Hello All, from Greendale Australia.

JoolsW · Jul 4, 2024

Before I got to Australia, I did some photography at Sidcup art school, (south London). I think I used a Lubitel TLR, a rather rough-house Russian version of a TLR Rollieflex. But it wasn't until I was Art Directing in Melbourne that I got into photography deeply. I was working with some of our best commercial photographers, (no names to protect the guilty!) and I learned more than I can remember. Of course when you're working like this (with Ad Agency deadlines and generous budgets) there's little time to be self-indulgent. Every shot had to be right. No PSD back then. One of the guys, (a very naughty German feller who drove us around Melbourne in a Messerschmitt bubble car) never used any sort of assistance with light readings, yet almost every 'Blad tranny was absolutely perfect. - All tranny of course BITD. We did a lot of location fashion stuff and I was pretty demanding, dragging him and the models around to all sorts of different and difficult locations.

Around this time we did a lot of food photography too, at the Kraft Foods studio. I would spend a day or two a week there, and I was VERY well fed!
Attached to the photo studio was the 'Test Kitchen' where there were about half a dozen young very talented young cooks who were always very keen to please. We always shot 10x8 tranny there. I didn't ACTUALLY polish peas, but I did actually paint them with oil to add a bit of gloss! I guess nowadays AI would be used.

Later when I was freelancing I shot what I needed myself (I nearly said 'shot myself'!

) I really never quite had the right gear though, I never felt I could spend the money... what with 2 kids to raise. I had to work too hard at it. Nevertheless I look back with some satisfaction at the results.

For some years I ran a very well equipped studio working out of a Printer's Design and Photography department.- Around that time Digital was just getting useful. And the 'Phase One' 5x4 'scan back' on a lovely Arca Swiss was 'the go'. Exposure times were around 2-4 minutes! Lucky we had a very solid floor. It made beautiful photographs. Most of the work was product photography. One needed careful lighting and a good eye for detail.

Of course like most I've been shooting digital (daily driver is my D90) for many years. But I DO hear the nagging call of my ol' Mamiyas and Kowa 6 now, so I'm going to be heading to Vanbar soon to pick up some film and maybe a battery or two, -(definitely got to find 1.35v batteries for my Lunasix -they seem rather hard to come by) - I'll use my Mamiya 645 PRO, it's meter seems to be good but I will cheat and check exposures with my Nikon D90 meter!)
I'm tempted to look at a Digital back for the Mamiya, but they ain't cheap are they! Anyway, I look forward to 'meeting' people here.
Cheers, Jools.

jeffashman · Jul 4, 2024

Howdy and welcome! Fascinating story! I have a Lomo Lubitel 166, but I haven't used it in decades. Don't even know if it is still functional.

Jeff15 · Jul 5, 2024

Hello and welcome ....

wobe · Jul 6, 2024

Hi and welcome!

For the Lunasix battery you can probably use a 'Wein cell' - Amazon sell them for $8 or so and each will last for about 4-6 months.

Alternatively hearing aid batteries are dirt cheap and work at close to the correct voltage, you can buy 60 for $16 (PR44 1.4v) - long term solution is to get a voltage resistor fitted so you can use standard cheap 1.5v SR44's.

JoolsW · Jul 6, 2024

Wobe, thanks for that info. The WEIN cells I found online were much more expensive, so I'll try Amazon.
The hearing aid cells sound interesting, I'll check 'em out, I wonder if their physical size matches (or is usable)?
And yes I know of the 1.5v cells, but I think that voltage is critical for accurate readings, (and accurate is what we need for a light meter eh? Cheers.

wobe · Jul 6, 2024

You’re welcome!

Re the 1.5v cells, for clarity, I would not suggest using them without the voltage resistor fitted (this can be easily retro fitted to the camera wiring and steps down the voltage to the correct 1.35).
I heard the best way to get the hearing aid batteries to work is to buy a Wein cell - when it dies separate the actual battery from the metal 'cup' it sits in. This cup is just to make the cell be the same shape as the original mercury battery. Now place that cup in the camera and drop the hearing aid battery onto it. I have not done gone down this road myself but it seems very common, just google it.

P.S. - The Wein cells may be GBP8 not USD8 !

denum · Jul 6, 2024

Welcome aboard! Look forward to your input.

JoolsW · Jul 6, 2024

Thanks gentlemen. Haha, batteries... whatever the price number, double it to get Aussie bucks! So there's two for the Lunasix, then I've got a few old cameras that need them. Just for fun, here's a shot of some of the old things I've gathered over the years - these are mainly rangefinders. But some may recognise the two Contaflex. Early SLR, Contaflex are superb cameras with leaf shutter lenses. I have Medium Format and SLRs too. Perhaps if anyone is interested I'll add shots of those too?

denum · Jul 6, 2024

Nice collection. I have no desire to own film cameras but I do appreciate nostalgia, and nice collections of older things.

jeffashman · Jul 6, 2024

JoolsW said:
Thanks gentlemen. Haha, batteries... whatever the price number, double it to get Aussie bucks! So there's two for the Lunasix, then I've got a few old cameras that need them. Just for fun, here's a shot of some of the old things I've gathered over the years - these are mainly rangefinders. But some may recognise the two Contaflex. Early SLR, Contaflex are superb cameras with leaf shutter lenses. I have Medium Format and SLRs too. Perhaps if anyone is interested I'll add shots of those too?
View attachment 277146

You're missing an Agfa half-frame in your collection...

JoolsW · Jul 6, 2024

THX denum, most of these were picked up at charity shops for almost nothing. A couple cost maybe $30.
One of the fascinations with old cameras is the actual mechanisms, -beautiful stuff. To hear a Contaflex leaf shutter going off is a REAL treat.

Jeff, yes there are many 'holes' in the collection! (I'll take the Aggy half-frame off your hands if you like! :pirate:

). It never really started out as a collection, just sort of 'grew'! Then the satisfaction of cleaning them and getting them going. (It's amazing that a lot of them just needed exercise).