The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

The fastest Alpa mount lens

thrice

Active member
My Schneider Xenon 75/2.0 has been mounted and should be back with me mid-Jan :) can't wait to see how it performs.
Apparently it covers 6x6 but I anticipate much field curvature. The lens performs extremely well on 35mm in its Arri mount incarnation.

 

Shashin

Well-known member
I had some similar vintage SK glass. The resolution was great, but the contrast was low--the downside of no lens coatings. Since I was shooting color film at the time, I was not really impressed. However, with a digital back, these are much more compelling.

Looking forward to some results...
 

thrice

Active member
Thanks for the insight Will! If I find the low contrast frustrating I'll get the lens coated.
 

Shashin

Well-known member
Thrice, you can probably do quite a bit in processing. Simply bringing the curve down in the shadows would be the start--flare will impact shadows faster than mid-tones and highlights. I think it will be a fun lens and may even have an interesting look.
 

thrice

Active member
I had the mount done by SK Grimes. I haven't seen it up close yet so I'm not sure of the quality/accuracy of the mount. Time will tell :)
 

thrice

Active member
Ok, I have everything in my grubby little paws.
Seems like SK Grimes scratched my Alpa Groundglass (pretty badly) :(

The lens covers comfortably wide open. I get about 5mm of shift wide open (haven't tested stopped down yet). I seem to be able to use the full 17mm of tilt.
Alpa should make the tilt adapter usable with the groundglass, as it is currently you cannot mount the groundglass to the tilt adapter so rear movements are very difficult unless you have a live-view back (I don't).

I seem to have left my card reader at home so I can't see the true quality of the images but they look sharp with a mild glow, not much swirl to the bokeh but a little nisen-bokeh (bright rings) on very bright point light sources.

I'll test it better tonight and post pics :D
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Alpa should make the tilt adapter usable with the groundglass, as it is currently you cannot mount the groundglass to the tilt adapter so rear movements are very difficult unless you have a live-view back (I don't).
Hmm - which tilt adapter do you have? I have the 34mm T/S adapter and it works just fine with the Alpa GG. Also, perhaps it's relevant but also which GG version? I have the latest fine etched with fresnel.

I typically use the T/S adapter and GG on the rear of the body. (TC or STC).
 

thrice

Active member
Hi Graham,

I have the 17mm T/S adapter and the latest PGS (item number 310.010.008) as well.
The tilt knob is definitely in the way of the GG which has quite a large surrounding shroud.

Cheers,
Dan
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
That truly sucks. I am saving for a 40HR SB17 and new SB17 T/S adapter myself as I've been using the PGS a lot more now with my other SB34 lenses for tilts.

Presumably you can still use the T/S adapter on the front of the camera body though. Just not on the rear? It's not the same effect obviously if you're looking to leverage looming.

WTF were they thinking to make them incompatible? The older SB34 version that I have works fine because it is controlled between the front/rear flanges on the adapter and so doesn't protrude from the rear.
 

thrice

Active member
Presumably you can still use the T/S adapter on the front of the camera body though. Just not on the rear? It's not the same effect obviously if you're looking to leverage looming.

WTF were they thinking to make them incompatible? The older SB34 version that I have works fine because it is controlled between the front/rear flanges on the adapter and so doesn't protrude from the rear.
Yeah, no problem with front tilts/swings but that groundglass is never going to fit on the T/S 17. I like to leverage the slight distortion and even illumination of rear tilt but it's not a huge issue with a 75mm to only do front movements I guess.
 

thrice

Active member
Low contrast is good for backlit subjects. Suffice to say this lens is sharp and has beautiful bokeh.

P45, 75/2.0 Schneider Xenon at f/2.0. Unsharpened.



 

BlinkingEye

New member
Very cool! I have the exact opposite with my Alpa mount pinhole lens!
I would like to see an image or three with your pinhole lens. Thanks.

I have build and used pinhole cameras and pinhole lenses for 35mm format somehow I never thought of it for MF. I'd like to see what you have.
 

narikin

New member
Hate to point this out, but you can work with f1.2 Canon/Nikon lenses on an Alpa FPS, if fast lenses are your thing.
 

thrice

Active member
Hate to point this out, but you can work with f1.2 Canon/Nikon lenses on an Alpa FPS, if fast lenses are your thing.
Why do you hate to point it out? I know about the fps. They're not native mount, can't tilt and don't cover 645.

Sent from my C5303 using Tapatalk
 

tjv

Active member
With such a fast lens and no SLR or RF type mechanism, how hard is it to nail focus? I imagine it'd be super hard, especially hand held like I assume the above example is?
 

thrice

Active member
It's pretty easy, I used the groundglass but was tripod mounted. Just focus and tell the person not to move any closer or further from the camera. Similar to shooting with LF.
 
Top