Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Notices

Go Back   Film and Darkroom User > Equipment > Cameras - Large Format

  ***   Click here for the FADU 2015/2014 Yearbooks   ***

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11th February 2017, 02:37 PM
Martyn L Martyn L is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Bridgwater Somerset
Posts: 23
Default MPP Micro Technical

Is there anyone here using an MPP ?
I would like more information on the Micro Technical I have.
I know there is an MPP club which now has information behind a join fee, but the forum is little used so I'm not sure of the information that would be available should I join.
Is there anyone here who can verify the information is good?
Or guide me to another source?
__________________
aut viam inveniam aut faciam : Web mylaceyphoto.co.uk
Blog
mylaceyphotography.wordpress.com
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11th February 2017, 03:38 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is online now
Friend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West Midlands/Aegean
Posts: 1,988
Default

I downloaded the old MPP Users Club website just before it changed, luckily.

Go here
and it's all available. I have 4 MPP's 3 of them Mico Technicals so can help if needed.

Ian
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11th February 2017, 04:08 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Jersey Channel Islands
Posts: 5,433
Default

Hi Martyn, what MPP do you have,? I have a microcord 1 1/2, so called because it was somewhere between the 1, which was pretty useless, and the 2, and is a camera I use a lot, it has a Prontor shutter rather than the Epsilon that the 1 had,plus a better focusing hood, but the flash sync connection is not the newer one, which was inside the body as modern flash sync connections are, it stands proud, and the shutter used is not printed on the camera, which the 2 has, apart from those it is pretty much the 2, but a great user camera, a cross between the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord, later they dropped the Microcord in favor of the Microflex, which lost the lovely Ross Xpres lens, with a taylor taylor hobson lens which was made to MPP;s own design, plus instead of the knob wind had a winding handle like the rolleiflex, but with the quirkes it had I personaly think that the Microcord was the better camera, the TLR's were dropped in around 1960 as the import tax imposed upon Germany after the war was over and the Rollei's dropped in price, making the Tlr's un competive, but the were still making LF and specialist cameras until, I believe, the 80's, when the person who ran the company retired and the factory closed,but the equipment made by them is dtill in use today very well made and I would recomend the cameras today, all ecept the Microcord 1, which was not a good camera, not thought out well, well made, but not such good shutters
Richard
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12th February 2017, 12:07 AM
M Stewart M Stewart is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Posts: 72
Default

Hi Martin,
I have an MPP Microtechnical Mk VI, and my background is in 35mm B&W and Kodachrome, followed by home processing E6 35mm films.

I bought the MkIV in 2004 after finding it, and wobbly tripod, in an antiques emporium. It came with several film holders, and was fitted with a 150mm F/4.5 Schneider Xenar lens. Also included was a Wray Lustrar, and a 240 F5.5 Tele-Xenar which I don't think I've used. I also have an MPP Monorail - probably one of those made for MoD. My first problem was getting a tripod firm enough to hold the camera in position when I was going from focusing on the ground glass, to taking a shot. I used a Weston Master as my meter.
My first trials were to develop the few films I found in the film holders, and it looked as though the camera had been used by an estate agent. I then tried some B&W, and fairly quickly moved to Provia 100F, which at the period I could get processed a short distance away.

My early results were disappointing, and below what I expected and got from 35mm. (I did have the ground glass in the correct way round, and I did use a magnifier for checking sharpness.) After reading around etc., I bought a 150mm f5.6 Sironar-N MC, and a 90mm F/8 Super Angulon, and what an improvement! Rich colours, and sharp.
Having proved that LF worked, my local E6 lab closed, and I concentrated on digital. My decent tripod could now support long teles for bird photography.

I'll try and answer any queries.
__________________
Malcolm Stewart
Milton Keynes
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12th February 2017, 09:28 AM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is online now
Friend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West Midlands/Aegean
Posts: 1,988
Default

Malcolm, the Wray Lustrar is isn't the best standard lens, the 150mm f4.5 Xenar though is a very capable lens used at f22, corners/aren't quite as sharp at f16 and softer still as you open up.

I use a 150mm f4.5 Xenar also a 150mm f4.5 T (coated) CZJ Tessar and have a modern late production 150mm f5.6 Xenar as well, all three are very capable sharp lenses. You will see a marginal difference with colour and a Multicoated lens

Overall the 150mm Sironar N MC lens is sharper than the Tessar (and type) lenses at wider apertures, I've had mine about 30 years now.

Ian
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12th February 2017, 09:38 AM
M Stewart M Stewart is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Posts: 72
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by M Stewart View Post
...

I bought the MkIV in 2004 ...
Typo correction:

That should have read "I bought the MkVI in 2004 "
__________________
Malcolm Stewart
Milton Keynes
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 12th February 2017, 10:00 AM
M Stewart M Stewart is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Posts: 72
Default

Ian, thanks for your comments and clarification.

I ought to make it clear that I never trusted the rangefinder on my MKVI as I didn't trust the mechanics in that area.

I did attempt to mount my Eos 5D on the MPP Monorail with some success*, but made things easier and much more portable by buying two of Canon's TS/E lenses.

* and that foray led me into buying height gauges, gauge blocks, optical flats etc.
__________________
Malcolm Stewart
Milton Keynes
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 12th February 2017, 02:18 PM
Martyn L Martyn L is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Bridgwater Somerset
Posts: 23
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Gould View Post
Hi Martyn, what MPP do you have,? I have a microcord 1 1/2, so called because it was somewhere between the 1, which was pretty useless, and the 2, and is a camera I use a lot, it has a Prontor shutter rather than the Epsilon that the 1 had,plus a better focusing hood, but the flash sync connection is not the newer one, which was inside the body as modern flash sync connections are, it stands proud, and the shutter used is not printed on the camera, which the 2 has, apart from those it is pretty much the 2, but a great user camera, a cross between the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord, later they dropped the Microcord in favor of the Microflex, which lost the lovely Ross Xpres lens, with a taylor taylor hobson lens which was made to MPP;s own design, plus instead of the knob wind had a winding handle like the rolleiflex, but with the quirkes it had I personaly think that the Microcord was the better camera, the TLR's were dropped in around 1960 as the import tax imposed upon Germany after the war was over and the Rollei's dropped in price, making the Tlr's un competive, but the were still making LF and specialist cameras until, I believe, the 80's, when the person who ran the company retired and the factory closed,but the equipment made by them is dtill in use today very well made and I would recomend the cameras today, all ecept the Microcord 1, which was not a good camera, not thought out well, well made, but not such good shutters
Richard
Mine is the 5x4 Micro Technical with 135 lens at the moment.
Trying to find more details on it, at the moment it is missing the cam plate .
__________________
aut viam inveniam aut faciam : Web mylaceyphoto.co.uk
Blog
mylaceyphotography.wordpress.com
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 12th February 2017, 02:34 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Jersey Channel Islands
Posts: 5,433
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Martyn L View Post
Mine is the 5x4 Micro Technical with 135 lens at the moment.
Trying to find more details on it, at the moment it is missing the cam plate .
MPP are very well made, in fact I often use mine in preference to my Rolleicord, not my Flex, but the microcord is a very close second, I don't as yet use LF, but good luck in finding the part you need, it should be out there somewhere,
Richard
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 12th February 2017, 03:05 PM
Martyn L Martyn L is offline
Friend
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Bridgwater Somerset
Posts: 23
Default

I have a body number of 6473.
A Schneider lens number of 5208811.
From info on the net it looks like a mkVi made to mkvii spec.
Anyone ?
__________________
aut viam inveniam aut faciam : Web mylaceyphoto.co.uk
Blog
mylaceyphotography.wordpress.com
Reply With Quote
Reply
Support our Sponsors, they keep FADU free:   AG Photographic   The Imaging Warehouse   Process Supplies   RH Designs   Second-hand Darkroom Supplies  

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
MPP Micro Technical Lostlabours Sale or Wanted 0 23rd September 2016 08:05 PM
Kodak 'Micro File' (Very Outdated) Neil Purling Monochrome Film 1 30th August 2012 09:19 PM
Technical Pan with Prescysol Steve Smith Monochrome Film 0 28th November 2010 04:26 PM
Strange 'Micro-bubbles' on film back surface. pentaxpete Ask Les 2 10th May 2010 12:24 PM
Technical problems with web site toffeezebra Feedback and forum matters 12 1st March 2009 10:33 PM


All times are GMT. The time now is 06:25 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.