Schneider Makro-Symmar-MSR120 plus Robert Otoole’s Close-up Photography

I’m back to thinking about macro work and possibly doing some scanning and have found that the Schneider Makro Symmar Iris lenses get used in industrial applications often paired with line scanners.  Sometimes you can find them on ebay for a song.   While searching for info on the Makro Symmar line-up, I happened across Robert OToole’s site and blog.  He’s got a lot of great information about a number of macro lenses, and also some fantastic close-up work – wellRead more

Kodak Technical Pan, Super XX, and Verichrome Pan films – Were these better film stocks than what we can find today?

I ask my friend Greg why really old expired Kodak Tech Pan film fetches insane prices on eBay and his reply was, “It’s God’s film”.   He said that with the right developer, it would provide incredible grainless detail and long smooth tones and that it was better than say the ADOX CMS 20 II film which isn’t sensitive to all colors like Tech Pan was.   Greg is the one who also introduced me to Kodak Verichrome Pan which I immediatelyRead more

Mechanical shutters – set shutter speed before cocking

F L U T O T ‘ S    Helpful Tips Q What’s your opinion on changing shutter speeds? I’ve heard it both ways: Don’t change the speed when the shutter is cocked. Only change the speed after the shutter is cocked. Which way is correct and why? Answer: It’s safe to move the speed dial first before cocking the shutter on any shutter. When you cock the shutter, it engages the slow gear train so that a lever is againstRead more