Friday, June 30, 2017

Spring 2017 Camera, Hamfests and Radio Shows

 Kutztown Radio Meet

May 12-13, 2017
Kutztown, PA


I used to frequent this radio show until I left in '08. It used to be a relatively small event but has evolved to the biggest radio show in the east coast.

Contax II + Helios 103
Foma 100 in Rodinal

A pair of MC60s + a Dyna PAS 3 preamp


RCA preamp/mixer + 2 x Rek O Kut B12s


My friend Larry's booth featuring handcrafted and modified tube preamps and amps

Contax II + Helios 103
Foma 100 in Rodinal

Mike used to sell vintage audio but has shifted to classic/vintage film cameras. An avid music lover, he still listens to a hifi system using carefully chosen classic equipment.

Got an EV MC12, loktal triodes, 6C6 pentodes, a 10Y and a Ciro-Flex C TLR

Classic cars in the field





Photorama USA

June 3, 2017
Centreville Moose Lodge
Fairfax, VA

Fuji X-E1 + Voigtlander Heliar 15mm f4.5

Twenty some years ago I frequented Photorama shows in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area.

Fuji X-E1 + Voigtlander Heliar 15mm f4.5

This was a good place to source classic cameras, lenses and accessories during pre-eBay days. Since I've been in the market for a Sonnar 50mm f2 or f1.5 for my Contax II, I thought I'd try my luck at this event...

Fuji X-E1 + Voigtlander Heliar 15mm f4.5

Even if the show was only a fraction of what it was 20 years ago, I did find a nice Opton Sonnar 50/2 with a dead Contax III (good for parts) rear lens cap for less than the going rate on eBay.

Icing on the cake: Tewe Zoom finder, Paterson Tank, a book and freebie expired TX400s

Radioactivity 2017

June 15-17, 2017
College Park, MD


From the early 90s until '08 I attended this event regularly. Many of the tubes, transformers and chokes I am still using in my hifi system came from this radio show.

Leica M6 + Canon 35mm f2
Foma 100 in Rodinal

Leica M6 + Canon 35mm f2
Foma 100 in Rodinal


But time has taken its toll...I was expecting to see familiar faces here but some have dropped out of sight or may even have joined our ancestors ;(

Radioactivity loot: some guy practically gave away a mammoth Omega C-II 4x5 enlarger, a couple NOS loktal triodes a filament transformer and choke

Cumberland Valley Amateur Radio Club Hamfest

June 17, 2017
Chambersburg, PA

Pentacon F + Helios 44M-4
Foma 100 in Rodinal

While some of my favorite hamfests have shrunk or gone extinct, the Cumberland Valley Amateur Radio Club inaugurated their first hamfest. 

Pentacon F + Helios 44M-4
Foma 100 in Rodinal

 I didn't have to wake up too early for this event since it was less than 30 miles away.

Pentacon F + Helios 44M-4
Foma 100 in Rodinal

Pentacon F + MIR1B
Foma 100 in Rodinal

Pentacon F + MIR1B
Foma 100 in Rodinal

All the best to CVARC !

  NOS loktal triodes + EV LS12 = Loot

Baltimore Amateur Radio Club Father's Day Hamfest

June 18, 2017
Upperco, MD

Pentacon ZI + Tessar 50mm f3.5
Foma 100 in Rodinal

From what I gathered from my hamfest buddies, this event is what is left of what was once the mighty Timonium hamfest ;(

Pentacon ZI + Tessar 50mm f3.5
Foma 100 in Rodinal


There were more vendors than the previous day in Chambersburg, PA. I even saw some of the same faces at both events ;)

More NOS loktals, another 10Y and a Fujica M42 mount SLR which turned out to be much better than its Pentacon ancestors, but that's another story ;)


Bye for now...gotta go fiddle for food and toys again ;)