The broken CX-2 actually did a decent job of exposing this scene. I bought this camera on a whim after I sent the LC-A off for repairs (the 5th repair of that camera). The LC-A is supposedly a Russian copy of the Japanese original (which may, itself, be something of a knock-off of the XA, but I digress). So I found a CX-2 with flash and winder for $50, said to be film tested and completely functional according to the Etsy listing.
Now, this is the third camera I’ve bought through Etsy, and the third to arrive not as described. By contrast, I’ve bough 6-8 via ebay and only had one that arrived not as described. Sounds like I need to say away from cameras on Etsy.
And I’m reminded of the first few ayat of Surah Saba.
وَيْلٌ لِّلْمُطَفِّفِينَ
الَّذِينَ إِذَا اكْتَالُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ
وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَو وَّزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ
أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُولَٰئِكَ أَنَّهُم مَّبْعُوثُونَWoe to those who give less [than due],
Who, when they take a measure from people, take in full.
But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss.
Do they not think that they will be resurrected[?]
I know I’m going to be asked about everything I did and everything I didn’t do. Does that keep me on the straight and narrow? Well, not really. There was a time when I didn’t believe in resurrection, Judgement Day, etc., yet I still didn’t cheat or defraud, even when I was selling, well, that was more than 20 years ago, so it doesn’t much matter.
The knowledge that I and everyone else will get their just deserts, gives me some, small comfort, but I still hate getting taken like this, and I’m suddenly really tired of small, old, mass-produced, 35mm cameras. Maybe it’s time to jettison some of my collection, and keep only the well-built, perfectly functional, easily repairable ones.
Anyway, Sunday morning is a fine time to sit and reflect.
And for the last time, on the left, the CX-2 and Silberra Ultima 200; on the right, the LC-A and some Silberra Pan 200. Both souped in Ilfotec HC, 1:119, semi-stand, 4 inversions at the beginning, and 4 more at 30 minutes.
