In the company of a Rebel.

[Gord Tomlin]

£3.99? Maybe I'll take up photography!

 

[Ralph Turner]

£3.99? Maybe I'll take up photography!

Yeah, apparently it's quite good fun...

 

[Ralph Turner]

Well, it nearly happened again. A 500 on the 'Bay, only one bid of 99p. I kept watch for three quarters of an hour, getting ready to pounce at the right moment..... then got engrossed in the telly and missed the end of bidding .. ah well, someone's got a good mint condition slr for less than a quid.

 

[Brian Moore]

Here I was thinking India Pale Ale!

That would be sacrilege!

 

[Brian Moore]

Thanks, gents. At this stage, of course, it might still turn out to be a dud when I run a film through it. Anyway, fingers crossed. I'm guessing it's their lack of 'street cred' or something that's the reason for their cheap price. There are a surprising number of similar cameras not just from Canon, but Minolta, Pentax etc. That go for a song. All quite capable, just a bit plasticky. Maybe the cost of the glass to go with it is a factor. For anyone looking to try film out though, I would have thiught they'd be a good option.

Lately I've been thinking about an EOS film camera just so I can use my (few) EOS lenses for film as well as digital. You might have put me over the edge. (By the way I have that 40mm pancake lens; its a nice lens.) The pictures are nice, by the way.

 

[Ralph Turner]

Lately I've been thinking about an EOS film camera just so I can use my (few) EOS lenses for film as well as digital. You might have put me over the edge. (By the way I have that 40mm pancake lens; its a nice lens.) The pictures are nice, by the way.

If you do, happy hunting. Hopefully you'll strike lucky with one.

 

[Ralph Turner]

(By the way I have that 40mm pancake lens; its a nice lens.) The pictures are nice, by the way.

Thank you re pictures Indeed, that 40mm is very good. When on one of these plastic fantastics, it makes for a somewhat bulky 'compact' camera. Very light, yet all the control you could want and the lens (as you know) tack sharp.

 

[Ralph Turner]

First (Kentmere 400) roll out of the second, £3.99 body, hanging up to dry. All looking good so far.

 

[Ralph Turner]

Had a trip out with '£3.99'. Worked flawlessly. Using the battery grip with it that I have does help with my fingers. The first shot (taken with tht 40mm was heavily cropped from the original frame (to approx half frame size). The second, with only minor cropping, using a 24mm prime.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

I adore the second one, @Ralph Turner. I think a vertical 3:2 is a difficult aspect ratio, but in this case is really effective. Perfect geometry drawn by shapes and light.

 

[Ralph Turner]

Many thanks, Gianluca.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Both excellent, Ralph, but, yes, that second is something special. Well done.

 

[Ralph Turner]

Many thanks, Rob.

 

[Ralph Turner]

For anyone who might be interested, I've done a little review of sorts:

Rebel With A Cause

Up to a point, whether it's a Nikon or a Zenith, a top professional model or a more basic one aimed at beginners, from the hardware side of things, the resultant photo is only as good as the film loaded in the back and the glass attached to the front (photographer's talent notwithstanding). As...

ralphyturner.substack.com

 

[Gary R. Smith]

of course, it might still turn out to be a dud when I run a film through it

That seems to have been the case with my Perkeo 2 purchase but I'll run a second roll through it just to be sure.

You seem to have done much better Ralph, your shots all look great!

 

[Ralph Turner]

Cheers @Gary R. Smith. Much appreciated. Sorry to hear you've had poor luck with the Perkeo

 

[Ralph Turner]

Another 'plastic fantastic'. I wanted to try a couple of Minolta AF fit lenses that I'd been given. I did try a with Dynax 40 a little while back, but that didn't go anywhere as it was a pile of junk that didn't work properly (it's fit and finish seemingly inferior to an Airfix kit). This 404si looks and feels a whole lot better (and it works). It also came in £1.50 cheaper than the '40, at £6.00. I've loaded a roll of Kentmere 400 in it, so fingers crossed.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Good luck, Ralph!

 

[Ralph Turner]

Good luck, Ralph!

Cheers Rob

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

Many thanks, Rob. I'm not an expert on their range, but I think there were a few analogue rebels before (and maybe for a time in parallel with) their digital cousins. Having the 'Rebel' badge and not the UK '500' label, I wonder how it found it's way over the big pond. Metering wise, it's just the onboard meter, most likely set to centre weighted, though I wouldn't like to say for sure, may have been evaluative (it also has partial, but I don't think I've used that, yet). One un-nerving thing when I was first out n about with it was how quiet it is. There's a quiet, dull thud of the mirror and whirr of the motor snd that's it. I was worried the shutter wasn't firing. Luckily my fears were unfounded. All in all a nice little camera. I saw one on the 'Bay yesterday for £3.99. Don't know if it works, but at that price. I was nearly tempted, but I've got two already. The battery grip came with a body, the later 500N in silver (better spec) but I think that one has an issue with torque sensing or something on advancing the film. Last roll only got 33/36 frames before it threw in the towel. Shame.

Ralph is right; there were a few before the digital, but named only that way in the USA. Europe had more of a "proper" name on them. Rebels are everywhere you know.