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Post by btr0423a on Oct 21, 2017 20:36:01 GMT -5
Hi, my name is Bryan (despite the name on my handle, the name is a joke/reference to a TV show). I am very new to the world of photography, in fact I have yet to snap my first REAL photo. This is because the camera I plan to start with is a "Quantaray D2-RZ" 55mm from 1979 which I cannot locate the instruction manual for. It is a beautiful camera, and I can tell it's strong and well built (metal casing), and I hope to find that the many, many options and features it provides will lead to some great photos once I get it working. Problem is, I just cant find a manual for it. I cant find a whole lot of info on the internet about the unit itself, much less a pdf manual. Here is a picture of the exact camera, and a link to an auction page that contains some info about the camera. Vintage Quantaray D2-RZ 35mm SLR film camera with Quantaray 55mm f1.7 lens (plus others)
 If someone could point me in the right direction to find a manual for this I would be eternally grateful. Anyway, I hope to meet many of you and I hope we all get to enjoy each others work. Looking forward to a response! - Bryan (Lee Harvey Teabag) |
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Post by raybar on Oct 22, 2017 0:39:34 GMT -5
If I am remembering correctly, Quantaray was a private label marketed by Ritz Camera stores. I think your camera is a rebranded and perhaps slightly modified Topcon RE300. Here's the manual, which should be "close enough" even if it's not exactly correct. But verify what battery it uses. www.cameramanuals.org/pdf_files/beseler_topcon_re200_re300.pdf In any case, this is a basic 35mm reflex and they were all very similar. If there's a decent camera store nearby, take it in and ask for a quick lesson. They should be happy to give you a few minutes if they're not busy, especially if you buy a couple rolls of film, and an experienced salesman should be able to figure it out in about 10 seconds even if he has never seen one before. The store I worked in usually had some quiet time after the early morning rush and before the lunch crowd arrived. I very much preferred talking with a customer to dusting and tidying up. |
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mickeyobe
Lifetime Member
Resident President
Posts: 7,280
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Post by mickeyobe on Oct 23, 2017 3:28:34 GMT -5
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mickeyobe
Lifetime Member
Resident President
Posts: 7,280
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Post by mickeyobe on Oct 23, 2017 4:31:15 GMT -5
Bryan,
It occurs to me that you are approaching today's photography incorrectly.
That appears to be a 35mm film camera. Film is virtually obsolete now.
It has been replaced by digital cameras which, although initially more expensive, cost next to nothing to operate. No film costs. No processing costs. And it is fast, clean and easy to do it yourself.
Before you spend another penny I suggest you check the cost of 35mm black and white film and colour negative film and colour slide (transparency) film. You may find the costs prohibitive.
You should be able to get a good and versatile used digital camera from an honest, money back if not satisfied, dealer at a very reasonable price. With a digital, you take it home, plug it into your computer and immediately view your pictures on the monitor. If you have a printer you can then print them out. No noxious chemicals. Indeed, no chemicals at all. You will also be able to manipulate them to your satisfaction. Something you could not do with film unless you have a darkroom and some rather expensive instruments..
Either way come back here for advice.
Mickey
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puderse
Contributing Member
Posts: 16
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Post by puderse on Oct 23, 2017 9:50:08 GMT -5
"Digital photography" is to photography as "military music" is to music
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Post by raybar on Oct 23, 2017 11:50:13 GMT -5
Film is virtually obsolete now. It has been replaced by digital cameras . . . One of my sisters works for a large public school system near Boston where she controls some of the money. Various departments - - photography, music, art, sports - - need her approval when purchasing things, and she has them on a rotating schedule such that each year one department gets money for new equipment while the others just get normal funding for the year. One year the music department can buy new instruments, the next year the sports department gets the money, and so on. A while back when it was photography's turn, they talked her into building new darkrooms. They were adamant that they should stick with film even though it was (or should have been) obvious that the world was going digital. Those new darkrooms became storage rooms within a couple years because nobody was shooting film. A lot of money wasted on obsolete technology. Next time photography got the money, she said they were trying to bamboozle her with technical jargon they knew a former music teacher wouldn't understand. This time they wanted the top model offered by their vendor (a school supply company she is required to use). Well, no, beginning students don't need high-end cameras, and after Susan talked to me, they didn't get them. They got Canon SLRs (one of the cheaper EOS Rebel models) with kit lens for much less per unit than what they "just had to have." Which brings me back to "You should be able to get a good and versatile used digital camera from an honest, money back if not satisfied, dealer at a very reasonable price," with which I completely agree. |
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Post by btr0423a on Oct 23, 2017 17:45:40 GMT -5
Thanks to everyone for your replies, it's given me some good points to think about. Upon finding the camera I had fond memories of developing film with my ex when we were in college and she was a photo major, where we had access to the campus darkroom anytime we wanted, and film and other supplies were provided by the school or her parents wallets. While I definitely still want to explore the film option (and soon), I've come to the conclusion (with the help of your posts) that I should probably start with a foundation that lets me learn the basics without wasting a lot of money and expensive film and supplies. Thanks everyone, I'm sure I'll need a lot more advice in the future, so it's good to know that you're there.
-Bryan
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Post by btr0423a on Oct 23, 2017 17:50:06 GMT -5
Also, thank you to raybar for the manual pdf, it seems to be the exact same setup as my model. Much appreciated!
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