j. f.

Thanks again for all the comments. Went for the Bostick and Sullivan 11/14 in the end. Very good value for money, very well made too.

Yes, The Lotus frame does look very well made and pleasing to the eye! Thanks for the link and all the advice. Still trying to decide what size frame to get though, and wondering what others use for 8/10.

 

Seems that an 8/10 frame would be too small because some papers are not made in this size and I couldn't have any real border around the image. Having said this Azo comes in this size. A 10/12 frame would allow a border around the negative and a wider choice of papers. I'm was leaning towards this size frame. But then I find out that some papers only come in either 8/10 or 11/14. (http://www.bergger.com/inter/neutral.html).

 

Seems that if I wish to keep the paper options open without having to cut them down to size myself, perhaps a frame that covers the largest sheet (11/14) would be best. But maybe this would make centering the negative on a smaller sheet more difficult, which would suggest a frame should be dedicated to a certain paper size. Decisions, decisions...perhaps all I need is a heavy sheet of glass until I have my presentation sorted out.

Would be very interested to know what size paper you contact print 8/10

negatives on. Do you use 8/10 paper, print with a border or not, or even print

the image centered on a larger sheet, e.g. 8/10 centered on 9.5/12 paper? I ask

this because I'm trying to decide what size contact print frame to get, they

come in different sizes: 8/10, 10/12, 11/14. The best quality/value seems those

sold by Bostick and Sullivan: http://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/home.php?cat=38

Thanks for the advice. Found a Schneider Macro 180mm and a Sinaron SE 360mm, both second hand but in good nick.

I've just bought an 8/10 camera with lots of movements. What lenses would you

recommend from experience for the following applications: macro, table top

photography, portrait/fashion, and interiors, landscape? I'd like a bright

ground glass, and a large image circle. The camera is heavy and so will not

usually be used for hiking. Thanks, Gavin.

I finally bought my diopters. I have a Leica R8 which I found best set at -1.5 (this camera has a built in variable diopter). I ordered the same power diopter for my Leiaflex SL and Leicaflex SL2, and now both their viewfinder images are CRYSTAL sharp. The Leicaflex SL2 accepts more easly found eyepiece holders, same as those for the R4-R6 cameras. The diopter on the SL is more rare. I found the 'Eyepiece Lens Holder for Leicaflex Std. & SL', on this website, part number(DAGR98): http://www.dagcamera.com/leicaflex.htm. Another option for the SL is if you send in the camera to the same company they can machine the viewfinder so the more recent and less bulky R4-R6 camera holder fits. By the way DAG serviced both of my cameras and they are in great order. Highly recommended!

Does anybody have advice for diopter correction lenses to fit these two cameras:

Leicaflex SL and SL2? I bought them a while ago and really like them but the

viewfinders while bright seems difficult to focus, especially with wider angle

lenses. I usually dial in -2 on my Leica R8 and so I'm sure a dioptre correction

lense will sort out the problem...any advice welcome. Thanks!

Glad to hear a positive vote for the Tachihara triple extension Maris. I think that this is what I will end up with, price is right. Are there any big differences between this and it's clones, the Osaka, and one made for Calumet I think? I don't really need a sophisticated camera, just sturdy and long extension, with basic movements and ease of use. And I think I'd prefer wood! I read too that the Wisner Traditional is in a way a modern Deardoff V8, and is not too expensive either. The Deardoff gets so many positive reviews but it I'd be worried about buying one unseen, on Ebay etc. Anybody know a good dealer for Wisner that might have this one in stock? Any users? Thanks again to everybody for all your answers? I'm sure if I was in shop with the cameras lined up in front of me it would be an easy choice to make, one would 'speak to me', but I have to just work from reviews, specs, and pics on the net. Thanks again.

Thanks for all the answers. So far the Wehman seems to be top of the pile!...I've checked out his website which is very well put together, the same seems to go for the camera, I especially liked the extra light version with all the drilled holes. The 'swing focus' mechanism he describes seems something like a limited assymetrical movement, at least in one plane, but I'm not sure. Philips seems to have a hopelessly long waiting list but I have only read great paise about his design, especailly the underbody focus mechanism. Today I checked out the Shen Hao in a local shop...I'm sure it would work fine, some of the knobs/levers etc seem directly influenced by Ebony design, and there was even an underbody focus mechanism to allow movement of the front standard back and forth by turning a knob placed under the back standard...but there was something flimsy about the camera, the swing of the back standard and the shift of the front...in all I thought it a bit expensive for what it was offering. I saw the Toyo field camera too and it definately seemed sturdy, and not as heavy as I thought it would be...made me consider that lightweight cameras are especially tailored toward those who backpack, and that a heavy camera could suit others just fine, so long as it had a clean design and was quick to use. I looked at wisner's site too, and it seems that the mechansim on his technical and expedition models offer more or less the same features as the Arca Swiss Orbix design. Any advice on the arca swiss f models:the classic v. compact models, the metric and orbix mechanisms, telescopic v. collapseable rails etc? Also any users of the Canham wood cameras, they were recommended to me today. Last but not least any comments on fresnel lenses on 8x10 cameras...some cameras come with them, others don't. It seems that to get the full 8x10 groundglass experience a fresnel would be essiential, I certainly couldn't do without one on my 4/5! There is so much choice out there, I just wish the Ebony SV810Ue was a quater the price....

I'm thinking of moving up to 8x10 and can't decide which camera...'narrowed' it

down to the Shen Hao, Tachihara triple extension, Wehman, Gandolfi Variant, even

maybe an Arca Swiss F Compact (the last two being over budget really). I'll be

mostly be doing contact prints, and just enjoying the whole 8x10

hassel/experience for myself. I'd like a camera with a long and sturdy bellows

extension for close up portraits/still life, and if possible good movements for

interiors with say a 180mm lens, maybe even bag bellows as an option, but this

is not essiential. A good bright groundglass design is important too, as is some

basic quality and ease of use/movements. Low weight would be nice, but is not

essiential as I use 4x5 on location. I think I'd like to buy new unless a very

good deal comes up. At the moment the Tachihara triple extension seems the best

balance of quality/price...any comments, personal experience, advice from active

users of these cameras would be more than welcome. Thanks!

Thanks for your answers. I went for a black SL in the end...soon to arrive! Gavin

Does anybody know of a way around prolonging the battery life of a Leicaflex SL2

MOT camera. I hope somebody can tell me if this is a problem with this camera or

not. It seems from the manual that there is no on/off position which suggests it

will run out of juice quickly, strange, and I wonder why:

'The Leica SL2 is switched on when the rapid transport lever is swung into the

measuring position (in the Leicaflex SL2 Mot special model the exposure meter

is constantly switched on)' Can the camera be adjusted so it works same as the

SL2 or will keeping the lens cap on when not in use be of any help? Thanks, Gavin.

Got the camera fixed today...there was a broken part inside...apparently the last time I got it serviced the workmanship was shoddy and things were left a bit of a mess inside, a jam waiting to happen, and yesterday it finally led to a broken part...something must have snapped...so if you find yourself with this type of jam you probably know the answer now...luckily not too expensive to fix, 150?. I really like this camera system and would definitly give it thumbs up...it's the one they took to the moon after all! Anything with a simple mechanism and ease of use is a thing of beauty to me but once in a 'blue moon' they and any other camera just have a bad day, something out of sync.

 

If ever you are in Paris, France and have a broken Hassy then go straight to Les Victors, 5 passage Piver ? 75011 Paris (Metro Goncourt) Tel : 01.48.05.11.12

 

Highly recommended! And thanks to everybody who gave their advice on this thread. Much appreciated.

Thanks for the advice. But still no joy. Decided to take it in for repair (time is money!) and will post conclusion. Gavin.

Thanks Russ. Just checked but I don't seem to have a shutter lock up on my camera. I don't have the manual with me but there is no lever etc like as far as I know there is on some older models of this camera. It is true that I pressed the mirror lock up button which is located under the winder but this has no undo position...one has to wind on the camera before it sets back to zero/normal position...but this won't happen with me. I can't wind on...also noticed that the frame number in the film magazine is still 1 and the little window red which means that I have not wound on either. Maybe I just need to take it in to get repaired, but hope there is a more simple solution somehow.

The camera is first hand almost new, max 50 rolls. It jammed today with lens and

back attached as I was taking a photo. I managed to remove the lens using the

usual screw trick inside the camera body. But still no joy. The little screw

inside is twisted fully to the right clockwise, where it locks in place, but

when I push the shutter button the screw just unwinds...the mirror is still

locked up. The two back flaps are still wide open. The wind crank will still not

turn. Both the camera and lenses seem correctly wound as the indicators are in

line with the red dots, but not I can not even put the lense back on. This does

not seem to be the usual type of jam and I don't know how it happened. Something

like this happened before when I first bought the camera but then somehow freed

itself on the way to the camera repair shop. Any advice welcome. Thanks, Gavin.

Thanks HUW for your kind offer, and all you explanations, and thanks for all the other

comments too. much appreciated! I decided to go for the Heiland Splitgrade in the end,

will have it soon, excellent chap to give detailed advice by the way, answered all questions.

I chose the splitgrade because i really feel that it will be efficient. It will give me at least a

fine 'first teststrip', and hopefully when i have mastered it's approach, very good and quick

workprints, saving time/materials. i don't believe it will give me better fine prints, that's up

to me dodging/burning etc, but at least it will take the drudgery of other darkroom chores

away. When dodging shadows i will have more control than with a standard multigrade

head, because i can dodge during the yellow filter stage of the exposure which will

increase the contrast (advantage of splitgrade technique), and because the grades are in

1/10th steps the auto teststrip will be even more tailored to the exact densities of the

negative, again not absolutely necessary but none the less once master has the potential

to be very accurate. i view this splitgrade system (in theory so far) as the most important

answer to control of variable contrast paper because of the ability to manipulte the

different layers of emulsion individually if you so wish and with such filter accuracy, all of

this with an automatically calculated 'splitgrade exposure time' from where you can take

full control...this all makes sense to me if you do a lot of printing and want the

potential of absolute control of materials for fine prints/efficiency for workprints. Gavin.

Thanks for all the answers! Couldn't decide so collected them all in the end, 2 secondhand

and still going strong. The Gossen Lunasix 3S is very well made (not totally necessary but I

advise this 3S model because it has a red needle which is easier to see and a very useful

exposure offset function, to use when using filters/bellows entension/matching meters

etc). I find that you have to press the button for a few seconds until the needle stops

moving to get accurate reading and the needle does sometimes jump when you try to lock

it, so read the needle before you lock. I'm now trying to find a measurement probe

attachment to take reads from 4/5 camera groundglass...that's why I got the meter

afterall. Just to pass on a good find...the manual for this Gossen, which you can download

from their website, is very well written, and explains the whole approach/technique of

light metering...well worth a read, even if you don't have this meter! This meter seems to

be the same as the Lunapro S (sold in US). Another gossen anolog meter, the Lunapro F, is

said to be even quicker to use, and can measure coordless flash, it has a different needle

display/concept...so instead of reading EV numbers and then transfering to a dial as on

the Lunarpro S/Lunasix 3S you just turn a dial to NULL the needle to a Zero setting, and

then read off your different exposures. The Euro-master 11 is also very accurate,

especially in mid low to bright light, but I find it underexposes a bit in dim light (by a

consistant amount so you can easily adjust) but it is small and very well made, a nice

design, and no battery, amazing really. The incident dome is not permanently attached

though, and does rattle a bit when mounted, but it does the job very well. I like this meter

very much, and would trust it. The one I will use professionally though because of size,

speed of use is the Sekonic FLASHMATE L-308S, even if it feels really plastic...there is no

question, digital is faster to use, so long as you know beforehand what shutter speed you

plan to shoot at...which you usually do. Hope all this helps those who were wondering

about these meters, and thanks for all the comments. Gavin.

Thanks for all the answers! Couldn't decide so collected them all in the end, 2 secondhand

and still going strong. The Gossen Lunasix 3S is very well made (not totally necessary but I

advise this 3S model because it has a red needle which is easier to see and a very useful

exposure offset function, to use when using filters/bellows entension/matching meters

etc). I find that you have to press the button for a few seconds until the needle stops

moving to get accurate reading and the needle does sometimes jump when you try to lock

it, so read the needle before you lock. I'm now trying to find a measurement probe

attachment to take reads from 4/5 camera groundglass...that's why I got the meter

afterall. Just to pass on a good find...the manual for this Gossen, which you can download

from their website, is very well written, and explains the whole approach/technique of

light metering...well worth a read, even if you don't have this meter! This meter seems to

be the same as the Lunapro S (sold in US). Another gossen anolog meter, the Lunapro F, is

said to be even quicker to use, and can measure coordless flash, it has a different needle

display/concept...so instead of reading EV numbers and then transfering to a dial as on

the Lunarpro S/Lunasix 3S you just turn a dial to NULL the needle to a Zero setting, and

then read off your different exposures. The Euro-master 11 is also very accurate,

especially in mid low to bright light, but I find it underexposes a bit in dim light (by a

consistant amount so you can easily adjust) but it is small and very well made, a nice

design, and no battery, amazing really. The incident dome is not permanently attached

though, and does rattle a bit when mounted, but it does the job very well. I like this meter

very much, and would trust it. The one I will use professionally though because of size,

speed of use is the Sekonic FLASHMATE L-308S...there is no question, digital is faster to

use, so long as you know beforehand what shutter speed you plan to shoot at...which you

usually do. Hope all this helps those who were wondering about these meters, and thanks

for all the comments. Gavin.

Thanks for all the answers! I went for a Leica 24mm finder in the end (Ebay), very good!

Hello, I need some advice please. I know this post is a bit long but I thought it best to

include some info.

 

I have recently bought an excellent Devere 504 enlarger that I will use professionally to

print variable contrast B/W prints. The head however is very old and not in the best of

shape internally: cracked filters/noisy built-in fan/broken difusion box. I'm doing some

research to find a new state of the art VC filter system/light source and would welcome

some experienced advice please. Thanks!

 

It seems my options are between:

 

1. the German made Heiland Splitgrade Module:

 

"SPLITGRADE? is a new system for fitting the paper grade to the various contrasts of

different negatives. The range of the multigrade paper can be fine-tuned in 0.1 steps

within the entire contrast range which the paper enables. This allows a very high

reproduction rate. The Splitgrade VC module has two separate filters, one for yellow and

one for magenta, that are placed into the enlarger light. The paper then is exposed twice,

once for the yellow filter and once for the magenta filter, the relative proportions being

computed by the system and corresponding to the grade selected.The microprocessor

based controller calculates automatically the ratio of time for the different filters and also

serves as the enlargement clock."

 

2. Variable contrast cold light tubes from either Aristo (model VCL4500) or Zone VI

(model5x7 Head 220V Type 2).

 

" With Cold light "two tube" techology, you not only have the ability to the adjust the

contrast of variable-contrast papers in a nearly unlimited, and

continuous spectrum, but you also have the ability to combine the

softness of a low grade with the saturation and drama of a high grade

in a single print! Here's how it works. Variable contrast papers are

made up of two different emulsion layers: a low, or soft contrast

layer sensitive to green light, and a high, or hard layer sensitive to

blue light. The variable contrast head features two light grids, one

green and one blue, each with its own rheostat. Print contrast is

controlled by varying the intensity of these "soft" and "hard" grids.

This system allows the ability to adjust contrast within the high and

low values independently, and in one exposure. Because there are two

different tubes projecting two different spectrums of light, it's like

making two exposures in one, each hitting and effecting the two layers

in the paper's emulsion."...which seems much like the effect of split grade printing....

 

3. A variable contrast LED light source made by Zone VI (Model:LED 4x5 Light Source -

Type 2

 

"This 4x5 variable-contrast head takes advantage of the latest super-high-output LED

technology to create one of the fastest, most precise and consistent light sources available

today. It employs two independently controlled arrays (blue and green) of LED emitters,

spectrally matched to the most popular VC papers for optimum control over contrast with

total repeatability. Twenty-four one-watt emitters yield exposure times equal to

incandescent systems but use a fraction of the power with no infrared (heat) energy.

Pulse-width modulation combined with closed-loop feedback on each array guarantees

stable output at any setting and can be repeated tomorrow or a year from now with no

warm-up. The tethered control box has no knobs to turn and each channel is digitally

controlled through at 99:1 adjustment range to insure you can always return to a precise

setting. The integral power supply features automatic, multi-voltage sensing and a

whisper-quiet ventilation fan.

Which of these two analog lightmeters would you recommend, Gossen Lunasix 3S or Euro-

MASTER 11? Or would I be better off aiming for a small digital lightmeter, eg the Sekonic

FLASHMATE L-308S? I need the meter to be tough and accurate, quick to use for B/W

portraits, street photography, landscapes in ambient light. I kind of like the display of the

analog v digital meters, but what do people with experience of both interfaces think?

The Gossen Lunasix 3S can measure in very low light (-4/+17) for night and interiors, has

a 7.5 degree spot attachment, and uses a battery.

 

The Euro-MASTER 11, the latest version of Weston exposure meters, does not need a

battery and seems more rugged in build but does not have such an impressive light range

(+3/+17). http://www.megatron.co.uk/

 

Thanks! Gavin.

Which of these two analog lightmeters would you recommend, Gossen Lunasix 3S or Euro-

MASTER 11? Or would I be better off aiming for a small digital lightmeter, eg the Sekonic

FLASHMATE L-308S? I need the meter to be tough and accurate, quick to use for B/W

portraits, street photography, landscapes in ambient light. I kind of like the display of the

analog v digital meters, but what do people with experience of both interfaces think?

 

The Gossen Lunasix 3S can measure in very low light (-4/+17) for night and interiors, has

a 7.5 degree spot attachment, and uses a battery.

 

The Euro-MASTER 11, the latest version of Weston exposure meters, does not need a

battery and seems more rugged in build but does not have such an impressive light range

(+3/+17). http://www.megatron.co.uk/

 

Thanks! Gavin.

Thanks for all the comments so far. I'd also be interested to hear if anybody has tried

using a 21mm finder with a 24mm lens, either with the 24mm field of view masked out

somehow, or by making educated guess composition based on experience.

 

I ask this because the leica 21mm finders seem to be more common 2nd hand, and if the

new design voightlander finders do crop too tightly then this might compensate...last but

not least it would allow me to see 'around' the picture a bit more, same as say the 50mm

framelines in the leica internal finder.

 

looking foward to the review of the ikodot!

What are my best options re an external viewfinder for a 24mm on a

Leica M4-P? I like the idea of seeing a frameline within the finder

window (like when I look through the internal leica finder).

 

Am I best saving up for the present leica 28/24/21mm finder, or

should I try and find the older plastic 24mm leica finder? Might a

25mm voightlander finder work, some say that it is not offset enough

to be over the lense? What about using a 21mm finder (voightlander or

an old leica one) and marking out/guessing the field of view of the

24mm in its frame? Have you hear about the Ikodot finder:

http://www.ikodot.com/ and what do you think?

 

Thanks!