Leaf lenses , pentax really listen to the market

bull drinkwater · 03-25-2012, 06:46 AM

Originally posted by Yamanobori

I think the point was that that leaf shutters were not used outside studios (some camera designs used leaf shutters), but rather a leaf shutter lens for a camera with a focal plane shutter are designed for photographers using flash to give more control over the balance between ambient and strobe lighting. This is mostly, but not exclusively, commercial photographers.

i stand corrected again,i am a rank amateur,and in my readings i don't remember reading about useing leaf shtter lenses on focal plane cameras until i put one on my 645d.sorry for being a pest.i had 3 35mm's with leaf shutters,i got them used and cheap. i liked being able to flash sync at 1/500 sec. this was between 1966 and 1975.

Last edited by bull drinkwater; 03-25-2012 at 06:55 AM.

**gofour3** · 03-25-2012, 11:37 AM

Originally posted by phonoline

I'd love to shoot with more than 1/125 with my 645D in my studio. BUT it is not always neccessary. I shot the following at 1/30 with my 67II. I used a 45mm, no MLU and no tripod. The image is tack sharp.

http://foerdefluesterer.de/mediashare/m8/t5symuduc4mqhyc9lzqkc5u24axgye-pre.jpg

Hats off to you that you were successful in hand holding a 67ii & 45mm at 1/30 and that you got a good shot. Most folks doing indoor studio work will find that method very inefficient.

Reasons:

- Your success rate will be very low at 1/30, especially if you plan to enlarge the photos. The 67ii is lighter than the 67 and 6x7 and must have a quieter shutter, as I’m only comfortable using my 67 handheld at 1/125 or higher shutter speeds. At 1/60 I start to get lousy results and I’m pretty good at keeping steady.

- At 1/30 you’re also expecting your subjects to keep very still; good luck if you’re shooting kids and animals.

- The 45mm is a light weight ultra wide angle lens; the 6x7 portrait lenses weigh 300-400gr more and would be most people’s choice for studio work. Hand holding a 165-200mm 6x7 lens at 1/30 will make your success rate even lower.

As a result leaf shutter lenses are the way to go for indoor/studio work, at shutter speeds up to 1/500 your success rate will be very high and it’s far more efficient. The bonus is that the LS lenses can also be used outdoors like a regular lens, albeit a slower one.

Phil.

phonoline · 03-25-2012, 01:32 PM

Hi Phil,

thanks.

to 1: Not a single shot at 1/30 of a series of 20 pictures got blurred. I scanned the cover photo at 3200dpi with a Flextight X5. Gorgeous quality at 100%. Yes, the 67II seems slightly less prone to shutter shake. I can shoot it at 1/30 or 1/45 with any lens, most results turn out great.
to 2: yeah, you are right there: those grandpas of rock didn't move that much.

to 3: I could not have shot that picture with a 165 or 200mm.

I did use a 100mm Macro on the second series, though. Again no probs.

However, I do agree with most of what you say. As I said: I'd love to shoot my 645D at 1/250 or 1/500 sync.

Yamanobori · 03-25-2012, 02:12 PM

I did a whole series of portraits with the 645D in the studio and made 44x58 prints. All tack sharp and why wouldn't they be? The exposure time is the flash duration, not the shutter speed. Not that you can't get sharp pictures with the 645D a 1/125 anyway.

tuco · 03-25-2012, 08:21 PM

As Yamanobori said, the flash duration is your shutter speed when the ambient is much less than the strobes. You can shoot a Pentax 6x7 at very slow speeds and still get a sharp shot with strobes indoors if you plan it that way.

jonny1986 · 03-26-2012, 06:22 AM

nobody is claiming theta using flash with low shutter speed i sbad. the point was another.

leaf shutter are vital for a system aimed at high end

1- every other system if mf has it

2- it opens tons of creative solution not even in pure studio or location photography, so is something really good for photographer. you can mix ambient and flash with shallow dog for example, you can overpower the sun even with hot shoe strobe or with a ranger quadra at low power/fast reclying

3- d800 has open a hole in the medium format. I have defended IQ of 645d even against d800, in my opinion there is no competition at all, but the other JOE who was undecided about 645d or not, now has a 4 times cheaper solution. Considering that pentax 645 is target for outdoor mostly, is the most exposed system to d800 competition. The other system has leaf lenses tilt and shift, have something different. With leaf lenses the new tethered software pentax can be a complete studio camera.

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03-25-2012, 06:46 AM	#16
bull drinkwater Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: pontiac mi. Posts: 392	Originally posted by Yamanobori I think the point was that that leaf shutters were not used outside studios (some camera designs used leaf shutters), but rather a leaf shutter lens for a camera with a focal plane shutter are designed for photographers using flash to give more control over the balance between ambient and strobe lighting. This is mostly, but not exclusively, commercial photographers. i stand corrected again,i am a rank amateur,and in my readings i don't remember reading about useing leaf shtter lenses on focal plane cameras until i put one on my 645d.sorry for being a pest.i had 3 35mm's with leaf shutters,i got them used and cheap. i liked being able to flash sync at 1/500 sec. this was between 1966 and 1975. Last edited by bull drinkwater; 03-25-2012 at 06:55 AM.

03-25-2012, 11:37 AM	#17
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,092	Originally posted by phonoline I'd love to shoot with more than 1/125 with my 645D in my studio. BUT it is not always neccessary. I shot the following at 1/30 with my 67II. I used a 45mm, no MLU and no tripod. The image is tack sharp. http://foerdefluesterer.de/mediashare/m8/t5symuduc4mqhyc9lzqkc5u24axgye-pre.jpg Hats off to you that you were successful in hand holding a 67ii & 45mm at 1/30 and that you got a good shot. Most folks doing indoor studio work will find that method very inefficient. Reasons: - Your success rate will be very low at 1/30, especially if you plan to enlarge the photos. The 67ii is lighter than the 67 and 6x7 and must have a quieter shutter, as I’m only comfortable using my 67 handheld at 1/125 or higher shutter speeds. At 1/60 I start to get lousy results and I’m pretty good at keeping steady. - At 1/30 you’re also expecting your subjects to keep very still; good luck if you’re shooting kids and animals. - The 45mm is a light weight ultra wide angle lens; the 6x7 portrait lenses weigh 300-400gr more and would be most people’s choice for studio work. Hand holding a 165-200mm 6x7 lens at 1/30 will make your success rate even lower. As a result leaf shutter lenses are the way to go for indoor/studio work, at shutter speeds up to 1/500 your success rate will be very high and it’s far more efficient. The bonus is that the LS lenses can also be used outdoors like a regular lens, albeit a slower one. Phil.

03-25-2012, 01:32 PM	#18
phonoline Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Hamburg Posts: 267	Hi Phil, thanks. to 1: Not a single shot at 1/30 of a series of 20 pictures got blurred. I scanned the cover photo at 3200dpi with a Flextight X5. Gorgeous quality at 100%. Yes, the 67II seems slightly less prone to shutter shake. I can shoot it at 1/30 or 1/45 with any lens, most results turn out great. to 2: yeah, you are right there: those grandpas of rock didn't move that much. to 3: I could not have shot that picture with a 165 or 200mm. I did use a 100mm Macro on the second series, though. Again no probs. However, I do agree with most of what you say. As I said: I'd love to shoot my 645D at 1/250 or 1/500 sync.

03-25-2012, 02:12 PM	#19
Yamanobori Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 573	I did a whole series of portraits with the 645D in the studio and made 44x58 prints. All tack sharp and why wouldn't they be? The exposure time is the flash duration, not the shutter speed. Not that you can't get sharp pictures with the 645D a 1/125 anyway.

03-25-2012, 08:21 PM	#20
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,029	As Yamanobori said, the flash duration is your shutter speed when the ambient is much less than the strobes. You can shoot a Pentax 6x7 at very slow speeds and still get a sharp shot with strobes indoors if you plan it that way.

03-26-2012, 06:22 AM	#21
jonny1986 Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: italy Posts: 411 Original Poster	nobody is claiming theta using flash with low shutter speed i sbad. the point was another. leaf shutter are vital for a system aimed at high end 1- every other system if mf has it 2- it opens tons of creative solution not even in pure studio or location photography, so is something really good for photographer. you can mix ambient and flash with shallow dog for example, you can overpower the sun even with hot shoe strobe or with a ranger quadra at low power/fast reclying 3- d800 has open a hole in the medium format. I have defended IQ of 645d even against d800, in my opinion there is no competition at all, but the other JOE who was undecided about 645d or not, now has a 4 times cheaper solution. Considering that pentax 645 is target for outdoor mostly, is the most exposed system to d800 competition. The other system has leaf lenses tilt and shift, have something different. With leaf lenses the new tethered software pentax can be a complete studio camera.