R
ruben
Guest
Today I got my training Kiev, a 4AM model. Therefore my schedule for the next weeks is as follows, more or less:
This weekend I will perform the X-Ray Test, on color film for quick saving time processing. Who ever wants to do it on BW film I see no problem and possible advantages in judging the negatives.
The following weekend I will post my evaluation of the results, which I don't know yet and cannot know what waits for me.
After this second weekend, the following third one I will post my proposals for organizing the place you are going to work on your camera, and some common tools and other kitchen, closet and bathroom devices we will be using. But some things will have to be bought. Remember you are dealing with me, a fairly stretched budget guy who uses his imagination for saving money, on one hand, but loosing it a lot in exchange of the fascination of GAS, on the other hand.
THE IMPERATIVE OF PERFORMING THE X-RAY TEST
Much of the story was already written at the post "The Kiev Project - Part-1"
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40422
which it will not harm too much to re-read it, post #1 only if you are short of time.
But now, in order to gather myself further moral forces to actually do the test, I would like to deepen the reasons behind this test. BTW, I hate tests !
As you may remember, or re-read, our test consisted in making a very specific series of exposures on our most trusted camera, and then after rewinding leaving the film tonge out, to repeat the same series on our training Kiev. The logics behind each series is not so much to test camera accuracy but consistency. Through the different combinations of each series we will be allowing to pass through our lens, exactly the same amount of light, resulting in a series of processed negatives bluntly showing the same negative density (opacity/translucency) from frame to frame.
If our "most trusted camera" is not consistent, then we have learnt something about trust and that camera.
If on the contrary, our most trusted camera shows equal density from frame to frame, this will show us this camera can be further used as our Master camera.
Since we are going to operate this Master camera in manual mode, in fact we will be testing its shutter consistency. If the density of the processed negative is the same both at f/2 and speed 1/1000, and at f/16 and speed 1/30, with all stands in the middle - then we know for sure this shutter is working perfectly, or rather consistently perfect.
Then when we inspect the Kiev negatives we will learn the same and much more. Are all speed consistent or not? Have the Kiev negatives the same density as those of our Master camera ? In other words, what is the real condition of our training Kiev before we put our hands inside.
In case our training Kiev is not consistent in its shutter operation, producing negatives of different density, then we will learn a) that was our starting point to be contrasted latter when the camera is after our CLA. b) how close the densities are to those of our master camera to start with? This will have cutting edge implications when we arrive at the distensioning phase. After CLA our shutters will be tensioned or distensioned by testing, not any pre-arranged formula. We will achieve exactly what we want. Distensioning produces more softness, too much distensioning produces shifting speeds. Each of us will decide his/her best compromise. The Kievs we will build, will be Kievs a la carte, and in more than one sense.
Along the way we will also learn about the quality of both lenses, that in our master camera and that on our training Kiev.
Take note that this X-Ray test is the only one that not lies, because what you see is what you will actually get.
A word about this latter assertion. Some of us which have manual printed prints, know that a print may look perfect, but only with a close timed one besides, we can really decide which is better. This speaks on behalf of our negative side by side comparizon.
Now a second word. Here and there two alternative ways have been designed to test the accuracy of the Kiev/Contax shutter. One of them is the building of an electronic device showing the results on a computer screen. I do not know how to build such a device out of my ignorancy for that matter. But provided I knew or had such a device I would have to test it in the same way I am doing what I have called The X-Ray Test. Because you are not going to print prints or scan from that device screen, but from your actual negatives !
Then there is a trick, so to speak, consisting in lifting some weight from one of the Kiev/Contax curtains, and provided equilibrium is obtained, then accuracy will follow. I can hardly abstain from terming this as "ridiculous". First, the exerts disagree among themselves about how much that weight should weight. Then, it is very obvious to me that different Kiev/Contaxes with different levels of CLA and dirt will produce different resistance to the ideal weight (which the experts disagree about), and consequently show different points of equilibrium.
As for the way of Mr Scherer, about a fixed amount of tensioning turns, obviously this must work, if you are Mr Scherer doing time after time the exhausting job he does for each of his babies.
With the X-Ray Test, what you see is what you get. "Ahh" you may say, but what if your master camera is consistently shifted for lower or higher speeds than those from the absolute accuracy ?
If you study this objection, you will find the answer. Let's suppose, or in fact this actually happens, that we have several light meters. Which is best? I could gather at home a Concilium of digital meter users and try to check mine. But here common sense is called for. Our best light meter is our most consistent one, giving the best exposures at very different light situations. It is my deepest belief that in Photography gear issues, consistency is the practical, absolute accuracy - just a crazy idea. Otherwise, before perfoming the X-Ray Test, test in the same way all your cameras and try to decide which is better.
WHAT I WILL BE USING FOR THE X-RAY TEST
a) Olympus OM4Ti, with latest Zuiko standard (one of the best performer lens in its cathegory.
b) Training Kiev with the standar Helios it came with.
c) Tripod
d) Very Important: no matter what I have written till now, the positioning of the Kiev camera must be set at 1 meter from subject to the back side of the camera, according to a hand roller meter, while the camera focusing rangefinder will not be used (only for curiosity). Instead the camera distance ring will be set exactly at the mark "1 meter". With Kiev/Contaxes, the rangefinder mechanism may not be accurate, but the camera distance marks are accurate. In other words, the rangefinder mechanism is mimick of the distance between lens and film plane, marked by the distance ring. We will use the original, instead of the mimick, and latter check that mimick.
e) Hand meter.
As it happens with tests, surprises arise. Sometimes small ones, sometimes dramatic. Wish me not to desperate, and stay cool and factual.
Cheers,
Ruben
PS
For an Outline of the whole Kiev Project, see
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40454
and add your comments, disagreements, ideas, etc.
This weekend I will perform the X-Ray Test, on color film for quick saving time processing. Who ever wants to do it on BW film I see no problem and possible advantages in judging the negatives.
The following weekend I will post my evaluation of the results, which I don't know yet and cannot know what waits for me.
After this second weekend, the following third one I will post my proposals for organizing the place you are going to work on your camera, and some common tools and other kitchen, closet and bathroom devices we will be using. But some things will have to be bought. Remember you are dealing with me, a fairly stretched budget guy who uses his imagination for saving money, on one hand, but loosing it a lot in exchange of the fascination of GAS, on the other hand.
THE IMPERATIVE OF PERFORMING THE X-RAY TEST
Much of the story was already written at the post "The Kiev Project - Part-1"
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40422
which it will not harm too much to re-read it, post #1 only if you are short of time.
But now, in order to gather myself further moral forces to actually do the test, I would like to deepen the reasons behind this test. BTW, I hate tests !
As you may remember, or re-read, our test consisted in making a very specific series of exposures on our most trusted camera, and then after rewinding leaving the film tonge out, to repeat the same series on our training Kiev. The logics behind each series is not so much to test camera accuracy but consistency. Through the different combinations of each series we will be allowing to pass through our lens, exactly the same amount of light, resulting in a series of processed negatives bluntly showing the same negative density (opacity/translucency) from frame to frame.
If our "most trusted camera" is not consistent, then we have learnt something about trust and that camera.
If on the contrary, our most trusted camera shows equal density from frame to frame, this will show us this camera can be further used as our Master camera.
Since we are going to operate this Master camera in manual mode, in fact we will be testing its shutter consistency. If the density of the processed negative is the same both at f/2 and speed 1/1000, and at f/16 and speed 1/30, with all stands in the middle - then we know for sure this shutter is working perfectly, or rather consistently perfect.
Then when we inspect the Kiev negatives we will learn the same and much more. Are all speed consistent or not? Have the Kiev negatives the same density as those of our Master camera ? In other words, what is the real condition of our training Kiev before we put our hands inside.
In case our training Kiev is not consistent in its shutter operation, producing negatives of different density, then we will learn a) that was our starting point to be contrasted latter when the camera is after our CLA. b) how close the densities are to those of our master camera to start with? This will have cutting edge implications when we arrive at the distensioning phase. After CLA our shutters will be tensioned or distensioned by testing, not any pre-arranged formula. We will achieve exactly what we want. Distensioning produces more softness, too much distensioning produces shifting speeds. Each of us will decide his/her best compromise. The Kievs we will build, will be Kievs a la carte, and in more than one sense.
Along the way we will also learn about the quality of both lenses, that in our master camera and that on our training Kiev.
Take note that this X-Ray test is the only one that not lies, because what you see is what you will actually get.
A word about this latter assertion. Some of us which have manual printed prints, know that a print may look perfect, but only with a close timed one besides, we can really decide which is better. This speaks on behalf of our negative side by side comparizon.
Now a second word. Here and there two alternative ways have been designed to test the accuracy of the Kiev/Contax shutter. One of them is the building of an electronic device showing the results on a computer screen. I do not know how to build such a device out of my ignorancy for that matter. But provided I knew or had such a device I would have to test it in the same way I am doing what I have called The X-Ray Test. Because you are not going to print prints or scan from that device screen, but from your actual negatives !
Then there is a trick, so to speak, consisting in lifting some weight from one of the Kiev/Contax curtains, and provided equilibrium is obtained, then accuracy will follow. I can hardly abstain from terming this as "ridiculous". First, the exerts disagree among themselves about how much that weight should weight. Then, it is very obvious to me that different Kiev/Contaxes with different levels of CLA and dirt will produce different resistance to the ideal weight (which the experts disagree about), and consequently show different points of equilibrium.
As for the way of Mr Scherer, about a fixed amount of tensioning turns, obviously this must work, if you are Mr Scherer doing time after time the exhausting job he does for each of his babies.
With the X-Ray Test, what you see is what you get. "Ahh" you may say, but what if your master camera is consistently shifted for lower or higher speeds than those from the absolute accuracy ?
If you study this objection, you will find the answer. Let's suppose, or in fact this actually happens, that we have several light meters. Which is best? I could gather at home a Concilium of digital meter users and try to check mine. But here common sense is called for. Our best light meter is our most consistent one, giving the best exposures at very different light situations. It is my deepest belief that in Photography gear issues, consistency is the practical, absolute accuracy - just a crazy idea. Otherwise, before perfoming the X-Ray Test, test in the same way all your cameras and try to decide which is better.
WHAT I WILL BE USING FOR THE X-RAY TEST
a) Olympus OM4Ti, with latest Zuiko standard (one of the best performer lens in its cathegory.
b) Training Kiev with the standar Helios it came with.
c) Tripod
d) Very Important: no matter what I have written till now, the positioning of the Kiev camera must be set at 1 meter from subject to the back side of the camera, according to a hand roller meter, while the camera focusing rangefinder will not be used (only for curiosity). Instead the camera distance ring will be set exactly at the mark "1 meter". With Kiev/Contaxes, the rangefinder mechanism may not be accurate, but the camera distance marks are accurate. In other words, the rangefinder mechanism is mimick of the distance between lens and film plane, marked by the distance ring. We will use the original, instead of the mimick, and latter check that mimick.
e) Hand meter.
As it happens with tests, surprises arise. Sometimes small ones, sometimes dramatic. Wish me not to desperate, and stay cool and factual.
Cheers,
Ruben
PS
For an Outline of the whole Kiev Project, see
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40454
and add your comments, disagreements, ideas, etc.
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