CLE tests

Captain said:
Were these with Voigtlander 28 f3.5 and 21 f4? I thought you sold your 28mm f3.5?
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yep, both were the cv lenses.
i had a 28/3.5 that i sold a long time ago, the nikon mount one, i think.
 
DrLeoB said:
Raid -
See the article in Wikipedia, it is quite thorough without swamping you with information. Basically, the unsharp mask removes the low-frequency (blur) elements of the photo while keeping the high frequency (edges, sharp contrast changes). You can vary the intensity and size of the mask. Paintshop Pro and photoshop both have it as a standard tool.
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Leo,

Thanks for the information. I will try it out.
 
...man I love my CLEs...haven't yet lived to regret the sale of my leicas and xpans, while the former sale of my original CLE caused me to repurchase two with fast alternative lenses (leica m 28 f2.0, cv 40 f1.4 (multi-coat), and leica m elmarit 90 f2.8) and I cannot find anything that gives me greater satisfaction...
 
Just a small note here in appreciation of shot #1 (newspaper, etc., on the table) and of femmes de marche' in #3. Well seen you.
 
MP/CLE said:
...man I love my CLEs...haven't yet lived to regret the sale of my leicas and xpans, while the former sale of my original CLE caused me to repurchase two with fast alternative lenses (leica m 28 f2.0, cv 40 f1.4 (multi-coat), and leica m elmarit 90 f2.8) and I cannot find anything that gives me greater satisfaction...
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they are nice machines, for sure.

i think i have decided on a 40 sonnar for mine.
 
I actually prefer the feel of the rokkor to the cv, but I really like the 1.4 speed...I really do not like using a flash if I can help it. The market pictures were wonderful and have caused me to get several rolls of b&w film...I've been all color recently.
 
I also loved my CLE (now gone). You might be right that the shutter is a little sticky, but there is another possibility. The CLE's meter reading in the viewfinder is only an estimate based on how much light is reflected off of the shutter curtain (you'll notice the strange pattern on it to approximate the reflectivity of film). The real shutter speed is set when the shutter opens and the light is measured off of the film during the actual exposure itself. I found that it was very common for the initial meter reading to be different from the actual exposure time. Normally this is no big deal, but it is frustrating when you are handholding at what you think is 1/15th, and all of a sudden the shutter stays open for another stop and a half because the reading off the film required a little more light. Of course this might not be what is going on at all with your camera, but it was frequent with mine and prevented me from using it reliably in AE mode in low light. It's worth looking into as the real source of the slower shutter (mine seemed to always need a slower shutter than the initial meter said.)
 
think i have decided on a 40 sonnar for mine.
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While definitely a good lens, unless your specifically after the "Sonnar Look" I would probabaly go with one of the others. Its the most expensive of the 40's, its the slowest and at f2.8 the Rokkors, Summicron and Noktons all have better performance. It exhibits a strange focus calibration (Not the first time with a Zeiss design) whereby at 2.8 due to curvature of the lens, when you focus its calibrated to bring the edges into sharpest focus not the center. Usually lenses are set the other way around, when you focus them wide open they are focused sharp in the center and go a bit softer to the edges. Strangely its not something I ever noticed with the same lens in a Rollei 35. Maybe im less forgiving with the rangefinder version expecting greater accuracy?
 
joel, i think the cle rokkor is what i will end up with. if i can find one that is.
the 40's seem to be in short supply these days...

joe
 
joel, i think the cle rokkor is what i will end up with. if i can find one that is. the 40's seem to be in short supply these days...
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Joe Contact Captain, He had a CLE Rokkor and a Summicron spare last time I spoke to him. He sold you a Voigtlander 28mm if remember correctly once before so you know him already.
 
The Rollei 40/2.8 Sonnar properly calibrated behaves like any other lens where the center is sharp even wide open. Stopping down gradually improves definition across the frame with the corners the last to show best performance untill f/8. This has been my experience with this lens although it was only true once DAG tweaked the RF adjustment of the lens as I found it slightly off straight out of the box. Keep in mind the optical unit is German made but assembly into the focusing mount is actually done by CV. This may have something to do with any RF error and high price with German labor cost figured in. This Sonnar design typically has soft corners as I found similar softness at the extreme corners of the Contax T2's 38/2.8 Sonnar, a similar design.
 
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The Rollei 40/2.8 Sonnar properly calibrated behaves like any other lens where the center is sharp even wide open. Stopping down gradually improves definition across the frame with the corners the last to show best performance untill f/8. This has been my experience with this lens although it was only true once DAG tweaked the RF adjustment of the lens as I found it slightly off straight out of the box.
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I have found the calibration error I mentioned above in 3 examples now. Given that its so many im not sure it can be even called an error but more likely the way the factory sets them up rather than a fault that slipped past quality control. You have had to have yours "Properly Calibrated" to function like regular lens and certainly a worth while modfication if this is the 40 that one chooses but given that isnt just a one off it has to be regarded as a negative point against this lens all the same.
 
Joe Brugger said:
Unsharp mask is also available in Elements, which is available for less than $100 if you don't have it.
There's also a function called "despeckle" which I think is under the "Blur" tab, which is very kind to B&W negs with large expanses of sky or other single tones.
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It's also available in the GIMP, <$1US/CDN/etc :D (it's GNU/Freeware)

Joe: If it were me and money no problem, I'd go for the Nokton and Sonnar. Sometimes you need a fast lens, sometimes you need the Sonnar touch.

Earl
 
go for both eh? maybe when i win that big fat lotto;)

i may have an original cle rokkor 40 in the works, just waiting to hear back on one.
if a sonnar shows it's rare face to me and if i have the cash i would be tempted to at least give it a whirl.
 
I hear ya Joe. Of course, when you win that big fat lotto you're on the plan to T-Dot for an RFF meet-up for sure!
 
Trius said:
I hear ya Joe. Of course, when you win that big fat lotto you're on the plan to T-Dot for an RFF meet-up for sure!
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earl, if i won the big fat lotto, all you folks would be coming over to my downtown t.o. penthouse for beers!
oh yeah:)
 
I'm there! If I win everyone comes to my 3000 ft² log cabin perched atop a cliff on the shore of Superior, with panoramic views of the Lake, 80 hectares land for hiking, camping, fishing, etc, additional guest house and copious wine cellar. And darkroom.
 
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