erik_l.

Jamie,

I have the Shen Hao, and I love it. Keep in mind that I have very limited experience with other 4x5 field cameras, so I couldn't really give you an honest comparison to anything else, but so far it has been a joy to own and more important to use. I shoot primarily landscape and portraits with it.

Erik.

Michael,

I would buy her a Hasselblad, for the single reason that it will likely end up staying in the family, and when the time is right, she can hand it down to one of her children. It seems like over time it will be the last MF camera standing (spare parts, robust design, etc.).

Not to mention the joy she will get from using it until that time.

The vignetting only impacts the viewfinder, NOT the final image.

I have shot heaps of images on my 501C with 150mm lens and while the vignetting is sort of a problem in the viewfinder, the film is never affected.

That said, I have since sold the 150mm and now use only the 501c and 80mm lens. No problem with vignetting anymore.

Jorge,

What camera, lens, film and exposure were used for the images of the process? Just curious.

Thanks. Nice retrofit lens cover, btw.

Not yet sure I will get an M8, but if I did I would always shoot RAW. I always shoot RAW on my DSLR.

The better question is why NOT to shoot RAW. Memory is dirt cheap compared to the camera and glass. Hard drives are pretty much dirt cheap as well, so storage should not be the reason to not shoot RAW.

If you can capture the best possible data with RAW, why wouldn't you?

Dylan,

They are the same camera with the exception of a larger battery pack/vertical grip. From a comfort perspective, the F4s is great.

While the F4s is one of the best cameras I have ever used, I wonder if it makes more sense to purchase an F5 or even F6? The F5 can be had for a song.

So I spoke with the nice people at HP Marketing today, and their recommendation was to find a camera repairman who could engrave a new scale. I know SK Grimes offers this service.

They basically said that they do not sell this piece as a replacement.

Hi All,

I have a Rodenstock 135/5.6 MC that is missing the aperture scale on the top of

the lens. It has the scale on the underside, and I was wondering if there is any

problem with unscrewing the two little screws that hold the aperture scale in

place so I can move it to the top of the lens.

Does that make sense? Anything I need to be aware of?

Thanks in advance, Erik.

I use a Shen-Hao with Rodenstock APO 210/5.6 and Rodenstock 135/5.6 MC.

Happy with all of it.

Is this $99 to simply look at the camera? Or is this a $99 CLA?

A $99 CLA sounds like a good deal, but I can look at my own camera for free. Many good repair technicians will give a free estimate.

This offer is either not well explained, or not a good value.

Got it. I thought it was some type of product you purchased.

Anyway, it is fully normal that the reflective spot meter reading will be all over the place, while the incident reading will not be. If you go to http://www.sekonic.com/classroom/classroom_2.asp, you will find good information about the fundamental differences between reflective and incident metering.

Erik.

Get a reflected reading off a 18% gray card, and it should match the reading you get with the incident dome for the same lighting condition.

By the nature of reflected vs. incident metering, you should expect the reflected spot reading to be all over the place.

As far as the lumidisc, I don't know what that is, so I cannot help there.

Good luck, Erik.

Alan,

Thanks for the fast reply. Polaroid film produces an image size of 3.5 x 4.6 inches, which is somewhat smaller than the image produced with self loaded film (that film seems to produce an image size that is almost the entire film size) but I know this is based on the film holder, not the film.

My question more specifically is whether it is the Polaroid film or the Polaroid film holder that makes the image so small. If it is the film, my question is whether or not a Fuji Quickload would give me an image size closer to a self loaded piece of film when used in the 545i holder.

Thanks again.

Hi All,

I know that Polaroid instant film produces an image size that is slightly

smaller than 4x5 in an 545 back, but I was curious about the image size when

using Quickloads in the 545i back.

Is the image size determined by the 545i holder or the film?

Put another way, will I get a 4x5 image on Quickloads or the same slightly

smaller image that Polaroid film produces?

Thanks.

Sounds like a bad lens (if the cleaner you used is safe).

Being that it is new, take it back and ask for a new one.

Wow. Thank you for the fast and very useful/informative responses.

Great group of people on this board!!!

Erik.

Can anyone confirm for me if there is any problem using a Polaroid 545 or 545i

back on the Shen Hao?

Thank you.

Hi all,

Thanks for the answers. Based on the feedback, I dropped in on Steve Choi and he adjusted the timing for me in less than a minute at no charge. Now it's firing at 9-10 seconds on a consistant basis.

He did point out a few other things that could use adjustment (which would cost me), but that's another story.

Now I guess I ought to go make a self portrait...yeah right!!!

Erik.

Sid,

First, sorry to hear of the cancer you are beating.

I have a close friend who is battling Leukemia...for the second time. This time does not look so good. In seeing him go through this challenging time in his life, the one thing he has taught me is that life is short, and the most needs to be made of it.

I have no idea if the prices of Leica will rise or drop, but I can say that you should not consider the price of the object, but the value of it.

Sell the F4s and put the funds towards that which holds value to you.

Now go kick some cancer ass...and enjoy your Leica while you are at it.

I was curious about something on an M2 with the self timer.

When I engage the self timer, I rotate the self timer arm all the way down

(pointing down as opposed to up, or 180 degrees from its normal state of rest).

Then when I push the timer release button, the self timer arm travels approx.

45-50% the way back to its normal position and the shutter fires.

Is this normal operation, or should the timer go 100% back around before firing

the shutter, 60%, 80%, etc.

Can anyone in the know tell me what is normal for the self timer function? Maybe

its actually a certain number of seconds, and not the amount the timer arm travels?

Thank in advance. I hope my question makes sense.

incident.