[LRflex] Re: Summicron 50mm take apart?
- From: Richard Ward <ilovaussiesheps@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 1 Aug 2009 01:19:49 -0700 (PDT)
Hi Steve,
the 'viewfinder size' effect you commented upon between rebels and the 30D
type Canon's is primarily due to the type of 'prism' is used to bring the
lenses image up and around to the eyepiece you look through. The cheaper
cameras use 'mirror prisms' and while it works, it usually gives a dimmer image
and feels like you're looking into a tunnel. The more expensive slr's use real
"glass type prisms" which usually run circles around the mirror kind if they're
designed right.
The focusing screen is part of the "mirror" area you see when you're
changing lenses. I am being intentionally vague here because I don't want to
misdescribe something working from my usually shuffled memory files and either
send you on a wrong tangent or embarrass myself!
Before you spend funds and muck around inside your camera I suggest
physically seeing the kind of focus aid's film cameras all had once upon a
time. A friend or relative might have one laying in a closet or you can fiddle
one up for a tiny sum somewhere.
If you're loving the Manual Focus glass, I highly reccomend going with a
replacement screen and will 100% do so myself, but I know what I'd gain, what
I'd be using, how to use it, and the effects of losing the built in screen. ie:
the etched af focus marks of the factory one (and if your's light up, they
won't light up anymore). There can also be a need to compensate for certain
metering problems - so I hear.
Just make sure you're an informed consumer!
Richard.
________________________________
Life is hard...but I just take it one photograph at a time.
~•~
"You miss 100% of the shots you never take" Wayne Gretzky
~•~
In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows or Gates?
~•~
It's okay to be stupid. Just don't be gung-ho about it.
________________________________
________________________________
From: Steve Lang <stevelang@xxxxxxxxx>
To: leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, August 1, 2009 3:51:31 AM
Subject: [LRflex] Re: Summicron 50mm take apart?
Hi Richard,
Thanks so much for the tip. Yeah, the Live View is really cool and absolutely
great for certain subjects, but not moving kids. At f2 it's tricky with even a
still subject without a tripod. I am also relying on the AF confirmation in the
viewfinder- that seems somewhat hit/miss, but I am still getting familiar with
it.
I have heard focusing screens mentioned, but never actually bothered to
research them at all (frankly I wasn't even sure where it is in a camera.) I
checked out the Katz screen, coincidentally they have a 10% summer sale right
now ;-) They're not as expensive as I imagined, plus I am actually pretty handy
with fixing gadgets and can probably put the screen in myself.
One nice thing about the XSi is that the viewfinder is bigger than previous
Rebels- but do you think it is big enough with a focusing screen to accurately
manually focus my Summicron at the more open apertures? I guess the XSi finder
is close in size to that of the 30D, if not as bright. I don't have a lot of
experience with manual focus cameras, so I have no feeling for how good a
solution this is (not that the alternatives are so great, but I'm having fun so
far.)
Thanks,
Steve
On Fri, Jul 31, 2009 at 10:54 PM, Richard Ward <ilovaussiesheps@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Hello Steve,
> I saw where you posted "I put the money towards a XSi body and am looking
> forward to using the Live View to help with focusing." As someone who cut his
> teeth in photography with fully manual Minolta SRT's, progressed through
> their X370 to X700's, and transitioned to the uber techy EOS Film and then
> Digital SLR's, I want to pass along an option you might want to consider for
> your Rebel re: Focusing your Summicron. That "live view" technology is about
> as geeky cool as can be, but using it to chase your kids in changing light
> and distances isn't very handy at all. (The word impossible comes to mind!)
>>
>
> I suggest you research getting an aftermarket Focusing Screen for you
> Camera to replace the Rapid Return Mirror in your Rebel. Canon has
> interchangeable screens as an
> option in the more expensive models, but the rebels and xxD's aren't included
> in the fun unless you buy aftermarket. I haven't replaced my screen yet,
> good lenses are a higher priority at the moment! But I DEFINITELY want to. I
> carefully researched this topic and there are a couple of sources you should
> be able to google up fairly easily. One's called Katz, there's the very
> expensive beatty screens, and 1 or 2 other's out there.
>>
>
> I use a 'focusing' M42 adapter with my old Zeiss, but it's invariably
> inaccurate when dof gets shallow and when the working distance starts to
> narrow up. That sports photo I posted before was prefocused to keep the
> entire batter in the depth of field, but on the little 20D LCD I didn't catch
> that it landed a bit to in front of him. It doesn't ruin the shot, but
> instead of relying on adhoc adaptations of chips and sensors, I could have
> quickly and easily used 50 year old technology to land my dof
> properly.
>
>Sincerely
>
>Richard W.
>
>________________________________
>
>Life is hard...but I just take it one photograph at a time.
>~•~
>"You miss 100% of the shots you never take" Wayne Gretzky
>>
>
> ~•~
>In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows or Gates?
>~•~
>It's okay to be stupid. Just don't be gung-ho about it.
>________________________________
>
>
>
>
>
________________________________
From: Steve Lang <stevelang@xxxxxxxxx>
>To: LeicaReflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 1:47:40 AM
>Subject: [LRflex]
> Re: Summicron 50mm take apart?
>
>
>>I am currently getting the digest email, so will send all replies in a single
>>message-
>
>
>To Doug and Aram,
>
>
>Thanks for the advice, you are completely correct. Later that night I shot
>some test shots on a tripod, and got striking results compared to my other
>lenses. I always knew that minor lens flaws should not impact image quality,
>but this lens is great even with quite a few marks! I am very happy to have
>acquired it, I would've paid much more for a 'minty' copy anyway. Instead, I
>put the money towards a XSi body and am looking forward to using the Live View
>to help with focusing.
>
>
>BTW Doug- it was your Leicaflex article at photo.net that inspired me to go
>looking for one!
>
>
>To Richard,
>
>
>Thanks for the tip. I was actually shooting at ISO 800, my impressions of the
>Canon ISO range are the same as yours. ISO 800 is very usable even with a bit
>of cropping (and I've never done too much post noise-removal work either.) I
>always find myself pushing the limits with my Canon 50mm at 1.8 and ISO 800,
>with DSLR's I am always willing to give it a go. I'd rather have a semi-blurry
>shot at the 'magic hour' than anything under the harsh early noon sun. That's
>one wonderful thing about digital- with multi-GB cards the norm, you aren't
>afraid to shoot a string of shots to try to make sure you get a good one if
>conditions are challenging (as is usually the case with my kids.)
>
>
>Cheers all,
>Steve
>
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