Spiratone worth anything, or just crap?
Sep 14, 2017 08:34:52 #
Sep 14, 2017 09:14:19 #
Hi all,
I've been reading the forum for a while now, but just now registered. I want this lens! Yes I have my reasons. What would you take to ship it to Southern Missouri? I look forward to participating on the forum, and maybe sharing some of my photos.
I've been reading the forum for a while now, but just now registered. I want this lens! Yes I have my reasons. What would you take to ship it to Southern Missouri? I look forward to participating on the forum, and maybe sharing some of my photos.
Sep 14, 2017 09:16:21 #
A T-mount lens fits any camera that you can buy a t-mount adapter for. The adapter can be had used for $5 or so. But remember these were from the film days. You must be very careful when attaching to your modern camera. Some digital camera mounts may not be compatible. I use Nikon and have not had problems using the t-mount with my camera body: a D750. I use a T-mount to take photo-micrographs, and astro photos.
Sep 14, 2017 09:27:26 #
Sep 14, 2017 09:36:46 #
billnikon wrote:
Spiratone, just like it's parent company Sigma, has and still do produce dubious quality glass, actually, they do not produce their own glass, the cheapest bidder produces their glass and they, Sigma, put the lens and glass together. Now, to your lens, it will make a fine paper weight, but, you can still get a few bucks for it on ebay.
IMHO, today, Sigma produces some exceptionally good lenses, especially in their ART line. Years ago -- not so good.
Sep 14, 2017 09:49:19 #
cjc2 wrote:
IMHO, today, Sigma produces some exceptionally good lenses, especially in their ART line. Years ago -- not so good.
I had a Sigma lens back in the 70's that literally fell apart.. I think it was a 24mm.
Now they have a line that rivals the best Nikon or Canon lenses.
Kudos to them!
Sep 14, 2017 09:59:42 #
GoofyNewfie wrote:
I remember the advertisement in the back of Popular or Modern Photography magazines.
Yep. Same here. Sexist, creepy, weird... Those mags advertised a lot of strange stuff.
That lens is crap. It would make a cute lamp.
I had a Spiratone stabilization processor--- a knock-off of the Kodak Ektamatic. It worked okay with Kodak activator, stabilizer, and Ektamatic stabilization paper, but their own paper and chemistry were worthless.
Sep 14, 2017 10:14:41 #
I used a lot of Spiratone stuff back about 50 years, worked, was affordable for me, bet I could still find some around the house is I looked hard, Bob.
Sep 14, 2017 11:04:21 #
Sep 14, 2017 11:09:13 #
I had one of these gizmos back in the 70's, it had Pentax screw mount then. I gave my to my nephew who was leaving for New Zeland for a job. They stole it from him along with the Hanimex camera. BTW I did get some nice girlie shots with it.
Sep 14, 2017 11:09:36 #
redlegfrog wrote:
Its great for driving stakes!
At a lab where I worked the repair guy made a lamp base out of a old, dead Nikon 50-300.
Maybe the OP can do the same?
Kind of serious here.
I made one out of an old clarinet.
Sep 14, 2017 11:42:09 #
bobmcculloch wrote:
I used a lot of Spiratone stuff back about 50 years, worked, was affordable for me, bet I could still find some around the house is I looked hard, Bob.
I also had one of their double-sided print dryers with two ferrotype plates, used to put a high gloss finish on glossy, baryta-based papers. That was a few years before RC papers became available.
Sep 14, 2017 11:43:24 #
GoofyNewfie wrote:
At a lab where I worked the repair guy made a lamp base out of a old, dead Nikon 50-300.
Maybe the OP can do the same?
Kind of serious here.
I made one out of an old clarinet.
Maybe the OP can do the same?
Kind of serious here.
I made one out of an old clarinet.
My mentor in the school photography industry was an artist/designer. He made several lamps out of old school portrait cameras from the 1940s and '50s. I wish I had one!
Sep 14, 2017 11:44:47 #
wj cody
Loc: springfield illinois
Dziadzi wrote:
I am coming to the end of the pile of photo equipment for my widowed friend. I have looked all over and can't find this lens anywhere. Is it any good? Anybody want it? It measures about 16" long. Has a tripod head collar.
congratulations! you are the proud owner of the Spiratone "Girl (God forgive me) Watcher" lens, brought to you via Fred Spiral. original cost was 69 dollars, 79 dollars with the extender. it did produce acceptable images and is very light weight. probably not worth very much in today's market, though, as the maximum aperture of 6.3 is very slow.
Sep 14, 2017 11:47:20 #
burkphoto wrote:
My mentor in the school photography industry was an artist/designer. He made several lamps out of old school portrait cameras from the 1940s and '50s. I wish I had one!
Love to see that!
How about a lampshade made from mounted 35mm slides? (from etsy)
(I think we've gone off topic a tad...my bad)
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