ed_schwartzreich

Yes it works, but of course not at the TTL setting. Here is a shot done on the "A" setting, fill-flash.

 

Ed<div></div>

I think all the posters miss an important point. Some of the Leica collectors are serious historians out there who try to document the development of Leica and related issues such as photojournalism, the camera industry, history of optical technology, etc. Many of these historians don't own that much equipment, but have examined lots of it and spoken to the key developers and users of it. People who want to know the story and the how and why of the wonderful equipment we talk about. You likely only know about NOOKY and NOOKY-HESUM because of guys like that, such as Jim Lager and to a degree our own Roger Hicks and also Al. Roger has written alot of interesting books, some of them historical and technical.

 

Ed

#1234567 indicates a dummy / Attrape

 

Ed

Andy, I'd be very interested in your take on the image parameters after you have used the R-D1 for awhile, such things as approximations of Velvia, Kodachrome 64 (if possible), and Tri-X on the B&W side.

Ed

There is a Reprovit IIa for sale on *bay, 1 Euro, less than 2 days and no bids yet. Trouble is its in Germany and shipping would be a bear. The Reprovit IIa is essentially an M Focaslide incorporated into a super copy stand. They are cheap these days because universities and libraries are investing in scanners instead.

 

Ed

Michael,

 

I can tell you how to do the adjustment, but I think you need first to see if off-axis viewing is the problem, as other have written. You also should try out other lenses besides the 40/2 Rokkor and find if they are off too. Several R-D1 owners have found that some lenses in their arsenal just don't couple right. If the problem then still exists, and for all lenses, you have 2 choices: if your R-D1 has a US Warranty, it might be best to send it back; or you can do a recalibration. I recalibrated mine, due to a Japanese Warranty, because of postings I read on this site, and with the help of DAG (Don Goldberg). I was able to optimize RF accuracy in the 1-3 meter range, but at the expense of longer range accuracy.

 

Look in the archives for further discussion of this problem. If you want to attempt the adjustment, contact me off line.

 

Ed

Looks like Fuji makes a cordless charger.

 

http://www.digitallyunique.com/np80.html

 

Ed

Any NP-80 clone will probably work.

 

Ed

My 75/1.4 has always had problems. It finally had a new focusing cam put in by Leica, Solms, and Leica agreed to split the cost with me(!). It couples fine with my M6, but I cannot get it to be accurate over its entire range with the R-D1. Recall that I had DAG explain to me how to adjust the R-D1's RF, and was able to optimize this for all the lenses I tried, except for the 75/1.4. Clearly with other samples of the lens YMMV.

 

Ed

Noctilux works fine with this camera wide open. In fact it has become my favorite lens choice.

 

 

Ed

My generic Fuji NP-80 charges and behaves the same as the Epson battery. I am using a Leitz 135BL finder for the 90AA. I attach a recent image with this lens, tripod mounted 1/2 second at f/8 but slight movement as I didn't use a cable release. My 75/1.4 won't couple accurately to the rangefinder, but if it did I have a Nikkor 105 BL finder which seems about right.

 

Tom Abrahamsson and I tried the 28/2 Summicron and a 28/3.5 (I think) VC lens on the R-D1 back to back, and their image fields are quite different, the Summicron being much wider. The frame lines on the R-D1 are for me only the most general of guides.

 

Ed

Marc,

Thanks for the really wonderful images and your impressions, and to the rest of you all for the sensible and helpful replies. I have had the camera since October and have been more than pleased with it. I have written a review which will be in the LHSA's Viewfinder magazine this January.

 

There is some mention here of IR images. I thought of this too late to put into the review, and here in Vermont there is of course no foliage outside to make traditional IR images, only snow. I did shoot some B&W images of plants inside the house with a 50 Summicron and Leitz IR filter, and indeed got an image, so I think IR is getting onto the sensor.

 

Does anyone have an actrual IR shot with the R-D1 to post? This would be most helpful

 

Ed

I have been rehabbing a Reprovit IIa, and while this project is not entirely complete, I have been able to get some really fine images with it, and my R-D1. The Reprovit is basically a grandly-modified Leitz Focaslide married to a copy stand. The R-D1 attaches like any Leica and makes reproductions of a high standard.

 

Ed

Thank you for the quick response, Klaus. Actually, the dimensions of the top, sides, etc, would be helpful, plus some idea on how the mechanism works, and how the glass is attached. How is it sturdy enough to hold a heavy book, yet open easily when the hand grip is pulled? Is the hand grip what the loose side of the book is lying on in the illustration, or is it the drawer-like handle below this? Can all the room in the interior of the box be used for very thick items? What does the fastener which attaches to the back of the Reprovit base look like? From the illustration, it looks like there is some sort of handle or knob on the top left side of the device; if so, what is this for?

 

You see, I have a general idea of how this works, but not the details. I read someone's posting on another group which said that they had a carpenter make up a second framing box, using the original as a guide. This would be my goal.

 

Ed

As the happy new owner of a Reprovit IIa which has only needed some

minor work (e.g. new nylon-covered steel cable for the counterweight,

new projector lemp, diagrams and IB's, etc.), I am going to try and

make a framing box for it, à la Leitz 16761. I will try to post a

scan of the item from the IB.

 

My question: does anyone actually own this rather rare item? If so

could take more detailed pictures and provide measurements? If not,

my plan is to make my own loose copy, using a lab jack to raise and

lower the book in the frame. Does anyone know where I could buy the

requisite optical quality plate glass.

 

Any help appreciated.

 

Ed<div></div>

I forgot to add, lest you think this type of behavior is only true with the 90AA, I did the same thing with the Noctilux wide open at the same distances, with very similar results.

 

This happens because I optimized the focus at 1 meter in my RF adjustments. It is unfortunate that the R-D1's RF is not more accurate (its the RF mechanics, not the short base that's at fault). But I am not likely to take images wide open in available darkness at more than 3 meters, after all, unless it was at infinity (I took some great shots of the Northern Lights with the R-D1 and the Nocti at f/1). In that case a lens set at infinity is a lens set at infinity, regardless of what the RF says.

 

Ed

final shot at 5 meters

Next shot at 3 meters

Hello Howard, and everyone else on this most interesting thread. Here is what DAG told me, after I had taken off the hot shoe and fiddled awhile:

 

As seen from behind the camera, there are 3 screws visible, two small silver ones, and on the right, a taller white-colored screw. That one on the far right is the vertical adjustment for the secondary image. It is finely threaded and quite precise. The one on the far left adjusts the horizontal image, much more crudely. On my camera, one can either have the close range in perfect alignment (let's say with @ f/1 and 1 meter), or the infinity setting. The factory setting was for infinity, leaving the close range slightly off. I adjusted it for 1 meter, and in the middle distance, again at large f/ stops, there is the expected discrepancy. At infinity on the lens the RF now shows a slight double image. At settings like f/4 and smaller and with the factory setting, one wouldn't notice any problem in actual shooting.

 

The middle screw adjusts the mirror inside the RF, and as such determines things like the clarity of the secondary image, and it's placement within the VF. If this screw adjusted without prior knowledge, it appears to move the patch both horizontally and vertically along the arc of a large circle! Best to leave it alone or use it to "trim" one's ultimate settings of the other screws. I owe this knowledge to Don.

 

FWIW, I bought my R-D1 from a member of this forum who had two of them

 

I post 3 pictures taken with the newly-adjusted RF and with the 90/1AA wide open. Focus is on the edge of the jar. The first is at 1.5 and seems spot-on. The second at 3 meters is acceptable. The last at 5meters is out, and focus is on the picture frame.

 

Regards,

 

Ed

Got mine 10 days ago via eBay. I had already a week of use of Tom Abrahamsson's loaner abefore and at the LHSA annual meeting. I am one of those who will write a review in the Viewfinder magazine. I likws it enough to buy one. With the help of DAG on the phone, I did a readjustment of the RF, as mine was optimized for distance and focuused a bit too close in the close range, obvious with the Nocti. Nonetheless I had been getting some nice images with that combination. I will try and post one.

 

Ed S.

Whatever you think about content aside, the relatively recent Scalo edition has the best reproduction of the non-gravure editions (old Delpire / Grove Press). FWIW Delpire published a French version of this Scalo edition for the French market. I once did a side-by-side comparison between the 1959 Grove and Scalo versions, and the Scalo was pretty darn good. The various other versions in between (Aperture, etc.) just can't compete printing-wise.

Perhaps I should preface this with "IMHO" but here goes. I probably have the world's largest collection of Dr. Paul Wolff books, well over 200 titles, and also consider myself an expert on his photography and publications. I frequently compare notes with Thomas Sommer, head of of the Dr. Paul Wolff & Tritschler Historisches Bildarchiv, where Dr. Wolff's negatives reside. Please write me off-list about the books you are interested in seeing or getting.

 

I agree that ZVAB.com is the place to buy them--best prices and largest selection.

There will be an article in the upcoming LHSA Viewfinder magazine.

 

Regards,

 

Ed

I collect these thingies and have around 15 different ones. Opinions about their overall utility are well summarized above. There are 2 things to add, however:

 

1. There is another crank currently available from Japan called the Media Joy, nicely made. Here is the link: http://www.mediajoy.com/camerashopper/O_products/accessory/m-ckank/

 

2. Tom Abrahamsson, his machinist Uwe zum Hingst, and Richard Wasserman are, to the best of my knowledge, working on THE ULTIMATE CRANK. If this ever sees the light of day, you'll here about it.

 

Ed

I own 3 28mm BL finders: the old Leitz metal one, the newer Leica plastic version, and the new Cosina 28/35 Mini. The plastic Leica one is much brighter than the older metal one. The 28/35 mini, while it has a reduced image size, is fantastic! It is super bright and also of course allows one to use a 35. It is however difficult to see fully the 28 framelines with glasses (not a problem for me). It is also less vulnerable to damage than the larger finders, and at about $150, is cheaper than the Leitz / Leica alternatives.

 

Hope this helps.