Film SLR 35 mm help

The FM 2 was famous for shutter problems. The blades would fall to pieces, I've had two fail on one job, and another a week later, just about every one we had (lots) ended up failing at one time or other.
You must've been working them too hard ;-)!
 
You must've been working them too hard ;-)!
Well 10 or 15 rolls of 36 a day wasn't uncommon so they did have a hammering ;).
I was told it was because it was one of the first really high speed shutters and was made too light, don't know if that was true though. Good camera otherwise
 
Here's a thread on the reliability of the FM2n (the later and more common variant with a redesigned shutter):

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-148627.html

It's generally thought of as being very reliable, though of course this is just anecdotal evidence. I haven't previously heard anything bad about any of the FM/FE series cameras (well, the FM10 is a very different design that Nikon outsourced to Cosina - nothing particularly wrong with it, but built more cheaply with more plastic for the student market at the end of the mainstream film area).
 
Dear all. Thanks so very much for your advice, it has been very useful. I have a much clearer idea of where to go and look forward to a more contemplative battery-fee experience [emoji846]
 
Can I jump on the back of this thread please? I've been hankering to get back into film for a while now and the upshot is I put a £30 bid in at a local auction on Friday for a job lot of 3 film cameras (2 compacts) and 2 early digital compacts, a Pentax 50/1.7 a Pentacon 200 f4, Pentacon 30mm f3.5 and 135mm f2.8 all in good working condition. Anyway I won the auction and now I want to pair the Pentax MV (the other camera) with the 50/1.7 but would like an M42 mount camera to use with the other 3 lenses as I don't want to use them with an adapter on the MV. Any advice on a good solid reliable M42 mount camera would be appreciated. Budget up to around £100. Thanks.
 
Dear all. Thanks so very much for your advice, it has been very useful. I have a much clearer idea of where to go and look forward to a more contemplative battery-fee experience [emoji846]
Well, as long as you get something that works OK then I bet it doesn't stay at just the one film camera! ;)

In fact, if the 'full manual everything' 35mm camera experience goes well for you, then perhaps have a look at an Ensign Selfix 820 or 1620 with Ross Xpres lens as a cheap(ish) intro to medium format 120 roll film. Once again I'm sure you can get some buying tips on here if you're tempted. Best of luck and don't forget to share your film photos with us. (y)
 
Can I jump on the back of this thread please? I've been hankering to get back into film for a while now and the upshot is I put a £30 bid in at a local auction on Friday for a job lot of 3 film cameras (2 compacts) and 2 early digital compacts, a Pentax 50/1.7 a Pentacon 200 f4, Pentacon 30mm f3.5 and 135mm f2.8 all in good working condition. Anyway I won the auction and now I want to pair the Pentax MV (the other camera) with the 50/1.7 but would like an M42 mount camera to use with the other 3 lenses as I don't want to use them with an adapter on the MV. Any advice on a good solid reliable M42 mount camera would be appreciated. Budget up to around £100. Thanks.

Pentax Spotmatic if you want a (stop down) meter or Pentax SV if you don't need a meter. A Praktica will match the Pentacon lenses, but won't be as nice as the Pentax's.
 
What did you decide on?
 
Careful in there! eBay can be a bit of a lottery as I'm sure you know. :)

At least a shop would get you a warranty and a chance to return it if was no good.

I guess you have too few posts to access the classifieds in here. Pity as I have a couple of decent OM1n bodies to sell.

Good luck!
 
Careful in there! eBay can be a bit of a lottery as I'm sure you know. :)

At least a shop would get you a warranty and a chance to return it if was no good.

I guess you have too few posts to access the classifieds in here. Pity as I have a couple of decent OM1n bodies to sell.

Good luck!
Or if he wants to be certain, he could by from Rocky, there's never doubt about his cameras :O
 
Or if he wants to be certain, he could by from Rocky, there's never doubt about his cameras :O

Yes best gaurantee offered by any seller out there …..a gaurantee to be faulty! :LOL:

EDIT: OK perhaps a tad unfair to the guy but he sure has got himself a reputation for shifting some carp!
 
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Careful in there! eBay can be a bit of a lottery as I'm sure you know. :)

I guess you have too few posts to access the classifieds in here. Pity as I have a couple of decent OM1n bodies to sell.

Good luck!

I hadn’t thought of the classifieds on the site. I went to have a look and it’s 25 posts and 60 days so only 45 days to go :)

As a general question, when looking at cameras on eBay there are loads that will ship from Japan. Some are way overpriced but some are quite reasonable and, if in the condition claimed, well priced. Is purchasing overseas from Japan a reliable option? There is the issue of import duty but, other than that, is this a reliable method to purchase?
 
I hadn’t thought of the classifieds on the site. I went to have a look and it’s 25 posts and 60 days so only 45 days to go :)

As a general question, when looking at cameras on eBay there are loads that will ship from Japan. Some are way overpriced but some are quite reasonable and, if in the condition claimed, well priced. Is purchasing overseas from Japan a reliable option? There is the issue of import duty but, other than that, is this a reliable method to purchase?

Buying from Japan and you have to add shipping costs and maybe converting $s to £s and if unlucky import duty etc....but maybe after brexit the UK could have a special trade agreement with Japan and things could be cheaper?
 
Buying from Japan and you have to add shipping costs and maybe converting $s to £s and if unlucky import duty etc....but maybe after brexit the UK could have a special trade agreement with Japan and things could be cheaper?
The only thing we can say for sure is that after Brexit the UK will not benefit from the huge trade agreement the EU has just signed with Japan. Under this agreement, the existing 6.7% duty on lenses will be reduced to zero over 3 years. Digital camera imports were already zero rated. I haven't seen anything specific on the 4.2% duty that applies to 35mm SLRs.

Apart from import duty, 20% UK VAT is also charged - the rate is a matter for the UK Government, though the EU sets a minimum of 15% for member countries.
 
There is also usually a "handling" charge by the shipping company too?
I think for relatively low value items it can all add up.

People usually seem to buy hard to find or especially mint cameras from Japan I guess.
 
There is also usually a "handling" charge by the shipping company too?
I think for relatively low value items it can all add up.

People usually seem to buy hard to find or especially mint cameras from Japan I guess.

Well I was very lucky with the F4 I bought from Japan not so long ago...... the only extra cost I paid was converting $s to £s and higher shipping cost compared to the UK or EU.
 
An awful lot of things must slip through untaxed. This is pretty much the entire business model of the grey market traders.
 
An awful lot of things must slip through untaxed. This is pretty much the entire business model of the grey market traders.

...even more surprising is Royal Fail didn't charge me anything either, maybe the Japanese seller paid for the UK's delivery costs which is why the Japanese del costs were higher......I've bought quite a few things from China and their delivery cost are either free or very cheap, well they are near Japan.
 
As a general question, when looking at cameras on eBay there are loads that will ship from Japan. Some are way overpriced but some are quite reasonable and, if in the condition claimed, well priced. Is purchasing overseas from Japan a reliable option? There is the issue of import duty but, other than that, is this a reliable method to purchase?

Buying from Japan is good for the rarer stuff that you can't get in the UK so readily. I'll probably end up buying a couple of Canon ltm lenses from Japan for instance, and If I ever end up buying a Nikon S series rangefinder it'll be from a Japanese seller.

In your case though I'd hang on for a OM1n to pop up at Ffordes, WYCameras, LCE, Harrisons etc
 
As a general question, when looking at cameras on eBay there are loads that will ship from Japan. Some are way overpriced but some are quite reasonable and, if in the condition claimed, well priced. Is purchasing overseas from Japan a reliable option? There is the issue of import duty but, other than that, is this a reliable method to purchase?

Probably mostly been said, but... buying from Japan you also have to figure postage plus import duty (there used to be an exemption if under £135 which I believe was scrapped in April 2019?), plus VAT on all the above, plus the handling charge, which I think may now be £12. In addition, for the last lens I imported, the lens was in Coventry within 48 hours of order, but not in my hands for a further 2 weeks while Parcelfraud faffed about deciding how much to charge me.
 
Not sure if it's the same chap but IIRC there's a "Rocky's Cameras" shelf in an antiqueish type shop on Lyme Regis seafront. Might just be "Rocky Cameras" because they're on a shelf against rocks though.
 
Not sure if it's the same chap but IIRC there's a "Rocky's Cameras" shelf in an antiqueish type shop on Lyme Regis seafront. Might just be "Rocky Cameras" because they're on a shelf against rocks though.
Rocky is based in Dorset
 
So is Lyme Regis! ;) :p
 
Apologies for resurrecting this thread but not sure where else to ask. What are my options in the UK (North East) for getting a CLA on a film camera. Any recommended engineers? Any not recommended? What price should I expect to pay?
 
Miles Whitehead is the only name I remember in terms of CLA... couldn't help you on price, I'm sure someone will come along shortly with more info
 
^ WHS. I've found Miles to be very honest and reasonably priced for the work he does. You can email him for a quote and then send it off in the post (I usually pack my cameras to withstand a small war and send them Royal Mail Special Delivery Next Day Signed For for anything valuable.
 
Apologies for resurrecting this thread but not sure where else to ask. What are my options in the UK (North East) for getting a CLA on a film camera. Any recommended engineers? Any not recommended? What price should I expect to pay?

Another recommendation for Miles. If you email him via http://www.mwcamerarepairs.co.uk/ he'll give you a quote. The last couple of CLA's I've had done by him have been around the £50-60 mark.
 
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