The G.A.S. Station

Contax RTS II Review

2014-04-14T06:40:00.001-04:00

Fujifilm X-T1 - First Impressions

2014-04-14T06:39:00.001-04:00

Pentax 67 Review - A quick look

2014-04-14T06:38:00.001-04:00

Nikon Df - My Thoughts

2014-04-14T06:37:00.001-04:00

New England Camera Show! PHSNE Photographica 80 Fall 2013

2014-04-14T06:36:00.001-04:00

Plaubel Makina 67 Quick Review

2014-04-14T06:34:00.001-04:00

An interview with Abelardo Morell

2013-04-27T20:02:00.004-04:00

I had the opportunity to interview renowned artist/photographer Abelardo Morell. Check it out on youtube!

http://youtu.be/tO3uZJGGueU

Enjoy!

A review of the Leica R8

2012-10-17T17:25:00.003-04:00

A review of the Bronica Zenza S2

2012-10-17T17:25:00.001-04:00

A review of the Contax G1 Rangefinder

2012-10-17T17:24:00.003-04:00

A review of the Leica M Rapidgrip and "Softie" from rapidwinder.com

2012-10-17T17:24:00.001-04:00

A review of the Sony NEX7! This camera is HOT! Way too hot!

2012-10-17T17:21:00.001-04:00

A review of the Leica R7

2012-10-17T17:20:00.001-04:00

My "review" of the Fuji X-pro 1

2012-05-25T06:07:00.001-04:00

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSQ8a7LdP9E&feature=youtube_gdata_player

A Review of the Petri 7s...This Petri dishes out fun!

2012-04-22T01:28:00.000-04:00

Check out my video review of the Petri 7s below!

Win tickets to the PHSNE Photographica Show 77

2012-04-08T11:39:00.000-04:00

Hey folks!

The PHSNE (Photographic Historical Society Of New England) has provided us with four pairs of tickets to give away to their Photographica Show Number 77 in Wakefield, Ma!

You can read my review of the show here.

The tickets are good for both days of the show (April 14th and 15th) We are going to be giving these away to you!

But you have to act fast! You only have THREE DAYS TO ENTER!!!

I will randomly select four lucky people to receive these tickets. But, in order to win, you must be an oldcamreview.com subscriber.

To enter,

1) if you haven't already, subscribe to oldcamreview.com
2) send an email to oldcamreview@gmail.com with "I've got GAS" in the subject line and your subscriber name in the body of the email.
3) Include your real name, address and phone number (all information will be kept in the strictest confidence...no spam, etc...)

All entries must be received by April 12th at 4PM! You will be notified by email if you won. All tickets will be mailed out that day or can be picked up at the show (details on will-call pick up will be provided as needed).

Its not required but if you would like, you can include some info about you, your photography, how bad your G.A.S. is, links to your portfolio, camera collection, your favorite photo etc...

We might even feature you on oldcamreview.com and show the world how truly awesome you are!

So, better hurry, the clock is ticking!

ENTER NOW!!!!

A review of the Yashica Electro 35! Go Electro, GO!

2012-04-07T02:13:00.000-04:00

Here is an overview of the Yashica Electro 35 35mm rangefinder camera...

Here is some info on the Yashica Electro 35 camera.

Battery Sources

http://www.batterymart.com/p-exell-a32-a164-6v-alkaline-battery.html

An alternative is to use an adapter for a more common battery you can get at CVS etc...
The "Yashica-Guy" has TONS of great info on Yashica cameras!

http://www.yashica-guy.com/document/battery.html

Some pictures taken of and with the Yashica Electro 35 GSN so you can get an idea of the quality of photos the camera is capable of...

http://www.flickriver.com/search/Yashica+gsn/

A page with some info on the camera and some helpful links

http://mattdentonphoto.com/cameras/yashica_gsn.html

A great place for parts/service etc... He also does custom recovering! Very reasonable prices too!

http://www.camerarefurb.com/

The Nikon L35AF Review - Make some noise! UPDATED WITH VIDEO!

2012-03-06T22:48:00.000-05:00

First, my video review.

For more info, read on!

On paper, I normally would hate this camera. It has so many qualities to loathe: plastic body, noisy motorized film advance/rewind, and no control over exposure. But what it does, it does so well… it yields beautiful pictures. This is a great street/point and shoot/lomo camera. In the land of 35mm point and shoot cameras, there are many greats. In my honest opinion, the L35AF may not be at the top, but it deserves a place somewhere on the list. I know, to look at this camera, you instantly think… wow… did that come free with a magazine subscription? Or a box of cereal? However, when you hold it, it feels… I’ll say it… solid. I love this camera. It is one of my favorites and I have 70+.

The viewfinder is bright. It has a very responsive autofocus system with a focus scale displayed in the viewfinder that works great. There is an onboard flash (pop-up), film advance is motorized and the power rewind has to be started manually. The lens… wow… I love this lens - A Nikkor f2.8 35mm - very sharp and great contrast. There is a touch of soft vignette/darkening at the edge.

I know that’s not a good thing when talking about a “great” lens. These days, when you pay extra for dark corners on “lomo” style cameras, you can’t beat this. The vignetting really isn't that bad. Its about the same as my Olympus Stylus Epic.

People these days are gushing over Terry so and so and that he uses a Yashica T4 (don’t freak out yet, read on). For $5 to $35 you can get a camera that is … in my opinion… just as good as the T4, albeit without the cool waist level scope and weather resistance. Use the leftover cash you saved not buying the T4 and buy an Olympus Stylus Epic (it is weather resistant) or two. Buy one for the ski slopes and one for the beach, and then buy some more film. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against the T4 or Terry Richardson or anybody who uses a T4. I am against the prices being charged ($200+) for this camera just because someone famous uses it. So, for that kind of money the Yashica T4 can kiss my “AF”…L35AF that is.

Look and some pictures taken by each and tell me if the T4 is really $175.00+ better…

Yashica T4 on Flickriver.com

Nikon L35AF on Flickriver.com

So, let me address some of the criticisms of the L35AF;

“The L35AF makes a racket! It’s loud!” Well, have you heard the Yashica? Believe me it’s not real quiet. The noisy comes from the film advance. The film only advances AFTER you take the picture and release the shutter button. So, if you want stealth, Take your shot, hold the button down, look at an imaginary airplane flying overhead and then release the button.

“It’s not stealth enough for street photography.” Believe me; NOBODY is going to pay any attention to you while you shoot with a camera that looks like you got it when you opened your savings account.

“It’s not stealth at in any way.” Yes, it is… it’s black… black is the color of stealth.

“I bet batteries are hard to get.” Ok, so grab your TV remote, pull out the two AA’s in there and plug’em into your Nikon L35AF. Done! You got batteries! You don't need to change channels anyway. You have a very cool Nikon L35AF you need to go shoot.

So, save your negative comments for a darkroom discussion. Pun intended.

One more cool feature is the 3 strap lugs! 3 strap lugs!! Left and right top and an extra lug on the bottom right. This is Leica M5 territory! I really do love it. I wish all manufacturers did this. The camera hangs vertically from the strap. Awesome!

The lens cap incorporates blinders that cover the range/viewfinder windows, so you don’t take photos with the cap on. It’s a good, fun camera that takes great photos and it’s a little noisy and really, really … cheap to buy. Shhhh!!! Don’t tell Terry!

Nuff said…

Nikon L35AF Manual at the amazing Butkus.org

Olympus OM-D E-M5 official pricing!

2012-02-08T03:51:00.002-05:00

The official Olympus store has added the OM-D for pre-order and has priced it! Rumor has it, it will ship in April.

Check it out!

In Black...

Body only - $999.99
Body plus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm II R - $1099.99
Body plus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm EZ - $1299.99

and for some reason, a bundle with the silver body and the M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm II R is not listed...

In Silver...

Body only - $999.99
Body plus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-50mm EZ - $1299.99

Accessories

A very cool grip setup is coming too. A two-piece arrangement with the ability to just use one part for landscape work and a second piece that will let you add another battery, portrait grip and additional controls.

The Power Battery Holder HLD-6 is available for pre-order for $279.99

A new weather sealed MMF-3 Adapter is available for $179.99

They are also adding a new flash, the FL-600R for $299.99. The flash boasts the following (From the Olympus site)

The FL-600R is an easy-to-use, external flash unit with a wide LCD display and wireless control capabilities. It features a built-in LED light that can function as an AF illuminator for still images or as full-time auxiliary lighting for shooting movies. As a bounce flash, the FL-600R tilts upward to 90 degrees and downward to 7 degrees, and it can swivel side-to-side up to 180 degrees in each direction. A wide panel and catch light plate are built into the unit, so you won't misplace them when traveling. Flash settings can be adjusted using the arrow keys and dial on the back of the unit or via the controls on an attached camera.

In wireless mode, the FL-600R has a built-in commander function to remotely fire other wireless flash units without firing itself, but it can also be used as a slave flash, controlled by a camera's built-in flash or by another commander unit. Up to three groups of flashes, plus a clip-on flash such as the FL-LM2, can be configured independently. Four wireless channels are available, which prevents interference from other photographers' flashes. In addition to the wireless option, the flash can be attached and locked securely onto a camera's hot shoe or mounted externally using a compatible flash bracket and cable, such as the FL-BK01, FL-BKP02, FL-BKM03 or FL-BK04.

Powered by four AA alkaline or NiMH batteries, the FL-600R's charging time is approximately half as long as that of the FL-50R.

Specifications:
---------------
*Guide Number 50 at ISO 200; Guide Number 36 at ISO 100 (when built-in wide panel is not in use)
*Guide Number 17 at ISO 200; Guide Number 12 at ISO 100 (when using built-in wide panel)
*8 mm equivalent coverage (35 mm equivalent focal length = 16 mm) with built-in wide panel
*Firing angle: Approx. 30 degrees
*6 modes: TTL-AUTO, AUTO, Manual, FP TTL-Auto, FP Manual, RC
*4 AA (R6) alkaline or NiMH batteries
*2.4 in. (W) x 4.1 (H) x 1.1 (D)
*9.2 oz. (260 g)

Includes flash stand, soft case, instruction manual and warranty card.

Check out the site yourself!

https://us.buyolympus.com/digital-cameras/om-d-system.html

These are exciting times folks! Lots of interesting products, players and game changers emerging in the camera market right now! Very cool stuff indeed!

Is Olympus on target with the OM-D or are they grasping for some easy money with the whole retro trend right now? Tell us what you think!

The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Check out the Official Site!

2012-02-08T03:00:00.002-05:00

I still think this thing looks great! The specs for the most part seem to blow away the E5. However, a lower res touch-screen OLCD (610,000 dots vs 920,000 on the E-5) may be a bit of a downgrade. However, Olympus is kind of hinting that this camera is "pro" worthy. Specs that read like...ISO up to 25600, 9fps, splash and dust proof etc, look promising. Lets see what happens!

The dedicated OM-D info site http://olympusomd.com/en-US/

The rebirth of the OM, the OM-D

2012-02-03T09:46:00.001-05:00

This looks pretty interesting. Unfortunately, it's not looking good for the older line of dslr's. Hmmm, maybe that E-5 will come down to a reasonable price.

Tell us your thoughts on this new line from Olympus.

Olympus OM-D interchangeable lens camera leaks again - SlashGear

A Canon Film SLR for your eyes only! The EOS Elan 7Ne

2012-02-01T19:11:00.000-05:00

A technological tour de force from Canon. Light, quiet and brimming with technology this Camera really delivers.

A review of the Mamiya C330 Professional S

2012-02-01T19:06:00.001-05:00

Hi All,

Check out my review of a medium format powerhouse...The Mamiya C330 Professional S.

See a written review in the next post. Cheers!

A jack of all trades and a master of one: Mamiya C330 vs. Rolleiflex 2.8E (Updated 2/1/2012)

2012-02-01T11:42:00.000-05:00

I love Twin Lens Reflex Cameras. I really do. There is something very special about them. My love for these cameras started when I was young.

My Father had a Yashica Mat 124. It was cool in every way. As a fan of Sci-Fi shows like Lost in Space, Star Trek and others from the 60’s and 70’s, I love things that have lots of dials and switches. The waist level finder flips up to reveal a huge viewing screen that makes everything you look at look like it’s on TV. The function is retro, the look was pure Sci-Fi. I’m not going to review the YM124 here. I will save that for another day but it will make a couple of cameo appearances here. . But I will be reviewing its role model and inspiration, the intrepid Rolleiflex 2.8E and its distant cousin, the Mamiya C330.

To be honest, this isn't really a fair comparison.
They share many similarities, but these are really very different cameras. Rolex vs. Seiko; both tell time perfectly, both have a reputation for quality. On paper, specs are similar, but one is just more special. Better? I’m not sure. Just really special. The other, cheaper camera may actually be the better of the two, feature and durability-wise, with an inherent sustainability factor.

Rolleiflex 2.8E

Ah, the Yashica Mat 124. (again with the Yashica?) Yes, sorry. Bear with me here. I love this camera. It owns a part of my creative soul. Up until a shocking revelation, for me the Yashica was the mother of all cameras. When I watched my Father use it, I was so impressed he knew what everything did and how to use it. He was a very good photographer. I loved his work. So, I assumed he would be using the best camera on earth. As I got older and he began showing me how it worked, I took more and more interest. I began reading camera magazines. I would pour over the ads looking at everything that was made for the photographer. I remember seeing some pictures of a camera called a Rolleiflex. Begin inner dialog..."Those bastards made a copy of the Yashica! Well, it’s probably really cheap. Well, if it’s cheap enough, maybe I can save my allowance and get one!" - end inner dialog...

One day while out shopping with my Mother, I looked in the window of a small camera shop and there it was, a Rolleiflex. I asked my Mother if we could go in. She agreed. I asked a salesman if I could see the Rolleiflex. He looked at me hesitantly. "I’ll be very careful. I use my Dad’s Yashica Mat all the time". He hesitantly agreed. He took it from the shelf and placed it on the mat on the counter. He grabbed a strap from a drawer and put it on the camera. I began to carefully pick up the camera and when I had it about an inch off the counter, the salesman tossed the strap over my head. “Please just be careful,” he smiled. The feel was familiar, but… different… solid… heavier… substantial. I opened the WLF and peered down. It was beautiful. I turned the focus knob and it was beautifully weighted and smooth. I played with and examined the camera and I felt more like I was holding a scientific instrument, not just a camera. “Your Yashica is good,” the salesman said. “But it’s nothing like the original.” “Eh? What?” I croaked. “What original?” “The Rolleiflex… Yashica copied the Rollei.” “Are you sure?!” “Yes, I’m sure.” Whoa… this was a Tyler Durden (Fight Club) moment. I was turned upside down.

The Yashica and the Rollei are similar in so many ways, but very different. That’s the thing about quality. There are some intangibles to account for. The Rollei is much more than the sum of its parts. The Rollei is special. It feels, looks, and handles… special. Remember my Dad’s Yashica? Well, he eventually gave it to me. I still have it. I think of all my cameras, it’s the one I value the most. I still look at it and get lost in nostalgic memories. Oh yeah, that Yashica review is for another day.

Rolleiflex 2.8e

The Rollei reeks of class and quality. Many people refer to it as the Leica of TLRs. I’m not sure I agree. The Leica is about exclusivity, quality, and especially, more recently about wealth. The Rollei is about class, patience and the finer things. It’s not really a camera for posers. It’s too complex for that. While the Rollei is made in Germany, I believe Rolleiflex and those who use use them, possess “English Sensibility.” Once, a Rolls Royce representative was asked about the horsepower specs of their new car. He replied, “The horsepower is sufficient” and gave a wry smile. Leica is designed to be the “best” camera in the world. It very well may be. The Rollei, even without interchangeable lenses (add-on lenses are available), but with a sufficient amount of accessories, etc, is what it is. It is, extremely sufficient. It uses a great 2.8 Xenotar lens from Schneider-Kreuznach. It has a light meter, not coupled but it is convenient and works very well. One feature I love is the coupled exposure settings. The meter is based off of the EV scale, which I really like a lot. This makes a DOF and motion effects a breeze while working on-the-fly. However, nothing happens really fast with the Rollei. Crank, compose, focus, set exposure, double-check, unlock shutter release, press shutter release, lock shutter, repeat 11 more times. Take a seat, unload, place film in a light-tight container, unwrap new roll, carefully load in dim light, thread carefully, crank a few times, and start again. I think of a Rolleiflex like a field camera with bellows, etc. using it is a process. It is a photographic instrument that is precise with very tight tolerances. You need to relax, process, and don’t rush.

View pictures made by and of the Rolleiflex 2.8e on flickriver.com here

Mamiya C330 Professional S

The Mamiya C330 Professional S feature-wise is superior. But I think of it as an AK-47: Modular, relatively simple construction, and very effective. I think of it also as having excellent quality; a model of good industrial design. The “Professional” in the name is not for marketing. This is a beast. Designed to withstand abuse and be easily repaired. The C330 is also a system camera. Mamiya offered a line of beautiful lenses and accessories to compliment it. A number of advanced features were built into the camera such as parallax adjustments, a “flappy” door that makes the camera light-tight when changing lenses mid-roll. The camera uses bellows to allow close focusing. When close-focusing, a needle will show up on the focus screen to help you compose for parallax error caused by the composing and shooting lenses being on different planes (one on top of the other.) This really is a big deal, especially with shots as close as or closer than 3 feet. Very cool stuff. There are two shutter releases on board: One on the side of the camera and one on the front in the same location as with the Rollei. I actually like the side release better as it is easily actuated with my thumb. It’s a large tab that travels vertically down, then up. The shutter is a compur-type contained within the lens. Since this is an all mechanical camera (no battery) and the shutter mechanism is located inside the removable lens, it is cocked and released via a linkage system. The actual shutter release tab is on the lens barrel itself along with aperture and shutter speed settings. The exposure settings, while being on the barrel of the lens, are relatively small and somewhat hard to get to, at least for me, as I have big fingers. There is no light meter because I believe Mamiya thought that a real pro would have his own handheld version. This camera, I also believe, was designed to spend most of its life on a tripod in a studio. Why on a tripod? This thing is heavy and massive. However, when handled with sturdy, wide comfortable strap, the camera is quite ergonomic and useable. Focus control knobs are located on both sides of the camera, at the bottom towards the front. So the beast can be held with the left hand to steady it and winding, focus, and shutter release handled with the right hand. Setting exposure does require you juggle it a bit. Using this camera feels even more like using a large format field camera. Of course, without the tilt, shift, swing, dark slides, etc, but I think this camera would be a good stepping stone towards large format. The viewfinder is decent, brighter even than my Rollei. The waist level finder is also removable and can be switched out with a prism finder. I have not used one yet, but I intend on picking one up at some point and will update this with more info when I do. The C330 also gives the shooter the option of 120 or 220 while the Rolleiflex uses 120 but believe it or not, a 35mm kit called the Rolleikin is available.

View pictures made by and of the Mamiya C330 Professional S on flickriver.com here

In short, to use yet another car analogy, the Rolleiflex is a Jaguar XKE and the C330 is a Land Rover Defender. The Rollei is 50s designed while the C330 is the child of the 60s. Which do I like better? Hard to say; each is amazing. Fantastic photos can be made with either one. The same can be said for the unreviewed Yashica. Generally, because of the value and collectability of the Rolleiflex, I think I use it less than I would like. It really is fun though. However, I think I would be more apt to use the C330. I'd worry less. What if I had to keep just one? Hmm… I think I would sit and pour a glass of Macallan 15 and enjoy it with the Rolleiflex. It is more than sufficient.

Mamiya C330 Manual @ butkus.org

Rolleiflex 2.8e Manual @ butkus.org

Update 2/1/2012

Well, I hate to admit it, but I did let the old Rolleiflex go... I traded it for a Leica. Frankly, It wasn't getting much use. I was using the C330 way more. I am also very happy with the results I get from it. I am very careful with my cameras, but if the C330 gets a ding, oh well, it adds to it's "patina". With the Rollei, I was afraid I would drop it or that I something would go wrong and I would have ruined something more than just a camera. I do miss it a bit, but frankly, my Leica and my C330 get way more use than the Rolleiflex ever would. I really think cameras should be used and appreciated. I felt a bit guilty letting it collect dust. I think if I get another Rollei, I will get one that is a little more of a "user".

If you are interested in a tour of the Mamiya C330, you can see my video review here...

Film Lives!

2012-01-20T09:45:00.001-05:00

Ironically, film is still profitable for Kodak. I hope they are smart enough to spin off the film division and prevent it from going down with the rest of the sinking company's holdings.

How would you save Kodak? Let us know!

"Film division is still profitable," says Kodak [update]- BJP mobile