P3D my biased perspective on cameras

[John Toeppen <toeppen@xxxxxxxx>]

General advice has the problem of being general.  It is generally good
advice to set the shutter speed before cocking the shutter.  It is also
advisable to change the shutters speed slowly if you have really need to
change the speed. Setting the speed and then cocking a shutter just
before use is very good advice for a Realist and most other equipment
(especially for the slow speeds).
The VM Personal was very cute in concept but marginal in execution.  The
market for this product (the kid with $90 to spend that wanted to save
pennies) was very small.  The Kid's parents wanted a Realist, Revere, or
Kodak. The VM was not very well engineered.
The Grafex was even worse.  It was defective in concept and execution. 
It was a suprise to me when I ran film thru my first one years ago.  I
simply found it hard to believe that a camera company with a long
history of quality products produced a marginal stereo point and shoot.
Their 1910 stereo stuff was much better.
In all fairness many "me too" cameras were made that were good in their
time but did not withstand the test of time.  A Kodak is robust and not
likely to need repair.  	It is a pain to replace Kodak lens to to the
helical focus.  TDCs were great unless used heavily, as even the
aluminium strap connections can wear out.  Reveres have poor lens
coatings compared to Realists or Kodaks and have poor contrast and flare
in sunward shots. 
Only the Realist can be easily brought back to life on the kitchen table
with a set of jeweler's screwdrivers and small needle nosed pliers. 
These camera withstands a level of use that is quite impressive -- and
still be able to take another 10,000 pairs.
I don't know cameras like George does, and I don't want to (nor can I
afford to!).  But simple and stout is good for the intense
photographer.  
Oh, and camera with the word "auto" is sure to eventually die from some
electronic problem within ten years of purchase. (Maybe I will sell my
dead Nikon NFG, errr....that is FG and my Nikon EM on EBay)

John Toeppen
http://members.home.net/toeppen


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End of PHOTO-3D Digest 3249
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