***Roll Of Topless 1950`s PinUps*** w/ Canon 50mm f1.4 Many photos (Warning Nudity!)

[LeicaTom]

These were shot last Monday night (Feb 11th) in an old 1920`s built office building with Fetish model
Miss Betty Jaded

All this fun is shot with my freshly bought early 1960`s Canon 50mm f1.4 in LTM, mounted on my Leica M6 - exposed at 30/60 sec between f1.4 and f4.0 on Kodak CN400 C-41 Blk N Wht - there`s little to no post production, the carpet was maybe the only major item in the photos that was retouched.......

These 1950`s styled "Retro Trash" pinups are finished off in a Irving Klaw styled boarder - It was my first shoot with Betty and sure not to be my last, she took direction very well and has the figure for the Retro Nude modeling

This was the second time I`ve used this lens and I do like it despite it being somewhat "soft" it does reproduce work that looks like it was shot back in the 1950`s and that`s the most important thing about the equipment I use is that it helps me make everything look vintage

Enjoy!

Tom

 

[ferider]

Great photos, Tom 🙂

The lens shouldn't be that soft though. Front-focus ? Or were you distracted ? 😀

 

[MikeL]

Very cool Tom. I go back and forth on whether I like using CN400. I take it you like it for indoor stuff? Cheers,
Mike

 

[LeicaTom]

Great photos, Tom 🙂

The lens shouldn't be that soft though. Front-focus ? Or were you distracted ? 😀

Well, with a Retro model of her quality that was`nt easy to be distracted, but honestly more I think that the lens MIGHT need some adjusting?

I need to do some serious portrait styles to test the lens, while I am somewhat concerned about the softness, it is near pristine crystal clear and was CLA`d so much the former owner had said - here`s some samples of shots from the first shoot with Candice Marie shot last weekend....

These are unretouched and you can see that they are soft, all were shot at f1.4 or f2.0 on Fujicolor 100

The lens is very pleasing, but I was quite surprised to see how soft it`s performed for me?

So I don`t know if it will work for me or not and my styles, I have yet to test it on my Canon 7s I hope that it performs better on that, if it doesn`t I`ll be selling it.....

Tom

 

[LeicaTom]

Great photos, Tom 🙂

The lens shouldn't be that soft though. Front-focus ? Or were you distracted ? 😀

Thanks for the email 🙂

I think that I`ll check that out and then see about having it adjusted, because one of my f1.5 50mm Canon`s did this too and it would be a shame to part with this lens, while I searched for 6 months to find a clean glass one with caps *under $250* I got it for $200 BIN on Evilbay 🙂

Tom

 

[LeicaTom]

Very cool Tom. I go back and forth on whether I like using CN400. I take it you like it for indoor stuff? Cheers,
Mike

Well Mike, the CN400, I like it better outside then indoors, I was just testing that new lens with a roll that was left in my M6

I think I`m going to go back to TMAX and IILFORD for indoor work, also would like to find some ADOX 20 sometime as well................ does, anyone know where I can find that anymore in prepacked rolls of 24 or 36?

I used to use AGFA 25 for all my indoor work, shot on a tripod, but since AGFA died there`s been no replacement for the low speed blk n' wht film 🙁

Tom

 

[Mudman]

what about efke 25?

 

[Nokton48]

Tom,

You need to try a 400' roll of Eastman Double-X motion picture film. You'll have to load the film cartridges yourself, but you will no doubt find it useful for retro photography. It was introduced by Eastman in 1959!

 

[charjohncarter]

I don't like B&W C-41, but for skin it is great. Here is a Guy that probably didn't used C-41. Look around this site for 'more inspiration.'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/catalpa/454965102/

 

[raid]

Tom,
Thank you for the show.
I am also surprised at the lack of sharpness. I should say that when I tested 50mm lenses, the 50/1.4 that was loaned to me was also soft.The 50/1.5 was sharper. It could very well be that the 50/1.4 needed adjusting.

 

[dexdog]

Tom,
Thank you for the show.
I am also surprised at the lack of sharpness. I should say that when I tested 50mm lenses, the 50/1.4 that was loaned to me was also soft.The 50/1.5 was sharper. It could very well be that the 50/1.4 needed adjusting.

Raid, after your test, I had the lens in question collimated. It now performs more predictably, and according to a recent test I ran, wide open at f 1.4, the lens front focuses about 1/2" at a distance from the target of 36 inches. In short, it works great now, and the slight front focus does not appear to be an issue. At half an inch, the front focus could be caused by my 50-year old eyes, rather than the lens.

 

[raid]

Raid, after your test, I had the lens in question collimated. It now performs more predictably, and according to a recent test I ran, wide open at f 1.4, the lens front focuses about 1/2" at a distance from the target of 36 inches. In short, it works great now, and the slight front focus does not appear to be an issue. At half an inch, the front focus could be caused by my 50-year old eyes, rather than the lens.

Hello Mark,
Then your lens really needed some adjusting. This supports the comments that the Canon 50mm/1.4 is a sharp lens and not soft. I am glad to hear that your lens now is working great. The advantages of lens tests are many, and having many vintage lenses tested side by side allows us to get a second opinion on the lenses.

I miss doing a test!

Raid

 

[MikeL]

Well Mike, the CN400, I like it better outside then indoors, I was just testing that new lens with a roll that was left in my M6

Tom

Uhh, I wish I had your subject matter for testing lenses. 🙂

 

[LeicaTom]

Tom,

You need to try a 400' roll of Eastman Double-X motion picture film. You'll have to load the film cartridges yourself, but you will no doubt find it useful for retro photography. It was introduced by Eastman in 1959!

Yes, this film sounds really inviting to what my business is all about, the results would be just what I need to be doing I think, currently I`m not too happy with using the Kodak CN400 indoors.....

Tom

 

[blw]

Hey LeicaTom,

First and primarily, thanks for sharing your photos with myself as well as the rest of RFF. I always enjoy when I can catch one of your threads on the front page.

I've noticed before your concern over this lens appearing "soft". Seeing these as well as the color photos posted later, I see what you're talking about; but I don't know that it's all that bad an effect and might even put your work closer to "the mark"- so to speak.

The one thing that troubled me about the b&ws (and please understand that I don't even remotely claim to be neither an "expert" nor an expert) was the slight over-exposure on the white end of the spectrum. Perhaps this was intentional, though(?). From my uneducated perspective, the "softness" looks fine- particularly in the b&ws.

Regardless, I am jealous of not only finding a way to make some money taking photos, but also getting to do it in such a fashion. My hat is off to you.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[Nokton48]

Tom,

Here is the thread on Eastman 5222, if you are interested:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=761458#post761458

Happy Shooting!

-Dan

 

[john neal]

Tom,

Great B&W shots - takes me back to my youth and magazines like "***** & Span" that featured Betty Paige,

I see what you mean about the softness in the colour shots - this does not look typical of the lens - my own example is much sharper than that (when I get the focus right!). Have to say you got it at the right price though!

Keep up the good work, and please tell me how to pursuade my wife to let me take shots like that :eeK:

 

[LeicaTom]

Tom,

Great B&W shots - takes me back to my youth and magazines like "***** & Span" that featured Betty Paige,

I see what you mean about the softness in the colour shots - this does not look typical of the lens - my own example is much sharper than that (when I get the focus right!). Have to say you got it at the right price though!

Keep up the good work, and please tell me how to pursuade my wife to let me take shots like that :eeK:

Hello John!

I would say that George Harrison Marks is a great influence in my work - he was England`s #1 pinup/girliemag shooter in the 1950`s and 1960`s 🙂

Yes, I have to figure out what to do with this lens, I don`t want to sell it, while I was a great bargin at $200 (near mint with caps) but said having a CLA and such, it`s still quite off on it`s focus, I still have to send it out to get adjusted and Betty`s a great model, I`ll be working with her alot in the upcoming months, so much much more to shoot on real film

Tom

 

[john neal]

Hello John!

I would say that George Harrison Marks is a great influence in my work - he was England`s #1 pinup/girliemag shooter in the 1950`s and 1960`s 🙂

Yes, I have to figure out what to do with this lens, I don`t want to sell it, while I was a great bargin at $200 (near mint with caps) but said having a CLA and such, it`s still quite off on it`s focus, I still have to send it out to get adjusted and Betty`s a great model, I`ll be working with her alot in the upcoming months, so much much more to shoot on real film

Tom

Harrison Marks!! Wow that's right - a master with B&W pinup work. I recall we spent months trying to get hold of one of his films on 16mm when I was about 15. When we finally got it, all the good bits had been burned by the previous owner pausing the gate for ages 😉

I just noticed that the board filter edited my earlier post - no doubt a PC filter in case of potential rascist comments, unfortunately my use of that work was in the 1960's engish reference to "neat & tidy".

I was trying to remember some of the other magazine names from Harrison Marks, but it is nearly 50 years ago, and the only other one i could come up with was "Beautiful Britons" which generally featured lingerie shots of pretty girls in old Rileys or Humbers, somewhere in a woods north of Watford. Great stuff for an adolescent rugby player!

I would say that having the work done on the lens would be worth it - if it is mint, as they go for up to $400 over here (but that's UK pricing for you!).

Looking forward to more of Betty in your work.

 

[Peter_Jones]

Should've used the phrase "ship-shape and Bristol fashion" 😀