Conky, I'd love to think you were one of the guys singing psalms on the dock in protest at the Sabbath-breaking ferry run. I'd bet money you weren't, though. Slainte, as they probably say more in AB than they do in Lewis.

Welcome, elscotto.

Al

Thanks for the link, John. A lot of black-and-white conversions we see don't quite work and it's often difficult to decide why. This approach seems to be one way of coming closer to the "feel" of B&W film. Looks like a good project for the dark winter nights.

Al

Samsung GX-10 (award-winning etc etc). Bought in December 2008 and lightly used. Immaculate condition. Latest firmware update. Boxed with all the bits. Complete with Samsung D-Xenon 18-55, which is virtually unused and in mint condition because of early "upgrade" to 16-45. Lens hood and caps. Both for £275 including next-day special delivery. I'm selling it only because I picked up a GX-20 at a good price. Doubt it will give me better pictures, though.

Pentax MZ-M film camera. For younger folk, it's a light but well-built KA-mount manual-focus camera with the body and much of the technology borrowed from the MZ-5N AF model. PASM modes and 2 FPS winder. Immaculate condition, with new batteries. Included is a home-made but
darned smart-looking remote release. Capable of taking top-notch photos with a good lens. £40 plus postage.

Pentax FA35-80 f4-5.6. Came with the MZ-M. Lightly used. £20 plus postage (or postage free is bought with MZ-M).

Pentax A 35-105 constant f3.5. Immaculate condition. Extremely sharp. A substantial piece of kit -- ie heavier and larger than the modern equivalent but built like a tank. It stayed on my film Pentaxes. £100 including postage. You can check out user opinions at the link at the end.

Pentax P30-T film camera. Excellent condition. £25 plus postage.

link

Cracking picture, John. But I suspect you would have done as well with a P30t and a "standard" 50mm lens. The key is the photographer's eye and, in this case, a charming subject.

Good job.

Al

I use P mode about 75% of the time. I like the option of adjusting the shutter speed directly if it's getting a little low for hand-holding, but of course it's just as easy to alter the aperture in Av to get the same result.

Av is my preferred option in bright situations, where the shutter speed is less likely to fall below a hand-holdable level at the chosen aperture.

All in all, I don't think there's much to choose between the modes. Tv is more convenient for action shots (of which I take few) and Av is marginally quicker for shots where DoF is the key, but fractions of a seconds don't make much difference in landscape work. It's down to personal preference and another example of wider choices creating further dilemmas for the photographer.

My old Minolta XK has Av and manual -- so one less thing to worry about.

Al

If nothing else, this conversion demonstrates how our legal draftsmen can keep battalions of well-paid lawyers in business. Doormen, on the other hand, can be your friend. I remember once in London many years ago being allowed in to Stringfellows nightclub wearing a Canadian logger's mackinaw jacket and rather scruffy trousers. The doormen obviously knew a man of quality when they saw one and probably assumed I was a rich eccentric. They might have been right about the eccentric bit.

Al

It was actually second-hand, Polchraine, although technically just a "demonstrator" and very good value because of that (if it worked). I certainly would have expected a replacement if it had been new. It's now in a package destined for JPSS again tomorrow. Damn the high voltage on my old Vivitar 283. It may not have P-TTL but it gave perfect exposures virtually every time for 30-odd years on my "proper" cameras.

A nostalgic Al

Many thanks. I suspect a little spring might now be sitting under some technician's bench.

Al

The postie arrived this morning with the AF-360FGZ I bought in March and which has been in transit to or from the repair technicians ever since. The third repair attempt, a new PCB, has solved the control wheel problem and it now works perfectly. However, there are now no click stops on the bounce. The instruction book says there should be, but I can't remember if there were or not, it's been so long since I had it in my hands. Can anyone let me know? It locks properly at the 90deg position but there is no hint of a "click" at the other marked positions. Quite honestly, I'm in no mood to return it again and it seems to stay in position quite firmly. I'm just curious.

Many thanks

Al Rogers

I bought a Bolex P1 standard 8mm camera at an auction about 10 years ago because I'd always admired its superb Swiss engineering. Went as far as getting a B/W film and this is still sitting in the camera, with a couple of minutes of unprocessed test footage. That's probably where it will stay. One of the only companies still providing pretty comprehensive service for 8mm cine is the Widescreen Centre. They still do proper telecine.

Good luck.

Al Rogers

link