One of the best things you can do for virtually any vintage TLR is to replace the mirror. There used to be a guy on Ebay who sold new first-surface mirrors relatively cheaply. The old ones are often filthy, and sometimes have lost some of the silvering. After that, a new screen, or at least thoroughly cleaning the old one, makes a big difference as well.
Yeah, still pondering. It wasn’t the mirror’s quality as much as my eyes: Waist-level isn’t exactly my sweet spot for focus. (Really should have brought my glasses.)
Also, the f/2.8 Rolleiflex really does have a bit brighter viewfinder than the f/3.5 Yashica.
I’ll be back there soon to pick up a camera that’s in for service. I’m sure I’ll check them out again. :)
And I decided I’m going to press this one into service, too–my old Canon EOS 630.
I got this while in college and used it until we went digital at the magazine, so 2000 or so, meaning this shot a bunch of photos for GRM back in the day.
Battery has been ordered, and will clean it up soon. It’s been sitting on a shelf for a few decades.
Just thinking about the EOS 630, too. I remember it giving me some trouble at Solo Nats, so it was cleaned/serviced upon my return. During that time, I bought a backup camera, an EOS Elan IIE. I don’t believe I ever used it, meaning it’s upstairs in its original box.
Might have to try that one, too.
David S. Wallens said:The Hasselblad really did feel like the Rolls-Royce of cameras: beefy, precise, not small. About $2500 as it sits.
I agree the Hasselblad is not a lightweight rig. I've shot several rolls with one I borrowed from a pro who was teaching the class I was taking. But in spite of the heft, when you break it down, remove the lens and the film back, it's amazing how small the actual body is, especially when you consider the frame size. If your budget permits it, I'd encourage you to get one!
I'm still enjoying shooting with my Bronica etrs, sometimes described as the "poor man's Hasselblad." I just need to do it more often.
Today a good friend also recommended a Hasselblad if making the leap. We’ll see. Perhaps one day.
But today was 35mm day. I decided to spend a few cleaning up my old EOS 630. This is a piece of GRM history.
Yeah, it’s been sitting.
After a light brushing, I used some of that cleaning gel.
I know, gross.
But cool how it fits into the nooks and crannies.
I put a fresh battery in the camera, and it powers up!
But the lens kinda just spins like the motor isn’t hooked up. The lens didn’t properly work on my 7D, either.
But, wait, do I have another 28-80mm Sigma in a box?
Yes, yes I do!
Why? Who knows. Bought it as a backup? I honestly couldn’t tell ya. Ask the 20-something me why he bought it.
And it also just spins. Sad trombone.
Lenses from my 7D work fine on the EOS 630, but both of these lens seem highly injured. I can’t see spending any money to fix them, either, assuming parts are even available.
While licking my wounds on all of that, I grabbed my EOS Elan IIE. I don’t think I have ever run any film through this as I bought it as a backup just before we went digital. I know, great timing. It’s been in the box all these years/decades.
Installed a battery and fit my 17-40L on it. No film. Just wanted to get the feel for it.
Really like the form factor–much more advanced controls than the 630’s. The controls seem much closer to a modern EOS, in fact.
Ignore the pancake lens. I had a bunch of camera gear out today.
More on the Elan IIE to come as I see myself using it a bit.
So, what lens to use on the 630 and Elan IIE? I wanted something period correct. Yes, I could run the 17-40L or even a 70-200L, but that’s not right for the experience. (The irony here is that I was at two camera stores yesterday.)
Canon’s latest 50mm f/1.8 is on sale for $79 refurbished! My wife has that lens. It’s awesome.
But it looks a bit too new.
My friend Mark found the perfect lens for these two cameras.
I don’t want to jinx it, but another box from KEH is on its way....
In reply to 1988RedT2 :
Thanks for the tip and checking out that Bronica now.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
Whatever those big yellow/green boogers are, they sure do clean well! Are they available for sale anywhere? I'm not familiar.
I had never heard of that cleaning gel, either, until I googlged something like “how to clean the outsides of a camera“ and saw someone using them.
Of course, the link they provided was dead, but look on the Amazon for something called “COLORCORAL Cleaning Gel Universal Dust Cleaner for PC Keyboard Cleaning Car Detailing Laptop Dusting Home and Office Electronics Cleaning Kit Computer Dust Remover from 160g.” It cost $5.98 and looks like a bunch of people offer similar. I forget why I picked this particular one, to be honest.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
Ah, that's the stuff! Beautiful, and yet, disgusting. 
In reply to 1988RedT2 :
Yeah, it performed suprisingly well.
Once opened, the stuff has a short shelf life–maybe three months?–so need to find more stuff to clean. My FED (a Leica copy) will likely be next.
While most people shooting film go for the K-1000's and the like to complete the "vintage" experience, there is a lot to be said for the last of the high-featured film AF SLR's like your Elan IIE. I have a little Maxxum 5 in a drawer somewhere and like your Elan it is from the era when they were just packing in the features and modes and the result was some highly capable cameras with things like spot meters and auto-bracketing and other things I don't even remember. I should really get some new batteries and run some film through it sometime.
In reply to SEADave :
True all around. I think a lot of film shooters are going to early, basic SLRs but, to be honest, I’m really eager to use the Elan IIE. How will it compare to my 7D MkII? The controls look rather similar. How will the experience compare?
I’m meeting a friend this weekend to shoot some film, by the way. FedEx says my lens will land tomorrow.
During lunch, I saw an e-mail from Reformed: You have images.
Will download and share this evening.
Okay, happy with this roll, too. It’s a mix of people and cars. (Also, that brown ’74 Carrera was way cool.)
Very happy with the latest roll. This one is from my A-1, and I’ll get some posted soon on both my Instagram and in this thread: Grassroots Photographers, post YOUR favorite photos (one per day).
Here’s one. It’s like 1984 all over again.
SEADave said:While most people shooting film go for the K-1000's and the like to complete the "vintage" experience, there is a lot to be said for the last of the high-featured film AF SLR's like your Elan IIE. I have a little Maxxum 5 in a drawer somewhere and like your Elan it is from the era when they were just packing in the features and modes and the result was some highly capable cameras with things like spot meters and auto-bracketing and other things I don't even remember. I should really get some new batteries and run some film through it sometime.
The Maxxum5 is a steal, works with some of the last sony lenses that the older a-mount bodies won't play nice with and a nice small package. It was a no brainer for me after I got a few lenses back in 2020 to just add a film body. Most of the a-mount lenses are cheap, but some of the really nice stuff still holds value to the diehards.
But I've been tempted on buying an even better Maxxum 7 body.
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