Anyone here have Hartblei Super-Rotator experience? If so, please tell me that I'm doing some simple thing wrong to explain results like these to follow. This week was the shakedown cruise for my Hartblei, acquired in the fall; if she were a ship, we'd open the sea-cocks.
Two images taken on film on Contax 645 with Hartblei TS/PS Super-Rotator follow below. (these are "fresh up out" the scanner, no sharpening, spotting, etc--nature's own scanned goodness, direct to you!) Notice the acceptable center sharpness, but significantly unsharp and distorted near-circumferential ring around the edges. In rereading Michael's review and the hartblei manual, I can't find an obvous reason for this poor sharpness.
Granted my view-camera-movements skillset is long in the tooth, but even with no movements dialed in the problem persists. Only when I stop down to f/22 (its smallest aperture) do I get anywhre near acceptable, and still the edges are soft.
Someone please point out the obvious mistake Im making so I can fix it. Otherwise this lens is useless, or at least is headed back to Kiev (it's under warranty.)
First shot around f/16 or smaller, I think; no movements dialed in:
Next example is with a tilt in, I think it was, at around f/8 or f/11. Things looked decent thru the viewfinder, but Holy Cow!:
Suggestions (actually, the lens would make a fine boat anchor) welcomed. Someone stop me before I shoot with this thing again....