bill_zelinski

results in 120 so far are mixed, APX400 looks very good and I would

use it again, not quite as "sharp" as Rodinal but nice to have a 400

film I can push to 800. APX100 not so good, dull and murkey shadows,

TMX100 was a disaster but I'l try a few more times.

Thanks Gene, I did read your previous posts on Diafine also. Some

other posts say to only use distilled water to mix and one person

reported their negs looked "dull" somehow. Like most things different

people get different results. I've been working with rodinal mostly

with decent but too varied a result and I am curious about divided

developers, theres no perfect developer but Diafine looks good for

my situation. I like the idea of a non critical development temp as

this is one of my usual problems. I will be trying Diafine and some

divided D-76 this week end, mostly on APX 100&400 and TMX100. thanks.

I'm curious about trying Diafine for 35&120 in small tanks and 4x5 & 8x10 in rotary drums (unicolor). The idea of using of a two bath developer seems very intriquing and I was wondering if anyone had any experience and opinion about Diafine or two bath developers in general.

I'm not familiar with the Sanders but I reccomend using either the

Zig Align or Parallel box from Versalab to make your alignments. I

use the Versalab on my D5XL and it does a good job but is expensive.

Using bubble levels is finicky and not as completely accurate.

thanks jim, My first concern was really that as my camera is old and

shaky (and has no front tilt) and that replacing a cap on this lens

(which looks fairly heavy) would cause too much shake (although that

never stopped the old time photographers). I suppose I could work

with the lighting till my exposure times are past a second or two and

use a stop watch for accuracy. The lens I'm interested in I think

has some sort of variable diffusion ability, and I'm also worried

about DOF problems at wider stops where I want to use diffusion. I

also have a 4x5 so I like your idea of practicing with cheaper film :)

I've been using a modern 300mm lens on my old Kodak 8x10 with some nice results but I really want to do head&shoulder B&W portraits. I have some basic lighting gear but prefer indoor natural light. From what I've seen I can only afford a barrel lens and have my eye on a 405mm Kodak Portrait lens in barrel. My question is how difficult this set up would be to use? Are'nt Portrait lens ususally used at larger Fstops, and if so then I presume you really need a shutter for shorter times, or do you? I know that a packard shutter might be an option but then thats even more expense. Has anyone got any tips or experience to relate using this type of setup? thanks.

good light daniel.

I use some elasticord in different lengths (try a fabric store) to

hold up the sagging bellows on an old KodaK D2, it works ok and does

no damage to the 98 year old bellows.

I posted on the same subject just recently, I found that Pentax and

Zeiss also make make close up lens but went with a Nikon 3T mostly

due to cost and availabilty. I've just used it with a 300mm Fuji C on

a Graphic with just about 300mm of bellows. The results are mixed,

not a suprise as it is a compromise. It works well and gets me as

close as I need but I can see a little softness in the corners of my

negs, for what I'm shooting its not objectionable. I can now actually

use this lens for something other than infinity focus but adding the

lens does degrade the image, its up to you if this is acceptable for

what your doing. One thing I did note is that the Nikon information

is sketchy on if the lens is reccomeneded for a particular focal

length. The Canon close ups state clearly that it can be used on lens

up to 300mm. Now if this makes a difference or not, Im not sure. Nor

if the Pentax or Zeiss would be that much better. Fof the realtive

cost of the Nikon it was worth trying.YMMV.

I too am curious about this as I've just about finished with Westons

daybooks and his expousure times all seem really long? (I realize the

materials available to him were very different and may not apply to

todays materials) but I can'nt argue with the results.

thanks everyone, I've decided to try to work with a close up lens on

the 300 for now. It is in a copal #1 but the schnieder adpt ring I

bought from calumet would not mount my enlarging lens (150mm apo

Rodenstock geogern). Whose adpt ring is the right one that goes 39 mm

to copal 1? Also, when using this set up do you leave the rear

element from the 300 lens mounted, just adding the enlarger lens

front element?

Thanks alot, has anyone used the B&W ones?

I have a 300mm Fuji lens that I would like to use on my old speed graphic at something other than infinity. I've seen prevous posts reccomending using a nikon T series closeup lens (5T/6t) with a Nikon 300mm. Does adding a diopter somehow "decrease" the focal length? HOw does that work? The nikon catalog is little help. I need a 52mm size diopter and does B&W or Rodenstock or Canon or anyone else may a good quality one in that size or is nikon the only one? Your help would be appreciated.

I highly reccomend the Ries head for LF.

I have taken the lens off of a 1908 Kodak 3a Folder to use on my Speed Graphic. This is a rapid rectilinier type, f4 to f64 in shutter in like new shape and I tried taping it on to a lens board and it seems to cover 4x5 ok (the camera took roll film orig.) There is no marking regarding focal length anywhere. How or what do I measure to find out what focal length this lens is? thanks.

If the price is right, I just bought my first 8x10 camera, a 1902

Kodak D-2 and while its old and creakey so am I. The biggest fault is

that there are no front swings or tilt. Depends what you want to use

it for I guess.

While Thomas's advice is sound, with reasonable precautions a kitchen

is fine. All kitchens are laid out differently but one thing I did

was to use some peices of 3/4 plywood laid over the tops of the

counters to provide a "stage" to put my trays and work on, its a

barrier for spills and accidents also. Try to plan a "wet side" and a

"dry side", there are many books on this. Keep your chemicals clearly

marked and away from food areas. The only real difficulty is getting

the room dark enough, there are all kinds of materials to use for

this and printing at night helps. If your just doing B&W its not

really difficult nor really expensive to do. good luck.

Wow, I now have 3 coats of this Polyshield stuff covering a large

number of corner pinholes, it really works! It dries somewhat

flexable and maybe alittle too sticky but I will try to give it some

hard use in the next few weeks but this may be the best solution for

plugging up pinholes, I'm concerned about long term effect on the old

leather but even if it lasts only a few months I will have time to

save up for a new bellows, will post results again in a few months.

If you can afford it the Darkroom Innovations cloth works very well,

I use mine on a Super Speed Graphic.

Thanks mike but I finally found out that the lens was from an

episcope and is not usable for image capture but it might make a

handy doorstop:)..

Eureka! Thank you Mr Cesari. After a searh on Episcope I have found

that an Episcope is a device for photographing closeups of skin

lesions (yuck!) I found a military issue DUX Episcope at a NZ

collecters site www.collector.co.nz, he has some very unusual cameras

but the best hit was on where else, EBAY! Yes, I found a listing for

a "Zeiss Super Episcope" and thats the lens and the other bits that

are in the box. Does everyting show up on EBAY? Since I have no

desire to photograph skin leisions (at least for now) it will stay in

the box. Thanks everyone, you guys are great.

Ah, that may explain why one of the other bits looks like a big

reflector that held a large lightbulb. A 4x5 slide projector? Geez,I

guess I could could have the biggest slide shows on the

block,:)..thanks. .

Possible, but the condensors and lens were each mounted on seperate

metal plates, there were some strange things in the box with them.

The lens is bigger than any lens for any enlarger I've ever seen and

would'nt it have an iris? If for an enlarger it must have been one

heck of a big enlarger. Could it be for arial photogaphy? Copy work?

I have found a "Ernest Leitz Wetzlar" lens in a black barrel with a flange mount and engraved on the barrel is "Epis f=32.5 1:36" there is no iris, no shutter. The glass appears to be two large coated elements and by turning a lever on the barrel the front element telescopes out an additional 2 inches (?). It was in a box with a set of 4condensor lens of unknown origin. Does anyone know what this lens is and what it was used for? I doubt I can use it on my camera but if possible would like to try it. I'm guessing its some sort of copy lens but really have no clue. I looked on some Leica sites but found nothing. thanks.

I'm sorry if this is not the proper forum for this question but would ask your help in indentifying a lens. It is in a black barrel 5" in length 4" in diameter with a mounting flange and makers mark engraved of of Ernest leitz Wetzlar. The word EPIS f=32.5cm 1:36 is engraved on the barrel. No serial number, no shutter, just one big lens. What could this possibly been used for and where might I find more information? Thanks for any help.