Ibanez active bass guitar: Power consumption

For a test I have an Ibanez active bass at my disposal. This bass guitar is powered by a PP3 (9 Volt, 6F22) battery. 

I wanted to measure the current draw under different conditions, so I connected an ammeter between the guitar and the battery.

When the audio jack is plugged into the guitar, the current is about 1.3 mA in standby mode. Hmmm, I expected a lower value. Turning any knob doesn't change that. During playing the current increases to 1.4-1.5 mA.

There is no explicit power switch. The only way to reduce the current to zero is to unplug the audio jack from the bass. I have heard this before and it is true, there is an internal power switch in the guitar jack socket. When the audio jack is unplugged, the current is 0.

Conclusions:

1. There is not much difference in power consumption between playing and standby.

2. Turning down the volume doesn't help reduce standby power.

3. Unplug the audio jack from the bass to conserve battery power.

See also related notes:

• Greenlee DM-210A - малоизвестная модель мультиметра семейства Brymen BM25x (2018-03-26)

Image albums:

• Electronics

Ricoh GR III HDF and Ricoh GR IIIx HDF

New Ricoh GR III HDF (with 28mm equivalent lens) and Ricoh GR IIIx HDF (with 40mm equivalent lens) are announced.

(Ricoh GR III HDF)

(Ricoh GR IIIx)

This is a minor update to the GR III/GR IIIx. The main difference is the replacement of the built-in Neutral Density (ND) filter with the built-in Highlight Diffusion Filter (HDF).

Like the ND filter before it, the new HDF can be activated very quickly with the push of a button.

How HDF works:

(without HDF, source)

(with HDF, source)

It is nice and unusual, but I prefer another kind of update. I would like to see a more dust-proof design, since dust on the sensor is the main problem with the GR series cameras.

See also related notes:

• From Ricoh GR to Ricoh GR III? (2023-08-02)

Image albums:

• Ricoh GR

Wiper/washer lever for my Jimny Sierra

Above is the stock wiper/washer lever from my Suzuki Jimny Sierra (2005, JDM, see also about location of levers on a steering column) that is part of the combination switch 37400-76J20. Below is a used wiper/washer lever from a Toyota Corolla Runx NZE12x (2004, JDM, bought for $1 some time ago).

The main difference is the knob that controls the delay between cycles in the intermittent mode of the front wiper. There is no knob on the stock Jimny lever.

With a little modification it is possible to install the Toyota lever on the Jimny. As I checked, even without modifying the electrics (just changing the cover) it works well, except for the intermittent mode of the rear wiper (which is also missing on the stock Jimny wiper).

I wanted to install the Toyota lever, but I am satisfied with the stock lever and nowadays I prefer stock parts. So I changed my mind and put the stock lever back on the Jimny.

See also related notes:

• Праворульные подрулевые переключатели: JDM или UK? На примере Suzuki Jimny и Jeep Cherokee (2020-01-01)

Image albums:

• Suzuki Jimny

Vivitar 85/1.8: Samples [1] - FF

Photos taken with the Sony a7c (FF, 24MP) and the Vivitar 85/1.8 at f/1.8.

See also related notes:

• Vivitar 85/1.8: дополнительная информация (2022-05-08)

Image albums:

• Vivitar 85/1.8

Staeble-Telexon 135/3.8 (M39x1/44): The lens for the Braun Super Paxette II

I bought a broken Braun Super Paxette II BL camera, but the purpose of the purchase was the four lenses that came with the camera. One of them is the Staeble-Telexon 1:3,8/135.

This is a lens from the 1960s.

As expected, the Telexon has the M39x1 mount with the flange focal distance of 44mm, it is indeed for a Braun camera. And it has a rangefinder coupling.

The minimum focusing distance is quite long, just a bit less than 3m.

The optical design of the lens is known. It has 4 elements.

And two front elements are cemented.

The optical design is similar to the Wrayflex Lustrar 90/4:

The aperture has 10 blades:

The aperture ring has click stops at f/3.8, f/5,6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f22.

The filter thread is 52mm, it is easy to find a suitable cap. And while I am used to very compact Staeble lenses (35mm, 85mm), this Telexon is quite long.

The Telexon 135/3.8 (on the right) and the Pentax M 135/3.5 (on the left):

Unfortunately, this copy of the Telexon is not in good condition. There was fungus on the optical elements. I removed the fungus, but its imprint is still visible. Maybe the lens coating is damaged or the fungus has even etched itself into the glass. However, that doesn't stop me from using the lens.

See also related notes:

• Staeble-Telexon 135/3.8: Samples [2] - FF - f/3.8 (2025-04-09)
• Meyer-Optik Helioplan 40/4.5 (M42x1/45.5): Simple dialyte lens (2024-05-09)
• Steinheil Quinon 50/2 (M39x1/44): "Planar" version (2024-05-02)
• Staeble-Lineogon 35/3.5 (M39x1/44): Retrofocus evolution of a triplet (2024-04-27)
• Staeble-Telexon 135/3.8: Samples [1] - FF (2024-04-01)

Image albums:

• Pentax M 135/3.5
• Staeble-Telexon 135/3.8
• Staeble-Telexon E 85/5.6

K&F Concept Pro: Nikon F - Sony FE/E adapter

Fotga adapters are pretty good for the money, but the Fotga Nikon F - Sony FE/E adapter has lens play due to a poor locking mechanism. And the adapter length is too short, based on using my two Nikon F lenses, both of which focus beyond infinity.

I thought about another non-Fotga adapter, but they were too expensive. But by chance I bought a used Nikon F - Sony FE/E adapter (made by K&F Concept) for a good price.

It is a simple adapter from the "Pro" series.

The adapter has no aperture control (neither does the Fotga adapter). However, the mentioned lenses don't need it and don't provide it.

The Fotga adapter (on the left) and the K&F adapter (on the right):

The most important thing is that the length of the K&F adapter is correct. I checked the Vivitar 85/1.8 lens and now it has the hard stop focusing at infinity. This means that the KIWIFOTOS LMA-NK_NX adapter (for Samsung NX) was too long and the Fotga adapter (for Sony FE/E) was too short (as I suspected).

Meanwhile, the Mitakon [Zhongyi] Creator 85/2 still focuses beyond infinity, apparently the lens is not properly adjusted at the factory. I have tried to find a way to adjust the focus myself, but have not yet found it.

See also related notes:

• Mitakon Creator 85/2 II: Pentax K mount (2025-07-07)
• Mitakon Creator 85/2 II vs Vivitar 85/1.8 (2023-04-11)

Image albums:

• Lens accessories

Filtron OP621: Oil filter (still in use)

I still use Filtron OP621 and Blue Print ADK82102 oil filters for the M-series Suzuki engines (including the M13A in my Jimny Sierra).

But I prefer the OP621 between the two:

Simply because the oil filter wrench JTC 1114 (65mm/14) fits well.

See also related notes:

• Масляный фильтр Blue Print ADK82102 (2020-03-30)
• Масляный фильтр Filtron OP621 (2020-03-14)
• Съемник/ключ для масляного фильтра JTC 1114 (14 граней, 65 мм) (2015-03-27)

Image albums:

• Oil filter

Risespray 11/2.8 Fisheye: Samples [2] - FF

Photos taken with the Sony a7c (FF, 24MP) and the Risespray 11/2.8 Fisheye at f/2.8.

See also related notes:

• Risespray 11/2.8 Fisheye (for full-frame mirrorless cameras) (2023-08-14)

Image albums:

• Risespray 11/2.8 Fisheye

Olympus E-PL1: Malfunctions

My recently obtained Olympus E-PL1 has two malfunctions.

1. This is typical for old digital cameras (same thing as with my Samsung NX10 and NX2000). The time/date resets after a battery is removed from the E-PL1. This is very annoying because a battery should be removed to charge (with an external charger).

2. Another problem is typical for old Olympus. The in-body image stabilization (IBIS) is broken. It doesn't work. And there is the blinking red IS1 indicator on the screen.

However, the camera is still usable (as if IBIS was turned off ).

In general, I planned to use the E-PL1 with manual focus lenses, so IBIS might be more important for live view focusing (at high magnification) than for image capture.

See also related notes:

• Olympus E-PL1 shutter count (2024-06-03)

Image albums:

• Olympus E-PL1

Ricoh GR: "New" case (1+ year)

In the summer of 2022, I replaced my good old case (pouch bag) for the Ricoh GR with a "new", more handy and cheaper one. Yes, this "new" case is convenient to use, I  have made sure of that all the time. 

But it has an important disadvantage: its quality is not good.

For a year and a half, the case has been badly worn because a material it is made of is very cheap and poor.

On the other hand, the previous case (which I bought in 2014 for $15) is still in very good condition, with almost no signs of wear. But it's not as practical.

See also related notes:

• Yet another case for the Ricoh GR (2024-07-20)

Image albums:

• Ricoh GR

M42x1-M39x1 adapter (16.7mm)

I already have a modern M42x1-M39x1 adapter (M42x1 for a lens, M39x1 for a camera). This adapter is for non-standard lenses, it is thin/short (4.5mm). For example, I use it for a M40x1/44 lens.

But it is inconvenient to use standard M42x1/45.5 lenses with this thin adapter, because you should use an extension tube or something to compensate the flange focal length difference.

Obviously, there should be an adapter to mount M42x1/45.5 (SLR) lenses on M39x1/28.8 (rangefinder, without coupling, of course). But I never saw one until recently, when I bought one by chance.

Yes, it is for a M42x1 lens:

And for a M39x1 camera:

I don't know the origin of the adapter, if it is handmade or serial product. Its quality is good.

The most important thing is the length of 16.7mm (45.5-28.8). It allows direct mounting of M42x1 lenses without an extension tube.

This adapter (with the M39x1-FE adapter) on the right, the M42x1-FE adapter on the left:

Note that they are the same length.

And the Takumar 105/2.8 (II) mounted on the adapter (together with the M39x1-FE adapter).

The M42x1-M39x1 (4.5mm) adapter on the left, the M42x1-M39x1 (16.7mm) adapter on the right.

See also related notes:

• Leica M as universal mount (2024-08-01)
• Thread mount adapters for M39x1 (2024) (2024-06-12)
• Thread mount SLR lenses for M39x1 rangefinder cameras (2024-05-20)

Image albums:

• Lens accessories
• Takumar 105/2.8 (II)

Pentax DA L 18-55/3.5-5.6: Using on FF

My rather useless test of the Pentax DA L 18-55/3.5-5.6 lens (11 elements in 8 groups) on a full frame camera (Sony a7c). I was interested in determining the focal length at which vignetting becomes acceptable (this lens is designed for APS-C sensors with 1.5x crop factor).

Of course, the hood was removed. More precisely, the L version of the 18-55 lens doesn't come with a hood.

At 18mm: 

At 24mm:

At 28mm:

At 35mm:

At 45mm:

At 55mm:

So I consider the Pentax 18-55 to be usable from 28mm on a full frame camera. By the way, 18mm on an APS-C camera is also equivalent to 28mm.

See also related notes:

• Pentax DA L 18-55/3.5-5.6: 24mm on FF (vignetting and Flat-field) (2024-04-30)
• Pentax DA L 18-55/3.5-5.6: Samples [1] - FF (2024-04-13)

Image albums:

• Pentax DA 18-55/3.5-5.6

Pentax K 55/1.8: Samples [1] - FF

Photos taken with the Sony a7c (FF, 24MP) and the Pentax K 55/1.8 at f/1.8.

And sunstars at f/8-f/11:

See also related notes:

• Pentax K 55/1.8 vs Pentax A 50/1.7 (2023-10-07)

Image albums:

• Pentax K 55/1.8