The long Saga is over

[hjoseph7]

<p>I finally got my FE2 back from the repair shop which performed a full CLA on it and fixed the exposure meter. YAHOO ! The FE2 was my first semi-pro camera. I bought it as a gift to myself after I graduated out of college 25 years ago. The one shown was purchased off eBay 4 years ago, for a fraction of what I paid for the first one. Although I long switched to Digital, once in a while I still like to go out and think a little bit before hitting the shutter. As you know film can get a bit expensive. <br />Unfortunately the missing pieces to the puzzle are a 20mm f2.8 AIS and a 35mm f1.4 AIS, two lenses which are way beyond my reach right now. Recently, I opted for a 35mm f2.8 which was selling for $119 on KEH, still can't find a replacement for the 20mm though, brand new this lens sells for about $600, used ones are hard to find.</p><div></div>

[dennis_george_miller]

<p>the 20mm UD 3.5 is a very nice lens, mine was $175. (I like the FE2 alot too.)</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Why those two particualar lenses Harry? I can understand the lusting after a desirable and still very useful 35mm f/1.4, but why the AiS 20mm f/2.8? I can't believe it's getting that rare or expensive, and it sure as heck isn't a brilliant performer compared to today's offerings.</p>

<p>Just noticed your reference to "cousins" above. That's some muddy gene-pool and no mistake. Forget the wedding, just use the shotgun!</p>

[david_l3]

<p>I love my FE2, and it's black like yours. Is that a 55mm Micro-Nikkor mounted on it? I have one as well, which is often used on the camera. I have a 20mm f3.5 AIS and a 35mm f2.0. The slower apertures are okay with me because the lenses are small and easy to carry.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>Yes, that 55mm is one of the sharpest lenses I have, I'll look into the 20mm f3.5 since the 20mm is out of reach for me right now.</p>

<p>Here is the9eBay) line up so far: 24mm f2.8, 28mm f2.8(E series), 35mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 55mm f2.8Macro, 85mm f2.0, 105mm f2.5, 135mm f2.8(E series), ancient 35-70mm f3.5, 300mm f4.</p>

[luke_kaven]

<p>There's also the Voigtlander Color Skopar 20/3.5 SL-II.</p>

[tonysvision]

<p>I enjoyed reading about your love of the FE-2, and truly empathize with the pleasure of returning to one's "root" camera. I still have my two original FE-2s. But returning to my root camera meant trolling back a bit further in time to a 1958-vintage Exakta VXIIa. Also eBayed for a fraction of the cost of the original. But miraculously, in excellent working condition. I love the contemporary Schneider and Zeiss lenses also. Altho the cost of film, after being immersed in digital, is a bit of a damper, it is great fun to shoot with and always attracts attention and results in a conversation. <br>

<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_G6H7pDkh1VY/TJbqoByrTCI/AAAAAAAAADk/vsEXe-dGHtQ/s1600/My_Exacta-8020.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="399" /><br>

Most fun with it is shooting subjects of the same vintage: <a href="http://www.tonymindling.phanfare.com/4843808">http://www.tonymindling.phanfare.com/4843808</a></p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Funny how we hang on to, or even replace, things that we'll hardly ever use again.</p>

<p>My once-loved Praktina FX now has half the silvering missing from its mirror and a frozen up shutter. My favourite lens for it was a (now rare) 75mm f/1.5 Zeiss Jena Biotar, and that's now quietly growing corrosion on its bare alloy finish. By today's standards that lens is a pile of rubbish, but it served its purpose at the time and I'd still like to be able to use it - occasionally and when the pictures didn't really matter. I even had a 24mm f/4 Ennalyt adapted to Nikon before I realised how awful the image quality was compared to more modern lenses.</p>

<p>BTW, if anyone's interested there's a "review" of the 75mm Jena B here:<br>

<a href="http://www.mflenses.com/carl-zeiss-jena-biotar-75mm-f15-lens-review.html">http://www.mflenses.com/carl-zeiss-jena-biotar-75mm-f15-lens-review.html</a><br>

All I can say is that if the reviewer thinks it's "sharp at wide open as possible", then they really shouldn't be making their opinion on lenses public.</p>