paul hart

<p>Thanks Ilkka, that's helpful.<br>

I have since run a test roll through, set at 120, and it was good and tight when removing it after exposure. The previous roll felt a bit loose in comparison. Hopefully it's sorted now!</p>

<p>My test roll with my newly acquired GA645Zi emerged as follows:<br>

Frames 1 - 8: no problems.<br>

Frames 9 - 12: light leak affecting lower edge of each frame.<br>

Frames 13 - 16: light leak affecting both lower and upper edges of each frame.<br>

My thinking was initially that this is not a problem with the camera. If it were, all frames would surely have been affected? So I concluded that the film was not wound tightly enough, hence the progressively worse light leak towards the end of the film.<br>

However, I have now noticed that the rear window showed it was set for 220 film rather than 120. I understand this setting affects the pressure plate as the film advances.<br>

Could this have been the cause of my problems?</p>

<p>Donald & Ray: thank you for your advice, which is helpful. I was aware of the sunspot cycle and our position on it, so I'm not holding my breath. I may stick my dSLR with a fast lens in the bag just in case!</p>

<p>My wife and I are taking a trip to the Arctic Circle soon, hoping (but not presuming) to see the Northern Lights. I'm taking my Mamiya 7ii + 80 + 65, and possibly the 150. I plan to use Velvia 100 and Provia 400X. And a tripod.</p>

<p>Any advice on capturing the Lights with this kit would be welcome: exposure times, aperture, film, etc. We may never see them, but if we do, I'd like to record it as well as I can.</p>

<p>Many thanks.</p>

<p>'If I was asked by a friend for advice, I'd recommend the Mamiya 7. If I was to keep just one last film camera for myself, it would be the Rollei.'<br>

As an owner of both the Mamiya 7ii system and a Rolleiflex 2.8F, I entirely agree.</p>

<p>I use the V700 for scanning MF negatives and positives.<br>

<br /> I love Vuescan, and use it when scanning 35mm materials on my Canon FS4000US. However, I found it impossibly hard work trying to use it to scan MF stuff on the V700. I therefore gave up and use the supplied Epson Scan software that came with the V700. It 'finds' the individual images accurately (remember to set the neg size in 'configuration') and does a decent job of scanning them as far as I can see.<br>

<br /> Having said that, I haven't encountered your problem. Just a thought (not because I've ever forgotten to do this, naturally), but you have removed the mat from the underside of the lid, haven't you?</p>

<p>Afzal: they are still around, but being used by folk like me. Here's mine:</p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3616/3402244259_78b9296d13.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></p>

<p>Great lens, worth working at. I had the 17-35 but it had an issue so I returned it for this one. No regrets. IQ is the best of any W/A I've had short of a Leica and I'm not convinced it's inferior to some of those.<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/2989319286_546c162abc_b.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="509" /><br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/2988418461_2a80f9901f_b.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="681" /></p>

<p>I have and use a brace of AIS lenses on my D700 and they are all fine. The pick of the bunch is the 105/2,5 in my opinion.</p>

<p>Henry: that's a very useful link, thank you.<br>

However, it relates to the data back for the RTS, which doesn't seem to have the facility that the GD-2 back has to choose between imprinting all the data on the first 2 frames, and imprinting it between each frame.<br>

At the moment I'm struggling to work out how to select these modes. Any ideas?<br>

Thanks.</p>

<p>I have recently picked up a data back for my Contax G2. However, the instruction manual is in Japanese. I've managed to work out some of the features, but others remain unclear.<br>

Does anyone know whether the manual is available online? A search has unearthed the G2 manual but not the data back.<br>

Alternatively, can anyone give me a quick guide - particularly how to set the different modes (imprinting on each photo/collecting the data on the first 2 exposures, etc)?<br>

Thanks.</p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3246/2890200859_1a9748e4c7_b.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="607" /></p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/2890200697_b1a95df3f0_b.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="619" /></p>

<p>You may be interested to see this image taken with the G10 at its native ISO of 80, RAW, 1/320 at f3.5, handheld with image stabilisation on, together with a crop at 100%. There may be issues with this camera over ISO400, but in its optimum surroundings it certainly impresses me.<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3546/3374097136_324cd7ebb7.jpg" alt="" width="375" height="500" /><br>

And the crop:<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3620/3373262205_5da71e9616_o.jpg" alt="" width="265" height="353" /></p>

<p>The 45/2.8P really does match up well with this camera, and here's mine showing it off...</p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3274/3353895659_077aeb4f75.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestions. I tried that, and it made no difference.</p>

<p>The odd thing is that if I leave the camera switched on, the fault seems to rectify itself after an indeterminate time and all works well.</p>

<p>Many thanks for these helpful answers. Looks as if it's going back. Now where's my Leica M3...</p>

<p>Had my D700 for some months now so fairly well used to it. However, unless I'm missing something I think it has developed a problem.<br>

In aperture priority mode, the sub-command dial is intermittently refusing to alter the aperture. As I write, it has the new 50/1.4G fitted and it won't budge from f2.5; I turn it off, switch to my 35/2.0D and it sits at f32, refusing to move.<br>

I switched it to M mode, and the dial is still out on strike.<br>

Am I missing something somewhere, or is it a trip back to Nikon?<br>

Thanks.</p>

<p>I think of the 24-70 as a good staggeraround lens.<br>

My preference is a 50mm prime. It's smack in the middle of the 24-70, so you just walkaround a little bit more, forwards or backwards as needs be, and avoid backache in the bargain.</p>

<p>I bought it the day it came into my local store, and it has been on my D700 more than any other lens ever since. I am entirely happy with it.</p>

<p>One of things that persuaded me to sign up with the D700 was the vast number of cheap, high quality, older Nikkor lenses that are still compatible with it.<br>

Your post is about older AF lenses, and this isn't AF, but my favourite from my little collection of old lenses is the 105/2.5</p>

<p>I did a balloon ride some years ago in the Lake District (UK) on a lovely summer evening. The ride is very smooth indeed once you cast loose. A superwide is essential (I wish I'd had my 14-24 then) for shots of the surrounding scenery and also the balloon, burners, pilot, etc. I agree that a long lens would be useful if you can carry more.<br>

It was a tremendous experience. We came in to land in Bowness, drifting past some apartments that were not overlooked - except, at that moment, by 8 people in a huge balloon - just as a chap in one of them opened his curtains after a late nap - completely stark naked.<br>

One word of advice - make sure your kit is stowed safely before you land - I seem to recall that was a bit iffy, crouching down in the basket and hoping it didn't tip over.</p>

<p>OK. I started out my SLR life with Nikon (EM then F801). Followed by a long (and expensive) excursion into Leica M, then dSLRs with the advent of the Canon 10D. Progressed through 20D to 5D and a bag full of lenses.<br>

Then I tried the D700 and was hooked. It felt 'right', and the control system was better, IMHO. I sold the Canon gear.<br>

As well as some modern Nikon lenses (14-24, 50/1.4G etc) I have picked up a stock of AIS lenses for next to nothing, and they work beautifully on the D700. My favourite is the 105/2,5 which is simply wonderful. This capacity for using the older (but still excellent) Nikon lenses is a big plus for the system. The facility for registering old manual lenses on the camera is ingenious and very useful.</p>

<p>I had the 17-35 but it developed a fault, so took the chance to replace it with a 14-24. The 17-35 was a new lens, but squeaked when focussing. There is some evidence that I was not alone in having this problem with it.<br /> The 17-35 is smaller (but not small) and is probably more useful as an all-round wide angle zoom.<br /> Image quality of the 14-24 in the corners wide open is clearly superior. It handles flare extremely well. Overall IQ is astonishing, and reports that say it beats most or all primes within its range are probably correct.</p>

 

<p>I bought the M8 at launch, so lived through the bugs and 2 replacement cameras. That may have coloured my view of it, but why shouldn't it?<br>

I sold it a few months ago and now just have a lovely M3. My D700 wipes the floor with the M8 in low light situations, where M cameras are supposed to excel.<br>

Digital products are ephemeral. Leica M cameras are built to last. That's the conflict that led me to sell lest prices of used M8s dropped through the floor like all other used digital stuff.</p>