mark_hahn

what's color?

 

:)

in case you didn't see it, here was my Clack close focus test, 3.5-5.5ft:

 

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/markhahn2000/temp/clack_test_close_web.jpg">

 

<br>should you really not worry about it and shoot objects 3.5ft away?

Mike thanks for posting these shots! (Glad my post helped to get to the Clack). They look good to me... now I have to get some film into mine (though I'm busy with my folders this weekend).

 

Joseph O., in theory, using a camera like the Clack and not worrying about anything sounds great, but when you get back crappy photos all the joy is gone for me... knowing where the camera is actually focused and the aperture and shutter speed allow you to work *with* the camera and its limitations.

 

Cleary you don't get infinity focus from the camera, good to know, clearly you don't get 3ft, good to know, but you do get a charming classic rendering (to my eye).

No, Zorkis are supposed to take modern cassettes just fine, you just have a wonked-up one... welcome to the *wonderful* world of FSU cameras!

 

:)

I agree that you might as well do it in Photoshop, but honestly, the green channel biased mix Vuescan gives is mostly a good starting point, but you will have to do curves after your scan no matter what to make it pop.

too bad you didn't get the silver version... I think my silver Color-Skopar 50/2.5 looks quite good on my IIIc. :)

 

If the 35 is as pleasing as my 50 you should be very happy!

I "believe" as well... it's not what makes every photo (and I take plenty of photos with Japanese gear that I am happy with), but it does show up and it is real... even other photog friends of mine see it in some prints and can identify it imediately (and they aren't shooting Leica). Leica didn't get to stay in the camera business just based on snob appeal, their stuff is really good and distinctive.

I haven't *won* a Bantam Special yet, but part of me really like the Retina and IIIc better. The Deco styling of the Bantam seem a little awkward to me... more like function forced to fall within form instead of the other way round, whereas the Barnack and Retina seem to be designed with form following function. I still want a Bantam, but doubt that it will compete with the other two as a user (especially since I have to slit down film for it).

 

I'm mostly using my C/V Color-Skopar 50 on my IIIc and honestly think it is one of my loveliest lenses, but the Xenon is quite nice as well (and f2 instead of f2.5... but in truth, in low light I have trouble focusing accurately enough even at f2.8 with either camera).

 

I love both cameras, I'm just surprised by how much I really ended up like the Retina (purely whim purchase).

Thanks again! Yeah, I was thinking of adding a snap and changing the strap to the Moskva-5 case.

I like the Bantam f4.5 which is similar to the Flash Bantam, but with older styling... both have an excellent lens and fold into a very small pocket camera (not much bigger than a Stlus really)... no RF though.

Having always wanting a real Barnack camera (after years of FSU struggles) I finally bought a pretty IIIc earlier in the

year... and while taking many good photos with it, I find that I am grabbing for my Retina IIa much more often... part

of it has to do with being so pocketable with a good f2 lens, but it's something more. Just wondering how others who

have these two types of cameras feel.

very nice! and yeah... I want one too! :)

Thanks for checking your Clack and sharing the results! My first test was inconclusive:<br><br>

 

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/markhahn2000/temp/clack_test_close_web.jpg">

<br><br>

 

But this shows the close focus seting and cans lined up from 3.5-5.5ft and it appears that 5.5 ft is about the closest

limit of DOF so my guess was 6.5 ft for actual focus distance (very close to your 7 ft estimate). If the near limit of

DOF for the distance setting is 12 ft, then that should be about 16 ft for the actual focus distance. I guessed that the

lens is about 100mm since I couldn't find any documentation... still narrow DOF at f11. I'm thinking of changing the

aperture for far-sunny and near to be f16 or f22 just to increase the DOF and more optimize the camera for ISO 100

films... though I'm more excited shooting the 6x9 folders at the moment.

Yeah, I probably should have shown more how I tested. I had adjusted the cameras for infinity on ground glass, then

re-checked at 10 ft and then shot a single frame at 6ft:<br><br>

 

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/markhahn2000/temp/rolfix_test_setup.jpg">

<br><br>

This shows how small a section was cropped for the examples.

<br><br>

 

I do think that my test is good enough to show the differences between my cameras/lenses, but not as an absolute

test of any kind.

<br><br>

I'm looking for a Series 6 adaptor so I can shoot the Moskva with one of my hoods... don't know how much I trust the

lens not to flare... but most FSU coatings aren't all that good... but shooting the camera now that I confident it can

perform.

No, the lenses were adjusted for infinity focus and these tests were performed at a distance to confirm that the focus was good (the real test was a bunch of staggered cans, ala. Maizenberg), so the focus variable was sorted out to my satisfaction (the whole point of the test)... but in checking the focus from the scanned negatives I realized that I also had a lens test that maybe someone else would be interested in.

 

Same roll of film (Delta 100 in Rodinal), same scanning and processing... it gives a good relative comparison only.

 

I had also commented that the I had used the Isolette before and had gotten good results at f11 (so the point wasn't to say anything was bad or good), but it was nice to see that my until then untested B2 Speedex (which is a more handsome camera) seems a little better... and it was also nice to see how much better the Moskva-5 and Rolfix lenses are, since I am really more interested in shooting them seriously.

thanks. I'll look for the Snap-Sack and other old shoulder cases... maybe I'll go to a leather shop locally and see how much it would be to make a simple knock off new.

I don't typically do "lens tests" and these are actually just the result of film tests to confirm that I had adjusted focus

correctly on these four cameras (all except the Moskva taken at 6ft and the specified aperture, the former at 2m):

 

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/markhahn2000/temp/folder_tests.jpg">

 

I'm going to call the Moskva-5 vs Radionar results a dead heat since the Moskva was shot at f4 and enlarged slightly

more...

though the Radionar seems to have better contrast. Given that the Moskva-5 has a rangefinder, I'm certain that just

for focus accuracy that it will beat the smaller Rolfix in actual usage.<br><br>

 

The uncoated Agfa Anastigmat seems to beat the coated Agnar by a bit, but neither is in the same league as the

other two. Everyone seems to bag on the Agnar and comparitively it seems to deserve this, but I have used that

camera in the past and it did quite decently well stopped down to f11.<br><br>

 

 

The Moskva was stopped down to f4 (from f3.5) to match my flash settings, while the others were shot wide

open.<br><br>

 

 

I went out and actually shot the Moskva today (finally fixed all the light leaks too!!)... so hopefully I'll have something

more interesting to post soon.<br><br>

 

:)

Ok, how do you guys go about carrying your 6x9 folders around? After finally fixing/adjusting both my Mockba-5 and

Franka Rolfix I've been trying to get them out shooting and find carrying them a little awkward given that they just

have those 50 year old little finger straps that must be ready to break... and they're kind of too big for most pockets,

and very heavy when they do fit in a pocket... so around the neck would be referred for both. For the Mockba-5 I

have the original ultra-naff naugahyde ever ready case, which is ok I guess, but the spray-on "leather" paint is already

starting to wear off in places. I've seen old shoulder cases with some folders on ebay, but are there any new options.

 

thanks!

Thanks all! Mike, from your example, it seems my assumptions were pretty good for guessing 4.75ft. :)

 

Also, clearly, my sunny setting is not f12.5 or f16, but f11 with a yellow filter (1.5X?).

 

Is there any trick to opening up the lens/shtter? Thinking that either sticking an f16 aperture over the yellow filter

would make it better for shooting 100 speed film in sun... are maybe putting in a stiffer spring to get the shutter up to

~1/100th.

 

I knowing I'm kind of nerding out on this thing... but that's half the fun for me. :)

Before shooting my Clack, I want to figure out what it is actually focused at for the two possible settings.

 

The camera says either 10ft-Infinity or 3-10ft. Using f/Calc and f11 I cannot find a distance that gives these ranges

unless I increase the CoC by 6X over the recommended for 6x9... was Agfa really that sloppy in putting the range...

or is it I guess that the DOF is based on contact prints only?

 

anyway, using this assumption the close focus distance will be 4.75... but looking then to the distant range a focus

distance of 9ft gives a DOF of 4.4-Infinity so clearly Agfa was not consistant in marking these distances...

 

...anyway, the reason I ask is because I figure if I know where the camera actually is focused for and I shoot for that I

will more likely be happy with the results.

 

thanks for any enlightenment on this!

hmmm... it's a cute cheap camera, I thought that there would be someone that really liked them and used them.

 

I learned from past experience not to shoot any real film after adjusting a camera's focus before shooting a test shot to confirm that I actually did it right (why doesn't my ground glass always agree with my film?)... so next day or two and I will film test 4 (!) old folders I've been monkeying around with... if I'm lucky two will have been adjusted correctly and be ready to shoot... if this is one of them, I'll post some shots soon.

agree with Conrad... crappy spanner wrenches are bad (I have some, I know)... and regrind cheap disposable screw drivers.

all it says is "Anastigmat" for the lens (85mm f4.5)... the shutter just says "Agfa B2 Speedex," (it's not the Junior)... speeds T,B, 2-250th... I'm just looking for advise like... "charming old lens" etc. or "piece of crap, don't waste your time."

 

I did clean up the lens and reset the focus.

 

:)

found a pristine Agfa B2 Speedex in a box and wondering if it is worth the effort to CLA it. Just the Agfa Anastigmat

85/4.5. Anyone shooting one?

 

thanks.

+1

 

Arthur wrote: " The Leica allows you to control the image-making process"

 

I don't own very many cameras (excluding P&S's) that don't allow me to effortlessly control the image-making process.

 

Leica lenses are very very good.