james_burnham1

On 4/10/2023 at 9:51 AM, jim_bielecki1 said:

That is strange, it sounds like the lens mount is putting stress on the aperture ring.  Is the mount loose?  Grasping at straws here.

Spot on. It wasn't, or didn't appear to be, when the issue started (and when I posted).

Over the next 24-48 hrs is became harder to mount/unmount, and a gap appeared between the body and the lens connection. I think the entire mounting mechanism needs reconstruction/repair. I've since shipped it to Steve in Mandan ND for repair. Thank you for responding.

I'm just thankful this happened in the last couple of days of the trip instead of the beginning.

I used Steve 10 years ago to fix a mount on a Canon FD 200 mm macro, and it's still working strong to this day.

 

I think I need to send him a 500mm L series for a similar repair, not looking forward to the shipping costs.

Hi all, I've run into something new (on a trip of course). All of a sudden the aperture ring on my Canon FD 500 L series lens bogs down when mounted. I can kind of move it, but I need to force it, and it doesn't click into the proper places. When I remove the body it works fine. I tried it with multiple A1 and F1n bodies and the same issue, so I don't believe it is the body.

 

Any ideas?

<p>As an update, I decided to buy a (bootleg) Lowepro 500 for the lens. It's fine construction, and for $70, I think its a good option. I'll have two bags on travels, but I will adapt. Thank you all for the advice. </p>

<p>Hmmn, the specs on the Lowepro 500 do look good. Just a little bigger than carry on sizes, usually not a problem, but can be on occasion. </p>

<p>Mark, I've had a few, and they never fit my body right, and the ones that fit my gear were too big for carry on, which is critical for me. I haven't particularly cared for their durability either. This statement:<br>

"this F-Stop is overall dynamite."<br>

Was regarding my F Stop camera bag. I love it. It fits well, is durable, it doesn't look like a camera bag (bonus), I can fit my three main lenses, flash system, couple of bodies, filters, spotmeter, etc in the main body and use the top section for film, batteries and more. I don't want to change main bags. I just want a way to deal with the larger telephoto for when I will take that out. </p>

<p>Quick look, at $200.00+, I don't think that is going to happen, and pushes carry on size in depth. I also don't think carrying the telephoto in a carry on bag is very feasible as there won't be room for for other lenses and bodies, but again, I appreciate the idea. </p>

<p>Thanks, I'll look at that, but I'd hate to invest in a whole new bag, and definitely not a bag that is larger than carry on size. I've not had great luck with old Lowepro bags that I've had, and this F-Stop is overall dynamite. </p>

<p>Hmmn, it's an idea, not exactly water resistant, and I have absolutely zero craft skills (the dry cleaners does my buttons), but I guess it is a last resort. </p>

<p>Hi all,<br>

I recently purchased a FD 500mm 4.5 lens, at roughly 16" length its a heft piece. It comes with a metal case, which is quite bulky and heavy as well.<br>

I'm struggling with this in the field, not surprisingly. My main bag is a F Stop Loka, which is a great bag, it's served me well, I can fit a couple of bodies, flash, 200mm macro, 80 macro, and a 28mm wide angle in it just fine, but this lens is far too big.<br>

I'm exploring a "side car" soft lens bag to attach to the side of the Loka, with the other side having the tripod, but I can't find anything big enough to fit this large lens.<br>

<br />Any ideas on where to look? Or other options?<br>

Thank you.</p>

<p>Ok, I will say this. When wide open at 4, it looks wide open. at 5.6 a bit narrower. At anything smaller than that it is just a pinhole and I can't really visually detect any difference. I compared this this to my other lenses, and it is drastically different. Something changes above f5.6 right at about f8. So, an aperture problem. Anything I can do It's not sticky, it just closed way too far. It is also erratic, if I'm going in one direction (smaller to larger aperture) and doing test shots, it will sometimes have a different opening on the same number than when I was going the other direction.</p>

<p>Looking the front the mirror does go up.</p>

<p> <br /> I tried two rolls, two cameras. Half the shots taken with one lens, the other half taken with this lens. None of the ones with this lens turned out anything but black. The other lens shots (two different cameras, two rolls) all turned out fine. <br /> </p>

<p>Hi, I'm back for more help (and quite frustrated). I've been using a Canon 200mm f4 Macro FD lens with both a Canon F1n and and A1 for a few years. A problem JUST started happening this spring. The pictures (slides) I'm taking are pure black. This just started happening over the last few rolls. I'm light metering, and when I switch to other lenses on the same shot, same settings, they come out perfectly fine. Everything looks fine through the viewfinder (I'm using a tripod 80% of the time). Everything seems to be working fine, but something is obviously going wrong. Any ideas?</p>

<p>actually, nevermind, i've been trying these <a title="Flash Hot Shoe Adapter for PC Sync with Cord" href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Flash-Hot-Shoe-Adapter-for-PC-Sync-with-Cord-/350714848409?pt=Camera_Flash_Accessories&hash=item51a83be499">Flash Hot Shoe Adapter for PC Sync with Cord</a><br>

since the sync button doesn't work, neither have these... <br>

I'll get the other type of sync module<br>

thanks.</p>

<p>"get a hot-shoe mounted flash sync module for flash PC cords. Just one with a single center contact is all you need." </p>

<p>Thanks, I've tried that twice (bought two), never been able to get them to work... I'll give it another shot... probably just old / broken gear. <br>

<br />The incident meter gives me some pause/concern as I have to place it near the subject. When I'm dealing with frogs / snakes I can't put something too close to the animal as it will get them moving. Plus, when I'm dealing with venomous snakes that has another issue. But I'll give it some thought.<br>

Thanks for your input. (That is to everyone).</p>

<p>And perhaps this isn't helpful as far as how it was being used, but I set up the shot (we had tables with natural material set ups (leaves, sticks, rocks, etc) on them. I had my camera on a tripod with a flash cord, set everything up with the frog or whatever, then moved the gray card in between the subject and my lense (as close to the specimen I could do so without disturbing it), light metered, set speed/aperture and shot.</p>

<p>I think a light meter will be my next investment. I had been considering it anyway.<br>

Would I use the external meter on a gray card still?</p>

<p>Thank you all. I did get some ok (but still darker photos) on some good subjects. I suspect that these are the times where my bracketing went to 2 stops or so either way. This reciprocity issue would explain it.</p>

<p>Hi all,<br>

<br />This website forum has been quite helpful over the years (you turned me on to the Canon 200 FD Macro which is one of my favorite lenses for herpetology photography).</p>

<p>I have a new question. I recently went to Peru with a group. I use a gray card with my 85mm macro (I think that is the size, I'm not at home) outdoors a great deal and have pretty good success light metering with it.</p>

<p>I met up with a group of biologists where we often captured animals at night (mostly frogs) after trying to get in situ shots and then photograph them in a make shift photo hut the next day (then returned promptly to spot of capture). It is a mosquito netted hut with not much for light, and it was pretty dark. I did some flash stuff inside which worked fairly well (I say fairly because the flash sync connector on my A1 doesn't work consistently and often fails completely on me (despite trying several cords/flashes) so I need to put it on the show which isn't ideal).</p>

<p>For the stuff I tried with natural light and metering on the gray card (which with Velvia 50 resulted in long exposure times) I consistently very very very much underexposed the subjects (frogs and snakes will both sit for you, depending on species) to the point of blackness.</p>

<p>I'm seeking some guidance as to why this may be. I think I'm still probably just not "getting" how a gray card works (Despite reading a bunch on it), but perhaps it is something else? Any thoughts?</p>

<p>Thank you in advance.<br>

<br />Jim</p>

<p>I've used Garrys for multiple Canon A1s and F1s and always had great results.</p>

<p>I think problem solved, and I'm a bit embarrased. It was a new battery from CRIS, but the battery check didn't show great power, on the low edge of acceptable (not even always that). I just thought that might be the way it is with the mercury adapter. I took that battery out and put in another from CRIS (I ordered 3, to have back ups) and this one showed much more juice and the meter seems to work just fine now!<br>

Thank you and I guess I just panicked...</p>

<p>Ok, I will try again tonight and report back. I would have hated to pay $40 for the adapter and batteries and still not have the light meter work. I guess I would need to get a spotmeter, which I can't afford right now.</p>

<p>Ok, thanks. I will have to wait for a sunny day. 100 ASA film. Aperture at 2.8, no activity. Even with setting the shutter speed at 1/30 or 1/60. I will wait for a sunny day and check again. I might be waiting long, ha!</p>

<p>Good morning. I did look through the past posting on similar issues, but I'm not seeing an answer to this, or maybe I'm just not "getting it".<br>

I have a Canon F1, 2nd version of the original (not the NEW Canon F1). I had it rehabbed by Garry's.<br>

I went and bought the MR-9 Mercury Battery Adapter and Silver-oxide 386 Battery from CRIS (after reading some forums on options) and installed them.<br>

Did the battery check, and more or less things look right, the battery power registers fine, on the low end, but ok.<br>

Then I moved the dial back, the meter doesn't seem to work. It's just sitting at the bottom. I look at well lit objects, still nothing... It's raining here, so I haven't tried it outside, but surely it should register some...<br>

Any thoughts?</p>