jim_thompson6

Hello John,

I can help with regard to Neofin Blau, but not with the "exact" development time for Efke films. Depending on your needs, the admittedly unclear directions allow for a mixture between 300-700ml. Although I am guessing as to your processing technique and need, I would stick with the times and dilution ratio for 500ml, i.e. the contents of the vial (30ml.) should be mixed with water (470ml.) until we have grand total of 500ml. Reminder: when processing two rolls at a time, remember to add 20% to your development times as mentioned in the directions. The 20% increase also applies if you process the rolls separately, i.e. the first with the normal time and the second + 20%.As for grain, well, this developer is known for its strong, but sharp grain (acutance). Personally, I find the distinct grain aesthetically pleasing (films include: Acros 100, PanF50, Agfa 100, Neopan 400, Delta 100+400). However, with a 50 speed film, I am somewhat surprised that it (the grain) is so prominent; of course, there is more than a tad subjectivity involved in such judgements.

Anyway, good luck! If you have more questions, just ask.

Ciao,

Jim

Hello Lester,

Although I do not have a camera for sale, I do have one that matches your description: Welta Perle. It has a Goerlitz Trioplan 2.9/7.5cm lens, Compur shutter (T,B,1-250), takes 120 film (6x4.5), and has a pop-up finder. For its age, it takes a pretty darn good picture. I got my from the German E-thing for around ?5-7. However, I can also recommend the Welta Weltax (East German version) without qualification. It has a coated tessar 3.5/75mm, Tempor shutter (B,1-250), is built like a tank, and is both 6x6 and 6x4.5 (with a mask). When properly adjusted, the lens is impressively sharp. It took mine to the Hawaiian Islands last year, and I can only say that the quality of the slides comes pretty close to those from the Rolleicord (Xenar). Regardless of which folder you end up buying, make sure the lens has been properly adjusted. Before adjusting mine, I thought it was merely okay, and in no way a match for the xenar.

Good luck,

Jim

Hello,

I have neither used Sensia 200, nor 400, but I have a fair amount of experience with Sensia 100. Personally, I prefer it pushed to 200 and find it more than acceptable at 320 (dev. as 400). So, if your requirements do not exceed a two stop push, then I would stick with Sensia 100.

Jim

Hi,

Like Ole (hi Ole), I have some experience with Neofin Blau. Unfortunately, I have developed HP5 in Neofin Blau only once (with a very respectable result). Like Ole said, in his book Beutler recommends his "Blau" developer for all film speeds, assuming that your willing to put up with longer development times. As a side note, I have developed a fair amount of Neopan 400 with Neofin Blau (even pushed it one stop), and I can say that the combination works quite well. Yes, the grain is prominent, but it is an aesthetically pleasing grain. If you have questions regarding Neofin Blau and other film combinations, feel free to contact me.

Ciao,

Jim

I haven't seen any of photographic work, but his dialogues are quite good. Heraclitus, on the other hand....

Jim

Hi Shaun,

I was there last year in Feb. and March -- absolutely stunning island. I would recommend a drive up to Waimea Canyon as well as several of the hiking trails on the way up to Kalalau Lookout (all of which I am sure is in your guidebook). If you have the money, don't pass up a helicopter tour. We had a great pilot and the views are truly breathtaking. We also took the boat tour along the Na Pali coast (Blue Dolphin I believe), which was actually more impressive from the air, although the weather did play a role here. And don't forget about under the water. We did some diving and the underwater life was fantastic. I would add that scuba isn't necessary to enjoy the sea life; we actually had more fun snorkeling and even spotted several very large sea turtles resting on the bottom (only 15 ft. down). We were there about 13-14 days and still didn't get to uncover the majority of what this island has to offer. The only other advice I can offer, assuming you want to shoot slide and/or B&W, is to bring it with you and have it developed back home (especially if you shoot 120). There are several good places to process your film, but I have heard they are expensive. If you look in the archives you will certainly find a plethora of advice as well as references to great shooting locations.

Enjoy the trip,

Jim

P.S.- There was a helicopter tour company that flew with the doors taken off. I cannot remember the name, but they were located somewhere around Po?ipu, which, by the way, has a great beach if children are accompanying you.

Sorry,

It's late, and I didn't read closely enough. You need to mix the 30 ml. ampule with 470 ml. of water. If you choose another mixture ratio, then you need to respectively increase or decrease the development times. On page 10 of the smaller booklet that comes with the box of developer, you will find a chart describing the proper dilution/development(Verlaengerungsfaktor). For example, if you mix the 30 ml. with 670 ml. water (700 ml.), then you need to multiply your development times for the 'usual' 500 ml. times by 1.3 . The same time would be necessary if you only used half of the ampule to make a total of 300 ml. of solution (or so sayth the chart). I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Ciao,

Jim

Hello,

Although I have a fair amount of experience with Neofin Blau, unfortunately, none of it is with Efke 25 (a situation I hope to rectify in the near future). Having said that, I would probably start with the times given at "the digital truth": 8 min. @ 20 degrees C. This is probably in the ballpark considering it matches the time given for APX 25.

Best of luck,

Jim

Hello,

I would probably spring for the Dynax 7 over the 800si. However, having said that, the two are not really all that different. The main difference is an ergonomic one, i.e. the dials vs. the little door on the right. Both have similar specs. (exceptions like the 'mirror lock-up' and back display noted), so it really comes down to the kind of shooting for which you intend to use the camera. If you almost never use a tripod, then the 'mirror lock-up' isn't going to be all that useful. The AF speed of the 7 is slight quicker as well as quieter, but not substantially so. One area where the 800 shines is the built-in flash. Most of my shooting is available light (thus I rarely carry a flash), but when an unexpected situation arises it is nice to know the mother of all built-in flashes is there.

So, if you feel that the few advantages of the 7 fit your shooting style better, then by all means spend the extra few dollars. However, the 800 is a very very good camera, and shouldn't be viewed as a compromise.

Ciao,

Jim

Hello,

As the others have already mentioned, this is directly in front of the film. I have had similar problems with my Weltax. Look at the bellows very carefully. I believe you will find either a hair or loose thread somewhere in this area.

Ciao,

Jim

Hi Dave,

I have had good luck with foto-brenner.de. They have a fairly wide selection, and their shipping is reasonably quick. I would also look into several local shops; there is nothing quite like the personal touch, even if you sometimes pay slightly more.

Ciao,

Jim

Thanks for the information. Obviously I should brush up on my search engine skills.

Jim

I acknowledge that this is an unusual question, but I recently

received a lovely metal lens cap advertised as being Bay 1 that does

not fit. I am assuming that it is, in fact, meant for Bay 2. How

much larger is Bay 2 than Bay 1? The lens cap is approximately 3-

4mm. too large to fit my Rolleicord Va. It is roughly the size of the

outer mount (where the sun shade attaches).

Thanks in advance,

Jim Thompson

Hello,

In response to the second question, I am fairly certain that it is a Welta; most likely the "Perle" 6x4.5 model. It looks like a later version of the one I have: Compur shutter (T,B, 1-250, Meyer Goerlitz 2,9/7.5 cm Trioplan, and two film alignment windows. I hope this comparative information helps.

Jim Thompson

Thank you all for responding so quickly. I will run several tests to see if I can rule out a few possibilities mentioned here. However, the testing I did when I first received the camera indicate neither swapped lenses, nor a corresponding "under focusing" (to the "over focus"). Even when using the Rollinar #2 at its closest setting, the pictures came out very sharp (at least in the center). Can anyone speak to the possibility that I mentioned at the end of my question, i.e. is it possible that infinity focus cannot be easily determined due to the limited resolution of the groundglass (in this case plastic)? Is this realistic? Regardless, I will let whomever cleans the camera know about this quirk. Any first hand recommendations for cleaning in Germany -- preferably within 150 km. of Leipzig? I have heard of two in Braunschweig, but no personal experiences. What about outside of Braunschweig -- Berlin perhaps? Responses in German are welcome as well.

Best regards,

Jim

Well, that was an excellent trip. Thank you again for all of your suggestions. Unfortunately, I could not visit them all, but I will try a few others next time. During the conference I could not get away for any significant amount of time (held at the University of Greenwich), but we stayed a few days longer (both in London and Brighton). We lucked out regarding the weather; it was beautiful almost ever single day. We caught 'The National Museum', the 'British Museum' as well as several tourist attractions. Although all of the camera stores were closed (Bank holiday), we did find the umbrella store - very interesting place. All in all, a great trip, and we are looking forward to our next visit.

Jim

Hello all,

After having searched the old threads, I haven't really found any

information about my camera's specific symptom. I recently bought a

Rolleicord Va Type II. The camera is in pretty good shape, except for

the slow shutter speeds (which I will eventually have serviced).

Although I have run 10+ films through the camera with excellent

results, I have noticed that when I focus on something at infinity,

i.e. beyond 30 meters, the focusing knob is several mm. before the

infinity mark. At the moment, I am not worried about the possible

problem; for all of the pictures look great. However, I wanted to

know if anyone else has experienced this "focusing error" or if it

even is a focusing issue, i.e. perhaps the focus is perfectly

calibrated, but those objects at infinity are simply too far away

(with my relatively dim screen) to ascertain accurate infinity focus.

Thanks,

Jim Thompson

Thanks to you all for the advice (including suitable weather apparel). Although I leave tomorrow morning, I intend to check my e-mail during the trip. So, if anyone still has any personal favorites they wish to write down, please feel free.

Jim

Hello all,

I will be traveling to both London and Brighton next week for a

conference. Can anyone recommend interesting camera shops or

even "must see" attractions (something perhaps not covered in my

travel books)? In regards to the former, I am always on the lookout

for older cameras and accessories. Regarding the latter, even

suggestions for the best time of day to be someplace would be

appreciated. I thank you all in advance for your assistance.

Jim Thompson

Jeremy,

I agree with most of what has been said above regarding weight -- less is more. I would suggest that you drop the Mamiya, take a good 35mm set-up (two lenses), and purchase an old medium format folder, e.g. Agfa Isolette II or III -- this way you can utilize the bigger negative when the situation arises. The folders are about the size of a 35mm. body (when folded up), and are easy to carry with you. Since you still have plenty of time before you go on your trip, you can search out one in good shape and practice with it. Are the pictures as sharp as your Mamiya, probably not, but you will be surprised by the quality they can deliver. If you have questions, just drop me a line.

Ciao,

Jim

Lex,

If it has already been addressed, then perhaps you should delete the thread.

Jim

This is not a question, but rather something I wanted to share with

others. If this has already been done before, then I make no claim to

originality.

I was bored one night, and got to thinking about the Isolette L. I

have read that it is dual format (6x6 and 35mm). I do not own one,

but I started to think about how they did it without using special

inserts. I quickly realized the potential benefits of such an

arrangement, and set about trying to overcome this problem utilizing

my Agfa folder. Shoot to ten minutes later, and the last of three

solutions struck me as both the easiest and most practical.

Keep the paper backing from 120 film rolls. Next, using either a bulk

film loader (much more practical with regards to tailoring the length

of film used) or a normal roll of film, tape one end (roughly) where

the factory taped the 120 film originally, and carefully roll up the

35mm. inside the paper backing -- paying special attention to keeping

the film in the middle of the paper. When done, place a small piece

of tape over the end or better yet, load the film immediately into the

camera. This is basically what I assume users of non-current formats

do when they re-roll 120 & 220 film onto the appropriate

spindle. (Warning: Film must be loaded onto the reel in complete

darkness with the light sensitive side correctly placed!)

You can make the roll longer than the 120, but then you cannot use the

6x6 or 6x4.5 marks past a certain point (although, using the 6x4.5

marks doesn't yield much more than traditional 35mm. -- 45mm vs.

36mm, however, it is an improvement).

What are the potential advantages? First, cheaper than an Xpan.

Second, cheaper than cropping 120 negatives, plus the possibility of

more shots if you know exactly how far to rotate the film advance

lever (for those of us without auto-advancing). Third, cheaper

development (assuming you don't develop yourself and the third party

charges extra for 120 film). Fourth, greater film selection. Fifth,

lack of distortion associated with extremely wide angle lenses. And

lastly, the satisfaction of knowing that you accomplished something

totally unnecessary, just because you could.

If anyone has questions about the best method for loading the film

evenly in the middle of the paper backing, don't hesitate to write.

If you simply wish to point out that you had this idea first, please

feel free. Any further comments or observations would be appreciated.

Sincerely,

Jim T.

Lex,

Basically, I have the same camera as you, but mine is in better shape (not trying to be mean), and has the 6x4.5 masks. The lens, as I recently found out, is better than most claim (once properly cleaned). I recently put some color and B&W film through the camera, and the results were well above my expectations (especially with regard to color film). Is it better than the Apotar? Probably not, if for no other reason than its age, i.e. uncoated lens. But, I found (with admittedly limited testing) that the lens is quite capable, with only a little softness at the edges.

The shutter appears to be the Pronto model, although not stated on the outside housing. If you have T,B,25,50,100,125, then you have the Pronto (this should be stated in the instruction manual that came with your camera -- your manual looks like the online version I have).

I hope you enjoy restoring the camera.

Ciao,

Jim T.

Hello again,

Sorry for the delay -- I have been very busy lately. Last week, I disassembled the lens and cleaning all of the surfaces -- not as difficult as I thought it would be. And last night, I finally got around to developing the film. The Igestar lens is actually quite good (even with color film). Yes, the edges are a little soft, but it isn't as distracting as I thought it might be. I was expecting something significantly worse than with the Apotar, but was pleasantly surprised. Of course, with the 6x4.5 masks in place, the softness would be almost non-existent. So, I have made up my mind, and will restore the camera to its original luster. I would like to thank everyone for their input and advice.

Sincerely,

Jim Thompson