Robot on LTM: Frankencamera

T

Terao

Kiloran
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Have just received 3 Robot lenses (30mm, 40mm, and 75mm, all Schneider-Kreuznach) plus an adapter to mount them on LTM (and of course M).

Pics here, see titles for "exif"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiloran/sets/72157600925623800/

Kind of cool, will have to wait for better light to really test them out.

I'm sure the more sane of you will say "Why????" to which I respond with the immortal mountaineer's motto: "Because its there"

Certainly its easier to use these on an cropped sensor DRF - apart from anything else they'll vignette on a full-frame body. I like the way tech that no doubt the Robot's inventor would find to be fascinating can give these old lenses new life 😎

Next? Agfa Ambi Silette lenses on LTM/M 😀
 
Adapter is custom built by a chap called Wolfgang Rabe in Germany (ebay seller ID rabenwolf). He has one listed at the moment I think. Its not cheap but these are hand-made as far as I know - he has a business putting together unusual adapters for Leica (e.g. using cine lenses on M)

Lenses tend to be cheap, a lot were made and the cameras are pretty much a dead format (particularly the early ones that didn't use standard 35mm cassettes). Zeiss made a range of Biotars...

Should add that I have no connection to the seller other than as a satisfied customer...
 
I've discovered one big advantage with these lenses - extreme close focus distances. They're marked down to 0.75m (the 30 and the 40) but go much closer. Haven't tested it properly yet but have a feeling these may go closer than 0.3m, not many RF lenses that do that. The 30mm has 45mm EFOV on the R-D1 which makes it an interesting closeup lens...
 
Terao,

I found the listed adapter; it is not cheap and I need to think more about it. Most importantly here is the quality of the lenses. Have you compared images taken with them to images taken with Leitz or Canon or Nikon lenses?

Raid
 
Still need to do more testing. Bear in mind that all these lenses are 1930-about 1950. Seem to exhibit characteristics typical of that era. I took a few more this evening but the light disappeared again (most of the South of England is under several inches of water at the moment, imagine a Floridian afternoon storm going on for 10 hours)
I'm also rubbish at scale focus *blush*
 
I've added a few more to the set linked above. Apart from the patchy scale focus on my part the lens (the 40mm f/1.9) has an interesting look. This is impressively sharp across the field for very close focus @ ISO1600 and f/8:

866255956_8c3bdd2594.jpg


I like this as well:

866262740_c336c07b19.jpg
 
Does the adapter allow use of RF focusing or must you guess the distance? Was the image of the yellow flower also taken at f 8.0?
 
No RF coupling (the Robot lenses/cameras didn't have rangefinders) so its all scale focus/hyperfocal. Given the fairly shallow depth of field I think the rose picture is wider than f/8. Think I was testing hyperfocal @ f/4 - the Robot lenses are all colour-coded (red, green, and yellow) to make hyperfocal setup very easy.
 
It is pretty pricy. I got the adapter plus the three lenses (in reasonable condition) for about $250 shipped. Given the strength of the pound it was a great deal and difficult to resist - generally if the lens is unusual/interesting and around £125 shipped I find it very hard to resist GAS. Have a bunch of ancient LTM lenses as a result, and I'm always looking for something unique/different to shoot with. Also just get a kick out of using ancient camera history on modern cameras 🙂
 
The robot lenses are pretty amazing. I shoot mine on a robot. The adapter isn't really worth it IMHO. You could pick up a robot + lens for about the same price. If you can find the robot rf adapter you are even better off. I am so glad I found mine 🙂 Although I do with I had the adapter for coolzies sake.

Heres a flickr set with my robot shots if you are interested
http://flickr.com/photos/trittium/sets/72157594417956123/
 
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trittium said:
The robot lenses are pretty amazing. I shoot mine on a robot. The adapter isn't really worth it IMHO. You could pick up a robot + lens for about the same price. If you can find the robot rf adapter you are even better off. I am so glad I found mine 🙂 Although I do with I had the adapter for coolzies sake.

Heres a flickr set with my robot shots if you are interested
http://flickr.com/photos/trittium/sets/72157594417956123/
Click to expand...

Matt,

What do you find amazing about the Robot lenses?
Did you find a Robot RF adapter?
I am not sure what you meant by your statement that you are glad that you found yours.

Raid
 
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