My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Postby Walter Glover » 08 Jun 2017, 12:27

Last Friday night, while parked in the illuminated back yard parking space, my van was broken into and ALL of my kit stolen: Camera, lenses, tripod, meter ..... you name it.
It'll be hard to flog — who'd even know what it is, let alone how to show it or operate it.
The Police are on the trail and perhaps I'll be blessed with the return of the kit in the same condition as when it was whipped.
Meanwhile, I went to my friends' camera store on Tuesday and just two hours earlier they had received in a consignment sale of a pristine Mamiya C330 at the right price. I love the Mamiya TLRs and had been investigating getting one for some time.
Since moving into the small flat just over a year ago I have not been productive. Processing rolls will provide greater throughput and I might actually get back to making some pictures.
And yes, Barry K, it was the venerated Toyo that went.

Oh well.....,
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

User avatar
Barry Kirsten
Posts: 230
Joined: 27 Feb 2015, 11:13
Location: Brookfield, Vic.

Re: My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Postby Barry Kirsten » 08 Jun 2017, 17:55

So sad, Walter. I do hope you get it back. Let's keep hoping. Ass you said, it'll be hard to flog, and the moment it comes onto the market, if the police are doing their job, there's a good chance you'll get it back.

I was amazed at the images you showed me that you did with the C220. Breathtakingly sharp and with beautiful tonality. I was not aware of how good those Mamiya lenses are. Isn't it a tragedy that Mamiya, Fuji and Nikon don't make MF and LF lenses any more? A great thing about the Mamiya TLRs is that you can swap focal lengths. Good luck with the C330.

Moving day is tomorrow for us. One more sleep and our ordeal will be over. At last I'll be able to do some photography again.

Keep us posted about your stolen gear.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Postby Walter Glover » 09 Jun 2017, 01:39

Barry,

Thanks for your expressed concerns and welcome to the world of post-removalist mayhem.

In the next day or so I'll be getting a loan of a tripod and head to use while I make up my mind on what to purchase.

The new C330 is in mint condition, as was your Toyo that I acquired, and there are 55mm and 135mm lenses available. I'll have to settle for an acquisition plan of picking up one each Pension day. With a long weekend coming up I'll be busting to get some good light. My time is committed Saturday and Sunday but, hopefully, the world is my oyster on the Monday.

Every blessing for the move,
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

Lachlan717
Posts: 505
Joined: 03 Aug 2012, 16:49

Re: My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Postby Lachlan717 » 09 Jun 2017, 01:44

Sorry, too.

Can you list the specific items?

I'm sure that I'm not the only one who spends an inordinate amount of time on sales/auction sites...

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Postby Walter Glover » 09 Jun 2017, 08:09

Good idea thanks Lachlan,

Here is a list of the items as best I can recall:

Description
Toyo 45 AX — 118-0200101
Nikkor-SW 75mm 1:4.5 — 674455
Schneider Super Symmar 120mm 1:5.6 — 14 445 121
Sinaron SE 210mm 1:5.6 — 11166964
Minolta Flash Meter V — 77111121
Gitzo Aluminium Tripod — System 4
Lowepro black Camera Bag
Toyo Compendium Shade 1660
Gitzo Vertical magnesium Ball Head
Assorted items: Accessory shoe spirit leve/, Nikon cable releases, f72mm ilter stacks with metal stack caps, Toyo flat lens wrench.
Black & red focus cloth

Cheers,
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

User avatar
Maris
Posts: 881
Joined: 27 Jul 2012, 16:02
Location: Noosa

Re: My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Postby Maris » 09 Jun 2017, 10:33

Rotten luck Walter! I know what it feels like. Back in the 1980s I had my Nagaoka 8x10 stolen by a daylight housebreaker. I bet they watched me leave home and moved in quickly. And the lenses and tripod went as well. The villain(s) didn't take a stack of 8x10 film holders because (I guess) they are boring black looking things of no obvious value. Then the cops wrote a report and went away. Then the insurance company reneged on my claim until they got my lawyer's letter. Then they paid up but refused to do further business with me. Replacing the gear was a tedious exercise but the worst impact was the feeling of personal violation from being robbed in my own space. None of the gear has ever turned up.

One of the most productive cameras here is a Mamiya C330S with 55mm, 80mm, and 180mm lenses. Image quality is impeccable. And it's been everywhere, mountain tops, snow storms, tempests, portrait studio, etc. It's a "go to" camera when large format is just plain impractical.

I'll watch the markets, formal or informal, in case any of your gear surfaces.

Lachlan717
Posts: 505
Joined: 03 Aug 2012, 16:49

Re: My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Postby Lachlan717 » 09 Jun 2017, 16:54

I'll keep an eye out.

Last year, I purchased a C33 with silver shuttered 80mm and 180mm. Both have sticky shutters and I haven't had them CLA'ed yet.

The body is mint. Not a mark.

Whole lot cost me $100 after refund from Seller based on the shutters.

Then got the 55mm in black Copal that is jammed. This, too, cost $100.

Should get them looked at, I guess....

User avatar
Alastair Moore
Site Admin
Posts: 668
Joined: 26 Jul 2012, 09:29
Location: Darwin, Australia
Contact:

Re: My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Postby Alastair Moore » 17 Jun 2017, 06:54

Terrible news, sorry to hear this Walter. Who's going to buy stolen large format gear? Maybe it'll go on ebay, can't imagine where these arseholes are going to flog it otherwise.

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Postby Walter Glover » 17 Jun 2017, 10:02

Thanks Alastair,

You're right, these unknown bastards have created a conundrum for themselves. Big time!
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant

Walter Glover
Posts: 1270
Joined: 31 Jul 2012, 22:31
Location: Leichhardt, NSW

Re: My LF Tale of Woe and Joy

Postby Walter Glover » 10 Jul 2017, 09:50

So far the C330 is yet to see action. Last weekend a mat and I went back up the Hunter valley but the site we wanted to set our lenses loose in was closed and admission prohibited. Work had been vey busy so there has been no happenstance action wither.

But another factor is at hand. A recurring factor that always surfaces: despite all rational reasoning is that I find it hard to get inspired without lens adjustments and I do love the viewing luxury of a big ground glass.

So, last night I did a deal with a friend and have another Sinar. It may get a run up the Hunter as early as next week. Only thing missing is a lens. The only lens I have is my Nikkor -AM*ED 120mm (micro). I have bucketloads of Technika lens boards and I am favouring the smaller board and an included Sinar to Technika adaptor board.

I still have loads of double darks and sundry prerequisites so real life ain't all that far off.
Walter Glover

"We see things not as they are. We see them as we are."
Emanuel Kant


Return to “Community Chat”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests

cron