Sunday, February 26, 2012

Chinon DP-5 35 mm SLR Camera with Double AE Program and Double MF/AF Focus System


1. The most sophisticated 35 mm SLR available from Chinon.

2. A true pioneer of muti-programmed 35mm SLR cameras.

3. A body with two focus systems (MF or AF):
    - Manual focus with standard "K"- Mount lents
    - Three electronic AF contacts above the lens mount for Chinon AF lens and zoom.
       However, the AF lens are very rarely to find.

4. Full automatic operation is also possible when used with Chinon power winders and
    wireless remote control.

5. Full information in the viewfinder

6. Manual and multiple exposure

7. Audible signal on or off







Thursday, February 23, 2012

The User's Review: Ricoh XR-S 35 mm Film Camera (released in 1981), The First Green, Solar-Powered Body



Before seeing the camera in its case, I had felt the special feature of XR-S. The sun-roof of the case indicates that the camera needs light.



There is a white button on the side wall of battery well. By pressing it, Battery-S switches the solar charge system on.

The unique thing on the camera once it's out of the case is the two solar panels on each side of the camera roof. The solar panels convert light power into electricity which is used to charge a rechargeable battery (Battery-S) at the bottom of XR-S. Battery-S can be used for ~ 5 years as the manual says. However, the replace part is not available nowadays. I put the solar panels under a room light and measured their output voltage as ~ 3.5 v. I believe that there is a way to find a rechargeable replacement for Battery-S and let the XR-S goes green again. Except the solar power, there is not much different between Rich XR-S and XR7 (= Sear KS-2), which has a smaller roof.






The changeable film door (XR Data Back) and the viewfinder cap





The price tag on XR-S body box shows a price of USD 259.95. 
Saw a XR-s on Ricoh power grip PG-4. Checked both manuals, they do not say the two are compatible. 

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The User's Review: Mamiya / Sekor 1000 35 mm Film DTL SLR Camera, Released in 1968

I got mine in an excellent condition at USD 22 plus 8 shipping.



My 10 numbers about this camera:

1. 1000 indicates 1/1000 sec. top shutter speed
2. 2 (Dual) Through-Lens metering system: spot and average
3. 1st of DTL camera with a patent
4. 1 CdS sensor at the upper-central section of mirror (6% of field) for the spot meter mode
5. 2 such sensors at each side of eyepiece for the average meter mode
6. 42 mm universal threaded lens mount
7. One Eveready S-76E battery (1.55 v, 180 mAh) is needed to power the meter system.
    The good news is that the equivalent battery (e.g., Energizer 357/303) is available today.
8. One extra function of the wind lever: to stop down the aperture and to activate the meter
9. One meter-off-locking button on the top of the wind lever axis
10. One clip-on shoe is needed to hold a flash.


The meter-off lock is off (in UP position). To stop down the aperture and to set the meter on, you need to push the wind lever forward.

The meter-off lock is on (in DOWN position). Press the round lock button on the top of the wind lever, the wind lever will auto-stays in and shut down the meter.

The meter mode switch: up for spot (S) or down for average (A)
The back door lock is on the side.

The brown area on the mirror is the spot meter area.




My 1000 DTL didn't wear any shoe. However, I find that a clip-on shoe from my Pentax Spotmatic is a perfect fit on my 1000 DTL.
I saw all black 1000 DTL too. Mamiya/Sekor also has a 500 DTL, which is different from 1000 DTL by 1/500 sec. top speed. As I know, there are two versions of 500 DTL, with or without a self-timer. Most 500 DTL I saw had no self-timer.

The User's Review: Olympus E-620 Digital SLT Camera, released in 2009





I do not own this camera, but use it frequently on an Olympus microscope in a lab.

The key numbers about the model:

• 12.3 million effective pixels
• 7 focus points
• 4.0 fps continuous shooting
• 1/4000 sec is the top shutter speed.
• 360 degree LCD monitor (vari-angle, swing and tilt)
• 2 CF and xD cards slots



What I like and dislike:

• Well-built body
• LCD monitor can be turned to any direction.
• In-body IS (Image Stabilzation)

• Small viewfinder
• Its battery cabacilty is limited.
• Should have a power supply pluged directly into the wall.





CF card is much cheaper, do you still want the xD card?




With a adapter for microscope