stephen_shepherd

Charles, what on <i>earth</i> is that creature in the middle photo? Looks distinctly 3rd party to me. ;-)

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85mm f/1.8 AF-D Nikkor. Excellent build and optics, but the low-friction plunger-like configuration of its rear-focus design made it suck in dust at a rate I haven't seen in the other Nikkors I've owned.

Euro-drivel.

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Jorge,

 

<P>Looks like a very useful site, clearly laid out, with excellent use of images.

 

<P>I think the concern expressed above is about seeing some sort of assertion that users' private information will remain private, and will not be shared with advertizers or other commercial concerns. Have a look at <a href=http://www.photo.net/privacy-policy>photo.net's privacy policy</a> for a model.

 

<P>The (apparent) absence of spyware on the site (something photo.net cannot boast) looks like a good start.

I find it hard to get excited about the prospect of new digital bodies--we're still going through a period of expensive mediocrity in terms of 35mm full-frame resolution--but the glass is a different matter altogether. One can only hope that the developments in SLR optics will continue to produce collateral improvements in the RF offerings from Leica and the others.

The whole setup is just plain annoying.

>>Might the Leica factory consider such a service?

 

In the past I think they "outsourced" to Russia.

Sorry, wrong format first time.

Dallas:

In order for an AI'd lens to engage matrix metering on the F4, a <i>lens speed indexing post</i> will have to be added. It is already present on AI and later lenses. You'll find an excellent explanation and how-to <a href=http://www.zi.ku.dk/personal/lhhansen/photo/FullAImod.htm>here</a>.<P>

I have done this with an AI'd 55mm f/1.2 Nikkor, and it works beautifully.

The pre-D 20/2.8, 55/2.8 Micro, and 180/2.8 lenses would all make excellent, sharp, AF complements to your existing collection, and will all balance well on the F4.

This is a practical and yet elegant solution. Thanks for sharing it, Elliot.

 

I'm curious about how much it cost.

The solution I have suggested cost me about $75: new hood from Adorama and unused 11251 ring from Pacific Rim. Other hooding solutions for this great lens have also been discussed in <a href=http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005z3h>this thread</a>.

Yes, the top will probably need to come off--not a job to be undertaken without the right tools.<P>

 

One cause of the problem you describe <i>could</i> be the misalignment of the sliding arm which translates the back-and-forth arc of the rangefinder cam into the side-to-side arc of the patch magnifier assembly. It only takes a millimetre or less of misalignment for the arms to disengage by sliding over/under one-another. Check to see if the cam-wheel assembly springs back and forth; if not, then the problem could be with the spring.

The film cannister felt (actually a kind of synthetic velvet ribbon) is ideal. Just make sure to glue it securely with contact cement and let it set before trying to re-insert the lens barrel; otherwise it will bunch up and you'll have to start over.

Whatever you do, look <a href=http://www.photo.net/neighbor/one-subcategory?id=2>here</a> first to see how others have fared with certain dealers. The profiles which emerge are remarkably consistent.

If it were as possible to separate art from technique (or testosterone) as some here seem to suggest, then Leicas would never be a good choice.

No easy answer; problem requires more scrotiny.

It's interesting that the seller claims that the camera comes out of an estate which apparently had a machine shop; check out the seller's other item up for auction.

Petr, I have filed the mount to use the 35mm framelines, and concur with the very good reasons for doing this given in Jay's answer to an earlier question of yours--but I have no experience with an M4 as opposed to the M4-P:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=006DLi

Here's the link to <A href=http://www.cameraquest.com/leicacl.htm>Gandy's solution</a>, which involves unbranded metal hoods whose threads "are not an exact match for those on the lens, but it still works, because after about a half a turn the hood is tight." I know Jay's a CL user, so I trust his knowledge over Gandy's, who says the hoods "have not been available new from Leica in many years."

If the original rubber hood has died on you, or you acquired the

lens without, you might want to try fitting the current rectangular

hood for the 35mm f/2 Summicron. <A

href=http://faculty.smu.edu/sshepher/Summicron40Hood.htm>Here's</a>

an account of how I did it.<div></div>