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Post by conan on Jul 4, 2017 22:02:24 GMT -5
Zeiss Movinette Camera historians will remember that there was a little was more than a little antagonism and legal action between East and West Germany over the Zeiss name in the early fifties. The East German government were not happy about the outcome and managed to get a couple of Stasi agents implanted in the Zeiss West factory where they managed to put hallucinogenic drugs into the coffee of the Zeiss design team which subsequently resulted in the Movinette. Flushed with this success they then expanded their operation and started drugging the entire design team, marketing and management at Zeiss and achieved their ultimate revenge on Zeiss West – the Contarex. Conan, Is this tongue in cheek? Quickly. I am afraid to swallow. Mickey Mickey, can anyone offer a more rational explanation for the Contarex and why Zeiss management, the designers and marketing considered and marketed it as the “Crowning achievement of Zeiss” ..waiting for Hansz….
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Post by conan on Jul 4, 2017 16:10:06 GMT -5
Zeiss Movinette
Camera historians will remember that there was a little was more than a little antagonism and legal action between East and West Germany over the Zeiss name in the early fifties. The East German government were not happy about the outcome and managed to get a couple of Stasi agents implanted in the Zeiss West factory where they managed to put hallucinogenic drugs into the coffee of the Zeiss design team which subsequently resulted in the Movinette.
Flushed with this success they then expanded their operation and started drugging the entire design team, marketing and management at Zeiss and achieved their ultimate revenge on Zeiss West – the Contarex.
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Post by conan on May 10, 2017 6:01:49 GMT -5
The SR-T 101 is probably the first camera that comes to mind when thinking of a "classic" minolta. Introduced in 1966 it was the first slr with open aperture ttl metering. It was preceded by the open aperture TTL of the Nikkormat FT in 1965, the Nikon F Photomic T of 1965 and the Topcon RE Super of 1963. I think some of the early Konica's also had TTL.
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Post by conan on Mar 23, 2017 23:22:38 GMT -5
Canon did make a series of bad decisions in camera design, starting with the "flex", the pellix and the EX EE. But in 1972 things were about to change dramaticly, watch my next post for that. Hopefully the EF Black Beauty?
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Post by conan on Mar 20, 2017 15:50:04 GMT -5
In 1964 canon also introduced the FP wich was a FX without lightmeter, but just to be shure a clip on lightmeter with the same range as the one in the FX was available. FP with clip on meter and Canon FL 50mm 1:1.8 Are all these cameras from your collection? Those meters and those from the Canon rangefinder series are not only difficult to find in good and working condition – they are incredibly expensive.
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Post by conan on Mar 19, 2017 15:39:41 GMT -5
The no succes numbers are relative indeed. My plan is to continue with pentax and minolta (and some others)after i'm finished with canon, though the line up there will be a bit more patchy as i haven't got evrything from those two brands. I then could continue with the intermediate models before AF was introduced (like the nikon x01 and canon T series). Then when all thats done the AF bodies will be covered ( F4-F5, X01 AF series but sadly no F6 unless someone is willing to donate one ;-) ) But like you said, i'm going to have to work my way down the pile ! Will wait for the AF models – should be interesting especially comparisons between the slower F4 autofocus and the lens ripping autofocus of the F5. Perhaps you can swap some of your other Nikon gear for an F6. I had a loan one for a few months and rather than repeat user reviews all I can say is that is does represent the ultimate in 35mm SLR development – albeit some years after most manufacturers had either abandoned or exited the camera market.
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Post by conan on Mar 19, 2017 15:35:31 GMT -5
1964 when canon decided to drop the "flex" range and go for a more traditional designed camera. Still lagging four years behind minolta's SR 7. The FX with build in meter and FL 50mm 1:1.8 lens. If you happen to have a black version, know then that only 3 existing black FX's are accounted for! Hey Belgium Reporter be very careful not to upset those die hard Canon fans - that model was only 2 years behind the 1962 SR7. Those early model Canons represented Canon’s attack on the middle range market and their abandonment of the semi pro Canonflex range. That middle range market was about to become saturated with the newer models from Nikon, Minolta, Canon and others I hope you have a Canon Pellix which should have been a much greater success and the Minolta SRT101which really ensured Minolta remained in the top four.
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Post by conan on Mar 19, 2017 15:33:41 GMT -5
Thank you for your kind comments. It's a way of keeping my brain alive ... and trying to immortalise knowledge which is disappearing rapidly. I enjoyed reading your site but please tell me what metal polish did you use on those Silettes? I am not certain whether those metal fronts are pot metal or some form of aluminium. Whatever - these and the Braun Paxette’s tend to discolour, pit and look pretty poor when they have few years on them. More by accident I have acquired yet another Silette with a working meter and everything worked except the front focusing which appeared to be locked up (I thought I would have to re-read John Farrell’s experiences on removing Agfa’s green superglue) luckily a little brute force freed it up – however the front area could do with a little clean up which mars a camera that is cosmetically and operatically 95%. Perhaps you are going to suggest Brasso?
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Post by conan on Mar 16, 2017 16:52:45 GMT -5
After some time of messing around i've now found a quick and simple way to make close up anaglyphs. Plan is to make a classic camera series. So put on your red and green glasses and enjoy ! My first attempt is the hasselblad 500C/M with non metered prism, 50mm Zeiss distagon and A12 back. (others will follow) Was it just a coincidence you stated with Blads and then worked you way downwards with Nikons and Canons? No F4, F5 or the stunning F6 which is already becoming a collector’s item. You are going to have to work your way down the pile so the Minolta and Pentax owners do not feel left out. No one can have too many Nikon F series bodies
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Post by conan on Mar 16, 2017 16:36:26 GMT -5
Canon's last attempt at the 'flex theme: Canonflex RM with buid in meter and super canonmatic R 50mm 1:1.8 no succes either...though it sold better than the previous models. “No success” - Isn’t this a relative term? I think this model panned at about 72,000 units. The 3 previous Canon models came to just under 57,000 units. It appears that in this same period Nikon produced between 250K and 300K Nikon Fs. The Contarex Bullseye panned at about 40,000 units which means even the entry "almost pro" Canons outsold it three to one. I have been enjoying your pseudo 3D shots after rummaging around the filter box to create 3D glasses. Found a red but no green, fortunately found a blue and yellow so screwed them together.
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Post by conan on Jan 24, 2017 1:27:29 GMT -5
A newly arrived Agfa Silette L. The focus is stiff, and the shutter and diaphragm reluctant to move. Good luck if its full of the Agfa green gunk. I have read many forums where people have had to soak the shutters and focusing rings for 24 hours in naptha and the usual trick of a bit of lighter fluid has no effect at all.
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Post by conan on Jan 24, 2017 1:22:47 GMT -5
I just went there. I'll spend some time looking through the Konica manuals there to see if the other ones are similar. It's amazing how no one has any info on that camera ! Such a nice solid camera ! Thanks for the help ! I made a post on October 13th about my model 1 The Butkus site does have a manual on the Konica 1. Repair manuals would probably be non existent. There is actually quite a lot of online (Camerapedia etc etc) information about the earlier Konica's including production numbers. If you get into collecting the other models, the III and IIIA are the desirable ones -but the later is fairly expensive with near mint ones going upwards of $200.
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Post by conan on Dec 21, 2016 2:46:00 GMT -5
Ermak: googling Ermak comes up with a foundry and machining company. Started in 1944 the original owner worked for Honeywell. Might he perhaps tried to market cameras and such like in the early days. The company is now run by his son. Well that might provide some of the answers since Honeywell were also involved with the photographic industry and then of course the Pentax distributor. Perhaps the cameras were just a sideline to their main business and gave Ermak a little publicity.
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Post by conan on Dec 21, 2016 2:41:12 GMT -5
Apologies for the late response, and commenting on a "Q" when we are at "Y" ... but folks asked about that Qingdao 6. It's a Chinese version of the 1981 Agfa Optima Sensor Electronic Flash. Agfa stopped producing their camera in 1983, and the Chinese took-over. Briefly it's a point and shoot viewfinder with zone focusing and fully automatic exposure where the aperture and shutter speed are both set automatically. The exposure system is fairly sophisticated, and operates in the range of f/2.8 to f/22, plus there's a step-less shutter with speeds from 1/45th to 1/1000th sec. In low light, moving the flash to it's open position sets it charging, and again all the user has to do is zone focus. Like all Optima Sensor Electronic models, it has a switch on the top plate which reverses the wind gearing so the film advance lever also rewinds too. Unlike the Agfa, the Qingdao-6 apparently had lenses made of radioactive lanthanum glass (and rumor has it that the target market was tourist!). Thanks John I thought it had more than a superficial resemblance to the Agfa's.
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Post by conan on Dec 19, 2016 2:46:38 GMT -5
Take a look at this page on the Japanese Topcon Club website. www.topgabacho.jp/Topconclub/lens4.htmThe translation is pretty dire, but the text does reveal that these lenses with a plastic window were made for the 1960 Topcon R II. The description talks about the direction of rotation of the aperture ring being different, but claims that it will work on an RE Super (well that's how I read it). This is a great site for all info Topcon, but exactly what it is saying is often hard to fathom. Guys there’s a lot of midnight oil being burnt on this topic. So I hope I am not missing anyone in this response. JB I have a Japanese neighbour and asked him to have a ponder at the Japanese sites. (Google translation as we know can be to say the least, dubious – and amusing) He says it’s very confusing and will do a little more research. He knows about lens mount problems because he has a few Canons and the early FL lenses can cause problems with some later models – he has labelled some of his own lenses as to what Canons they will fit on without jamming up the cameras. If this gets really interesting I have a couple of Japanese contacts who can probably find some reasonable explanation. I am currently editing material they have written on the ZUNOW – so they’re probably good detectives. daveh and others OK guys I did the acid test – the lens went on an RE Super. I did a measurement and got 1/30 at 5.6 I kicked up the shutter to 1/125 which meant the lens should have metered at 2.8 – it didn’t – the needle was centering at f11 which meant it was registering backwards. So who made these lenses and what cameras were they really for – the RII? I don’t think Topcon actually made their own lenses – perhaps their supplier did a job on them? Vivitar had this problem with some of their Series 1 lenses – apart from some rebadging (and legal action by Vivitar in the US) some unscrupulous people were actually re labelling the lenses as Vivitar.
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