john_fleetwood

Thanks, Andrew, for your input. Does anyone have first-hand

experience with an elmar on a Bessa-R? I'm a little reluctant to go

to the dealer and maybe break his camera with my lens (I'm pretty

sure the lens would beat the Voigtlander in a fight).

I'm glad to see all the recent posts about the Elmar 50/3.5, my favorite lens. Has anyone used one on a Bessa-R? Does it collapse without crunching anything? Feel free to flame Cosina plasic cameras.

With prints that small, don't bother with medium format, unless you

just like using your MF system. The smaller size and ease of use of

35 makes it better for small prints. Also, depth-of-field issues are

easier to deal with in 35. That said, I really enjoy my Yashica D

TLR.

My co-workers use to tell me that I must have a good camera till I

showed them my beat up old Pentax UC-1 point & shoot!

I really love the tonality I get with Diafine, but lately the base fog has been excessive, and very grainy. This is with Plus-X and Tri-X. Both film and developer have been fresh. Do any of you old-timers have experience with this problem?

If I saw someone taking pictures with a Minox, I'd think he was up to

no good!

Thanks for the Cosina info, but I'd rather have a collapsable lens,

so I can carry my IIf in my pocket.

Looking at all the dust, scratches, and haze in my LTM elmar 50/3.5 has given me a GAS attack. Loss of pocketability and $$$ keeps me from seriously considering a new screwmount summicron. I think the elmar is a great lens. What do you think about replacing it with a 50/2.8? Image quality vs. size and weight? I have a summitar, but I prefer the elmar. Thanks, Barnack fans.

Plus-X in Diafine at EI 400 prints easily and looks fantastic.

Exposure latitude is wide, a plus if you work without a meter. FP4 in

Diafine at EI 250 is a little flatter, and has a narrow latitude, in

my experience (yours may be different). As a big fan of Diafine, I

prefer Plus-X. I also love Pan F.

 

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It's great to have so many films and developers to choose from.

Try them for yourself, Sergey.

I'd like to hear more about the pretty New Orleanian with the IIIg!

The rise of fascism and all its attendant evils in the 20th century

was (and is) a global phenomenon, not the product of one people's

culture.

General Motors, Standard Oil, Ford, ITT, and other US corporations

contributed more to the Nazis than Leica.

This week-end, I was at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, an event crawling with pro photographers. Several times, when I pulled my IIf out of my pocket, guys lugging Nikons with HUGE lenses or guys with tripod-mounted 'Blads on their sholders stopped to comment on what a great camera. One 'Blad toter offered to buy it on the spot. But of course, these guys are trained professionals with acute eyes for the unusual. I made a few new friends by letting them handle (fondle)the camera. By the way, I got some nice pictures, too.

James, the classic film for people shots is Plus-X, though nobody

seems to use it much these days. Recently, I've been shooting it in

my IIf, and developing it in Diafine (EI 400!) with great results.

Lots of tone, smooth highlights, and tons of shadow detail. It's

quite different from my usual contrasty and grainy combo of Tri-X in

Rodinal 1-50.

I second Ron G's answer. Working without a light meter keeps your

mind focused on what the light is doing. If your camera's at the

ready, you almost subconsciously adjust your settings as the light

changes, and when an opportunity presents itself, you're ready to

shoot. Use the tables and the sunny 16 rule, and give it a try.

I wish I could get some double X.

I took the lock mechanism off a Nikon 28/3.5 LTM. I just unscrewed

the screw-in post from the back, and pulled off the housing and

spring. It could easily be put back on. It's still easy to focus, it

just doesn't lock. I haven't messed around with any of my Leitz

lenses, though.

I use my IIf a lot (probably more than any other camera), mainly with

a 50/3.5 Elmar. Collapsed, it easily fits in my pocket. Even with the

50, I use the brightline accessory finder, which makes it very easy

to compose with both eyes open. Once you become familiar with where

the focussing tab is at different distances, you can get some very

fast grab shots, without looking through the focus window.

Is there an accesory viewfinder for 40mm lenses? How do M photographers frame when using 40 Rokkors?