Answering your questions in order:
1. I think that getting a real cheap, basic flash would not be a bad thing. As you say, taking pictures of things in the dead of night, like your cute dog, or your stoned/drunk/orgiastic friends for blackmail purposes will be greatly assisted if you have light. As I said before, Vivitar makes a cheap and basic flash that would serve your needs of the odd snapshot:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2975280505&category=15221
I don't think it would hurt to pick one up. I'm sure your local camera store has cheap used flashes that will do the trick as well.
2. I don't think you ~need~ a lightmeter, especially if it turns out that the meter in the camera works with a new battery. If it doesn't, a handheld would be helpful, but as I said before, the Sunny 16 rule will work outside as well. If you lost the link I posted before, just Google Sunny 16, and you'll get pages of stuff to look at, so I won't bother repeating it here. But, as good as Sunny 16 is, a meter might be helpful for those difficult situations, like deep shadows and the like. Helpful, but you might be able to live without one, at least for now.
3. (Sorry if I get too basic again) Lenses (well most lenses) have an aperture inside of them. It's like the iris of your eye. It opens and closes (not all the way) to let more or less light through the lens into the camera. That, plus the shutter speed determine the exposre. If you put the switch you found to "M" (stands for "manual") and look through the lens as you move the aperture ring, you'll see the aperture open and close. Cool, eh? Now, look through the viewfinder while the lens is on the camera and switched to M. See how it gets lighter and darker as you twist the aperture ring? Now, if you move that switch to "A" (for "automatic"), and move the ring, nothing happens. BUT, when you move the meter switch (the square one to the left of the lens, on the body of the camera) up, the aperture should open and close. That way, once your meter is working (if you get it fixed), the viewfinder will stay bright even though you've got the aperture set for the exposure you want. Once you hit the shutter release, a mechanical connection between the body and the lens momentarily closes the aperture to whatever f-stop you selected, while the photo is being taken. Back in the 60's, that was automation! <g> So, that's what the M/A switch is for. You may take photos with it in either position, but if it's on M, you'll sometimes find the viewfinder very dark.
4. I'm at a loss on this one! Maybe someone else can help. Do you mean to say that the piece of film was ~in front~ of the mirror? I can't explain how it might have gotten there. I'd have thought that if it somehow broke off from the winding spool, it would have stayed in the back of the camera. Anyway, did you get it out? Have you taken any exposures since this happened? Does mirror appear to go up and down? If so, likely everything's okay. Even if there are slight scratches on the mirror from this, they'll be nothing more than a minor annoyance, and more likely, not visible at all. They will not affect photo quality, as the mirror jumps up out of the way when the photo is taken. I don't know if the whole roll is ruined. It may actually be the the roll wasn't winding onto the spool. Or, somehow, the piece broke off, but the film was still being wound, in which case, you should be alright. Take the rewind knob (top plate, on the left of the prism) and lift the little crank (careful not to lift the knob, or you'll open the back - but you know that already if you've opened it <g>). Turn the crank. If it eventually stops, that means the film is likely winding properly on the spool. If it suddenly feels slack, or if it just keeps turning and turning, that means the film is already in the cannister. You'll have to get it developed to see how many (if any) shots got taken.
Whew! Any more questions, let us know. Some others may offer a few things that I forgot.
cheers, frank
From: Jasmine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: A few questions Date: Sun, 04 Jan 2004 16:32:15 -0800
Hello!
Thanks again to everybody for the warm welcome and the great information.
Ok. Here are a couple questions:
1. I'll hold off, as suggested, on getting a "flash-thingy" until I learn to use light better, but don't I need one for night-time photos? Sometimes my little wiener dog does some real cute things at night! Also, my friends have been known to put themselves in some drunken situations - if I got a good photo - hello! BLACKMAIL! :-)
2. Do I need the light meter? It's not working and I'm going to get a new battery for it. But if that doesn't work, do I absolutely need the meter?
3. Two of my lenses have an "auto/manual" option. Does that have something to do with lighting?
4. I was taking some pics and suddenly the camera went dark. I read something about the mirrors sticking sometimes on these types of cameras so I took the lens off to check it out (like I even know what the mirror looks like or where it is!). There was a piece of film in there. The end piece that goes in first on a new role of film. Does this mean my whole role is ruined? Could it have scratched anything? Is this an odd occurrence?
OK. That's it for now.
Thank you! jasmine
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