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Old 8th February 2012, 09:12 PM
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CambsIan CambsIan is offline
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Default Vintage Cameras

Time for a stupid question from a "newbie"

After reading about all the older cameras people still use, and how they enjoy using them. I thought I'd give it a go, and have recently bought a couple of older 120 film cameras Vokar B ( I think ) and a Dacora Digna. Got them in time for the better weather !!

My question is this, do I put in the slowest film I can find to try to mimic the older films ? Then use a light meter to get an idea of exposure times or just wing it ?

Will probably stick to B+W to start with.

Any tips tricks or advice would be most welcome
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Old 9th February 2012, 07:20 AM
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It all depends what you want to do. I'd be inclined to use a relatively forgiving film like Tri-X 400, take a basic meter reading of the palm of your hand before you go out and see what you can see.
I did a similar thing recently with my Nikon F whose meter isn't doing very well - exposures were totally guessed in all sorts of different lighting situations (from stormy daylight to night time); I processed in semi-stand HC110 Dil B, and to be honest there were only a handful of underexposed frames.
I think the lens will dictate the look as presumably you'll be looking for a typical uncoated and less contrast/slightly flarey shadows look, and the reason I suggested Tri-X is it is really forgiving - this being said it you want to go slower -Rollei's RPX 100 is also quite oldy-worldy looking with the right lens.
Phil
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Old 9th February 2012, 07:37 AM
DebraW DebraW is offline
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I'd second what Phil says. And I'd check the shutter fires. testing all the combinations without a film loaded to avoid wasting a whole roll.
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Old 9th February 2012, 08:14 AM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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I use older cameras almost exclusively, my oldest is a camera from the 1930's, a Voightlander Bessa 66, up to a Rolleicord Va11 from ROUND 1961, and alsorts in between,both 35mm and 120,. I use modern films quite happily, using either fomapan 400 or tri x, and have used HP5, I like 400 as I tend to hand hold, and with filters, yellow or orange, the film speed can fall off, and I would be fussy about metering, I use a Weston master V, which is accurate, but any hand held meter will do, so my awnser is use whatever film you like, but I would suggest 400, and be as careful as possible about metering, and that way you can get the best out of these beautiful old cameras, but be careful, they can become very addictive, I started with a camera found at a Car Boot sale for a couple of pounds, never intending to use it, decided to give it a try, and became hooked,and started collecting working classic cameras, and every one gets used, which is more than can be said for my Bronica Outfit, so have fun, which is what it is all about.
Richard
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Old 9th February 2012, 09:30 AM
Paulographic Paulographic is offline
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I have a few old folders and use 400 ISO film so that I can stop down well giving good depth of field to ensure accurate focus with the front cell focussing most of these employ.
Some have irises that stop down beyond the smallest indicated apeture, there may be a symbol after the last f number. I have this on two of mine and on one, a Balda, an old camera dealer told me this symbol means f64. Useful on a tripod with long exposures.
I've locked the shutter open on all of them and looked at the iris and at pointer on the barrel to get a better idea of where it lies in relationship to the printed/engraved f number as sometimes it's uncertain just where to set it.
I used to load a few in advance and drop them in a bag or coat pockets, being lightweight, and never change film, just camera.

Had a Dacora Digna but didn't like it.
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Old 9th February 2012, 10:29 AM
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I very much enjoy using old cameras too... with a little work and patience you can have them working like new and use them in the same way you would any camera, but you don't want to do that with every camera. I enjoy the variety.
I use the cheapest film I can find and process in diafine to even out the inevitable exposure issues with an old camera that may not have been used for fifty years or more. Unless the camera has a major fault I always get something that will print.
Favourites for me are the Super Ikonta B, Bessa II and Rolleicord, but I'm always trying out more. An Ensign Popular is next, which I last used a couple of years ago....
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Old 9th February 2012, 04:52 PM
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Thanks for the replies,

On the Vokar the the f stops are listed as 6.3, 8, 11 and 16. I've just checked and as Paulographic said the lever goes beyond the 16, no marking but guess it would be 22. Does that seem right ?

Lens is listed as a Ilex Anastigmat ?

Thanks DebraW for the heads up. Speeds are listed as T, B, 100, 50 and 25. All seem to fire ok, but no way of testing the actual speed.

Have previously tried shining a torch "wrong way up" the bellows and no obvious pin holes. But back seems a bit loose, so guess a bit of tape all the way round the back might be a sensible idea.

I like the finer grain of the slower films, but hand held shooting appeals as well.
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Old 9th February 2012, 05:19 PM
Paulographic Paulographic is offline
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[QUOTE=CambsIan;64288]
On the Vokar the the f stops are listed as 6.3, 8, 11 and 16. I've just checked and as Paulographic said the lever goes beyond the 16, no marking but guess it would be 22. Does that seem right ?

QUOTE]

The lever will go beyond the mark (at either end often) what matters is whether the iris closes down any more.
I open the iris till the blades just disappear and see where the marker lies (left of, right of, centre) of the f number knowing that it needs to be in a similar position to the other numbers to be at that selected aperture.
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Old 9th February 2012, 05:20 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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To test the bellows for light leaks the best way I have found is to fire a small flash into the bellows in a dark room,I don't know the Voker,but the shutter speeds are right, as long as the speeds sound right, each speed about twice as long as the previous, and not sticking, then you should be fine, clockwork shutters are fairly reliable, I don't get much trouble with mine, but if I do, and the camera is worth it, I;E a rare or valuable camera, or perhaps one I like a lot, it will get a shutter service at Newton and Ellis,if not then a few drops of Ronsonal will sometimes clean the shutter, but if it is working then leave well alone, just fire the shutters at every speed reguarly, that keeps them happy, apart from that just have fun, as for bellows, it is rare to get leaks,in several years of collecting and using these old folders I have only once had a bellows leak, and that was due to someone carelessly removing a shutter and tearing the bellows, so have fun with them and let us know how you get on.
Richard
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Old 10th February 2012, 05:26 PM
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http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=2585...illiant&m=text

Hope you can see the photos from my 1930's Voigtlander'Brilliant' I was given recently ! After a good 'clean up' it resolved all the details very well on two outdated films 2001 Agfa APX 400 and 2005 Ilford Delta 400
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Computerised and Slightly DIGITISED but FILM still RULES with ME !
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