| Author |
Message |
    
Ismaelg
Tinkerer
Username: Ismaelg
Post Number: 107
Registered: 11-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 07, 2013 - 07:42 pm: | 
|
Hello,
I've been very busy lately with work and family so I've had very limited time to tinker with cameras.
I recently acquired a Pentax SF10, first generation autofocus from around 1988. I know it is considered "too new" by this forum's standards, but I consider them an important piece of photography history as they represent the mindset change era to autofocus/full electronics.
Anyway, the previous owner said he had no idea if it was working since it was last used many years ago.
So I took it to my workbench. Finding an appropriate battery (2CR5) was a challenge in itself. After some encouraging dry test runs, I did the usual "for display purposes" cleaning. Slapped my FA 28-80 lens, loaded a roll of Walgreens 200 film and off I went.
The shutter button feels a bit loose so the "half press" for metering and focusing is a bit erratic, to the point of accidentally firing the shutter trying to get it to focus, wasting a frame. This happened 3 times in the roll. Otherwise, it performed as designed.
In the end, it was a good fun experiment that makes you appreciate the evolution of technology, but not very practical for frequent use mainly due to the shutter button issue.
I wrote an article in my museum website with pictures of before, after and scanned samples produced with it.
http://www.portadafotografica.com/showthread.php?1676-Pentax-SF-10-Autofocus-a-p recio-accesible
It is in spanish but the pics will tell the story.
It was good to be back tinkering with an older camera, even if it was only a matter of cleaning and getting the right battery...
Thanks,
Ismael |
Br1078lum
Tinkerer
Username: Br1078lum
Post Number: 590
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 08, 2013 - 08:25 pm: |
|
I remember seeing some camera parts for sale, consisting of the remains of a couple of cameras. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what manufacturer put the hot-shoe on the same side as the shutter release. Now I know. You may want to get a cap on that shoe, so you don't shock yourself, Ismael.
Too bad about the out of focus horse.
PF |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 1086
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 09, 2013 - 03:11 am: |
|
I know of no camera where the capacitor for the built in flash is electrically connected to the 'hot' shoe contacts for an accessory flash gun. The shoe circuit has always been a purely 'mechanical' switching operation. Is the SF-10 actually different or is this another case of 'urban myth' clouding the issue? |
Br1078lum
Tinkerer
Username: Br1078lum
Post Number: 593
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 09, 2013 - 12:19 pm: |
|
I've read instances of folks getting shocked on the newer cameras, Glenn. And today's cameras actually come with a cover for the hot-shoe, so I'm going with the safest way.
PF |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 1087
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 11, 2013 - 05:55 am: |
|
Interesting - a case of micro electronic circuitry taking a step backwards perhaps? |
Hanskerensky
Tinkerer
Username: Hanskerensky
Post Number: 259
Registered: 05-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 11, 2013 - 03:11 pm: |
|
With respect to newer cameras having an USB-connection you can have the situation that when your camera is connected with your PC and your PC is powered from the electric mains but is not grounded there is the risk of having AC-voltages (usually 1/2 the mains voltage because of the way the filter circuit in the PC Power supply is build) on the metal parts of your PC and also on the metal house of the USB connectors.
Some cameras have the metal of the hot shoe connected to the metal shield of their USB-port. So in such situations getting a shock from the hot shoe while your camera is connected to the PC is entirely possible. |
