Sharpness - Mamiya C330

Chaps,

I've got a Mamiya C330f which I am mostly very pleased with. However, I
have noticed that a number of images - though reasonable were not as sharp
as I was expecting. This was highlighted when on a recent film there was
one exceptionally sharp print. Does this sound to you like I need to get
someone to look at the focusing screen / mirror alignment?

I almost exclusively handhold (I can hear the protests now) but zooming in
on the negs / scans does not indicate any symptoms of shake.

I suppose another option is to buy another body off of ebay (bodies on their
own seem to go for much less than lens + body) and see how that is, perhaps
having a go myself on the least good camera.

Pete


--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

Peter Chant wrote:
Chaps,

I've got a Mamiya C330f which I am mostly very pleased with. However, I
have noticed that a number of images - though reasonable were not as sharp
as I was expecting. This was highlighted when on a recent film there was
one exceptionally sharp print. Does this sound to you like I need to get
someone to look at the focusing screen / mirror alignment?

I almost exclusively handhold (I can hear the protests now) but zooming in
on the negs / scans does not indicate any symptoms of shake.

I suppose another option is to buy another body off of ebay (bodies on their
own seem to go for much less than lens + body) and see how that is, perhaps
having a go myself on the least good camera.

It could be due to camera shake. To eliminate this as a possibility
then I would advice you to shoot a roll with the camera tripod mounted
and inspect the results closely using an 8x lupe or higher. If you
still have soft images then post back here as there are other factors
that could be involved such as the focussing screen spacing needing to
be adjusted.

The 330 is much lighter than the 33's I used to use that helped cradle the
camera as you do with the rack focusing. So it could be shake but then it
would show over all the image.

I'd check the lens fitting as it may not be fitting correctly and may just
show signs of image softening due to poor registration. I found the lenses
to be crisp and sharp albeit contrasty. But then I like that.

Duncan


"Peter Chant" wrote in message
...
Chaps,

I've got a Mamiya C330f which I am mostly very pleased with. However, I
have noticed that a number of images - though reasonable were not as sharp
as I was expecting. This was highlighted when on a recent film there was
one exceptionally sharp print. Does this sound to you like I need to get
someone to look at the focusing screen / mirror alignment?

I almost exclusively handhold (I can hear the protests now) but zooming in
on the negs / scans does not indicate any symptoms of shake.

I suppose another option is to buy another body off of ebay (bodies on
their
own seem to go for much less than lens + body) and see how that is,
perhaps
having a go myself on the least good camera.

Pete


--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

you know i have kinda the same problem....at 2.8 and slow shutter my
pics are blurr..at f8 or f11 @60th...they are ok...sharp and
clear....was told nothing was wrong with the camera when i took it
in....any ideas on that one from you guys....the camera now just
sits....any help would be great...........thanks

wayne

PRO SHOW_SS wrote:
you know i have kinda the same problem....at 2.8 and slow shutter my
pics are blurr..at f8 or f11 @60th...they are ok...sharp and
clear....was told nothing was wrong with the camera when i took it
in....any ideas on that one from you guys....the camera now just
sits....any help would be great...........thanks

wayne

You shouldn't expect the lens to be sharp at full aperture. Why not
continue to use it at f8 or f11 if it gives you results that you like?

This was highlighted when on a recent film there was one
exceptionally sharp print.


Peter:

Do you wear glasses, especially bifocals?

Perhaps you're old enough to have prespyopia... the inability of the eye
to focus sharply on nearby objects, resulting from loss of elasticity of
the crystalline lens with advancing age.

If one of the twelve frames was sharp then prespyopia may be the cause,
and I think that if that's the case then all you need is a minus lens in
your waist level finder.

I get around the problem by using a prism on my 220F.

Jim Hemenway



Peter Chant wrote:

Chaps,

I've got a Mamiya C330f which I am mostly very pleased with. However, I
have noticed that a number of images - though reasonable were not as sharp
as I was expecting. This was highlighted when on a recent film there was
one exceptionally sharp print. Does this sound to you like I need to get
someone to look at the focusing screen / mirror alignment?

I almost exclusively handhold (I can hear the protests now) but zooming in
on the negs / scans does not indicate any symptoms of shake.

I suppose another option is to buy another body off of ebay (bodies on their
own seem to go for much less than lens + body) and see how that is, perhaps
having a go myself on the least good camera.

Pete

PRO SHOW_SS a écrit :
you know i have kinda the same problem....at 2.8 and slow shutter my
pics are blurr..at f8 or f11 @60th...they are ok...sharp and
clear....was told nothing was wrong with the camera when i took it
in....any ideas on that one from you guys....the camera now just
sits....any help would be great...........

All lenses are beter when stopped down, this is perfectlly normal. The
80mm is no exception. I.t is quite soft à f/2.8 but can be very sharp at
f/8.

--
Vincent Becker
Photographie et appareils anciens - Photography and classic cameras
http://www.lumieresenboite.com
Contact direct : http://www.lumieresenboite.com/contact.php

Jim Hemenway wrote:

This was highlighted when on a recent film there was one
exceptionally sharp print.


Peter:

Do you wear glasses, especially bifocals?

Yes, but not bi-focals.


Perhaps you're old enough to have prespyopia... the inability of the eye
to focus sharply on nearby objects, resulting from loss of elasticity of
the crystalline lens with advancing age.


I hope not I'm thirty five so I consider myself just leaving my late
teens...

If one of the twelve frames was sharp then prespyopia may be the cause,
and I think that if that's the case then all you need is a minus lens in
your waist level finder.


I get around the problem by using a prism on my 220F.


The porroprism I assume. I've never had a problem on my 35mm cameras,
including notably my Pentax MZ-5n which I usually use as manual focus and
has no focusing aids on the screen (ie split prism, microprism) - though it
does have dioptre adjustment.

I can see that putting a rather large -ve lens on top the waiste level
finder gives you a problem, either it does not fold - or you need somewhere
to put the lens you have folded it.



--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

RolandRB wrote:

It could be due to camera shake. To eliminate this as a possibility
then I would advice you to shoot a roll with the camera tripod mounted
and inspect the results closely using an 8x lupe or higher. If you
still have soft images then post back here as there are other factors
that could be involved such as the focussing screen spacing needing to
be adjusted.

Will try - today or tomorrow - will take a while to get the film back
though.

I'm wondering if I ought to set something up on a table so I a target to aim
at that is say 2m away and a few more in front of and behind of, just to
see if the area of sharp focus is somewhere other than where it should be.
Of course - this is all table top which is close and I usually shoot
landscapes - OTOH it should be more sensative of focus problems.

Pete

--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

Duncan wrote:

The 330 is much lighter than the 33's I used to use that helped cradle the
camera as you do with the rack focusing. So it could be shake but then it
would show over all the image.

I'd check the lens fitting as it may not be fitting correctly and may just
show signs of image softening due to poor registration. I found the lenses
to be crisp and sharp albeit contrasty. But then I like that.

I change fairly frequently between the 80 and 55mm lenses and have not
noticed problems with them bedding down. I also for various reasons have
two 80mm, so I can try a selection - that might show up any problems.

Pete

--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk