TechHeritage is dedicated to the preservation of the Human Consumer Technology of the last 100 years in the same manner as experts have been carefully preserving the heritage of ancient civilizations in museums. There are so many devices that were made barely 40 years ago which do not work today and is hard to find a way to make them work. Looking at them is not enough. They must absolutely work and must be perfect. Our mission will be appreciated when AI takes over, keeping us stupid and indifferent. We will have no idea how anything works. If something stops working, we will be clue-less and barely better than the cave men.
We have over 300 cameras from 1901 to 2015 and 300 mobile phones from the time of their introduction until the release of iPhone X. We preserve them both physically and online through videos released once a week.
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Great video! And thanks for the tip regarding the depth of field lever. This tip could saved many levers, if more people had known. Regarding the red light when switching the light on: The window is at daylight used to light up the shutter speed. When switching on the light for night, you see the red light through the window at the front of the camera as well as you see a reflection at the lens.
Thank you for the helpful and in depth video. I got this camera as a bonus in a purchase of the Schneider lens for this QBM mount. I've never done film, nor did I know how to even use this camera, but with this helpful tutorial that even showed the basics on how to load film, I can't wait to try it out. All the functions seem fine on mine but I guess we'll see if I got a dud lol. Just gotta go get a battery now (thanks for the recommendations)
Thanks for sharing. One more superb vintage camea saved from the trash bin. This makes my work worthwhile. Please share your experience after the first film roll.
Mint in Hong Kong will begin taking pre-orders in just 2 days (September 10th 2024). I am already in the email waiting list to get one. As soon as it comes, there will be a new version of this video, with 10 models including the 35 AF.
It is so good that you are teaching this method to bring back to full glory the 90s cameras. They are great cameras but lots of people find them on parted old familiares belongings and feel they are rubbish, just because of that disgusting sticky back. Fortunately, someone teatched me this some years ago. Even the Nikon F80 and F100 front and back rubber cover get back to nice new condiction with the isopropyl. On the F90, after cleaning, I was not happy with the shining back agains't the semi-gloss front look, so I applied scotch-brite gently on the back, in a subtle just one direction movement, and it looks much better. Then, I made a new program icons sticker. It's not perfect because it was printed on a regular copy store sticker paper, but it looks much better than before. Some day, I will look for someone who prints it on a proper transfer.
Thanks for sharing. A few more tips from an old hand: To get the matte rather than shiny look, use a scotch-brite which has been used for many months and almost ready for the trash bin. They are much gentler than new ones. Then without much pressure, go over the shiny plastic in small circular motions whilst moving systematically across as if done by a machine. Do this many times and it gives something like an original factory finish. Based on the type of plastic, sometimes it will look fine but develops a powdery look and reacts to finger prints, almost like the rubber focus ring on old lenses, which is not good. If that happens, then apply a thin coat of the plastic rejuvinator liquid or cream which is sold for car dash plastic maintenance, then wipe it off with microfibre cloth. For the stickers, my usual trick is to print them on photo paper for sharpness, then get them laminated with thin, semi-gloss clear laminate for long time protection.
Good choice! Thanks for sharing your experience. Those Carl Zeiss T * lens prices for C/Y mount are steadily going up. Better pick up a few before it is too late.
F4 review in 2024? The LCD is small and hard to read when it works. AA batteries, wow they are heavy and most have leaked in the battery pack. Replacements packs seem to be hard to find. Why does the film wind back into the container? There seems to be so many things that can fail but so far none that will stop it from working. Kinda glad they went with the F5 design for digital use.
Of course you are at least 95% right. Here we are all about the Technology Heritage and its progression through the generations. Nikon F4 has a very special place, paving the way for many technologies which were later perfected. You need to be a film camera enthusiast to appreciate its historic value. Otherwise we can all live happily with the latest iPhone camera and never look back. Don't you agree?
Lithium AA batteries are alot lighter and don't leak . My f4 doesn't wind back into the container.. so no idea why or what controld that ..just saying.
Been really enjoying your videos! I'm currently looking for the toughest Nikon 35mm body that has a reliable lightmeter - what do you reckon would be a good bet? Need to be able to survive being put in a bag thats constantly being banged around and sat on. Been looking at the FM2n but not sure if it would be a step down in durability compared to something like an F2. Thanks
@@TechHeritage Thanks - sorry I should have been more specific, I'm looking for a Nikon MF model ideally - something mechanical or with simple electronics
I understand. You want something simpler. For that there is no better camera than Nikon FM2n. My own latest favourite is Nikon FE, which is another double digit semi pro Nikon and very similar to FM2n, but has a much better light metering display that I find more intuitive in the full manual mode. BTW, I typically use the F5 with Manual lenses, not Autofocus. I think its mechanism is designed to last until the year 3000. It feels that way.
Go to AliExpress website or App and search for exactly this term : “darkroom film processing rotation processor”. The same machine comes up from many vendors. It’s a very simple device with just one dial for time selection.
That's interesting Carlos! I thought MD3 was only for F2. Can you confirm this? The motor drive designed for F3 was MD4 and shown on the manual page 39.
I absolutely share your thoughts, the vintage devices should be in use as they were originally intented. I have a couple of portable tube radios, I have made the needed 90 volt battery for them to use as a real portable. Br Eeli from Finland
New 90 volt battery? That must be an achievement ! We also have a lot of portable tube radios, but haven't started posting videos yet. The problem is to get a nice strong AM signal as all the good stuff has switched over to FM.
The Mamiya cameras designed by Seiichi Mamiya, the founder and chief designer were very clever and have stood the test of time. Please watch our video on Mamiya SIX and see the fascinating history. Apparently this Press Camera series was designed by others who were less fussy about design refinement.
A late model automat would be Automat II. A little hard to find these days. Good luck camera hunting and share your experience. I am currently hard negotiating with a seller to get the IIIA, which is like a Unicorn.
Thank you for taking the time to post this positive comment. This channel is all about deep dives into the subject matter. There is a lot more where this video came from. I look forward to your comments on the other camera reviews.
Thanks for sharing. Yours probably comes with the Zuiko lens. If it is not suffering from the cloudiness by now, it probably means it is one of the good ones that will last.
@@TechHeritage It does indeed have the Zuiko lens. It does have some cloudiness on the rear element, a small ring on the edge caused by balsamic separation. Shutting down to f5.6 and smaller eliminates it.
Great review. Great camera. Of course if there is only one lens assembly to hand then the mousetrap need never be touched. The horizontal lever above the lock/unlock knob (mousetrap lock) should be locked in place before releasing the shutter. The lock/unlock knob does this job. In practice if I can’t move the horizontal slider then I know that the lock/unlock knob hasn’t been messed with; it is safe to take a photograph. If the slider moves freely left to right then I know that the light path is blocked inside the camera. I like the separation of focus and exposure control between camera body and lens assembly. In practice it is easy to use. The only extra I have made is a spacer to fit to the tripod stem so I can eliminate framing error due to the C3 being a TLR.
It's always a pleasure to watch these videos, full of the most relevant and complete information about very interesting cameras. Some years ago, I "discovered" these folding medium format cameras and started to read and listen to all the information I could get to be able to decide which brand and model I should look for, and the Mamiya Six Automat was my first choice. But after looking for pictures on Flickr, I ended to buy a N.K.K. Wester Autorol, a camera I shoot with quite often. Best regards
@TechHeritage It would be lovely for the Wester Autorol's community if you offer one of these excellent videos about their camera. We know that the quality of the image we see on the Internet depends on a bunch of factors, like the photographer, the film, the scanning, any post processing, and so on. And we must not forget, when we are talking about +50 years lenses, the condition of the lens itself. So, for some reason, three or four years ago, the Wester Autorol pictures I found on Flickr pleased me more than those of Mamiya Six. But after my precedent message, I remembered that the final decision was because on Ebay, at that time, we could find dozens of Mamiyas Six for sale and just two Wester Autorol, and that feeling of exclusivity some how made my final choice. Cheers and all the best
Wester Autorol is certainly rare compared to Mamiya 6 as NKK did not last very long. But the cameras were very highly regarded, especially the lenses. We review cameras that we own (and we have almost 400). Sadly we dont have a Wester Autorol to prepare one of our usually detailed videos. If we get hold of one, we will certainly do an episode as suggested. It will be on my shopping list.
Yes, thanks for pointing out. This is also the case in other A series cameras such as AE-1. I have mentioned them in other videos. Most users have lost them long ago. Replicas can still be purchased on Aliexpress from China.
Re: the Model 3a (at 12.12) - is the second 'button' (unknown use) not a screw rather than a button? Or am I just an imbecile? (Very detailed video by the way - thanks for posting)...
You are always one of the first to watch my videos. Thank you. Other reviewers and camera listings have also referred to "two buttons", not a button and a screw. The pictures seem to indicate they are both raised like buttons. I have been in negotiations with a seller of this model for 2 months back and forth. If I manage to get it, I will verify 100% one way or another.
great video! can you tell me if the viewfinder for the original F-1 would fit on the 1976 F-1n (the second model)? because i cant find that information anywhere. i know that the first model and third model viewfinders are not compatible, but i am wondering if the first and second model viewfinders are interchangeable. thank you!
My understanding is that viewfinders were not changed between model F-1 and F-1n. In fact Canon did not even name the model differently. F-1n is a made-up name by commentators and reviewers for convenience. That is probably why you cannot find any information. The differences between the two models are very small. The main one being the ISO dial goes up to 3200. The model that I demonstrated was F-1n. I listed the differences as far as I know at 1:44. This is just my opinion. I cannot guarantee anythign 100%.
Very informational video,i have a question though,about what you said for the focusing screen 22:57, i have a dp-11 view finder, how do i know which number i have to set it on? Thank you
It is written in the instructions that come in the little box for the focussing screen. I am guessing that you don't have that box? If not, do a light measurement off a fixed subject on a reliable hand held light meter for a common situation in the daylight. See what the camera meter recommends. If it is off, then try different light conditions. It they are all off the target in the same direction (ie always one stop too low), you can try to change the adjustment number until the results match the hand held light meter.
Thank you for your feedback. Yes, indeed Nikon F6 of 1994 is better than Nikon F of 1959 and Nikon F2 and...so on. But is the jump from Nikon S to Nikon F greater or the jump from Nikon F5 to F6? If there is a curve for the rate of progress, where is the peak of that curve? The importance and influence on the technology heritage and development is our focus.
The only thing I disagree with is that the F6 is lesser. Ok, the F6 doesn't have different prisms, but the red focus-points in the viewfinder of the F6 is a huge leap forward from the F5 mystery arrows that make me pause to remember what it is pointing at.
Hi there, I just got the Mamiya C3 that used to be my father's. As a kid (early 70's) I only was allowed to carry the camera. I never took one picture with it, so I was glad to see your video. Already learned a few things :-) If I may say one thing about the video: you refer quite a lot to Hasselblad. In my opinion it is not the best comparison. As mentioned in other comments, the Hasselblad was 3 times the price this was at the time. I also remember a kind of joke that was going on at that time I heard a lot when I was a kid. When you used a Hasselblad in the early 70's, you had to take a second one with you because they always broke :-) They seemed to be very error-prone. I think the Mamiya I have is about 55 years old and still works fine. As far as I remember, it has never seen a repairshop. I want to clean the camera (thanks for the tips in the video) and want to use it again. If anyone has some tips where to find a maintenance manual, don't hesitate to leave a reply. Thanks in advance and thanks for the nice video. Wim
Thank you for sharing your exerience. I dont think you need a maintenance manual. Those simple maintenance tips that I provided should be sufficient. I would not open the top if I were in your position. Also I would not lubricate anything. I hope you did not get the impression that I am a biassed Hasselblad fan, constantly comparing the best buy. That is not the case and it is not the point. Have a look at a few more videos on this channel and you will see. We celebrate the advances in technology heritage. The comparison with Hasselblad is in relation to solutions for communication between the different parts, which is not difficult to achieve. But in this model and the Mamiya press cameras, they overlooked them. Much earlier Mamiya 6 cameras (16 models), designed personally by Seiichi Mamiya, already had massively innovative solutions to these issues since 1940. Then somehow they regressed and preferred a particular kind of un-refined simplicity. But you are right they will go on working and working. And they look great as a piece of machinery.
In 1970 I was about to trade in my Miranda for a Sl35... but because of their new start and inexperience in the 35mm format.... my eyes were distracted from the sl35 by a camera almost as beautiful as a lovely woman.... the Alpa 11e in black... sitting on display at my local camera store. Far more expensive but far more of a camera. I am glad I did. Recently I decided to grab for 30 bucks a sl35 German version with the common stuck mirror and shutter and found it to be actually a very beautiful too. Of course my Alpa 11e never ever failed me with a stuck shutter....but I found in research that really if the sl35 had been better lubricated from the factory most of these sl35's would had survived with a better reputation. With that said I took my 30 dollar sl35 and unlocked the shutter and mirror... and then properly lubricated the lower section... and the camera has had no more lockups. So maybe time has some hope for these as "Gem" for Rolleiflex fans.....
I will have to look more closely at that lovely lady Alpa. We have more than 400 cameras here but sadly no Alpa. I can see that there is one for sale now for $600 in terrible shape and no lens. That is 12 times the price of our SL35 + two lenses! Cleaning up SL35 , in my experience was quite easy and within 30 minutes everything started to work fine. The resuls, of course are the achieved by some excellent lenses. The fact that these beautiful SL35 cameras, including Carl Zeiss lenses can be purchased for the price of a take-away meal and a cappuccino is crazy.
Great review! Love the detail! I do have a question. If I have a lens on or off the body when I rock the camera back and forth I hear a clicking noise. It sounds like something sliding then stopping. The camera works great just not sure if any noise when rocking the camera is normal or not?
Hello! Great and informative video, but I do have a question - do the shutter curtains not open when the winding lever is locked and shutter doesn't fire? That's the case for me. I'm sorry if the question doesn't really make sence. Thanks in advance.
Good question. I dont know for sure, whether the film advance lever gets stuck before opening the shutter curtains or after, or both. In my case, the shutter curtain was already open (tensioned). So, as soon as the capacitor was in place and a new battery was inserted, the shutter was released.
I was sad to see that you don't have a video about the F6. When I had bought the F3 and F4, I decided to skip the F5 and go directly to the F6. One reason is that I don't like battery grips, and could not avoid it with the F5. The F4 I have i the smallest version. I am sure F5 is fantastic, but I love the F6. It is a bliss to switch between that and my DSLRs.
That's news to me. I don't think we have a video on the F6 yet, because we don't own one. Regardless, I think your reasoning and decision are perfect. F6 is the best upgrade from F4. We, however, run a Technology Heritage channel and look at the imporance of an item in history. F5 had a special place in history at the time when film was still dominant and generational improvements were substantial. F6 had to compete with the the young but strong digital rebels. A losing battle. I think our F6 video, when we eventually come around to it, will be like Star Wars episode 9. A long wait, a sense of antipation, and a farewell.
Correct. You can buy the adaptor made by Rollei right now from ebay but it is expensive: www.ebay.com/itm/275279104140?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-167022-203327-6&mkcid=2&itemid=275279104140&targetid=330935678841&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9198556&poi=&campaignid=20803083113&mkgroupid=157018859218&rlsatarget=pla-330935678841&abcId=&merchantid=6296724&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-5y1BhC-ARIsAAM_oKnKTLH_H82NBQBLw0FEiMr_hHWVUPespLmU6OKtZrU6md4SiXZVehwaApSgEALw_wcB If this long link does not work, do this exact search on ebay: Mint boxed Rare Rollei Sl35 camera mount M39 Leica L39 mount lens adapter I am curious as to why you would want to mount Leica M39 on Rolleiflex anyway. You can get much better Carl Zeiss lenses for less than the price of the adaptor alone.
I am not aware of that limitation. But I have not tried it myself. You might like to ask the seller to send you a picture of the instruction that inside the box from Rollei (from the link that I provided).
This is hands down one of the best videos if not the best one for these cameras :) Anyone know where I can buy the battery and adaptor for the F1-n? I'd appreciate it if you sent a link! Thanks fam!
If you prefer the battery without using an adaptor, on Amazon search for "PX625A battery" and plenty of options come up. These are the Alkaline versions of PX625. Then set the ISO dial one or two stops lower than the film box indicates (ISO 400 becomes ISO 200) to compensate for the slight voltage difference. Alternatively you can get cheap and common Brass adaptors on Amazon. Search for "Brass adaptor for PX625". These adaptors take the common LR44 or SR44 batteries. Do the same ISO adjustment as mentioned before. If you want to get the best voltage controlled adaptor from Japan, search on Ebay for "MR9 adaptor from Japan". With those, ISO re-adjustment is not necessary as the voltage will be just right. Finally get the ultimate information on this type of battery and all the adaptors from our video on this exact subject: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xt6bC9Kt3Dw.html
I´ve just got me a C3 and an easy way to remind myself to lock or unlock correctly is to use the question. I want to UNLOCK the lens then switch to unlock.
Good practice. Thanks for sharing. Its the same as using the lens release button in all SLR cameras. Its a shame that the Mamiya Engineers did not think of making this mandatory for the release of the lens like SLR cameras. Instead they have two other completely separate functions for releasing the lens which do not communicate with the Lock knob. This model was not designed by the chief designer Seiichi Mamiya and it shows. But the lenses are great.
Wonderful, imaginative, informative video. I just found your channel by accident. And I enjoy your presentation style. I'm hooked. Loved your F and F2 videos. Made me pull mine off the shelves.
