justinblack Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 I have recently been using a Fuji-A 240mm and have been generally impressed with the results. However, I did encounter one situation than perplexed me. I was photographing a composition in a redwood forest that included some leaves that were brightly translucent due to being somewhat backlit (sun wasn't in frame, but probably about 30 to 45 degrees out of view and no other flare is present). Both on the ground glass and in the resulting transparency I got a double image ghost from some of the backlit leaves (but not all), while curiously the specular highlights in the shot do not show any ghosting. I don't expect this kind of problem from a modern multi-coated lens. So, I have two questions: 1) Has anyone had similar experiences with this lens? 2) Has anyone seen this problem in any of the 240mm f/5.6 plasmats? Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_ellis16 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Is this the longest lens you've been using recently? If so it's possible that the problem isn't the lens but rather is pin holes towards the front of your bellows that haven't been exposed with shorter lenses. Of course it could be something else entirely but when I've had ghosting in portions of the negative and not in other portions, and only with my longest lens, I eventually tracked it down to pin holes towards the far end of the bellows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_lee11 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 It might prove helpful if you post the image, or a section of it. But I have not seen any similar problems with my 240A. I only wish it were easier to find and afford the A-series in longer lengths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eajames Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Ken, FYI: Robert White has the 240A - I bought a new one 2 weeks ago. Spendy but sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_keenan Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 With the sun at 30-45 degrees, I assume you used a proper lens hood? I have this lens and can't remember a situation like you describe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinblack Posted June 8, 2005 Author Share Posted June 8, 2005 Thanks for the feedback thus far. In response to Brian's question, I've also been using a 300mm and a 400mm tele with no problem, so I don't think it's a bellows pinhole issue. The ghost images overlap the backlit leaves, and are truly "ghosts" or slightly darker "shadows" of the actual leaves. It looks like a classic issue of ghosting caused by highlights bouncing off of element surfaces within the lens, but I wouldn't have thought the brightness would have been enough to cause this in a multi-coated lens, and I'm perplexed by the fact that it didn't occur in all the leaves of the same brightness value or in specular highlights that are actually brighter. So, those of you who have used the 240mm Fuji have never seen this kind of ghost image problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_lee11 Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Sorry I was unclear. I have a 240A and 300A, but wish I could have a 360A and 600A. They are quite rare and very pricey whenever they appear. I have also owned a 180A, but got rid of it when I moved up to 8x10, etc. It was wonderful also. At this point, all my lenses are Fuji, and I've never seen any ghosting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_gagnon Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Justin, Check your lensboard for pinholes. Also check around the mounting flange, screws, etc. This can cause this effect which you are describing. It's just like taking a picture with a pinhole lens. It will be off-axis with the image the lens produces on the negative, placing the optical center of the image in a different place on the print. (Think of how front shift works) When this happens, the "ghost" image is being made the whole time the dark slide is pulled, so it actually gets quite a bit of exposure. This may not be your problem, but I've had it happen on a lens that I had just gotten and fitted to an old board. Look closely. It doesn't take much of a void to cause this. Good light. DG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinblack Posted June 10, 2005 Author Share Posted June 10, 2005 David, Thanks for your thoughts. The lensboard is metal, and as far as I can tell there is no pinhole in it, nor would the mount permit stray light to enter the camera. At the time I made the photograph in question, I could clearly see the double image ghosts on the ground glass, but I have tried to replicate this problem in other situations with a dark background and a bright subject contrasted against it, to no avail. Here's a thought... when I was making the image in question, I was using an extreme front rise. Could the ghosts result from an inability of the lens to focus some wavelengths of the bright yellow-green leaves at near infinity focus toward the edge of the image circle? I'm probably clutching at straws here, I know... - Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_gagnon Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Justin, That doesn't sound very likely. If it was visible on the gg, do you recall if the ghost image was in focus? Maybe it really is a ghost! DG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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