First Film SLR

danny_bhoy said:
Just to further pick your collective brains - I've got my eye on a Praktica MTL 50 with a 50mm Pentacon Lens.

Any good for general walkabout use?

Feel like a real newbie here!
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The MTL 50 was the first SLR camera I ever owned, and I really liked mine. They are relatively chunky and heavy (I think...haven't held one for 25 years...) but they do the job.

They are completely manual and mine had a really decent meter (I almost exclusively shot slide film in those days and it coped perfectly well). I always wondered why more manufacturers didn't put the shutter release in the same place as the Praktica: it's really comfy and your finger is right next to the metering switch. Super ergonomic.

They're not cool, collectible or considered anything special, therefore you should be paying almost nothing for it. There's a ton of these on eBay, charity shops and car boots, so make sure everything works perfectly, the lens in clean with smooth aperture ring and check that the light seals on the film door are okay (I assume they have seals...again, I can't remember...). They should be nice and dry and solid, not gunky with bits flaking off. You can get kits to fix them, but honestly, for the price you should be paying for the camera, the kit will be almost as much again. If there is anything dodgy about it, I would pass and look for another in mint condition.
 
The Praktica LTL was the first proper camera i owed,but also have a look at anything with an Pentax KA mount,lots of good cheap lens about for that mount :)
 
I have an earlier MTL5 that I paid £10 for & have got some good photographs with it. I use a Helios 44 lens mostly, but had a Pentacon 50mm with a Praktica BC1 back in the 80's & thought the lens was OK. The only M42 Pentacon that I have is a 30mm. Ancient lens that doesn't have an automatic aperture, but the results are nice enough. Think I paid £5 for the lens on ebay.

The camera is quite heavy & is manual exposure only. The MTL5 is stop down metering. Assume that the MTL 50 will be the same as I think they are pretty much the same apart from metering LED vs needle in the viewfinder? I enjoy using the camera, but wouldn't pay too much for one. M42 lenses however have gone up a bit in price lately due to the digitial folks with their adapters wanting them.
 
danny_bhoy said:
Just to further pick your collective brains - I've got my eye on a Praktica MTL 50 with a 50mm Pentacon Lens.

Any good for general walkabout use?

Feel like a real newbie here!
Click to expand...

Good cheap camera for about £10 or less, and the lens is good so your results will be good.....the meter might not be working properly though and takes old 1.35v batteries but there are ways around that e.g. use a hearing aid battery.
 
FujiLove said:
The MTL 50 was the first SLR camera I ever owned, and I really liked mine. They are relatively chunky and heavy (I think...haven't held one for 25 years...) but they do the job.

They are completely manual and mine had a really decent meter (I almost exclusively shot slide film in those days and it coped perfectly well). I always wondered why more manufacturers didn't put the shutter release in the same place as the Praktica: it's really comfy and your finger is right next to the metering switch. Super ergonomic.

They're not cool, collectible or considered anything special, therefore you should be paying almost nothing for it. There's a ton of these on eBay, charity shops and car boots, so make sure everything works perfectly, the lens in clean with smooth aperture ring and check that the light seals on the film door are okay (I assume they have seals...again, I can't remember...). They should be nice and dry and solid, not gunky with bits flaking off. You can get kits to fix them, but honestly, for the price you should be paying for the camera, the kit will be almost as much again. If there is anything dodgy about it, I would pass and look for another in mint condition.
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simonblue said:
The Praktica LTL was the first proper camera i owed,but also have a look at anything with an Pentax KA mount,lots of good cheap lens about for that mount :)
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DNH said:
I have an earlier MTL5 that I paid £10 for & have got some good photographs with it. I use a Helios 44 lens mostly, but had a Pentacon 50mm with a Praktica BC1 back in the 80's & thought the lens was OK. The only M42 Pentacon that I have is a 30mm. Ancient lens that doesn't have an automatic aperture, but the results are nice enough. Think I paid £5 for the lens on ebay.

The camera is quite heavy & is manual exposure only. The MTL5 is stop down metering. Assume that the MTL 50 will be the same as I think they are pretty much the same apart from metering LED vs needle in the viewfinder? I enjoy using the camera, but wouldn't pay too much for one. M42 lenses however have gone up a bit in price lately due to the digitial folks with their adapters wanting them.
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excalibur2 said:
Good cheap camera for about £10 or less, and the lens is good so your results will be good.....the meter might not be working properly though and takes old 1.35v batteries but there are ways around that e.g. use a hearing aid battery.
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Thanks for the advice guys.

It seems ideal as I'm not after anything spectacular - just something to learn the absolute basics. Your talking to someone who has never loaded a roll of film before :)

It'll be an eBay purchase but I'll ask the relevant questions beforehand and for the sake of about £15 I'll take a risk.

It's a good point about the M42 lenses coming back into play with the adapters - tbh though I'm happy with the 50mm for general use for now.
 
I've been on the return journey of film photography the past two or three years.

Although I spent forty years living through the Great Age of Film, I never took it further than snapshot photography, and never progressed my gear further than Instamatics, Polaroids, 110s, and finally 35mm compacts. When Digital came along, I actually embraced it early. I then progressed through a couple of Fujifilm bridge cameras, before getting my hands on a DSLR - and then another! There were no signs that I'd be a "Return to Filmite".

It all started for myself with seeing a beautiful looking Pentax ME Super in a local charity shop. At first, I couldn't even remember how to correctly load a 35mm film. Then I discovered the joy of Car Boot Sale cameras. A Kodak Retinette followed. Then I bought a tiny Olympus XA2 for 50p. Poundland film. I found a cheap local photolab. I bought a film scanner. Then I bought a Lubitel 166B for two quid. I discovered 120 medium format roll film for the first time. I bought a film changing bag. I started rolling 120 film onto 620 spindles, so that I could use old box and Brownie cameras. I bought a Paterson tank and b/w chemicals. I started home developing and scanning film. I bought a better medium format camera - a Bronica SQ-A system. I tried some C41 developing .... and so my journey goes.

My journey is different to that of someone else. However, if I could go back three years, and give myself tips, this is what I'd probably tell myself:

  • Don't get too carried away into buying too much at car boot sales and become a "collector". Only buy to use. You can be lucky with a cheap camera, but always expect some to have problems, and to need a service. Otherwise buy a serviced camera from a reputable film camera dealer.
  • DO try medium format. It does work out more expensive than 35mm, but it beats not only 35mm in results, but in my opinion, it beats digital on certain ascetic scores.
  • Buy a film scanner that can handle medium format as well as 35mm. I'm very happy with my cheap Epson Perfection V500. A film scanner is a worthwhile investment if you want to share hybrid images online.
  • Do try home developing b/w film. It not only saves a lot of money (I've not worked it out, but it must be no more than a quid per film if you look after your chems), but it greatly extends the pleasure of "making pictures". I do like a wet thing hanging over the bath.
  • Buy old film photography books in car boots and charity shops for peanuts.

And always have fun. I couldn't afford a decent 35mm SLR back in the 70s. Now I can buy an ex professional medium system SLR system. It feels like a privilege to use these cameras.
 
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Very nice. Cracking little camera and a good first step into film.
 
Andysnap said:
Very nice. Cracking little camera and a good first step into film.
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steveo_mcg said:
Nice choice, they're really good little cameras.
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Cheers guys - that's reassuring. With it being an eBay purchase at least I don't have to worry about battery acid leaking as it doesn't have any.

Obviously I'd like to give it the quick once over when it arrives. What kinda things should I be looking about for?
 
danny_bhoy said:
Cheers guys - that's reassuring. With it being an eBay purchase at least I don't have to worry about battery acid leaking as it doesn't have any.

Obviously I'd like to give it the quick once over when it arrives. What kinda things should I be looking about for?
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Have a re-read of the First Film camera... thread mentioned in post 2 above. That said, check the seals round the film door, stick some Vista in and give it a whirl!
 
Only other thing to watch with the trip is the red flag. Put the lens cap on and press the shutter, a flag should show in the vf indicating there isn't enough light to make the exposure.
 
An excellent choice. We've got a few of those:

8683255939_864777a554_z.jpg


I've even taken a few photos on them:

My Olympus 35 Trip Album on Flickr

Don't forget to set the zone focus each time - and make sure any lens cap is off before shooting (can't make that mistake on an SLR). :olympus: Don't worry too much about light seals until you've seen some light leak damage on photos. Even so - light seals are a five minute whiz on these cameras - done one myself. No mirror pad to worry about.
 
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steveo_mcg said:
Only other thing to watch with the trip is the red flag. Put the lens cap on and press the shutter, a flag should show in the vf indicating there isn't enough light to make the exposure.
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I keep forgetting to remember how to use red flag test when looking at trips at the bootie :rolleyes:...probably missed some bargains because of my memory.
 
excalibur2 said:
I keep forgetting to remember how to use red flag test when looking at trips at the bootie :rolleyes:...probably missed some bargains because of my memory.
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I usually just make sure that the aperture varies in response to pointing the selenium cells around the lens to light, when you push down the shutter. That the seals haven't totally collapsed (but I find that these sort of cameras sometimes hold light tight anyway). I don't know of any red flag test - except that in operation, if the red flag comes up - you don't have enough light to shoot. Maybe I don't know something, but I've been lucky with mine.

I saw no less than four of these on sale last week at a local mid week car boot. They must have sold millions. No wonder though - a classic little camera - battery free (we'd call it eco friendly now maybe), auto exposure, hot shoe, a cracking little lens, and absolutely gorgeous looks. That's without the David Bailey advertising campaign.
 
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XA2inmypocket said:
Buy old film photography books in car boots and charity shops for peanuts.
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Definitely. I used to buy photography magazines, but they are mostly full of advertisements for techno-boxes now, so instead, I spend my money on charity shop books.


Steve.
 
Ebay is a good hunting source for old photography books as well. Keep thinking about adding a Trip to my collection but when I see how big they are I think to myself that I may as well carry a small 35mm SLR like my OM2 SP or FE2 instead. Expect to surrender to one eventually though. I am weak & probably lack the will power to resist for ever :)
 
Yeah, that was my issue with rangefinders too especially the fed 3 but even the little ricoh isn't so significantly smaller that I don't feel I might as well have an OM.
 
Quick update - just received my Trip 35 and giving it the quick once over.

I'm noticing that the aperture blades don't move when it's wound on and the shutter is pressed. Also tried the little test where you cover the lens to block out the light, press the shutter and see if the little red flag pops up to indicate under-exposure....no red flag.

Have I got a dud?
 
Could be the selenium cell round the lens is goosed, not an easy fix unfortunately.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Could be the selenium cell round the lens is goosed, not an easy fix unfortunately.
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Yeah looks like the blades are stuck resting at f22 (judging by the tiny opening).

Back off to Mr Ebay seller it goes. Such a pity - was looking to have a play with it tomorrow.
 
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