I broke out a film camera this weekend

Mezzanine said:

In reply to aw614 :

For 42+ year old film, the results look great! The 1000s was my first medium format camera and I miss it at times. 

Pick up some fresh rolls and get out and shoot some more. 

The 1000s I got was one of those poorly listed ads with turrible photos for really cheap that you kind of have to take a chance and meet the seller to see. It came with the 45mm F2.8 and an 80mm F2.8, both were in decent shape after cleaning. But mine had prism degradation (but working meter (minus the corroded battery cap), luckily the local lab had a waist level viewfinder. 

I couldn't get used to the form factor and size of the 1000s, currently letting a friend use it as long as he wants to. 

David S. Wallens said:

In reply to 02Pilot :

I’m thinking/wondering that I might prefer a camera with a build-in light meter, but I do hear you on the early Leicas.

Meter, shmeter. For traditional B&W it's not even remotely necessary, and you can get away without one for most color print films as well. Only if you're shooting a lot of slides is it important. Plus, if you don't have one, it's one fewer thing to break.

When I've needed to meter, which is not often, I just use an app on my phone.

In reply to 02Pilot :

I hear ya. Right now, though, I’m heading that way.

There are accessory shoe mountable add-on light meters in the $50 to $100 range that seem pretty good to excellent in their functionality.  When a roll of Portra is $10 or more (I haven't priced it in a while) I can't see not having a meter like that or a decent integrated one that takes modern batteries.

And originally I was looking at earlier Leicas. Then I tried an M6 and just found it quicker/easier to use. I know, though, it’s more money. 

The Canon LTM rangefinders are always a good inbetween option of the bottom loading Barnacks and the Leica M mount stuff.

I've enjoyed using the bottom loaders though

In reply to aw614 :

The Canon LTM stuff is great. The P is the classic do-it-all, but I prefer the earlier L1, especially with the magic parallax-adjusting external viewfinders.

02Pilot said:

David S. Wallens said:

In reply to 02Pilot :

I’m thinking/wondering that I might prefer a camera with a build-in light meter, but I do hear you on the early Leicas.

Meter, shmeter. For traditional B&W it's not even remotely necessary, and you can get away without one for most color print films as well. Only if you're shooting a lot of slides is it important. Plus, if you don't have one, it's one fewer thing to break.

When I've needed to meter, which is not often, I just use an app on my phone.

I used to shoot with a handheld meter a lot in the old days but since renewing my interest in film photography I have just been using my in-camera meters. Have any recommendations on meter apps? I'm on iOS for what it's worth. 

Going to try an iPhone light meter app and see how it goes.

Currently downloading one called Lightme Lightmeter.

Heading outside with a few cameras to compare numbers. 

Quick update on the Lightme Lightmeter app. It looks like there are in-app purchases, but I haven’t done that. 

Phone: iPhone Xs

Benchmark camera: Fujifilm X-T3

Originally the app’s readings were way off. Then I realized the app had its exposure compensation set to like +2.

Once I got it all set, a test shot.

Here’s the app:

I figured I’d go with aperture priority at f/5.6 and see what the camera said. It picked 1/80th of a second. This is right out of the camera. 

I know, not the exact same composition but, at least, this one tiny data point shows that the app has promise.

The big thing, though: Using the separate light meter really slows me down. I need to grow a third arm. I’m sure I’d get better with time, but for someone who likes grabbing those candid shots when they happen, we’ll see.

More testing to come, though. And, if anything, learned something new today. 

When I use a meter app outdoors, I basically just take a reading in full sun and keep that in my head. Full shade is typically four stops less, so if you're see 14 in the sun, it's going to be ~10 in hard shade. If it's overcast, you almost don't need to worry about changing anything. Indoors, just take a reading in an area of representative or mixed light and use that.

Did some shooting with my Canon F-1 this weekend and, to be honest, I really, really prefer an internal light meter. 

Took the family to the lake for a long weekend and shot some with the X-370N, which I bought circa 1999 when my X-700 quit working.   One lens, the Minolta 50/f1.7.  Didn't want a bunch of luggage, just a camera.  I agree having a built-in meter is very nice.  I am much slower with the Bronica and a handheld meter.  It's the difference between "doing something and taking a camera" versus "taking the camera and making some photographs."  Totally different.

Film was old Kodacolor 200 Gold.  I'll have to shoot a few more frames and send it off.

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

Yeah, I think if I knew an internal meter was available yet I didn’t get it, I’d miss it. But if one wasn’t available at all, I’d be cool with that. (Not sure if that makes any sense.)

David S. Wallens said:

I only have what looks like light leaks at the end of both rolls. Something from the CT X-ray scanner, bad canisters, camera issue or other? 

Update on the light leaks, too, as I talked with the lab: They said that the this film stock now comes in a different canister, so we’ll see how things are going forward. 

Ran into a fellow camera nerd at last night’s Miata Night. He had his Canon A-1, while I was shooting with my F-1.

Hey, he asked, have you ever thought about a Leica?

We had plenty to discuss. :) 

I'm home, with my newly acquired Canon A1, with a pair of Canon lenses, a 50 mm 1:1.8, and a 70-150 mm 1:4.5. I'm assuming that it was decent quality consumer grade glass for it's time.

I just popped the 50 off of the body to take a peek at the mirror, it looks spotless. The camera was last used about 25-30 years ago, but it's been in a climate controlled environment in Arizona. I looked at some prices on used A1 bodies, and saw that a lot of them were described as  having no fungus, so getting this equipment from AZ might be lucky.

I also still have one or two bodies and three lenses for my Minolta X700. The lenses are a better quality Minolta 35, what my dad called a "portrait lens", a Minolta 50, and a 50-200 zoom, labeled as a Sears. I ran a lot of film through the Minolta, but it's been in my garage for over a decade, so if this fungus thing is really an issue, there may be problems with this equipment. I know the bodies weren't working properly when I stopped using them.

I'm planning to get the Canon stuff assessed and possibly serviced first, then start playing around.

Very cool on getting the gear. Kiwi in Orlando serviced my A-1. Good as new. Or just run a roll through it and see what happens. 

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

The Minolta X-700 I had was new around 1992, used regularly, and quit working by 1999.  They had a reputation for the electrolytic caps that fired the shutter going bad.  I sat on it for nearly 20 years before I sent it off to Garry's Camera Repair.  By then, the caps had leaked all over the main circuit board and eaten it into oblivion.  Garry was nice enough to return it and my check along with the note that it was "unrepairable" and  "among the worst" he'd ever seen. 

Interestingly, my Dad has the same camera, but a few years older, and his still works to this day.

Dropping off a roll of film during lunch. Anyone need anything while I’m there? 

David S. Wallens said:

Dropping off a roll of film during lunch. Anyone need anything while I’m there? 

Thank you again for the reminder that I have several rolls that have yet to be developed.

Somewhat related and too cool not to share: If you have a medium format camera, you can use IMAX film in it.

https://mercuryworks.store/collections/film/long-roll

Colin Wood said:

David S. Wallens said:

Dropping off a roll of film during lunch. Anyone need anything while I’m there? 

Thank you again for the reminder that I have several rolls that have yet to be developed.

Just dropped off a roll, so I’ll be back there next week to pick up the negs. 

And got to put my hands on this last night.