Flextight Precision 2 Plastic gel filter?

[monkeymon]

Is it normal, that on top of the lens inside Flextight there is this blue plastic gel filter? It's under the IR filter.

I find this odd, why does it need a blue filter as the light is daylight anyhow. And why is there a cheap looking gel filter (in my case a bit wrinkled even).. why did they not incorporate the blue color in the IR filter? Or at least use multicoated glass filter. Doesn't it affect the contrast?

[Kirk Gittings]

There is probably some forum somewhere dedicated to Imacon scanners where you might get a real authoritative answer to this. But why not just do a comparison scan with and without? Having said that personally I wouldn't try it. They get dusty and out of adjustment pretty easy and IME really need to be cleaned and adjusted at the factory but since it sounds like you have already been inside of it.

[Richard Wasserman]

There is an Imacon Users Group on Yahoo which you could join and get a definitive answer.

IMACONUSERS@yahoogroups.com

[monkeymon]

I know, but can't join yahoo groups. Tried it. Many many many times.

Actually the flextight is really simple machine. They do not get easily out of adjustment, and you can always run the focus calibration.

It's as simple as removing a lens from your enlarger. Paying for it, would be madness. Well, unless you actually bend the metal plate holding the lens. But that would require some force.

The way these things get messed up, is when the wheel inside get's somehow distorted. And the film is not always in the exact same focus spot.

The thing i like about flextights, is that they are simple machines & well thought. Like the use of magnets on the side panels... like it!

[Kirk Gittings]

Man I have seen a couple of friends and colleagues total screw one up just trying to clean the dust off the sensor and get them so out of focus that running the calibration can't get them back. I can't answer for their knowledge or dexterity though generally speaking they seemed pretty handy.

[monkeymon]

Man I have seen a couple of friends and colleagues total screw one up just trying to clean the dust off the sensor and get them so out of focus that running the calibration can't get them back.

Well, i have opened it several times. Cleaned the lens & have absolutely no problems. It solid, simple & well built system.

But i'm accustomed to doing all my repair work myself.

But there is no one here that has opened one up and noted the blue gel filter?

[Richard Wasserman]

I use an Imacon Precision III scanner, but I have never opened it up to look for filters. I don't know the purpose of the blue filter, but seem to remember that it has to do with scanning color negative film with the orange mask. It is a Kodak Wratten 80B, and yes it is for some mysterious reason gelatin. I agree it's weird using gelatin filters in the optical path.

[monkeymon]

I use an Imacon Precision III scanner, but I have never opened it up to look for filters. I don't know the purpose of the blue filter, but seem to remember that it has to do with scanning color negative film with the orange mask. It is a Kodak Wratten 80B, and yes it is for some mysterious reason gelatin. I agree it's weird using gelatin filters in the optical path.

Yes, it does look like a 80b filter. Well, if it supposed to be there.. maybe i'll spend a few dollars just to test relapsing it whit a multicoated glass filter.

Thanks for the confirmation!

[Richard Wasserman]

Please let us (me) know how it goes.

Yes, it does look like a 80b filter. Well, if it supposed to be there.. maybe i'll spend a few dollars just to test relapsing it whit a multicoated glass filter.

Thanks for the confirmation!

[onnect17]

I use an Imacon Precision III scanner, but I have never opened it up to look for filters. I don't know the purpose of the blue filter, but seem to remember that it has to do with scanning color negative film with the orange mask. It is a Kodak Wratten 80B, and yes it is for some mysterious reason gelatin. I agree it's weird using gelatin filters in the optical path.

Improving the response towards the blue channel to compensate for the orange mask makes sense. The lens (most likely a Rodenstock Magnagon 75mm f/5.6- fixed aperture) has a external thread with a cap to hold a circular filter of any thickness up to around 2mm, I guess originally designed for industrial equipment. Perhaps it was too expensive to insert OEM filters in the design. The 343 already comes with a glass filter.