Voightlander 6x9 folder opinions? ( Littleboy? )

I have two of them (Color-Heliar and Color-Skopar).
I think when they are well used the mechanics which should lock the lens and
front
standard into place has to much "slack" so it is difficult to get really
sharp images.
I had both my Bessa II's adjusted for infinity. Right now the Color-Heliar
is at another
expert which has a real collimator and he says that it is a bit out of
adjustment. He will
make the adjustement and also adjust the rangefinder....and then we will
see. I am not
very optimistic :-) .....I have had better results with the Bessa I. Here
the front standard
is really locked into place. This version does its front focus with the
front lens.

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.
Opinions?
--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.

Alan Browne

2009-04-19 19:24:29 UTC

Post by Max Perl
I have two of them (Color-Heliar and Color-Skopar).
I think when they are well used the mechanics which should lock the lens and
front
standard into place has to much "slack" so it is difficult to get really
sharp images.
I had both my Bessa II's adjusted for infinity. Right now the Color-Heliar
is at another
expert which has a real collimator and he says that it is a bit out of
adjustment. He will
make the adjustement and also adjust the rangefinder....and then we will
see. I am not
very optimistic :-) .....I have had better results with the Bessa I. Here
the front standard
is really locked into place. This version does its front focus with the
front lens.

Thanks. My enthusiasm has now waned.

Post by Max Perl

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.
Opinions?

Max Perl

2009-04-19 21:25:53 UTC

Post by Max Perl
I have two of them (Color-Heliar and Color-Skopar).
I think when they are well used the mechanics which should lock the lens
and front
standard into place has to much "slack" so it is difficult to get really
sharp images.
I had both my Bessa II's adjusted for infinity. Right now the
Color-Heliar is at another
expert which has a real collimator and he says that it is a bit out of
adjustment. He will
make the adjustement and also adjust the rangefinder....and then we will
see. I am not
very optimistic :-) .....I have had better results with the Bessa I.
Here the front standard
is really locked into place. This version does its front focus with the
front lens.

Thanks. My enthusiasm has now waned.

It is just my view. It should be very fine cameras and the lenses are
probably very good.
But I have until now not been able to make real sharp images with theses
cameras.
I also have a Bessa RF with an old uncoated Heliar. It will be the next try.
And we will
see when I get the Bessa II with Color-Heliar back if results will be
better.

Post by Max Perl

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.
Opinions?

RolandRB

2009-05-31 07:25:46 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.
Opinions?
--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource:http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems:http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz:http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Max Perl

2009-05-31 18:56:44 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.
Opinions?
--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource:http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems:http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz:http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Is there any way of fixing a loose standard on a Voigtländer? There
are so many out there with good lenses but slack standards that ruin
the potential of the lens and stop it from being a usable folder.

On rangefinder forum I "talked" to a guy which told me he was able to fix a
loose front standard by bending some of the metal. He mentioned he was able
to bend the two small arms on the Bessa II which locks the lens into place.
I have often played with the idea to take out the lens of the Bessa II and
put it on a 6x9 Linhof lens board. But I already have a Apo-Lanthar in
Linhof mount and the reason for a folder is that it is easy to
carry.....so....

Matt Clara

2009-04-20 03:16:35 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.
Opinions?

Here's a page you may find of interest:
http://www.cleanimages.com/Article-MediumFormatInYourPocket.asp

Max Perl

2009-04-20 08:04:34 UTC

I can see you also replaces bellows.
Are there companies out there which still manufactures new bellows?
Is it special order items?

I am surprised that sometimes you can get a camera which is 70-80 years old
and the
bellows looks like new.

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.
Opinions?

http://www.cleanimages.com/Article-MediumFormatInYourPocket.asp

Grimly Curmudgeon

2009-04-20 15:55:52 UTC

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Max Perl"

Post by Max Perl
I can see you also replaces bellows.
Are there companies out there which still manufactures new bellows?
Is it special order items?

UK
http://www.camerabellows.com/

America
http://www.turnerbellows.com/

Max Perl

2009-04-20 18:18:09 UTC

Post by Grimly Curmudgeon
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Max Perl"

Post by Max Perl
I can see you also replaces bellows.
Are there companies out there which still manufactures new bellows?
Is it special order items?

UK
http://www.camerabellows.com/
America
http://www.turnerbellows.com/

Aha.....nice to know a bellows can be made as special order so it just fits.
Probably a good idea to send the old bellows so it can be used as a
template.

In fact I replaced my bellows on my Linhof 6x9 and also replaced the screen
with a modern one and
also added a fresnell. It was this company which makes bellows for LF
cameras:

http://www.globalmatter-lab.net/

So I nearly answered my own initial question :-) .....but the other
companies seems to be able to make all kind of bellows......

Alan Browne

2009-04-20 19:00:46 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.
Opinions?

http://www.cleanimages.com/Article-MediumFormatInYourPocket.asp

Thx ... page does not open ... just sits blank and says "connecting"
then "failed to connect".

I'll try tomorrow.

David J. Littleboy

2009-04-20 14:41:06 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.

You called?

I've seen some people over at photo.net succeeding with old folders, but I
haven't. I tried both a postwar Agfa Isolette (6x6) and a prewar Zeiss
Nettar (6x9). Things that ended up on the plane of focus were sharp on the
Isolette but the plane of focus occurred in random places, and nothing was
sharp with the Zeiss. Sigh.

There's the new Fuji (Voightlander outside Japan) 6x7 folder that looks real
nice. But.

1. It's an 80mm lens (I prefer 65).
2. My 8000 is flaky, and I can't really see spending US$3,000 on a 9000.
3. It isn't any smaller/lighter than the 5D2 + 35/2.0 (both weigh almost
exactly 1 kg).

The only good news is that the Fuji folder is supposed to be around US$2300,
which isn't quite as painful as the US$3,000 I was expecting it to be. But I
haven't actually checked the price or handled one in a store. (I may buy one
despite it making no sense, though. (I reserve the right to be completely
irrational on occasion.) Watch this space.)

--
David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

Alan Browne

2009-04-20 19:02:43 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.

You called?
I've seen some people over at photo.net succeeding with old folders, but I
haven't. I tried both a postwar Agfa Isolette (6x6) and a prewar Zeiss
Nettar (6x9). Things that ended up on the plane of focus were sharp on the
Isolette but the plane of focus occurred in random places, and nothing was
sharp with the Zeiss. Sigh.
There's the new Fuji (Voightlander outside Japan) 6x7 folder that looks real
nice. But.
1. It's an 80mm lens (I prefer 65).
2. My 8000 is flaky, and I can't really see spending US$3,000 on a 9000.
3. It isn't any smaller/lighter than the 5D2 + 35/2.0 (both weigh almost
exactly 1 kg).
The only good news is that the Fuji folder is supposed to be around US$2300,
which isn't quite as painful as the US$3,000 I was expecting it to be. But I
haven't actually checked the price or handled one in a store. (I may buy one
despite it making no sense, though. (I reserve the right to be completely
irrational on occasion.) Watch this space.)

Max Perl

2009-04-20 20:49:22 UTC

A good 6x9 camera will be perfect for your 9000ED.

I re-checked my Bessa II with Color-Skopar. It seems that when set to
infinity it has
gone passed infinity (when using a ground glass). So the CLA that was done
on it is was not so good. When I get myBessa II with Color-Heliar back from
2nd adjustment I can give you a feedback how the performance is. Think I
will try to do theadjustment on the Color-Skopar my self. Thefront standard
seems ok.

Try to look at this:
http://forum.xitek.com/printthread.php?threadid=376984

There are a lot of BessaII images. I don't know what it really is. It is
japanese or something.Just answer "no" if your PC want to install a
different language. It takes very long time to load the pagecaused by the
many pictures. A top adjusted BessaII is probably a very fine
performer.......I have just not verified this yet :-)

Post by Alan Browne
Not sure which it was, I think a Bessa II.

You called?
I've seen some people over at photo.net succeeding with old folders, but
I haven't. I tried both a postwar Agfa Isolette (6x6) and a prewar Zeiss
Nettar (6x9). Things that ended up on the plane of focus were sharp on
the Isolette but the plane of focus occurred in random places, and
nothing was sharp with the Zeiss. Sigh.
There's the new Fuji (Voightlander outside Japan) 6x7 folder that looks
real nice. But.
1. It's an 80mm lens (I prefer 65).
2. My 8000 is flaky, and I can't really see spending US$3,000 on a 9000.
3. It isn't any smaller/lighter than the 5D2 + 35/2.0 (both weigh almost
exactly 1 kg).
The only good news is that the Fuji folder is supposed to be around
US$2300, which isn't quite as painful as the US$3,000 I was expecting it
to be. But I haven't actually checked the price or handled one in a
store. (I may buy one despite it making no sense, though. (I reserve the
right to be completely irrational on occasion.) Watch this space.)

Well as tempting as the new Fuji is, the Voight I found was listed at
$45.00. I would not spend $2300 on a new film camera unless I just won
the lottery. Since I very rarely by lottery tickets...
The comments from Max kind of put a damper on it ... why even shoot the
film if focus is so hit and not even miss?
I'm selling my Nikon 9000ED (new condition) for CAD$2350.00 and that
includes the Anti-Newton-Ring tray (value of US$250). All original
packing and materials.
May switch my attention to a SpeedGraphic assuming I can get sheet film
easily and get a good transparency scanner (4x5 won't fit in the 9000ED).
Cheers,
Alan
--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.

Alan Browne

2009-04-20 21:24:06 UTC

Post by Max Perl
I re-checked my Bessa II with Color-Skopar. It seems that when set to
infinity it has
gone passed infinity (when using a ground glass). So the CLA that was done
on it is was not so good. When I get myBessa II with Color-Heliar back from
2nd adjustment I can give you a feedback how the performance is. Think I
will try to do theadjustment on the Color-Skopar my self. Thefront standard
seems ok.
http://forum.xitek.com/printthread.php?threadid=376984

Some nice phots there.

Post by Max Perl
There are a lot of BessaII images. I don't know what it really is. It is
japanese or something.Just answer "no" if your PC want to install a
different language. It takes very long time to load the pagecaused by the

I have a Mac. Loaded damn quick.

Post by Max Perl
many pictures. A top adjusted BessaII is probably a very fine
performer.......I have just not verified this yet :-)

I just reached the seller, finally, it is a Bessa I.

(He also has a Bessa II that he does not want to sell).

Max Perl

2009-04-20 21:40:49 UTC

Post by Max Perl
I re-checked my Bessa II with Color-Skopar. It seems that when set to
infinity it has
gone passed infinity (when using a ground glass). So the CLA that was
done on it is was not so good. When I get myBessa II with Color-Heliar
back from 2nd adjustment I can give you a feedback how the performance
is. Think I will try to do theadjustment on the Color-Skopar my self.
Thefront standard seems ok.
http://forum.xitek.com/printthread.php?threadid=376984

Some nice phots there.

I have a Mac. Loaded damn quick.

Post by Max Perl
many pictures. A top adjusted BessaII is probably a very fine
performer.......I have just not verified this yet :-)

I just reached the seller, finally, it is a Bessa I.
(He also has a Bessa II that he does not want to sell).

I must be a kind of forum where japanese people are happy with Voigtländer.
There are 8 pages with images etc.....and a lot of unreadable text.

The Bessa I can be good to start with. Especially if it is with
Color-Skopar. Even the 3 lens Vaskar is quite good stopped down a bit. The
Bessa I I have is with Vaskar. Most are with Vaskar. The shutter is probably
a Prontor wich in most cases needs a CLA. An infinity check is also
necessary.

Post by Alan Browne
--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.
-- usenet posts from gmail.com and googlemail.com are filtered out.

Alan Browne

2009-04-20 23:37:16 UTC

Post by Max Perl

Post by Max Perl
I re-checked my Bessa II with Color-Skopar. It seems that when set to
infinity it has
gone passed infinity (when using a ground glass). So the CLA that was
done on it is was not so good. When I get myBessa II with Color-Heliar
back from 2nd adjustment I can give you a feedback how the performance
is. Think I will try to do theadjustment on the Color-Skopar my self.
Thefront standard seems ok.
http://forum.xitek.com/printthread.php?threadid=376984

Some nice phots there.

I have a Mac. Loaded damn quick.

Post by Max Perl
many pictures. A top adjusted BessaII is probably a very fine
performer.......I have just not verified this yet :-)

I just reached the seller, finally, it is a Bessa I.
(He also has a Bessa II that he does not want to sell).

I must be a kind of forum where japanese people are happy with Voigtländer.
There are 8 pages with images etc.....and a lot of unreadable text.
The Bessa I can be good to start with. Especially if it is with
Color-Skopar. Even the 3 lens Vaskar is quite good stopped down a bit. The
Bessa I I have is with Vaskar. Most are with Vaskar. The shutter is probably
a Prontor wich in most cases needs a CLA. An infinity check is also
necessary.

Thanks. The more I think of this, the less I want to think about this.

David J. Littleboy

2009-04-21 03:30:59 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Thanks. The more I think of this, the less I want to think about this.

If you want 6x9 to play with before you sell the 9000, the Fuji G(S)W690
cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper, at least in the used shops here.
You can find a nice one with the 90mm f/3.5 lens for under US$500. The
lenses are excellent modern lenses and they hold the film as flat as any 6x9
camera that doesn't have a vacuum back. KEH has a BGN grade GW690II for
US$364. That's a real camera at a folding camera price.

--
David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

Alan Browne

2009-04-21 17:54:01 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Thanks. The more I think of this, the less I want to think about this.

Interesting - I'd like a wider angle though, something around 60mm...

David J. Littleboy

2009-04-21 19:15:38 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Thanks. The more I think of this, the less I want to think about this.

If you want 6x9 to play with before you sell the 9000, the Fuji G(S)W690
cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper, at least in the used shops here.
You can find a nice one with the 90mm f/3.5 lens for under US$500. The
lenses are excellent modern lenses and they hold the film as flat as any
6x9 camera that doesn't have a vacuum back. KEH has a BGN grade GW690II
for US$364. That's a real camera at a folding camera price.

Interesting - I'd like a wider angle though, something around 60mm...

The versions with the 65/.5.6 lens are still a tad pricey; around US$900.00.

--
David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

Alan Browne

2009-04-21 19:29:02 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Thanks. The more I think of this, the less I want to think about this.

If you want 6x9 to play with before you sell the 9000, the Fuji G(S)W690
cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper, at least in the used shops here.
You can find a nice one with the 90mm f/3.5 lens for under US$500. The
lenses are excellent modern lenses and they hold the film as flat as any
6x9 camera that doesn't have a vacuum back. KEH has a BGN grade GW690II
for US$364. That's a real camera at a folding camera price.

Interesting - I'd like a wider angle though, something around 60mm...

The versions with the 65/.5.6 lens are still a tad pricey; around US$900.00.

I'll keep my eyes out - but my enthusiasm has definitely waned.

Actually it was your post, David, of many months ago about the new Fuji
6x9 folder that piqued my interest. Then seeing the Bessa I reminded me
of that the other day. The $45 price tag really got me going but I at
least had the good sense to put it down for the time being.

(Recent research suggests that once a consumer picks something up that
the probability of a sale goes way up...).

Between your comments and those of Max, I really don't want one of these
if there are all sorts of focus issues (now or later...).

Thanks all for your replies.

Cheers,
Alan.

Toni Nikkanen

2009-04-21 19:35:38 UTC

Did anyone cover the possibility of buying an old folder from someone
reputable who repairs and tunes them and makes sure they work when
they leave his hands? Like that certo6 guy, I haven't bought from him
personally but I've noticed he's been doing that kind of thing for
some time now. Surely the price is higher than a random folder from eBay
where the shutter doesn't necessarily fire, the focus is probably off,
the bellows have holes in them and so on, but similarly the risk is lower..

Peter Irwin

2009-04-22 13:18:01 UTC

Post by Toni Nikkanen
Did anyone cover the possibility of buying an old folder from someone
reputable who repairs and tunes them and makes sure they work when
they leave his hands? Like that certo6 guy, I haven't bought from him
personally but I've noticed he's been doing that kind of thing for
some time now.

I'd expect his cameras to be fine working examples, but most old
folders (even with first class names) working as designed do not
keep film near as flat as a typical TLR. David Littleboy is plainly
a much fussier guy than I am, and he may have had particularly bad
examples, but film un-flatness and the frame to frame inconsistency of
the film plane will often be larger than the depth of focus at
large stops.

My Iskra seems pretty good in this respect and I consider it usable
wide open at f/3.5, but none of my other folders are as good.

Peter.

--
***@ktb.net

Max Perl

2009-04-22 15:11:56 UTC

Post by Peter Irwin

I'd expect his cameras to be fine working examples, but most old
folders (even with first class names) working as designed do not
keep film near as flat as a typical TLR. David Littleboy is plainly
a much fussier guy than I am, and he may have had particularly bad
examples, but film un-flatness and the frame to frame inconsistency of
the film plane will often be larger than the depth of focus at
large stops.
My Iskra seems pretty good in this respect and I consider it usable
wide open at f/3.5, but none of my other folders are as good.
Peter.
--

I also think that enlargement was not made from the images taken with the
old folders. They were just made 1:1 in the labs. We know the small images
in photo albums from that time. They can look really sharp.

Matt Clara

2009-04-22 23:52:01 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Thanks. The more I think of this, the less I want to think about this.

If you want 6x9 to play with before you sell the 9000, the Fuji
G(S)W690 cameras are getting cheaper and cheaper, at least in the used
shops here. You can find a nice one with the 90mm f/3.5 lens for under
US$500. The lenses are excellent modern lenses and they hold the film
as flat as any 6x9 camera that doesn't have a vacuum back. KEH has a
BGN grade GW690II for US$364. That's a real camera at a folding camera
price.

Interesting - I'd like a wider angle though, something around 60mm...

The versions with the 65/.5.6 lens are still a tad pricey; around US$900.00.

I'll keep my eyes out - but my enthusiasm has definitely waned.
Actually it was your post, David, of many months ago about the new Fuji
6x9 folder that piqued my interest. Then seeing the Bessa I reminded me
of that the other day. The $45 price tag really got me going but I at
least had the good sense to put it down for the time being.
(Recent research suggests that once a consumer picks something up that the
probability of a sale goes way up...).
Between your comments and those of Max, I really don't want one of these
if there are all sorts of focus issues (now or later...).

Get one from this guy: http://www.certo6.com/buy.html Use it for a while,
and if you don't like it, sell it on eBay!

Alan Browne

2009-04-23 18:59:35 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Between your comments and those of Max, I really don't want one of
these if there are all sorts of focus issues (now or later...).

Get one from this guy: http://www.certo6.com/buy.html Use it for a
while, and if you don't like it, sell it on eBay!

Thanks Matt, I had seen that (someone else mentioned certo6 too), but I
think my blush of puppy-love for folders has cooled.

Cheers,
Alan.

Matt Clara

2009-04-24 00:50:59 UTC

Post by Alan Browne
Between your comments and those of Max, I really don't want one of these
if there are all sorts of focus issues (now or later...).

Get one from this guy: http://www.certo6.com/buy.html Use it for a
while, and if you don't like it, sell it on eBay!

Thanks Matt, I had seen that (someone else mentioned certo6 too), but I
think my blush of puppy-love for folders has cooled.
Cheers,
Alan.

I had a similar experience. For me, the whole focus by guestimation was a
big turn off. Only a true luddite would want to piss around with that. No
offense to luddites--I certainly understand gratification... ;-)

Geoffrey S. Mendelson

2009-04-24 04:59:04 UTC

Post by Matt Clara
I had a similar experience. For me, the whole focus by guestimation was a
big turn off. Only a true luddite would want to piss around with that. No
offense to luddites--I certainly understand gratification... ;-)

Well, if you really don't want them, and have some spare cash :-)
stick them in a box and mail them to me.

I'd love to have one, and here there are none to be found.

I don't care if they are out of focus, I learned to take photographs with
a Kodak tourist which was blind focus.

No hope for my kids though. My youngest son was given a disposable camera for
his birthday. It was plastic and covered by a cardboard box which was really
part of it. The first thing he did was remove the box (which I retrieved and
taped back on). The second was ask us to put the pictures into the computer.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel ***@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM

K W Hart

2009-04-24 19:26:48 UTC

Post by Geoffrey S. Mendelson

Post by Matt Clara
I had a similar experience. For me, the whole focus by guestimation was a
big turn off. Only a true luddite would want to piss around with that.
No
offense to luddites--I certainly understand gratification... ;-)

Well, if you really don't want them, and have some spare cash :-)
stick them in a box and mail them to me.
I'd love to have one, and here there are none to be found.
I don't care if they are out of focus, I learned to take photographs with
a Kodak tourist which was blind focus.
No hope for my kids though. My youngest son was given a disposable camera for
his birthday. It was plastic and covered by a cardboard box which was really
part of it. The first thing he did was remove the box (which I retrieved and
taped back on). The second was ask us to put the pictures into the computer.
Geoff.
--

Darn kids... they just don't know what's it like...!
I was shooting some modeling shots with my trusty 40 year old Canon FX, and
the model asked if she could see the pictures. I handed her the camera and
told her if she could find the screen, she could see the pictures.
Now what did I do with that USB cable???

Jack Campin - bogus address

2009-04-20 20:41:12 UTC

Post by David J. Littleboy
I've seen some people over at photo.net succeeding with old folders, but
I haven't. I tried both a postwar Agfa Isolette (6x6) and a prewar Zeiss
Nettar (6x9). Things that ended up on the plane of focus were sharp on the
Isolette but the plane of focus occurred in random places, and nothing was
sharp with the Zeiss. Sigh.

Those were the budget models. I have a couple of Super Ikontas (the
6 x 9 and 6 x 4.5) from about 1938, with real Tessars, and they work
fine. The 6x9 feels a bit unwieldy, though it's still quite light
compared to any modern MF camera; the smaller one is ergonomically
terrific apart from its itsy-bitsy viewfinder, as light as a compact
digital, almost silent in operation, and responds instantly. Great
for close-range candid stuff.

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === <http://www.campin.me.uk> ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts

Peter Chant

2009-04-20 21:26:34 UTC

Post by David J. Littleboy
I've seen some people over at photo.net succeeding with old folders, but I
haven't. I tried both a postwar Agfa Isolette (6x6) and a prewar Zeiss
Nettar (6x9). Things that ended up on the plane of focus were sharp on the
Isolette but the plane of focus occurred in random places, and nothing was
sharp with the Zeiss. Sigh.

With my Isolette I found that you need to wind the film on a tiny amount
before exposing to tighten it up. Still it was not fantastically sharp
unfortunately.

--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

RolandRB

2009-06-04 06:00:05 UTC

Post by Peter Chant

Post by David J. Littleboy
I've seen some people over at photo.net succeeding with old folders, but I
haven't. I tried both a postwar Agfa Isolette (6x6) and a prewar Zeiss
Nettar (6x9). Things that ended up on the plane of focus were sharp on the
Isolette but the plane of focus occurred in random places, and nothing was
sharp with the Zeiss. Sigh.

With my Isolette I found that you need to wind the film on a tiny amount
before exposing to tighten it up. Still it was not fantastically sharp
unfortunately.
--http://www.petezilla.co.uk

Don't forget that the pressure plate springs on these old cameras
won't be as tight as they were when the camera was new. Those who have
an inconsistent sharpness across the film plane are likely seeing the
effect of these weakened springs. Try just pulling the pressure plate
out which will result in more pressure on the film when the case is
closed.

RolandRB

2009-06-21 08:22:46 UTC

Post by Peter Chant

Post by David J. Littleboy
I've seen some people over at photo.net succeeding with old folders, but I
haven't. I tried both a postwar Agfa Isolette (6x6) and a prewar Zeiss
Nettar (6x9). Things that ended up on the plane of focus were sharp on the
Isolette but the plane of focus occurred in random places, and nothing was
sharp with the Zeiss. Sigh.

With my Isolette I found that you need to wind the film on a tiny amount
before exposing to tighten it up. Still it was not fantastically sharp
unfortunately.
--http://www.petezilla.co.uk

Another thing I do is only wind on when I am about to take the shot in
the hope that the film will be flatter than if left there. If it takes
me too long to take the shot due to waiting for a cloud to move then I
tighten the film again before taking the shot using the wind-on dial.

Peter Chant

2009-06-21 18:07:32 UTC

Post by RolandRB
Another thing I do is only wind on when I am about to take the shot in
the hope that the film will be flatter than if left there. If it takes
me too long to take the shot due to waiting for a cloud to move then I
tighten the film again before taking the shot using the wind-on dial.

Found that I did something similar with an Agfa Isolette. If I had already
wound on film I would wind tiny amount to take up any slack. Sadly the
lens was not all that sharp.

Pete

--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

RolandRB

2009-06-22 01:59:31 UTC

Found that I did something similar with an Agfa Isolette. If I had already
wound on film I would wind tiny amount to take up any slack. Sadly the
lens was not all that sharp.
Pete
--http://www.petezilla.co.uk

With folders with 6x9 then I assume I can not use smaller than f11 and
get good results no matter what tricks I do. If your lens was not
sharp then what f stop were you using and what lens? At the smaller f
stops then I can imagine an Agnar showing faults but not an Apotar.

Peter Chant

2009-06-24 19:03:41 UTC

RolandRB wrote:
-http://www.petezilla.co.uk

Post by RolandRB
With folders with 6x9 then I assume I can not use smaller than f11 and
get good results no matter what tricks I do. If your lens was not
sharp then what f stop were you using and what lens? At the smaller f
stops then I can imagine an Agnar showing faults but not an Apotar.

Goodness - can't remember to be honest, I only put one or two rolls through
it. Perhaps I ought to do another. Really save the 120 for the C330...

--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

RolandRB

2009-06-26 17:59:26 UTC

Post by Peter Chant
-http://www.petezilla.co.uk

Goodness - can't remember to be honest, I only put one or two rolls through
it. Perhaps I ought to do another. Really save the 120 for the C330...
--http://www.petezilla.co.uk

I've just got the results back from a Bessa II with the Color-Heliar
lens. The shots were evenly sharp so I did not have any problems with
film flatness that others report. Having said that I have gotten
sharper photos from a Super-Ikonta IV with its 6x6 format and Tessar
lens. I would have thought the Color-Heliar, being a better lens
design, would have given me sharper photos but that was not to be.

Charles Hohenstein

2009-06-27 13:42:31 UTC

In article

Post by Peter Chant
-http://www.petezilla.co.uk

Goodness - can't remember to be honest, I only put one or two rolls through
it. Perhaps I ought to do another. Really save the 120 for the C330...
--http://www.petezilla.co.uk

--
Charles Hohenstein (to reply, remove Gene Robinson)

"The sad huddle of affluent bedwetters, thumbsuckers,
treehuggers, social climbers, homophiles, quavery ladies,
and chronic petition signers that makes up the current
Episcopal Church . . ." -Thomas Lipscomb

RolandRB

2009-06-28 05:56:50 UTC

On Jun 27, 3:42 pm, Charles Hohenstein

Post by Charles Hohenstein
In article

Post by Peter Chant
-http://www.petezilla.co.uk

Goodness - can't remember to be honest, I only put one or two rolls through
it. Perhaps I ought to do another. Really save the 120 for the C330...
--http://www.petezilla.co.uk

I'm just curious: was the Heliar stopped down or opened up in the less
sharp shots? My large format 210mm Heliar is soft wide-open, and I have
often wondered if the same was true of the version in the Bessa II.
--
Charles Hohenstein (to reply, remove Gene Robinson)
"The sad huddle of affluent bedwetters, thumbsuckers,
treehuggers, social climbers, homophiles, quavery ladies,
and chronic petition signers that makes up the current
Episcopal Church . . ." -‹Thomas Lipscomb- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

All the shots with the Color-Heliar were taken at f11 so I was not
expecting a lack-of-sharpness problem. It gave me almost identical
results as using f11 on a Perkeo II with the Color-Skopar lens,
although the Perkeo shots looked a little better although they showed
up the same sort of lack of resolution and contrast in the lens. I
have used a Super-Ikonta IV and the results were hugely better. I
appreciate the Super Ikonta IV a lot more after this experience with
the Voigtländer folders.

RolandRB

2009-07-07 16:36:38 UTC

Post by RolandRB
On Jun 27, 3:42 pm, Charles Hohenstein

Post by Charles Hohenstein
In article