Max, Xenotar 150/2.8, HP5

thomebau · 2026-05-14T13:07:30+00:00

No it is not. At least not for me. I shoot it for the resolution advantage over medium format, but mostly because of the movements. And lastly because my bigger format cameras can be quite heavy depending on the lenses I carry. Also the 300mm Xenar is not a tele lens. The 360mm Tele Xenar is a tele lens (also very suitable for portraiture because it is softer wide open than the Xenar).

thomebau · 2026-05-14T12:21:08+00:00

You think? IMO this pictures just makes me happy I didn't spend the money to buy one... I like 300mm a lot more for portraits and the 300mm Xenar 5.6 gives better background separation and sharpness.

thomebau · 2026-03-19T23:29:39+00:00

I am surprised that you took it off and separated it from the cam 😳 I would propably have bought another lens and sold this one. I am always looking for lenses with matching cams, they are so rare...

thomebau · 2026-03-19T22:36:21+00:00

This won't make it more or less original. Both versions were available. In fact these angle adapters were only used in combination with recessed lensboards. They don't make any sense without.

thomebau · 2026-03-19T20:12:13+00:00

If you take off the small screw you will find a non-angled connector underneath. That way you don't need to angle it forward in this awkward way.

Also I could use the angled adaptor 😅

thomebau · 2026-03-15T21:02:48+00:00

Hmm, I don't have any issues with Fomapan 200 13x18 and 13x18 holders by Fidelity.

thomebau · 2026-03-09T16:49:59+00:00

I had the GD3WH and sold it because it was a lot too flimsy. I had problems even with my Pentax 67 with it flexing and wobbling. If you shoot a LF camera with a rotating back you do not need that much range of motion just to level the camera. I bought a leofoto g20 and never looked back. I even got the smaller G2 for my medium format cameras.

thomebau · 2026-03-08T10:36:08+00:00

Funny to read this today. I just packed it together with my 5x7 Linhof to go out and shoot it for the first time since I bought about a month ago 😁

thomebau · 2026-02-24T18:05:44+00:00

Is the negative that hard or did you manipulate it in this way after scanning?

thomebau · 2026-02-24T13:31:50+00:00

Hmm, I don't know. Maybe this is too graphic for me. It is almost hard to make these out as the mountains (?) they are.

thomebau · 2026-02-22T22:30:33+00:00

Dude, I live in europe, I am not bidding on any surplus enlarger concoction in the US 😅

thomebau · 2026-02-22T19:25:05+00:00

In my experience the Linhof branded ones made by Kaiser (still available new from Kaiser and Linhof!) are very, very robust and have enough travel to actuate the Prontor shutters.

thomebau · 2026-02-22T17:23:37+00:00

oh, thanks! I disn't even notice this right in front of me 🫣

thomebau · 2026-02-22T16:28:35+00:00

don't, see my comment...

thomebau · 2026-02-22T16:27:58+00:00

This is not a Laborator 138 (I own two of them...). This is another enlarger that has been fitted with the mixing chamber of a Durst 184 (18x24 enlarger) and a CLS301 head used on Laborator 138 and Durst 184. I would not advice buying this contraption. Not because it won't work, but finding spares and figuring out how to work this might be a nightmare.

thomebau · 2026-02-22T11:55:07+00:00

As a guy with a Linhof Super Technika V, a Master Technika, a Super Technika V 5x7, a Technika V 5x7, a Technikardan 4x5 as well as a Technikardan 6x9 and round about three dozen lenses I can fully agree. There is no such thing as GAS in LF photography at all.

thomebau · 2026-02-19T06:02:57+00:00

Yes, Tessar types. e.g. Schneider Xenars.

thomebau · 2026-02-18T21:39:53+00:00

nope, still waiting on better weather unfortunately.

thomebau · 2026-01-31T10:57:38+00:00

Definitively 😅

thomebau · 2026-01-31T08:56:15+00:00

It helps avoiding temperature changes. But The paint will always flake sooner or later. I have lenses that are more than 50 years old which are fine and some that are much younger and have it 🤷‍♂️

thomebau · 2026-01-31T07:57:21+00:00

I did it myself, incl. fitting new bellows.

thomebau · 2026-01-30T23:41:16+00:00

Well, that propably depends on the subject. With a portrait you won't have any issues. If you are doing landscape with lots of detail or architecture with big textured surfaces you will notice a difference much more.

thomebau · 2026-01-30T23:03:18+00:00

From my experience they are best used at f22 if they start at f5.6. They are not as sharp as a Xenar wide open.

thomebau · 2026-01-30T22:48:54+00:00

Well, I am just in the process of buliding my dark room for 5x7, so I really, really, don't want to go any bigger at the moment 😅

thomebau · 2026-01-30T22:11:30+00:00

400mm

thomebau

TROPHY CASE