Review: Reflx Lab 800

15 Mar 2024 1 Comment

by richardhaw in nikon,lens repair,lens maintenance,nikon repair,, Nikon,museum,classic lenses,, Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Hello, everybody! Inflation is a big problem in this socialist country, the leaders have ran this country into the ground. It is affecting everyone, people skip meals just to get by because the price of basic groceries and shot up the roof. When fuel and food prices go up, everything else follows. In these trying times, it is best to be frugal. This hobby isn’t cheap and those who say that shooting film is cheaper than shooting a digital camera don’t know about economics. The good thing is there are always cheaper alternatives, you just need to know what to look for and where. In my case, it came as a surprise, more like an accident. It’s interesting and I’d like to share my findings with you. I’m not a “cheap-Charlie” but I welcome any form of savings, that’s just called being practical.

Introduction:

The Reflx Lab 800 is a film that’s respooled and marketed by a Chinese company in Shenzhen, I did not know about it at first but doing a bit of research revealed what I need to know about this company. It’s refreshing to see some newcomers into the market and it is interesting to know more about what they have to offer to the community. For this company, it’s cheaper versions of the products made by more established brands. They’re not entirely knock-offs but they have benefited from other people’s idea. In this case, it’s repackaged Kodak VISION3 500T Color cinema film. While the idea to do this is not theirs, I will applaud them for being transparent at least and state which stock their product came from.

It comes inside a metal canister which you can use to store weed or anything else, I don’t think that it’s necessary because it just adds to the cost of this product. The price is not so bad, in fact, it costs much cheaper compared to its rival.

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Repair: Nikkor-N 5cm f/1.1 (External-Mount)

08 Mar 2024 1 Comment

by richardhaw in nikon,lens repair,lens maintenance,nikon repair,, Nikon,museum,classic lenses,, Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Hello, everybody! Do you like watching “Japanese prawn” or “車海老”? I used to be an aquarist and these creatures are amazing to watch, they’re big and their colors are amazing. Needless to say, they are tasty. I know of a few varieties for preparation but my favorite is “tempura”. There are 3 main ways to prepare the meat, tempura, sushi and salt-baked, of the 3 major ways, the most popular one is tempura by far. Today, I will show you something that is also “big”, it also comes in 3 major variations. And just like the Japanese prawns, this is also something that you do not encounter everyday because it’s special, even expensive! It is also something to celebrate, stay a while and listen to my story.

Introduction:

The Nikkor-N 5cm f/1.1 was produced from 1956 to somewhere around 1959. It was Nikon’s fastest lens, only to be replaced by the recent Nikkor Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct after more than a half-a-century’s time. It’s considered to be a breakthrough for the company in terms of lens design and mechanical engineering. Its reputation is such that it has earned a following over the years because for such a long time, Nikon didn’t make a true successor for it, with the next-fastest one being the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 Ai. Sure, Nikon made the Nikkor-S 55mm f/1.2 Auto but it isn’t a 50mm “normal” lens, so most people do not consider that lens as a true successor. While the Nikkor-N 5cm f/1.1 was hailed as a breakthrough, it was merely a response to the world’s then fastest lens – the Zunow 5cm f/1.1 which came out a few years earlier. That lens sent a big message throughout the optics industry, and of course, Nikon had to respond.

We are going to look at the “external-mount” version of this lens, it has 3 known variants which we’ll talk about later. The barrel’s engineering is surprisingly modern, it has a focusing unit and the front barrel will not turn as you focus, unlike the internal-mount 50mm Nikkors. The aperture ring is at the front, closer to the tip of the lens, while the focusing ring is situated at the center. The aperture ring is not evenly-spaced, a typical limitation of many older lenses. The attachment ring is 62mm, it’s best to only use Nikon’s filters of the same period because of the threads and position of the glass, using something else may scratch its front element since it’s too bulbous.

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Repair: W-Nikkor 3.5cm f/2.5 (LTM)

02 Mar 2024 1 Comment

by richardhaw in nikon,lens repair,lens maintenance,nikon repair,, Nikon,museum,classic lenses,, Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Hello, everybody! Do you know what is a “Billiken“? It’s The unofficial mascot of Osaka but with American roots, it was said that rubbing the feet will bring you good luck. His devious smile makes him appear a bit naughty and mischievous, but that’s just how he is. He said to be the god of “things as they ought to be“, helping you accept the trials of life in a more light manner. Today, I will show you a lens that will help you accept things as they are, it has its imperfections but they’re not so bad as to the degrade the photos you take, it’s kind of Zen-like shooting with this lens using a film camera. Read the whole article to know what this lens is all about.

Introduction:

The W-Nikkor•C 3.5cm f/2.5 came in two distinct mounts, one for the native Nikon S-mount and another for the Leica Thread Mount, this article will showcase the latter. This lens family was made from 1952 up to 1959, while the Nikon S-mount version was made with multiple variations, the Leica fit one came in two minor variations, one with a silver focusing ring and another with a black focusing ring, that’s it. These are highly collectible not only because of their importance in Nikon’s history but also due to their practicality. I think this is the most practical W-Nikkor, it’s really good for many things. It’s a very popular lens so these are not rare at all.

The barrel is all-metal, made from top-quality brass, that makes the lens heavy despite being compact. It’s not a big lens at all and you can hide it inside your palm. The engravings are helpful and clear, making the work of focusing much easier.

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Nikkor-H•C 5cm f/2 (Leica Thread Mount)

18 Feb 2024 2 Comments

by richardhaw in nikon,lens repair,lens maintenance,nikon repair,, Nikon,museum,classic lenses,, Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Hello, everybody! Do you remember Ziggy? He is a popular cartoon character from several decades ago, with a toy line that many people collect. He came in various costumes, making Ziggy fans collect them all. It’s a harmless hobby with many collectors and you will be surprised at how much these toys can go for. I used to collect them, too. Remembering Ziggy takes me back to my younger years where things are much simpler and happiness came in smaller packages. Today, I’ll show you something that’s just as collectible, I can say that it’s exciting to complete the collection, but unlike Ziggy toys, it’s a hobby for the truly devout followers of the way of Nikkor.

Introduction:

The Nikkor-H•C 5cm f/2 is one of Nikon’s most prolific designs because it came with many variations and it was produced for a long time, from immediately after the war to about 1962. You can say that this lens is just as influential as the original Nikon camera is when it comes to its significance for the company and the Japanese optics industry, too. While many of you are familiar with the Nikkor-H•C 5cm f/2 in S-mount fit, this one is the first version with the rigid barrel for the Leica Thread-Mount. The next iteration of this is the Nikkor-H•C 5cm f/2 with a black band, affectionally called the “Blackbelt Nikkor” by collectors. Both of them were preceded by the collapsible Nikkor-H•C 5cm f/2. All these variations makes this lens attractive for collectors and hoarders.

This is the first rigid-body Nikkor-H•C 5cm f/2 for the Leica-mount if I am not mistaken, every design that came before are all collapsible such as the rare Nikkor-H•C 5cm f/2 (collapsible). This is the earliest sample that I have of the rigid-type, the later version is the Nikkor-H•C 5cm f/2 (blackbelt) with a black ring. These look similar, but you will find out later that they have differences internally.

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Review: Cinestill 400D

07 Jan 2024 2 Comments

by richardhaw in nikon,lens repair,lens maintenance,nikon repair,, Nikon,museum,classic lenses,, Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Hello, everybody! Do you like eating durian? I love it a lot but it’s not for everyone, it’s an acquired taste so it may take some time for your palate to accept it. Some say it’s sweet and tart while some say it also reminds them of vomit in the way it smells, the texture is also reminiscent of rotting flesh to them. I don’t see it as such, for me, it tastes and feels like exquisite cheese. You can debate with everyone about it but food is a matter of taste, just like how Joachim Loew (the German coach) like his own snot. Today, we shall look into something that is a bit confusing to me, I just don’t know what to make of it, is it good or is this trash? Join me today as we look into this confusing topic.

Introduction:

The Cinestill 400D is something that I have always wanted to shoot with but I was always indecisive, it’s not cheap at all and that’s one of the main reasons why. At one point, my curiosity had to be scratched, so I bought 2 rolls of this stock to review. As far as I know, I don’t recall seeing this film in Tokyo when I was still living there 2 years ago so this must have been sold just over a year ago or somewhere around that period.

Cinestill likes to color their film based on its perceived characteristics, purple suggests that it has a warm tone, leaning towards magenta or amber. The purple theme is cute, making it very appealing to younger customers and intrigues the rest, too.

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