[LRflex] Re: PB-6 bellows macro focusing
- From: "Aram Langhans" <leica_r8@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:12:22 -0800
Well, you have to define "fun". For 35 years most of my macro work was done
with my Rollei SL-35, a bellows and a Zeiss 135/4 Tessar lens. Worked just
fine. A bit of a bother because you have to do two lens mountings. Attach
bellows then attach lens to bellows. If I had owned a dedicated short mount
lens for the bellows I would not have to release the lens each time I needed
to use it.
When I went to Leica in the late 90's, I bought a bellows with the 100/4
Leica short mount macro. That is what I was use to. Worked fine. Needed
to replace the cloth bellows once. That was not a big deal, just ordered a
new owe from Novoflex. Then an opportunity came up to buy a 100/4 macro
lens with focusing. Did that. Not sure why. Same quality as the short
mount. Indeed, the same lens I think. I found it limiting since it did not
focus 1:1, or even 1:2. Sold it. Then I bought the 100/2.8 APO Macro. No
looking back. Have the 1:1 Elpro, too. Wish it focused all the way from
infinity to 1:1, like the short mount on the bellows, but optically, no
comparison.
Sold the short mount but kept the bellows for ultra close-up work. Slap my
50/2 with reversing ring and can really get close with good results. Never
measured it, but perhaps 2 or 2.5x. Not as sharp as a luminar or some such
ultra close-up, but it gets a shot if needed. I had though I could mount my
100/2.8 on the bellows, but it will not mount. Novoflex says I could update
the mounting flange for $150, but decided not to do that. I did not know
the ROM mount is different than the non-ROM mount just enough it will not
work on my old Novoflex bellows built for the R4.
If you can get the bellows for cheap, use existing lenses, it is a good
option. Or find a nice old short mount macro lens. If you want to go
beyond 1:1, then they are great. I do fine a dedicated focusing macro more
convenient. It is certainly sturdier. That bellows hanging out there
always scared me. I was afraid I would crimp it or damage it somehow. And
when it was raining I had to be sure to protect it and wipe it down good,
store it open until it was very dry then collapse it. I didn't do that once
and it was stuck. Had to very carefully pry it open.
Aram
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Axel Collier" <axel.collier@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, February 12, 2010 10:49 AM
To: <leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [LRflex] PB-6 bellows macro focusing
> Hi all
> just wondering : is it fun to use bellows like the PB-6 (for NIkon), and
> are they "usefull" for macro ? Are there people on the list with
> experiences with it ? If yes, what lens did you use for it ? If you think
> it is a stupid idea, why ?
> Just wondering ...
> greetings, Axel
> ------
> Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at:
> http://www.lrflex.furnfeather.net/
> Archives are at:
> //www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/
>
------
Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at:
http://www.lrflex.furnfeather.net/
Archives are at:
//www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/
Other related posts:
