listed as a Pentacon 6 mount but ended up being screw mount. This time it was correct. Big piece of glass, only mildly fishy. I fear it will lead to a 6x6 body for this lens.....

Shawn

NO, NO, NO! Not an FSU body, Kiev or otherwise. I've been that route several times, and down that path lies madness! Perhaps a Pentacon or Praktisix; there are German sellers on ebay who offer them completely refurbished, and that might be the way to go. At least you'd stand a chance of the thing functioning properly. A Kiev? Hahahahaha......
 
NO, NO, NO! Not an FSU body, Kiev or otherwise. I've been that route several times, and down that path lies madness! Perhaps a Pentacon or Praktisix; there are German sellers on ebay who offer them completely refurbished, and that might be the way to go. At least you'd stand a chance of the thing functioning properly. A Kiev? Hahahahaha......

The only FSU cameras I have right now are HorizonTs. One I refurbed and one Oleg did. Those are nice cameras and are really very simple. I have heard that the 6x6 cameras can have a lot of problems. I'll watch for a Pentacon or Praktisix.

Thanks,

Shawn
 
Always regretted selling my 35 RC quite a few year back, so really happy that one is now on its way
 

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Oh dear. Yes, a Bronica S2A. I was seduced. Weird thing is, I had one of these just 50 years ago, my first 6x6 when I was in college, and found it just too weird to use, since all of my experience up until then was with 35mm. I got rid of it.
Times have changed, and I couldn't resist any longer. This thing is massive and beautiful. And even though I have a Hassie system, and the Bronica is totally redundant, GAS won out.
Of course, the viewfinder foam is shot. That will get replaced when the new Oleson Bright-Screen arrives; otherwise she is truly mint. and already, the seductive whispers have started: How about a 50mm? And could you maybe get me a chimney finder, please? Maybe another back? Down another GAS rabbit hole...

P.S. This sucker is LOUD!!!
 
Oh dear. Yes, a Bronica S2A. I was seduced. Weird thing is, I had one of these just 50 years ago, my first 6x6 when I was in college, and found it just too weird to use, since all of my experience up until then was with 35mm. I got rid of it.
Times have changed, and I couldn't resist any longer. This thing is massive and beautiful. And even though I have a Hassie system, and the Bronica is totally redundant, GAS won out.
Of course, the viewfinder foam is shot. That will get replaced when the new Oleson Bright-Screen arrives; otherwise she is truly mint. and already, the seductive whispers have started: How about a 50mm? And could you maybe get me a chimney finder, please? Maybe another back? Down another GAS rabbit hole...

P.S. This sucker is LOUD!!!

Congrats - it’s a super camera.

Question - chimney finder vs the waist-level finder. What does the chimney finder offer that the waist-level doesn’t? Personally I’ve never seen the attraction, so maybe there’s something I’m missing out on? The magnifier on that waist-level finder is so good and offers a corner-to-corner view of the ground glass (even for eyeglasses wearers), I just didn’t see the point in switching.
 
Congrats - it’s a super camera.

Question - chimney finder vs the waist-level finder. What does the chimney finder offer that the waist-level doesn’t? Personally I’ve never seen the attraction, so maybe there’s something I’m missing out on? The magnifier on that waist-level finder is so good and offers a corner-to-corner view of the ground glass (even for eyeglasses wearers), I just didn’t see the point in switching.

Good question, Vince. For me, the chimney finder is more solid and less vulnerable than the waist level, an advantage when you're moving in crowded situations where you or the camera can get jostled. It helps keep out dust and crud (remember, I'm in NM!), it's always ready to go, and it gives a brighter view, isolated in darkness, which helps focusing when bright sun is coming in from the side. I got used to using one on the Hassie, where I just couldn't focus my eyes with the WLF. The chimney finder's adjustable focus allowed me to see clearly, though I seem to be fine with the S2A's WLF.
Yup, it adds bulk, but that's sort of a moot point with medium format beasts of this size. And if the bulkiness does become an issue, I can swap it out for the WLF in an instant! But as always, it's a matter of personal preference. Nice to have options!
 
For some irrational reason, I was craving a cheap and lightweight camera such as the Ilford Sprite II, but then I had another idea: What if I could revive a Minolta Himatic F which was sitting in my junk pile? And as luck would have it, I found someone willing to give me another faulty Himatic F for the cost of shipping. And happily, I was able to combine the best parts of both to create a single working camera:
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A real camera for less than the cost of a fixed-focus "reusable" camera! I wasted no time in shooting a roll of color negative film with it, and am eagerly awaiting the results.
 
A Nikonos III and Nikonos I, to go with my Nikonos II. The III is more ergonomic and easier to hold than the I and II, with a superb viewfinder. All are incredibly robust and well-made, with the W-Nikkor 35mm 2.5 lens based on the Nikon rangefinder lens.

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Question - chimney finder vs the waist-level finder. What does the chimney finder offer that the waist-level doesn't? Personally I've never seen the attraction, so maybe there's something I'm missing out on? The magnifier on that waist-level finder is so good and offers a corner-to-corner view of the ground glass (even for eyeglasses wearers), I just didn't see the point in switching.

I don't have a Bronica S2A, I have Hasselblad 500CMs. The WL finder is far more convenient and useful in every day walking-about use on the Hasselblad 500CM, for me, because it allows me to make the camera more compact for carrying. But the "chimney" finder's magnification and precision is much better, with its focusing optics, rigidity, and ensured light-tight viewing. I swap between them often, depending on what I'm doing in a given photo session: it's simple enough to do that easily and quickly. Just pop the back off, slide the one out, the other in, and pop the back on again. I found a recent model chimney finder for a pittance...

I can only presume the same would be true of the Bronica WL vs magnifying, rigid finders.

One thing I notice between the Hassy and Bronica WL finders, at least mine, is that the Hassy WL finder with magnifier deployed has no gaps between the magnifier and the rest of the WL finder box so it's very light tight. The Bronica S2A finder in the photo presented above looks like it has a large gap between the magnifier frame and the rest of the WL finder box making it a little less light tight and less rigid.

G
 
I won an auction for what was listed as 10 rolls of 120 Ilford HP5+ film...what arrived today was 10 rolls of HP5+ 35mm/36 exp. film...
Auction photo was of what I got...I was paying more attention to the listing's heading rather than the photos.
Its all good, it'll get used up eventually.
 
Just got a sweet deal on an Olympus XA4, one owner since 1985, the seller was in the merchant fleet and bought it in 1985 or so, Kobe Japan, its in great mechanical shape and will become my carry everywhere compact.
 

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A Nikonos III and Nikonos I, to go with my Nikonos II. The III is more ergonomic and easier to hold than the I and II, with a superb viewfinder. All are incredibly robust and well-made, with the W-Nikkor 35mm 2.5 lens based on the Nikon rangefinder lens.


Any itch for a Nikonos V with two lenses?
 
Voigtlander Bessamatic w/50/2.8 Color-Skopar X; came with two nice typewriters: 1950s vintage Smith-Corona Clipper and Royal Royalite. All three with their cases and a proper cap for the lens. The Bessamatic came with its box and manual, and an Agfa flash unit (bulbs required; not happening I think. But nice and clean).

Also, last week, a Nikon FA with Micro-Nikkor 55/2.8. I had never used an FA before; nice camera. The Nikkor's focus is very stiff, unfortunately. Cold weather makes it even worse. But for sure I am not going to try getting at the helicals myself! Need to find someone to do the work at some point.
 
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