On 6/16/2014 5:02 PM, bj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
My 35mm photography did not begin with OM and Zuikos.
I have just retraced my steps somewhat.
Read about it here !!
http://www.brianswale.com/zuikoholics/Praktica/Praktica.html
Hey, I've got one of those!
Looks a little cleaner than the one you have coming. Everything still seems to work, but I've not run a film through it
since I inherited it from my dad.
I wasn't interested when he was using it. I found the tiny ground glass 'finder' pretty useless in anything but bright
sunlight, and tedious to focus. I preferred his 2.25x2.25" Kodak TLR. I could actually see what I was trying to shoot.
As he only has the one standard 50 mm lens, the same one you are getting, I couldn't see where the Praktiflex was as
good. I've tried the VF since, and still don't like it.
Of course he was shooting slides and I was interested in B&W at the time.
I got much more interested when he got a Topcon Super D. With a pentaprism VF, instant return mirror, fast 58/1.4 lens
and a moderate tele, suddenly I was liking 35 mm.
I have used the CZJ lens, and it's quite good, at least in the middle. The preset aperture mechanism is actually perfect
for adapted use on digicams.
Unfortunately, the odd rear extension interferes with the mirror on many FF cameras. So after using it occasionally it
on my first DSLR, the APS-C Canon 300D, I couldn't use it on the 5D. I may have tried it on the 60D, too? It's been
sitting here on my desk in an EOS adapter for ages.
I did some looking, but never did find out what the rear extension is for. There's an inner thread, suggesting it may
have been for a filter or adapter of some kind. I found a site showing just how to cut part of it away to just clear a
5D mirror, but decided it wasn't worth the trouble and didn't want to cut up the lens.
I wouldn't be surprised is the Super Takumar lens with the camera is quite good, too. Later MC S-Ts are among the best
film era normal lenses.
Some lenses from that era, while not as flare resistant as later coating allowed, and relatively large and heavy
compared to later designs of same FL and speed, are very fine performers. My dad's old Nikkor 200/4 is huge and heavy
compared to the Oly, but it whups both 200/4 and 200/5 Olys in detail resolved, center and corner. Just plain
clearer/cleaner images. (No, you who are thinking ... No aperture or mirror vibration, tested on a 5D with mirror prefire.)
Have fun with the Praktiflex!
Practically Flexible Moose
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What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
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