Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/08/20

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Subject: [Leica] my kayaking lens
From: telyt at earthlink.net (Douglas Herr)
Date: Sun Aug 20 14:12:14 2006

I've been wary of taking my camera kayaking because of the typical 
proximity to large volumes of water, so I've been looking for a setup 
that would represent a much smaller financial loss if the kayak should 
transmogrify into a submarine, yet still deliver good results.

I recently bought (via some auction site) a Novoflex 400mm f/5.6 
T-Noflexar, complete with accessory bellows (BAL-U) for extreme 
close-ups, accessory tripod collar and Nikon mount for the princely sum 
of US$125.  For those who are unfamiliar with the Novoflex follow-focus 
lenses, they were very popular among pre-AF wildlife photographers for 
their good optical performance and quick focussing action.  The 
Novoflex lenses focus through  a squeeze grip (google Novoflex images 
for a look-see); the action is quick and accurate, the down side being 
hand fatigue, weight and a limited focussing range (focussing range can 
be easily extended with the BAL-U bellows or the variable extesnion 
tube built into later models).

I tested the setup today on dry land with the DMR (in the Kayak I'll 
use a battered SL instead):

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/trochilidae/anhu03.html

whaddya think?

Doug Herr
Birdman of Sacramento
http://www.wildlightphoto.com


Replies: Reply from rangefinder at screengang.com (Didier Ludwig) ([Leica] my kayaking lens)
Reply from jhnichols at bellsouth.net (Jim Nichols) ([Leica] my kayaking lens)
Reply from ricc at mindspring.com (Ric Carter) ([Leica] my kayaking lens)