[rollei_list] Re: Rolleiflex MX (Xenar)
- From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 09:56:42 -0800
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jan Decher" <Jan.Decher@xxxxxxx>
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 9:01 AM
Subject: [rollei_list] Rolleiflex MX (Xenar)
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the suggestions on the Rolleiflex MX and Weston
Meter. As promised, I ran an Ilford FP4 through it,
processed it 8.5 minutes in D76 stock solution, which I
had sitting around for the last three weeks. The
negatives came out very dense with low contrast (compared
to recent Neopan 400 negs) and I had to crank brightness
and contrast up quite a bit in PSE.
I uploaded three images to Flickr. Only the last one
(donkey) was taken with the new lens hood.
Jericho Red Mill
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mittelformat/4417477100/in/photostream/
Burlington Fire House Gallery
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mittelformat/4417477098/in/photostream/.
Donkey
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mittelformat/4417477090/in/photostream/
I also uploaded a negative version of the donkey image
including the frame which shows some "bleeding" around
the edge:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mittelformat/4417477086/in/photostream/
Are these reflections of the chrome runners? I checked and
it looks like the pressure plate was in the 24x36mm
position.
I will run another test with FP4 perhaps processing in
Rodinal 1:50 this time(?).
The camera film spacing is perfect. Images appear not
quite as sharp as my 3.5E Xenotar results (but see bricks
on the Fire House image).
See this older version of the same donkeys taken with the
3.5E and Neopan 400 (click on "all sizes"):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mittelformat/3380460750/
Jan
On Mar 6, 2010, at 1:07 AM, FreeLists Mailing List Manager
wrote:
Subject: [rollei_list] Rolleiflex MX (Xenar)
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2010 09:28:35 -0500
Bought a Rolleiflex MX ....
I am running a roll of FP4 through it today and will
post results
on Flickr this weekend. Will also pick up a Bay I hood
from my
local camera store.
Can I replace the screen in the MX myself?
Jan
Something odd here; dense negatives come from
overexposure and low contrast from underdevelopment. 8.5
minutes in D-76 full strength should be plenty for FP-4, in
fact, its the recommended time for ID-11 @68F. Usually times
for D-76 and ID-11 are very close although not identical.
The excessive density suggests a shutter problem unless
the meter is really in bad shape. If you used any of the
classic Weston meters the usual error is for up-scale
readings on either range. When the selenium cell is damaged
by heat or moisture it will become non-linear so that the
readings on the upper part of the meter dial are low by
about one stop maximum. I.e., it will cause you to
overexpose by a stop. The error is progressive with the
intensity of the light on the cell so it can still be pretty
accurate for low scale readings but there is no way to
compensate for the progressive error. A one stop error will
make the negatives somewhat dense but yours sound like they
are much denser than this.
Over development can also result in dense negatives but
they are also excessively contrasty.
The Weston meter is easy to test: you need a source
constant light than is mid-way between the two ranges.
Compare a reading on the upper part of the Low range with
one on the lower part of the High range, they should be
substantially the same. If the cell has become degraded the
reading on the high end of the Low range will be lower than
the other. There is no fix for this except replacing the
cell.
Weston meters can also suffer from bad contact between
the cell and its mounting. Often this can be cured by
pushing in on the window and twisting it back and forth a
bit. That will also usually cure intermittant or unstable
readings.
To test the shutter you need some sort of calibrated
shutter tester. Calumet used to sell a relatively
inexpensive one but I don't know if they still do. Its price
went up from about $60 US when I bought mine to around $100
US when I last looked it up but that was a few years ago.
Its possible to make a shutter tester using the sound
card on a computer. I don't have details but a Google search
should find the info.
--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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