douglas_cummings

Remember you can reverse a lens (say your nikon 50mm) as an excellent diopter onto your medium format prime (say a 150mm) while retaining auto diaphragm function: magnification is prime / diopter here, 3:1.

Experiment, vignetting can happen but a tube can help. This is where a tilt AUTO lens would really shine, but none exists save the Rollei SL 66$$

Any 200mm + a 1.4 = 280. Pentax sells both.

Your use indoors or out is critical d/t flash concerns but... handholding the lens (and the 400 5.6) at speeds >1/250 is not a problem. This is one SHARP lens. It might wear you down throughout a day d/t weight, but quick use of a monopod occasionally is helpful for action portraits.

Use of Wess TR 2040 VR Punch and "VR" 6x6 mounts eliminates this problem. Also, Wess makes a greater variety of mount apertures and glass combinations and they are made in USA.

Gepe is excellent, but nothing holds film in place better than pins.

Call for a catalog 1800-487-9377 I just use their stuff: I don't work there.

Aquavision systems makes a goliath housing for the RZ, >$6000

No known commercial housing exists for the M7. Pentax had a housing for the 67, but it is long discontinued. Do you have experience in UW photography? 67 format is tricky due to light limitations, magnification

and therefore depth of field.

Wess mounts allow a pin registration and even precise 70mm sprocket alignment (if you sometimes project 70mm dupes) Get catalog "800 its wess." Rollfilm has less tendency to curl than 35mm and use of non glass IS possible-- see for yourself. Wess also offers one sided glass

which I believe to be the best compromise.

I have used both quite a bit. I own the Rollei's. Both brands have jammed on me. The 150mm overall is the most practical lens and the Rollei offers a cheaper one AND a faster one. The Hassie is MUCH more stable during slide transport, vibration not the issue like with side feed Rollei.

The shift lens, the precise "Ektagraphic" placement

of slides and the shutter in the Hasselblads are very nice, but to really appreciate slides you need to dissolve from one slide to the next: You get two Rolleis for one Hassie, and they'll mount into Chief

projection stands with little modification. The Rollei is a full stop brighter (3.5 vs 3.5)d/t the Hasselblad's mirror design. I don't know if the Dual P has the same DIN plug pattern as my Rolleivision 66's, but overall,

dissolves are more straightforward w/ the Rollei. Autofocus is not an issue. Check out Wess 1-800-487-9377 for catalog of all sorts of slide mounts. Get the biggest screen you can fit in your room-- @ least 96"

If you were to ONLY use one projector: Get the Hasselblad. But you'll

say, "Gee, I wish I could dissolve these shots..."

Anyone know the actual lens to subject distance @ 1x vs 5x using the

new Canon 65mm macro?

Have you tried the Minolta flash? My Pentax 550 works fine on the Xpan

in manual mode. Most flashes are at least standardized to central "hot" contact and shoe ground.

Showing slides one at a time just doesn't do justice to 6x7 chromes.

Groetsmann's {sic) are the only way to go. If you need cheaper projectors, invest in a 645 system and get multiple Rolleis.

Carry your glass mounted slides on the plane. No great difference in shipping vs checking the projector BUT REMOVE THE CONDENSOR ELEMENTS

from the projector (and pack separately) before it goes. Get a second Kinderman or Rollei if you really want a good show; a cheap Entre

dissolve unit can be modified for a dissolve show. Hard to find reliable rental units anywhere.

Remember the Bronica SLRs have 35mm "wide" (24mm x 54mm) backs.

Anyone with hands on experience w/ the 45-85 autofocus performance in

low-light situations compared to either the 75 2.8 or 45 2.8? Any

practical difference? (did the big guy hunt alot?)

I have tested this lens vs the Mamiya and Pentax 35mm's. The Pentax

was sharpest and handled flare better. (each 120mm macro was too close to call) photodo.com rates the Contax clearly better....

I'd call it a wash-- @ 3x the price it's alot for a name, but maybe worth it for the autofocus & system.

Get a guide like Marvin(still alive?) from the Flor y Marv to help you find animals- much better than doing it on your own.Let us know if you see any Golden Toads. Flash fill could really help to get greenery mixed with blue sky.

Which hot shoe adapter has contacts for another unit? I'm not sure what you mean.

The Pentax 550 would have to be attached to the camera directly or via the FG + F5P to maintain TTL. If the Canon has a slave funtion it should work off camera but probably manual only. It would be interesting to try the Ikelite Lite-Link to quench the 540ez automatically (should work).

Battery unknown, but external power supply an option. Relatively loud autofocus. Tiny readout in viewfinder compared to either Contax or Pentax.

The lack of mirror lock shows up with the 600mm. You have to shoot at at least 1/60 or faster.

Those who project images would require a medium format projector to

display the X-pan chromes so in that sense it is a "medium FORMAT" camera, if not a "ROLL-film" camera.

Thank you for listing these. There weren't any Fuji examples?

I have always wondered where serious amatuers expect to see their

work in public. All that thought comparing MTF curves, "boken"{sic} and autofocus speeds, yet so little on presentation. Slides are simply the best way to view an image. What? Nobody pays you

for slide shows? Well, I bet print sales are pretty rare too.

Medium format shows are outstanding, a great focal point to a party,

and a way to break into small photo shows. I would invest in two Rolleis for the price of about one Hasselblad so as to get a dissolve show together. Rolleis are a stop faster, can fit in Chief racks, and

have a greater lens selection available. Best projectors are Groetschmanns, @ >$5000 a piece. Investigate Wess Plastic for all sorts of mounts, including my favorite, the widelux (24mmx54mm)

Digital will replace film, but when?

Depends on the shutter speed and how steady you are. Rent a Mamiya 7

see how focusing a rangefinder is so different than an SLR. If you are quick and obtain proper focus, HH will make no difference-- as long

as you shoot 1/60th on up...

This is where a tilt-shift lens would come in handy.. and here you have just the system for it!

Get the Pentax 645n. 45-85 zoom with a 500 FTZ great for landscapes and people; the 300 or 400(better) for some wildlfe, most of which are big and used to vehicle approach. A used Fuji rangefinder for backup. Be wary of over rating the Contax lenses unless you can test them yourself. The 45-85 has so far an outstanding test record. (The Bronica would make an interesting alternative but the slow expensive 500 8.0 probably not worth it). The money you save can go to the MOST IMPORTANT aspect of your efforts, an outstanding slide show using a Rollei p66e/av etc.

I believe Pop Photo should be complimented for their attempt to test lenses objectively. So often one reads about how good such-and-such

a "field test" on a lens was which may have been greatly influenced by the photographer's expectation bias. Just because a Zeiss or Schneider

costs five times as much as a Pentax doesn't make it better! I suspect

those with substantial investments in lofty systems are much more likely to be upset with the tests. Renting the systems and comparing

practical print results (blinding yourself to the manufacturer) might deliver the best info. My guess: Quality MF beats any 35mm but it will hard to tell differences between different MF lenses. The systems offered are better selected according to your needs (size, flash sync

etc.) then MTF curves.