Midwest Photo Exchange = great service

[MikeK]

Congratulations on your new addition. I will be announcing one from the same source in my next post.

The Copal shutter you have is the older type, I have three lenses in this mount and one is quite recent and the aperture adjustment is a plastic headed lever at the top of the lens. My older is a metal pointed adjuster at the bottom of the lens. I suspect the shutter is early 70's.

- Mike

 

[KenM]

Yeah, all my lenses are different as well. But, if you look at Badger Graphics web site, the photo they show of a Fujinon 400mm shows the same shutter as the one I have, and they're selling new lenses. In fact, I looked at a bunch of the Fuji lenses, and they *all* seems to use the same shutter. So perhaps the shutter isn't old after all. A new version of the shutter, or perhaps one made just for Fuji? (unlikely, I admit).

Nikon, Rodenstock, and Schneider seem to use the 'other' type of Copal shutter, with a triangular knob on 'top' of the shutter.

Very strange. Ah well, no matter. The lens is practically brand new, so I'm going to assume that it's mounted in a Copal 1.1 shutters

(The picture I posted earlier is exactly what I have, BTW)

 

[MikeK]

You may be right, my Fuji 240mm f9 is in the same shutter as your Fuji. Mine also looks brand new and came from MidWest

- Mike

 

[Emile de Leon]

I've had mixed reactions to MWP. Lately they have been better. My first Durst enlarger I bought from them and it was damaged in transit. The MWP secretaries keep informing me that I would get a full fefund and keep the enlarger as it wasnt worth it to ship back. This went on for a couple of months until no money was refunded and then they dropped the bombshell... they didn't insure it. and I would have to pack it up and ship it back to them if I expected to get any funds returned....a major pain in the ass as this is one huge enlarger. Well to make a very long story short after a few more weeks of inquiry I finally ended up getting a healthy amount returned in the end but only with a healthy amount of voice thearapy if you know what I mean. They basically came off as liars and unreputable. This was my first transaction with them. A couple of years later I gave them a second chance and bought a Linhof 6x9 tan back supposedly in ex+ cond that was unfortunatly really old and beat looking on arrival and even had some kind of green tape on it to hold the peeling leather covering from falling off. On top of it, it was broken and unfixable as no parts were available anymore from Marflex. To their credit Jim saw fit to do me right and send a much better black 6x9 back but it was internally broken too. Fortunately parts were available for the later black back and I still use this today. My third transaction was a Linhof 6x9 finder that arrived defective too. But they/Marflex fixed it and I still use it on my Tech 5. My opinion is that no company has a spotless record and it is impossible to test everything. But if the company is able to expediantly rectify the problems then everyone benefits.

 

[KenM]

You may be right, my Fuji 240mm f9 is in the same shutter as your Fuji. Mine also looks brand new and came from MidWest

- Mike

Mike, I checked out Kerry Thalmann's Fuji page (http://www.thalmann.com/largeformat/fujinon.htm) after someone else pointed me there with an explanation. From what I understand now, Fuji mounts their lenses in Copal 'B' type shutters, which have the aperature adjustment at the bottom. This can cause problems with some of the smaller recessed lensboards, such as you might find on a Technika.

Since this is a 400mm lens, I don't think I'll worry about recessed lens boards :-D

 

[DrPhil]

Ahhhh!

I learned something new. Both of my Fuji lenses are "upside down." Now I can impress all my friends with... it's a copal B shutter. IS the other version called copal A?

 

[KenM]

I think the 'B' and 'C' designation was put forth by Kerry Thalmann, and isn't a standard naming convention. Since the one you have is not a 'B', then it must be a 'C'? Who knows. Manufacturers go their own way.

As long as it fires at something close to the indicated speeds, any shutter is fine by me!

 

[MikeK]

Elementary my dear Watson. I do believe you have the answer. Looking at my shutter more carefully and coparing it against a known Copal 0. The shutter for the Fuji lens just says Copal.

I do not think a recessed lens board is needed with your lens, but I am looking for a Wista/Technika board that is the reverse to let me mount a longer lens on my Wista and focus closer than infinity. Those puppies are not cheap

- Mike

 

[PBrooks]

MPEX is possibly the best camera store around, well worth the phone call. I just got my technika V in and I have to say when he said it was beautiful he was not lying, its perfect! Having so many places within walking distance can kind of spoil you with Adorama, BH, Len&Repro ..... but no where like MPEX for friendly service except maybe Photo Gizzmo.

 

[GreyWolf]

I also want to praise MidWest for their excellent quality of customer service! I bought a used Mamiya 7 lens from them recently that did not quite meet the description given as the focusing was not working 100% correctly. Of course the only way to know this was to put the lens on a camera, shoot negatives and then examine the negatives with a loupe.

Upon discovery I called MidWest and talked with Tom. He assured me he would immediately send me another used lens in as good if not better condition than I had presently received. He was very true to his word as quite quickly the new lens arrived. The replacement lens was in superb condition and I am delighted with the negs.

Thanks MidWest PhotoExchange !

As a sidebar ... the only other online vendor who has equaled or surpassed this level of service for myself is Zager Guitars. The folks also know the meaning of "Cadillac of Service" and they receive my full 100% recommendation.

Kind Regards,

 

[Jan Brittenson]

I recently inquired about an item listed on their web site, by email. After sending reminder I got a response back that the item is no longer available. That was a week ago, and it's still listed in their current inventory. I ended up getting the same item brand new for not much more.

Their prices seem pretty high for accessories. An upsell tactic? They want $199 for a 1-2-3 P67 extension tube set. I bought the same from KEH for $149 with a bag (LN). Adorama asked $135 for the same IIRC, but it turned out they had accidentally mislabeled a set of outer tubes and I wanted the inner bayo ones. MPEX's asking prices vary from reasonable, to slightly inflated, to just plain out of touch. You know if KEH beats you price, you're high!