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Jayd
Tinkerer
Username: Jayd
Post Number: 28
Registered: 06-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 02:11 pm: | 
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I have though of buying either Thomsy's second book or Romeny's basic training book and had decided on Romney until I read the not very favorable reviews on Amazon.com. So I want to get the opinions of the regulars here. I met Romney some years ago and have a couple of his individual camera repair manuals so I could see the point of some Amazon reviewers that his book does not live up to his promotion of it.
My aim is to increase my knowledge of all cameras and how different types work and how they should be repaired rather than just learning one camera at a time as I have been doing so far. I.E. I know nothing about focal plane shutter repair, just a vague idea how they work.
Thanks
Jay |
Mikel
Tinkerer
Username: Mikel
Post Number: 98
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 03:34 pm: |
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I think that "Basic Training" by Romney is the best single volume text on camera repair. It is well written and logical. It takes a systems approach. All versions were self published, so some people are put off by the physical quality.
If you buy a used copy make sure that you get the included but unattached example photos |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 628
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 - 08:56 pm: |
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I think both are worth having. If I had to choose one it would be Tomosy's, as it is better organized and more specific in addition to its better production quality. Romney's book has a sort of stream-of-consciousness feel about it, a lot of bits of information that do not necessarily link together... it can be helpful if you have enough experience of your own, or other sources, to fill in the blanks. |
Gersur
Tinkerer
Username: Gersur
Post Number: 1
Registered: 06-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 02, 2008 - 01:55 am: |
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I just received the full Romney's collection, the one advertised at the bottom of the books list on Romney's page, Mrs. S. Romney was kind enough to respect the offer even though it was many years old.I'm just amazed with the quantity of photographic equipment this man was able to study, describe and dissect.Most of the manuals are written on a typewriter, they've got notes handwritten, and drawings hand made... One of the reviewers on Amazon writes "amateur publishing standards", well... if the saying "never judge a book by its cover" was ever meant to apply to an actual book, this almost 1 meter tall stack of paper would be it. Romney's books are the knowledge and passion of a very knowledgeable and passionate man expressed very humbly on paper. Before buying Romney's books, I already owned and have read 5 of the ones written by Tomosy (I think I'm only missing the one on Nikons), and the one written by Lippincot. I also was left with that "I have a vague idea" feeling about cameras in general after reading Tomosy's books, but they ware great, if I happen to need help on one of the cameras he describes. That vague idea feeling goes out the window when you read Lippincott's book and his "Generic approach", so I think Lipincott's book is what you're looking for (I haven' read Romney's work yet, just browsed it). And now with the complete Romney's collection, I think I now have the complete Encyclopedia Britannica of camera repair ;).
By the way I find the review on Romney's Basic Training, found on this site, a lot more helpful then the ones on Amazon.
Best Regards |
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