Dentist still uses KM A200

[bakubo]

I went to the dentist for a routine checkup and cleaning this morning here in Japan. They did all the normal stuff including x-rays. Also, they took photos of my teeth and I was a bit surprised that they were using a KM A200 with a close-up flash attachment on the lens with 2 small flashes and another large flash in the hot shoe. It was a modern clinic and then they brought the photos up on a 24" LCD monitor right in front of me to look at and explain stuff. The A200 came out about 11 years ago in September 2004. It does the job for them though and the photos looked great. Part of that was just my amazingly beautiful teeth though that any camera could have captured.

For those who have forgotten, here is the A200:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/konicaminoltaa200

[Birma]

Great find Henry!

[bakubo]

Good to see some of these rather old (ancient in digital years) cameras still in use. I don't know if this is just a random thing chosen by the dentists there or if some dental services company or something else set things up for them in the past. A200 + special macro flashes + special dental software + training on how to use it.

[bakubo]

I was in a used shop yesterday here in Japan (a bit of old camera gear, but also lots of old computer, audio, musical instruments, etc. stuff) and they had an Olympus E-20 in original box with all accessories for 4000 yen ($33). Remember it? In case you have forgotten here it is:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse20

Back in 2001 I wanted one of them. I think it was something around $1500 back then. A few months later I ended up getting the very good Minolta Dimage 7i for $1000:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/minoltadimage7i

By the way, in 2013 at the same shop I happened upon an almost like new Yashica ML 55mm f2.8 macro lens with original caps with a Kenko MC UV filter for 500 yen ($4.15) and an excellent condition Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-5.6 lens in Sony/Minolta A-mount with original caps, lens hood, and Kenko MC UV filter for 300 yen ($2.50). Bought them both.

They also had one of these there yesterday. First time to see one:

Kyocera 100mm f4 Macro lens/body combo

http://forum.mflenses.com/kyocera-100mm ... t3761.html

It seems the lens with builtin ringlight is meant to be permanently attached to the body. Probably mostly used in dental offices. I forgot to check the price. I am sure it was cheap though.

[sury]

I bought a TCON300B teleconverter and a custom bracket for my Dimage A1/A2.
E20/E10 were the models for the the TCON300B's bracket was designed, If my memory
serves me right.

Sury

[bakubo]

Yes, I recall that one time you posted a photo of it mounted.

[alphaomega]

Yes, we get carried away by all the new stuff being released at increasing speed. For my main use - Alamy - My old A700 would still do the job as would my A350/550 and 580 as well as NEX-5 (all sold). Determined now to cease buying more cameras as my RX100M3 and A6000 satisfies all my requirements including size and weight. Have NEX-6 and A58 as back-up.

[bakubo]

Have NEX-6 and A58 as back-up.

Do you ever use your NEX 6 with old, adapted MF lenses? These days adapted lenses are popular and there are tons of old 35mm lenses out there for sale. I see them all the time at shops in Japan and often the price is very low. I have 3 old primes right now, but don't use them:

Minolta MC Rokkor-X PG 50mm f1.4
Yashica ML 55mm f2.8 macro
Tokina RMC 28mm f2.8 (Minolta mount)

I have sort of half-thought that getting a used Sony A7 might be fun to sometimes use old, MF adapted lenses. Just use aperture priority mode, exposure compensation, and focus peaking. The FF would be best to give the proper experience. But, this is something I am not willing to spend much money on since I might do it just a bit and then decide the fun isn't nearly as much as I thought it would be. It might just be the low prices for wonderful old lenses that are hard to pass up that makes it seem like it might be fun. Anyway, a second idea I had is a NEX 6. It has an APS-C sensor so the angle of view would change, but the camera can be bought used pretty cheaply these days and with its size and grip would probably still be reasonable for not too big old lenses. Anyway, just musing right now.

[alphaomega]

Do you ever use your NEX 6 with old, adapted MF lenses?

Actually no, bakubo. I have my NEX-6 set up for MP4 video. I sold most of my MD stuff and gave the rest to my son's students. The only exception is my old 50mm Macro MD (including 1:1 extender piece) with adapter to E-mount. I keep it in case I need to do some macro photograpy in the future. This is a fine lens. For my photography I find that the combination of A6000 with Sony 10-18, 16-50 and 55-210 E mount zooms (supplemented by that fantastic RX100M3) cover 99% of what I want to do and I always have my A-mount from 15mm equivalent to 450mm equivalent to fall back on. The A6000 kit is light and compact. Whatever else Sony and competitors can produce leave me cold now, as what I have got does the job in a very satisfactory manner including ISO focus and shutter speed performance. All the interchangeable lenses I use have lens profiles in LR cloud. Seems to me that PS cloud finishes off the images in a satisfactory manner for my purposes. Finally I have reached a point where all the focus is now on taking photographs.