[rollei_list] Re: Tessars and Planars at extremely high magnification.

  • From: Jerry Friedman <tinycameraco@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2006 07:58:08 -0700 (PDT)

Hi Chat:

I have used rolleinars for quite a while and i have found that rolleinar 1 and
rolleinar 2 are the most useful. Number 1 is good for general picture taking
when you want the subject a little closer. Image degradation is really minimal
at the center of the image though edges suffer. Number 3 rolleinars are fun to
play with but i have never been able to use them successfully. At the center,
image is pretty good, esp. if you close down to f/16, but depth of field is
still really really shallow. it is hard to take a picture of anything larger
than a flat surface the size of your fist and keep it all in focus. 

 I like rolleinar 2 the best because it does get me closer to what I want to
photograph without the problems of rolleinar 3. In any event, close down to
f/16 or f/22 and carefully center your image because you have to figure that
each rolleinar grade cuts down on the useful part of the negative. A rolleinar
1 will give you about half a negative that is good (without edge blurring) , a
rolleinar 2 gives about a third of a negative and rolleinar 3 gives much less
than that. Rather than seeing the different powers in terms of different
magnifications---because they will take you to different degrees of closeness--
I think of maginification powers in terms of how much of the negative I want to
use. If I need half the negative, use #1, like for a small bunch of flowers. If
i wanted to photograph something much smaller, such as one flower a doorknob,
etc., I would go for a three since I am going to be using only a small part of
the negative. This may explain why I like #2 best, because it gives the most
leeway in terms of size of subject, useful part of negative etc. --  When I
took picture of the pumpkin stem with a number 3 lens, only a very very small
part of the stem was in focus with most of it a blur.  

Some people argue that it is better to use the same close up lens on the
viewfinder and then shift it to the taking lens and raise the camera on a
parajuster. Technically, I am sure this will give a more accurate picture than
using the two lens rollei set up. But, at first, I would certainly use the two
lens set up. I have been happy doing it both ways.  

I think the biggest help for using a close-up lens on a rollei is focusing
through a prism. The prism gives a larger image than the viewfinder but, more
important, it permits far more accurate fine detail focusing. 

I have never tried to take a close up of an insect, etc etc or any of the other
amazing things one sees in magazines. These are all possible with intechangable
lens cameras.  But you can not do it with a rollei and a rolleinar. Modest
closeups are fine but nothing dramatic. Since I am a modest and non-dramatic
photographer, I have been happy as hell.

I use Tmax 400 because i am one of the few who really likes the sharp grain.
But if you have trouble with enlarging the image as much as you want, use Tmax
100 because it is quite an amazing film that can record a great deal of detail.



"Blessed are those of diminished expectations for surely their expectations
will be met." 

Best wishes, Jerry 


--- chatanooga@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Hi Jerry
> They look pretty damn sharp and thats with the Rolleinar II? I've just got a
> Rolleinar '1' coming my way from Ebay so I'll be pretty chuffed if I can get
> this kind of result. In general how have you found the rolleinars?
> rgds
> Chat
> 
> On 6/10/06, R.C.Booth <rcbooth@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > Jerry, you need to get a life!
> >
> > Seriously, it is interesting information suggesting that for me (at least)
> > a
> > Rollei is serious overkill for mere 8x10's.  Sort of makes the Planar vs
> > Xenotar argument a moot point, too.
> >
> > RCB
> >
> > ---
> > Rollei List
> >
> > - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe'
> > in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org
> >
> > - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
> > 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org
> >
> > - Online, searchable archives are available at
> > //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list
> >
> >
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 
---
Rollei List

- Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

- Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' 
in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org

- Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 
'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org

- Online, searchable archives are available at
//www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list

Other related posts: