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PostPosted: Wed Mar 29, 2023 5:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:

Finally a Rolleiflex SL35 with an unknown 1.4/50mm lens (front ring is missing; lens is probably a Zeiss Planar). I don't know much about German cameras and lenses - but a quick search did come up with only the Zeiss Planar 1.4/50mm as a f1.4 standard lens for the SL35. Sure enough, this one has a differerent optical construction than the contemporary Zeiss Planar 1.4/50mm for the Contax RTS (smaller diamater of the rear lens). Does anyone have more precise information?


This is the standard 7/6 extended Ultron construction (added rear element) like the similar Minolta MD II and III lenses. The first copies have been manufactured in Braunschweig/Germany and later the Production was moved to Singapore. All Singapore models are HFT coated, the first patches made in Germany "only" MC. The markings/branding was "Carl Zeiss Planar" in the Western World and "Opton" in the former Eastern Block countries. There was no Voigtländer branded Version.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 11:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doc Sharptail wrote:
Interesting drive for the F2.
I have not seen that battery pack configuration before.
Could you show the rear of the drive when you have time?

-D.S.


Here you are:





tb_a wrote:

This is the standard 7/6 extended Ultron construction (added rear element) like the similar Minolta MD II and III lenses. The first copies have been manufactured in Braunschweig/Germany and later the Production was moved to Singapore. All Singapore models are HFT coated, the first patches made in Germany "only" MC. The markings/branding was "Carl Zeiss Planar" in the Western World and "Opton" in the former Eastern Block countries. There was no Voigtländer branded Version.


Thank you for that information! My lens is marked with "Lens made in West Germany". Interestingly, this Zeiss Planar 1.4/50mm for Rolleiflex clearly has an optical construction differing from the Zeiss Planar 1.4/50mm for Contax/Yashica. While the front looks similar, the rear lens of the Rolleiflex Zeiss 1.4/50 has a much smaller diameter than the rear lens of the Planar 1.4/50 for CY.

S


PostPosted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
Interestingly, this Zeiss Planar 1.4/50mm for Rolleiflex clearly has an optical construction differing from the Zeiss Planar 1.4/50mm for Contax/Yashica. While the front looks similar, the rear lens of the Rolleiflex Zeiss 1.4/50 has a much smaller diameter than the rear lens of the Planar 1.4/50 for CY.


Well, that's a rather long and complicated story because Rollei took over Voigtländer/Braunschweig from Zeiss/Oberkochen when Rollei started the 35mm camera and lenses production in Braunschweig.
Prior to this take-over Zeiss branded the Voigtländer developed and manufactured lenses also as Zeiss lenses and they kept also the copyright which later resulted in several lawsuits between Rollei and Zeiss.
Approximately at the same time Zeiss started with their Contax/Yashica cooperation and production with a different line of lenses without Voigtländer history. The HFT and T* coating design was a co-development from Rollei and Zeiss and is identical.
At least this is in short the information as published by Claus Prochnov in his "Report" books about Voigtländer and Rollei; i.e. a rather trustworthy source.


PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 2:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:


Here you are:

S


Thanks very much! It is what I thought at first, and probably the final version.
Sorry I missed this. Notifications are not working here?

-D.S.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2023 1:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote


I received this Petri made Exakta FE 2000, one of the last cameras released by Ihagee West before going out of business for good. It was an M42 mount camera, but this time with an auto-exposure function which worked only with lenses made for this particular camera type. This one arrived with the meter not running, which turned out to be nothing more than a corroded battery connection having broken right through. Unfortunately it was something of a ordeal to reattach it as the metal for the battery connector would not accept solder, regardless of what I tried. I eventually found a solution however. The lens is the Petri 55/1.7, a later upgrade from their standard 55/1.8 lens.


PostPosted: Sat May 06, 2023 11:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote


Nikkormat FTn here with Nikon bellows PB-2, 55mm f3.5 Micro-Nikkor P, and early Nikon slide copying unit.
I finally got the lens lock-pin repair completed (by me) on the bellows.



Same bellows with F2, BR-2 Nikkor reversing ring, and reversed 50mm f2 Nikkor H. Good combination for some of the medium and large size insects that spring brings.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 24, 2023 1:38 am    Post subject: The Nikon bug bit again Reply with quote
The idea of getting an F4 had been growing on me, since I became aware that prices on them had dropped a lot in the past few years. Even a decade ago, they were dirt cheap, but that was at the tail end of the film-era glut of manual stuff on the market. Still loads of them around for between 100 and 300 Earthly currency units.
The first one I bought fell through, as the 'free shipping' from Japan only applied to US sales, but the listing didn't say that. Sad
Second time lucky, and for about the same money, a nice F4, with 1.4 AF-Nikkor and SB-23 flash.
Just arrived today, as the importer / customs took their time about clearing it.
In the hand it just feels right, heavy but comfortable. All the normal bits I was slightly worried are working fine - no LCD bleed, everything works as it should (so far) and the only thing that's slightly defective is the thread for the eyepiece - it's been half-broken off. I can still use the VF, of course, just need to be careful not to scratch my glasses.
Not sure whether to bother finding the bigger battery grip, as I'll wait until I see how long the batteries in the BG20 last. If they last 30 rolls, I'll be happy.
Immediately ordered some Ilford XP-2 400 for it, as I used to be dead happy with that stuff when it was in XP-1 version (shows how long I've been out of that game)
Recent years have seen me only shooting home-devved silver-halide film, but previously I was always impressed by the exposure latitude and tonality (and the smoothness ) of XP film.
Damn, I'd even buy some colour reversal film, but the processing costs now are just ridiculous, and the only way that will happen is if I buy a home-dev kit for that and build up a backlog of reversal films to take advantage of the size of the kit, and do them all at once.



PostPosted: Sat Jun 24, 2023 11:08 pm    Post subject: Re: The Nikon bug bit again Reply with quote
Farside wrote:
The idea of getting an F4 had been growing on me, since I became aware ...


Same happened to me, a few years ago. Originally being a Mamiya/Minolta guy, the idea of getting a few of those iconic Nikon F series SLRs became more and more tempting ten years ago (I had used an F2 shortly in the early 1990s, but didn't get better results than with my Minolta 9000 SLRs, so I sold it not much later).

Six or seven years ago my (then) favourite photo store had a nice F4, so I got it. Basically at the same time I unexpectedly won a well-worn Nikon F, and within two or three months I got a nice F5, too. Soon an F3 was following, and finally the F2 of a well known sportsman was added to my small collection of F bodies. Personally I prefer the F3 and the F5 over F2 and F4, but some here will strongly disagree Wink

S


PostPosted: Sun Jun 25, 2023 6:39 am    Post subject: Re: The Nikon bug bit again Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
Farside wrote:
The idea of getting an F4 had been growing on me, since I became aware ...


Same happened to me, a few years ago. Originally being a Mamiya/Minolta guy, the idea of getting a few of those iconic Nikon F series SLRs became more and more tempting ten years ago (I had used an F2 shortly in the early 1990s, but didn't get better results than with my Minolta 9000 SLRs, so I sold it not much later).

Six or seven years ago my (then) favourite photo store had a nice F4, so I got it. Basically at the same time I unexpectedly won a well-worn Nikon F, and within two or three months I got a nice F5, too. Soon an F3 was following, and finally the F2 of a well known sportsman was added to my small collection of F bodies. Personally I prefer the F3 and the F5 over F2 and F4, but some here will strongly disagree Wink

S


All a matter of personal taste to me, and zero to do with the cameras and their abilities:

I never had much interest in the the F-4, and above, although I did a brief reading on almost all of them.
I owned at least 2 (I think) of the F-3, but they still do not have the personal to me cachet of the older F-2.
I sold off both F-3's and haven't really looked back.
The F-2 seems a little better to me with eyeglasses on, even over the the F-3 HP. YMMV.

Congrats on the new to you camera!

-D.S.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 28, 2023 1:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, I've been thinking of acquiring an F2 as well, or even before this, but thought I may as well get one of these while they're available cheaply enough.
The F2 would be a hark-back to the past, when I was using my first decent camera, the FT-2, and I had the use of an F2 Photomic S any time I wanted it.
What impressed me about the F2-S was its sheer indestructability, quite literally. It fell off my mate's motorcycle at about 70mph, bounced along the road and still worked. Yeah, some bits had flown off of it, but they were easily put back on.
He sent the camera to Nikon UK for repair and they sent him back almost a new camera, and refused to charge him anything.
Since then, I've had a hankering for good Nikon stuff, but it's only in recent times I've done anything about it, spending most of the intervening years using OM-1s, Canons and Pentaxes.
Now working on putting together a decent basic set of Nikon user equipment that should cover me for just about anything I want to do.
I'm not buying exotic or expensive glass though - I've got a decent range of Tamron SP lenses which will do for the extreme end of things.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 28, 2023 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Farside wrote:
Well, I've been thinking of acquiring an F2 as well, or even before this, but thought I may as well get one of these while they're available cheaply enough.
The F2 would be a hark-back to the past, when I was using my first decent camera, the FT-2, and I had the use of an F2 Photomic S any time I wanted it.
What impressed me about the F2-S was its sheer indestructability, quite literally. It fell off my mate's motorcycle at about 70mph, bounced along the road and still worked. Yeah, some bits had flown off of it, but they were easily put back on.
He sent the camera to Nikon UK for repair and they sent him back almost a new camera, and refused to charge him anything.
Since then, I've had a hankering for good Nikon stuff, but it's only in recent times I've done anything about it, spending most of the intervening years using OM-1s, Canons and Pentaxes.
Now working on putting together a decent basic set of Nikon user equipment that should cover me for just about anything I want to do.
I'm not buying exotic or expensive glass though - I've got a decent range of Tamron SP lenses which will do for the extreme end of things.


At least you know what to expect. I'd still rather do this in a camera shop than on an on-line purchase, or through a local buy and sell page where you can examine what you are getting, before paying. The F2 is getting fairly long in the tooth now, and there are some badly worn examples out there. Personally, I'd avoid the black versions, unless one is found absolutely pristine. The chrome versions I've examined locally seem to be in generally better condition. Right now, pricing seems to be all over the place, especially on-line. Prices actually seem to be dropping in places like KEH, and insanely over priced on bid sites like flea-pay.
The nikkormat FT-2 was my first camera, and I really liked it, but it can't hold a candle to what the F2 is, and is capable of.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2023 12:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My father in law gave my his father in law's camera a few years ago, this is the lovely Ikonta35 (later Contina) 522/24
I complemented it with a Contessa 35 533/24

So both Hubert Nerwin's designs are here:


IKONTA 35



CONTESSA 35


PostPosted: Wed Aug 09, 2023 1:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
#1


#2


Something quite rare turned up on the local New Zealand auction website, I accidentally stumbled on it with 4 minutes to go. A quick search later I decided to bid. The camera is not perfect, the mechanism to cock the shutter has failed, but you can do it manually.


#1


#2


#3


PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 2:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alun Thomas wrote:
Something quite rare turned up on the local New Zealand auction website, I accidentally stumbled on it with 4 minutes to go. A quick search later I decided to bid. The camera is not perfect, the mechanism to cock the shutter has failed, but you can do it manually.


Interesting! Those Seikosha shutters were very accurate speed-wise. I have used both the mechanical and electronically controlled versions in medium format, and never a problem.

Show us the rear and top of the camera with the focusing hood raised when you get a chance...

-D.S.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 9:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
#1


#2


#3


The reflex viewfinder is acceptably bright for a 2.8 lens.


PostPosted: Fri Aug 11, 2023 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
You are right about the viewfinder brightness.
That is an interesting looking camera.
I've a soft spot for hoods with folding magnifiers. They work well for far-sighted types such as myself.

Thanks for posting!

Like 1 Like 1

-D.S.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
@ Alun: Certainly an interesting camera! I really appreciate your regular contribution showing rare and unusual stuff, be it lenses or cameras. Where do you get all these rarities ...?!

Anyway, here are a few more pics of my only Nikon F. I recently have cleaned it (and polished the badly scratched viewfinder), and now it looks pretty OK. First with the well known 2/50mm Nikkor-H, then with the beautiful 1.2/55mm Nikkor-S.C., and fionally with a Sonnar type 2.5/10.5 cm Nikkor-P:





I have just a few of those venerable pre-AI Nikkors, ranging from 24mm to 300mm. More on that later on ...

S


PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Farside wrote:

Now working on putting together a decent basic set of Nikon user equipment that should cover me for just about anything I want to do.

Should be fun Wink! Tell us more about ... Lenses such as the Micro Nikkor 3.5/55mm and the Zoom Nikkor 3.5/35-70mm (62mm filter) are among the very best of its class. The Micro is going for about 50.-- CHF/USD/EUR here in Switzerland, the 3.5/35-70mm for <100.--. The 4.5/80-200mm (II) and the later 4/80-200mm are very good and cheap as well. I don't really like the AiS 35-105 (too small => not that good), but the AiS 28-85 is rather OK (and <100.-- as well). The Ai 2/50mm is a really nice lens - somehow soft wide open (in a nice and useful manner), and very contrasty at f5.6-f11. The later Ai/AiS 4/200mm is good as well (pre-Ai is huge and not that good), and so are the different 2.8/135mm (pre-Ai is very good as well). The AiS 4.5/300mm IF-ED is pretty affordable as well, but it has more CAs than one would expect from an "ED" lens. Very sharp though also at f4.5, and at least its lateral CAs can be corrected in PP.

S

Last edited by stevemark on Sat Sep 30, 2023 12:35 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 6:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
@ Alun: Certainly an interesting camera! I really appreciate your regular contribution showing rare and unusual stuff, be it lenses or cameras. Where do you get all these rarities ...?!

Anyway, here are a few more pics of my only Nikon F. I recently have cleaned it (and polished the badly scratched viewfinder), and now it looks pretty OK. First with the well known 2/50mm Nikkor-H, then with the beautiful 1.2/55mm Nikkor-S.C., and fionally with a Sonnar type 2.5/10.5 cm Nikkor-P:




I have just a few of those venerable pre-AI Nikkors, ranging from 24mm to 300mm. More on that later on ...

S


Those fast S.C.'s are something else. For their age, and limitations, still art works, capable of producing quality art-house images.
I am sorry that I sold off my 50 f1.4, but there was far too much around here for me to manage.
It handled strong cross-lighting surprisingly well, even better than the A/I-s 1.4 that I kept for it's close in MFD, and "3-D pop".

The "H" requires little in the way of commentary. Nice compact jewel for me that is a definite keeper.

The F is another one of those bottomless pits that I have been so far able to avoid(?). Thank the power above for the F2, in my books. (but then there's the folding WLF for the F and F2 I'd like to come across) Wink Wink

Looking forward to your comments on the pre-A/I lenses.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
I don't really like the AiS 35-105 (too small => not thaht good),

S


Perhaps some more sample variation at work here.

I was fortunate in the not too distant past to score one pretty well brand new in box with box and papers for a fair price. It has permanent slot in my somewhat small day-bag. While it will never be mistaken for a prime image-wise (especially at the 35 end), it does have some positive attributes.

I really should get some recent images up with it in the proper sub forum. I get a kick out of the lug-activated macro yet Wink

Edit to add:

Mixed reviews on this lens abound on-line. I recall reading somewhere that there had been quite a few shipped that should have been pulled off the factory line.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 9:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doc Sharptail wrote:

Those fast S.C.'s are something else. For their age, and limitations, still art works, capable of producing quality art-house images.


The 1.2/55mm Nikkor is one of my favourite f1.2 lenses (I don't have many to be honest) since it has a beautiful renderng for portraits at f1.2 (and to some extent also at f2 or f2.8 ), and it's pretty good stopped down to f5.6 ... f8 (somehow similar to the venerable 500mm f2 Nikkor which also has a beautiful rendering at f2 and is tack sharp at f5.6).

Doc Sharptail wrote:
I am sorry that I sold off my 50 f1.4, but there was far too much around here for me to manage.
It handled strong cross-lighting surprisingly well, even better than the A/I-s 1.4 that I kept for it's close in MFD, and "3-D pop".

I never got the chance to take images with that one. The only 1.4/50mm Nikkors I have are a "K-type" (same opics as the earlier pre-Ai??), and an AF 1.4/50 Nikkor.

Doc Sharptail wrote:
The F is another one of those bottomless pits that I have been so far able to avoid(?).

As you know I mainly write about Minolta (and to some extent about Konica and Mamyia) stuff. But then there was this pretty worn Nikon F that nobody was bidding on, and finally I bought it for about CHF/USD 75.--. Battery cover on the viewfinder is missing, though ... and I had to clean & polish it thoroughly. Now it looks ... well: acceptable.

Quote:
Thank the power above for the F2, in my books. (but then there's the folding WLF for the F and F2 I'd like to come across) Wink Wink

At some point I hope to get the "ordinary" (=non-metering) prism finder for the F ... but the ones I saw locally were twice as expensive as my Nikon F !!

Doc Sharptail wrote:
Looking forward to your comments on the pre-A/I lenses.

As I said I have just a dozen or so. Yesterday I cleaned them as good as possible, and took pictures of them. A new section on artaphot.ch about Nikkor MF primes is coming soon; however most lenses will be K-type / Ai / AiS lenses (about 50 different lenses including MF zooms).

S

PS The Canon FD part of artaphot is in the making as well - at least I managed to take photos of most FD/nFD lenses, and add some of the relevant lens sections. That in itself was already quite a lot of work ...


PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Another image of the F2 & Motor; this time with the AiS Nikkor 1.8/105mm:



This is a beautiful, although pretty heavy combination: About 2150 g / 4.7 lbs!


PostPosted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Interesting lens!

Back in my F3/MD-4 days, I had to use at least a 2" wide strap with a full battery pack~ and it still cut off circulation on the back of my neck. However Wink , it provided a solid base for some slow shutter speeds hand-held with the A/I 200 f 4. I do remember getting away with about 1/60 on a single memorable occasion. Not sure I have enough upper body strength to get away with that today.

Do show some imagery with that 105. It's got a look all it's own.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 6:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:


S


strange how small the body with meter prism looks with the 1/1.2


PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 9:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alun Thomas wrote:
#1


Something quite rare turned up on the local New Zealand auction website, I accidentally stumbled on it with 4 minutes to go. A quick search later I decided to bid. The camera is not perfect, the mechanism to cock the shutter has failed, but you can do it manually.



I've had the Agfa Flexilette, and never really 'got' 35mm TLRs. Because its a rectangular frame it's fiddly to use upright, it would have made more sense to create a square format 35mm camera.

Of course if you collect only and dont use, then it's not a problem.
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