jotr51

Thanks everyone for responding. I wrote Quantum and got a couple very helpful emails from them. Apparently the newest MB2 module uses a thumb-wheel operated flange that pushes out to hold the module in the 430 battery compartment. There is no need for the door contacts to connect with the module so they suggest using velcro just to hold the door down. That being said, I discovered that 15-minute NIMH chargers are very inexpensive (I bought one for 19 bucks) so I am going to just use a couple sets of rechargeables with the quick charger. A new MB2 costs in the neighborhood of $60.

 

Thanks again,

 

Frank Weir

Hi...

 

I just acquired a Canon 430EX and want to use it with my Quantum battery 1 pack. I

bought a used MB2 module which is used with the 430EX. I USED to drill holes in my

flash doors to accomodate my module cords but it seems there are now 'locking plates'

so you don't have to damage the flash door. BUT the plate that came with the module

does not come close to fitting the 430. I assume it's the wrong one. Does anyone know if

there IS a Quantum locking plate for the 430ex? If not, how are you people using the

430EX with Quantum packs? Also, I don't see how these locking plates work since they

seem to block off the metal contacts in the flash door and how are you supposed to close

the door once the plate is in place? I'm confused about this whole set up obviously!

Maybe I'll just go back to using rechargeable NIMHs and not worry about it. Let me know

if you can solve this riddle.

 

MANY THANKS!

 

Frank Weir

frankweir@yahoo.com

Gene....I'm a total sucker for the look of the Diana and the Holga and you use that look to great effect...I especially love the look of the tents and other shots at the Civil War reenactment. The Diana gives them the Matthew Brady Look and I can't imagine using anything else for those shots. Check out 'Holgamods' sometime online. I recently bought the lens only from that site which is from the Holga mounted to a Canon body cap. You can use it on any of the Canon EOS bodies including digital. I use it on a 20D and it's just a lot of fun. Great job on these and thanks for posting them! Fun!

 

 

frankweir@yahoo.com

Dayton, I don't know if you or anyone else on this page is still shopping Rd-1, but Robert White in England is selling them for about $2100 USD...I bought one and Robt White was superb...I live in Michigan but had my Rd-1 within three days!! I'm still learning the RD-1 and just upgraded to firmware 2.0 so I am not as experience d as the others on this page who have produced such gorgeous rd-1 images....just wanted to alert folks to the great price at white's ..its worth the extra postage...by the way, there didnt seem to be a duty costs...

 

frank weir

frankweir@yahoo.com

Actually, you're quite right...hadn't thought of it in that way...thanks for the response...

I may be wrong, but it seems to me I used to be able to search the photo.net gallery for

images made with a certain camera that had been posted. In other words, if I wanted to

see all images posted on the site taken with a Koni Omega or Mamiya 6, I could do so. But

now i can't seem to do that anymore. Or am I mistaken? Is there some way to do this?

 

thanks,

 

frank weir

frankweir@yahoo.com

JT: Check out the Metz corp. site at metz.de and see if they might have something there to

help you sort things out. It's a very good site. I have a 10D but use a Sunpak 555 handle

mount with it and I am wondering if the 10D can function with the 54 in TTL. With digital,

there are some issues about whether TTL is available or not but I am not an expert. I know

that with my older Sunpak only auto is available, not TTL, not A-TTL, not E-TTL. THe Metz

site may be able to clarify that point for you.

 

Good luck,

 

frank weir

Truth and BIll O'Reilly in the same breath?? Are you NUTZ JAY?!?!?!

I called the seller and they suggested just working the ring a bit, that lubricants tend

to seize up a bit with sitting. Sure enought, it worked loose.

Hi All!

 

I just received a Fuji GW 690 II which I am excited to try out. I got it from a very

reputable online dealer so I will have no trouble exchanging it. But I am surprised that

the focus ring is simply frozen. It will not turn at all. I loaded it with film but still

frozen. I am hoping against hope there is some trick to this but it's looking like

there's a problem. The shutter is firing, film advancing. Everything's fine except I can't

focus. Is there a 'trick' I'm missing? I own a number of medium format cameras so I'm

familiar with cameras. Help???

 

frank weir

frankweir@yahoo.com

Thanks to all for your responses. I seemed to have hit a nerve and I won't post again. Certainly didn't mean to insult anyone's intelligence, including my own. But apparently I have. I'm obvisiously an idiot compared to all you wise folks and I didn't cogitate on the price trade-off. Call off the dogs! I surrender!

 

frank

I haven't found much here on bokeh and Canon IS lenses so I was

curious what others thought. I have the Canon 75-300 IS and 28-135 IS

lenses which I use predominately on D30 and 10D digital bodies. They

are first generation lens models which might make a difference. In my

opinion, the "bokeh," the out of focus areas of an image, is terrible

with both these lenses. The out of focus areas seem to have a blurry,

ugly look. I know bokeh is discussed more regarding Leica glass, and

the concept is a bit confusing. But it has piqued my interest and it

seems particularly applicable to these IS lenses. And now that I've

noticed it, it really bugs me! Maybe I shouldn't have thought about

it! I think the 28-135 IS is not very sharp and seems to really

struggle to focus. Anyone have any thoughts on this subject?

 

Thanks,

 

Frank Weir

Thanks to all who took the time to reply!

 

frank

I am very frustrated with my D30 and ETTL with a 380 EX and Sigma

500EF. I work for a couple small weekly newspapers and have had just

a terrible time getting consistent flash exposures with ETTL. At

times it works very well. But at other times it requires a number of

exposures to get it right due to either great under or over exposure.

I use center point only and pre-flash. But I still get bizarre

results at times. Needless to say, when shooting for the paper, and I

have a group of several people posed, I look like an idiot. It is

simply intolerable. I have increasingly gone to using the Sigma in

manual mode, reducing exposure to 1/2 and find I am at last getting

something that is somewhat predictable. My question: would it be

possible to move to a Canon 540 EZ flash and use ATTL? I don't know

if the D30 is ATTL or TTL capable but, at this point, I would just

like some kind of TTL system. Then I can manually adjust exposure IF

I need more ambient lighting (by reducing shutter speed, right?). I'm

also considering the good old, low-tech Vivitar 283 or 285. I have a

283 but I quit using it due to fears about trigger voltages. Until I

get a voltage regulator, I have quit the 283. But at least it gave me

predictable flash exposures. Sorry this is so long but I am extremely

frustrated and simply don't know where to turn with this situation.

And I'm tired of being ribbed when I have to take 8 or 10 flash

exposures of a group so they aren't all burned up....I AM getting

burned up...

 

thanks,

 

frank weir

Thanks to all for responding. Hope I didn't waste everyone's time since the answer was obvious. I was just amazed that it was so labeled. I have had good luck on Ebay for the most part but I concur that one needs to be careful. Caveat Emptor is the order of the day. KEH.com is a great commercial place for guaranteed used photo items and I think they sell the Tele-ELmar 135 f. 4 for two or three hundred depending on condition if memory serves. This seller had a $600 Buy It Now price.

 

Thanks to everyone on Photo Net for being such a great photo resource.

 

frank weir

I mean, for one thing, the glass on such a lens would be, well, more substantial than the picture indicates. It's obviously the F. 4.0.

Check out this item on Ebay. I wrote the seller but he STILL insists

its a 1.4 M lens. I sure don't find it in ANY M lens digest or

compendium. He MUST mean F4.0.

Tele- Elmar M 1.4/135 Leica Camera Lens Mint

Item # 1943460506

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1943460506

 

Thanks for reading....

 

Frank Weir

I may be late on this but thought I'd contribute for others who might stumble across this section. I own Pentacon and just bought an M645. I have two P.6 bodies but one is already in need of repair after only 3 or 4 rolls. Having said that though, I must say I bought an adapter for my Canon EOS and am able to use the Pentacon lenses on the Canon! Of course, all manual, but there is no way I could afford f2.8 lenses for the Canon. I work for a small newspaper and have gotten excellent results with the Jena 180mm 2.8 shooting high school football which typically is played on poorly lit fields. And the Russian Jupiter lenses are absurdly cheap. Certainly not great quality but again, if you just want some fun with a medium format system, it is something to consider. For what it's worth, the repair of Pentacons overseas is dirt cheap although shipping is more and the time delay is significant. If you hook up with a good overseas seller, like "Cupog" who is in Slovakia and sells extensively on Ebay, you can have a steady source of equipment and repair services for a modest cost. That's my input anyway....Frank