Pics of cameras and lenses

[je2a3]

How do you like the XE-3? I had an XE-1 for years that I took everywhere with me. Then I replaced it with an XPRO-2 that's been nothing but problems. Not sure what to do at this point.

I still miss my X-E1 which served me well from Oct. 2013 until it died during a NYC trip in the summer of 2019. Technically, the X-E3 is a more advanced camera. However, to my eyes, the Sony A7II has better dynamic range, perhaps because of its full frame sensor. Although Fuji has real camera ergonomics while the A7II handles like a device. 😊

After almost 2 years, no issues with the X-E3. Sorry to hear about your problems with the X-Pro2.

 

[JohnVF]

I still miss my X-E1 which served me well from Oct. 2013 until it died during a NYC trip in the summer of 2019. Technically, the X-E3 is a more advanced camera. However, to my eyes, the Sony A7II has better dynamic range, perhaps because of its full frame sensor. Although Fuji has real camera ergonomics while the A7II handles like a device. 😊

After almost 2 years, no issues with the X-E3. Sorry to hear about your problems with the X-Pro2.

That's been my debate with cameras. Do I get a Sony A7, which I'd love the photos from but not enjoy taking them, or stick with Fuji, which I love to use but sometimes I'm not thrilled with the output? And the Sony would work better with adapted lenses, being full-frame.

Since I already have several Fuji lenses, I still with Fuji. I've just so soured on the Xpro-2 that I don't take it out much. What's saved me is how much I love the X-100v, and so I think maybe I'd like interchangeable lens current-gen Fuji.

 

[je2a3]

When I got my J-12 LTM I was told it would hit light baffles in my Canon 7. Nope, works out perfectly.

My LTM J-12 also jams the light baffles of my Canon P. These cameras and lenses were essentially hand assembled in batches which is the cause of discrepancies.

 

[je2a3]

That's been my debate with cameras. Do I get a Sony A7, which I'd love the photos from but not enjoy taking them, or stick with Fuji, which I love to use but sometimes I'm not thrilled with the output? And the Sony would work better with adapted lenses, being full-frame.

Since I already have several Fuji lenses, I still with Fuji. I've just so soured on the Xpro-2 that I don't take it out much. What's saved me is how much I love the X-100v, and so I think maybe I'd like interchangeable lens current-gen Fuji.

I briefly handled the new Sony A7C, still not a Fuji when it comes to ergonomics but much better than the A7II.

 

[fiddlefye]

My entire digital arrangement these days is full-frame Nikon - D750 and an old D3 I picked up last summer from an estate. I've a lot of Nikkors, both auto and manual focus so it all ties together nicely. I had some issues with the 750 early on, but they seem to have been resolved after two shutter changes. The D3 is huge, but I love shooting with it. At some point I'll probably pick up a Z7 to give me some mirrorless probabilities (and 45MP), though in truth I'm shooting as much film as digital these days and have way too many options there already. Pretty happy with things currently, but ya know...

 

[mhardy6647]

A bit of heresy...
View attachment 35300

works for me.

 

[fiddlefye]

works for me.

This combination looks really cute - tiny little thing, brass-mounted but feels more like uranium and weighs more than the Biotar. I've had this lens for probably three decades and it just made its first images for me a couple of weeks ago. I like it.

 

[fiddlefye]

I've owned my Rolleiflex SL-66 for three and a half decades now, but haven't shot with it for the better part of two decades until this past week. I'd loaned it to my father as he wanted to do some medium format macro photography (the SL-66 will go to 1.6:1 natively) and when I finally got it back after his passing much of the covering had curled up and fallen off. Many attempts at reattaching it failed and I recently finally decided to buy some new genuine Moroccan leather and recovered it. Glad to have it back and doing what it was meant to do - still in many ways my favourite camera, ever.

 

[fiddlefye]

New arrival in the post this morning - Nikonos II. I've wanted something to take on walks in inclement weather and when this turned up for cheap I couldn't resist. It will get a little clean-up and a quick check by my tech before I load film in it, but so far I've got it to make some very appealing clicking noises. I gather the 35 f2.5 lens is a variant on the old rangefinder Nikkor and quite nice above water as well as below.

Damn the downpour - full speed ahead!

 

[fiddlefye]

Reuse/recycle, right? So - one can get these blank lens boards for the Rollieflex SL66 and with a bit of thought and ingenuity mount a wide range of interesting lenses. I picked up a few nice alloy boards a couple of years ago and finally got one drilled for a lens.

I picked up this Lizars "Challenge" 4 1/4 x 3 1/4 camera for $2.00 at a yard sale in Sandwich probably 35 years ago, but it really is in pretty unusable condition as it is missing the brass bed the front standard runs on.

The lens is a Taylor Cooke Hobson 5.15" f6.5 Series III triplet so it should be interesting. I did some measurements and it works out that the flange focal is almost dead on for the SL66 - as it turns out Infinity with about one millimetre spare. I suppose I could shim that at some point if I really wanted to...

I'll be shooting like it's 1900, only with some of the ModCons to go with the experience.

 

[mhardy6647]

stellar!

 

[fiddlefye]

stellar!

Kinky enough for ya?

 

[mhardy6647]

Kinky enough for ya?

I showed youse guyses the Mountain Nikkor triplet earlier in this thread (didn't I?).
Actually... it was another thread.

What's In Your Camera Bag?

Dump find (film, too). Battery was muerto in the film pack -- haven't invested in Impossible Project film for it, to date, so it's just a shelf queen (actually, I think my son has it nowadays). SX70 n film by Mark Hardy, on Flickr SX-70 alpha1 front by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

hifihaven.org

DSC_3307mono by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

Not quite as outrageous as the @fiddlefye's -- but I'd posit that it's on the spectrum along the continuum.

 

[mhardy6647]

oh -- I forgot to add this link:

NIKKOR - The Thousand and One Nights No.21 | NIKKOR - The Thousand and One Nights | Nikon Consumer

imaging.nikon.com

 

[fiddlefye]

I showed youse guyses the Mountain Nikkor triplet earlier in this thread (didn't I?).
Actually... it was another thread.

What's In Your Camera Bag?

Dump find (film, too). Battery was muerto in the film pack -- haven't invested in Impossible Project film for it, to date, so it's just a shelf queen (actually, I think my son has it nowadays). SX70 n film by Mark Hardy, on Flickr SX-70 alpha1 front by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

hifihaven.org

DSC_3307mono by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

Not quite as outrageous as the @fiddlefye's -- but I'd posit that it's on the spectrum along the continuum.

I'm kinda itchin' to get me a Z7 so I can cross-pollinate just about everything.

 

[fiddlefye]

oh -- I forgot to add this link:

NIKKOR - The Thousand and One Nights No.21 | NIKKOR - The Thousand and One Nights | Nikon Consumer

imaging.nikon.com

Leitz did a three-element formula (designed in Canada) for the 90 f4 Elmar in '62 other thereabouts. My LTM Elmar is the four-element design and works just fine, though. What year is the "Mountain Nikkor" triplet, praytell?

 

[je2a3]

This combination looks really cute - tiny little thing, brass-mounted but feels more like uranium and weighs more than the Biotar. I've had this lens for probably three decades and it just made its first images for me a couple of weeks ago. I like it.
View attachment 35622
View attachment 35623

I like this picture a lot!

Are your two aus Jena lenses Exacta mount? Just curious what type of adapter/converter you used on your F-1.

 

[fiddlefye]

I like this picture a lot!

Are your two aus Jena lenses Exacta mount? Just curious what type of adapter/converter you used on your F-1.

All three of the lenses are Exakta mount, yes - 58 f2 Biotar, 50 f3.5 Tessar and 35 f4.5 Meyer Primagon. The converter is something made by Canon back in the 60s and named "Lens Mount Converter E". I gather they made converters for other mounts as well, but I'm not sure which.

 

[je2a3]

All three of the lenses are Exakta mount, yes - 58 f2 Biotar, 50 f3.5 Tessar and 35 f4.5 Meyer Primagon. The converter is something made by Canon back in the 60s and named "Lens Mount Converter E". I gather they made converters for other mounts as well, but I'm not sure which.

That's what I thought. Thanks!

 

[fiddlefye]

Late last week I got an email from my camera tech with a photo of a Mac G5 tower he'd been given. Nonchalantly posed on it were two "Bullseye" Contarex cameras. My friend and I share an interest in Macs, be he knew I'd be all over the Zeiss... I stopped at his shop and what should it turn out to be? An old and slightly tatty first-generation Contarex and then an absolutely pristine second-generation example with every single lens ever made for the camera - 21 (with finder), 35, 50, 85, 135 and 250 with plastic "bubbles" and matching hoods for each, three film cartridge backs, bellows, magnifying right-angle finder, "Every-ready" case, a pile of bayonet filters and a ton of literature. To top it all off it all came in a fitted case designed specifically for it. I haven't been able to even find that one in the literature yet...