Shit day!

I just been cut by a mini motor grinder, on my left hand index finger, really shit day!
now it hurts very much, but at least my finger did not leave me....

(28/03 add)

I did not mentioned that after my left hand been cut, the next day my right hand finger being cut by the same tool! how stupid I am! this time my wife did not comfort me, rather she shout at me, something like axxhole or things like that.
We Chinese had a saying :" bad luck never come alone", well, I do agree with that.
During these days all I can do is sitting before notebook, typing with two un-wounded fingers and grabing the mouse to hang around, waiting for wound be better.

That makes things worse, you know, sometimes when you are boring, you just can not stop wanting to buy something, to comforting yourself. I bought a Panasonic G1 camera body and a leica M to M43 adapter, now I got a full manual digital camera system! G1 body price drop so quick, it cost merely about the price of an adapter---US$220!

I always think that investing on digital camera is a totally money lose, since it becomes a trash within one or two years, and no one will take it even you give it away for free! So I do my best avoiding invest on digital things, best someone throw me an ex-expensive toy to me, treat me as a digital trash processor....

But I am happy with this body, even worth if you only use its spot metering function, as a spot meter.

And for my Leica M lenses, I found out that my 90mm lens is back to life again, thanks to this camera body, for I rarely use 90mm lens on my M6, in the reason of focus difficulty. But G1 makes it as a 180mm lens and is in SLR structure, focusing is a pleasure on it, that makes me feel an big extra bonus!

Today I am back to my worktable, this batch conversion is little schedule behind, sorry guys, I will do my best to catch up, at least not dragging too long...

Emily fans are many!

I am working on front plate design, for fixing the ininity position, and for focus adjustments. Many mails came, give me valuable suggestions, I would like to thank all of your concern,  that makes me a little bit nervous, I will push myself, and my mechanist to do the job well, to keep fans happy!!

(16/03 added)

Just brought back the top plate for Emily, I did some modification---drilled hole for bubble level. Contributed idea by Walter, drilled hole on Byron top housing, I found that Emily should have one too.

bubble level is rather thick, but thanks to the plate, it is implanted quite well

Ok, what else we need?
Kids has just re-watched Harry Potter movies, said this camera should be named "Mad Eye Moody".
Worth to think about it.

And this Xenotar just taken off from barrel last night, glass is not perfect, some dust, but overall is good, not US$39K, only 0.3k!
And I don't know how to deal with this barrel tube, "photo-sonics inc" is what engraved, anyone provides me some info on this company? thank you.

Is there anyone willing to sell me a #2 shutter?

New top plate for Emily

Besides tedious works on converting cameras, I took time mainly on developing Emily, WA 4x5 shooter, based on J66 body, almost the same as 110/B, except no Range finder on top, and no front door for rail, so it is a good candidate for wide angle.
All the same back system to Byron, Emily needs new bellows, new front lens plate, and a new top plate. The top plates just arrived, I installed it with two cold shoes, one for view finder, one for a tiny range finder, if uses want to.

 This is the position for about 47mm lens. Avoiding pig snout and helical focus ring which are popular seen on wide angle camera, I want to replace them by bellows and level, bellows is easy to me, but the level, that puzzeled me.

If I can successfully develop a mechanism, which can fix the lens on infinity position, and move the lens in 15mm range by adjusting level, then Emily will be a great WA camera for lenses wider than 90mm!

Then maybe I should sell the DIY kit, to convert your own J66 into WA camera, you can choose the color of cover you want, and I can get rid of those tedious works!!!

Byron will add bubble

Went to my mechanist today, with a cracked RF housing and a bubble, asked him to drill a 20mm dia. hole, he did, and we inserted the bubble, looked fine, but a little too near the edge, should move the hole backward little bit.
So from now on, unless client indicates he/she doesn't want the bubble, I will install one for each Byron, thanks to Walter's wonderful idea!

US$39,000 for Xenotar 2.8/150, is that real?

Just sold on xBay, can you believe that? I think it must be made in gold!
Ah, today I learned a new word "fishy"

FISHY FISHY, Fishy very much!

270 Tele Arton Project

Received a beautiful 5.5/270mm Tele Arton lens, from USA, bought by German Bear, he wants his second Byron on this lens. Well, It is funny to see such a tele lens on Byron, should not need too much modification for it, on Schneider website the data says this lens got "Flange Focal Distance 152mm", almost same distance as 150mm lenses, so there should be no need for a special version Byron for it.But the focus cam is troublesome! and I think this is not feasible for hand held shooting, Bear loves to shoot steam locomotive. He can wait the train goes by, standing in snow for 3 hour, crazy bear! 

152mm

Fuji Quickload holder and Bubble level

This is contributed by NY Walter Garcia, a Byron owner, who is so creative, modified Fuji Quickload film holder for Byron and added a bubble level on camera body, here is what he wrote to me about Fuji Quickload:

'Daniel,
Attached are photos of my modification for Fuji Quick Load holder. After cutting the two small notches the fit is good. I will expose some film with this in the next few days If weather is good. It is not difficult to do but it must be done carefully and slowly. I do not have small measuring device to see exact measurement in mm. I think you can do this if you get one of these holders. They are easy to find and not so expensive. To disassemble you must remove 6 small screws circled in image #01. 

Then carefully take apart two half. 

Be careful with roller it has two small springs that like to jump out. Also pressure plate likes to fall out. The other images show where cut must be made to fit with Byron locks. Let me know what you think.' 

Regards,
Walter

Well, I think it is just marvelous! To a traveler with Byron, LF and light weighted, slim and easy to carry is the most concerned, and Fuji Quickload is a very good idea for people on the road, I always been asked about if Byron takes Fuji Quickload or Kodak Readyload or not, but I never got a chance to try it.
Is there a Ready Load holder and willing to let me try? It seems easy to modify on Quickload, should be not hard on others.

(01/03 add)

Walter kindly sent me images of Quickload on the back of Byron, to completely demonstrate how it looks when in use, thanks, man!

Looks like it is Angulon 6.8/90mm lens at work!!! That's the reason for lens interchangeable system!!

Then the other creative idea from Walter, a bubble level!

'Daniel,
Here is something I added to Byron. Small detail but could be useful for fast leveling on tripod. I had saved this from broken plastic tripod someone gave me. Let me know what you think about this.
Best,
Walter'

After reading the mail, I hurried to the shop nearby to find the bubble, I want one too!
Asked if I can post his mail to my blog, here is what he replied.

'You are welcome to use any of the images and information for the blog. Since there are not many Byron yet, all owners are like small family and welcome to share any ideas.'

Indeed, sharing ideas makes the community grow and keep in health!

Let's share our ideas!!