What Next

[Fred]

I was at a small folk club meeting using some admittedly outdated Ilford 3200 recently and a quietish RF body, lenses used were a 50 Summicron and CV 90 f3.5. Although not too disapointed by the results given the conditions I'm sure I could do better (I will post in the gallery sometime), I have to state that for me:

- 3200 film is not OK for general everyday use but fantastic in low light and push pull (+grain)

- A faster 90mm would have been a big help (I don't normally use wide open if I can help it)

Give that I have one RF camera and shoot in different conditions flexibility is appreaciated. Fast lenses, Quiet operarion in public (no SLR mirror slap) are paramount. I'd appreciate yiur thoughts.

Given the limited financial resouces should I consider:

1) A used faster 90mm lens (or 75mm and crop the neg) than the current much loved CV90 f3.5 (that I'm generally very happy with). Alternatives are 90 Summicron f2 or Elmarit f2.8 (+ any others anyone would like to suggest) Allegedly the Leicas are still good at full aperture.

2) Consider a second body for different film and use my current lenses to give me the flexibility of differnt film, e.g. High speed v Low speed v slide etc. Bessa R2/2a or used M6 FSU body etc. Ideas? Ideally M mount

3) Suggestions welcome.

Current lens stable mates are 15, 28, 35, 50 and 90.

Any and all comments welcome.

General note: I'm in the UK so as they say in England, "skys darken, apertures widen".

Cheers,

Fred

 

[pvdhaar]

Hi Fred,

you state that the results were dissappointing, but what do you mean? Too much motion blur, too much camera shake, negs too thin, poor focus, poor framing, poor resolution?

A faster 90 may cure one of these (motion blur/ camera shake) but at the espense of another (focus accuracy)..

I have the CV90/3.5 myself, and find that the biggest problem I had with it was that I used it on a HexarRF with 0.6x viewfinder. The 90mm frames are so small that it's difficult to frame and then hold steady. There's very little visual confirmation in that case to hold it without shake. It's easy to mistake this camera shake for lack of resolution at wider apertures..

Nowadays it's on my Bessa-T with 1.5x RF and this visual feedback leads to a steadier hold with sharper pics, even wide open. I still have to check how it'll work out with a 90mm external finder tough, which I haven't got yet..

 

[Fred]

Thanks for the comments Peter.

The results were not too dissapointing given the light level and the dated film, slow ish shutter speed. I was shooting at about 1/15 f4 or f5.6 hand holding but resting both elbows on a table. This helped given the light was very low as there was no main act,
different people got up from the seats and played/sang where they stood. In a nut shell I can't be too upset. Usually on a spot light night I'd be able to get away with 800 film as the acts perform on a small lighted stage.

The dilema is that if I leave 3200 or 1600 film in the body, it's just too fast for a summers day even in the UK. I prefer nothing faster than 400 for daily use.

So I can either use a slower film (say 400) that will help in normal day to day useage but get a faster lens to compensate for the lower light shots (also reduce the grain). The Leica Elmarit although only 1/2 a stop faster than the CV 90 is said to be much better when used wide open than the CV 90 wide open. Other possibilities are a used Simmicron f2
If I pick up a second body for the different film I just take out a differnt body depending on the shooting conditions.

Currently I rewind the film mid roll and use another for different occasions, but it's a pain. Maybe I've got GAS.

 

[James Burton]

The dilema is that if I leave 3200 or 1600 film in the body, it's just too fast for a summers day even in the UK. I prefer nothing faster than 400 for daily use.

You aren't able to change films mid-roll? A 2nd body seems like
an expensive solution to that problem. How about a leader picker-outer
thingy? (what are those called?)

James

 

[Goodyear]

How about a leader picker-outer
thingy? (what are those called?)

Umm. 'Leader picker-outer thingy' covers it 😀

 

[dmr]

Umm. 'Leader picker-outer thingy' covers it 😀

I'm curious on this too, as to what they are really called, what they cost, and where you can get one. They did it for me a while back at Walgreens, but it might be nice to have one of those things.

Oh, and I've learned the hard way that changing rolls midstream can confuse the heck out of some automatic processors. I once got back a roll which had been cut mid-frame. 🙁 Of course I'm sure you guys do your own processing. 🙂

 

[solane]

according to freestyle in CA, its called a film retriever though i've always called them the "film leader picker-outer thingy" myself. they sell for $4.99.

try this lnk: http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=1370

 

[Doug]

I have a film retriever here somewhere... Hard to recall the last time I used it. But film is cheap... sacrificing the unused parts of some rolls is still lots cheaper than a faster lens or a second body! (no problem that way in confusing the auto film cutters either... but I always specify "don't cut" anyway)

 

[FrankS]

Given the limited financial resouces should I consider:

1) A used faster 90mm lens (or 75mm and crop the neg) than the current much loved CV90 f3.5 (that I'm generally very happy with). Alternatives are 90 Summicron f2 or Elmarit f2.8 (+ any others anyone would like to suggest) Allegedly the Leicas are still good at full aperture.

2) Consider a second body for different film and use my current lenses to give me the flexibility of differnt film, e.g. High speed v Low speed v slide etc. Bessa R2/2a or used M6 FSU body etc. Ideas? Ideally M mount

3) Suggestions welcome.


Hi Fred,

I'd like to suggest a Canon 85mm f2 LTM lens as a cheaper alternative to a Summicron 90mm f2. You can find this lens at 15% of what you can buy a used Leitz 90 for.

What RF body are you using now? A second (or 6th) body is handy to have.