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stevenenglund

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  1. stevenenglund
    Yesterday I tried to take apart my Topcon yet again. I almost got to where you have yours in the image. However, there was a small plate above the gear, and it had a wire intricately threaded through it. Didn't seem easy to remove so I didn't mess with it. I can confirm that my light meter works and reacts to a flash light through the lens, but the meter is not sensitive enough to react during normal light changes, such as pointing towards a window and then pointing towards a dark shadow. I'm thinking that it will work correctly if I can adjust the gear you mentioned. How did your first roll ever turn out?
  2. stevenenglund
    [uSER=2403817]@rodeo_joe|1[/uSER] Thanks for the good tip about low distortion- that's a big help. I'll post photos should I ever buy the 45 AF.
  3. stevenenglund
    [uSER=2403817]@rodeo_joe|1[/uSER] Thank you for the great feedback for those lenses. It's great to know that the 55mm leaf shutter makes it a fill-flash contender. Although I would imagine 55mm on a MF is pretty wide for fill-flash portraits, but I'm sure it would make for some amazing in-scene portraits such as on beach at sunset?! I agree that I'll probably go with the 45mm just so I can get a little bit wider. I'd love to see a comparison shot of the two from the same exact tripod setting, if you have time. Specifically in tight quarters- I would be using the lens inside and am specifically curious how much room the 45mm adds, versus the amount of distortion it might add. Specifically- will people/things on the edges be much greater distorted, and therefor it's not even worth the extra mm's? The 110 sounds like a great lens- I've heard great things. I hastily bought a very, very cheap 150mm 3.5 AF that arrives in the next few days. Lastly, I have to select AF lenses because I often shoot with friends and family- they do not like manual lenses. I like to make it easy for them to hold the camera and feel confident that they're nailing the shot. Sounds crazy I know- but basically I want this AFD II to be like a very high end point and shoot. But when it's in MY hands I'll likely shoot manual everything. On a side note, I finally got my scanning process down last night and the first few negative scans look very promising.
  4. stevenenglund
    Hello all, I'm searching for any Mamiya 645 shooters in the Portland, Oregon region. Specifically AF or Phase One shooters. I'd like together to test any/all lenses we can scrap together. I am looking to try a few new lenses on my AFD II, ideally the 45mm and 55mm. Comparing their angle of view, sharpness, distortion etc. Let's get together and shoot for an hour!
  5. stevenenglund
    Has anyone tried the "B4 Lens to M 4/3 Mount Adapter" that has a *built-in* 2x piece of glass, so you don't need to use a digital zoom or ETC to avoid vignetting? Only looking for experiences from those who have actually used it or seen it in use first person.
  6. stevenenglund
    Thank you for the tips John. How in depth does the camera dismantling have to get, in order to see if the aperture coupler is moving the chains? Or... to see if the black bland is blocking the exposure needle? From what I can research, I'll have to remove the top left cover plate and the top right cover plate. It looks like I won't have to remove the bottom cover plate.
  7. stevenenglund
    ...and the saga continues... I brought my Topcon to a shop in reputable Portland, "Blue Moon Camera & Machine." However the said they would decline attempting to fix the light-meter and couldn't recommend a local shop who could help. I did buy the Topcor 50mm f1.8 even though my body still isn't fully functional. It's a smooth lens and I'm looking forward to snapping with it. Then I was able to play with a Super D they had for sale that did have a working light-meter, and it was fun to see the needle actually react to changes in light or settings. At this point (after the holidays) I might try to disassemble the body based on the service manual, and see if there are any obvious reasons why my needle won't budge. Then I'll go from there. Happy Holidays everyone! Oh and @bonsignore_ezio thanks for the info about the metering modes. It should be noted though that the camera can in fact be tested for a light-meter's reaction to light regardless of what lens is on the body. If there's a working battery, and a working light-meter, the Topcon needle should move as you point the camera around at various lighting situations.
  8. stevenenglund
    What do you mean by "TLL full-aperature mode" and also "stop-down mode" (in specific relation to the Super RE)? I know of these terms but I want to make sure we're on the same page. And yes, I thought that it should be no problem to test the light meter with any exakta lens! Unless someone can prove otherwise.
  9. stevenenglund
    Update: I've brought the camera to a repair shop. It had the Zeiss lens attached, they told me that they cannot test the functions of the light meter without a Topcon RE lens. That seems puzzling to me, since the light meter should be reacting regardless of which, if any, lens is attached! Can anyone shed any light on that situation? Specifically those of you who have Topcon Super REs or Super Ds...
  10. stevenenglund
    But the meter DOES move. As I mentioned, the black band appears near some very low light settings. For example, ASA 100 and 1 to 2". Therefor I know the chains are still linked. Which means it's likely either a bad wire connection or a stuck needle.
  11. stevenenglund
    @bonsignore_ezio Not a problem! I have been told to try cleaning the contacts with vinegar, which I will try tonight after work. If it's still not working I will bring the camera to a local repair shop here in Portland, OR for a price estimate. I've been chatting with Jon Goodman and he along with Rick Oleson have agreed that the meter on this camera is really finicky. Which is odd because the rest of the camera is built so well! I guess that's what you get when you are the first camera with TTL metering in the 1960's =)
  12. stevenenglund
    @john_shriver I've given the service manual a read (a few times actually). Is opening up one of these Super D / Super RE bodies something you've done before? The manual has a couple warnings about using set screws to hold things in place. I won't be able to obtain original set screws, but I'm thinking I may be able to hold the parts in place otherwise (paperclip, small clamp, tape, etc). I can see the exposure window (and the black band that's potentially the problem) on Page 4, Figure 4. I'm assuming I'll know whether or not it's hopped off track by visual inspection and perhaps a slight nudge? On Page 35 I see this helpful info: The black plastic plate should completely cover teh shaft of the meter needle at ASA 100 and 1 second setting, with the meter switched off. That info may be helpful in determining if the black plastic has slipped and is in the wrong place. I've also heard from Jon Goodman that the wires of these mercury cameras were notorious to become rotten. If I open up the body and that's the case, that may be the nail in the coffin for this ol' girl. At least for my experience level. Here's what Page 57 says are the four probable reasons that the meter does not move: a) Battery b) Black CDS lead wire is broken c) Exposure meter coil is broken or soldering is detached d) Short-circuiting between the minus side of the battery and the exposure meter As you already mentioned John, I can try to test b, c, and d using a meter. The manual says I need to remove the 1) front cover plate and 2) the left top cover plate. It all sounds intimidating... Other than the meter the camera looks and works great. All shutter speeds are accurate. No light leaks. No loose anything. So unless someone more qualified wants to purchase it from me, I may attempt the repair on my own!
  13. stevenenglund
    @john_shriver Sounds like you have extensive knowledge on the meter of this camera! Now that you mention it, I am thinking the black band has hopped off track and is preventing the needle from moving. When I adjust the shuttle near 1/30 to 2, the needle and black band appear locked together and move left or right together at the same time. While I do like opening up things and tinkering around, I'm not sure that I am confident enough yet to tackle this project...
  14. stevenenglund
    Thank you for checking! I can probably conclude at this point that the meter is broken, because I put in a modern 625 battery equivalent, and the meter still did not work. Bummer too because I really loved the feel of this camera.
  15. stevenenglund
    @bonsignore_ezio Could you please do me a favor and test the light meter without a lens attached? I'd like to eliminate the meter not working because I don't have an official Topcon lens attached. On the other hand, good news... The photos came back great. Yes I had to meter with a 5DMk2, but the focus and exposure look great. No light leaks!
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