andrea_milano

If that can help there is a shop in holland which sells a MPP they ship

all over the world because they also sell on e-bay, however their site

is http://www.fotoabro.nl, it might take a while before they answer.

Greetings

The rotatrim professional or double has the capability to cut,

precisely, thicker paper dan the other models so buy that one if you

can afford it, tret it well and will serve you forever. Second best but

for thinner paper is amazingly Meopta very cheap if you have someone

who goes to Prague to buy it for you will const you almost nothing(so

to speak...!)

How about a Seconic 508-l? the best combined option!

Regards

get yourself a seconic, they have a cheap model (forgot which) able to

work for incident and reflected and for both flash and continuos light.

Many of my students use it and never found any problem with it,

otherwise Gossen has also something cheap in that range. A lightmeter

is an investment not worth saving on!

Dear friends and contributors,

I am about to buy a print washer, they are considerably expensive and I'd like to ask the learned contibutors about what do they think the best choice would be, I would process at most 12 FBprints up until 40x50cm at the time, goes without saying that if any of you who reside in Europe like to sell your print washer, get in touch and we'll discuss it!

Thanks

The Woodman is a very light camera.....and its qualities stop more or

less there!I have had one and sold it very soon after buying, can't

compare with Ebony!

Welldone Geoffrey!

I wish you and the American importer all the best! I hope that more

people unerstand that , next to a personal interest, I and many others

now, we really share a sincerel appreciation for these beautiful

chinese camera.

The Istons are no longer in production and the Shenhao cameras nowadays

in production have(Thank god!) nothing to do with the Istons, this lat

ones were heavy and little versatile cameras reminescent of old

american cameras, the metal work was very poor. The modern shenhao

cameras are in a total new league.

Patrick,

call KJP-Calumet in Antwerp, they should stock it normally, in Holland

you can buy it off the shelf at most wholesellers(Capi-Lux,

KJP-Calumet, Marx en Schuuring, Fimex)

Groeten!

Alison,

I am based in the Netherlands and if you will be more specific I can

provide you with some information, so , get in touch with my me either

on my private address or on the forum, I will try to advise you to the

best of my ability.

Take care

Hi Paul!

<p>

well, there is a very good chance it was a "Dokter" lens, this brand

produced very fine lenses and shortly after the fall of the Berlin

Wall went into the hands of rodenstock and, although I an not

absolutely shure about this, it ceased the produktion under the name

DOKTER

I don't know the price but it seems unlikely that a German product

would be cheaper than in Europe in Japan of all places, but miracles

do happen, good luck!

concerning flash or tripod use:

flash photography in museums is almost everywhere banned in all

counties I know, if sometimes it happens it doesn't mean that it is

allowed or tollerated but just that sometimes eyes or minds are

somewhere else(it happens in Holland too....), officially tripod

photography in public buildings is allowed only by special permission,

sometimes, without this, you can get away with it.......especially if

you don't look too professional, this in every museum in the world.

Small museums tend to be easier going than most. Permission is very

often granted without too many problems.

Well, Italy has lots of professional shops but they tend to be located

out of the city center, I have worked in Milan and Naples for years

and could help with addresses there too, the fact is that being a

tourist you might not be aware of the locatin of professional shops, I

live in the Netherlands now and by the same token, you might have the

impression that 4"x5", 8"x10", 120 aren't sold in Holland, which isn't

true. The fact is that all professional shops are out of the city

center. Should anybody want help and advice about finding shops for

professional materials , antique and collectable cameras, let me know,

I'll do my best. I know very well Milan and Naples.

Sorry I now noticed that I did mention Linhof and compared them to Shen

Hao! My apologies to BOB, my point is still valid though,please loosen

up, no need to be so uptight, if someone has the bucks for Linhof's

probably would buy it, and all the others buy something else.There is

no harm done. Those who buy WV wouldn't normally buy Rolls.(Am I being

fair to Linhof enough?)

Bob shows once again that even when not mentioning Linhof and comparing

any of its superlative products with other products he manages to feel

attacked anyway. I merely mentioned the existence of a type of lens

board I never said anything about Linhof or else. Anyway I don't want

to open old wounds but i believe that in this world of ours there is

space for all sorts of products even though some people would rather

see one brand being the sole brand. Some people buy Beef other Buy

chicken and nobody tells them what they have to like, if you like filet

mignon you eat it but if you happen to prefer tripe nobody is supposed

to rebuff you for this, this is the essence of freedom.

Let other people have opinions and although manteining your point live

and let live.

Well the manual in question is a little more than a leaflet, the

concoction resulting fron several translations is at times

not-intelligible so don't think that you'll get any fancy book, Wista

does send you all the information, I did receive it, they won't be

easily quoting prices, but they do if you insist.

a little spacer behind the aperture helps(schneider has very thin metal

spacerson some lenses), you isert it netween front element and lens

board, it doesn't affect the internal dstance of the lens, so don't

worry too much other than that it only improves the "feel good" factor,

don't exagerate with the spacer otherwise you cannot turn the aperture

anymore

On the cost of recessed lens boards:

Shen-Hao recessed lens board are cheap(er) than Linhof's and very good

they retail in Europe for 60 EUROs+ Tax and sending.Pro Domo Mea!

Recessed lens boards might be not strictly necessary with 90mm but

infact are always an advantage in terms of additional movements, true

that some of them (Linhof and clones) are difficult to operate because

aperture, lens opening and cocking of the shutter become difficult but

these operations are a little problem but added movements are an

distinct advantage.

The best system though is the Wista and the Walker, their approach is

radically different and instead of recessing the lens board they couple

two boards , the one attached to the front standard and the other about

1" behind this attached to the first one by means of four metal

cyliders used as spacers (cannot be more desciptive , you would have to

see it!). This guaratees lateral acces to all lens functions and allows

a normal design to take up to 47XLmm lens.

Jeffrey, buy the Tominon by all means! I've used it and use it

regularly . I own a MP4 and the only lens usable on 4"x5" is the

135mmf4,5. Here in Holland they cost around $100 and they are infact

enlarging lenses (Also known al Fujimoto!), the previous version MP3

used a rodenstock Ysaron 135mm 4,5 also OK. The shutter is made to use

a lens which doesn't protrude inside the camera and with the screw

42x1. A good and inespensive way to start with large format.

Roberto, ask Mr. Abe at Wista, (I forgot the address of their site,

shouldn't be difficult finding it though!) they will prowide you with

any information you need, Greetings.

under normal circumstances, not, however some lenses might be mounted

with retaining rings or screws .

Kodak, Lee, CoKin, FATIF, They all produce filter holders wich are very

useful and practical, most take gelatine or other thick material, can

anyone elaborate on focus shift? I've never had any trouble with it but

I am willing to learn from the learned contibutors.

Anothere serious advantage is that you don't have to worry too much of

reflection(thus using compendiums to prevent it) on the filter itself.

I mean, you have the most expensive piece of optics coated with

multicoated antireflection layers and you put in front of it a piece

of......, doesn't sound very intelligent! The front is necessay only

for polarizers(can use it inside but not very practical because of the

turning) or shaded(gradually increasing in density or color) filters.

Some cameras or lenses provide it as a standard feature especially if

extreme wideangle.