daryl_jorud1

<p>Interesting thread. I pondered the same concern while searching for a digital body on which to use my Leica M lenses. For film, I had long ago settled on the M2 body, mainly due to the viewfinder frames configuration being friendlier to me for usage of 35mm focal length lenses. While the M3 viewfinder is certainly great for 50mm lenses, I have another camera which I find has, IMO, an even nicer 50mm RF/VF. While the lens is not interchangeable, the 50mm lens of the Konica IIIA is quite special, and it's RF/VF is a true wonder. If I'm in it for the viewfinder/rangefinder experience while shooting a 50mm lens, it's what I go for every time. Full 1:1 fov with parallax correction as well. Very, very nice, a true classic if there ever was one.<br>

While I have been patiently waiting for the "ideal" (whatever that may be) Leica M digital body to mature, I did want to use M lenses on a digital body in the meantime. But, which body? After considerable rumination as to whether the full frame Sony A7 series or APS-C NEX/A6000 series would suffice, along comes this Ricoh GXR M mount. At first, I dismissed it, telling myself "Don't bother with a Ricoh. Very few photographers ever consider them." Well, that was wrong headed thinking. While it isn't full frame, relying instead on a APS-C sensor, and it isn't AF, and the body has no built-in Leica type rangefinder, and it's "just" 12 mpx, for Leica M lenses including wides, this M mount lensor which is used with the GXR body is really rather exceptional and is capable of delivering the goods! Sadly, Ricoh-Pentax abandoned the concept of separate "lensors" a couple years back, so it's no longer available except for the used market. But, for using Leica M lenses on a digital body at very modest cost while still delivering splendid images, it seems to remain a relatively unknown gem. On mine, I have the optional shoe mounted, tilting EVF for it, too, which makes focusing that much easier for those of us who find it a challenge once our vision begins to deteriorate with the onset of middle age. Especially with the magnifying and "peak" focusing it incorporates. <br>

One more interesting capability of the GXR M mount I'll mention before closing: I can now use many other brands of lenses with various mounts by simply adding an inexpensive adapter(s). My M42 SMC Takumars have once again found new life, not to mention the glorious old Contarex lenses that have been sitting idle for so long. Oh, can't forget about the RE Topcors with Exacta mount, and even the Kodak Retina reflex lenses with Deckel mount. The Konica AR lenses now get used again, and the mighty 1970s era Vivitar Series I lenses, too. The list goes on an on...but this GXR M mount does a very fine job with all of them. I'm never disappointed with it. Okay, my rant is done. Take it for two cents please, and best wishes to you as you decide what will work best for you.<br>

Daryl</p>

 

<p>www.markhama.com<br /> Nobody else is as eminently qualified as Mark Hama.</p>

<p>Regards,<br /> Daryl</p>

<p>Laurentiu, your comments are very interesting and helpful. Any thoughts about the Pentax K-01 when compared to the Olympus E-M5 and the Sony Nex7? It seems unfortunate that the K-01 has no EVF.</p>

<p>Would anyone care to share their experiences with focusing, whether difficult or not to achieve exact focus, their M42 Takumar lenses on Sony alpha 900, Sony alpha 850, Pentax K-5, or Pentax K-30? </p>

<p>I have a sizable assortment of S-M-C Takumar lenses, from 24mm through 400mm, and would like to use them on a DSLR body having an eye level VF. From researching various user groups and forums, it would appear that the Sony 900 or Pentax K-30 or Pentax K-5 are leading contenders. I realize the 900 is the only full frame body, but that's not the only consideration. Does one of these three rise above the other two, or are there other bodies that are not listed and would be preferable, and why? Shooting jpegs would be predominate use. User friendliness is also a high priority. Thanks in advance for your recommendations.</p>

<p>To piggyback onto Frank's thread.......what is the recommended depth of series VI lens shade for the Medalist? There are an abundance of series VI lens shades available from various manufacturers, but how deep of a shade can be used without vignetting the image on this camera?</p>

<p>Rick,<br /> These cameras are notorious for having the hardened green grease which seizes the focusing threads on both lenses. To focus this camera as it did when new, the green grease residue must be cleaned off entirely. What might seem like a quick procedure can, if the grease is completely seized, take considerable time, as the process involves many steps from start to finish. Dis-assembly is less than half of the process, as once you have successfully replaced the lubricant with new silicone grease, you are faced with re-assembling everything and recalibrating focus on both lenses, so that they focus in sync. It is not difficult, but it does take time to do it correctly. The first time I performed a clean, lube, and adjust of one of these cameras, more than four hours passed from start to finish. Succeeding cameras required less time, as I had already learned the correct steps by trial and error on the first expedition.<br /> To begin disassembling the lenses, first you will need to remove the two cogged focusing rings. Simply loosen the set screws on both rings with a .5mm screwdriver, then remove rings. Once the cogged rings are off, you have two separate threaded lens assemblies. One is left thread, while the other is right thread. The brass metal lens tubes are rather fragile, and must be handled carefully to not bend the rims. If the green grease is simply too stiff to allow any movement, you will need to use proper tools to get the tubes unthreaded. I have used two flexi-clamps of the appropriate sizes to do this easily. Due to one tube being slightly large in diameter, one clamp must be slightly larger than the other and will not damage the tubes. As I write this, I do not recall the exact sizes used, but you can measure the tubes carefully, then order the correctly sized flexiclamps from Microtools. Be super careful if you decide to use toothed pliers, as they will almost always crimp the outer, delicate rim of the brass tube and make it difficult to put the chrome rings back on. That said, it not a good idea to use crude, adjustable pliers of any type. <br /> Once you are at this point, it may become obvious that removing the entire front panel from the camera body may be necessary before proceeding to the next step, as the lens assemblies may in fact turn on the mounting panel, which will require another larger flexi-clamp to hold the assembly from the back side and prevent such turning. To be safe, and to be sure you have the correct number of properly sized flexiclamps on hand, take the panel off as a precautionary measure. Here again, doing so will allow for better access of the component you need to service anyway. <br /> Once you get this far with your disassembly, the remaining steps will be intuitive. Take your time, clean everything well, and proceed to reassembly. It should be pointed out that you may need to experiment with the correct viscosity of grease on the focusing threads. Using grease that is too thin will allow focus to wander. Using grease that is too heavy will make for stiff focusing. Be like Goldilocks and choose a grease that gives "just right" focusing. I purchased my grease from Microtools.<br /> Once you have nearly everything put back together, STOP before putting the two cogged focusing rings back onto the lenses. Now comes the most important step in the entire process: calibrating the focus of both lenses so that when you put the rings back together, the distance indicators on the top ring are correct in respect to actual distance between film plane at backside of camera and objects in correct infinity focus. I used a piece of 2 1/4 X 3 1/4 ground glass taped to the film rollers to focus the taking lens, then focused the viewing lens by peering down through the camera's own ground glass underneath the top cover. You will need to hold the back cover open with a large rubber band when calibrating focus on the taking lens, unless you have a third hand to hold it open. Use a focusing loupe held directly on both ground glass surfaces as you carefully turn both lenses manually until your image is in sharp focus. Do this while focusing on an image that is at least 1/2 mile away, to assure sharp infinity focus. Once you have both lenses at proper focus, it is time to replace both cogged focusing rings, while being careful to not turn either of the lenses you have just focused precisely. This is a fiddly step, as it is very easy to accidentally de-focus either lens while mounting these cogged rings back onto the camera lenses. Take your time, be careful, and your last step will be tightening the set screws in each cogged focusing ring. <br /> What is outlined in the above description may seem detailed, but believe me, there are many more details that could have been included. But, as already mentioned, most steps in this lens overhaul are intuitive and not particularly complex. Of note, I have left out completely what is involved when cleaning and adjusting the shutter. If you would like to do a CLA of the shutter, that is another process, but if necessary do it at the same time you are servicing the lenses. I won't go into the details of a shutter overhaul here, as this response would become much longer.......<br /> Best of luck with your Super Ricohflex. They really are fun little cameras to use, and when adjusted properly take awesome photos, too.</p>

<p>My Konica IIIA was completely refurbished, including rangefinder adjustment, by Greg Weber of Weber Camera in Fremont, Nebraska. URL is www.webercamera.com. His specialty is Konica. Now, the camera functions as it did when new. </p>

<p>For me, Contarex. -THE- ultimate mechanical camera. Shutter plays heavenly music like no other.</p>

<p>Mark has serviced several of my Yashica Lynx and Minister cameras. Absolutely first rate workmanship. His service expertise on Yashica products is legendary. If I recall correctly, he was employed at the Yashica factory in his younger days.</p>

Willem, it is possible, IF your gloves are very light in weight and fit snug to your hands. With

heavy gloves, you can only depress the shutter release button. Forget about the other small

button switches. You may be able to turn on the rotating power switch with slightly heavier

gloves. If you have large meaty fingers, even light gloves may be too much.

Thank you all for the responses to this question. It appears that most options for this handicapping condition fall into the realm of compromises. In a perfect world, I would propose that a small digital camera with the same form factor as my Spotmeter M; front trigger shutter release plus a top/rear thumb controlled joywheel for zoom and other functions. No need for a display, just an eye level viewfinder would be sufficient. And, it would be fine for both left and right hand independent operation. Shame that not one manufacturer goes there.

Is there a camera made for use only with the left hand? There are many disabled

people, veterans included, who have only a left hand to use. Is there a digital

camera for these people, that doesn't have to be turned upside down? There are

cameras like the Sanyo CG65 that come fairly close, but the display would seem

to be in the way for a left handed person.

 

Or, is there a left hand pistol grip available incorporating a cable type

release that could be put onto any digital P&S camera? Seems like that could be

a solution too.

Tony, have you actually used any Pentax M42 lenses with your 5D? If so, have you found any

that are not compatible with the 5D? Many of the old M42 Takumars are extremely fine

lenses. I'm curious about their performance when used with a digital body like the 5D.

Thanks for everyone's input on my question. As R.T. noted, I am interested in a full-frame

digital body, which rules out all manufacturers except Canon. Bueh's pointing out that some

users have reported adapters actually damaging the electronics of their Canon bodies is

definitely a concern, and needs more investigation before making a decision to invest in a

5D. If anyone reading this has a 5D body and has used M42 adapters, I am sure many

owners of M42 lenses would be curious to hear just how well they actually do perform.

Thanks once again.

For the past several years, my Pentax Spotmatic system, including seventeen different SMC Takumar M42

lenses has been sitting unused, waiting for the right digital body to once again put them back into use.

Which full-frame sensor digital slr body (using an adapter), if any, will best complement these lenses in

terms of user friendliness and quality of image rendition for color and and b&w? Any specific

recommended adapters? If the Takumars can once again see service, my RE Topcors are also waiting to be

used once again...thanks very much for your recommendations.

If you haven't already done so, insert the shim washers and compare the focus against not having the washers inserted. It seems unlikely that you would have received an extra set of shim washers with your camera, especially in the partially disassembled state you obtained it. More likely, they had been part of the original assembly, were of a specific thickness, making them critical to precise focus. Again, use care, as the condensor is easily chipped...

Michael, Minox 35 mechanical components are perhaps not quite as durable as Rollei 35. Minox Minoxar and Minotar lenses are every bit as fine as Rollei lenses. Top of line Rollei 35S uses Sonnar lens.....some Rollei 35 users prefer the Tessar models. For most use, differences are hair splitting minor. Minox is faster to operate than Rollei. Rollei is somewhat fiddly to use, but one gets used to it in time. Minox has auto exposure, Rollei does not. Minox has virtually silent shutter, Rollei not as quiet. Top of line Minox is GXE, or MDC if you prefer metal body covering. In the hands of a thinking photographer, both Minox 35 and Rollei 35 are capable of producing absolutely superb images.

Craig, just a point of information about the Kalloflex....it does not use a ground glass or fresnel type focusing screen as found on other twin lens reflex cameras. Instead, Kalloflex uses a heavy glass condensor lens for this function. Should you decide to remove it for any reason, be extremely careful not to accidentally damage. Kalloflex is a supremely robust, yet precision built camera that will serve you well for a lifetime if properly maintained. Unless you are absolutely certain that you can service it without fouling up the inner workings, it would be advisable to send your fine photographic instrument to a competent service person. Paul Ebel (Lens Services) in Menomonie, Wisconsin is such a person.

The Twin Cities are near Menomonie, Wisconsin, where Paul Ebel is located. He can service and/or repair most any camera. His workmanship is of the highest order and his prices are reasonable. Others on this forum can attest to the quality of his services. A fine gentleman, indeed.

Alexander,

 

Calibrating these cameras is a rather fiddly procedure. Before starting the calibration of each lens, you will need to secure the following helpful aids: a microscrewdriver for retightening the cogged focusing ring setscrews, a 2 1/4 X 2 1/4 ground glass for focusing, a focusing loupe, and a couple of rubber bands to serve as extra fingers. Presuming that you have already unscrewed the front portion of both lenses for cleaning and relubricating of the threads, this is the process I follow: TAKING lens first. rethread the front portion of lens (threads cleaned and regreased, lens surfaces cleaned) into the rear portion which is firmly attached to the lens panel. Next, open the rear cover and use one of the rubber bands to hold it open by stretching the other end the front of camera body (or, you can remove the rear cover by removing two screws at the hinge). Using one hand to hold the opened camera body with lens panel facing downward, use your other hand to insert the piece of ground glass over the film guide rollers. Carefully place your focusing loupe on the ground glass. Apply some moderate pressure to the loupe with your thumb and forefinger, pushing against the ground glass hard enough to prevent the loupe from sliding around on it. This next step is the fiddly part, but it really isn't if you have hands large enough to hold everything in its place without anything falling out.....holding the body/loupe/ground glass asembly in one hand, aim the camera at an object located on the horizon. Use your other hand's forefinger and thumb to rotate the front portion of the lens while you are peering through the loupe at an infinity located object. Rotate the front part of the lens until the object appears sharply focused in the loupe.

 

Next, tip the camera nose downward and remove the loupe and ground glass. Place the camera back onto the worktable. Partially thread in the front portion of the VIEWING lens into the rear portion which is affixed to the lens panel. Open the top cover to the waist level viewer. Place your focusing loupe onto the camera's built-in ground glass. While holding the camera in one hand, peer downward through the loupe at an infinity object. Use the thumb and forefinger of your other hand to rotate the front section of your viewing lens until the object appears sharply focused in the loupe. With completion of this step, you now have both lenses focused at infinity, albeit independent of each other.

 

Next, with camera resting on its back on worktable, place the top cogged ring onto the viewing lens, being careful to locate the infinity symbol facing the indicator triangle at top. Once properly positioned, use your microscrewdriver to tighten the three tiny set screws which hold the ring firmly to the front brass portion of the lens assembly.

 

As with the top cogged focusing ring, next carefully place the bottom cogged ring over the taking lens. The two cogged rings should now be intersecting each other. Tighten the 3 set screws in the bottom ring. At this point, you should be able to turn either ring with your fingers and have both lenses rotate together without binding. If you were careful to not accidentally derotate your precisely focused lenses when reattaching the cogged rings, your camera should now be able to produce images which are sharply focused.

 

From personal experience, I have found that when working on a Super Ricohflex, it seems that one invariably ends up totally disassembling the camera to clean every component, with the most time consuming process being the cleaning of the lens threads containing hardened green colored (from copper oxidation) lubricant. Use a suitable new lubricant on the threads to make lens rotation silky smooth. Then patiently reassemble the camera. Once totally CLA'd these cameras perform very well. Take your time with the CLA and you will see what I mean. Good luck!

Bill,

 

The IIIA has a far superior VF/RF system to the III. IIIA has a moving frameline to correct for parallax, while the III does not. The IIIA VF/RF is much brighter than that of the III and offers more eye relief as well. If I can live with only a 50mm lens, I prefer the VF/RF of the Konica IIIA to that on my Leica M2. Compare both and you will understand why. Another minor difference between III and IIIA is the lens. Most Konica III have 48mm/f2 lenses. While some IIIA also have this lens, many came with a 50mm/f1.8. Once you have used a IIIA, you may conclude it was one of the finest 50mm fixed lens cameras ever produced. Truly a quality creation.

Hi David,

I have a scanned manual for your Perkeo II which I will send to you once I get the 4 scan files compressed. Won't get to it until tomorrow, however. Tried sending an uncompressed file to you earlier this morning, but it was simply too large (7MB). Hope you are enjoying your camera. They are little jewels, aren't they? Daryl

There seem to be no E39 "Leitz Wetzlar" skylight filters. At least, not

that I have found. Every one I have seen is "Leitz N.Y." Anyone know

why this is?

Mike, you make an interesting point. Generally, among camera manufacturers, the mid 1950s to mid 1960s cameras seem to be at or near the pinnacle of mechanical complexity and workmanship. After that time period, it seems that most manufacturers were beginning to lighten and cheapen most of their lines, perhaps due to internal pressure from bean counters. The Konica IIIA was clearly the high water mark for non-metered Konica rangefinders. In their slr lineup, the later T3 is another mechanical wonder, the silky-smoothest slr I have used.