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charlie_chan2

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Posts posted by charlie_chan2

    R80-200/4: The best 135mm lens?

    in Leica and Rangefinders

    Posted

    <p>The 80-200/4 ROM is one of Leica's bargain lenses. It was designed, I believe, shortly after the 70-180 APO. It's like a baby APO lens and is stunningly good regardless of money (accepting of course its max f4 aperture). Looking at the files from this lens and my 180/2 APO, there's some difference, but not it's not vastly inferior to the 180 cron.</p>

    <p>Charlie</p>

    M6TTL - What should I do?

    in Leica and Rangefinders

    Posted

    <p>Jack,<br>

    If you're shooting B&W, then DIY processing costs are dirt cheap. <50c USD per roll in chemicals for me using XTOL. Film costs me USD4.50 a roll for HP5 (in the UK) and so 5 bucks for 36 frames.<br>

    A second hand M8 is at least 2500 USD, so that's 500 rolls or 18,000 images. If I were in your shoes, I'd sell the Contax and buy an used M8. You then can use your M lenses on two bodies, maybe with your M8 as the main one and the M6TTL as your backup.<br>

    Charlie </p>

    Ricoh GR1 and point & shoot film cameras..

    in Leica and Rangefinders

    Posted

    <p>In my GR1v. It wound to the end of the film when you first put it in and the film then wound backwards as you take the shots. This is a little irritating as the film ends up being upside down and with the film numbers not corresponding to the order you took it in.</p>

    <p>In some ways though, this is great. If some numpty, ie the user, opens the camera before the film is finished, then your shots have not been lost, Brilliant - maybe all films should be renumbered to help us out!</p>

    <p>Joking apart, does the numbering really matter, providing you can see which frame is which.</p>

    <p>Charlie</p>

    VARIO-ELMAR-R 80-200 mm f/4 Rom

    in Leica and Rangefinders

    Posted

    <p>Dennis,</p>

    <p>The 80-200/4 ROM is tack sharp, even wide open. It's not far short in performance from the 70-180 APO. I use mine at 200mm all the time for concert shots from the audience using my DMR. When it's right, it's spot on. Have a look at my gallery on the Leica Users Forum. Many of these are shot at 200 with the DMR (Nigel Kennedy, Hugh Masakela, Cheltenham Gold Cup etc)</p>

    <p>http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/topoxforddoc</p>

    <p>Charlie Chan</p>

    <p><img src="http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/topoxforddoc/Nigel+Kennedy-8860324.jpg.html" alt="" /></p><div>00TKs9-133985584.jpg.5bb82f676992089885b4d879a79a37c7.jpg</div>

    Which developer should I use?

    in Black & White Practice

    Posted

    <p>I've used a host of developers - paterson, ilford and kodak. My favourite now is XTOL. I mix up a 5 L pack and put the stock soltuion in 5 x 1L bottles. Keeps easily for 6 months. Very versatile and doesn't cause much grain even if you're push processing.</p>

    <p>Charlie</p>

    40MM ?

    in Leica and Rangefinders

    Posted

    <p>Leica made the 40/2 summicron (for the CL) and Minolta the 40/2 Rokkor M (for the CLE). Both are great lenses and fantastic value for money. I have the 40 Rokkor and this is very good indeed (as good IMO as the 35/2 summicron).</p>

    <p>Charlie Chan<br>

    Cheltenham UK</p>

    Minolta CLE.... maybe I don't need an M7?

    in Leica and Rangefinders

    Posted

    <p>I've got a CLE - great camera. I agree - why bother with a M7? The CLE has fab viewfinder - great with a 28 lens. It has short base rangefinder and so isn't as accurate as Leica M for longer lenses. The Minolta 90/4 Rokkor M lens is really sharp. Accept its max aperture of F4 and you'll be fine. I've used both the 90 rokkor and the 90/2.8 fat tele-elmarit on my CLE - no problems.</p>

    <p>Charlie</p>

    Battery for DMR

    in Leica and Rangefinders

    Posted

    <p>Jerry,</p>

    <p>I'd get what you want NOW! Leica have disposed of all their existing R stock to SH Photo in Germany. My UK dealer (Photo Design Studio) has checked with Leica UK; Leica UK have no more DMR batteries and there will be no more!!! It's likely to be the same in the USA too.</p>

    <p>The battery cells can be replaced. Frank Foster at Photo Design has taken a DMR battery apart and the cells are freely available and replaceable.</p>

    <p>Personally I'm rather peeved at the fact that Leica have completely ditched the R stuff, to the point where one is concerned whether they'll be able to support their existing raft of DMR users in the future.</p>

    <p>Charlie Chan<br>

    Cheltenham UK</p>

    Any thoughts on the CLE?

    in Leica and Rangefinders

    Posted

    <p>I really like the CLE. I've had one for about 7 years. OK, it's not the same as my M2 or M6TTL. But, it's still built pretty well, it's small, easy to use and an excellent camera. If I'm shooting kodachrome, this is my body of choice, in front of my M2 or M6TTL. The AE metering is pretty good and I've had very few slides back which are blown or under-exposed. Many people don't like it, because it say Minolta, not Leica. It does almost everything that the M7 does, at a fraction of the price.</p>

    <p>Charlie</p>

    Vario-Elmar 28-70 (3-cam) - current verdict?

    in Leica and Rangefinders

    Posted

    <p>Alan,<br>

    The 28-70 isn't a bad lens by most peoples' reckoning. It's just not as good as the other leica zooms. The 35-70/4 is better at similar money, and the 28-90 asph is in a differnet league (at a different price too). I used the 28-70 very happily for 3 years until someone stole it with my DMR! I'm now using the 28-90 asph on my replacement DMR. Distortion is an issue, but not much worse than most other manufacturers wide angle lenses/zooms.</p>

    <p>Charlie</p>

    <p> </p>

    Vario-Elmar 28-70 (3-cam) - current verdict?

    in Leica and Rangefinders

    Posted

    <p>Alan,<br>

    The 28-70 isn't a bad lens by most peoples' reckoning. It's just not as good as the other leica zooms. The 35-70/4 is better at similar money, and the 28-90 asph is in a differnet league (at a different price too). I used the 28-70 very happily for 3 years until someone stole it with my DMR! I'm now using the 28-90 asph on my replacement DMR. Distortion is an issue, but not much worse than most other manufacturers wide angle lenses/zooms.</p>

    <p>Charlie</p>

    <p> </p>

    Darkroom Classes

    in The Wet Darkroom: Film, Paper & Chemistry

    Posted

    <p>Lance,</p>

    <p>The trickiest bit in darkroom work is loading the film onto the spiral. The rest is pretty straight forward - just like following a recipe book for cooking. I was completely self taught and learnt in my hospital room, when I was a surgical intern many, many years ago. My tips are as follows<br>

    1. Practise loading an old film onto a spiral in daylight first.<br>

    2. Stick with one set of chemistry (esp developers) for the first few months until you get the hang of it.<br>

    3. Have a look at Ilford's site. It's really useful and simple<br>

    <a href="http://www.ilfordphoto.com/applications/page.asp?n=9">http://www.ilfordphoto.com/applications/page.asp?n=9</a></p>

    <p>Take the plunge. Like all things, the first time is the scariest. After that, you'll wonder what all the fuss is about.</p>

    <p>Best wishes,</p>

    <p>Charlie Chan<br>

    Cheltenham, UK</p>

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