lloyd_lim

I bought a tamron 90mm/2.8 DI macro, very good lens - however on my K10D, it had a tendency to hunt and then refuse to focus (blinking focus light) at least 66% of the time - that was a very annoying lens. I ended up having to return this and buying a Pentax D-FA 100/2.8 macro.

In comparison, the Pentax D-FA 100mm/2.8 maco would also hunt a bit, but it would at least focus eventually, so even though on paper, the Tamron looks like a better lens, please test it to see if there are any AF issues on your body.

I find the Iskra (copy of the Super Isolette), to be the best-bang-for-the-buck (but that was about 2 years ago) as it has a 4 element lens, coupled rangefinder, and a winding mechanism that can sense the presence of film and advances film correctly without the use of the "red window".

It is more expensive now, not as cheap as before (I got mine for about US$40 then).

However, note that most Iskras on Ebay will require servicing, I did all my own servicing so the cost was zero to me other than time.

Certo6 might be a good source, but I have seldom seen Iskras from him .

Hi Bob,

The Ricoh lenses will fit on a Pentax, you just have to remove a pin from the mount - compare it to a real pentax K mount lens and you will know what I mean.

However, without the pin, it will then not be able to meter properly, so it must either be used wide open with aperture priority, or else in M mode with a manually set aperture.

I have a 28/2.8 Ricoh mount lens which I am using on my 10D, but I then to use that wide open most of the time.

I have an old Seagull and multiple Iskras.

Even a seagull 4 element lens is much better than a Iskra 4 element lens due to the sturdiness of the entire box that holds everything together.

The quality of the Iskra is very good ... for a folder.

However, being a folder, there are always issues with lens being parallel to the film plane, the rangefinder accuracy, the sturdiness of the struts etc, as all these are affected by the movement inherent in a folder (opening and closing). Even after all the adjustments, parallelizing, checking infinity etc on my Iskras.. the seagull still produces sharper images on a tripod as compared to an Iskra on the same tripod.

I'll say that they are meant for 2 different purposes - cheap, good image quality, lightweight, pick any two. (Iskra-cheap,lightweight. Rolleiflex-good image quality,not so lightweight or cheap)

I have not had any trouble with GSNs. The electrical systems on these cameras have a voltage compensator, so they can accept slightly higher and lower voltages, unlike Canon GLs.

I have had 4 GSN's and none of them had any electrical faults. I have gotten great results shooting slide film with them..and I tend to use the spring and cardboard tube trick to get the smaller batteries to work.

OTOH, my Electro AX died from electrical malfunctions, and a few Lynx's I've seen also had electrical problems, due to the design where the camera body itself is used as a conductor.

So IMHO, not all electros are built alike.

I use Diafine and usually, I would do a prewash with water. That gets rid of the green tint.

Unfortunately, as I use 4x5 - I can't help you with any curl :)

I have 4 of them and no I am not selling any of them...<p>

The lens quality is really very good, even compared to my slr lenses (Yashica and Canon). At 1.7, it is still great and with the electronics, I can take low light photos easily.

<p>

I would say that the problems would be the meter underexposing in backlit situations, and not being able to set your own shutter speed other than using the ISO dial/aperture trick.

<p>

So far I have had no problems with the electonics, all of mine were bought on Ebay and the only problem was one with fungus on the lens (still very sharp, BTW).

<p>

The mercury battery is not needed, as I have gotten the camera to work by using a 4LR44 battery with a paper tube, a coiled spring from a battery holder and a small coin.

Hi Tony,

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There are basically 3 ways to focus with the crown/speed graphics

<p>

1. Use a rangefinder that is adjusted properly for the lens (either by using a cam or by modifying the rangefinder)

<p>2. Ground glass focusing with a loupe.

<p>3. Scale focusing (Mark 1 eyeball together with guessing the distance)

<p>

<p>Regarding accurate focus:

<p>1. Rangefinders are very accurate from infinity to about 8 feet, provided that the rangefinder is aligned to the lens used. Below 8 feet, it is usually not so accurate. Top Rangefinders need one cam for each lens, while side mounted rangefinders (Kalart or Hugo Meyer) can only be adjusted for 1 lens at any time.

<p>2. Ground glass - it does not get any more accurate than this (provided that the ground glass is aligned properly to the film plane)

<p>3. Your guess is as good as anyone's for scale focusing..

<p>

<p>There is a fourth way to focus and that is by using a light beam or laser projected onto the rangefinder assembly. The 2 light beams will converge when the rangefinder is focused correctly. This works only in darker conditions as the light beams are usually not too bright..

<p>

<p>Note that there are 3 different rangefinders for the graphics and the adjustment procedures and cams are different. The super graphic uses different cams from the crown/speeds.

Arca Swiss does have very good after sales service, as I managed to get FREE replacements for my 4x5 f-line axles when they were broken during shipping as I bought them used. As for my AS B1, I have got 3 of them and only one developed a problem, becoming very stiff, as it endured a very hard fall on a concrete floor.

IMHO, the service quality is great, but you may have to wait if there is no incountry distributor. Product quality is also great and I have not had to fault it.. After all, if you dropped a precision item, can you complain if it does not work as before? Try dropping your lens and see if it is just as good!

Disclaimer: I am not associated with Arca Swiss in anyway other than as a satisfied customer.

Let's see:

1. Got 4 Electro GSN - fixed 3, killed 1

2. Got 2 Electro AX SLRS - fixed 1, the other was DOA and is now a parts contributor (Shutter works, but shutter always the same speed)

3. Got 2 Kiev 4 - fixed 1, the other is still pending "Surgery"

4. Got 2 Zorki 6 - one was ok, the other was ok until I started "surgery"

5. Got 2 Fed 5 - one has a broken meter, the other is totally disassembled and spare parts for a fed 2 :)

6. Got 3 Iskras - one was totally disassembled as parts for the other, and 2 working iskras :)

7. Got a crown Graphic - working fine until I decided to clean the rangefinder... now I'm waiting for some free time to put in a new beam splitter mirror :)

Looks like an almost 50% record :)

What I tend to do is to buy 2 of each type of camera that I am interested in, one described as guaranteed working and the other usually "as-is". That way, I have a working and a parts camera at the lowest possible cost :)

You can always get the Fed/Zorki types for a leica screw type experience :)

The older models are much better built, but they don't have slow shutter speeds (less things to break too) - e.g. Fed 2 / Zorki 6 which also have among the longest rangefinder baselines for these cameras.

If you want slow shutter speeds then a Fed 3 or Zorki 4 would be ok.

Jupiter 8/8M are usually Zeiss Sonnar copies, while the industar 50/26/61 are tessar type. There is a Industar 61L/D which is made from rare earth glass, supposedly sharpest among the tessar types. It comes only with the later Fed 5. Zeiss Sonnar lenses are supposedly sharper than tessar type, but it really depends on the lens you have.

Due to the sample variance, there is no easy answer. "Test as many as you can find and keep the best" is probably the best advice anyone can give, as these lenses are very sensitive to alignment and spacing.

For myself, I have Industar 26m, Industar 50, Industar 6, Industar 61L/D, Jupiter 8, Jupiter 8M and I can tell you confidently that I could never tell which lens took which photo, although I can tell which body did it (due to some misalignments/shutter stickiness etc) and on my Zorki 6, they all perform similarly.

There is just no substitute for square inches :)

However, there are certain shots that are easier to get with an auto-everything 35mm camera, e.g. children as compared to 4x5 (try doing that ala 40's journalist!). And given that there are no 400mm equivalent lenses in medium and large format (unless you have a really long bellows!), long teles are just not available in larger formats and for tose that are there, the camera becomes so unwieldly.

I always thought that my 200mm/4 newest version lens was a dog..it never took very sharp photos at all (always slightly soft), until the day I bought a RRS plate and a Gitzo G1410 to complement my Arca Swiss B1...

that was when I realized what a sharp piece of glass it was! :)

You can try a zorki 6 - equally reliable, bigger viewfinder, same shutter speeds, same base length rangefinder, lever wind, however, the tripod socket is on one side and not on the lens axis.

You can also modify your fed 2, to use the 1/4" socket and the fixed take up spool using a "parts" fed 5/5b/5c. This would help in film loading but the viewfinder would remain the same though.

If you are looking for better viewfinders, I can only suggest other non-russian cameras, (e.g. Canon P) but most of them cannot use a 35/2.8 Jupiter 12 :(

If you don't mind non-interchangeable lenses, the Yashica GSNs, Minolta S2, Canonet G17s, etc are good cameras with leaf shutters/ much better viewfinders and in the case of the Canon QL system, faster film loading...

Considering that the inbuilt FSU viewfinders are always limited to 50mm-ish views, it might be better to just go for these japanese rangefinders.

If you do not mind 6x6, the ISKRA and ISKRA 2 is better for the following reasons:

1. No red window on the back + automatic detection of film frame.

2. Unit focusing for the lens

3. Much bigger viewfinder :)

Look at the total cost..

For example, if most auctions for a Kiev-4A close at $25 with a $10 shipping charge, then I would not mind bidding up to $15 with a $20 shipping charge, after all, the overall cost is the same.

In theory the folder with the best lens is the Voightlander Apo-Lanthar but that is going to cost you more than your Planar :(

In practice, you will find that any 4 element lens, properly CLA'ed, will be able to give you good photos at about f16 onwards. You quoted Chris Perez's tests (http://www.hevanet.com/cperez/MF_testing.html) which show that a Kodak 620 has a center resolution of 60 lp/mm at f22 , while a Hassleblad Planar 80/2.8 has a center resolution of 54 lp/mm at f22.

Hence, I would think that you can get the folder, but always use an aperture of f16/22/32 in order to get your shots... This, of course, limits your shooting range as compared to your hassie. (You can only do handheld in bright daylight with fast film, and no blurring of the background etc)

If you can live the disadvantages (fixed and slow lens, mostly using a red window for film, old and dirty exterior, only a few with coupled rangefinder) etc, then it is a good buy.

I would suggest looking also at the Iskra and Super Isolettes, which have good 4 element lenses, but you may have to get them cleaned up.

For myself, I have 3 iskras :):) (one of which is a converted red window with disassembled lens right now) and they are all very sharp at f16 and very portable. Unfortunately, at f4/5.6 the resolution is poorer for landscapes, but just nice for portraits :)

The trick to using Gitzo tripods is to not over tighten or over loosen..

Usually a half twist of your wrist is enough to release the lock and another then half twist to tighten it. The best way is to get another photographer who uses Gitzo tripods to show you how it is done.

I find the bogen/manfrotto locks much harder to use and more painful on my hands as I need to use more force (so much so that I gave away my manfrotto 190 / bogen 2001 a few years ago).

Hi,

I used to use my P67 with a Gitzo G1126 and Arca Swiss B-1 with a B68 RRS Plate. With the 55mm/4 and 105/2.4 lens, everything was sharp, but the 200mm usually came up less sharp. This used to be my hiking kit, with the 55/4 lens and the waist level finder. The weight was not too much and I could use 220 film for 20 shots per roll :). As I had a hook on the bottom of my G1126, I could hang my backpack on it for even more stability.

I would suggest using this as a lightweight kit for hiking etc, as it is really light and stable enough.

I now use a Gitzo G1410 and boy, are the photos much sharper for the 200mm!

I suggest thinking of your crown graphic as a "twin-mode" camera.

In fast mode, using the RF, the shutter is always closed and there is no need for ground glass focusing or movements, the film is always loaded on the back (use Grafmatics :) and use depth of field as much as possible wth bright flashbulbs or bright sunlight. Then taking photos is very fast:

0. Remember that the left hand is always in the strap, Use right hand only for everything else :)

1. Focus or set hyperfocal distance or required distance by using the distance scales and required aperture.

2. Set the shutter speed based on the aperture.

3. Make sure that shutter is closed.

4. Cock the shutter.

5. Remove and insert Grafmatic dark slide.

6. Compose using the wire frame finder and take the shot using the body release.

7. Remove and insert Grafmatic inner body.

8. Repeat from Step 4... :)

I've been able to shoot off all 6 shots within about 20s with this method :)

OTOH, the slow method would be:

1. Compose and focus using the ground glass and movements, as necessary.

2. Close shutter and slide in the film holder.

3. Pull out darkslide.

4. take the shot

5. remove the film holder...start mumbling curses about forgetting to insert darkslide :)

6. you know the rest :)

John,

as the battery compartment is rather big, I cut away the battery contacts and just taped the wires directly to a CR-123 lithium battery with some duct tape. Not the cleanest solution, and defintely not something you want to do to a new camera, but it will work :)

Gene,

You forgot the stop bath....now your fixer will react with the developer :) and are you sure that you are archival enough, not enough washing, I think? :)