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Exakta varex IIA and Zeiss Flektogon 25mm F4
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 7:17 pm    Post subject: Exakta varex IIA and Zeiss Flektogon 25mm F4 Reply with quote
SO, I ran into this combo for a cheap price, and bought it. I'm gonna try to clean up the camera which is tatty, but the lens, although kinda dirty, has good optics and mechanism. I have never seen it before. Anybody else have experience with it?


Apologies for the awful phone pics Smile



PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I had one that had been butchered and made to fit Pentax K. I thought it was pretty good, going by the Kodachromes it produced in the 1990s. It's certainly worth giving it a serious trial if the camera works okay. From memory, it focuses quite close which can be a bonus.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 12:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It likes to flare Wink

I'd uploaded some samples that got lost in that HD crash last year, will see if I can find 'em again.

Here's some old threads

http://forum.mflenses.com/flektogon-25-4-back-door-images-of-spring-t6490.html

http://forum.mflenses.com/rain-forest-stream-flek-25-4-t5780.html


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 1:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Really cool set.
The camera is probably non-functional, but who knows.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 8:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
fuzzywuzzy wrote:
It likes to flare Wink

I'd uploaded some samples that got lost in that HD crash last year, will see if I can find 'em again.

Here's some old threads

http://forum.mflenses.com/flektogon-25-4-back-door-images-of-spring-t6490.html

http://forum.mflenses.com/rain-forest-stream-flek-25-4-t5780.html


Looking very promising indeed!
I am tempted to use it on film, to get the maximum use out of the width. (My digital camera is a 1.6 crop)

Thanks for sharing those. It seems a rare lens so not many examples out there.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
Really cool set.
The camera is probably non-functional, but who knows.


Well, it seems to work properly, and the shutter speeds sound correct. The mirror is super dusty, so I might try cleaning it, and the focusing screen is functional but brown. I think the glue discoloured? I can get that replaced though.

I think I will have to try a roll of film Very Happy


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My sample was quite soft on edges. Even at F8. Special character lens definitely.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 12:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
My sample was quite soft on edges. Even at F8. Special character lens definitely.


That's cool. I like dem character lenses Very Happy


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I used it so time ago, after getting a Mandee 77mm lenshood for it (ebay somewhere). I used it on film only:


Haven't used it for close up yet; should be good.
Cheers,
Jan


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have one in Exakta mount. I use it on my µ4/3 cameras (crop factor = 2) and it is a real decent performer.
I confirm that it focuses closely, mine is marked with 0.16m as minimum focus distance ...

Congrats with your new cam and lens !

C U,
Rafael


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 5:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Check for shutter curtain pinholes.
By far the most common problem.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 6:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
Check for shutter curtain pinholes.
By far the most common problem.


I can't see any. Not sure what the correct way of seeing it is, but when I hold it up against the light it seems fine.

Thanks all of you for the feedback. I am pretty excited to try this lens now, although not quite sure what the best use on film is.
I guess that is part of the fun, to try and find out Smile

EDIT:

It seems some people made pretty good use of this combo:
http://www.ronslate.com/josef_koudelka_nationality_doubtful_edited_matthew_s_witkovsky_yale_university_press


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 8:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pretty much what you did is sufficient.
get the mirror up - shoot and do not wind.
take off the lens, open the back.
Hold it up to a very strong light. Best is in a dark room with a bare bulb, but you can do it lots of ways.
Big holes or lots of holes should be easy to see. Very tiny holes, for which you would have to look with care, may not be all that important.
There could also be pinholes in the second curtain, which is covered by the mirror when cocked, but these are less significant and I find much less common. Its also harder to check for them .


PostPosted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
rudolfkremers wrote:

EDIT:

It seems some people made pretty good use of this combo:
http://www.ronslate.com/josef_koudelka_nationality_doubtful_edited_matthew_s_witkovsky_yale_university_press


Yes, and I think his gypsy work was also done with that gear.

https://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&ALID=2TYRYD1KHF54


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 1:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
This is worst Flektogon in my experience , nice collector item , especially with camera.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
This is worst Flektogon in my experience , nice collector item , especially with camera.


But "worst" is still good Wink (Especially considering the date when it was introduced!)


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 3:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
scsambrook wrote:
Attila wrote:
This is worst Flektogon in my experience , nice collector item , especially with camera.


But "worst" is still good Wink (Especially considering the date when it was introduced!)


That's what I was hoping for. Smile
I will report back once I shot a roll of film with it :_D


A bigger worry is the brown focusing screen, The inner focusing circle does allow me to line up the circle halves until I reach focus, but its soooo dark. Any suggestions on changing viewfinder? I know a ton were made...


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm not sure if the later plastic screens with split image centres and fresnel outer areas actually fit the earlier prisms, but if they do then that should solve the lack of brilliance that's bothering you. Even so, you'll need to keep your eye centered in the viewfinder. I doubt that a microprism one will be easy for focusing - the small aperture will probably cause the prisms to black out, and the great depth of field of the 25mm lens won't give much 'shimmer' anyway.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2015 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
For a 25mm lens, for anything but extreme closeup, don't bother focusing with the screen.
Its easier and faster just to estimate the distance and use the scale on the lens.
The DOF is so great that it is both difficult to focus precisely and also not really necessary.
The viewfinder is best used just for framing.

This is assuming that the scale is correct, more or less.
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