User_502260

<p>This kind of question has come up many times before. I will first say that the A-1 is not my favorite Canon manual focus camera. It has center weighted metering. The FTb/FTbN has 12 degree metering. It's easier to tell what you are metering off of. The FTb/FTbN has an easy to user depth of field lever. The A-1 has a balky depth fo field lever. The FTb/FTbN has mirror lock-up. I don't remember the A-1 having that feature. The A-1 has "factory" interchangeable focusing screens. Strictly speaking, the FTb/FTbN does not have interchangeable screens but I have heard of late FTbN split image/microprism screens being transplanted into earlier FTbNs and even older FTbs. There are accessory winders and motors for the A-1. The FTb/FTbN cameras accept neither. In a situation where the lighting is controlled, the various automatic exposure modes of the A-1 are not needed. The FTb or FTbN is easily repaired/serviced. With the A-1, if you have trouble with the electronics you may not be able to get it repaired. I have two A-1s, many FTbs and FTbNs and a lot of other Canon manual focus cameras, mostly the mechanical ones and the two hybrids, the F-1N and the EF. The FTbN shws the shutter speed in the finder. The FTb does not. Either would be a good start. The T90 is a whole different discussion but you would consider it if you needed a top shutter speed of more than 1/1000. With studio lighting you probably would not use the T90's top shutter speed and with flash you wouldn't be able to synch at a speed that high. </p>

<p>The short answer is that a lens with a fixed focal length, whether extended by its own helicoid, a bellows or extension tubes will have the same depth of field at a given magnification. The long answer is that some zoom lenses and fixed focal length lenses employ floating elements in their designs. This can cause the focal langth to change as the lens is focused (with it own helicoid) to its closest focusing distance. </p>

<p>From what I have been able to find out there were two different auto bellows for the ETR series cameras. I have the first version. I also have the 14 and 28 tubes. Bronica recommended against stacking extension tubes. I suppose someone could use one tube between the body and the bellows and then another one between the back of the lens and the front of the bellows but I have not tried this yet. It does not seem practical or possible to mount a reversed lens on the bellows but I might find a suitable lens to reverse mount to the front of the 100/4 macro.</p>

<p>I recently got a 100/4 Zenzanon E macro lens. After shooting a few rolls I think it's a decent performer. There was a shot of a flower on my last roll. The flower is an azalea and there is a bush behind it. The flower itself is sharp but behind it is what looks like swirling bokeh. In the past I have only seen this with zoom lenses. Has anyone else seen swirling bokeh with this lens? Does the newer 105 macro also show this? </p>

<p>For general picture taking it's a 35/2 although the 35/2.8 Rokkor and Celtic lenses (very compact models) are nice with an X-700. If I am walking or hiking and I think there will be subjects of interest in the close-up to macro range I will take a 50-55 macro.</p>

<p>Another way to find filters in odd sizes is to use Series filters and adapters. The best places to find these are in old camera stores and on eBay. It is cumbersome to change filters when using a Series system but if you are just looking for a UV or 1A in an odd size, it can work.</p>

<p>I don't remember ever seeing a 400mm/5.6 Vivitar marked Series 1. In markets outside of the U.S. some Vivitar lenses, like the 55/1.2 had a Series 1 marking. Vivitar sold a number of 400s between the late 1960s and the end of the 1970s. Of the f/5.6 models there was a Fixed Mount, a T4 and a TX. The Fixed Mount is long and skinny. The T4 and TX lenses have interchangeable mounts. The Fixed Mount and T4 models, if I remember correctly, were made by Tokina and have serial numbers starting with 37. The TX was made by Komine and has serial numbers starting with 28. The TX is also an IF (internal focusing) type. I think I have all three f/5.6 lenses. From my own experience and from what I have read, the TX is the best of the bunch. For now my longest Canon FD is a 300/5.6. </p>

<p>It would be more surprising if you have a bunch of older Canon F-1 cameras with CdS meters which all gave the same or nearly the same readings. Cameras with later type meter cells like the Minolta X-700, the Konica FT-1, the Nikon FE etc. have meters which can stay accurate for a long time.With fewer and fewer people shooting slide film, the accuracy of light meters has become somewhat less important. Most print film has fairly generous lattitude. </p>

<p>When did Nikon make a 50mm f/2.8 macro lens for a manual focus full frame 35mm film SLR?</p>

<p>My RB67 Pro S system has been joining my Bronicas. In the last month I have added a 100/4 Zenzanon E macro for the ETR series cameras as well as the first version of the ETR Auto Bellows. Earlier this week I got non-metered Chimney and Prism 2 finders for the RB. If the sun would just stay out I would use them more. I have very good processing/printing in my town so that helps. I was at Unique Photo this week too so I have more film to work with. Our red and purple azaleas have just started to bloom so tomorrow and Monday will be prime medium format shooting days. </p>

<p>If I remember your requirements, apart from price, you wanted to do hand held macro shooting with a waist level fimder and with in-camera metering. I have done some test shots with a Bronica ETRS and the 100/4 macro I just got. I can go from 1:4 to infinity with the lens alone. I also got an Auto Bellows and the combination of the 100/4 and the bellows gets me pretty close. Bronica made three auto tubes: 14, 28 and 42. I have the 14 and the 28. The 14 allows the 150mm lenses to get closer for portraits. Unless a subject is very close to the ground I would rather use an eye level prism finder and a Speed Grip. If you must shoot hand held then an auto diaphragm is more important than TTL metering (even when using a waist level finder and with no in-camera metering). This is because you can meter separately and add an adjustment for your expousre when you are very close. If your lighting is fairly constant that helps too. Using stop down metering and/or a pre-set lens is not convenient for hand held macro work. </p>

<p>When Zeiss Jena made the 55/1.4 Pancolar for the Pentacon Super, was the optical design copied from the 55/1.4 Zeiss Planar for the Contarex?</p>