Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/11/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I just posted three new pictures in the LUG Gallery. The berries and twig were shot digitally on a Canon EOS with what I call my V-Elmar or Velmar. It's a modified (by me) 135mm f/4.5 Elmar, ca. 1931. It gives similar results to the 9" Wollensak Verito on my 4x5 Graflex, thus the V prefix. Here's the whole story: Since I can't afford a Thambar, but like old fashioned diffused focus sometimes, I made my own.(But I have to use it on a reflex camera) I bought an old, non coupled 135mm Elmar for $ 25.00. By taking out the front set of elements, then unscrewing the rear one of these slightly, and putting back the now separated set, I got spherical aberration that varies with the f stop. Wide open there's quite a glow around highlights; stopping down diminishes this glow gradually so by f 9 the lens gives almost the original sharpness. Stopping down further, it's normal. My favorite settings are approxf 5.6, f 6, and f 6.3. I found a Leitz 135 short mount tube that I coupled with a Leica to Pentax adapter, and a couple of thin extension tubes fitted to various T-mount adapters. I can use this lens on Olympus, Pentax screw, Nikon, and Canon EOS. It's tricky to focus since the point of maximum contrast in the finder is not the optimum focus setting to get a sharp image overlaid with the glow. The links: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Alan+Magayne-Roshak/V-Elmar+Berries_AMR.jpg.htm l http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Alan+Magayne-Roshak/V-Elmar+Twig_AMR.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Alan+Magayne-Roshak/Fall+Leaves_AMR.jpg.html Alan Alan Magayne-Roshak Senior Photographer Photo Services Univ. of Wis.- Milwaukee Information & Media Technologies amr3@uwm.edu http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Alan+Magayne-Roshak/