pentax spotmatic bargain

gtc

I know we are digital forum but must let you know that I bought a film camera yesterday- an almost mint Pentax Spotmatic SP with a 50mm 1.4 Super-Takumar for $95.00,along with mint instruction manual and a perfect ready case and shoulder strap.

With thhe 200/4 SMC Takumar I recently bought for $150 I have a classic film back up for less than $250.00.A 300mm SMC Takumar is next on the list.Its all mechanical so can be repaired for ever and the build is as solid as rock.Millions were made so there are spare parts everywhere.

Not the quickest camera to operate and totally manual but it is already forcing me to think more about light,which is one of the reasons I bought it.

I also almost bought a secondhand Weston lightmeter for $50.00.

Has anyone else in here started buying film cameras?

Chase

gtc wrote:

I know we are digital forum but must let you know that I bought a film camera yesterday- an almost mint Pentax Spotmatic SP with a 50mm 1.4 Super-Takumar for $95.00,along with mint instruction manual and a perfect ready case and shoulder strap.

With thhe 200/4 SMC Takumar I recently bought for $150 I have a classic film back up for less than $250.00.A 300mm SMC Takumar is next on the list.Its all mechanical so can be repaired for ever and the build is as solid as rock.Millions were made so there are spare parts everywhere.

Not the quickest camera to operate and totally manual but it is already forcing me to think more about light,which is one of the reasons I bought it.

I also almost bought a secondhand Weston lightmeter for $50.00.

Has anyone else in here started buying film cameras?

Im considering getting an elan 7e or something for an advanced photo class i am in, to do infared and whatnot.

ziggy53

gtc wrote:

...
Has anyone else in here started buying film cameras?

One of my favorite cameras is a FED 5 and actually I have two working models:

FED 5 and a 55mm f2.8 Industar LD lens (Tessar design)
FED 5 and a 5cm (yes, 5 centimeter) f2.0 Jupiter 8 (Sonnar design)

I get film processed for $1.60 USD/24 exp roll and then I scan with a Minolta Dual Scan IV. I have a few problems with "pepper grain" and tons of dust and lint to deal with, but there is something almost magical when that certain image emerges with tonality and smoothness hard to attain with a "true" digital camera.

ziggy53

Andy

gtc wrote:

Has anyone else in here started buying film cameras?

i still have my pentax k1000 and 50 f/1.4

pathfinder

I still own an OM-4 and a EOS 3.

gtc

infrared
gee you are keen-film infrared! it looks so difficult-extra sensitive refrigerated film,loading in the dark,no image in viewfinder,dodgy metering...digital infrared is a doddle by comparison and Andy is selling his 300d IR mod...but there is something about film...Fuji Velvia slide film is said to be equivalent to 20mp...

Chase wrote:

Im considering getting an elan 7e or something for an advanced photo class i am in, to do infared and whatnot.

gtc

ziggy53 wrote:

One of my favorite cameras is a FED 5 and actually I have two working models:

FED 5 and a 55mm f2.8 Industar LD lens (Tessar design)
FED 5 and a 5cm (yes, 5 centimeter) f2.0 Jupiter 8 (Sonnar design)

nice lens!i am looking at more Takumars and Zeiss Jena lenses

I get film processed for $1.60 USD/24 exp roll-

that is very cheap-i am thinking of shooting slide file and either getting that scanned or using an old slide copier with my 20d..

devbobo

you guys are way too old school

gus

devbobo wrote:

you guys are way too old school

You think so...

I was explaining to a 25 year old the other day that i did a lot of time working on valves during my 1st apprenticeship. He asked why i did plumbing work.

devbobo

Humungus wrote:

You think so...

I was explaining to a 25 year old the other day that i did a lot of time working on valves during my 1st apprenticeship. He asked why i did plumbing work.

it's funny, I went up skiing the other week, on my old pair of straight 205cm skis...and man everyone i saw, kept saying "gees ur old school". I'm like there only about 8 years old, hardly old school.

Bystander

Check out your old equipment!

gtc wrote:

I know we are digital forum but must let you know that I bought a film camera yesterday- an almost mint Pentax Spotmatic SP with a 50mm 1.4 Super-Takumar for $95.00,along with mint instruction manual and a perfect ready case and shoulder strap.

With thhe 200/4 SMC Takumar I recently bought for $150 I have a classic film back up for less than $250.00.A 300mm SMC Takumar is next on the list.Its all mechanical so can be repaired for ever and the build is as solid as rock.Millions were made so there are spare parts everywhere.

Not the quickest camera to operate and totally manual but it is already forcing me to think more about light,which is one of the reasons I bought it.

I also almost bought a secondhand Weston lightmeter for $50.00.

Has anyone else in here started buying film cameras?

I used to shoot with antique cameras. Leica's from the thirties and fifties, A Zeiss Super Ikonta, Kodak Retinas and so on. I sold most of it (still have my M3 and lenses -- about to sell 'em too) to buy digital equipment.

I loved the feeling and results I got from the old cameras -- B&W with an uncoated lens is a treat -- but here is a word of advice -- have your camera checked and adjusted if necessary. Otherwise it will drive you mad with inaccurate shutter speeds and unreliability.

And if you do buy a Weston make sure you know how to use it -- it reads differently from modern meters if I recall correctly.

Using old equipment is fun but its also a burden and handicap unless you know how to use it and know that it works properly.

Frank

pathfinder

devbobo wrote:

it's funny, I went up skiing the other week, on my old pair of straight 205cm skis...and man everyone i saw, kept saying "gees ur old school". I'm like there only about 8 years old, hardly old school.

205s ROCK! :

gtc

service and digital backs
Hi Frank

You are right-I am going to have it serviced and maybe some parts restored-
the mirror shock absorber needs replacing,possibly with a fluffy one to reduce the slap and shake,the mirror could probably do with some re-silvering and I am not sure that the meter is accurate and may need recalibrating.

Shutter speed needs checking and everything needs a bit of lubrication.Once done it should be ok for a long time,and could possibly keep going forever..a canon style split- circle focussing screen would be nice too....its so light and unobtrusive when compared with the 20d but still solid and stable in the hand.

I wonder when small digital backs will be commonly available for old 35mm film cameras? I know that Leica and Mamiya medium format have them already but surely is time for a small back that can click into Canon and Pentax classics.

As more digital people sell up their film cameras it is dropping the prices and allows someone who already had digital equipment to buy up film gear at bargain basement prices-bring it on!

Bystander wrote:

I used to shoot with antique cameras. Leica's from the thirties and fifties, A Zeiss Super Ikonta, Kodak Retinas and so on. I sold most of it (still have my M3 and lenses -- about to sell 'em too) to buy digital equipment.

I loved the feeling and results I got from the old cameras -- B&W with an uncoated lens is a treat -- but here is a word of advice -- have your camera checked and adjusted if necessary. Otherwise it will drive you mad with inaccurate shutter speeds and unreliability.

And if you do buy a Weston make sure you know how to use it -- it reads differently from modern meters if I recall correctly.

Using old equipment is fun but its also a burden and handicap unless you know how to use it and know that it works properly.

Frank

devbobo

pathfinder wrote:

205s ROCK! :

that's what I kept saying