Friday, April 29, 2011

Canon Serenar f1.8, 50mm LTM lens


This Serenar 50/1.8 came as a body cap on a Canon IVSB2 acquired at a camera show in late '97. It had dust specs, haze, front element cleaning marks and fine scratches. The result from a trial roll was discouraging. I could not find the proper 50mm lens in the ensuing camera shows, instead  I ended up with a minty  Serenar 35/2.8 with matching view finder in its original leather case.


 After shooting a few more rolls, a cousin became really interested in this Canon RF system. Since I was contemplating the purchase of a used Leica M6, I sold the lot with a right of first refusal clause if he decides to unload at a later date. He enjoyed it for several years using an Elmar E39 50/2.8 LTM and the Serenar 35/2.8.

Fast forward to last December, he was trimming down his RF collection and I got the outfit back. Meanwhile  I've read many good things about this Planar design at Rangefinder forum and Dante Stella considers it at par with the original Leitz rigid Summicron.


My curiosity was piqued and searched for information on how I can get rid of the dust specks and haze. I found a post at Rangefinder forum  (can't find the exact link) describing disassembly which starts at the rear retaining ring...



The whole optical module comes off the focusing helical


Be careful not to scratch the glass...


Fortunately the middle lens element was within the torque ability of my heavy duty tweezers ;)


The aperture blades were dry and the click stops turning smoothly, just cleaned out dirt and sparingly relubed with lithium grease.


I discovered edge separation in the cemented pair middle lens element, not very encouraging...


Everything cleaned and lubed. 


Ready for a test drive...

Bessa R
Acros 100/Diafine
Bessa R
Acros 100/Diafine
Leica M3 + M adapter
PX125/Diafine
Shot @ f1.8...not too worried about the balsam separation ;)

More Serenar 50/1.8 pics



Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Intermission...

Overture to Fingal's Cave, Op. 26, Felix B. Mendelssohm


Manila Symphony Orchestra
Joseph Esmilla, guest conductor
July 10, 2010

On a one week notice, I filled in for a guest conductor who fell ill 

Monday, April 25, 2011

Leitz Summar 50mm, f2

My Summars came as body caps on a '30 I > II conversion, brassy '32 and the '36 chrome below.

Notable flaws:
uncoated = veiling flare and low contrast
front element cleaning marks and scratches = soft focus

Leica II + Summar
Pentax ME super + Vivitar Series 1, 70-210mm zoom/macro
TX400/Diafine

After cleaning out the internal haze...

Bridge at C&O Canal
Fed 3a + Summar 50/2
APX100/Diafine
Black Ice
Zorki 5a + Summar 50/2
TX400/D76
Austin Healey Sprite MK1
Leica II + Summar 50/2
APX00/Diafine
Arts in the City
Canon IVSB2 + Summar 50/2
Acros 100/Diafine

More Summar pics

I also have a Stalin Summar - Fed 50/2
Fed S + Fed 50/2
Foma100/Diafine
Married to a genuine Fed S ca. '38 with fake Leica engraving

Monday, April 18, 2011

Four Seasons

I performed the Vivaldi Four Seasons on April 9 with the Manila Symphony Orchestra and was inspired to sift through my file of wasted film while testing lenses ;0)
Leica M6 + Summicron 35/2-I
Fuji 200

Fed 2 + Industar 26M
PX125/D-76
Leica M3 + Summicron 35/2-1
Agfa Vista 100
Zorki 5a + Summar 50/2
TX400/D-76

Friday, April 15, 2011

For Brian


Time travel to the Mono era

...excerpt from Korngold Violin Concerto performed by Jascha Heifetz RCA LM1782

Video taken during the time I was exchanging mono shop talk emails with Brian...

Monday, April 11, 2011

Brian Clark 1944-2011

Brian's monofantastico!




In this day and age we are fortunate to form a kinship with people we never get to meet in person...Brian was a major inspiration when I built my mono Hi-Fi system.

Bon Voyage my dear friend!

Monday, April 4, 2011

Half-frame...

...cameras...
Chaika 2M + Olympus Pen D

...and OLD cars

Early 70s Toyota Celica
Chaika 2M
Delta 100/Diafine
'60 Austin Cambridge A55, MKII 
BMC 1489cc "B series" engine and transmission missing, donated to an older A55 MK1, pre-Farina project
Chaika 2M
Delta 100/Diafine
BMC cars were popular in the streets of 50s - 60s Manila. Aside from being middle class family transport, petrol or diesel A55s and A60s were operated as taxicabs. I was surprised to find this A55 Farina since many have been scrapped years ago. We had one and I learned to drive in it.

Austin Healey Sprite MK1 looks like an aborted restoration ...
Chaika 2M
Delta 100/Diafine
I am glad to have taken these pictures...passed by recently and a house is being constructed on this once empty lot...all the cars are gone.

More cine frame pics

Testing the Olympus Pen D
Olympus Pen D
TX400/Diafine
Happy motoring!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Fuga y Misterio by Astor Piazzolla

Transcribed for piano trio by Albert Tiu

Albert Tiu, pianist
Joseph Esmilla, violinist
Sean Katsuyama, cellist

Thursday, March 24, 2011

November 2010 Hi-Fi Show

Harana/Tono/SETUP collaboration


Passive tri-amplified mono system

Harana SOLENN mono-speaker:
4.5-way w/ ambiance tweeters in tri-amp configuration
Altec 1803 multi-cell midrange horn 
Dual midrange drivers: Altec 291 (phenolic diaphragm/alnico magnet) +JBL-LE85
ALTEC LANSING COAX T3000 tweeter w/ 416A 15” woofer

WESTERN ELECTRIC D150 15” woofer
 Passive tri-amplified mono speaker engineered by Joey of Harana Audio

Garrard 401 in Harana Audio plinth
Right: FR25 tonearm/Ortofon SPU mono
Center/back: 12" Gray viscous damped tonearm + Tannoy variable reluctance cartridge (LP + 78) courtesy of Rofiel



JEL mono  preamp + SE10 amp = JEL mono integrated SE210 amp
The JEL mono integrated has a buffered preamp output simultaneously connected to the integrated
SE210 amp driving the Altec 1803 multi-cell horn midrange drivers and ambient super tweeters
+
Harana JIO dual mono SE300B amp: 
each channel driving the Altec 416 woofer + Westrex/JBL D150 woofer respectively
6SN7 input > 6SN7 driver > 300B >Tango XE60-3.5S OPTs = 8 watt
Dual mono volume control/ DRD (Direct Reactance Drive Output)
Edrel Sison power xformer, 6 chokes on a Kamagong (Philippine Ebony) base

Stereo source: Tono Erotique
All tube phono stereo stage with built in MC step-up transformer
A pair of 417A/5842 tube first stage –passive RIAA-
Western 407a tube second stage
Edrel Sison power xformer with M6 lams

Garrard 301 grease bearing in Harana Audio crafted plinth with FR tonearm with either SPU or DL103
feeding the Erotique preamp connected to the line level section of the JEL mono integrated SE10 amp

The system - LIVE!

Icing the cake ;) 

After show dinner





Setup 2 with his darling Leic'a bids you.....'til the next show!

Visit wiredstate.com!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Olympus Pen E-P1

Why shoot digital?
Instant gratification!

I've gone through three digital point and shoot cameras: Fuji 1.3 MP which I inadvertently left in a coat pocket and thrown in the washer, quickly replaced by an Olympus 2.1 MP and then a Lumix FX01. All of them served my web/internet needs but practically useless for serious photography specially in hand held low light/no flash situations.

Being a Leica and clone enthusiast, DSLRs were out of the question since my M and LTM lenses will become redundant. Besides the Leica M8, M8.2, M9 and even the Epson RD-1 are out of my league.

E-P1 + CV Nokton 50/1.5 
So I patiently waited for a digital body that is adaptable to Leica RF compatible lenses. The Lumix G1 m4/3 was introduced in late 2008 but the DSLR look was a big turn off.


Finally during the '09 Holidays I saw an ad for an unloved E-P1 which has received lukewarm reviews due to slow auto focus, lack of an electronic viewfinder and etc...but those features didn't really matter to me and praises for its in camera JPEG quality was a plus since I would rather develop film rather than process RAW.

The price was right...


...so I took the plunge!

Helios VF just for show ;o)
It's been over a year and I am a satisfied user despite the 2x crop factor and LCD only viewing...but still shooting a lot more grain than pixels.

Buying a used EP?  This shutter count thread might be useful.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

JEL SE10 amp

A Harana Audio/JE Labs collaboration

After the November 2009 Hi-Fi Show, a friend commissioned a pair of mono block SE10 amps. Given my busy concert schedule I needed the expertise and assistance of our friend Joey of Harana (Serenade in Filipino) Audio for the chassis and woodwork.


Me and Joey drafting the layout and marking pilot holes


Hashimoto H20-14U output transformers, C10-10W chokes
+  proudly Filipino wound power transformers on M6 laminations by Edrel Sison


Wiring, scope and ear testing at the attic 
E-P1 + Summicron 50/2-IV

JEL SE10 monoblocks' new home driving (1600mW per side!) PHY-HP drivers in Hans Kortenbach enclosures

E-P1 + Summicron 35/2-I
Thanks for waiting and happy listening!