ed_berns1

Robert:

Here's one from left field: Do you plan on including the 5.8cm/f1.4 also? I've one if you need access to it.

Good luck on what should be an interesting subject.

Ed B.

Hello all,

I own the original micro lens for the Nikon F, the preset, 5.5cm, f/3.5, Micro-Nikkor. For more info on the rare bird, all are welcome to visit my web-page in which it is discussed in some detail. The link is: http://users.rcn.com/redberns/first-f.htm

Best regards,

Ed B.

I second the recommendation for Yuri. The best to deal with. No surprises. No disappointments.

Ed B.

Howard,

Great job! I was particularly impressed how well the 40 Summicron did.

Do you have any feel how the CV 35/1.7 Ultron Asp would do in the mix?

Thanks for doing and posting.

Regards,

Ed B.

Jamie (and others),

With the R one has to be careful when reaching the end of the film. Forcing a final frame can damage the film advance system.

I upgraded to an R2 because of framing issues with the R that I bought used (though in seemingly mint condition!). The R2 has a beefed up film advance in addition to metal top and bottom plates. When the R worked right it was an excellent machine. I just didn't have good luck with mine.

Ed B.

Peter,

Great 'real world' comparison. For those of us without the various lenses to compare, it is quite helpful. In particular, I found your comments about the Summitar interesting as a recent use of a post-war, coated, example provided surprisingly pleasant -- sharp and contrasty -- images!

Thanks for doing the hard work!

Ed B.

Hi Rolfe,

Beautiful airplane! For those of us aircraft afficianados seeing an old timer like this is a real treat.

I hope you don't mind but when I saw the image I couldn't help wondering what it would look like in period black and white. So I played a bit in PhotoShop and came up with the attached.

Ed B.

Steve,

I had frame overlap problems with a super clean, used Bessa R on the thrid roll I shot. They got more numerous over the brief time I owned the camera. Luckily for me I was able to return the camera under the warranty period.

That bad experience hasn't totally put me off on the CV products as I'm seriously considering an R3a.

Good luck. Let's continue to hope that your overlapping was a fluke. Please keep us posted what you find out.

Ed B.

Steve,

Saw your frameline modified M6 might be available. I might be interested. Would you be interested in/toward a trade of a late Rollei 3.5E3 w/Planar that I've been thinking of offering to the forum for just such a purpose???

I'd appreciate you're contactine me off-thread at: redberns at rcn dot com.

TIA!

Ed

Thanks for the welcome and the warnings. Not to worry, I'm pretty thick-skinned and can hold my own.

Ed B

PS And, to Hank, nice try!

Hello all,

I write this as a LPP lurker who wants to come into the daylight and

introduce myself.

By way of background, I?m a non-professional shooter who has enjoyed

photography as a hobby for over 40 years. Because of the cameras

I?ve included over the years, I?ve been a moderately active poster

in the Classic Camera Forum.

Though I?ve been using Nikon AF equipment for some time, I?ve never

lost my love for RFs as my first decent camera was a Nikon S2. In

interchangeable lens rangefinders I currently own a replacement S2

as a reminder of my first, a Contax IIa, and a Canon L-1 But for the

purposes of this group, and as a badge for entry, I own a Leica IIC

with Summitar. I?ve used all but the Contax and appreciate each for

their beauty and mechanical design.

What?s rekindled the romance is that I?ve recently treated myself to

a CV Bessa R with 35/1.7 Ultron to go with a CV 15mm and Nikon 85/2.

Recently, I used the Summitar on the Bessa R (very carefully!) and

got some images that were much better than I?d anticipated.

Candidly, I?ve been seduced by SLRs for so long I?d completely

forgotten what I was missing!

So, I?m back. I hope to be able to add to the excellent dialogue

I?ve been privileged to read from the shadows.

With best regards,

Ed B.

Hi all,

Self-portrait (that's me in front) taken while in a glider over the Grand Tetons. At the lower left you can just see my arm going up to hold my Nikon F3 w/20mm Nikkor. So, technically, its a photo of me with a camera. Only you can't see the camera.

Best to all,

Ed B.<div></div>

Mike,

The Kodak Reflexes are nice cameras with good lenses -- when they work! The shutter cocking rack is a notoriously fragile part, however. When it goes, da kamera est furcocken! Kaput. Repairs are expensive if you can find someone willing to work on them. I've retired mine (an inheritance from a beloved uncle) to a object d'art. I use the lenses with my Retina IIIS (rangefinder) and hope that each time I cock the camera isn't the last.

Sorry to rain on the parade . . .

Ed B.

Paul,

"Although I was happy with the results of the Jupiter 8M 2/53 (which I presume is actually the same focal length as the 50, right?) I would love to try the camera with a Sonnar."

Paul, I might be missing something here, but my understanding is that the J-8 (and 8M) are 50/2 Sonnar clones. So, you're already essentially shooting the Kiev with a Sonnar. The J-3 is the clone of the 50/1.5 Sonnar.

Enjoy. I've a nice Kiev IIa that had been refurbed in black and is a thing of beauty.

Best regards,

Ed B.

Hi all,

How about the Zeiss Super Ikonta A and C (latter versions)? They both have left-side shutter releases if I remember correctly.

Ed B.

Hi all,

Here's my (current) latest and greatest final gambit. Subject to revision, of course. First, I recently purchased a closeout Canon i9100 wide-carriage printer. A beautiful unit and a steal at less than $275. Very highly recommended. To go with it, for an upcoming birthday I treated myself to a Nikon Coolscan V negative scanner to compliment my older Epson Photo scanner. I'm early on the learning curve with the two, but the combo has already produced some great 11" x 17" images from a roll shot with my Retina IIIS.

Ed B.

As you can see by the above, I've had no success in posting the image directly despite resizing to less than the 511 pixel width limitation and being less than 100K in size. All I get is a link to the pic.

Anyone have a suggestion???

Ed B.

Bruce,

Another attempt to post the image directly . . .

Ed

Hi Bruce,

I've a Retina IIa that I very much enjoy using for B&W. Small, unobtrusive, pocketable, and the f2 Xenon is a wonderful lens.

Here's a shot I've posted before taken with my IIa. FWIW, I wear glasses, am over 50, and do not have trouble with the range/viewfinder.

Following up on a comment made to my previous posting of this image (Hi Mike E!), this was taken at Union Station in Washington DC before 9/11 when taking pictures in public transportation hubs didn't get the scrutiny that it might today.

Bottom line: If you find a nice IIa I don't think you'll regret the purchase.

Hope this helps! Let us know what you decide.

Ed B.

Peter,

Nice detective work!

Ed B.

Bill,

I second the recommendation for Yuri! Great fellow and a pleasure to do business with.

Hope this helps.

Ed B.

Steve,

I bought from the big auction a completely refurbished Agfa Record III with rangefinder, coated Solinar (Tessar formula -- Agfa's best lens on folders), Synchro-Compur 1-1/500 shutter, new (red) bellows, CLA'd for precisely the sames uses as you describe. It will be going with me on vacation (holiday, for you folks across the pond!). I think its one you might want to consider because the other major choice in 50's folders is the Super Ikonta C and they tend to be very pricy with the coated lens and Synchro-Compur shutter.

Hope this helps,

Ed B.

Kallovex is a new one on me! This gets even more obscure!

Ed B.

Too easy! It'd have to be a Nikon F (pick the lens). Why? Only the F is sufficiently rugged to have survived the trip to the desert island in operating condition.

Fun question!

Regards to all.

Ed B.

Alert! Alert! I've read that the 35/2 suffered from the same yellowing of glass due to radioactive element as does the 50/1.4 Super Takumar. However, I can't confirm based on personal observation of the 35/2 (I can of the 50/1.4). Or, if yellowing does occur in these lenses whether the caution applies to the SMC Taks as well as the Super Taks.

Ed B.