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brit

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Posts posted by brit

    Zeiss Planar, Mint condition but shows some nasties (pictures inc)

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Hi

     

    Thank you all so very much for your feedback on this. All the lenses I have bought previously have been inspected by myself prior to purchase. And I have never seen anything like this before so thank you for putting me in the picture. This was an ebay item and I will email the seller tonight just to get the ball rolling on returning it. This whole thing is even more perplexing when I tell you the seller is aparently a classic camera vendor with very good feedback! Hum...go figure.

     

    I will update this thread on the outcome - see where your help brings me.

     

    Bob Atkins. Hi Bob, I do have an EOS 50/1.8 but it suffers from front focus. This is apparently quite common with this lens. See here for info and how to attempt a DIY fix http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1029&message=21351476 ) I also agree with Max that it feels so flimsy and I much prefer a good old manual focus lens. I don't have a split focus screen but have done plenty of microscopy in my time and the closest you normally get there is a matte screen..without much matte! :)

     

    Thanks all.

     

    Bri

    Zeiss lens sold as "Mint" condition but what is this on the inside (pictures)?

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    Hi

     

    Thank you all so very much fot your feedback on this. All the lenses I have bought previously have been inspected by myself prior to purchase. And I have never seen anything like this before so thank you for putting me in the picture.

     

    This was an ebay item and I will email the seller tonight just to get the ball rolling on returning it. Rich I paid 69 UKpounds and is the MM. This whole thing is even more perplexing when I tell you the seller is aparently a classic camera vendor with very good feedback! Hum...go figure.

     

    I will update this thread on the outcome - see where your help brings me.

     

    Thanks all.

     

    Bri

    Zeiss Planar, Mint condition but shows some nasties (pictures inc)

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Hi

     

    I have bought on 7 days conditional acceptance a Zeiss Planar 50mm 1.7 .

    Looking directly through the glass it does seem in very good condition but

    view the transmitted light from an angle and I see this horrid looking mess.

    (These shots were taken with the lens hand held to the light and the camera

    also hand held....they are not pin sharp with all that shake but they do show

    these conditions I have written about. Both about 600kb).

     

    There seems to be a general discolouration about the internal surface. I think

    this is called either "haze" or "fungus"? For now I will call it haze. The

    haziness seems to be absent in places and apparently in a discernable pattern

    There are also other marks that are very narrow...almost like something has

    scratched the haze away.

     

     

    http://i32.tinypic.com/egpyz4.jpg = here the absence of haze shows like a

    dark cloud towards the bottom of the lens.

     

     

    http://i28.tinypic.com/3310y2s.jpg = here the 'narrow marks' are shown better.

     

     

    I have looked similarly at my Nikon E lenses (50mm and 28mm) and a Canon 50mm.

    Yes this method of inspection shows up dust amazingly but even these old

    lenses are totally free from anything like I have seen in the Zeiss. I'm

    really wanting to know what these marks are and any advice regarding this

    lenses "mint" description. I think I should return it even though these

    problems can only really be seen when looking from a sideways angle.

     

    What do you say?

     

    I will try an HTML posting next for the pictures.

    Zeiss lens sold as "Mint" condition but what is this on the inside (pictures)?

    in Classic Manual Film Cameras

    Posted

    Hi

     

    I am asking here as I think lots will be known about ageing lenses.

     

    I have bought on 7 days conditional acceptance a Zeiss Planar 50mm 1.7 .

    Looking directly through the glass it does seem in very good condition but

    view the transmitted light from an angle and I see this horrid looking mess.

    These shots were taken with the lens hand held to the light and the camera

    also hand held....they are not great quality with all that shake but they do

    show these conditions I have written about.

     

    There seems to be a general discolouration about the internal surface. I think

    this is called either "haze" or "fungus"? For now I will call it haze. The

    haziness seems to be absent in places but apparently in a discernable pattern.

    There are also other marks that are very narrow...almost like something has

    scratched the haze away.

     

    <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img

    src="http://i28.tinypic.com/3310y2s.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video

    hosting by TinyPic"></a>

     

     

    <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img

    src="http://i32.tinypic.com/egpyz4.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video

    hosting by TinyPic"></a>

     

     

    I have looked similarly at my Nikon E lenses (50mm and 28mm) and a Canon 50mm.

    Yes this method of inspection shows up dust amazingly but even these old

    lenses are totally freee from anything like I have seen in the Zeiss. I'm

    really wanting to know what these marks are and any advice regarding this

    lenses "mint" description. I think I should return it even though these

    problems can only really be seen when looking from a sideways angle.

     

    What do you say?

    Correct focus in viefinder but far from it in picture, with DSLR.

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Hi

     

    I have been lucky enough to get my hands on two other lenses today. I tested a lot and have just been through lots of comparisons.

     

    I think my conclusion is the 50/1.8 seems to have an intermittent problem. It can seem focused in the viewfinder and can confirm it is focused during autofocus but sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't produce a focused image. This is not restricted to a wide aperture nor focus distance. I am hoping it is the lens and not the camera body thats faulty. The details and test shots are...

     

    I have UL some new ruler shots I did with these lenses. Some people might be interested in how a manual focus (MF) stacks up aginst auto focus (AF) over a range.

     

    I got a Canon 35-80 and a Cosina 28-80. There are a few 'new ruler' shots here. The file names hold the info eg 3580-50 is the 35-80 at focal length 50mm with MF, AF and AFASS (the latter I'm terming assisted autofocus meaning I slowly focus manually till I get the focus confirmation beep). Each is a screen grab of organised files in photoshop. Sound scarey but isn't really, and I'm only showing 3 groups. I don't want to bore anybody badly!

     

    http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj139/BillsBucket/3580-50newruler.jpg

     

    http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj139/BillsBucket/3580-80newruler.jpg

     

    http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj139/BillsBucket/2880-50newrulerII.jpg

     

     

    The take home message for me is that MF is every bit as good as, if not better than AF and PLUS in the case of this original query, both the borrowed lenses I used focused on the money.

     

    AS a departure from near shots I decided to shoot the metal grid in safety glass about 50 to 60 yards away (roughly estimated) and try a few other things...namely to shoot not at 1.8 but at 5.6 with the Canon prime 50mm lens I was having trouble with in isolation. I also threw mirror-lock into the mix. And now we have the resurgence of a problem with the 50/1.8 which now is focusing with MF (not that surprising given the distance and f-stop) but isn't focusing the picture with AF (btw in AF mode the camera refuses to shoot if it can't focus...so it obviously thinks it is focussing...which is almost contrary to what it was doing to prompt me to start this thread. Anyway here is the prime 50mm at 5.6 MF vs AF both with mirror-lock and 'normal'.

     

    http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj139/BillsBucket/1850atf56MFvsAF.jpg

     

    Amazing eh? That the camera can think that mess is in focus! I then threw in the 35-80 (at 80) simply to compare MF vs AF and both were on the money even if the lens was a bit bleary and low in contrast (lower file is AF).

     

    http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj139/BillsBucket/3580-80MFvsAF.jpg

     

    I had not seen at this point the AF shots had been totally messed up and was playing around with the free play of the barrel and had moved to f8 for a comparison to the 5.6. And now would you believe the prime 50mm is working again.

     

    http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj139/BillsBucket/1850atf8MFvsAF.jpg

     

     

     

    Summary.

     

    As I pointed out at the start AF/DSLR is new to me. I have concluded that the lens has an intermittent fault. Although its nice when it works ( ! ) it is only that lens that fails to focus either MF or AF and at apertures of 1.8, 5.6 and 8. If anyone is still there ad knows something I have missed please pipe up. (Don't worry the details done with now I think).

    Correct focus in viefinder but far from it in picture, with DSLR.

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Sorry..slow typer.

     

    Pete... AFAIK the screen is standard but I do not know its history. I may try to get in touch with its previous owner if all else fails.

     

    Mark... Yes just replicated the ruler shots with shutter button half depressed to get assisted manual focusing. But Manual Focusing - full or assisted gets the errant focus on the picture. AF..where I suppose a mechanical action is applied internally to the lens in a different manner - spot on.

     

    I do wonder if somehow a lens element (or something?) is held taught (or something? -yep clutching at straws) if AF is being used vs MF? Humm.

     

    Catch up soon!

    Correct focus in viefinder but far from it in picture, with DSLR.

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Hi thanks for the responses so far.

     

     

    Adam, as Dan says the Diopter, seems to just pull the whole picture in or out of focus. I have just been playing with it to see if I could squeeze anything unexpected out of it.

     

     

    Dan, I may be missing your point but I'm not usung AF and I'm not using barrel markings (the lens has none).

     

     

    And to Dan and David I am using the 'normal slr' viefinder. The 350D only shows pictures on the LCD screen once taken. And to me with the 1.8 the viefinder seems fine to use.

     

    I have just replicated the 'ruler' shots. Infact I even tried assisted manual focus - where the camera bleeps when you get focus confirmed over one of the focus spots. In each case Manual fell short of the mark. If I flick to AF (using the centre marker) focus is near enough spot on. And when set to AF, even though the camera had just assisted to confirm focus in the centre spot, the lens barrel still moved. It moved away and back, but not exactly to where it had been. I wonder, eventhough the lens was wide open and accurately focused through the viefinder and set to Manual focus, does the camera body materially actuate anything in the lens when shooting?

     

    I have an early start tomorrow so better get some kip but for now all shots will have to be AF till I get to the bottom of this. Thanks again all.

    Correct focus in viefinder but far from it in picture, with DSLR.

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Hi :)

     

    Can I first off say that my newly aquired 350D is my first ever AF camera.

    Focusing...well I'm very well used to it and over recent years it has been

    primarily on my 5x4 MPP and my Nikon 35mm kit (secondarily M645 and 124G).

    Suffice to say I prefer to focus manually and know how to do it.

     

    So I have got a 350D (second hand but new to me) and a Canon EOS 50mm 1.8 MkII

    (Had it a ling time for use with EOS bodies never noticed anything wrong with

    it but never used it AF). I was trying out the combo in the garden - the lens

    was wide open and set to manual focus. When I finally remembered there was a

    preview screen available (!) I saw the actual flower I focussed on was well

    out of focus and the plane of sharp focus was considerably nearer. I went and

    investigated further by photographing a ruler.

     

    Picture Link :

    http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj139/BillsBucket/focusjump.jpg

     

    I manually focused on the 1 foot mark (red dot with a little bump of blu-tack

    behind it) and withoubt a doubt the focus on the picture was no where near

    where it should have been (half way to the 2 foot mark). I am totally

    perplexed as to how this is happening. I though it impossible that the

    viewfinder image could be out of alignment with that of the 'film' (sensor)

    plane. And the focus does stay where I put it from frame to frame.

     

    Anybody any ideas what is happening here? Somebody said in the camera settings

    there will be something stopping it focusing the way I want it but I have just

    re-read the 350D Users Manual and the section on manually focussing reads just

    how I have been doing it.

     

    PS after the above manual focus shot I allowed the camera to AF at the same

    point...and it focussed no problem : :-\

    Sekor C/N lenses

    in Medium Format

    Posted

    Hi here is an article i found dated September 2001

     

    http://www.popphoto.com/cameralenses/276/mamiya-mf-lens-tests.html

     

    they seem very happy with pretty much all they tested. Just incase the article is moved or wiped, as far as the M645 std lens goes...

     

    Quote

     

    Mamiya Sekor C 80mm f/2.8

    Mamiya Sekor C 80mm f/2.8N Mamiya's manual-focus "normal" optic for the 645 is sharp and compact. Results: Mamiya's f/2.8 normal lens showed slight barrel distortion (.55 percent). Exposure was extremely accurate, with less than 1/10 stop over/underexposure at every aperture. At the measured minimum focusing distance of 26 inches (1:6), center sharpness was excellent at every aperture. Corner sharpness was good from f/2.8 to f/4, very good from f/5.6 to f/8, and excellent from f/11 to f/22. Optimum performance was at f/16. In field tests, light falloff at the edges was gone by f/5.6. Test slides showed excellent sharpness, flare, and contrast performance at all apertures.

    SPECIFICATIONS: 55mm (56.3mm tested), f/2.8 (aperture measurement not available due to instrument limitation), 8 elements in 6 groups.

     

    View angle: Diag: 65 degrees. Min aperture: f/22.

    Focusing turns 100 degrees counterclockwise; min focus 1 ft 5 3/4 in.

    Weight: 11 1/4 oz.

    Filter size: 58mm.

    Mount available: Mamiya.

    Included lenshood.

    Average street price: $665.

     

    Unquote

    Anyone w/ recent experience with Prescysol developer?

    in Black & White Practice

    Posted

    I still can't see it Jay. The place I store the films is not heated so the scope for condensation (I have never heard of this happening to an full exposed roll of 120) was not there either. I don't have a car and either walk, cycle or motorcycle around - all of which will cool down the camera to about ambient.

     

    Anyway I am still waiting word from monochromephotography but was reading Hutching's 'Book Of Pyro' last night. Starting on page 42 there is a Fault Finder chapter. The first in the line up is "splotchy uneven development with light and dark areas of density and stain..."

    This seems to fit my film well and is put down to insufficient agitation. I was using the partial stand technique with Precysol as per instructions. Humm! I wonder? The niggle at the back of my mind is that the films that turned out badly were shot at near freezing conditions and so could be some sort of condensation problem.

     

    This is useless...I need to scan something to show you all rather than talk. I will be back in the week, scanner permitting.

    Anyone w/ recent experience with Prescysol developer?

    in Black & White Practice

    Posted

    Yes - earlier on this year. I tested with a few rolls and everything seemed good. Infact some negs were fabulous. I then ran a few other rolls through and all seemed Ok. I then put my 'good rolls' through...the ones I had ridden over 100 miles through ice to get...and the results were terrible. I almost feel jinxed because not only did this only happen to my good rolls but only seemed to be at its worst on the frames that were ideally suited to this developer. Infact it was the reason I had used this developer for these rolls. The symptom was blotches. Big and little horrible blotches on the frames. This was the first bit of developing I'd done in a long time and really it just put out the fire in my belly. I sleeved the negs and 'fell out' with photography (untill recently) and just did not want to look at those negs again.

     

    I still mean to contact print or test print the films and post them to Mr Hogan for his assessment one day. I did everything by the book including using purified water for all the chems. The only difference between all my testing and the 'good rolls' was that i had to open a new (sealed) container of purified water for my good films. Now could it be that my purified water was contaminated!? My mind boggles at the idea.

    ID-11 : How to go for sharpness or fine grain

    in Black & White Practice

    Posted

    "before ruining several rolls of film" -

     

    if you get your eye in you can run several clip tests from one roll of film. From a 35mmm roll shoot a group of 5 shots and wind on 2 blank frames then do another group of 5 frames etc. Its not pretty (esp trying to measure your next clip to cut from the roll in the darkroom) but you cold get 5 or 6 'tests' from one roll rather than 5 or 6 rolls. Just an idea to get you on your way.

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