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K-3 ND filter - and first test runs


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Hello all,

 

Just sharing a few K-3 impressions and asking one question:

 

Just came back from a session of extensive K-3 camera/lighting testing, including view finder/focus and light metering. It's a sunny day. Film and scratch tests on old, unused footage looks good: no scratches. Still need to run the footage a couple more times to make sure. Upper loop was one perf short but it ran just fine and smoothly (no "beating" sound) at 24 fps - yet: that doesn't show how footage will actually turn out.

 

BTW: I found out that - if you don't let the motor wind down to a halt - the camera transport mechanism always stops at the exact same point: view finder all clear and the pulldown claw exactly in the same position and all out. So the film won't slip between shots and loops should stay the exact same (that was the case with my first test run which I performed both with the mag cover open and closed (depressing the spring loaded pin with the same force (it can easily be measured by the film counter (no film loaded) which is attached to the loop former mechanism. I also found out that with the spring all wound down and the view finder blocked: just turn the winding "crank" a bit counterclockwise: bang: all in place - view finder open and pulldown claw out and in same position.

 

Q: does anyone know the exact value of the ND filter that comes with the K-3? It has written: H-4x, which is probably meant to be a reduction of four f stops. It has the Zenit symbol and also has written: 77x0,75 . The latter probably refers to the dimensions. I measured the inside diameter of the filter thread: 77mm.

 

I ran all kinds of spot metering with my Sekonic L 398-A, using both the luma disc and luma grid, with and without the filter completely touching the disc. I ran this test in various situations and at various ISO settings. I always came to the conclusion that the ND filter reduces (about) 2 1/2 stops - which is fine for me. Lots of intense sunlight here in Portugal during the long summers, a full four stops is a quite a lot, but I'd be fine with that as well. Just need to know the exact value.

 

Can anyone confirm my ND filter readings? Any reply highly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

Christian

 

 

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