The Rolleiflex SL35 E was one of the later 35mm SLR additions to the Rolleiflex range. Rollei has a complicated history but they made some lovely cameras. This one is no exception. Manufactured in Singapore from 1978, it has a twin made by Voigtländer called the VSL 3E. Both use the QBM mount. As soon …
Before Pentax, there was Asahi Pentax. They produced some great cameras. This is the Asahi Pentax S1a. An entry level 35mm SLR. It was known in the US as the Honeywell Heiland Pentax H1a. It is a simple design, but very well made. With no built-in metering, you will need to either learn to judge …
The Canon AE-1 Program is one of the most popular 35mm SLR’s ever produced and I still use mine nearly every day. First produced in 1981 as a successor to the AE-1, it introduced a Program AE feature. This meant that with the correct lens fitted, the camera could provide fully automatic aperture and shutter …
This is the 1980 Zenit TTL Olympic Edition. It is another Soviet made 35mm SLR. This one was made to commemorate the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Mine is in pretty grim condition but in this video I start the restoration process and hopefully I can improve its condition. I bought it from an antique dealer, …
Some tips on long-exposure photography in my latest video. I spent a recent holiday in Ireland and visited the Powerscourt Waterfall. Whilst there I took some photos using a neutral density filter and shutter speeds in excess of 20 seconds. I was hoping to smooth out the moving water so that it gave me that …
This is the 1985 Olympus OM-40 Program. In my opinion, one of the best consumer 35mm SLR’s ever made, and a model I have been on the look out for. Three exposure modes, ESP metering and full DX film capabilities, all make it a very versatile camera and one that is already becoming my favourite …
The 1988 Olympus OM-101 Power Focus was an unusual SLR. Known as the OM-88 in many parts of the world, it was an entirely automatic camera. However, with the addition of an adaptor, it could be converted in to a manual one. My version unfortunately appears not to be working despite my efforts to clean …
The Parallax Effect is phenomena that can spoil your photographs, but what is it exactly and can it be overcome? In my latest short video I hope to answer these questions. It does not affect Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras as we are looking through the taking lens. But with point and shoot and other …
This is the Mamiya/Sekor 528TL. Known in the US as a Sears Auto 35TL, it’s a 35mm SLR, but an unusual one. The lens, a 48mm f2.8, is fixed and cannot be changed. But it does have a light meter, an automatic aperture setting and lovely shutter sound. Unfortunately, mine is not working, but I …
Camera lenses can be a confusing subject and so I thought that a “lenses for beginners”, an introduction to lenses might be useful. There are way too many types of lens to cover in one video. I therefore concentrate on just two types. Prime lenses and zoom lenses. I explain the meaning of the terms …
