tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post6834587679019175513..comments2024-03-27T11:02:08.037-05:00Comments on LEICA Barnack Berek Blog: LEICA – MAKER OF THE FIRST EVER SLR AUTOFOCUS SYSTEMLEICA Barnack Berek Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055435560407011075noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-14898816739566356942013-11-25T12:35:15.908-06:002013-11-25T12:35:15.908-06:00The Correfot system utilized the contrast sensitiv...The Correfot system utilized the contrast sensitivity of CDS (Cadmium Sulfide) cells. They were the metering cells used by most light meters, hand-held or built-in. Since then things have changed considerably. CDS cells are not in use anymore. For autofocus systems they have been replaced mostly by infrared sensors to effect the automatic focusing of lenses.LEICA Barnack Berek Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09055435560407011075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-17304760746704251912013-11-25T11:21:38.645-06:002013-11-25T11:21:38.645-06:00I agree. Some Leica owners are too full of themse...I agree. Some Leica owners are too full of themselves and come across as snobs because of it. There is nothing wrong with discussing other cameras if the opportunity arises.<br />Here is a question about the Correfot: Is the Correfot system still in use in cameras today?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-23074883426368558802013-11-25T09:49:11.301-06:002013-11-25T09:49:11.301-06:00Of course this is a Leica blog, but we don't o...Of course this is a Leica blog, but we don't operate in a vacuum. If a reader asks a valid question, I will answer it.LEICA Barnack Berek Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09055435560407011075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-80688779091911145852013-11-25T09:34:46.273-06:002013-11-25T09:34:46.273-06:00Why all this talk about Rollei and Hasselblad? I ...Why all this talk about Rollei and Hasselblad? I thought this was a Leica Blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-71794588454017138972013-11-24T14:34:18.255-06:002013-11-24T14:34:18.255-06:00The Scheimpflug principle refers to tilting the le...The Scheimpflug principle refers to tilting the lens up or down or from side to side (swing) to effectively tilt the plane of focus, thus gaining a considerable apparent gain in depth of field.<br /><br />Hasselblad refers to the fact that 220 film does not have the paper backing of 120 film. The paper leader and trailer are glued to the film instead of the backing covering the entire length of film. Thus there is slight difference in the film position relative to the lens. This is compensated for in the Hasselblad 120 and 220 backs. The Rollei approach makes the same changes, however with one and he same camera back when switching from 120 to 220 film. There too both the film gate and the pressure plate are repositioned as necessary.LEICA Barnack Berek Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09055435560407011075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-32096740763889046992013-11-24T09:39:50.489-06:002013-11-24T09:39:50.489-06:00What is the Scheimpflug principle? Also, Hasselbl...What is the Scheimpflug principle? Also, Hasselblad claimed that two different backs were needed to accommodate 120 and 220 film more accurately in terms of film flatness and focusing accuracy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-68918437364427612942013-11-22T15:26:11.942-06:002013-11-22T15:26:11.942-06:00One of the reasons for the outstanding performance...One of the reasons for the outstanding performance of the Hasselblad were the Zeiss lenses. The Rolleiflex SL66 was equipped with the same lenses. But unlike the Hasselblad, which only offered lenses with leaf shutters, the SL66 had a focal plane shutter. This eliminated the necessity of every lens needing a shutter and the SL66 lenses were a bit less expensive. In addition, the 80mm f/2.8 Planar and the 150mm f/4 Sonnar were available with leaf shutters for faster flash such speeds. The main advantages of the SL66 were the features of the camera body. The camera featured a bellows which allowed instant close-up capabilities without any accessories at all. In addition, the camera also had a built-in lens reverser which allowed reproduction ratios down to 1:1, at no extra cost because no additional accessories were needed. The bellows also could be tilted up or down, or with the camera mounted on its side, tilts right and left. This allowed for the Scheimpflug principle to be applied for greatly extended depth of field. The tilt feature could also be used for the correction of converging lines in architectural photography. Unlike the Hasselblad, where an additional magazine was needed for the use of 220 film, the Rollei film backs could be switched from 120 to 220. Another advantage of the SL66 was its top shutter speed of 1/1000 sec. Finally, the SL66 offered a wider range of lenses. On the Hasselblad, the 500mm Tele Tessar was the longest lens. This was available on the SL66 as well, but in addition it also offered the 500mm f4 Zeiss Mirotar and the 1000mm f/5.6 Zeiss Mirotar which were unusually fast at the time for lenses of this long a focal length. While the Haselbald could do double exposures, this was quite cumbersome. After the first exposure, the film back needed to be taken off the camera. The the camera could then be cocked and after the back was re-installed, the additional exposure could be made. The SL66 offered double exposure via a simple push button which deactivated the film advance and only cocked the shutter. Of course the camera had interchangeable focusing screens and interchangeable viewfinders.LEICA Barnack Berek Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09055435560407011075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-30478235757160086322013-11-22T15:05:22.043-06:002013-11-22T15:05:22.043-06:00Thanks for the extensive reply. If you don't ...Thanks for the extensive reply. If you don't mind another question, what made the Rolleiflex SL66 superior to the Hasselblad?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-84592909229377903152013-11-22T15:02:21.883-06:002013-11-22T15:02:21.883-06:00Yes, there is some Rollei branded equipment availa...Yes, there is some Rollei branded equipment available in Europe and Japan, but that has nothing to do with the old Rollei company. Several years ago Rollei was taken over by a new company and was renamed from their original company name of Franke and Heideke to Rollei Fototechnik. They went out of business a short while ago and sold the naming rights to a Japanese company who now is marketing equipment from a variety of manufacturers under the Rollei label. After the demise of Rollei Fototechnik, the sons of company founders Franke and Heideke resurrected the old company name in a new venture. They started manufacturing the Rolleiflex TLR cameras again, including the Rollei Wide and the Tele Rollei. In addition they also made the Rollei 6008 which evolved to the Rollei Hy6. The same camera was also marketed by Sinar as the Sinar Hy6.<br /><br />As for your second question, long after it had become obvious that medium format SLR cameras were the wave of the future, Rollei finally introduced the SL66 medium Format SLR camera. At that time Hasselblad was the market leader. Even though the SL66 was superior to the Hasselblad, it never made any sizable inroads into that market. A few years later Rollei added their first electronic camera to the line up, the SLX with its built-in motor. This camera soon evolved via the 6002 and 6006 to the 6008 and later the digital, autofocus version, called Hy6. All of these were remarkable cameras, as good as anything on the market. But most professional; photographers went with cameras from the competition and a couple of years ago Rolle, or Franke and Heideke,i closed its doors forever.<br />Please note that I commented strictly by memory and that some mistakes might have been made.LEICA Barnack Berek Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09055435560407011075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-46179505356374020702013-11-22T15:00:04.354-06:002013-11-22T15:00:04.354-06:00Two questions; Isn't there some Rollei equipme...Two questions; Isn't there some Rollei equipment marketed? And what medium format cameras did Rollei make after their TLRs?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-61967795253257885572013-11-22T10:47:27.908-06:002013-11-22T10:47:27.908-06:00Of course we will never know. However, I do think...Of course we will never know. However, I do think that the Leica R cameras might have been more successful.<br />Leica never made any official statements about why they chose not to use the Correfot system. The general assumption is that they thought it wasn't necessary, that their customer didn't need or want it because they were well able to focus their Leicas themselves.<br />Unfortunately it is this 'we know best' approach that brought Leica to the brink of bankruptcy and which lead to the demise of many German camera manufacturers. Rollei is a good example. They held on to the twin lens reflex cameras much too long. Then, when they finally changed their minds, they had lost so much market position that they never recovered and finally faded away.LEICA Barnack Berek Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09055435560407011075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1320126156594375642.post-78608782706112748602013-11-22T09:53:24.591-06:002013-11-22T09:53:24.591-06:00I wonder what Leica would be like today if they ha...I wonder what Leica would be like today if they had marketed their autofocus system in a camera of their own. Did they ever say why they didn't?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com