The Simple Things in Life

[Theodore]

Picked up another OM with a Vivitar 28-105, all the original packaging and literature, along with a leather case for $25.

God I love film!

[cameron665]

Good pick up Theodore. Which model OM? There is no doubt that there are bargins to be had as the stampede to digital continues.

[Theodore]

OM40/PC

Has fancier metering than my OM20/G and full mirror lock up. Lots of good deals if you get the double digit OMs, simply because they are more overlooked than the "professional" single digits. Not like any camera will help my pictures anyway. :wink5:

[Xia_Ke]

$25?!?! Nice score! :thumbsup:

...God I love film!

Don't you mean I love digital?...LOL Thank you all you digi users for without you we couldn't get deals like that

[brmill26]

$Don't you mean I love digital?...LOL Thank you all you digi users for without you we couldn't get deals like that

Haha, seriously, the more I do, the more I realize that my digital camera is my "work" camera - for client jobs, sports - and my film cameras are the ones I pull out when I'm going out to do "art." And since we're all doing this on a budget, thank God for digital dropping our prices to insane levels! Heck, I ran a quick search on eBay, and I found Nikkor manual lenses going for $50-$100 that would cost nearly $1,000 if it were AF with that speed of glass. Unbelievable... it's like we've won the lottery!

[Xia_Ke]

...Heck, I ran a quick search on eBay, and I found Nikkor manual lenses going for $50-$100 that would cost nearly $1,000 if it were AF with that speed of glass. Unbelievable... it's like we've won the lottery!

Damn, now if only the price on 4x5 - 8x10 field cameras would drop that low :cryin: :cryin: :cryin:

[drg]

Damn, now if only the price on 4x5 - 8x10 field cameras would drop that low :cryin: :cryin: :cryin:

Aaron you might be surprised what you can buy if you dig around. The worst thing is so many of these cameras are being sold as purely collectors items now or for spare parts.

I picked up several lens boards and a couple with pre-war Zeiss optics and Compur-Rapid shutters for nearly nothing in October. I may actually use them once or twice just to say I have.

If there are more than a couple hundred true working 8x10 field cameras left in the world I'd be shocked! There were never very many of them anyway. Most of the folding 4x5 cameras I've seen for well over ten years are pieces of junk photographically. The materials used in many of them were not great quality other than maybe the lens/shutter and some of the bellows fittings. There are a handful of exceptions. I'd even suggest buying two or three very inexpensive ones and 'building your own'. All you really need with these is developing trays. 4x5 contact prints are things of beauty and why bother fussing with an enlarger in that case.

Hey keep shooting film. I'll think of you every time I walk by and dust off the film holders for the Sinar.

[Xia_Ke]

...Hey keep shooting film. I'll think of you every time I walk by and dust off the film holders for the Sinar.

Do I dare ask what exactly you would be thinking?...LOL

I have thought about doing 4x5 contact prints for a while but, I really like 8x10 as a print size. I was thinking either getting a 4x5 to enlarge to 8x10 or getting an 8x10 and doing solely contact printing. Right now I'm primarily eying a Graflex Super Graphic. They seem to be running $400 - $500 in really good condition physically and mechanically with lens and film holders. They're suppose to be very well built plus the have front shift, tilt, and swing unlike similar cameras of that design. I would really like to get a nice old Wisner, Wista, or Deardoff but, those are out of my price range for now. Any thoughts on other cameras I should consider? I've looked at some old Koronas, Kodak Masterviews, etc but, they still fetch good money when they are in good condition. Otherwise, when they go cheaper, you're usually looking at patching/replacing bellow, missing fittings, etc.

[Theodore]

25. Too bad it's rubber clad, that'll be the first to go. Going to order a red leather kit from camera leather.

Technically, my OMG was free, but if I ever dropped it and broke it, I'd have the satisfaction of knowing I just broke my mother's university graduation gift from her father.

[Theodore]

Ouch Aaron, that's a big camera to be hoping for a good deal on.

[Xia_Ke]

One can dream right? I have a feeling I'll be jumping on an old Speed Graphic or Super Graphic in the not too distant future. The thing that sucks is I need to swap over all my processing and printing gear for the jump up to large format. I'm thinking I can pull off a changeover to basic 4x5 for about $800. Problem is I don't have $800 right now :cryin:

[Theodore]

It's too bad professional digital stuff depreciates so quickly where as large format doesn't.

I might just pick up a Holga today.

Ever built a Dirkon? I tried at least 6 times..ended up throwing them all out

[Xia_Ke]

Holgas are a blast and can't be beat for the price. You should definitely pick one up. Haven't tried any paper pinholes yet. Not sure why. I actually have a couple printed out at home, just haven't put them together yet. Speaking of which, that's another camera I have had my eye on, a good pinhole. Would love to pick up a Zero Image 69 or 45. I need to pick up another job...LOL

[Theodore]

Came with a Pentax ZX20 AF SLR for 5 bucks more!

28-90 zoom. 30 for 2 SLRs is bitchin! both in great shape.

[Theodore]

They are always watching...

Sorry that my mirror bounce attempt didn't work..The Pentax isn't a fast enough lens and the OMPC wasn't lined up.

The Vivitar on the OMPC does a cool 2.8 and works perfectly with a crisp aperature. The OMPC also has no discernible mirror slap, much to my surprise.

The Pentax functions perfectly, it's a fun lazy camera.

[brmill26]

Good looking cameras, Theordore.

Aaron, as drg said, I think your problem is created by the very small supply of those kind of cameras (vs. the supply of quality Nikon manual lenses, for example, being well in the millions). The market for field cameras requires a very dedicated, knowledgeable photographer; so in other words, it doesn't change much. As those cameras get older and more worn out, the supply continues to decrease, likely quicker than those of us interesting in having/shooting them.

Nonetheless, I'd imagine some vigilance on eBay would eventually yield a result in 4x5 format, as I seem to run across those with some frequency. For example, on a quick search of "4x5 camera", a Busch Pressman 4x5 with Zeiss Tessar lens. Of course, it all depends on the condition of the piece, etc. And one thing that helps, this one ends on a Monday morning, which is kind of an odd time, which may keep some people from bidding on it.

[Xia_Ke]

That be the 3 Musketeers Theodore?

Brad, while those press cameras can be had for cheap, one of the reasons I want to move to large format is for the "movements". Most press cameras only have rise/drop and tilt control of the front standards, with none for the back. The Super Graphic I was looking at is one of the few that also offers shift and swing control for the front along iwth a rotating back. Ideally I would love to get a full field camera with rear standard movements as well but, like I said, out of my range right now.

[brmill26]

Ahhh, I forgot about the back movements as well... yeah I guess that really makes your options extremely narrow. Sometimes there just isn't a way around it.

[Xia_Ke]

...Sometimes there just isn't a way around it.

That's what I'm finding. Guess I'll start a piggy bank...LOL

[bmetzler]

You guys have got me longing for my old OM-1 which was stolen in a burglary of my home some years back. Damn, I LOVED that little camera. They also got an OM-10 that was my wife's camera and a few lenses.

On top of that my darkroom succumbed to the birth of my two kids when I needed the bedroom I was using. It was a nice set up, with a closet converted to a wet area. I used to do 35 mm B&W and E-6 slides and wasted lots of nights to get a few good pics.

I did try the e-bay route a while back on a couple of OM-1's, but I was not successful. I've got a NIkon N70 35 mm and a D 50 digital, but I would love to get back to a simpler form of manual camera and not have to sometimes out-think an automatic camera. Also, auto cameras set to manual are a bit cumbersome I find.

Anyway, you've got me thinking....

[Xia_Ke]

If you still want an OM-1, now's the time to be looking. I've been seeing a lot of really nice deals on them including several CLA'd bodies with battery voltage conversions done and in excellent condition for about $100. You can easily pick up kits with a couple lenses for about $200 now.