To be honest I’m not really surprised. Leica has already ceased production years ago and were just selling old batches. The M7 has a few unsolvable bugs in the electronics that have been giving Leica headaches since the camera was launched. I expect the MA to last quite long since it’s completely free of electronics.
I didnt know that. Does yours have these bugs too or did you get lucky?
rattymouse wrote:
I didnt know that. Does yours have these bugs too or did you get lucky?
Both of mine got the bugs. I think it’s unavoidable. It’s just a minor annoyance that doesn’t affect actual shooting. One has to remember what film is in the camera because the iso dial and dx reader are very erratic.
Developing B/W at home really changed the game for me. I used to dread that I'd have to travel to/from the lab (in NYC) over two days to get my film developed, which often made me choose to leave the film camera at home. Now I can look forward to seeing images about a 1/2hr after returning home!
I'm so comfortable with B/W that I am now considering home-developing color as well. Seems like the biggest issue is temperature control. The "FF No. 1 monobath" I use for B/W is "room temperature" (@72ºF), and very forgiving, which is nice. I'd love to be able to develop Provia (E-6), so I am doing some more research today (and maybe a shopping trip to B&H!).
A quick look on B&H, and they don't have ANY E-6 chemistry in stock. Everything is special order.
So I think I'm going to try the Film Photography Project "Rapid E6 Kit". Pretty simple. Developer A, B and a combined Bleach/Fixer ("Blix"). The tutorial on their site seems to imply that temperature can vary from 70ºF to 105ºF as long as you keep each step at roughly the same temp.
edwardkaraa wrote:
Both of mine got the bugs. I think it’s unavoidable. It’s just a minor annoyance that doesn’t affect actual shooting. One has to remember what film is in the camera because the iso dial and dx reader are very erratic.
What are the starting serial #s of your cameras? Mine is in the 332XXX range.
Also, there is a washer that was introduced later in production that helped place the film canister
Desmolicious wrote:
What are the starting serial #s of your cameras? Mine is in the 332XXX range.
Also, there is a washer that was introduced later in production that helped place the film canister
The really stupid thing about this DX reader issue, is that everyone else figured out how to make them work on their $20 cameras...
Both are older batches in the 28xxxx but both have the upgraded optical reader. One has the washer only, curiously the older one. I think it’s just about luck, neither solutions really work with some bodies.
kwoodard wrote:
Care to share your process? Your development and scanning is always superb.
My "process" is about as dumbed down as you could possibly imagine. For Acros, I use Kodak HC-110, dilution E at 20 C. Total development time is 7 minutes. I agitate slowly for the first minute and then for 10 seconds every minute after. I usually use a 20% vinegar stop bath, but sometimes just water. The fix for 5 mins with Ilford Rapid fixer. Washing is invert for 10, 15, 20, 20, 20, 20 inversion, fresh water after each step. Then a final wash of 30 seconds with an approximate 0.5% Photoflo mix. Hang overnight to dry.
I scan with a Plustek OpticFilm 120 scanner.
In the past I used Ilford DD-X for my TMAX400 and Delta 3200. I hardly shoot these days so I dont think I'll do that anymore as the DD-X would probably go bad with the time it would take me to use it all up.
