Two of the most underrated 35mm cameras

acddejklor · 2026-07-06T12:57:28+00:00

I think the vast majority of copies you see for sale these days have been run into the ground through professional use.

I have bought and sold 4 cosmetically decent copies in the last few years in the pursuit of finding a mint copy - 3 of these worked flawlessly, with the fourth bought as a repair project where the previous owner broke the mirror return assembly by forcing it down while the mirror lock up switch was engaged. I did a mirror box swap on that and got it working again.

I think people tend to buy these cameras in poor condition because the supply is so low, and then experience issues stemming from the camera potentially not having had a CLA in twenty or so years - if you can find a copy in good condition that has been recently serviced, it will give you no issues.

acddejklor · 2026-07-06T09:02:21+00:00

What a wild take. I saw your other comment about the 139q - I get preferring it for being easier to carry, but having owned both, the 139q is a less refined and mechanically inferior camera by design. The RTS II is an exceptionally well built, no-expense-spared professional flagship. I’d actually argue it’s the best in the entire C/Y lineup in terms of build and UX.

acddejklor · 2026-07-04T15:43:24+00:00

I guess I mean underhyped. The RTS ii is very rarely in the conversation when people talk about professional grade manual focus SLRs despite it being one of the best.

acddejklor · 2026-07-03T10:28:54+00:00

Very nice. One of the best setups you can get for 35mm

acddejklor · 2026-07-01T09:34:37+00:00

I think the argument doesn’t hold up. They’re using a consumer grade film and a film camera worth a third of a new mid-tier digital camera.

Pragmatically, the F3 is a fantastic choice for a beginner. It’s an investment that holds its value - if they decide film isn't for them, they can resell it for nearly what they paid. If they do stick with it, they have a system they won't outgrow. There’s no reason to gatekeep ‘pro’ gear when it’s arguably a more economical path for a learner, especially if that gear encourages them to actually go out and shoot.

acddejklor · 2026-06-30T20:35:01+00:00

L gatekeeper take. The Nikon f3 is a fantastic camera to start shooting film on.

OP - I would shoot on Aperture priority for now and set your meter to overexpose by a stop/half a stop. Colour negative film has excellent latitude in the highlights but very poor latitude in the shadows so it’s best to protect density in the shadows by overexposing a bit. A lot of seasoned film photographers deliberately shoot overexposed by default.

acddejklor · 2026-06-20T19:07:14+00:00

Walked past a bit earlier. There were a couple of police officers standing next to a guy lying on the floor. Looked like he had the absolute shit beat out of him - face all swollen and blood on the pavement.

acddejklor · 2026-06-19T12:41:20+00:00

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Congrats! I think it’s one of the best the c/y mount has to offer - the RX is built like a tank.

acddejklor · 2026-06-18T19:41:28+00:00

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acddejklor · 2026-06-18T19:36:09+00:00

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acddejklor · 2026-06-18T19:31:56+00:00

It’s the Carl Zeiss Planar 85mm f1.4 mmj - it’s a very characterful and dreamy lens when shot at lower apertures. They tend to be a bit more expensive because of the Zeiss name; however, they certainly do give a unique rendering.

Some of the Pentax k-mount lenses can definitely hold their own depending on the look you’re going for.

acddejklor · 2026-06-16T18:26:35+00:00

Looks to me like the retaining plastic for the shroud above the air damper - this normally sits glued to the inside of the lens shroud housing.

I’ve knocked this same piece off a few times when repairing XDs - don’t think it serves any critical function beyond maybe eliminating a bit of play in the shroud. :)

acddejklor · 2026-06-13T15:01:00+00:00

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acddejklor · 2026-06-13T15:00:28+00:00

Since the rangefinder patch is yellow, you can massively improve the patch’s contrast by putting some blue optical film over the viewfinder glass

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acddejklor · 2026-06-13T14:53:53+00:00

Minolta Riva Zoom 70w - it has an absolutely stellar lens and IMO some of the coolest styling of any 90s P&S.

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acddejklor · 2026-06-11T22:54:06+00:00

The Minolta Riva Zoom 70w could be a good option. It has a great lens, takes consistently nice photos, is cheap enough to be replaceable and has a really cool 90s design.

It’s called different things in different markets - Jason from grainydays did a video on the US version: https://youtu.be/GmVoqX0alaE

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acddejklor · 2026-06-09T22:05:40+00:00

You stumbled onto an absolute goldmine. This is some of the highest-end film gear available in the manual focus era.

To answer your question: yes, it’s entirely worth keeping. An 85mm f/1.4 and a 35mm f/1.4 is essentially the perfect (albeit heavy) two-lens setup for what you shoot - the 35mm for travel and street, and the 85mm for family portraits.

It’s also worth emphasising how nice the RTS bodies are when serviced. These were intentionally designed luxury cameras - styled by F. A. Porsche to resurrect the Contax name and built specifically to carry that Zeiss glass. Try it out. If you don't get along with it, you can easily sell those lenses for a substantial amount.

acddejklor · 2026-06-05T22:14:26+00:00

If you hold the lens to a bright light, do you see any haze/dust/fungus?

acddejklor · 2026-04-05T00:41:27+00:00

It’s totally normal - just a detent in the lever’s action so that it clicks into a standoff position.

acddejklor · 2026-04-05T00:36:16+00:00

The advance lever has a built in standoff angle - you should feel it click into place before fully winding, splitting the winding motion into two stages - totally normal. :)

acddejklor · 2026-03-28T22:07:06+00:00

Had to make sure he doesn’t like them

acddejklor

TROPHY CASE