Philip Freedman

In the recently published book of four seasons' photographs of Venice by the

late Leonard Freed (in B&W) and Italian photographer Claudio Corrivetti (in

colour), it states that Freed used only Tri-X and Corrivetti used

only "Fujicolorpress 800". From dull weather in winter to bright sun in

summer, the colour photographs as reproduced in the book have quite saturated

but not over-garish colours and I like that look. Can anyone tell me which of

Fuji's current film names in the UK corresponds to Fujicolorpress 800 and is

any other reader using that film as standard?

Thanks Philip

fitted a quickload kit that I bought from Schouten. You make sure (by using the wind-on lever) that the opening of the takeup spool faces the film sprocket wheel and you then pull the film leader out of the cassette far enough so you can push its tip into the opening of the takeup spool and curl it a little round the centre of the spool, and then make sure the film is set level and pushed up to the top of the film gate, before winding on. The kit included a protrusion which fitted to the baseplate and keeps the film pushed in. Philip

If you are in the UK, as I am, try Ilford HP5 and using Ilford's postal processing service. I did with my M3 and an early 1960's Summilux 50. The results were quite contrasty and grainy - too much for my liking so I am not going to use that service again, but it might suit your wishes.

 

Philip

I still have my long-used M6 classic and an M3 which I bought on impulse last year with a couple of lenses of the same era, in addition to my M8 and an oldish RD-1. The camera I enjoy using the least is the M8 even though it is the most convenient in terms of processing, reviewing the photos, changing ISO speed etc etc. The others (even the RD-1) are much more like proper optical instruments and nicer in the hand.

 

By the way, how do you carry two cameras at the same time (if any of you do)? I do not enjoy weighing myself down with a heavy or cumbersome kitbag.

 

Philip

I have just got my M8 back from Leica and the colour management choice is now

sRGB, Adobe RGB and ECI RGB. I used to use Adobe RGB. Should I now use ECI

RGB and do I need to do anything additional in Photoshop? I am a novice when it

comes to colour profiles etc.

 

Thanks Philip

You need to try the M6 to see if you have a problem with the viewfinder when you wear your glasses. On the classic .72 version of the viewfinder I have trouble seeing the 35mm framelines but a work colleague who also wears glasses has no such difficulty. I expect deep set eyes may make a difference. As with most things, it is best to try it for yourself. Sorry there is no easy answer re the M6.

 

Philip

Until yesterday my M8 was working fine, then suddenly the focus ring would not

turn all the way to infinity. This happens to both the two lenses I have with

me at the moment (on holiday in Italy) a 35mm Summicron ASPH and the new 90

macro. The lens rings turn all the way when the lenses are off the camera but

when on the camera they wont turn towards infinity beyond around the 20 ft

position. Any ideas? (Fortunately I also have my 5D with me).

 

Thanks

Philip

I have a 5D and a 50/1.8, a 35/1.4L and 24-105/4L. I am going to Venice and am

planning a project around old buildings, windows, walls etc and need minimum

distortion. I tried out each of my lenses on a windowframe at home and was

surprised to find that the zoom set at around 35mm showed much less obvious

distortion than the 50 or 35L (which both showed noticeable barrel distortion)

but would still need some attention in Photoshop or perhaps a dedicated

software package such as DxO. Any ideas?

 

Thanks Philip

I bought the English version here in the UK several weeks ago. It is a high quality product as well as enlightening.

 

Philip

Can anyone tell me which modern Canon flash units are compatible with my 5D and

will allow me to switch OFF the pre-flash and if necessary use an older

exposure metering mode? I find that many people blink from a pre-flash at

exactly the moment when the shutter opens.

 

Any help appreciated

Thanks

Philip

Maybe easier to copy them into a folder and then use File > Scripts > Image processor

 

 

Philip

Re my 5D and M8 shots, if you read my posting in full before rushing off a response you will see that I actually said that it was not a scientific test and that there could be camershake differences accounting for sharpness issues. As for adjusting white balance,if you look at the white plastic clothes-stand on which the items are hanging, you will see that it is virtually white in both shots. I was simply trying to demonstrate that the IR issue is not (as some people have suggested) imaginary or trivial and is certainly more than (as Leica claim) a "slight magenta offset".

John

 

Both were handheld indoors at ISO 640, 1/60 @ f2.8 set to fine JPEG, and no out-of-camera sharpening. I hate to say it, but comparing the originals fully enlarged on screen zoomed in to "actual pixel" in Photoshop, the Canon (taken with a Canon 50mm f1.4 EF lens) is sharper and has more detail than the M8 (taken with the Summicron 35mm f2 asph.) The lenses give roughly the same field of view, of course. I am not sure if the extra 2 megapixels of the Canon makes the difference at actual pixel level or whether it is the result of its plainly better low light performance (quite apart from the IR issue). Not a scientific test since they were handheld and shake can differ from shot to shot, nor would one normally print that size image, but I believe the results are fairly representative of the real life situation (how many of us mainly use Leicas on tripods?).

 

Philip

I have used an old 35mm f2.8 Summaron on my RD1. The results are very pleasing since the lowish contrast helps to avoid blowing the highlights. It does not give quite the sparkle of the 35mm f2 Asph but for converting to B&W it is very suitable.

Here is the 5D shot mentioned in my last posting

Philip

I have both a 5D and an M8. Here are two photographs taken with them at the same time, for comparison, of a black travel pouch, a black silk bow tie and a black Barbour jacket. Guess which is the Leica shot.

Philip

Thank you all for your help. I will get one!

 

Regards

Philip

I have just bought a Canon 5D with 24-105 L lens and want to buy a 50mm wide

aperture standard lens. Having done my usual on-line research at Photo.net,

Fred Miranda, etc etc, I am staggered by the huge variation in posted comments

on the 50mm f1.4. Adverse comments relate to lack of sharpness, poor AF,

barrel distortion, purple fringing and occasionally falling to bits. Other

postings praise it for sharpness, good autofocusing and overall excellence.

Any real 5D users able to help? (And please don't tell me to get instead a

28mm or 35mm lens, an old manual lens, a 24-70 2.8 zoom, etc etc - I really

do want a smallish, lightish, good quality 50mm AF lens).

 

Thanks

Philip

My Rollei 35TE cameras has a very small round knob on the camera face, next to the lens mount at the 10 oclock position (looking towards the lens from in front of the camera), underneath the meter lens, and this needs pushing down to allow you to twist the lens for closing. No idea if your version of the camera is the same.

Philip

Thanks you all for your very helpful responses. I have downloaded the Quadtone RIP and it works well with my 2100 and I am also having another go at cleaning the heads of the 1290. Thanks again

 

Philip

I was happy with printing B&W on Permajet paper with a full set of Permajet

inks in my Epson 1290. It gave very neutral results with deep blacks and

graduated greys. However my 1290 now prints with banding etc and cannot easily

be fixed. I tried printing B&W on my Epson 2100 (on colour settings) and it

is quite good but has an overall blue tinge. I have tried Clayton Jones'

recommended settings on my 2100 with Black Only - the results are neutral but

the midtones are badly washed out. Any ideas?

 

Thanks Philip

Sorry about that. I hope someone can help you on this.

 

Phiiip

"Boken" - a Freudian slip, perhaps?

Philip

The latest British Journal of Photography reports that a scan made on a Fuji

Frontier 570 of a 35mm Kodak Ultra 200UC negative taken on "an ageing Nikon

FM" produced a photograph that has "much higher contrast and sharpness" than

a digital image taken on a Kodak DCS760 6 megapixel digital camera. The

magazine reproduces the two images and there is a noticeable difference. Up to

then, I had believed many reports that scans of 35mm negatives taken on film

faster than ISO 50 were generally poorer than 6 mp digital images.

 

Sounds as though there is still use for my M6.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Philip

Have you read Donna Leon's latest detective novel? Commisario Brunetti investigates a death in a glass factory on Murano. Your photographs have helped envisage the scene.

 

Philip