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Forum: Pentax Medium Format 09-21-2012, 03:18 PM  
MF film to MF digital?
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 30
Views: 3,892
Ed, Interesting how a lenses qualities are preceived differently by people. Nick Brandt, who does some interesting B&W African widlife work, loves the 200, and doesn't care for the M* 300/4 EDIF. I love them both!
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 09-21-2012, 11:22 AM  
MF film to MF digital?
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 30
Views: 3,892
Ed, you might want to try another copy of the latest 200/4. I have been very impressed with it's performance with B&W film in the 67II. It's resolving power is very close to the latest 67 55/4.

As to the 35mm based focal length equivalents of lenses on the 645D, multiply the focal length by .8. It's not exact, because of the different aspect ratio, but it's close.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 07-30-2012, 10:20 AM  
What is the future of 120 film?
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 11
Views: 4,872
120 B&W will be around on this planet as long as I will (I'm 52). Plenty of choices too. At some point I wouldn't be surprised to see some "garage made" B&W film, kind of like a microbrewery for film!. 220 B&W is already gone.
I would guess that C-41 color will be around longer than E-6.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 03-24-2012, 02:31 PM  
67 800mm M* 6.7
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 20
Views: 5,263
672,
Is this the lens from ebay? Sorry to hear about the stuck aperture. With any vintage lens, especially an exotic like this, where the service history is unknown, it's a good idea to send it for a thorough CLA. I sent mine to Bob Watkins at Precision camera repair in Chicago and he did a great job. CrisCam in Arizona is the official Pentax authorized repair center. The Pentax Repair facility in Colorado( if still open) no longer works on MF film gear.
Good luck, keep us posted.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 03-16-2012, 11:29 AM  
67 800mm M* 6.7
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 20
Views: 5,263
It's big, but if you need the reach the lens provides you can find a way to work with it. i think there are some backpacks now that will accomodate the length of the 800.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 03-16-2012, 12:13 AM  
67 800mm M* 6.7
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 20
Views: 5,263
"Flatter ground is easy with heavy loads". Agreed. Unless the flatter ground is deep, soft sand. It's a great workout.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 03-15-2012, 11:50 AM  
67 800mm M* 6.7
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 20
Views: 5,263
One more thing. I find it funny when I read posts by people complaining their gear is too heavy. They grouse about carrying a few pounds around. Really?
I'm 5'9", 160lbs., in my 50's, have old injuries to my knee, ankle and shoulder which flare-up, yet still manage to haul this stuff through the sand. If you have a good, ergonomic backback, relatively heavy loads can be handled by most people.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 03-15-2012, 11:40 AM  
67 800mm M* 6.7
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 20
Views: 5,263
Greetings all. it's been a while since I've visited, but saw the thread on the M* 800/6.7 and since i own one, thought I'd chime in.

First, I have never used it on a 645D, so can't comment on it's peformance on a high resolution sensor. I would love to spend a couple of days testing this combination.
I've had the lens for a couple of years, but it has seen limited use, due largely to it's sheer bulk. It weighs about the same as my Minolta 600/4 APO, but that lens fits easily in a Lowepro lenstrekker, the 800 does not. The 800/67II combo demands a seriously sturdy tripod and head. I use a wooden Berlebach Uni17 which weighs about 17lbs., topped with a version 1 full Wimberley head. With everthing needed for a day of shooting, I'm looking at 60+ lbs. of very bulky gear. I have found that using the M* 400 &1.4x to be a much easier settup to handle, although the lack of reach compared to the 800 dictates I alter my shooting position and subject matter.

Optical performance. No complaints here. When you get everything right, it's very sharp. When I first got the lens, I sent it to Bob Watkins for a CLA. He tested the lens when he was done working on it, and proclaimed it "tack sharp". Performance with the dedicated T5-1.4x converter is just about the same as the bare lens. In fact, I have two of the dedicated converters, and one day ran a test using both converters stacked. Very little drop in performance when the lens is stopped down just 1/2 stop.
The two stacked T5's performed better than the grey 2x converter.

The focus mechanism used on the M* 800 takes some getting used to. This type of focus was found on a number of long lenses in the 70's and early 80's. As Ron pointed out, it's not an easy lens to track moving objects, but it can be done.

672,
Reading your post I see you have a converted FD 600/4.5. An old canon 800/5.6 (non L) was my entry lens into surf photography. it was pretty sharp stopped down a bit, but it too could exhibit some serious purple fringing in the right conditions. You'll have no such issues with with the M* 800. In my experience, all the 67 M* lenses are very well corrected for CA.
If you ever find yourself in Honolulu, drop me a line. I'd be happy to spend a day testing the 800 on a 645D. I'll supply the support, and spring for a cheeseburger when the testing is done!
Forum: Sold Items 12-13-2011, 04:58 PM  
For Sale - Sold: Vivitar S1 90mm f2.5 macro + original 1:1 macro adapter + original case
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 5
Views: 1,553
Is this M42 or Pentax K bayonet mount? Thanks
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 09-29-2011, 09:29 PM  
M*400 Posted in Marketplace
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 6
Views: 1,733
I agree with Ron's assessment of the M* 400 & 1.4x teleconverter. You lose very little IQ with this combo.

DW,
Please post some shots taken with this lens and the 645D. I've been itching to see how the M* 67 lenses perform on it.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 09-29-2011, 10:29 AM  
55mm soft
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 8
Views: 1,696
Send it back. if it's the latest 55/4 ( SMC Pentax 67) it should be great. Don't settle for a sub-par copy. There is sample variation between lenses. It took me three tries to get a 45/4 that had decent corner performance.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 08-20-2011, 08:28 PM  
How good are the Pentax 300mm star lenses on a 645D?
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 12
Views: 2,920
Kerrick,
I'm not surprised that the M* 300/4 ED IF works well with the 1.4x converter, but I'm a little surprised that IQ remains high with the 2x, especially on the 645D. Are you stopping down with the 2x, and if so, how much?
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 07-31-2011, 01:20 PM  
"PErr" on 67II (metering error)
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 9
Views: 6,484
Martin, Sorry to hear about this. I've never seen this on my 67II, but I did have a problem where the shutter speed in the viewfinder didn't match the control on the body. It would skip around, and I would have to change the settings on the camera several times before they would match the viewfinder. I took the AE finder off and cleaned the contacts on both the body and the finder with an eraser. That did the trick.

Scott
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 06-22-2011, 11:06 AM  
Future of 645D
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 29
Views: 5,854
mannager,

Thank you for clarifying the current 645 lens situation. Just curious, is the 645D also made in Vietnam, or does Pentax maintain a small manufacturing facility in Japan for high end products?
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 06-20-2011, 05:18 PM  
My first shots with the Pentax 645 25mm f/4
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 19
Views: 10,133
For $5000, I'd hoped for better than "pretty good resolution".
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 06-17-2011, 03:04 PM  
Tilt/shift for 645D
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 2
Views: 3,535
There have been several threads about tilt/shift lenses (or lack there of) for the 645D. There is an option that I haven't seen posted before, that's a bit roundabout and quite pricey, but thought it's worth a mention.

Zoerk offers a modified version of the Mamiya 50/4 C shift lens, with the option of tilt, shift or both. I contacted Zoerk USA about gettiing the lens in Pentax 67 mount with tilt only. This option would allow me a tilt WA for my 67, and with the addition of the Zoerk shift adapter the lens could be used as a tilt/shift with virtually any camera.
While 50mm may not be wide enough for a single shot, it could be used to stitch several frames. 50mm on a 67 is a very nice wide angle.

Zoerk USA contacted me yesterday and told me they were waiting to hear from Mr. Zoerkendorfer in Germany. I'll update this post when I get the price and delivery time.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 06-11-2011, 08:07 PM  
Future of 645D
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 29
Views: 5,854
There's a lot of confusion and conflicting information about this subject floating around. Part of the reason is because Pentax USA has not imported Pentax medium format gear into the USA for several years, even while it was still being produced and sold in the Asian market.


When Pentax Japan announced in 2009 that it was ceasing production of the 67II and the 645NII, it stated that production of 645 lenses would continue in anticipation of the 645D.
It's my understanding that new 645 lenses are easily obtained in Japan, and perhaps to a lesser extent Europe. It's in the USA that new 645 lenses are not available, unless you can find new old stock. I have seen no roadmap for a new 400mm.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 06-09-2011, 11:34 AM  
Pixel pitch and lens resolution
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 4
Views: 3,610
Not a problem really, just trying to ascertain if there's a relatively simple way to pre-determine how well a lens will perform on a particular sensor.
The consensus seems to be that as the size of the pixels shrink, it places more demand on the lens, ie, a lens with greater resolving power is required to meet the potential of the sensor. If this is true, is there not a way to quantify the lp/mm performance of a lens on different sensors? For example, a sensor with a pixel pitch of 5 microns is more demanding than one with a pixel pitch of 8 microns is it not?
If I have a lens that resolves 70lp/mm is there an optimal pixel pitch?
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 06-08-2011, 06:04 PM  
Pixel pitch and lens resolution
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 4
Views: 3,610
I'm curious about the relationship between pixel size and the required resolving power of a lens to fully exploit a digital sensors resolution. For example, what is the resolution required (in LP/MM) to take full advantage of the sensor in the 645D, which I believe has a pixel pitch of approximately 6 microns?

Calling the resident physicist... are you there Leping?
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 06-06-2011, 03:01 PM  
Thinking of going MF
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 40
Views: 5,996
+1 to desertscapes comments. Every time I see one of these posts about the huge mirror/shutter bounce in the 67's, I refer the poster to the work of Nick Brandt, who produces stunning images of African landscapes and wildlife shooting 67's handheld with a 3 lens kit. He scans his negs and makes large prints. The longest lens he uses is a 200mm, so he's getting really close to the animals. If he can do that kind of work with a camera that sounds like a "mortar", it can be used for most anything.
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 05-03-2011, 11:35 PM  
need mac and cheese advice ...
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 20
Views: 4,454
I'd go the home made route as well. I like to use whole wheat elbow pasta, pepper jack, cheddar and parmesan cheeses, as well as green beans and carrots. Way healthier than Top Ramen. Haven't eaten that stuff since college!
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 03-24-2011, 01:40 PM  
645 tele converters on 645D - any one tried?
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 13
Views: 3,562
Leping,

Is AF maintained using the 645 1.4x converter?
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 03-09-2011, 08:35 AM  
Any lenses adaptable to Pentax 67?
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 15
Views: 11,657
Where's the fun in that? Besides, some simply don't care for the square format
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 03-09-2011, 08:10 AM  
Any lenses adaptable to Pentax 67?
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 15
Views: 11,657
Martin,

I believe the Bronica S2A also had a built in bellows, however I have seen lenses adapted for the Pentax 67, although it goes far beyond a simple adapter. A couple of years ago, the well regarded 40/4 Nikkor for the Bronica showed up on ebay in a Pentax 67 mount. Years ago it had been adapted by the late great Marty Forscher, who did some incredible custom work on photo equipment. I thought about buying it, but didn't. It sold for about $650. In hindsight, I wish I had bought it.
From time to time, I have seen Pentax 67 bodies which have been adapted to take Hasselblad lenses. There were a couple on ebay a few days ago.
Know any good machinists?

Scott
Forum: Pentax Medium Format 02-20-2011, 06:47 PM  
645D and image quality
Posted By surfotog
Replies: 16
Views: 6,473
Nor was it my intent to dredge up the film vs digital debate. But I suspect a lot us still primarily using film are looking at the 645D as the tipping point. The fact that the 645D can beat Rollei ATP, which is the sharpest, finest grain film I've ever used is impressive.
I know the Nikon 9000 is capable of top notch scans, but i can't help but wonder how an 8000 DPI drum scan would compare.
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