etienne_w

Last year I downloaded the user's manual of the 2.8FX, which is basically the same camera, on www.franke-heidecke.net. I got a quick look now and could not find it anymore, though. So if you want, drop a line here and I will email it to you.<p>Congrats for buying a GX - it's a great camera which will not disappoint you.<p>Etienne

Please allow me to disagree with Peter's statements.<p>

Second hand slides projectors can be relatively cheap nowadays. Of course an Hassy PCP-80, said to be the best around there, will be on the 1000+ side (never seen one myself, though, so I cannot assess its quality). However there are others (check Kindermann/Liesegang among others) which are very robust, provide good image quality and can be had for $100-200. Be sure you invest in a good lens.<br>

Even without a PCP-80, MF slides projection will blow your socks off ! (I'm certainly not the first one to say this here :-)

<p>

IMHO you cannot get away without glass mounts so be prepared to pay for this (here in Germany one single mount is around 1 euro), but since you can reuse them there's no big issue with that.

<p>

Good luck !<br>

Etienne

Why not a GX ?<p>

it can be found used for around 1000-1200 euros in fully functional "user" condition (not "collector condition", but that's not what you want anyway). Optically, the GX is identical to an "Planar F" but with better multicoating. And it features a very accurate, modern meter.<br>

You might read about a supposed "drop in manufacturing quality" compared to an F, but I don't agree. It's a great camera. Have fun ! <p>

Etienne

Nick said:<p>

"Expect the 1/500 to be stiff to select, it is probably easier to do so before cocking the shutter."<p>

Isn't it "verboten" (;-) to select 1/500 AFTER cocking a Compur shutter ? Dunno about 'Cords but I found this in some 'Flexes

manuals on the web:<p>

Automat: http://yandr.50megs.com/rollei/automat/page12-13.htm<br>

Rolleiflex: http://www.urmonas.net/manuals/rollei-stand/rollei-stand.html<br>

(see pages 7-9)<p>

 

Happy shooting,<p>

Etienne

BTW, does anyone here know whether Rolleinars are still being produced

by Francke & Heidecke ? or are they only available used ?<p>

Rolleinars with modern multi-coating would surely be great !<p>

Thanks,<p>

Etienne

Vanja,<p>

If you like slides, I don't think digital is the way to go IMHO. An $100 slide projector will outperform any "digital" projector in terms of resolution and color rendition.<p>

Concerning the camera, I believe every one you mention will be good optically and quality-wise. I don't have any experience with the Rollei & Hassie SLRs but their interchangeable lenses might add this extra bit of flexibility you need for the different kinds of shooting you do. Be aware, though, that their "low-speed hand-held" shooting capabilities are limited compared to a TLR, hence you probably will have to carry a tripod with you. With my TLR I can shoot at 1/30s and get sharp pics.<p>

If you have the money, a 5-grand Rollei 4.0FT TLR (135mm lens) might be an option to you. I'm just dreaming of it ;-) My 2.8FX was already over my budget but I don't regret any cent I spent on it, and plan to use the beauty for at least the next 40 years or so :-)<p>

Good luck and keep us informed about your choice !!<p>

Etienne

Indeed, expect to pay > 10 euros for a 120 slide film over there.

For this reason, or maybe as a result, slides are not very popular

in France.<br>

I now live in Germany, where a 120 Velvia costs 5-6 euros, a Provia 400X

around 7-8, and a 120 E6 processing 2.45 euros (even cheaper than in Tokyo !)<br> I cannot understand such

a price difference between the two countries.<p>

 

-- Etienne, French guy now living in Germany (and liking it :-)

Joe, <br>

welcome in the MF world :-)<p>

 

My $0.02 experience about color slides and YashicaMats:<p>

 

As others have said, you can shoot any kind of film in TLRs. I shoot exclusively color slides with a Mat 124G (seconded in the last couple of months by a Rolleiflex).<br>

MF color slides will blow your socks away, and you don't have to give big bucks for it. You can find decent MF projectors on "the-auction-site-which-shall-not-be-named", look for Kindermann/Liesegang among others. They are some with glass lens which are more difficult to find but can come cheap: I found a Liesegang Fantax with a (great) Lumagon 150/2.8 for 120 Euros here in Germany. If I had the opportunity, I'd be curious to compare it with a >$1000 Hasselblad PCP-80 !<p>

 

 

I don't know many of the TLRs you mentioned, I owned so far only a YashicaMat 124G and a Rollei. If it can be of any interest to you, the meter of my 124G is accurate enough to correctly expose slides under most conditions. It happened to me that the exposure was somewhat off in difficult conditions (but then I'd blame the photographer, not the camera :-D)<br>

AFAIK the Mat 124G costs around $100-$200 in good condition, which will not require a CLA.<p>

 

Good luck and keep us informed about your choice !<p>

 

Etienne

Ronnie,

Welcome to the MF addicts :-)

 

On my Mat-124G I noticed that the spacing between the first frames

is about 2mm, then increases gradually to 6-8mm towards the end

of the roll. Actually, as the taking roll diameter gets bigger

when filling up, the linear motion of the film slightly increases

and therefore the spacing between frames.

 

As Moises pointed out, as long as you can shoot 12 frames it's OK.

The roll is long enough even with >10mm between each frame.

Forgot to mention: with a GX/FX, avoid to have direct sunlight

entering the camera from "above". The meter is located behind the

mirror, hence excessive light coming on the viewfinder might

influence the metering. I actually never had any problem with this, except once: I had direct sunlight on the focusing screen. Fortunately I noticed it before taking the picture, and have been aware of this "problem" ever since.

 

With the FX, my slides always turn out to be perfectly exposed.

 

Etienne

Michael,

 

I bought an FX recently. The meter (a kind of "wide area spot meter")

is very good. I shot ~30 rolls so far in various lighting conditions

(including rather difficult ones) and it never failed on me.

The built-in meter is actually the reason why I wanted a GX/FX.

Since I carry my Rollie almost everywhere I wanted to keep the gear

to a minimum. Furthermore the 2.8 Planar is brilliant.

 

Now my girlfriend enjoys the old Yashica. (However she's so good at

taking pictures, I reckon she would deserve the Rollie and should

leave me with the Yashica :-)

We shoot exclusively color slides, they blow our socks off all

the time.

 

Happy shooting,

 

Etienne

What about Europe (esp. Germany) ? is the 400x available there ?

I am now staying for a couple of months in Tokyo - maybe I should consider taking some rolls with me when I'll go back to Germany...

 

Happy shooting

Etienne

In Japan it is already available, so it should be available

shortly worldwide I guess.

BTW I was quite surprised to see that the Velvia 50 is still available here.

 

Etienne

Thank all of you for these answers !

I live in SW Germany, the climate is relatively dry here.

 

Cheers,

Etienne

Hi,

this is my first post on photo.net although I've been reading the forums

(especially MF and TLR) for quite a long time ! One year ago I had an

opportunity get into MF when I found a used Yashicamat at a local photo store

(that was the best thing that could happen to me, from a photographical point

of view that is :-) Since I only shoot slides (I also have a Nikon 35mm) I

bought shortly afterward an MF slide projector on a famous auction site.

Shooting and projecting MF slides is so terrific I hardly use my 35mm gear

anymore !

 

I mount the slides I want to project into GEPE glass slide mounts. Although

GEPE claims "The air exchange system enables the slide to ?breathe? which helps

to eliminate bacterium and Newton rings" (http://www.gepe.com/english/111.htm),

I am concerned about fungus developing on the film. Up to now I left my best

slides in the mount. Since I want to project them every once in a while, I plan

to leave them "permanently" (i.e. at least a few years) in the mount. Is there

a problem with this ? Does anyone have an experience with fungus with GEPE

glass mounts ?

 

Thanks,

 

Etienne

Hello Herve,

 

I am looking for a modern Rolleiflex with TTL meter. I am thinking about a used GX, for a new one is simply too expensive for me.

 

I am interested in yours, do you still have it ? May I have more details about it ? you can send me an email here: etienne at winkel.com

 

thank you,

Etienne

 

(by the way, your name sounds French, if you indeed are French, so am I, hence you don't bother & write the email in French :-)