P3D Re: Success with Sputnik

["Menzel, Greg" <Greg.Menzel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>  What did you use for gasketing? My black
>>yarn was only partially effective in fixing
>>my light leaks.

I used black yarn too, using rubber cement to hold it in place. I must
admit this solution was not completely effective - careful examination
of the whole uncut roll of processed film reveals occasional leaks
along the black border. Fortunately, these leaks seem to be contained
to an area outside of the picture frame.

When I first installed the yarn, closing the doors was quite a
challenge since the yarn had not yet taken a set. Over time the edges
of the doors conformed better to the yarn allowing easier closure of
the doors.

I have entertained the possibility of using valcro strips to seal around
the barn doors if the yarn gasket is not sufficient.  I have only
shot five rolls with this camera so far, so the jury is still out.


>It seems like f/22 (or f/16 in a pinch) is the best aperture choice for
this
>camera. The performance seems to degrade (as far as sharpness is
>concerned) around the edges of the frame - most evident at f/16.

>>  Sputniks seem to vary. Some people report that
>>theirs are sharpest at f11. I usually shoot at
>>f16 or f22 on my with good results. (Medium format
>>stereo master Don Lopp has called my Sputnik one
>>of only three sharp sputniks he's seen).

Interesting... I will have to try some other apertures to see what
effect it has. So far I have tried only f22 and f16.


>One thing I noticed was a slight (but noticeable) difference in exposure
>between the
>right and left frames.  The right frame is darker than the left. I used my
>homemade shutter speed tester and found the left and right shutters were
>OK except for 1/100 which was more like 1/80. At any rate, there was not
>a consistent difference between the left and right shutter speeds, so my
>guess is the apertures are slightly different.  The apertures are coupled
>by an arm which looks like it is adjustable. Is mismatched apertures
another
>well-known Sputnikism?

>>Do they look different size (shutter open on B)?

>>My top speed gives slight exposure missmatch
>>due to the two shutter timings not being equal.

I will need to check more closely. I am not sure if I can discern a
difference at f22 or f16 without a dial calipers.


>one of those smaller (~ 4"x5") fluorescent panels, such as the Cabin
>CL-5000P
>light panels properly mounted on the viewer. Has anyone retrofitted one of
>these
>light panels onto this viewer?

>>I have rigged a Cabin Light panel onto
>>my homemade viewer. See it on my web page
>>at:
>>http://www.angelfire.com/ca/erker

Thanks for the link - nice viewer, by the way. The main obstacle for
mounting one of those on the SaturnSlide viewer would be the curved
pieces protruding from the rear of the viewer. (Evident from the
picture shown at http://www.rmm3d.com/viewers/satslide.html.) The
irony is I think those curved pieces are for the SaturSlide viewier's
optional lighting box. I'll have to find out more beforing sawing
them off.

>Thanks for any thoughts/advice, and I look forward to comparing notes with
>other
>Sputnik or SaturnSlide Viewer users.

  My Sputnik mods (including homemade lens
shades) are also on my web page.

>>  BTW how did you get your Sputnik
>>from Russia? In person/ mail order
>>or other?

I bid for it on eBay, and used Western Union to wire the guy his money.
(I think it was around $240 or so, case and lens caps included.) Western
Union of course charges a fee, which I think was around $18 or so. The
camera arrived about a week later via U.S. mail. It was packaged well
and in good condition. The guy even included a broshure of his city,
Minsk. One side was in Russian and the other side English.

Thanks for your reply, and I look forward to comparing notes.

Greg Menzel