[monochrome]

Are you saying that your concert shots were too soft to justify printing or was there some other problem?

Steve

Steve: Just very soft, not mis-aligned.

Tom says he doesn't think I could have focused that badly but I'm not so sure.

I'm running a roll of Tri-X this coming weekend, then I'd like to send the camera to Eric. I'd do an Ektar, but you said the film carrier might be a bit thin for this camera.

I want to send the camera off to Eric to examine the scuff along the bottom of the pressure plate and the marks on the film rails, unless the group thinks there is some reason not to do that.

[monochrome]

Hrm. Well, I had some trouble getting the lock open when the Sightseer arrived: I chalked that up to my arthritis. I was pretty sure the pressure plate looked good, though I didn't chec for flatness. I don't recall any worrying issues with the rails, maybe a bit of pitting on the guides. Nothing requiring any work there....

Bit of a puzzle, I guess. Seems we'll see.

Huh. Well, maybe I should just leave well enough alone and use it - and sned it on.

[monochrome]

That disturbs me. Things in the box were pretty tight when it left here. I put the camera in a zip lock, but did not include any silica gel (humidity is low here in the summer). I also thought that I did a full wrap in bubble wrap and then placed in the cardboard "cubby" that it was in when I received it. Was the camera not packed that way?

In any case, peanuts with maybe a layer of bubble wrap are probably the better solution.

Steve

Steve: It was packed exactly as you describe - but the packing had shifted enough that the camera knocked agains the bottom of the box. Externally the new skin is pristine.

[Blue]

Steve: Just very soft, not mis-aligned.

Tom says he doesn't think I could have focused that badly but I'm not so sure.

I'm running a roll of Tri-X this coming weekend, then I'd like to send the camera to Eric. I'd do an Ektar, but you said the film carrier might be a bit thin for this camera.

I want to send the camera off to Eric to examine the scuff along the bottom of the pressure plate and the marks on the film rails, unless the group thinks there is some reason not to do that.

Lets see how the Tri-X goes. I don't recall scuff marks though. Is the film advancing smoothly?

[stevebrot]

Steve: Just very soft, not mis-aligned.

Tom says he doesn't think I could have focused that badly...

Tom's comment was my thought as I looked at my scans.

Although the pics I posted looked pretty good, I had a significant number that I did not post that were very soft. There is no way that I was off that far on the focus. I had to apply quite a bit of sharpening in PP to many of those that I posted and can honestly say that the only one that met my personal standards for sharpness was the one of my friend Andrus, the boat driver. In fact that one is the only one I would show at greater than 800 px on the long dimension.

Here is the lower left quadrant of one that was strangely soft:



Now this was done 1/250s, f/8. As you can see, the fender of the car is fairly sharp, but everything else is not. Notice too that the reflection in the cafe window has the same amount of blur as the window frame. There is NO WAY that I would be that far off on the focus or that the DOF would be that shallow. I would post the full 1500x1000 version, but it is 1.5Mb and a little large. In that version you can see that the plain of focus is not consistent across the frame.

So...if you can have Eric give the Sightseer a quick check-up, I would be much in favor. If it needs work, count me in to contribute to the repair.

Steve

[monochrome]

Spent a couple hours this afternoon running a roll of TMax on architectural and industrial locations. I used the 55/1.8 and my Tamron 35~70/3.5 with an ES mount. I also mounted my +2 diopter and shot without glasses. I am quite confident that I achieved sharp focus on every shot, at least as far as the VF was concerned.

I had a few comments from people about my 1962 film camera ("Oh. How quaint," from a young guy with a D300). As Steve said, it was fairly strange remembering to meter every shot with my Sekonic Micro Leader. It was also strange to carry an index card in my shirt pocket and write the settings for each shot. Very "old days." With a little practice that became second nature, but that is what prompted all the questions from people.

I was approached by an elderly docent at a railroad museum who asked for my commercial photography permit. She insisted no one but a commercial photographer would use a light meter. Once I explained to the tour guide she called over - a retired locomotive engineer - that this camera was every bit as much a museum piece as any of the locomotives, he sent me on my way. If it wasn't so funny I'd feel pretty good about myself.

I'll drop the film at my lab Monday and run a color roll tomorrow and we'll see about the softness. No promises about the subjects or composition, though.

[Blue]

Monochrome,

I'm surprised the d300 guy even knew The camera was nearly 50 years old. Its usually people that see me using a viewfinder that throws people even with the K20d.

[monochrome]

Monochrome,

I'm surprised the d300 guy even knew The camera was nearly 50 years old. Its usually people that see me using a viewfinder that throws people even with the K20d.

Using the meter was the giveaway - he came over to see what I was doing. He actually snorted before the magic comment.

Interestingly, while I sort of contemplated my shot, thinking about light and shadow and framing the huge cast drivers of those powerful but stationary steam locomotives, d300-man repeatedly walked right up, fired 2 or 3 times and walked away.

[ChrisPlatt]

I sort of contemplated my shot, thinking about light and shadow and framing
the huge cast drivers of those powerful but stationary steam locomotives,
d300-man repeatedly walked right up, fired 2 or 3 times and walked away.

The DSLR is today's thousand dollar point 'n' shoot!

Chris

[Stevopedia]

FWIW I never had any issues with the door latch/lock or image sharpness (or lack thereof), though I haven't had an opportunity to get high-quality scans of my negs (read: I don't have a good scanner.)

[Ratmagiclady]

FWIW I never had any issues with the door latch/lock or image sharpness (or lack thereof), though I haven't had an opportunity to get high-quality scans of my negs (read: I don't have a good scanner.)

Hrm. Well, I have a real hard time getting a sharp scan, myself, (still have my negs where they've been flattening on my 4-blade easel, though they're fairly OK, now.

The latch felt stiff to me on arrival, (I had trouble opening it, but I was fairly arthritic) though there was a lot of play in the back when the camera was closed, cause the seals were about gone. Was pretty snug when I was done, though.

[MJB DIGITAL]

Hey mono, that camera is right here in st. louis right now? dang im slow to learn about these things...

[MJB DIGITAL]

GAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!

OK so listen. I have put my business on hiatus so that I can restrategize and reorganize and catch up on back work and get ready for a new start. During this time I have taken some salary work for meager pay at a friends photobiz(weddings), but I get paid so little that I am actually hungry now.

Now, I am on my LAST roll of film for a while. It's just some cheap fuji, but, I didn't set my camera to 'lock', and I left it is shooting mode...and I wasted a frame!!! sh*t!!

Ten frames left, four rolls to drop off, four ready to pick up...

[monochrome]

Hey mono, that camera is right here in st. louis right now? dang im slow to learn about these things...

I've had the Sightseer for three weks (a bit long, I think, but understandable with all the issues) and I've finished shooting (at last). I'm waiting for the return of the scans from Schiller's (Monday). Since the St. Louis Group never really gelled (my fault for not being more aggressive, but there doesn't seem to be a system here that allows one to PM a message to the Group List, just make a post to one member of the St. Louis Users Group at a time) we have two options - I can send the camera to Stratman and let him get together with the other St Louis people (MJB and User440) or send it on to the next on the list.

I've had second thoughts about sending it on to Eric unless my Black and Whites come out really oof. In that case I would post up and the group could decide.

Any input from the thread?

[Stratman]

I will be busy helping my father tear apart his deck for the next few weekends, so I have to bow out, unfortunately. I will just take one of his old Spotties out shooting when i get some time...