M6 newbie

[firkin@netconnect.com.au (Alastair Firkin)]

> Hello all!
> I have a few questions for anyone who might be able to advise me.
> Having used
> only medium format for the last several years, I am looking forward
> to a more
> "travel friendly" M-6. From a research standpoint, I see no loss of
> quality
> there, (the only exception being the negative size).

>      2. Would anyone care to comment on the use of a Viso lll w/
> prism and
> the 65 Elmar for close-up work with respect to quality of finished
> work
> (compared to modern macro lens), and ease of set up and use?
> I know an SLR would be easier with respect to close up work, but I
> intend
> have only one 35mm system.



I'm no expert, but I use the Viso III and 65 Elmar all the time now. My
previous experience was with Minolta close up equipment. Bellows
[admittedly cheap ones, not the Autobellows], rings, and the 100 Macro lens
f4, with a dedicated ring flash. This is non-scientific, but I'm doing much
more macro work now than ever before. I've done away with the flash. The
results always looked too flat anyway and the TTL metering was only so-so.
I've learnt to calculate exposures and am beginning to understand the DOF
problems. Knowledge of the topic is a powerful ally and my images are
perhaps beginning to show some of that improved understanding. The
Auto-everything approach is fantastic for making an image in the "mind of
Minolta", but for me I prefer to see my firkin images, warts and all ;-)

Gripes; the viewfinder is a bit dim, especially when using the bellows, and
you have to retrain yourself to use a pre-set lens. Reminds me of my early
days as school photographer, when I could not afford the expensive auto
telephoto and had to stop down for each shot. The exposure measurement is
not fantastic :-( I used to have the CLE which was easier, but as mentioned
above, left the thought process to the camera. On the Viso III there are
three settings. Mirror up; I use this for the light metering when on a
tripod, Mirror up Slowly; I use this to compose, hold the position, raise
the mirror silently, slip my eye over to the range finder window, adjust
the f-stop, and slide back to the viso and Mirror up Slap, used to take the
image when in hand holding mode. All a bit of a fiddle, and some times its
just as easy to use the hand held meter and the viso on the M3.

Good/great points; the engineering is fantastic. I can slip from horizontal
to vertical with a smooth and dependable feel, the bellows comes with a
built in focus rail, doing away for the need of the separate one I had for
the the Minolta. The viewfinder is uncluttered [read as NO lights,
warnings, frames etc] and allows me to concentrate on composition. Of
course exposure is more difficult, but the results are better. Exposure
slowness is not a major problem in macro work usually ;-), and when it is,
I use the HCB attitude and shoot first, asking exposure questions later.

Oh and BTW, the 65 Elmar is one hell of a lens. Built in lens hood [lens
sits deep in the barrel] and seems to be a good performer out to infinity.
The only annoying thing is the bellows has a scale for the 90mm to ease
mental calculations on exposure. I was going to do the mental exercise of
working it out for myself, but what the heck. Can someone help me work out
the scale for magnification and exposure for the 65mm Elmar. The
Rangefinder way by Matheson refers to a scale on Page 000, obviously he
then forgot to add in that page!!

Oh dear for an non-expert, I've blurbed on too long. Oh well, I'll send it
anyway. You may as well all suffer ;-)

Alastair Firkin,

http://users.netconnect.com.au/~firkin/AGFhmpg.html