gerber_van_der_graaf

After the disaster with Tetenal I found that Jobo is selling E6 kits as well. I mailed them to ask if they have them in stock At july 5th I received a reply that they were out of stock at that moment but would have them back after 14 days. So far I did not put an order, yet.

At september last year (2022) I ordered three packages of 1L E6 Tetenal kit at a price of about EU 170. At that moment the web shop mentioned a waiting time of 40 days, nothing more. (Later they changed this.) After that time had passed I mailed them when I could expect my order. The company replied that the kits were delayed. At january I received a general email, probably sent to all customers of an E6 kit, that the manufacturer of the chemistry went default and they were looking for a substitute. Six months after placing the order I reclaimed the money I payed them by PayPal. The company replied that its was impossible for them to refund the money using PayPal. After several emails, they always replied, I still haven't got the money back neither received the chemistry kits. The last excuse was that they are short of staff due to due to illness for refunding the money. That was last May.

You can imagine that I am very disappointed and have lost my confidence in the Tetenal company. So I recommend NOT to buy anything from their webshop.

I've got this device but unfortunately it doesn't work anymore. When pushing the large button integrated at the handle you'll activate a Piezo crystal which generates a high voltage at the holes at the front. Keep these holes nearby the film to neutralize it's electric charge. You will feel an electrical shock when putting your hand in front of the device. So, be careful.

Actually I think it's a mistake from Leica they re-issued the old M6 instead of the newer TTL model with the larger time adjustment knob. IMHO because of this larger knob and its opposite turn direction in combination with the meter LEDs it's a much more convenient camera. In that way it would also have been more distinct from the MP and so creating its own market.

<p>The 6008 Integral is a very nice camera. Congratulations! Recently mine broke down: suddenly the mirror did not come down after exposure and the camera<br>

did not work at all anymore. Typical an electronic breakdown. But it could be repaired: an electronic card had to be renewed. It did cost me<br>

about EU 350. But it was worthwhile.</p>

<p>I am very dissappointed by most, if not all, digital cameras I have had in my hands. Normally I shoot Leica M6 and I am very happy with it. Though digital has its conveniences, too. So, I finally bought the Fujifilm X-E1. It is quite similar to a analog camera. At least, it looks like, and I got it for a reasonable price. But when grabbing the camera out of the bag, or taking into my hands when the camera is hanging on my neck, often, very often, I touch some of the buttons accidently. Whether it is the compensation knob at the top or one of the bottoms at the rear of the camera, including for focussing the viewer. Then, some kind of icon pops up at the screen, or worse, which oblidges me searching for my glasses (I am 50+) and figuring out what went wrong. And this happens, of course, just at the moment I want to take a photo! Why, oh why, are there so many buttons everywhere on the camera, are they so tiny and easy to press accidently? My first camera 40 years ago, the Olympus OM, was even better and is an example how it should be done: large buttons and each has its own function. Just like the majority, if not all, of the analog cameras.</p>

<p>In addition, why don't I find the button when I need it? Yes, I know, I should study all the buttons and learn all the icons, menu's and submenu's by heart. But I am there for taking photos, not for being bothered with screens, buttons menus and icons. Again, The Fujifilm camera is nice and makes beautifull pictures. If it works. But too often it distracts me from the job I want to do.</p>

<p>These kind of frustations alone already keep me shooting analog, be it a Leica M or whatever.</p>

<p>From an economical point of view I also wonder if it is a good idea to put a new large format tank system on the market nowadays. There are very good processors on the market, like the JOBO system. However, the JOBO processors occupy a lot of room and one day these will also break down and are very expensive new. But I like the idea suggested here: it is a small device, of simple construction (without motor and electronics) and easy to use. I would like to suggest to simplify the handling even more. Why not using a normal, plain filmholder and imersing it in the tank? In that case, the film will not have to be changed for processing: the same filmholder will be used for shooting and for processing. Most probably the film holder will need some adaption for imersing into liquid. Especially the door hinge of the adapter, which is some kind of tape, might become loose on the long term. I suggest to test, and eventually adapt, a good filmholder which is still sold new on the market, like the Toyo filmholders. In addition, if the lid of the tank will be adapted with a (or two) light locking door that opens a sleeve, similar to the back of the camera, the processing could be done just by putting the filmholder into the tank, pulling out the slide of the holder and filling the tank with developer. So, there is no need of a darkroom or light tight bag at all. This will allow the processing of the film during traveling and, even more, on sight of the shooting location.</p>

<p>If it seems to be a software issue, another suggestion is to try the scanner under Linux (Debian, Ubuntu or Mint, for example). Then, you can use Vuescan (which works _very_ well). Also the open source software Sane seems to support the Coolscan 8000, but not the 9000 unfortunately.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>What's better than a Hasselblad?" -- <em>two</em> Hasselblads<br>

Well, I use two Rolleiflexes 6008, mounted on a 20cm long aluminium profile strip from Arca Swiss that fits on their P0 ball head. The left camera is the 'slave': it is fired by the flash connector of the right one. All together it is quite a heavy rig, but it works fine, also because the film transport is motorized.<br>

Apart from the distance between the cameras (in my case about 11 cm, the closest I can get) also the converging of the cameras is important. Some people will get headaches when the focussing point when viewing the projected stereo slides, is different then the coverging. So, I converge the cameas at about 3 to 5 m, which is the distance of the audience from the projection screen. From my personal experience, looking the slides through a viewer (eyes are looking at infinitiy / onaccomodaed) the converging of the cameras at 3 to 5 m do not bother.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Just an idea: Durst Pro USA is advertising with glass for negative holders for enlargers. The glass is colorless, instead of green in case of normal glass, made by Scotch. In order to avoid Newton rings, it seems that an Anti Reflective coating on the glass seems to suffice. After some searching on the Web, I found that Scotch glass sheets can be obtained from different providers, but will probably have to be bought in large quantities. I didn't try it by myself, but found the idea intriguing as well as for enlarging as for scanning.</p>

<p>I mainly shoot colour slides. If not, black and white film. I process the film by myself as there are few labs doing it and because I like to do all the processing by myself. I use 35mm, 6x6 and sometimes 4x5. Unfortunately, prices of film and chemicals increase. So, I have to think before shoot. But this does not keep me away from shooting slide medium. I hope slide film will not disappear at all. I even have some Ilfochrome paper in the freezer to print the most attractive slides.</p>

<p>On 11 September 2013 people form Catalonia (Spain) formed a human chain for independancy. The chain was 400km long and 1.6 million people participated. Photos of the event were shot and combined. The image and some explanation can be found at:<br>

http://gigafoto.assemblea.cat/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=136&Itemid=201&tram=1&lang=en<br>

I admire the photographers and post-processors who build the image. It took them 8 months to create it. Probably this might be the largest photo ever made? I understood it occupies about 600 Giga bytes. Have fun watching it.<br>

Gerber van der Graaf</p>

Mostly I do not go through these type of discissions as I am fed up about the discussions digital versus analog phtography. Though I must admit this has been a very interesting thread and I enjoyed reading it.

 

To the OP: if cost is really an issue, I wonder if digital is really cheaper than analog. Digital equipment is expensive as well and mostly obsolete after about less than 5 years due to technological innovation. I admit digital photography has its conveniences, that is the reason it has found its place. Thanks to that, many photogs abandoned analog and a huge amount of good equipment became available during the last years. It's not too hard to find professional analog equipment, cameras and darkroom, for reasonable prices. I took the advantages of this, picked up some equipment of my dreams (35, MF and LF) and will continue to shoot analog, despite the fact its harder to find film, paper and chemicals. Life has already become digital more than enough to my feeling, in private spheres and professionally. As I am shooting as a hobby, I do not want to stick again to some computer and prefer to do some physical work in the darkroom.

<p>For he Rolleiflex GX and FX you can set the aperture halfway between the f-stops. The Rolleiflex 6008 series (SLR) can adjust the shutter speeds and f-stops at 1/3rd.</p>

<p>I have (and use both!) a Rolleiflex 6008 Integral2 and a Rolleiflex GX. I started with the 6008. It is a marvelous system: very ergonomic, easy to use and with an excellent metering system integrated (multi-spot, centre-weigthed etc). It is very flexible with its interchangeable lenses and film backs. I use it in combination with a Gitzo mounteneering series 3 tripod and a Arca Swiss head. I definitely would not like to change it for an other SLR. The system completely depends on batteries, that can be used for at least 20 films during a long (weeks) period of time. I never felt the battery dependancy of the camera as a restriction, but always carry one spare in my bag. However, for long trips and hiking (more than 3-5 hours walking), the system is quite heavy, even if you just carry one lens and film back. That was the reason I extended my camera collection with a Rolleiflex GX: it ist very light, with a reasonable good working light meter integrated (centre weighted). As the shutter is mechanic, the camera is battery independent, if necessary. I use the GX in combination with a Gitzo Mounteneering series 0. One can carry this set all day without problems concerning weight. You will miss the flexibility of interchangeable lenses and film backs. But these restrictions also may be a challenge in photographing. So far, I did not find paralax problems using a TLR. So for 'normal' photography (no macro, the need of wide angle or tele lenses) I prefer to take the GX with me when I go outside.</p>

<p>I hope this helped you a bit in your decision.<br>

Gerber van der Graaf</p>

<p>I tried to order chemicals at a german provider (fotomayr.de). The problem is that they cannot ship chemicals outside of Germany. So I will pick it up personally or ask a local shop near my living place to order. Some contacts with the provider for the Benelux (beukelaer) learned me that chemicals are still available, but paper at other sizes than 20x25cm are disappearing.<br>

It really is a pity that this unique paper in its kind has disappeared.<br>

Thanks anyway for the responses.<br>

Gerber van der Graaf</p>

<p>Does anybody know where Ilfochrome stiil can be bought in Europe? I tried several sites (http://www.fotomayr.de, ag-photographic.co.uk), but it is hardly to find anymore nowadays. In US I only know of http://www.bhphotovideo.com/ .</p>

<p>It really is a pity Ilfochrome is disapearing.</p>

<p>I have got two Contax G2 for shooting 35mm stereo slides when mounted on a bar of aluminium side by side. They work quite fine, though there is some delay between the master and slave camera (the X-contact of the master is used as trigger for the slave camera), unfortunately. The optics of the G2 are really great. Mechanically I have the impression the camera is a bit weak. Also the buttons: to my taste they should be a bit tighter to change their settigs. For normal shooting I prefer the Leica M6 without all the electronics and auto focus. Just a matter of taste, definitely not because of image quality.</p>

<p>Yes, I like to use slide film very much. I use it as my primary color film as I do the E6 process by myself. I shoot 35 mm film with my Leica M and 6x6 with the Rolleiflex. I still have some Ilfochrome paper in the fridge and will have to buy some new paper before its all finished. It is a pity that Ilfochrome and a lot of film is disappearing these days. To me it's new that Provia 100 for 35mm is not produced anymore. Recently I was told in a large, professional shop in Barcelona, Spain, that Velvia 50 is not produced anymore in 120 format. Finally I do not know anymore who I should believe as Velvia 50 still available in all formats from the web.</p>

<p>Shooting with two synchronized cameras to get stereo slides and projecting them is really fantastisc! I hope slide film and E6 kits for home usage will still be available for many, many years.</p>

<p>If I understood it correctly, somebody dropped Virtual Machine.<br>

;)</p>

<p>Just for curiosity as I don't have experiences with plates: do they have to be developed in total darkness or is (red?) light allowed. Thanks, Gerber</p>

<p>Try GIMP, it's free. Most photogs will find it limited. So far to me, it doesn't. But I'm jus a hobyist, enhancing the few photos I scan.</p>

<p>IMHO I think it concerns a little bit more than 'just an OS'. It concerns about freedom and control of the computer and its software where it belongs: to the user. Did you ever read the licence agreements of the software installed on your system? You are not the owner of the software, you only may use it under severe restrictions. This, even when you buy 1000$$ equipment and the belonging software, it's not yours: you are not allowed to know how it works, adapt it to your needs or whatever.<br>

It seems the majority of the consumers have adapted and accepted the whole situation that the full control is in the hands of a few companies having a monopoly position. Then, one should not complain the problems that show up, the (often) low quality helpdesks and the time spent to tweek the system, without knowing what's going on behind the screens, i.e. lost time. Sure, program X works fine to me now, so why complain? And what about tomorrow? Can you still read / write your data from / to your device? Does it still work anyhow on the next generation OS? Or just keep a couple of computers around with obsolete OS-es? Nowadays computer usage is such important in everyone's life, I am still surprised there is so few consciousness about this issue.<br>

Of course one needs a computer to perform a task, mostly within tight deadlines. This counts to everyone, including me. But once I was doing a mission critical task with a tight time path (writing a PhD thesis) using the well known famous OS, I moved out from it because of its malfunctioning (losing data, blue screens etc). Even at that time, when Linux systems needed a lot of attention before working well, it payed well off to me. The time I had to spent to learn the system, still is an advantage now to me. Even lots of technologies have been changed in the mean time, but the basis functioning has remained the same and will not change drastic in a short period of time. Nowadays, installing, configuring and learning a modern Linux distro is definitely not more complicated than upgrading from WIN-XP to VISTA, for example.<br>

Therefore, I often suggest to consumers to insist towards manufactures to make their electronic devices work on a Free and Open Source platform and issue their drivers under such a FOSS license (what will they loose in not doing so?), or buying selectively.</p>

<p>Searching for freedom is not a religion, having it should be a normal thing. Unfortunately, it's not always is like that.<br>

OK, I admit, I am very convinced concerning this issue.<br>

;)</p>

<p>Yeah, de-fragmenting or reformatting the HD, re-installing the<br />software on a regular basis are typical features of this wonderful<br />OS from that well known company. Also, crashing of an application<br />or hanging of the entire system does not surprise anybody. In<br />addition, running anti-virus programs to 'protect' the system, that<br />occupies a significant amount of RAM and CPU, also are accepted as<br />normal practices.<br /><br />With all respect to the users of these OS here, but I left this<br />garbage behind already more than 15 years ago and never looked<br />back. Tried out several Linux distro's and sticked to GNU/Debian since<br />ten years, because of its philosophy: its written and maintained by<br />its users on a voluntary basis. So the user and his 'computer<br />experience' are the primary goals, not the pockets of a company. There<br />are no commercial interests or a single company behind it, that may<br />change its corporate strategy to its willing and leave its users<br />alone.<br /><br />Therefore, the system is rock solid, works on (currently) eleven (!)<br />different architectures (among two of these are kFreeeBSD), includes<br />more than 29.000 packages (programs and libraries) and provides<br />excellent support for users and developers. I only will have to<br />install the OS from scratch once: when a new HD or computer<br />arrives. Upgrades are done in-place. CPU and RAM is used for<br />applications, no virus scanners are needed. Yes, it takes time to<br />learn the system. But you can find documentation of excellent quality<br />and support using the mailing lists. And you can learn and investigate<br />the system into detail as far as you like, because its all open<br />source. The time for learning the system is well worth and will pay<br />off on the long term.<br /><br />The only draw back is that many manufactures of electronic devices do<br />not want to share the drivers under a Open Source license for their<br />devices. So, these manufactures oblige the user to buy the other<br />OS. That's a pity and a shame: it restricts users in the application<br />of the products they have paid for and are the legal owner. But if<br />consumers would be a little bit more critical, they should select<br />their products on the availability for other OS-es than only<br />MS_WIN. <br /><br />Said this, the Nikon scanners (the ED 8000, for example) have been<br />reverse engineered and seem to work fine using the SANE software<br />project. I am looking forward somebody will finish the same job for<br />the ED 9000, which I own. Is there any electronics engineer listening<br />here? I am open to colaborate. Though I have quite some programming<br />experiences, my knoledge on electronics is minimum <br />:)<br /><br />Gerber</p>

<p>If a company sells a product that heavenly depends on software in order to work with it, it should provide adequate, high quality, stable software. Nikon does not only make cameras, they also sell (or sold) film scanners, for example. Its a pity such a company does not provide high quality software and updates for new Operating Systems. If they don't have the resources for writing the software, at least they should provide the communication protocols and / or drivers under a Free and Open Source Software License. So, software developers can write drivers and software, maintaining and extending with the features users request, like properly working under well written Unix / Linux OS-es. I am convinced that, on the long term, this also will be good advertisement to Nikon, as their gear will not become obsolete after every few years when a new OS shows up.</p>