On Mon, 07 Dec 1998 14:14:57 GMT, niyen@my-dejanews.com wrote:

[....]
>Thanks for the valuable tips. But I don't understand the first method.
>What does it mean by "camera in opposite orientations" ? Photograph a subject
>from Left to right and vice versa?

Or with the camera held vertically, first one way, then the other...
Most objects are not evemnly illuminated even if they are themselves
even in tone, so it is easy to be fooled.

>And what is the best even tone subject?
>People ? Grey card? I am sorry for asking so many questions. I am just a
>struggling amateur.

Open sky is good... (and it is bright enough to shoot 3 stops+ down
at 1/2000th with the right film [some under exposure is OK]).

>By the way, I will try the third method. By looking at the
>film cartridge chamber and pressure plate. Hmm..why didn't I think of this
>earlier.And perhaps to study the habit of the previous user by looking at the
>lens mount(wheter he/she changed lenses a lot)Sounds promising! Thanks a lot!!
>Happy shooting guys...oppss..wait for me.:-)

If the pressure plate is original, it tells a lot
about the amount of use...;-) It is a $5 part to replace, though,
so I check the cartridge area too. BTW, heavy use will often
produce paint wear areas along the flat area between the
bright machined film-guide rails. But even with obvious heavy
use, an F3 can still be a good buy...