Ok so you guys have got me intrigued with this film camera talk. So I have dusted off the Agfa sillete I have here and after a bit of a struggle I have got the film in and taken 3 shots. My next problem is the distance dial isnt moving and the instructions just say rotate dial, its stuck on infinity. Not sure if its me or the camera. Steep learning curve here, my old film cameras were not slrs :)
@monika64 The grease on the ring has probably gone solid over the years. Try using a hair drier to warm it up, move the hair drier evenly around the ring, and then some brute strength to twist it.
PS Use the actual Butkus site for camera manuals, he does a lot of work sourcing and scanning manuals. Cameramanuals.com and other sites are ripping of his work.
Good luck with it Monika! Film cameras are lots of fun, I've gone through 2 rolls now and I'm addicted! I've recently been given an OM10 in addition to the one I got off ebay and am trying to source a manual adapter for it.
@peterdegraaff You have certainly taken some amazing shots using film :) Maybe I should dust the SLR off... I think it was only the flash broken on it... which I don't generally use anyway....
@peterdegraaff LOL Peter, not sure it has missed me.... the poor thing hasn't been used in MANY years. I never had a clue how to use it other than point and shoot... so it would be interesting seeing as now I do have a lot more knowledge than then and even that is still very basic... but STACKS more than then lol. Thanks, might just check it all turns on etc first and I might just give it a go :)
@peterdegraaff LOL you are probably correct! It's a Canon EOS 1000F and Andy's old one is a Canon EOS 300. Both need batteries. Ok, so if I buy some film, where do you suggest getting it developed? The Kodak shop that used to be near me closed down, there is K Mart and Big W. There's a Rabbit??? I think in another shopping centre, although not the easiest with kids in tow.
@peterdegraaff@38mm@monika64@aleksandra@ozziehoffy I just received my 1955 Nikon S2 w/Nikkor-S.C 1.4 5cm lens from the post (this is the one I mentioned earlier Peter, where it was just advertised as an "Old Nikon") and it is very close to mint! Straight out of the box I will be putting some film through it today. I am glad there is such a resurgence in film interest, as a good film camera can produce digital-like quality (like this image: http://365project.org/grizzlysghost/365 and most of Peter's :)) And Jase is exactly right, the first thing to do is hairdryer. This should free up your focus ring BUT it may still not actually focus (the inner focal element may stay frozen, let's hope not). Good luck!
@ozziehoffy I enquired at Big W, where I bought the film, its about $12 to develop, get prints and put them on a disc (only $1 nore to get them on adisc). So actually cheaper than it used to be.
@grace2012 Most of the film at Lofico is reasonably priced so it is hard to go past. I like Kodak Ektar 100. It is very fine grained and the colours are magic. Some ofthe shots I have posted in last couple ofdays are taken with this. It is a C41 film so it can be developed at the local Kodak or Fuji one hour shop if there is one nearby still. I also like some of the Colour reversal ie slide films but these are E6 processing so need to go to a pro lab, as does some black and white film. I take mine to VisionImage lab in Redfern. If you want to do black and white and have a one hour shop nearby get some Kodak BW400 or Ilford XP2: these are both chromogenic films which can be developed using C41 colour processing at the local one hour shop. Both are relatively fast so are ideal to experiment with.
@ozziehoffy You probably can get batteries at supermarket. I get mie at Coles or Woollies. If it is an old style artery you might have to look on Internet. Let me know if it is hard cos can always steer you in right direction if batteries are exotic. With kids in tow, I would probably go to the one in a mall somewhere, drop off film, go shopping, have a latte, and then pickup. Because I like using 120 size film I have invested in a decent scanner. There are small 35mm scanners that are available. The Big W deal sounds pretty good to get processed, prints and scanned for $13.
@peterdegraaff Peter... would you say to use a 400 ISO film? I usually do 100 ISO with digital. I have a photo and negative scanner we have from a business we used to use... it's an all rounder as in, scans all different forms, photocopies and whatever else it does. However, for ease, it's probably easier just to pay an extra $1 so I have one less thing to do :) The battery in my camera is one of those funny stuck together type ones... looks like 2 AA's stuck together in a slight curve... make sense? Last time I bought one I think it was around $20. I will check the $2 shop down the road, he has a good variety of batteries... never know. Andy's is just 2 AA's... just need to sort out the view finder on it... falls off! lol.
@monika64 Oh it is cheaper lol... used to be I think $20 minimum? That's not a bad deal..... I have 2 Big W's fairly close by... Morayfield and North Lakes.
@ozziehoffy I prefer to use 100ASA where possible because the grain is finer, including with B&W. Notwithstanding, the Kodak BW400 and Ilford XP2 are relatively fine and sharp 400ASA films that can be processed at your local shop, Big W, etc, because these are both C41 films. Most other B&W will need to be sent away to be processed. Im sure you will find some batteries. Yours sounds like a quite decent Canon.
@peterdegraaff Thanks Peter... will try to get the battery sorted and take it from there. It was pretty much the top one in it's day... hopefully a new battery will jump start it into life again :)
@ozziehoffy Bet the battery is a 2cr5? Was looking at the batteries in the Kadak Express in Kiama. Looks like two AA batteries stuck together. Costs $18.50. Just dropped off two rolls. She said come back in half an hour as she has the developer turned on. Guess might go get a latte or some fush n chups
@peterdegraaff Oooh yes indeed, that is correct. I didn't even look for that on it before lol. Enjoy your latte or fush n chups.... look forward to your shots :)
@swilde Thanks Sue. I'll have to go to a camera shop or a photo shop... which means this will be waiting another week or so. I have no inclination to go near the big shops in the near future lol.
@peterdegraaff as far as film scanners go do you have any recommendations of what to look for when shopping for one? I need to buy one because the scans I got back from walmart are AWFUL.
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I've seriously no clue what I'm doing. http://www.cameramanuals.org/agfa_ansco/agfa_silette.pdf
The old lady that sold it to me at a Garage sale told me that they have new cameras now that dont need film. What a cool concept ;)
PS Use the actual Butkus site for camera manuals, he does a lot of work sourcing and scanning manuals. Cameramanuals.com and other sites are ripping of his work.
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/
Butkus is the place to find a manual. See @38mm has already done this
Or Fujicolour C200 if I'm poor but the weather is good.
@monika64 Oh it is cheaper lol... used to be I think $20 minimum? That's not a bad deal..... I have 2 Big W's fairly close by... Morayfield and North Lakes.