View Full Version : New guy - new R3A
kneedropper
12-30-2004, 11:06
My first post, hello all. Today I got my new R3A and 40mm Nokton (MC). It's my first RF and therefore I didn't really know what to expect – I've never handled any other RFs either.
I started photographing some 20 years ago with Nikon SLR's, changing to a rather complete Canon EOS-1N set with a lens range from 17 to 200mm (no true need for longer) 5 years ago. Since then, less and less of shooting and good pics. I thought that was because of starting my own business and becoming a dad (which certainly increased digital snapshotting and videography!). But on my last vacation in Italy I got tired of towing the Canon around (even with just one lens). Also its bulk never went unnoticed and the corteous italians always stopped in their tracks as not to ruin my images. Which led to the opposite. And since my best shots ever were taken a decade ago with a Nikon F3 I had to conclude that auto this and that just doesn't become me.
So I sold everything, also my G2 as digital images suck, I just cant stand all that purple fringing, my wife's ixus i can manage that just as well...
So wanting to loose the bulk and get control of things, what else could I choose but an RF? And since we moved in a bigger flat this fall, I couldn't use all I got from the old gear to pay for the new. It was rather a coincidence I stumbled over CQ's pages just when Mr Gandy was at Photokina, offering the R3A at $499 and free worldwide shipping. With the dollar sucking dirt it was a no-brainer. But still, admittedly, a bit of a leap.
So today, handling the Bessa for the very first time, I didn't have any RF-experience for reference. Thus my findings are "unfiltered":
– Not pretty, but looks very solid in every aspect
– The shutter release feels good
– The dial is too stiff
– The AE lock is well placed
– The thumb support is not, for me
– The shutter sound: Someone wrote it sounded like "Thonk". Please – at best it's a "Thrak" with speeds above 1/250, from 1/125 down to 1/60 it's a "Thrarak" and slower than that a "Thra-Tak". Anything but solid. But I have no comparison, no clue of what a R, R2 or a Leica M sounds like.
– I have a face carved with an axe – a huge nose and strong brows, eyes somewhat deep. No glasses, perfect sight, but still I can't see the 40mm lines unless I look straight in the middle, which I guess is what you're supposed to be doing... The viewfinder is also quite far from the left side of the camera (compared to Leica), so my nose has me turning my head left a bit to get the (right) eye in position. Can't blame the camera for my lazy right eye, which makes shooting with both eyes open quite impossible as the left eye walks over it and I can hardly see the finder at all, even less the RF area. I do manage with effort, but then I could just as well close the left eye.
– The worst part of the finder is that the RF area view is vertically parallel only at the close end – at 0.7 meters. At just over 1 meter lines on a postcard are clearly on top of each other. And it only gets worse the further I focus. Is this typical? It's really hard to focus fast when you never get a sharp image in the finder, even if the shot was.
And the the 40mm Nokton. It looks like a killer, but the focusing – good grief! It's a real pain for me. Smooth is everything it isn't and the noise is annoying. And how should I place my hand and fingers to operate it? The best I've found is to have my palm towards the camera, my thumb on the left (rear view) "knob" (not in the "groove") and index finger on the barrel (why is it smooth all around?). Turning would be easier with palm facing right, thumb in groove and index finger on top, but then I block the viewfinder... If the action was smooth, then I guess all would work, but now it "jumps" if I don't pinch it for better control.
Tomorrow I will start shooting. Last week I also bought a S/H 15mm/4.5 Heliar, an interesting piece of glass. I've also had a Nikon V ED on my desk for 2 weeks now, but haven't had the time to get it operating. Have to find the time next week.
Well, if anyone endured this far, good news, just a few lines left. I'd be very happy to read your views and especially your opinion on the RF disalignement and the focusing action of the Nokton. Sorry for any/all spelling errors and a peacefull New Year. I also would like to encourage all to make a donation to help the victims of the Tsunami catastrophe.
Best Regards,
Johan
Todd.Hanz
12-30-2004, 11:17
Welcome Johan to RFF,
I don't have any practical experience with the R3A but there are some here that do, don't give up on it yet! Get out there and shoot some film, I've seen some great samples from another member here, alansoon, of the 40mm and it's a realy nice lens. Looking forward to seeing some of your images in the gallery, stick with it!
Todd
kneedropper
12-30-2004, 11:21
Thanks Todd. Don't worry I'm not that hasty :p
d30gaijin
12-30-2004, 11:36
>>And the the 40mm Nokton. It looks like a killer, but the focusing – good grief! It's a real pain for me. Smooth is everything it isn't and the noise is annoying.<<
Welcome to the Forum Johan!
I don't have the Bessa R3, though I have had the Bessa L, T, and R. The only one I kept was the L for use with my CV 25mm and 15mm lenses. Neither the T nor the R bodies did I like. Rangefinder alignment was an issue on both and they just didn't feel good in my hands. But I did recently buy the 40mm Nokton and must say my experience isn't like yours. Mine is very smooth in focusing and makes no noise whatsoever (or perhaps you were simply refering to the camera in the above quote?).
If you want a truly quiet shutter you'll want to buy a Leica M series camera. They give off only a quiet "Snick" at worst.
Don
kneedropper
12-30-2004, 11:58
Hei Don and thanks for the warm welcome. I am actually referring to the hissing noise the Nokton gives when focusing. My 15 mm gives some, too, but far less. And feels much smoother and is easy to "fine-focus" with just one finger. On the Nokton smaller movement gets sticky, "jumpy" – I'm pretty shure you know what I mean by that – two fingers are a must. But now that I've practised, I'm getting better response, with my thumb in the groove, index finger at 10-11 (rear view) and other fingers in my palm. This works when focusing from 1,5 meters to infinity. And maybe it'll smoothen with time...
A Leica is my goal further up the road.
About the scratchily-focusing Nokton, I suggest you email Stephen Gandy about it. My guess is that it isn't right.
And don't get too hung up about the quietness of Leica shutters, especially at slower speeds. At 1/30 it's more like "sni-schlaka-ick"; at 1/8 it's "sni-schlakakak-ick", and at 1 sec. it's "sni-bzzzzzzzzzzzt-ick."
At least with the R3a's electronically timed shutter, the only sounds you ever get are "Tick-Tock," with a variable amount of space between.
d30gaijin
12-30-2004, 12:21
Originally posted by jlw
And don't get too hung up about the quietness of Leica shutters, especially at slower speeds. At 1/30 it's more like "sni-schlaka-ick"; at 1/8 it's "sni-schlakakak-ick", and at 1 sec. it's "sni-bzzzzzzzzzzzt-ick."
Jim,
Yes, but it's a very quiet sni-schlaka-ick, sni-schlakakak-ick, sni-bzzzzzzzzzzzt-ick. LOL!
d30gaijin
12-30-2004, 12:24
Johan,
My Nokton was just a tad sticky at first but soon loosened up and now moves very smoothly and easily. But it never did make a hissing noise.
Don
kneedropper
12-30-2004, 12:55
I need to go to bed, it's midnight in a few minutes... but I just made an experiment: took the Nokton of the body and in my hands and reaching them out straight I heard the hissing sound clearly but not as loud – the camera body amplifies the noise. With the Heliar this doesn't happen, as its "insides" at the back don't rotate, the rotation is internal, unlike on the Nokton. Still, I've never had a lens as loud as the Nokton – and I've had a few...
Good night, or whatever time of day you're having.
Johan
d30gaijin
12-30-2004, 13:04
Johan,
It's 3:00 in the afternoon here in Idaho and soon I'll be heading home from work. One advantage you, there, have over me, here, is that tomorrow evening the booze and good cheer will come for you while I'm still doing the daily grind. LOL!
Have a safe and happy new year!
Don
Johan welcome to the forum! :) I was in your beautiful country a couple of years ago and loved it!! I do not own your camera or lens but your comments about focusing the 40mm Nokton struck a chord with me.
I too come from a photographic background like yours - completely SLR. I too am used to a focusing ring that is knurled in some way and that can be gripped with thumb and forefinger. Why is it smooth all around? Well because you are supposed to focus it with a finger inside that concave tab (don't ask me which finger is supposed to go in there LOL). If you try doing that you will find that your highly learned method of holding and focusing a camera doesn't work any more!
I tried really, really hard to use lenses with tabs. I bought two and I returned both because I simply couldn't deal with them, my camera grip was completely messed up and I got very frustrated trying to find a comfortable new hold and focusing method. I blame Leica - I can't imagine they did any ergonomics R&D before they introduced tabs however many years ago but now most Leica users are stuck with them and have managed to acclimatize themselves to the design.
I use a Leica M6 and this design flaw (which is what I believe it to be) means that I can't use any Leica wide-angle lenses. This is not a huge loss, unlike many Leica owners I'm not a fanatic and I'm very happy with my Japanese 21mm and 35mm lenses, but I sympathize with your problem and I hope that, unlike me, you will overcome it. If nothing else, being able to use a tabbed lens will increase the lens choices for you. :)
Can you guys make those sounds again?
Hi Johan.
Hey Johan,
Here is a link I saw on photo.net:
http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AWib
In it a new 40mm Nokoton owner describes how to lube the lens and make that focusing action nice and smoooooth!
Hope it helps out. Have fun, Cheers!
AKALAI
Welcome, Johan! Some other 40mm Nokton owners have commented on stiff and slightly jerky focusing, commenting that after "exercising" the lens (moving the focus back and forth to the limits) while doing other things results in smoother motion.
Earlier R models had occasional problem with vertical misalignment of the focusing patch. I believe this was solved by returning the cameras for replacement. I don't recall others saying the misalignment changed through the focusing range, though.
My Bronica RF645 has a slight vertical misalignment that is barely noticeable, but it may go in for repair some day. Also, misalignment like this may occur with "normal" use; I've had my Leica M2 rangefinder realigned a few tiimes in the 37 years I've had it.
Peter_n gives some good advice and useful comments, but has a different opinion on lens focusing tabs than I! I like 'em. You can learn where the tab is for different focus distances, and use that knowledge to roughly focus the lens without even looking at the camera... good for fast action shots on the street.
Learn to love the tab! :) High-speed lenses tend not to have a tab, if you really want to avoid them. I've heard of people having their repair person remove a lens tab they object to... I look carefully at photos of any lens I'm shopping for, hoping to see that it has a tab. In some years some Leica lenses had the tab while in other years the "same" lenses did not.
You have found a reasonable way to avoid putting your fingers in the way of the viewfinder, and I in addition rotate the camera right-side-down for vertical shots for this reason.
This forum so successfully advocates use of RF cameras, I'm sure there are many SLRs left on the shelf gathering dust as a result. I hope you enjoy your R3a (or its replacement), as it seems a very nice camera (though the 40mm frames are difficult even without eyeglasses, as others have reported, same as you.)
Hello Johan and welcome to RFF. I am sure that you will grow to love RF photography, I did when I bought my R2 in 2002. I have never touched my old SLR since. I feel RF photography, especially with wide angle lens is very intuitive and it gave me better results as compared to my older non RF photos. :)
Hello Johan and welcome to this forum. We have got many new members from Finland.
Cheers, Esa
kneedropper
01-02-2005, 07:00
Thank You all for the warm welcome, nice and comfy here, mmm...
Just returned home and wanted to inform, that Stephen suggested that I send both the body and lens back unused to be replaced. So looks like a further month before I get to the fun part... sigh :(
At least I'll have time to set up the scanner and practice some with old slides and negatives.
That doesn't surprise me Johan, he is IMO a dealer of integrity. A couple of months ago I bought something from him, sent the funds and then had second thoughts.
He wired the money back into my bank account - no questions asked - when he could very easily have insisted on a sale.
Good luck with your next camera! :)
kneedropper
01-02-2005, 08:31
A new problem! Was starting to pack the gear, but once more winded and pressed the shutter – nothing! Took the batteries out, put them back, tightened the cover – nothing. Loosened the cover maybe 20° – "thratak"! Winded, tightened – nothing. Loosened – "thratak". So if I tighten the battery cover as tight as I can with two fingers, it wont fire. Interesting...
alansoon
01-02-2005, 18:05
Kneedropper, the lens will loosen up with use. The grease hardens quite a bit in the cold weather (which I'm sure is more severe where you are!). Just keep "exercising" it.
As for the body, well... I've consistently had quality-related problems with the Bessas. I had two Bessas which suffered from the occasional jam and an out-of-focus rangefinder. I've stayed away from the cameras, but I love the lenses.
Good luck. Don't let this faze you.
saltyfli
01-02-2005, 20:48
Johan, welcome aboard.I hope you post your pictures when you get your replacement camera. Good Luck! Saltyfli
kneedropper
01-03-2005, 08:40
Originally posted by alansoon
the lens will loosen up with use. The grease hardens quite a bit in the cold weather (which I'm sure is more severe where you are!). Just keep "exercising" it.
No I won't :D. Sent both the body and lens back today. No point in hanging on to the lens, since the only body had to go... and I only wish we did have proper winter weather, but the temp is swaying on both sides of freezing, so it sucks. But we do have heating in our igloos, so maybe the lens would have been ok with time.
I'll give Bessa another chance, since AE is somewhat a must for my street work, as I don't have an integrated light meter in my head and cannot afford an M7.
But since Stephen has to send me a new camera and lens and I've paid for it, My Visa probably could stretch for yet another lens. But what should I get? 15mm is too wide for human (main) subjects, but wide is good (a must really) for shooting climbers, which I enjoy ;). So maybe the 25/4? On the other hand, I'd also like to shoot portraits. Is 50 too short? Is the CV 50/1.5 really good?
Hit me.
Johan
On the other hand, I'd also like to shoot portraits. Is 50 too short?
IMHO, 50mm lens with camera held vertically is nearly ideal for full-body-length or waist-up portraits. It keeps you far enough away to avoid weird perspective effects, but not so far away that you can't interact with the subject (which is the most important ingredient for good portraiture.)
If you want to shoot tightly-cropped "headshots," you might be more comfortable with something slightly longer, such as the C-V 75mm.
Johan I don't see why you can't use the 40mm for portraiture when the new one arrives...
The CV 25/4 is not rangefinder coupled, but the CV 21/4 is and it is a great lens and only $75 more than the 25/4.
The 25/4 would be a great choice in its focal length; I have one and think it's a great little lens. True, it's not RF coupled, but it does have distance click-stops and with careful attention to estimating distances it works rather well. Maybe not the best choice for wide-open and close-in.
One of the 28mm lenses would also be a useful companion to the 40mm, and both Voigtlander 28's are excellent lenses.
kneedropper
01-21-2005, 03:25
Well, I got my replacements today.
Same problem, but at the opposite end of focus. Managed to take a pic through the VF at minimum distance.
I feel somewhat sick. Waiting for Stephens comments.
The 40mm Nokton is smoother. But there is a clacking noise from within when I lighlty shake it, like something is loose. Normal?
Johan
kneedropper
01-21-2005, 03:46
Forgot to mention that just like with the first one, the cussioning inside the box for the body had collapsed in transit. I asked Stephen to look into this and maybe put some extra stuff inside before sending the replacement, but I guess he forgot. Cosina should invest a few cents more in the packaging...
Originally posted by kneedropper
Well, I got my replacements today.
Same problem, but at the opposite end of focus. Managed to take a pic through the VF at minimum distance.
I feel somewhat sick. Waiting for Stephens comments.
The 40mm Nokton is smoother. But there is a clacking noise from within when I lighlty shake it, like something is loose. Normal?
Johan No, not normal Johan. A lens should not be making a clacking noise. And that packaging looks really poor.
If it makes you feel any better, Allen Gilman in Tokyo has also had two faulty bodies, and has given up on the R3A and (I think) bought a used Leica. I believe he got a good 40mm Nokton though.
I wouldn't blame you if this sours you on the Voigtlander brand. It would me... :(
Just got my first film developed - scanning... this forum also seems to have a technical problem, so I had to register under a new username...
Johan
So what was the story on the cam Johan? Was it OK after all?
No, but I'm not sending it back, I can get it fixed here. The RF alignment doesn't seem to be the only thing, though, the lens seems to be behaving badly, my focusing falls short. But I'll have to do some more testing to make sure it's not me, too, or only...
I do like the athmospere the 40 gives... but not the loose clacking sound coming from within.
To further clear things out: I did some "scientific" shooting and although focusing on subjects at 2, 3, 4 and 5 meters gave the exact reading on the focusing ring, the resulting images were off focus (short, waaaay short). So go figure... if there is something loose inside - and it seems to be glass by the weight of the sound and feel - I'm one unlucky sob...
You certainly are! :( If it were me, I would just send everything back and ask for a credit. Stephen Gandy is a very decent man - he would do something like that, no problem.
Apple Juice
01-29-2005, 22:10
Dear Johan,
I am sorry (and kinda scared :eek: ) to hear of all the problems you have with your Bessa R3A. I am waiting for my R2A to arrive and I have been following your thread with particular interest. Thank you for such a detailed description of your first impressions of the Bessa R3A. I hope you will eventually sort out all those alignment problems. I guess I am also hoping to "get lucky" with my Bessa.
Like you this is my first foray into the rangefinder world and I hope you will not be put off by these problems.
Will continue to follow this thread with interest.
Take care,
AJ
nihraguk
01-29-2005, 23:10
To hear you guys tell it, it sounds like getting a properly-working Bessa body is somewhat akin (if not as extreme ) to getting a properly-working FSU FED or Zorki...
Looks like Bessa really needs to work on that QC.
Well, if it helps, according to Stephen at CQ (and I have no doubts) the gear I got was in perfect working order before shipping. But over 5000 miles of "economy" handling on the way seem to be too much for it. But should it? I think not. But then again, maybe one shouldn't expect the ruggedness of a Leica for 1/4 (or less actually) of the price I guess...
Here are the images that got lost yesterday...
Johan
nihraguk
01-30-2005, 00:09
Those are some pretty nice pics, Johan :) Maybe Stephen should consider offering more 'premium' S/H options then. I hope you manage to get lens/camera in working order soon.
FinBred, I hope you get the Bessa fixed soon. Then, check again how the 40 performs. If any problems with the lens are still there I'd say you should inform Stephen Gandy a.s.a.p. Good luck on you!
With bodies in particular the Russian egg theory of packing should apply. A box inside a box inside... And the packing has to be ridiculous. I got my M6TTL from Photo Village in NYC and I live 250 miles away in Boston. The camera did not come with it's original Leica packaging. Rich Pinto cocooned that body in a box that was cocooned in another relatively huge box. I mean it looked ridiculous when that tiny body emerged from all that stuff but the damn camera was in one piece!
The problem with the packing was that although there was a box within a box (and even some NYTimes inbetween) the original cardboard surrounding the body inside the original box couldn't take it, which resulted in almost an inch of free movement up and down - and pretty hard stops at both ends. I guess that was enough. As for the lens - I don't get it. Now that I'm not sure I like the bokeh on it, I'm thinking of returning it in any case and getting the 50/1.5 and 35/2.5 PII instead...
One – or several actually – more plus for the Nokton 50mm – I found a little box with 52mm filters (yellow, orange, blue) and a filter holder + a polar filter etc...
The camera should be encased in polystyrene inside the box. That's a major problem right there - cardboard is useless. I assume that's cost cutting.
It was the Nokton 40mm that I ordered (and paid for) from Stephen Gandy that he refunded for me. I saw the first internet pics of the output from that lens and I didn't like it. I thought discretion should be the better part of valor...
Looks like I'll be doing the same – though Stephen will get some more dough :)
And while you all eagerly await my Bessa images, here are some shot with my late F3... :p
Shot 2, loooong exposure of a factory building.
And shot 3, of a friend, with my beloved and lost Agfachrome 1000 RS
kneedropper
01-30-2005, 21:47
Groovy, I got my original username back now that e-mails work again!
And Stephen Ok'd my plans to send the 40 back, replaced by the 50 and 35. I'm happy.
I'm happy.
That's what counts, kneedropper! :)
kneedropper
01-31-2005, 06:27
So right you are, sent the 40mm on its way across the oceans...
wblanchard
01-31-2005, 07:41
I think it's funny that a camera made in Japan has a Germany stamp on it. How many people who don't know the R3A will assume it's a German made camera? *Grin*
I think it's funny that a camera made in Japan has a Germany stamp on it. How many people who don't know the R3A will assume it's a German made camera? *Grin*
These things happen more and more. Philips is a Dutch name but hardly anything they produce is actually made here. Lots of car brands have undergone the same process. Even Leica is (was?) made in Canada.
Some Leica assemblies are made in Portugal too. To be fair to CV, yes it says "Germany since 1756" or whatever but both the bodies and the lenses are clearly inscribed "Made in Japan".
So right you are, sent the 40mm on its way across the oceans...
By the way, how long did it take to get your R3a ? I've ordered a lens to CQ, knowing that shipping delays to Europe are long. I'm waiting patiently though ^^
By the way, how long did it take to get your R3a ? I've ordered a lens to CQ, knowing that shipping delays to Europe are long. I'm waiting patiently though ^^
When I ordered my Bessa R (now about 2 years ago, I reckon) it didn't take too long: 2-3 weeks at the most, including waiting for Stephen shipping it in the first place.
Recently rover (at was you, wasn't it, rover?) send me a 135mm VF from the US to Holland. It arrived in a couple of days.
IMO and IME (in my experience) shipping from the US to Holland is usually pretty swift. If something takes more than 2 weeks to get here I start to get worried and will ask the seller/ sender.
I don't know how the french postal system is but shipping times to paris shoul, I reckon, be similar as to Holland. Or is the french post really crappy? :)
kneedropper
01-31-2005, 10:02
8 to 10 working days from the date Stephen sent them, regular airmail. But it took over 3 weeks for the returned gear to go the same way back, even as priority mail...
Then I'll wait till the end of this week (that would do 3 weeks then) before starting to bitch and complain about the french post ;)
Edit : No need to complain, my lens has just arrived today !! Yay ! I'm going to give it a shot ^^
kneedropper
02-02-2005, 03:13
Just to give you an update: The rf vertical alignment is fixed, there is now only slight misalignment from close-up to about 2 meters, from there on it's good. But now I don't have any rf coupled lenses as the 40mm is on its way back and the new ones will take about 2 weeks. Agony.
kneedropper
02-08-2005, 06:25
I seem to be getting wild. Now I desided, instead of getting the 35 and 50 both with M mount adapters ($55 each), I ordered just one and an L body (a mere $14 difference) which will be dedicated for the 15mm I bought s/h - which had an adapter since it had been used on a Leica M... so what 3 months ago was to be just a basic R3a + 40/1.4 combo is now turning into a R3a + 35/2.5C + 50/1.5 + L + 15/4.5. What went wrong..? :eek:
They call it GAS here Johan. BTW you can get perfectly good adapters from Merkle Camera in Canada for US$30. :) No need to pay $55.
Designer
02-08-2005, 08:22
Hi Johan,
Let's keep on enriching your Voigtlander family, just postpone your SACD project! :D
Keven
johan,
Well that packaging sure looks safe. I always wondered how Cosina managed to keep prices so low. Now I know they are at least 100% dedicated to them. :)
Hope they are not getting insurance claims from the dealers for faulty gear thanks to cushioning their packages with what apperas to be two layers of effing drawing paper.
But anyways, do you have more scans of the 40? The bokeh in the pic of your daughter(?) playing outside looks really funny (spell=ugly?), whereas the inside furniture shot is nothing near as bad.
The lenses rendering of OOF areas seems to be higly dependent of the distance to the subject I suppose, although I haven't yet experienced this on any other lens.
It is almost annoying to see so many shots of the 40 substancially varying in character, I remember seeing some on PN, shot wide open and the bokeh looked much like the 1st version summilux. Yet some others including your outdoors shot, are nothing like it. I reckon there is a difference in COATING between the SC and MC version, but the optics are the same are they...
Also, the 50 Nokton is sometimes mentioned as producing harsh unpleasant bokeh, but I haven't heard anyone complain about the 40 when it obviously is much more prone to this "feature"..
Seems like I'm gonna buy the 50 instead...
cheers,
phil
Huck Finn
02-08-2005, 13:11
johan,
The lenses rendering of OOF areas seems to be higly dependent of the distance to the subject. phil
Interesting observation, Phil. did you see Mike Johnston's (first to write about bokeh in USA) comment on PN regarding factors that influende bokeh? something like this:
1. width of aperture
2. distance to subject
3. distance of background from subject
4. contrastiness of background
Your comment certainly seems to fit with this.
Huck
kneedropper
02-08-2005, 14:38
Just put 4 images up my gallery :D that pretty well show the bokeh qualities of the 40/1.4 I had. Distance and especially contrast are the important factors if you ask me. That outside shot makes me feel sick...
Tom Conte
02-08-2005, 16:46
Yeah that'd qualify as some pretty funky looking bokeh in my book. Looks like how I feel after too much double-extra-shot cappuccino.
Tom
The indoor ones were pretty good though in my eyes. This lens, as I look at it more, is strangely inconsistent.
kneedropper
02-09-2005, 01:39
you can get perfectly good adapters from Merkle Camera in Canada for US$30. :) No need to pay $55.
Nah, only the best is good enough... Well, ok, the most expensive. ;)
LOL Johan! I have one of those too, its on my 21mm Kobalux lens and it cost a fortune! :( The adapters sold by Merkle are beautifully made and come with a key for unscrewing them from the lens. They are made by Marumi and if you want to pay $55 for them you can - Marumi OEMs them to Adorama who sell them for $55. ;)
I like your signature GIF by the way... :)
kneedropper
02-09-2005, 06:08
LOL Johan! I have one of those too, its on my 21mm Kobalux lens and it cost a fortune!
Now I feel I really did make a good deal buying the 15/4.5 for 315 € as this was included. Also nice original Leica pouches for both the lens and VF! And the lens is of the limited 100 Jahre 1900-2000 series. Not that it would make any better pictures...
I like your signature GIF by the way... :)
Thanks. One needs to have something to do at night... Adobe Imageready made it easy and fast as I actuallyfigured out how to do it the easiest way before I started :p
Huck Finn
02-09-2005, 08:37
LOL Johan! I have one of those too, its on my 21mm Kobalux lens and it cost a fortune! :( The adapters sold by Merkle are beautifully made and come with a key for unscrewing them from the lens. They are made by Marumi and if you want to pay $55 for them you can - Marumi OEMs them to Adorama who sell them for $55. ;)
I like your signature GIF by the way... :)
So, Peter, I take it that the adapter sold by Adorama is better than the one sold byMerkle. You get what you pay for, right? :D
Just put 4 images up my gallery :D that pretty well show the bokeh qualities of the 40/1.4 I had. Distance and especially contrast are the important factors if you ask me. That outside shot makes me feel sick...
The chair behind the hifi kit has a similar effect on me. The LHS almost looks like it it moving up and down and you've caught a double image - yeuch! :eek: One question: are you getting donut-like OOF images of bright pinpoints?
David
I think what the 40mm is doing is giving "ni-sen" - double line streaks. Caused by a OOF point of light being rendered as a bright ring, as opposed to a disc or (best) Gaussian spread. The Leica Noctilux gives a similar effect in some pics that I have seen of it (no, I don't own one!) which makes me wonder if it is a fundamental optical problem associated with making very fast lenses of this focal length.
Ni-sen is nothing new; see HERE (http://utenti.lycos.it/Bresson/Henri_Cartier-Bresson-Camus.html) for a picture of HCB with the double image effect in the background again. A useful resource on bokeh (see double twig images at top of page especially) is HERE (http://www.hobbymaker.narod.ru/English/Articles/bokeh_eng.htm).
Not a lot one can do about it except change the f-stop so that the background is no longer OOF (!) or open it up so far that it is so out of focus that everything smears together.
David
kneedropper
02-23-2005, 01:16
Nothing can stop me now! And this thread can rest in peace...
Very nice! :) Good luck with your new gear, you deserve it after the pain you went through...
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