Re: beam splitter quality

[P3D Michael Kersenbrock <michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> As was mentioned on the list it has serious limitations. You'll have
> very limited apertures to chose from 

That's true.  f/5.6 or f/8 is about it.  However the attached SLR camera
probably has a much wider shutter range to make it workable (mine's
old so I think it only goes to 1/4000 or something like that).

> and very narrow depth of field

Well, kind of.  But it isn't *VERY* low depth of field.  I know some
of you  use nothing but f/16 or f/22 for every shot you take, but
it's dark and cloudy much of the winter here in western Oregon, so I 
often will use f/8 or f/5.6 with my 50's stereo cameras, and the depth 
of field hasn't always turned out so horribly narrow!  I've even used 
f3.5 upon occasion and lived to talk about it!  But not on closeups. :-)


> consequently. Other than that, I have used it with excellent results
> (sharpness wise) taking all the other limitations in consideration.
> 
> I bought mine years ago when the price was reasonable. Actually at the
> time, I thought ~$120 or so was too much. But as you mention the price
> is now ghastly. So how much is it going for now?

I think mine was eighty-something bought at "Jafco" (for locals who 
remember that long gone store).  I think it's over $300 now.  A couple 
years ago down at Camera World of Oregon, the Pentax Rep said that 
Pentax OEM'd it now because the volume was so low.

Mike K.


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