kc4fox

'Twas indeed to the needle-and-circle film plane indicator.

 

I screwed up development of my last B&W roll of "test" shots, so I'm going to try again with the film in the camera.

 

We'll see.

 

It's just... Unnerving. I go back-and-forth about the trouble with it, and that's why the post. I'd like the equipment to be "perfect" as possible, though I do know that "nice pictures" is perfectly fine.

 

So I've answered my own question, I guess, and read some good input here.

 

Thanks again!

About 50/50, Mamiya Universal/Leica/Contax G mix.

 

Leica's don't do Polaroid, and I don't have an f/2 lens for the Universal (but the f/2.8 100mm is outSTANDING), (or auto-focus/auto-wind for either)

 

Each tool has its own time. They are all useful. The Universal for when I want that 6x9 or 6x7 negative. The others for the 135 format. I shoot weddings with both.

Last night I grabbed a roll of Illford 50 and shot several pictures of a pack of cigarettes on a table littered with the obligatory hobby debris.

 

I measured the distance to the pack with a ruler, and compared it to what the rangefinder said, and the results were consistantly about 2 cm behind the box. (Conversion courtesy of HP-48)

 

I took pictures anyway.

 

They are sharp. The camera never failed to lock, it didn't mis-behave after any fashion. The camera appears un-used (I bought it used) in every way- and I'm guessing that I'm the first to really task it with much film. The batteries are original and still going strong after 10 rolls or so (36 exposure). I can't find a nick or ding to indicate that it's been dropped, but from all comments I've heard, dropping the G2 isn't always a sure-fire way of mis-aligning the rangefinder electronics...

 

ANYWAY. I've been paying much closer attention to what I'm focusing on, and I'll have a better idea if I need to send it back to NJ. Just don't wanna.

 

Thanks!

I've a G2 I strongly suspect of being a touch out with regard to the

auto focus. Sometimes pictures are sharp where I expect for them to

be, and sometimes not.

 

It means a trip to NJ for the camera, and a few weeks without it.

 

My Leica's been in the local shop since April (they are friends, and

I'm patient) but I don't want to be without the G2 for so long.

 

Anyone opened the top yet? Rangefinder adjustment? I have a metric

ruler, and a good standandard by which to set the camera- the AF line

is right on where it should be.

 

And I don't want to spend $155 for Kyocera to open a camera for a

simple rangefinder adjustment (if that's possible!)...

 

So? Anyone take yet the plunge?

I'd not recommend Jurgen anyway. Too much trouble to get cameras fully "fixed" by him.

The G2 has a grey shutter curtain for "overall metering" with a sensor aimed at the middle of it, giving a greater emphasis to the center.

 

I can't speak to the 801, but I can say that overall, my impression is of a center weighted average exposure metering, like I'd expect for the shutter to be greyed like it is- more emphasis on the center, but still responsive to light/dark elsewhere in the frame. It works well enough for me. If I want a true spot, the Seikonic is around...

I've heard "matched set" because of the very wide finder in the Hexar that makes that particular lens rather harder to focus (yet).

I don't like the look of the Tessar or Novar wide open. Just... Don't. Stop 'em down to f/8 and they are fine. That big huge TARGET that forms behind the center of the image when shot against greenery is just too distracting for my tastes.

 

I've seen it on new Nikon 45mm Tessar copies, old Zeiss folders, and even on my celebrated Mamiya Universal 5" Polaroid covering lens. Stop down, and the backgrounds smooth right out. If you are shooting the Tessar wide open, as long as things are in focus across the plane of focus, it does indeed look nice.

 

The Novar needs another stop yet, so f/11 is better, in my opinion.

Thanks for the response, and I'll keep it in mind.

 

After 5 rolls of film it seems to have sorted itself out and now reads distances reliably and consistently, unlike when I first got it. I can wait a bit, until the January-February doldrums set in...

 

JD

I just got another, after suffering immediate "sellers remorse."

 

Yes, the camera can be manually focused, as you see above. There are a couple techniques to use if you'd like to have less lag between the time you press the shutter button and the time that the shutter actually fires.

 

There's also a "low noise" option that I don't hear discussed much, where you can configure an option to allow for multiple exposures, fire the shutter once, and then let the camera wind later- the normal shutter-noise and wind-noise are then seperated.

 

I have other cameras. There's something very personable about the G2- it's nice, though it does have a shallow learning curve for me, and the pictures are simply stunning, particularly on XP-2 (as I've seen this weekend)

 

If you get it, take the time to figure out EXACTLY where the focus line is on your camera- mine is the top line of the brackets, and I know exactly where to put the focus brackets to focus on what I want- something I didn't have before. Don't underestimate camera shake as a cause of un-sharp pictures- the G2 tempts me to fire quickly before I've fully composed; the camera is ready before me, so I take an alarming number of motion-blured pictures. That's a "practice" thing. Even at high shutter speeds if I don't settle down before I push the button on the camera, I'm going to see traces of camera movement.

 

Good luck, and good shooting. It's fun.

Anyone have experience sending cameras back to Kyocera? My G2 has a

focusing problem (doesn't read the distance the same depending on the

angle of the camera) and I've got to send it in...

Thanks for the prompt answer!

 

I went for a smoke with the camera today and noticed it, then asked about it in a couple forums- yours was the first answer, and my worries are gone.

 

It did make me think, then test, though.

 

I wanted to know the *exact shape and size* of the AF spot, so whilst contemplating the menthol I saw a stump and proceeded to find where the spot begins and ends.

 

It's an exercise I recommend for every G2 owner.

 

On this particular camera, much like the last one, is a line at the very top of the AF brackets- and is slightly less wide than the brackets. In other words, the AF "spot" isn't a spot at all, but a line that is centered on the very top of the AF "spot" indicators in the viewfinder. It's very sharply defined. It doesn't change for close-in or far away focus, either.

 

ANYWAY, again, thanks for the quick answer. More pictures. More pictures.

I've FINALLY gotten another G2 (bad case of sellers remorse!) after

several years of intervening high quality cameras (and camera

deals/trades, &c.) and I'm having fun taking pictures with it- just as

I remembered.

 

There's something about the camera, though- as I re-read about it on

the Internet (not too much new information available since I had

mine!) I see constant reminders that the AF system parks the lens at

infinity between shots (unless the AF lock stays engaged).

 

Mine doesn't. It parks the lens slightly closer, and extends it a bit

(this is with the 45- I'll check the other lenses) when the shutter is

1/2 pressed- in other words, it doesn't park the lens at infinity, it

parks the lens CLOSER than infinity, and extends it to reach the

infinity mark.

 

As I said, I've not yet got a roll developed, and everything about the

camera purchased indicates that it wasn't used very much- all foam is

perfect, &c., and there are no marks on the body to indicate that it

was dropped or damaged.

 

Can someone fire up their G2, aim at something far away, and see if

the lens moves when the AF is activated? I'm curious. A trip to the

shop ain't cheap...

I just got rid of a beautiful S-2.

 

I found that my Kiev did just as well (with good optics and a good CLA) and that the S2 was FAR noiser than any other 35mm rangefinder I've personally ever owned. One trip out to do some "street shooting" showed how distracting the camera was.

 

Of course, I'm left with a Nikon S mount 85mm APO that won't work well on the Kiev without being stopped down to f-16 just for focusing considerations. Grrrrr.

A fellow in the Cleveland 3-d club has one. Takes beautiful, striking slides for 3-d projection that are amazing in clarity and detail- rather more so than the older 3-d cameras, and almost as good as the Sputnik.

I know that the apertures are quite obviously not comparable, but are the Elmars that bad that nobody recommends them, or even uses them in comparison?

I like my M6 with the .85. I don't wear glasses, and I use the 35mm Summicron all the time, the frame lines are close to the edge, but not unuseably so.

 

Works for me.

What I find amazing about the pictures is that even though they were taken with different lenses, pixels are identical- hair for hair, shirt-crease for shirt crease...

 

These are identical pictures adjusted in an image adjusting program.

 

Just cross yer eyes to see.

Send it to Henry. He'll work magic:

 

http://www.contaxcamera.com

I take my Medium Format cameras on vacation, and I contrast prints from others who use 135 at the same time, frequently of the same things. What I notice on 4x6 is not sharpness, but a certain lushness of the image- it's far more detailed and smooth. The sky is never grainy, unlike in some 135 shots I've seen, and in shadow detail, though both formats will give some detail, the detail from MF will show much more strongly.

 

I use a pro shop when I want my MF stuff to look good- I've known them for years and they know me and what I expect. You might build a relationship with one too. Pro Color in Cleveland is less expensive than Dodd Camera (right around the corner) for 120 and 220 roll film processing (C-41)

I want one. or a 135mm Elmar.

 

Time to look about on the 'Bay, I suppose.

Cameras and Kerosene typically don't mix. Get that Soviet wax lube wet with it and amazing things could well happen. Sadly, though you'll be impressed, it probably wouldn't be in a good way.

Oleg hasn't *quite* stopped repairing (write him), but it's usually just as inexpensive to have him send another along.

 

I've a camera by him. It's decent- not a complete "Henry" rebuild (http://www.contaxcamera.com) but OK.

 

Kievs are decent cameras. There are nice optics for them.

 

So that's Q1.

Q2: Kievs are quiet. Candids are great. Just take pictures. Make yourself a project. A Certain Leica Proponent takes pictures of street cats in France. Anything. Grab a theme and explore it. Be somewhat careful to make sure you don't out-and-out insult anyone (unless you are sized and equiped to deal with it, whether by talk or othwise)

Q3: I do digital back end, scanning my film. I have a number of reasons I don't yet go digital (and they are melting slowly away) but I like my rangefinders.

 

Don't overlook inexpensive 120 film roll cameras. They can provide a bunch of fun for very little money. Even the Moskva-5... You've LOTS of options with regard to rangefinder cameras, you are in an awesome position!

Portuguese: "Caminho em pe," Walking on foot, or by way of foot. So, it's a walk with a name, probably saint related.

A mirror doesn't work well enough for rangefinders? (Think: Line up the windows...)