I'm a pig in the proverbial...IQ260 and Achro

[tashley]

I've got both of the above on loan for review. Fab. I won't go into a load of detail because I want to think it all through in depth and shoot a lot more, this gear is non-trivial (an understatement!) and getting the best from it will take some time. So I'll just share a test shot from today, in which I was shooting a bracketed series to see how much alteration to the 'regular' lens focus scale distance needs to be made in order to get focus right when shooting with an IR pass filter. I am using the Lee 87, which cuts everything below 730 nm.

 

[RVB]

Re: I'm a pig in the proverbial...IQ260 and Apo

Very interesting Tim,when do you think the reviews will be posted in your blog?I'm looking forward to reading this..lovely image btw. ;-)

 

[tashley]

Re: I'm a pig in the proverbial...IQ260 and Apo

Very interesting Tim,when do you think the reviews will be posted in your blog?I'm looking forward to reading this..lovely image btw. ;-)

Thank you! Actually I am rather scaling back the blog - it was getting too time consuming and I was running out of stuff I wanted to buy and review. The reviews of the 260 backs are for another publication though forum rules here forbid me from saying which but I'm sure you'll be able to find it when it sees the light, in about a month or so...

 

[fmueller]

Re: I'm a pig in the proverbial...IQ260 and Apo

Thank you! Actually I am rather scaling back the blog - it was getting too time consuming and I was running out of stuff I wanted to buy and review. <snip>

I'm letting that sink in...

I've just only started recently reading your blog and past entries. I find your approach and tone eminently readable and informative and am sorry you are moving to a reduced schedule but I also realize that buying and testing gear is not the goal. Just know that your blog is appreciated.

Fred

 

[tashley]

Re: I'm a pig in the proverbial...IQ260 and Apo

I'm letting that sink in...

I've just only started recently reading your blog and past entries. I find your approach and tone eminently readable and informative and am sorry you are moving to a reduced schedule but I also realize that buying and testing gear is not the goal. Just know that your blog is appreciated.

Fred

Thanks for the kind comment - I'm not abandoning it altogether but I am getting requests to write on a paid basis elsewhere at just the time that I ran out of new gear of my own to review. But whenever I do have new stuff, I will write it up as usual - just not every week!

 

[jagsiva]

Re: I'm a pig in the proverbial...IQ260 and Apo

Tim, I assume you are using the new Achromatic back.

Are you finding the offset constant across apertures and distances or is it different for each? I am hoping it is constant which would mean a simple offset on my Arca charts, if not, it will be back to LV and review.

Also, if you are using the Achro back, how are you filtering for visible spectrum? With the old P45 Achromatic+ back, Phase released a TG1 filter. Not sure they are doing the same with the IQ260 Achromatic.

I am still waiting for m achromatic back, but with my modified Nikons, I do see a lot of blooming, even when focussed in LV with an iPad, with the only exception and superstar being the Coastal Optics 60mm - it is mind-boggling what this lens does across the entire spectrum.

Cheers...

 

[D&A]

Re: I'm a pig in the proverbial...IQ260 and Apo

I'm letting that sink in...

I've just only started recently reading your blog and past entries. I find your approach and tone eminently readable and informative and am sorry you are moving to a reduced schedule but I also realize that buying and testing gear is not the goal. Just know that your blog is appreciated.

Fred

+1! Tim's I find your approach and style of writing reviews and personal impressions of equipment refreshing and will look for your continued writings. IR imagery has always been a pet project of mine when time permits and the various permutations of filters, lenses and ultimately optics used in acquiring such photographs is limitless. In your lovely image above, I get the sense that it's quite dense and veiled in appearance. Was this essentially straight out of the camera without post processing and as was previous asked, done with a Achromatic back?

As a side note, I can certainly vouch for coastal optics, having had a chance to use some of their fine lenses in the past and many are truly noteworthy.

Dave (D&A)

 

[tashley]

Re: I'm a pig in the proverbial...IQ260 and Apo

Tim, I assume you are using the new Achromatic back.

Are you finding the offset constant across apertures and distances or is it different for each? I am hoping it is constant which would mean a simple offset on my Arca charts, if not, it will be back to LV and review.

Also, if you are using the Achro back, how are you filtering for visible spectrum? With the old P45 Achromatic+ back, Phase released a TG1 filter. Not sure they are doing the same with the IQ260 Achromatic.

I am still waiting for m achromatic back, but with my modified Nikons, I do see a lot of blooming, even when focussed in LV with an iPad, with the only exception and superstar being the Coastal Optics 60mm - it is mind-boggling what this lens does across the entire spectrum.

Cheers...

Hiya,

I have yet to ascertain how aperture dependent the offset is.

Filters I am using are a Lee 87 for IR work, and a Phase supplied filter for regular B&W work, which cuts out IR. No doubt if I stacked the two, nothing would get through ;-)

 

[tashley]

Re: I'm a pig in the proverbial...IQ260 and Apo

+1! Tim's I find your approach and style of writing reviews and personal impressions of equipment refreshing and will look for your continued writings. IR imagery has always been a pet project of mine when time permits and the various permutations of filters, lenses and ultimately optics used in acquiring such photographs is limitless. In your lovely image above, I get the sense that it's quite dense and veiled in appearance. Was this essentially straight out of the camera without post processing and as was previous asked, done with a Achromatic back?

As a side note, I can certainly vouch for coastal optics, having had a chance to use some of their fine lenses in the past and many are truly noteworthy.

Dave (D&A)

Thanks Dave, my typo there had the potential to confuse. It is indeed the 260 achro I am testing.

The shot was made with the Lee 67 and was the best of a bracketed series of focus distances. I made some considerable PP efforts, too complex to document, but straight out of the camera it was less contrasty and rather flatter overall.

 

[jagsiva]

Thanks Tim, good to know they are shipping a filter with it. I do have a couple of B+W MRC 486's on order just in case. Hopefully my back is here next week

Cheers...

 

[tashley]

Sorry, to clarify: I have the back on loan from Phase specifically to test and review. Some of the filters I am using I already own and some were also loaned by Phase but AFAIK none actually ship with the camera retail....

 

[tashley]

Another one....