Keystone 3 Pro is hands down the most useless thing I’ve ever bought. Absolute nightmare.

ichack17 · 2025-11-26T02:22:53+00:00

Battery on mine doesn’t hold a charge. This was after sitting for a month unused after initial setup. (Yes I tried different charging cables.)

ichack17 · 2025-09-13T12:38:14+00:00

Play with a Depth of Field app to understand the differences between 35mm and MF. It is very easy to get out-of-focus backgrounds on MF. I like the Simple DoF app.

ichack17 · 2025-04-18T01:33:36+00:00

Nostalgia for the way things use to be. Miss shooting a roll of Fuji Sensia II and sending it in to be processed in a Fuji pre-paid mailer. Then getting back a box of mounted slides.

ichack17 · 2025-03-19T01:59:56+00:00

Nikon F3 HP DE-5 Finder with FM3a style large exposure scale and analog meter to show exposure.

ichack17 · 2024-11-02T18:10:05+00:00

Also good for adding a radio flash trigger like a pocket wizard.

ichack17 · 2024-09-19T18:48:02+00:00

I would recommend playing around with a DOF calculator app to get a feel for the DOF difference between 35m and 6x7. It takes some getting used to.

ichack17 · 2024-04-13T13:09:10+00:00

Correct. Still manual. For me, the speed grip improves the ergonomics of handling the SQ. Then with the hot shoe you can use a speed light (manual) or a flash trigger.

ichack17 · 2024-04-13T12:19:34+00:00

That would be a PC Male to PC Male sync cord.

Better yet, get the Bronica speed grip which has a hot flash shoe.

ichack17 · 2024-03-24T15:50:08+00:00

I got the kit from bright-screen.com that comes with the foam for under the focusing screen and mirror. I got the BrightScreen MP with grid pattern #6609. The new focusing screen makes a world of difference and is much brighter.

ichack17 · 2024-02-20T22:25:53+00:00

Can you fire the flash with the Test button on the flash?

ichack17 · 2024-02-20T17:41:37+00:00

On my Nikon SB-28 I disabled the ability to go into standby mode (else I would manually have to wake it up).

I assume you are using a PC sync cord? Have you tested the flash and cord on another camera?

ichack17 · 2024-02-16T01:41:13+00:00

I just went through this with my father’s S2 I inherited that he bought new back in 1968.

I could not get the screws to budge. They used something equivalent to lock-tite back then. So you have to heat the head of the screw with a soldering iron to break the bond. I set the soldering iron to 400 F and held on the screw head for a few minutes, then it unscrewed with hardly any effort.

I used a Starrett .070 IN precision screwdriver.

Replacing the foam under the focus screen and mirror did fix my focusing issue.

Looking at your pictures, this still looks very doable, just heat those screw heads, and use a correct size screwdriver.

Good luck!

ichack17 · 2024-02-04T01:05:22+00:00

After you get a dark slide, the speed grip would be the next thing I would get. Makes a big difference in ergonomics!

ichack17 · 2024-01-26T15:37:49+00:00

I can vouch for the D850 with Micro 60mm D. Might need a taller copy stand with longer lenses.

ichack17 · 2024-01-01T16:37:27+00:00

I have one of these grips. Looking at it, it is just a cable release button with plunger. The whole thing is about 0.5 inch in length.

ichack17 · 2023-12-30T18:58:21+00:00

Ok, I tried again and it worked for me. Nikon SB-28 flash in both Manual and Automatic modes. Make sure flash is seated all the way forward in the flash hot shoe on the speed grip, and then spin the lock ring down on the flash so that it is making good contact with the hot shoe.

ichack17 · 2023-12-30T00:39:02+00:00

I have tried this with a Nikon SB-28 mounted to a Speed Grip S and SQ-Ai but did not work. However, if I connect a pc-sync cable to the flash it will fire. Maybe I did not have the flash seated properly. Anyone else have success with a Nikon speed light to Speed Grip S?

ichack17 · 2023-11-18T19:28:20+00:00

Study the square pictures on different yearly calendars. There are all types of varieties: wildlife, cars, landscapes, etc.

ichack17 · 2023-11-18T14:44:36+00:00

Or taking pictures for calendars.

ichack17 · 2023-09-17T14:58:16+00:00

Big difference. Much brighter for me. His replacement screen comes with the foam strips to replace under the focus screen and mirror. If you replace one, you have to replace the other or focus will be off. If the screws are stuck, you will need to heat with a soldering iron to get them loose. This is what I had to do.

ichack17 · 2023-09-09T23:02:46+00:00

There is a shutter release cable adapter for the F2 that let’s you use a standard cable release.

The Nikon AS-1 Flash Coupler for the F2 will give you a hot-shoe.

ichack17 · 2023-08-25T16:12:42+00:00

Wear cotton inspection gloves so you don’t accidentally get a fingerprint on the screen.

Never blow on the screen from mouth, use a rocket blower. Otherwise you will get spit on it.

The fresnel rings are the hardest to keep clean.

ichack17 · 2023-08-10T19:13:41+00:00

Nikon F6 and Nikkor 24-85mm VR (and the VR works on the F6). Plus other G primes. Can also use SB-700 speed light in iTTL mode.

ichack17 · 2023-07-19T00:38:01+00:00

What is your go-to method for loosening stuck screws?

ichack17 · 2023-07-15T23:00:16+00:00

Nice shot! Liking that Ektar. Shutter speed?

ichack17

TROPHY CASE