Re: [KOML] Some of the Competition...

["Eric Goldstein" <egoldstein@usa.net>]

> HELLO ERIC !

HELLO JEFF! WHY ARE WE SHOUTING??? (On the 'net, uppercase is shouting...)

> KINDA OF DISAGREE ABOUT PENTAX 67 GLASS.  I HAVE USED 45, BOTH 55s 135 MACRO
> 165, 200 & 300 TELES. I DO NOT FIND THEM HARSH , VERY SHARP WITH A LITTLE EDGE
> TOWARDS CONTRAST.

I've look at many photographers portfolios over the years and hired and
worked with quite a few. The consensus from my own judgement and a good
representative majority of theirs is that the Pentax glass is very nice and
sharp, but the character is better suited to product and scenic work (the 67
is really a field camera) and is just a bit too harsh for flatter or romance
faces. But YMMV. Most pros I know use either German glass or Mamiya MF.

> ARE YOU USING TRANS  OR COLOR NEG ?

For the most part, the commercial professional world I've known all works
with chromes; it's the only way to maintain an absolute color reference and
the dynamic range is more suited to reproduction. But if you're making
prints for families, then I guess negative's the way to go.

> OVER THE MANY YEARS THESE CAMERAS AND THEIR LENSES WERE MADE,  THE COATINGS
> WERE IMPROVED YEILDING A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT.

Actually, I was more asking about their basic formulations and fabrications,
as coatings from that era won't vary dramatically from brand to brand (until
Pentax and Zeiss discovered multicoating which I think hit the market in the
early 70s).

> I HAVE STOPPED
> USING CHROME FILM DUE TO THE UNDEPENDABLE PROCESSING AVAILABLE HERE
> IN CHICAGO.  EVEN FROM THE SO CALLED CUSTOM LABS. SINCE I DO MY OWN COLOR
> PRINTING I HAVE TOTAL CONTROL.

Well that's a strange one... here in Boston we have no problem with E6.
Still fine labs in NYC and LA as well. Maybe you need to ship your film out
or state?

> I HAVE OWNED & USED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING IN MED-FORMAT FROM  BLADS
> TOBRONICAS,  MAMIYAS, ROLLIES & PENTAX.  EVEN MINOLTA TLR &  YASHICA 124G
> TLR. I FEEL THE PENTAX GLASS HAS THE EDGE OVER  MAMIYA COKE BOTTLE GLASS.

Here again, you're running against the tide I know. I don't know of anyone
who would characterize Mamiya lenses as "coke bottles" but to each their
own! They are used by many, many highly skilled and very well known
photographers all over the world and I have seen some wonderful images from
them, but then again I've seen wonderful images from all kinds of cameras.
It's really much more about matching the character of the equipment to the
nature of the assignment...

> AS FAR AS BLAD IT;S  LIKE   MONEY IN THE BANK, THEY APPRIECATE  EVERY YEAR
> THATS WHY I KEEP THEM.

Well, I personally kinda feel like cameras are for making pictures and not
for investing. If your interested in making some good investments, sell your
Hassies and put the money into a good technology fund, you'll do much
better... 8-). I gave up on Hassies years ago, they are just about the least
ergonomic camera you could possibly use...

> IF CARL W. THINKS THE  ROLIE 2.8 C BE BETTER THAN THE KONI 90 OR
> 135, I  THINK HE IS IN FOR A BIG  DISAPPOINTMENT.  BUT THE ROLLIE AS A RELEX
> FOCUSING  CAMERA MAY GIVE HIM THE EDGE HE NEEDS IF HE WAS NOT USED TO RF
> FOCUSING.

I don't want to speak for Carl but from what I remember reading I think the
reflex viewing played a big part in his decision.

Thanks for the opinions...

Regards,

Eric Goldstein