rajmohan.

<p>Thanks, Mike - yes, the 24x24 results from that Tessar lens are quite good. Now I just need to miraculously get my hands on a cheap, fully functional Tenax II. :)</p>

<p>The camera always seemed too bulky for me, but I bought 2 of the lenses from this system (80 1.9 and 150 3.5) and use them adapted to my DSLR. For 645 lenses, they are quite compact and relatively light, and deliver lovely results.</p>

<p>Thanks, <strong>Mike</strong> - I looked around for a way to contact a moderator but there doesn't seem to be a simple link to contact them. <br> So I'm going to live on the wild side and include the link to the Taxona article: http://www.35mmc.com/26/11/2016/zeiss-ikon-taxona/</p>

<p>Thank you, <strong>Rick</strong>! I wrote an article/review about the Taxona that was published today. I'm not sure if I am permitted to post the link to the article, which might be of interest - I'll defer to <strong>Mike Gammil</strong>l about this. If sharing the link in this forum is not permitted, please send me a private message and I'd be happy to message you the link.<br> Thanks,<br> Raj</p>

<p>Great stuff, <strong>David</strong>!<br> <strong>JDM</strong> - would you please share a few of your images shot on this film? I'd love to see how it renders. Thank you :)</p>

<p>3. Fresh coffee</p><div></div>

<p>2. Hair salon</p><div></div>

<p>Happy Thanksgiving, Mike, and everyone else in the group!<br> Here are 3 images from a new acquisition, a Zeiss Ikon Taxona (bought and sent to me from Germany by a friend).<br> 1. Morning Work</p> <div></div>

<p>I, like JDM, am a polygamist (or should that be polyamorist, since I love them all, more or less equally). Hence my overloaded camera shelves :) </p> <p>But day-to-day, I like to carry 2 bodies at any one time, each usually bearing a lens of a different focal length (one in the 35-50mm range, and one in the >=85mm range).</p>

<p>Paul - that second image is stunning :)</p>

<p>Great write-up, Rick, and lovely images, as always! :)</p>

<p>Chris does excellent work with a rapid turnaround. Do email him before sending him the camera - he will send you a very detailed message with instructions on forms/packing etc that are very helpful in circumventing any potential problems eg with Customs.</p>

<p>"Still better looking than the M5" - Jamie Robertson<br> As a fan of the M5, them's fightin' words, Jamie :)</p>

<p>Gunnar - what a coincidence that we have members of the Zeiss 24x24 family! I managed to slip in a spool from one of my Contaflexes, so it should see some action today :) </p>

<p>Some great suggestions here.<br> My 2 cents': I have used many of the fantastic cameras mentioned above, but my beater 35RC remains one of my favorite cameras - it's small (virtually disappears in my palm), unobtrusive, easy to use, and produces great results which rival the images I am able to obtain from my other cameras. </p>

<p>I'm also not terribly comfortable photographing unfamiliar people up close without permission, as it is not something I'd enjoy as a subject (Do unto others etc..).<br> So the solutions are:<br> 1. Ask (as JDM suggests) - many will say yes, and some won't. Of course, candids are out with this approach.<br> 2. Shoot candids without intruding - street photography doesn't have to be done with 35mm or wider lens, filling the frame with frontal shots of people; you could capture wider street scenes that include people as one element. And shooting people from the side or the rear (while dismissed by some who only value images of people whose faces are fully visible) can yield expressive results if done right, and is less confrontational.<br> 3. Shoot 'street' stuff that doesn't include people, but shows evidence of human activity - you're only limited by your imagination with this approach.<br> Of course if you are willing to risk offense or confrontation (which may be rare, but is inevitable), you could throw caution and your reticence to the winds and 'get in people's faces' a la Bruce Gilden and his ilk.<br> And as James suggests, avoid photographing kids (unless you have parental permission), just to avoid any potential unpleasantness.<br> Hope some of this helps :)</p>

<p>Love your 'sneaky tips' JDM :)</p>

<p>Thank you, David :)</p>

<p>Hi Andrew,<br> Thank you for the suggestions.<br> I do have a Contaflex spool - just tried it, and it seems to work :)<br> Thanks again!</p>

<p>Hi folks,<br> I just received a Zeiss Ikon Taxona, but only after its arrival did I notice that it lacked a take-up spool. Are these easy to find, and is there anything specific I need to look for with respect to this camera model?<br> Many thanks in advance,<br> Raj</p>

<p>I was going to take a new arrival, a Zeiss Ikon Taxona, out for its maiden voyage, but when I went to load the camera, I discovered that it lacked a take-up spool! <br> So the backups will have to do: Canon F1N + 50 1.4 SSC and Rolleiflex K4A, both probably with whatever random film I can easily fish out of the top of the fridge drawer.</p>

<p>Greg and Chuck - thank you for your suggestions. I might contact Mark Hansen first, and if he is unable to help me, I might look toward your chap, Chuck (for the moment, it might be easier to try for someone stateside).<br> Thanks again!</p>

<p>Does anyone have a recommendation for repair people who can service a Zeiss Sonnar 85mm f2 (for Contax rangefinder) in the US?<br> It's dirty and has some fungus, and I'd like to have it worked on by someone who is known for their good quality (and fairly priced) work on Zeiss Contax RF lenses.<br> Thank you in advance for your help,<br />Raj</p>

<p>Donald - I'll follow your tips and fingers crossed, will succeed :)<br> Glen - I did buy a couple of rolls just to try it out. I'm hoping they'll work but if they fail, it was only a few bucks down the tube. And I get to keep the lovely old boxes.</p>

<p>I started with digital, and with the excitement of the medium, I shot fairly indiscriminately at the beginning (quantity over quality!). I discovered film about a year later, and gradually my shooting has evolved to ~70:30 film:digital, the latter using old manual lenses.<br> My film shooting (usually with manual cameras, many lacking meters) has greatly informed my process greatly, including digital. I am now much more methodical about what I photograph and and how I photograph it, and previsualize the image much better prior to making the exposure. As a result, I enjoy my digital shooting much more than previously.<br> I have no preference for using film vs digital, but definitely prefer the engineering and handling of most of my film gear.</p>