Novoflex T-Noflexar 5.6/400 Follow Focus

[woodrim]

I've just used this lens for the second time. I'm getting a little better at it, but really do need to do something to release the shutter other than having to take my hand off the far handle to click the shutter at the camera. It becomes very unsteady that way. But while holding the lens properly, with shoulder brace, it is possible to use without tripod. All of these shots were without tripod. Even though the lens may be lighter than others this size, it still can make your arms weary after extended use. I was shooting mostly at f/5.6, but some were f/8. I didn't record which were which.

[Lloydy]

Great pictures, the Novoflex lenses are not the easiest to use but definitely worth the effort. I use the 240mm hand held on the A6000 by using it at arms length and viewing through the screen rather than the viewfinder. But it's smaller and lighter than the 400.

[Mir]

Very impressive i must say !

The second shot is fabulous !

I had never seen, let alone been that close, to a heron's nest....

TFS
Keep it up !

[Minolfan]

[pdccameras]

Beautiful work! I had a copy of the 400 for a while, but what never able to really get a critically sharp photo with it on the A7. I did not have the shoulder stock, however. Unfortunately I sold it just before getting an A7II - the in-camera stabilization may have helped me out. Nonetheless, even tripod mounted, I wasn't satisfied with my results - so the shake reduction may not have helped anyway.


In any case, I had the same 'trigger issue" as you describe. I solved it by affixing one of those inexpensive radio shutter releases to the side of the follow focus pistol grip with double stick velcro tabs so that the electronic shutter release fell right below my index finger. That part worked great. I do the same thing with the Tair photo sniper.

Best,

Paul

[Basilisk]

Fans of the UK 1970s cop show "The Sweeney" may recall seeing Carter doing surveillance using a Novoflex on a Nikon (if I remember correctly). Can anyone confirm this?

[woodrim]

Thanks to all for the kind comments.

[Basilisk]

Great shots Woodrim. Just make sure you don't get armed response units called out when handling this kit, I wouldn't fancy taking it out in London at the moment.

Found the episode where Regan uses a Novoflex in The Sweeney. Did the police really use these for surveillance, or did the program makers think it looked cool?
Jump to 5mins and 6mins to see it in action. Branding clearly visible, mounted on a Nikon F (of F2?) with a Photomic type finder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqwqJxP0h60

Cultivate some sideburns, slap on some Brut, carry a Novoflex... how much more manly can a man get?

[stingOM]

Great wildlife shots!

[Lloydy]

The 240 is smaller, without the stock. It's not hard to use with the NEX, but I have used easier lenses.

[woodrim]

The squeeze focus is an interesting approach and works better than I had anticipated. The two handle stock, combined with the squeeze focus seems a reasonable approach for a long lens. I wonder though if it was overkill for a 240mm. Have you posted images from the 240mm? Is there a bellows attachment available for your configuration? I haven't used the bellows yet for close up, so I don't know how close I can expect to get, but I did use it to shorten up the otherwise long minimum focus distance when I saw a nearby turtle. It worked very well.

[valjo]

[quote=[/quote]

For what purpose is the handle with yellow button?

[Lloydy]

The 240 is a lot smaller and lighter than the 400, I nearly bought a 400 at the last camera fair but the guy was selling a boxfull of Novoflex stuff for way too much and wouldn't split it, I will get one sometime.
I don't think the 240 splits, what you see in the picture is what you get. Luckily I'm ambidextrous so focussing with my left hand and using the right to fire the shutter is easy enough.





Optically, I think the lens is excellent. I got it from a lady whose late father was a photographer for a newspaper and he shot a lot of sports with it on a Pentax S1A.

[woodrim]

[padam]

Recently saw a video about the range of lenses Stanley Kubrick used in his movies. He used to like having stills lenses adapted to his movie cameras - maybe he would have liked mirrorless cameras
Anyway, if I saw it right, this was one of them. He used it to give the long lens effect (in the Barry Lyndon and Clockwork Orange). He did have the focus, bearing and mount modified for cinema use.

Looks like a nice lens, thanks for the pictures.

[woodrim]

[padam]