bob_rannells

Kodak Endura Metalic Paper is an RA-4 paper. This means this paper has to be processed using RA-4 chemistry. This is different than using your Epson 1280 which is an inkjet printer. RA-4 paper is developed in the traditional darkroom.

I'd like to suggest something less expensive and easier, Kodak Gold 100. I've made many 16X20" photos with this film. If you want to use a faster film, Kodak 400 UC would be a good choice.

Something got screwed up on my above post.

I think the close-up lenses are good. During weddings I used to muse them for close ups of the hands and other things

 

I think the close-up lenses are good. I used to use them for close ups of the hands (ring shots), invitations, etc. The quality is good, I didn't and still wouldn't think twice about using them.

Autocords use a 1.35 mercury battery. These are the same voltage as PX 625 batteries. Autocord batteries are the same diameter but much longer than the PX 625 batteries. The contacts are on the bottom and side of the compartment so a PX 625 will fit. I use either Wein cells or hearing aid batteries with the metal wein cell washer. Hearing aid batteries are the same battery as Wein cells without the washer. After I put the battery in the camera, I crumble up a small piece of paper and put it in the compartment to hold the battery in place. The battery contacts are on the bottom and side so make sure the battery is making contact with the side contact. You might have to use a small screwdriver and push the side contact out slightly. Also make sure the paper is not covering up the holes on top of the battery as these batteries need to breathe.

I own the Minolta Scan Multi II scanner which is a software upgrade from the Scan Multi. Both the scan Multi and Scan Multi II scan 35mm at 2820 dpi. The Scan Multi and Scan Multi II scan medium format optically at 1128 dpi. With the software upgrade of the Scan Multi II you can scan up to 2820 dpi by means of interpolation with medium format. Don't be scared off by this as it is a very good method of interpolation. It doesn't look interpolated. I've printed many 20X20" prints from 6X6 negatives and transparencies with great results. I'm sure I could go up to 20X24 with a sharp negative or transparency. So, I think you would get great results from 6X7. I have an Epson 2450 and the Minolta is much sharper.

I have an Epson 2450 and also a Minolta Scan Multi II. I find the scans from the Scan Multi II to be much sharper than those from the 2450. You can find used and refurbished Scan Multi II's for around $500.00 on ebay. The Scan Multi II is a software upgrade from the Scan Multi. The Scan Multi II has a resolution of 1128 DPI with medium format but with the scanners software can interpolate this to 2820 DPI. Even though this is interpolated it does not look like it is.

Are you sure your meter is off or are you just metering wrong? Run a test to find out. Take a reading of an evenly illuminated wall with your Yashica Mat and with a reflective meter you know is accurate. This could be a hand held meter or a built in meter from another camera. See if they give you the same reading. Another thing is which battery do you have in the Yashica Mat? They are meant to use a mercury cell which are no longer manufactured. Wein cells are a replacement battery of equal voltage. I first brought up whether you were metering incorectly. This is an averaging meter that meters a large area. Many times with the Yashica Mats you will underexpose because you are measuring too much of the sky. If the sky is in the picture many times you have to point the camera down towards the ground to get a better exposure. I think that might be your problem. If it is not the way you are measuring the light and it is not the battery, the light meter probably has to be adjusted.

He did a recent repair for me. He is still around. Call him. Mark has a one man shop. If you give him a call, I'm sure he'll explain things to you.

Engineers, my father in law is one, ask him the time and he tells you how the clock was built :).

That combination gets me every time.

Definitely German. I can tell by thier accent.

I have the Minolta Scan Multi II which is a software upgrade of the Scan Multi. It scans 35mm at 2820 and medium format at 1128. The 1128 DPI may not seem like a lot of resolution but the Scan Multi II can interpolate this to 2820. This is part of the upgrade from the Scan Multi. Even though the image is brought up to 2820 DPI with interpolation, the image does not look interpolated. I also have an Epson 2450, and the images from the Minolta are much sharper. As long as I am starting from a sharp negative or transparency I have no problem going up to 20X20" with the Scan Multi II. I haven't done it but, I think 24X24" would still be OK. They are still fairly inexpensive on ebay. The higher prices that were seen are for the Minolta Scan Multi Pro (the latest offering).

I guess Small Mark James isn't very well known in Yashica circles. He should stick with screw mount lenses, much better heritage.

I have no idea who Mark James Small is but I have never heard of or seen a Yashikor lens on a 124G. These were used on earlier model D's, 635's and older Yashica TLR's. Newer model D's, I believe 635's, 24,12 124, and 124G's used a four element Yashinon. It is possible someone could of switched a lens.

The 124G has no added plastic. Many people say it does, but it doesn't. On the 124G some of the silver colored parts of the 124 are painted black. Some people beleive they are plastic. If you scratch off the paint you will see that they are metal. I've taken apart many 124's and 124G's and the 124G has no added plastic. Yashica never put a three element Yashicor lens on a 124G. As Douglas said, later models of the 124G were different. They make a lot of noise when winding the camera. The 124 sounds a lot more solid. That being said, even the 124G's that make a lot of noise are fairly rugged. If the light meter on your Yashica Mat is calibrated correctly, it can give you fairly accurate exposures. You just have to know how to use it. It is an averaging meter and reads a wide area. Many times it will meter a large portion of the sky and underexpose the film. In this case you point the camera towards the ground. A hand held meter is the best way to measure light with any camera, but if you want to travel light the meter on the Yashica Mat will work fairly well.

I use Ilford Galerie Classic Pearl with the "Other Photo Papers" setting when using my 7960 for color printing. The results are great. I like this combination even better than using HP Premium Plus Photo Paper. When using the 59 cart and printing B&W, the image on Ilford Galerie Classic is very neutral toned. The image using HP Premium Plus Photo Paper is brown toned. I like both papers for B&W printing, depending on if I want a neutral toned or brown toned image.

I recently bought an HP 7960 and it does an incredible job with B&W. It produces a warm toned image using Hp Premium Plus Photo Paper. Using Ilford Galerie Classic Paper it produces a very neutral toned image. The only drawback is that it only prints up to 8.5 X 11.

It is possible to process RA-4 the way you mentioned, but it is not the best way to do this. It is best to use developer, stop bath and blix. There will be too much of a carryover of developer when you go directly into bleach. This can cause streaking. Also, using stabilizer this way is not ideal. It is best to use fresh stabilizer with each print. You need a better way of replenishing. It is best to use developer, stop bath, blix, and then an external wash in water unless you have a wash module.

Chuk, Low contrast filters lower the contrast of the scene.There are different types. Some will lower the brightness of the highlights and some will decrease the darkness of the shadows. These are different from neutral density filters. Combining one of these with a sepia filter might be just what you are looking for. Check out the filters at www.tiffen.com/filters.htm.

Tiffen makes sepia filters for color film. They make them in three different strengths. Tiffen also makes low contrast filters. One other type of filter they make are warm/soft filters. A combination of a low strength sepia filter plus a low contrast filter might be what you are looking for. The warm soft filters are nice and they come in different strengths also. Many possibilities.

Have you checked out www.cchomestudy.com? This home study course looks good but it is kind of expensive.

The HP 9650 uses the same PhotoREt IV with six inks as the HP Photosmart printers. They are all the same resolution. The only one which is different is the HP 7960 which uses PhotoREt Pro and eight inks. The reason I'm interested in the HP printers is the ability to print on glossy papers and long print life.

I was wondering the same thing for a while. I couldn't find any information or reviews about the HP 9650. The people at HP were no help. I finaly found a person who works for HP who was very knowlegeable and helpful. I sent him a file that was sized at 4X6 at 300dpi. He upressed these to 8.5X11 and printed them on both an HP 7960 and a 9650 The prints weren't the greatest quality, because they were upressed jpegs, but they were good enough to see that there really wasn't any difference between the two. I think the 9650 does a good job. The person from HP said you can see a difference between the 9650 which uses six inks and the 7960 which uses eight inks on certain prints. He also sent a B&W from the 7960 which was great. He even made an 11X17 on the 9650 which looked great considering it was upressed from such a small file. I think the 9650 is as good as the Epson 1270 I use. My only problem now is which do I get the 9650 with the 13" capability or the 7960 which can do great B&W printing, but only goes 8.5". They both use inks that last 73 years according to Wilhelm.

Les, I know this is getting off the subject, but where was the photograph taken? Great photograph!