john_jovic

<p>Hi David, sorry if I'm repeating previous answers as I only skimmed the replies.<br /><br />I've used Canon 1ds2 and 5d2 bodies on the back on Sinar P and F. It all works fine but it depends on what you want/expect. I've generally used the gear for product shots and the setup, especially with a Sinar P, works great and I've been very happy with it.<br /><br />I made my own adapter, which you can kind of see in the image below. It's an M42/EF adapter bolted to a lens board with a total of approx. 1" offset.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.johnjovic.com/temp/Sinar/sinar_1ds2.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.johnjovic.com/temp/Sinar/Sinar_5d2.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />I tend to use enlarging lenses with it, stuff like Schneider Componon-s lenses work well at the right magnifications and are fairly inexpensive.<br /><br />The focal length you're limited to depends on the application. You might not get infinity with an 80mm lens, depending also on the lens design, but if using it for macro/products, then it's less of an issue. A recessed lens board obviously helps. I tend to use lenses in the 125-135 range. IIRC, the Sironar-N 150/5.6 get infinity with not problems at all, but I find enlarging lenses better for close range work than the Sironar-N.<br /><br />Overall it's a cumbersome setup so unless you intend using it for product/macro or simply to use lenses that are otherwise too hard to adapt to a Canon, then I'd look at easier options. For example, a Nikon PB-4 does a lot of the stuff I can do with the Sinars and is smaller/lighter to use. It doesn't replace a Sinar but I find most times I don't need to. It's worth building a cheap adapter for the Sinar, or buying one on Evilbay. You have nothing to loose.</p>

<p>Brandan, I think know where you are coming from but I think that line of thinking is flawed. Just because it's used by a pro, even some hi profile ones, doesn't necessarily speak highly of a camera, especially when it’s used in such low volumes.<br>

JJ</p>

<p>Seriously, what does it matter? Anyone can use anything for pro work, it just depends on the work that you do and the look you want to achieve.</p>

<p>As mentioned previously, range finders are a bit of a one-trick-pony, but why wouldn't you use one if it suited the work that you do, assuming you already have one kicking around. On the other hand, would you shell out hard earned cash in the hope that it gave you some kind of 'edge' or point of difference? I suppose that's a personal decision and really depends on how much you value your hard earned cash.</p>

<p>JJ</p>

<p>The 150/2.8 N is certainly a nice lens, very sharp and nice bokeh. My favourite of the M645 'longish' lenses is probably the 110/2.8 N which I find to be very sharp but with very nice bokeh. The 110 N does have a bit more CA than I'd like, and that could possibly be said of most of the M645 lenses, but it's not a big issue. However the relatively long minimum focusing distance of 1.2 metres is not the best, but fine for portraits. Another good portait lens is the 120/4 A Macro, but generally even more expensive than the 150/2.8 A or the 110/2.8 N. The problem with the 120/4 A Macro is that the focus ring has relatively little resolution once you get past a metre or so. This means that it's hard to focus accurately on anything that's not very close to the lens, but it is designed as a macro so you can't really hold that against the lens.<br>

JJ</p>

<p>Kelly, it seems the opening is 84.5mm, so it seems well suited for use with the Aero Ektar and many similar (large) lenses.<br /><br />I found this further info about the Sinar shutter.<br>

<a href="004N9q">http://www.photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/004N9q</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.skgrimes.com/thisweek/7-06-06/index.htm">http://www.skgrimes.com/thisweek/7-06-06/index.htm</a><br>

JJ</p>

<p>Colin, I haven't properly looked into the Packard shutters but would prefer to use a Sinar because I already have Sinar cameras so I assume it will fit/work together better. But thanks. Maybe the Packard shutters are the best option.<br>

Kelly, thanks for the measurement and the links which are excellent and very informative. I think I need to get my hands on a Sinar shutter now.<br>

JJ</p>

<p>Thanks David. That pretty much what I was contemplating but I've not had any experience with the Sinar shutters so I really don't know how feasable it really is. I'm fairly hand so could easilly fabricate a suitable mount for the lens, it wouldn't be the first time.<br>

JJ</p>

<p>Thanks David. That pretty much what I was contemplating but I've not had any experience with the Sinar shutters so I really don't know how feasable it really is. I'm fairly hand so could easilly fabricate a suitable mount for the lens, it wouldn't be the first time.<br>

JJ</p>

<p>I have a 5x4 Sinar and have been considering buying an Aero Ektar 7" to use with it but I don't know enough about the Sinar shutters and if they would be adaptable to such a lens. I know the Aero Ektars tend to be used with a Greflex for the Graflex built in shutter but I'd prefer not to go down that path. I'd prefer to use the lens on the Sinar if there is a way to adapt a shutter. Any tips or experience would be appreciated.<br /><br />JJ</p>

<p>Welcome to photography in the 21st century. Photography is a commodity in most markets. There's a glut of photographers willing to make very little money for their efforts, often on a part time basis. I don't see that changing any time soon, except possibly getting even worse.</p>

<p>Offer a superior product and service, yadda yadda yadda...</p>

<p>Or offer an inferior product and service and compete! Your market will tell you what they want, ie more expensive and 'better' or simply a cheaper product where they are happy to cut some corners and save money. Is your new competitor very busy? If so then that should be telling you something.</p>

<p>If your new competitor isn't making money then how long can they last? They might be happy with their returns which might seem quite poor to you.</p>

<p>JJ</p>

<p>Erin, I think one thing to be gained from all the responces here is to show just how much dedication and effort it actually takes to make a go of photography these days. I certainly understand your husbands apparent apathy and no doubt a mix of emotions or reasons why he may not want to make such an effort. Sometimes it is just time to move on to another field, almost anything is better than the stress and some times appaling return in some areas of photography (but clearly there are also many that are very profitable, depending on a persons personal and marketing skills as much as photographic or business skills).<br>

JJ</p>

<p>Vanja, I have about 6 Metz 60 CT4's and have been using them for about 20 years. I have a couple of faulty ones that do the same as yours, ie. they only shoot at full power. This is probably a fault in the power/battery unit.</p>

<p>I'm sure you've been doing all the right things in terms of operating the flash but some times they are just faulty, like yours!</p>

<p>JJ</p>

<p>It's a huge problem. I keep posting images and no one seems to want to steal anything! ! !</p>

<p>I make joke...</p>

<p>JJ</p>

<p>Van, that's very interesting. Thanks</p>

<p>JJ</p>

<p>Michael, thanks for posting that. It's my site and it's there for people to see so thanks for doing that.</p>

<p>Lex said; "Which means the future is safe for self-motivated, self-directed photographers, even when there aren't many trade secrets left."</p>

<p>That is so true, and always will be. I wish more people understood that. I love to learn new things and it's one of the main reasons I've been a forum junkie for years. I have to admit that I don't have much respect for people who parade their skills on forums but never reply to those 'how do you do it' questions that inevitably follow. There are many of those people out there, they are welcome to keep their secrets, but I still have far more respect for anyone who is willing to share than for any one who isn't. That's a subjective view that I have and obviously many will disagree.</p>

<p>Lex, and Michael, it's so true that just knowing how some thing is done doesn't mean that you have all of the other qualities to be able to do these things your self. I'm all for sharing information and knowledge. When I started shooting cars there was absolutely no information anywhere on how to do these kinds of images, or even basic car photography. The internet has changed all that and I'm trying to add as much information as I can on the car photography field as my day job is shooting cars for magazines but I also sell specialised rig gear as per the rig shots site.</p>

<p>Thanks<br>

JJ</p>

<p>You can't edit posts here, I meant to say;</p>

<p>'You will get exposures of around 15 sec in sunlight at about F16 and ISO100. That should <strong>not</strong> cause any reciprocity issues, except maybe with instant film (Fuji).'</p>

<p>JJ</p>

<p>The B+W 110 filter is so dark that you have no hope or making any adjustments once it's fitted. I find the 110 is closer to 11 stops.</p>

<p>You will get exposures of around 15 sec in sunlight at about F16 and ISO100. That should cause any reciprocity issues, except maybe with instant film (Fuji).</p>

<p>JJ</p>

<p>I'm sure millions of eye glass wearers use Leica without trouble however I was unable to comfortably use the camera with the 28mm frame lines, which is my preffered lens. Other frame lines would probably be fine with glasses, but not 28 with the 0.72 finder. I think a lower magnification finder is better for eye glass wearers who also like wide lenses, eg MP 0.58.<br>

The M4-P is a very nice camera.<br>

JJ</p>

<p>Thanks Pete.</p>

<p>Yeah, I was thinking about using strobes in pairs at 1/2 power but that's obviously a compromise. Still, better than nothing.</p>

<p>Thanks<br>

JJ</p>

<p>Pete, the Flickr link is interesting. I think it is typical of most el'cheapo battery strobes. My Metz 60, Canon 580EXII and Nikon SB-28 all seem to have the same basic charecteristic.<br>

Yes, the tests were basically for some 'product' photography but the products I shoot are rather large, cars to be specific. I very often use the strobes described above to shoot cars but I'm usually balancing them to the ambient conditions and usually using slowish shutter speeds as well. I've started experimenting with Copal shutters and strobes to over power daylight with the strobes and create a different look to that which I've been doing. My strobes are just not powerfull enough to do that at 1/250th but would have been (theoretically) at 1/500th. But as the Grinch said after his crash test in his Christmas Sled, "That's what these tests are for"!<br>

There are lots of examples of the car work I do <a href="http://www.rigshots.com.au/howto3.htm">here</a> and <a href="http://www.rigshots.com.au/howto4.htm">here</a> in case you are interested.<br>

JJ</p>

<p>Pete, the CRT sreens showing flash output probably explain the results I'm getting. I still didn't expect it to be an issue at 1/500th!<br>

Nadine, the tests were performed with a 1dsMk2 on the back of a Sinar view camera. The 1dsmk2 was set to B and the shutter was opened. The Copal shutter was fired at various speeds (with the flashes attached directly to the PC socket, no radio triggers) and then the 1dsmk2 shutter was closed. Pretty old 'skool' really. The differences in exposure are obvious on the histograms of each image.<br>

JJ</p>

<p>Hi Dan.<br>

Flashes are connected directly to the PC socket on the lens/shutter. All with fresh batteries and waiting at least twice the time it takes to fully recycle before firing the flash.<br>

I repeated the same tests with PocketWizards and they performed flawlessly, ie, no differently to when the flashes were connected directly. Yey PocketWizards!<br>

JJ</p>

<p>I've been testing some strobes with a Rodenstock large format lens with a Copal shutter (the same shutter you

'd find in a leaf shutter lens). The shutter goes to 1/500th and I intended using it with some battery strobes, Me

tz, Canon and Nikon, for outdoor use. My problem, or question, is that I don't get full flash power at 1/500th regardless

of the strobes I use. In other words, when I use the strobes at full power I lose about 1/2 a stop at 1/500th comp

ared to 1/250th and slower shutter speeds. This has happened with the 3 stobes I've tested but to slightly diffe

rent degrees and mainly at full power but to a slig

htly lower degree at 1/2 power. The problem dissapears completely at 1/4 power on the strobes so the light output is ident

ical at 1/500th, 1250th and lower.<br>

All I can think of is that the flash duration is too long with these battery strobes at full power but short enou

gh at lower power that they work at 1/500th.<br>

Am I on the right track and how do I know how to avoid this i

ssue in the

future as I'

m interested in

Some really cheap lenses have great bokeh and some really expensive lenses have terrible bokeh. So what? lenses are different and you judge each one by whatever qualities matter to you, be they price, sharpness, bokeh, manufacturer, country of manufacture, speed, whatever, the list goes on.

 

JJ

Thanks Douglas.

JJ