Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/05/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Johnny, I have a very fancy Japanese made pinhole gizmo, all brass and aluminium and in L39 thread with a nice multicoated 46mm filter as standard. With quaint accuracy the manufacturer (Avenon) calls it an 'Air Lens'. It is, like the Calumet version, a 28mm with effective aperture of f128. This is just meter-able with an M6, ISO400 film and a very sunny day. Handholdable even, sometimes. The Calumet one does not accept filters I recall but is cheaper at about $35 or so whilst the Avenon air costs $100+. The resulting image is very soft and colours are quite muted due in part to the softness of the image. The effect is different to that of the usual larger format pinhole photos in that it is much grainier but otherwise the same sort of thing. Since it has to be enlarged you end up with a generally much softer image so strong graphic (i.e. large) picture elements are recommended. No way anyone with decent eyesight would mistake even a contact print from this for a proper 28mm lens image, Leica or others'. Personally I am more intrigued by the possibility of using one of the 4x5 or even 10x8 cameras with ridiculously wide angles of view (like equivalent to 8mm rectilinear on 35mm). Will keep you posted! Rs (and Ms) Adrian - -- Adrian Bradshaw Corporate and Editorial Photography Beijing, China Tel/Fax +86 10 65325112 mobile: +86 0138 0183 7080 e-mail: adrianpeterbradshaw@compuserve.com OR apbbeijing@yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com