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Leica Film Odyssey for a beginner


Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

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Not wanting to spend your money for you, Neil :ph34r: , but I'd get a 2nd Magazine long before I'd get a Prism Finder. In particular, it answers your question about what to do when you're half way through a film and night time arrives.

Mate got one on the way already from jaaapv

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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

Good on you Neil. Keep the entertainment running.

 

I tell you, though - Plaubel Makina!  True 7x6 medium format, range finder, 120 roll film, available in either standard (80mm) or wide (55mm). Great secondhand prices and you can almost fit it in your pocket!

 

John the Pablo Makinal looks like a knocked off M with a broken noctilux hanging off the front, Could have been something that was made down Bukit Bintang by a bunch of left handed cigarette smokers........

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I tell you, though - Plaubel Makina!  True 7x6 medium format, range finder, 120 roll film, available in either standard (80mm) or wide (55mm). Great secondhand prices and you can almost fit it in your pocket!

 

I had one, but ultimately preferred the Mamiya 6x7 and 6x6 rangefinders and the fabulous lenses to match.  Like Leica with much bigger negs.   And he could get the RZ for studio work.

 

I agree with James, though.....time to just skip to large format... 4x5 and 8x10.....the ultimate chick magnets (with a dark cloth to hide under).

 

By the end of this, Neil and I will have had similar experiences.....except mine took 40 years and his will take 40 days.

 

Jeff

Edited by Jeff S
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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

I had one, but ultimately preferred the Mamiya 6x7 and 6x6 rangefinders and the fabulous lenses to match.  Like Leica with much bigger negs.   And he could get the RZ for studio work.

 

I agree with James, though.....time to just skip to large format... 4x5 and 8x10.....the ultimate chick magnets (with a dark cloth to hide under).

 

By the end of this, Neil and I will have had similar experiences.....except mine took 40 years and his will take 40 days.

 

Jeff

Jeff

You'll know this, I just watched a video with some bloke shooting chicks with a 503 and he was looking at the focus screen with like a round circle in the middle. Do those focus screens for the 503 come in the same as my S the Micro Prisum

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Jeff

You'll know this, I just watched a video with some bloke shooting chicks with a 503 and he was looking at the focus screen with like a round circle in the middle. Do those focus screens for the 503 come in the same as my S the Micro Prisum

 

It's been a long time since I used the 500.....there are many screen and magnifier (probably what you saw) options....split focus, acute matte and more, including various 3rd party options (possibly Beattie, for instance), and well as hood options, e.g., chimney, etc.

 

Jeff

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As I said somewhere above, I see a Sinar p3 in Neil's future.  He can use his S as the digital back, and he doesn't need to worry about film - think about it, no film loading, no wet plates, no developing, no scanning.  

 

Think of the improvement in quality from skipping all those steps!

 

PS - Actually, the PhaseOne XF is still the best bet.  Camera, prism viewfinder, 80MP digital back and three Schneider lenses, all for the budget price of $63,000.00.  A steel, and just think of the image quality!

Edited by IkarusJohn
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Jeff

You'll know this, I just watched a video with some bloke shooting chicks with a 503 and he was looking at the focus screen with like a round circle in the middle. Do those focus screens for the 503 come in the same as my S the Micro Prisum

I think you're meaning the flip-up magnifier, Neil, not the focus screen. 503, like all 500's, comes with a flip-up magnifier.

Your 503 will (probably) come with an Acu-matte focus screen. These can be replaced with grids, split-screens, and all sorts, but standard is generally just fine.

The viewfinder experience will make your S look like a M. I usually use the magnifier, due to geriatric eyesight, although it slows things down a bit.

 

Loading film has a few more steps than you are experiencing with the M, and you need to follow the sequence pretty much. Mine goes a bit like this:

  1. Finish film and finish with cocked shutter (Frame counter window on right side will show black).
  2. Rewind until definitely free of resistance plus a bit extra to get it back on the roll (Magazine opening tab on left side will show red).
  3. Insert dark slide (You can feel which side of dark slide is back and which is front. It is best to insert correctly so that magazine cartridge doesn't catch on way in or out).
  4. Remove magazine cartridge.
  5. Remove exposed film, fold the end of the film tab under itself, and seal (Kodak use licky-licky-sticky-sticky - Fuji use fancy-pants self-adhering technology), and put in a darkish place.
  6. Swap the empty film spool across to become the take-up spool.
  7. Tear open a new film and completely remove the paper band that binds it.
  8. Place it in the magazine cartridge such that, when you roll it around the back, the paper backing is going to be facing outwards.
  9. Turn the magazine opening tab back a smidgeon to release pressure off the pressure plate (You'll see it move).
  10. Pull the film around the back, ensuring that the top edge is seated under the little guide, and feed the end of the film into the take-up spool.
  11. Turn the knurled knob on the take-up spool, keeping a thumb on the spool to stop the film tab slipping out, until the film tab has been rolled in.
  12. Continue turning until the marker arrow of the film is aligned with the markers on the magazine (or centralised).
  13. Turn the magazine opening tab back to the fully open position, seating the pressure plate back down (check that the film is still seated under the guide).
  14. Insert the magazine cartridge back in the magazine, and lock the opening tab.
  15. Wind the crank on the right side of the magazine until it comes up against a hard stop. "1" will be showing in the frame counter window. Fold the crank over (you can safely wind it backwards, as it is ratcheted).
  16. Put a note or piece from the frame box in the holder on the back to remind yourself which film you have in that magazine.
  17. Remove the dark slide and put in a safe place (shirt pocket for me, which is why all those fashionistas who advocate for the removal of shirt pockets are never going to make it in the World of the 500, come the Revolution).
  18. Rattle out another whopping 12 shots, rinse, and repeat...
Edited by EoinC
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I had one, but ultimately preferred the Mamiya 6x7 and 6x6 rangefinders and the fabulous lenses to match.  Like Leica with much bigger negs.   And he could get the RZ for studio work.

 

I agree with James, though.....time to just skip to large format... 4x5 and 8x10.....the ultimate chick magnets (with a dark cloth to hide under).

 

By the end of this, Neil and I will have had similar experiences.....except mine took 40 years and his will take 40 days.

 

Jeff

 

 

40 days and 40 nights.....measured in "Neil Time" that easily equates to 40 years...... ;)  

Edited by platypus
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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

 

I think you're meaning the flip-up magnifier, Neil, not the focus screen. 503, like all 500's, comes with a flip-up magnifier.

Your 503 will (probably) come with an Acu-matte focus screen. These can be replaced with grids, split-screens, and all sorts, but standard is generally just fine.

The viewfinder experience will make your S look like a M. I usually use the magnifier, due to geriatric eyesight, although it slows things down a bit.

 

Loading film has a few more steps than you are experiencing with the M, and you need to follow the sequence pretty much. Mine goes a bit like this:

  1. Finish film and finish with cocked shutter (Frame counter window on right side will show black).
  2. Rewind until definitely free of resistance plus a bit extra to get it back on the roll (Magazine opening tab on left side will show red).
  3. Insert dark slide (You can feel which side of dark slide is back and which is front. It is best to insert correctly so that magazine cartridge doesn't catch on way in or out).
  4. Remove magazine cartridge.
  5. Remove exposed film, fold the end of the film tab under itself, and seal (Kodak use licky-licky-sticky-sticky - Fuji use fancy-pants self-adhering technology), and put in a darkish place.
  6. Swap the empty film spool across to become the take-up spool.
  7. Tear open a new film and completely remove the paper band that binds it.
  8. Place it in the magazine cartridge such that, when you roll it around the back, the paper backing is going to be facing outwards.
  9. Turn the magazine opening tab back a smidgeon to release pressure off the pressure plate (You'll see it move).
  10. Pull the film around the back, ensuring that the top edge is seated under the little guide, and feed the end of the film into the take-up spool.
  11. Turn the knurled knob on the take-up spool, keeping a thumb on the spool to stop the film tab slipping out, until the film tab has been rolled in.
  12. Continue turning until the marker arrow of the film is aligned with the markers on the magazine (or centralised).
  13. Turn the magazine opening tab back to the fully open position, seating the pressure plate back down (check that the film is still seated under the guide).
  14. Insert the magazine cartridge back in the magazine, and lock the opening tab.
  15. Wind the crank on the right side of the magazine until it comes up against a hard stop. "1" will be showing in the frame counter window. Fold the crank over (you can safely wind it backwards, as it is ratcheted).
  16. Put a note or piece from the frame box in the holder on the back to remind yourself which film you have in that magazine.
  17. Remove the dark slide and put in a safe place (shirt pocket for me, which is why all those fashionistas who advocate for the removal of shirt pockets are never going to make it in the World of the 500, come the Revolution).
  18. Rattle out another whopping 12 shots, rinse, and repeat...

 

Cheers got it mate.

Eoin The spare film back that I got out of japan doesn't come with a take up spool, are they easy enough to get in KL.

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Cheers got it mate.

Eoin The spare film back that I got out of japan doesn't come with a take up spool, are they easy enough to get in KL.

Unless my memory is shot (possibly, quite possibly) the take up spool is the last "empty" roll spool from the film that you shot. I'd say most stores/labs will have one they can give you.

If not, I do, but it's a fair distance to get something simple.

Gary

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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

Unless my memory is shot (possibly, quite possibly) the take up spool is the last "empty" roll spool from the film that you shot. I'd say most stores/labs will have one they can give you.

If not, I do, but it's a fair distance to get something simple.

Gary

Gary

I contacted the guy in Japan and he says it will come with the take up spool :)

Next year I will be going to the South Island, with M6 and the bad ass blad :) :)

beers are on me :) :)

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Neil,

Perfect, it's a minor item, and should be simple enough for the seller to include, good to see this is happening.

 

You'll love the Sth Island, I am from there, but now live up north, a couple of hours south of Auckland. The 'Blad will run hot with scenery shots, believe me. And indeed, if you travel through the upper Nth Island, I'll be only to happy to drink your beer, and supply a few of my own of course.

Gary

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Guest NEIL-D-WILLIAMS

Bill I had a Arte Di Mano for my M9 Monochrom, and kept that when I sod the MM. I was hoping it was going to fit the M6 but it was like what some folks do and that is put a Leica lens on a Sony A7............... it somewhat fits but looks like shit.

 

If you remember the buying of the M6 was all a wee bitty of a hurry, so rather than walking around looking like someone with a XXXL shirt on a M size body, I went out and bought a Chinese/Taiwanese/Bukit Bintang MADE GARIZ half case. The locking mechanism would be great if you had Asian female sized fingers.........nearly impossible to open it with my fingers, so we had to modify that with a piece of thread hanging off the locking mechanism................. note exactly cool walking around town with a 6K camera rig and a piece of black thread hanging off the bottom........people would come up to me and say "hay nice camera, whats with half your shirt hanging off the bottom" :) :) :)

 

Within 5 days the bloody metal base plate came off. I tried gluing it back on with super glue, that also must have been made in China/Taiwanese/Bukit Bintang because that didn't work........... the only thing that stuck together was my fingers on my left hand to the base plate and my fingers of my right hand to my steering wheel of my beautiful car............

 

Okay so now I am really pissed off, my wife calmed me down. She pried my fingers off the base plate. She took me to some guys shoe repair shop in Bangsar. Two cups of coffee later the base plate is back on the half case, but it is still covered with super glue and three layers of my bloody skin :( :(

attachicon.gifIMG_1905.JPG

I will now need to take my car to Porsche and see if they can repair the leather steering wheel......... :angry:  :angry:  :angry:

 

When I get back on the rig on Thursday I will order the Arte Di Mano half case like I should have done in the first place.

Ordered it already and asked them to custoise it so that it will work with my double thumbs up. I know a few "quite a few" don't like the double thumbs up but really its a great piece of kit :)

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Neil,

Something you might not know about Hasselblads—never remove the lens from the body without cocking the shutter first. It can be tricky to recock the shutter (which is built into the lens) manually, and the lens won't re-attach until it is cocked.

 

Chris

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John the Pablo Makinal looks like a knocked off M with a broken noctilux hanging off the front, Could have been something that was made down Bukit Bintang by a bunch of left handed cigarette smokers........

 

 

Don't knock it Neil.  The Plaubel Makina is a fine and much sought-after MF camera. The Nikkor lenses are of exceptional quality.

I've had one on my 'I think I want one' list for some time.

Edited by MarkP
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