Re: MX with LX screens, more elaboration.
LeviL <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Hi Levi, > I am from > Hungary, I study in the states now. (at least for a few more days, until > the semester is over) > Hungary! I've been in Vienna twice but never been able to travel to Budapest or even across the border. Next time I'll plan a longer journey... What do you study? > Hmmm. I never had any problems like that. Well, I got my self an > eyepiece not long ago and with that I noticed the same thing I guess. I > just avoid using it unless I know it will be too bright for me to see the > lightmeter. I mean the eyepiece, not the eyecup... > > So I already have the Clear-glass with center cross (SD-11) screen. > Someone here was explaining how to focus with it. That I did not really > understand so I would appreciate some claification on that too. (remember > I am just an enthusiastic beginner who immediately wants to do all the fun > stuff, astro, infrared :)) I know I am ahead of the game) I can tell you > this. Step by step you'll do anything... There is no kind of photography truly hard (well... there may be a couple of exceptions...). > When I was taking pictures of Saturn with a telescope I did not see > jack but the split prism in the wa of focusing. Focusing is NOT EASY. (...) > > So I have a hard time seeing how I should condentrate on the center cross > or hair or whatever... I was glad to be alive and in focus last time I > did this. > I really cannot help you much as I do not astrophotography (only once a year or so...), but i can quote from http://www.euronet.nl/~pimr/lxfsmain.html#main_table " 1 Focusing with SD-11 and SD-21 I don't know anything about their application, so I'll just quote from the Operating Manual. "When focusing with these screens, while looking through the viewfinder, place the subject you want to focus on in the central cross hairs, and focus the lens. When the subject does not come off the central cross hairs even if you have moved your eyes slightly to the right or left, your subject is then in focus. The SD-11 is suited for astrophotography and photomicrography, and if used for other purposes, or depending on the telescope or microscope to be used with, the corners of the frame may be darkened." " > So after christmas I will be taking pictures of more landscapes, > architecture, etc. (Budapest) More street photography. In fact birds and > people unaware of my taking pictures is the reason why I want to get a > mirror lens. (looking at 600mm Sigma) The only other screen I have is > the default MX split prism with microprisim collar and it is quite > scratched up. So I figured go LX. Get the SE-60 totaly unmarked matte > one and the new SC-69 that is just like the default screen just supposedly > brighter. My other lenses are 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 135mm f2.5, 50-250mm > f4. So the SC-69 and the SE-60 will be used with these. Not with a > telescope or a mirror lens. If your purpose is to use your "normal" lenses (even the not so normal 50-250/4) and not a telescope I should warn you: not use one of the new (and expensive) screens for the LX (the -60/-69 ones). They won't fit your needs and you'll be disappointed. Go for a screen designed for "general purpose" (the SC-21, SA-21 et simila). Have a look at http://www.euronet.nl/~pimr/fscrntab.html for an idea of the compatibilty of the screens with the various lenses. > When I will get the mirror lens I figured I will need to get a screen that > was designed for such lenses. SA-26, SC-26, SE-25. As I said earlier > birds and people is what I will mainly be shooting with the mirror lens. (...) > > The SE-25 is not a great screen, I don't like it even with the > > LX... The vignetting is visible, but significantly less than > > with a normal lens mounted (to be precise: the SE-25 vignettes > > with lenses shorter than 80mm even with the LX). > > Well I figured I will only use it with a 600mm. Does it Vignette with > that too? (in MX of coirse, though I am interested in LX results too) Of course not! Maybe you'll notice a slight darkening in the upper side of the finder, but that's all. > > If you do not wear glasses, maybe the vignetting won't bother > > you too much. > > I don't but that maybe is what I am worried about. (did you ever consider > contact lenses? Doing photography now I tahnk god several times I do not > have to wear glasses, though the day will come I am certain) I would have a hard time trying to take a photo without glasses: I press the camera with a certain effort on my right eye and my nose to hold it steady (I usually shot handheld even with 1/8, 1/4s). If I didn't wear glasses I'd change the shape of my nose and would need to clean up the eyepiece after every shot. This way I only have to change the right lens of my glasses on a regular basis (you cannot imagine how can a camera induce scratches on glass...). > > When I mounted the SE-60 I must admit I couldn't believe to my > > eyes. This is the
Re: MX with LX screens, more elaboration.
Hello > > I just signed up to the list and I find something useful right > away. > > Hi L! (what's your name, BTW?) It's Levente (or Levi) I just like to initial my e-mails regardless of the preset signature that actually had my name (or it should have) I am from Hungary, I study in the states now. (at least for a few more days, until the semester is over) > I'm sorry for my late reply, but I took the time to make some > side by side comparison between bodies and screens. I feel I > made a hurried statement, so I have to clear myself... :-) No hurry. > Let's make a step back. I wrote I wouldn't mount a SG-60 or one > of the new LX screen due to a bad vignetting in the finder. This > is true, but it's effective with a normal or short lens and, I > admit I had no time to explain better, if you wear glasses (so I don't actually. > do I...). The problem is due to the kind of eyepiece and > magnification of the MX too: the LX has a longer eyepoint, so I > can see the entire frame. I can't do that with the MX. I have to > move slightly the eye to have a complete view. With one of the > new screens (as I said, I tried first with the SG-60) and the > 50/1.7 I could barely see the center of the frame... Hmmm. I never had any problems like that. Well, I got my self an eyepiece not long ago and with that I noticed the same thing I guess. I just avoid using it unless I know it will be too bright for me to see the lightmeter. > I can confirm for sure about the vignetting, but I had no > intention to state something as a rule. OK. So viewing screen gets darker around the edges with the SG-60. > Well... > Few hours ago I started to try every possible screen/lens > coupling. > I mounted in the MX the following screens: SE-25, SC-26, SE-60. > Since you want to do astrophotography I used the 300/4, alone > and with a 2x converter (I could have used a true 600/8 and > attach to it different converters - maybe I'll do in the > following days), and tried some shorter lens anyway, just to > have a reference. Well. I might have confused you a bit too. I experiment with astro and I do have one of the astro LX screens, though I did not get to try it out yet because a few weeks ago I killed my MX while taking pictures of the meteor shower. I was stupid enough to fire it locked with a defective cord that takes some extra phisical effort to push. (Actually the cord died the same night just a little earlier) So I could not get it fixed yet and it seems I will only be able to after christmas in Hungary. But there I will not have access to the Astronomy department's telescope. So that screen will not really serve me too well unless I find a telescope in Hungary that I can use. (not likely but possible) So I already have the Clear-glass with center cross (SD-11) screen. Someone here was explaining how to focus with it. That I did not really understand so I would appreciate some claification on that too. (remember I am just an enthusiastic beginner who immediately wants to do all the fun stuff, astro, infrared :)) I know I am ahead of the game) I can tell you this. When I was taking pictures of Saturn with a telescope I did not see jack but the split prism in the wa of focusing. Focusing is NOT EASY. Positioning the subject in the middle isn't either. So I had the planet off the one side or the other. (well the other reason for that was the split prism) Also somebody mentioned that subjet has to be steady. Well with astronomy we just wish that it is steady. (but of course if it is not, it's gonan be crap anyway) So I have a hard time seeing how I should condentrate on the center cross or hair or whatever... I was glad to be alive and in focus last time I did this. So after christmas I will be taking pictures of more landscapes, architecture, etc. (Budapest) More street photography. In fact birds and people unaware of my taking pictures is the reason why I want to get a mirror lens. (looking at 600mm Sigma) The only other screen I have is the default MX split prism with microprisim collar and it is quite scratched up. So I figured go LX. Get the SE-60 totaly unmarked matte one and the new SC-69 that is just like the default screen just supposedly brighter. My other lenses are 24mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 135mm f2.5, 50-250mm f4. So the SC-69 and the SE-60 will be used with these. Not with a telescope or a mirror lens. When I will get the mirror lens I figured I will need to get a screen that was designed for such lenses. SA-26, SC-26, SE-25. As I said earlier birds and people is what I will mainly be shooting with the mirror lens. I was just about to order the SC-69 and SE-60 when I read the mail on the list. (the super tele screen I will wait with until I get the lens) So I hope this really clarifies the situation. > The SE-25 is not a great screen, I don't like it even with the > LX... The vignetting is visible, but significantly less than > with a normal lens mounted (to be precise: the
