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An 'Old Friend' back again !

Peter Elgar
Posted 09/12/2016 - 12:12 Link
I got back an 'Old Friend' the other day -- my ORIGINAL Asahi Pentax S3 bought for £87 in 1961 in a Camera Shop in Barking, Essex !! I had sold it to a bloke over 30 years ago and he said " It was not Working any more" -- when he brought it round it looked Very Sad -- the lens was COVERED in DUST ! I cleaned up the body with Cotton Buds ( 'Q-Tips' for you Yanks -- but we still LOVE you ! ) I brushed off the lens dust and cleaned with lens fluid and tissues and it was NOT SCRATCHED !! Then I took off the base-plate and with very small amount of Sewing Machine Oil lubricated all the Cogs and Levers -- then gently wound on and LO !! and BEHOLD !! It creaked into life again !! I took a few frames on Fuji Acros processed in my Home-Made Microphen at different shutter speeds and mostly at full aperture and shutter seems accurate -- lens is a bit 'soft' at f1.8 compared with my Super-Takumars and the 50mm f1.4 SMC Takumar of my Spotmatic F but not bad for 55 years old camera !
Comment Image
Asahi Pentax S3 01 by Peter Elgar, on Flickr
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Asahi Pentax S3 02 by Peter Elgar, on Flickr
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Asahi Pentax S3 03 by Peter Elgar, on Flickr
Been a member of Pentax Club since the Ron Spillman era! Got COMPUTERISED at last - DIGITISED?
Taken the PLUNGE - BUT FILM STILL RULES !!!
johnriley
Posted 09/12/2016 - 12:34 Link
Glad to hear the reunion is working out well!
Best regards, John
joostdh
Posted 09/12/2016 - 12:53 Link
Fantastic that you can give this special camera the love it needed. Now it's back in shape who knows: another 30 years of service?
Pentax K-1| D-FA 24-70mm | FA 43mm F1.9 Ltd | FA* 85mm F1.4 | D-FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR | DA* 200mm F2.8 | Pentax AF 540FGZ
womble
Posted 09/12/2016 - 16:42 Link
What an excellent story. Have fun with your reunion. I wonder who has my MX which was stolen on the Paris Metro a few years back...?
Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
richandfleur
Posted 11/12/2016 - 06:35 Link
Cool story!
bwlchmawr
Posted 11/12/2016 - 07:41 Link
What a great story, Pete. These 1960s SLRs look special, don't they?
womble wrote:
What an excellent story. Have fun with your reunion. I wonder who has my MX which was stolen on the Paris Metro a few years back...?

I don't know about that, Kris, but I'm happy to report that your old K10D is still working well.
Best wishes,

Andrew

"These places mean something and it's the job of a photographer to figure-out what the hell it is."
Robert Adams
"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference.  All of them can record what you are seeing.  But, you have to SEE."
Ernst Hass
My website: http://www.ephotozine.com/user/bwlchmawr-199050 http://s927.photobucket.com/home/ADC3440/index
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78898196@N05
Edited by bwlchmawr: 11/12/2016 - 07:42
womble
Posted 11/12/2016 - 22:35 Link
bwlchmawr wrote:
What a great story, Pete. These 1960s SLRs look special, don't they?
womble wrote:
What an excellent story. Have fun with your reunion. I wonder who has my MX which was stolen on the Paris Metro a few years back...?

I don't know about that, Kris, but I'm happy to report that your old K10D is still working well.

Glad to hear it. I was very fond of that camera, although I'll admit to be quite attached to my K3. I don't know why I was never so happy with the K20, somehow the images never seemed that sharp. My only complaint with the K3 is the size of the files. I've had to invest in a 4TB raid array...!
Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
Peter Elgar
Posted 12/12/2016 - 09:09 Link
get yourself a 1961 S3 -- all you do is stick the negs into some neg sleeves ----
Been a member of Pentax Club since the Ron Spillman era! Got COMPUTERISED at last - DIGITISED?
Taken the PLUNGE - BUT FILM STILL RULES !!!
womble
Posted 12/12/2016 - 14:03 Link
I have an S1a which is close, and a very nice SV...
Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
Peter Elgar
Posted 12/12/2016 - 17:13 Link
I just did a VIDEO on this showing how I renovated it and some actual Old PRINTS taken with it -- you can see it here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5GYIlVvg_s
Been a member of Pentax Club since the Ron Spillman era! Got COMPUTERISED at last - DIGITISED?
Taken the PLUNGE - BUT FILM STILL RULES !!!
Posted 12/12/2016 - 17:16 Link
Wow £87 in 1961 was a lot of money!
bwlchmawr
Posted 12/12/2016 - 17:22 Link
womble wrote:
bwlchmawr wrote:
What a great story, Pete. These 1960s SLRs look special, don't they?
Quote:
What an excellent story. Have fun with your reunion. I wonder who has my MX which was stolen on the Paris Metro a few years back...?

I don't know about that, Kris, but I'm happy to report that your old K10D is still working well.

Glad to hear it. I was very fond of that camera, although I'll admit to be quite attached to my K3. I don't know why I was never so happy with the K20, somehow the images never seemed that sharp. My only complaint with the K3 is the size of the files. I've had to invest in a 4TB raid array...!

File size and computer power is something to consider when buying one of these powerful new cameras. I guess full frame is even more demanding. But I'd love a K1 just to use my meagre collection of manual focus K-mount lenses. Particularly my "M" 28mm 3.5. I can always dream...
Best wishes,

Andrew

"These places mean something and it's the job of a photographer to figure-out what the hell it is."
Robert Adams
"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference.  All of them can record what you are seeing.  But, you have to SEE."
Ernst Hass
My website: http://www.ephotozine.com/user/bwlchmawr-199050 http://s927.photobucket.com/home/ADC3440/index
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78898196@N05
womble
Posted 12/12/2016 - 17:54 Link
bwlchmawr wrote:
womble wrote:
Quote:
What a great story, Pete. These 1960s SLRs look special, don't they?
womble wrote:
What an excellent story. Have fun with your reunion. I wonder who has my MX which was stolen on the Paris Metro a few years back...?

I don't know about that, Kris, but I'm happy to report that your old K10D is still working well.

Glad to hear it. I was very fond of that camera, although I'll admit to be quite attached to my K3. I don't know why I was never so happy with the K20, somehow the images never seemed that sharp. My only complaint with the K3 is the size of the files. I've had to invest in a 4TB raid array...!

File size and computer power is something to consider when buying one of these powerful new cameras. I guess full frame is even more demanding. But I'd love a K1 just to use my meagre collection of manual focus K-mount lenses. Particularly my "M" 28mm 3.5. I can always dream...



I'd love to be able to use my K28mm shift on the K-1. The K17 fisheye would actually be fishy too! One day...
Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.

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