Have we talked about film cameras lately?

In reply to 93EXCivic :

It auto corrects the writing?

long story behind it, but sleepydad found a camera from sleepymom's dad he didn't remember:     .  

which still had this inside...

No idea how old that is.  Could be 60s through to 90s.  Should I take it that somewhere local, or mail it somewhere for best results?

In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :

If you need a film lab, our local one does mail order: Reformed Film Lab. 

In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :

Although not sure if they do 620. Might need to call. 

Slippery said:

In reply to 93EXCivic :

It auto corrects the writing?

He is covering the rangefinder window with his finger so you wouldn't be able to focus.

David S. Wallens said:

In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :

Although not sure if they do 620. Might need to call. 

I would be amazed if somewhere that did 120 could do 120. 620 is just 120 on a skinner spool.

Whatever you do, keep the 620 spool. It's not just that the 620 spools are slimmer, but the holes that accept the camera mechanism are smaller as well. You can cut down the lip on 120 spools for the feed side, but you need a 620 spool on the take-up side. I've run numerous 620 cameras this way.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I can do small batches of 35, 120, and 4x5. :) I shoot way more film than I should. 

In reply to VegasNick :

I still need to shoot more film....

02Pilot said:

Whatever you do, keep the 620 spool. It's not just that the 620 spools are slimmer, but the holes that accept the camera mechanism are smaller as well. You can cut down the lip on 120 spools for the feed side, but you need a 620 spool on the take-up side. I've run numerous 620 cameras this way.

You mean the empty spool that was in the camera?  Or the spool that the film is wrapped around?

If the latter, that means I need to try and unwrap the film from the spool before sending it off, or I need to request that it be sent back?

Logically, the empty spool in the camera is the spool on which the 620 film went into the camera and is therefore a 620 spool.  Assuming the camera hasn't been used in decades, the spool containing the exposed film is likely a 620 spool also.

If you load 120 into the camera, you can use the 620 spool to take up the film, after which you will have to either re-spool the exposed film back onto the 120 spool in complete darkness, or request that whoever does the film processing return your 620 spool.

In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :

Yeah, just request it be returned. Any place that's still developing 620 should not question the request. I really only shoot B&W in my 620 stuff, and I develop that myself, so it's not really an issue.

So, as an aside, sometime last year Sleepydad passed on his Yashica-Mat to me...

If I end up getting my stuff together enough to shoot film... it'll probably be 120 on there.  It's been a long time since I shot film, though, and that had an integrated automatic exposure system.

The 620 Duaflex is still at the sleepyparents, and this is more about finding out if there's any shots taken by sleepymom's dad (iirc) that are develop-able... "just because"

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I carry a Canon AE1 with me most everywhere I go. That or a Zenit. Horrible habits. LOL

In reply to VegasNick :

Why the Zenit? Which one? 

I keep finding random local deals, keep encountering people in the Tampa area who buy up stuff from estate sales and resell things, even then the resellers are still selling some camera equipment at a reasonable cost...and offerup seems to have some surprise finds. 

Like the unexpected buy of Mamiya 645 1000s that works and came with a 45mm and 85mm along with 40+ year old film, but the shape and size just feel odd to use. Has the typical prism mirror degradation and honestly its hard to focus it. Loaded some porta 800 I got from the local lab and only used it a few times. Want to shoot with it more, but that size really holds me back...would be a fun conversation starter though...

Contrast that, I also bought Olympus XA4 at, which I've been off and on looking for a working XA series camera (after I bought a DOA XA). Price was reasonable, not crackhead priced like the Mamiya was, but cheaper than ebay.

I think I have a thing for 80s manual film advance compacts with detachable flashes because lately as I also use my Minolta AF-C quite a bit.

I need to thin the herd though...anyone want two dissambled Zorki 1s for cheap for parts? I attempted to replace the shutter curtains and gave up on it. Thought I could replace the rotted curtains as a learning experience, and got it sort of working, but it was much harder than I expected it to be...

Also have a Yashica TL-Super m42 mount with 50mm 1.4 that I don't expect to be using that would be a good starter SLR (meter is non functional).

In reply to aw614 :

Nice find on the Mamiya!  I had been looking for something 645 and made a small investment in a Bronica ETRS system, and picked up a wide-angle lens from Japan just around Christmas.  I've been enjoying the image quality inherent in a larger negative, shooting B&W and processing at home and printing in a darkroom workshop offered by the local art museum.  I'd be most curious to know about how much you paid for the Mamiya, but of course I would never ask. 

VegasNick said:

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I carry a Canon AE1 with me most everywhere I go. That or a Zenit. Horrible habits. LOL

I’ll allow it. :) 

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

Just under 100 dollars lol. With some of the minor issues it had with lens fungus (that mostly cleaned up) and needing new light seals, was well worth it. Did come with a Canon 90 degree right angle finder go figure lol.

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

I have several. Mainly shoot the TTL. I can't tell you why I love the thing other than it's so purely mechanical and heavy. By most standards it is a giant smoking pile, but I truly love it. The Helios lens, if you take time to focus it, is just amazing.