[pinholecam] A week with ...... (random ramblings of a lens junkie) - 2015

[pinholecam]

Here is a link to the 2014 thread.
A week with ...... (random ramblings of a lens junkie) - http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1475299

I continue with my venture into trying to use one lens as the main lens for the week.
7 picts in a week, so kind of a ADPW and APAD.

As mentioned in the 2014 thread.
A week with ... (one of my lenses)
trying to find out what each of my lens can/cannot do, what each focal length can give me, and their strengths/quirks.

I may ramble here a bit on some lenses or its use on some systems, and I hope the reader keeps an open mind about them as they are just one person's opinion (not a 'right', just a user opinion)


Do give me comments and discussion/ideas are certainly welcome.




A week with an everyday 50


50/1.7 (or 50/1.8) are fairly common in most lens stables of any brand.
Inexpensive and usually the kit lens in the old days, packaged with a camera.
This has resulted in these lenses being very common and very cheap on the 2nd hand market (but often overlooked for more 'sexy' f1.4 options)


The Pentax A50/1.7 is one such lens.
Often shipped with Pentax camera bodies in the 80's.
6 elements/ 5 groups
6 aperture blades
Small 49mm filter thread

This is a small lens.
Around the ballpark of a Canon 40/2.8 pancake for those who need a comparative reference. (yes, its that small)
Just a bit slower than a 50/1.4, but much less weight and about 2/3 the size.
A really handy lens.


20150101-DSC08075 by
jenkwang, on Flickr
Pretty good flare resistance with the Sun in front.


What immediately jumps at me with this lens is how overall 'reliability sharp' (enough) it is on a camera like the A7 compared to the rangefinder options (covered in the 2014 thread).
No off center smearing issues at all.
This already makes it a more 'dependable' option as a do it all 50mm.
Shots placed off center in the 'rules of thirds' area or for a f2.8-f4 shot for details of small objects/textures, can be reliable sharp enough for the users needs.



20150103-DSC08088 by
jenkwang, on Flickr


20150103-DSC08100 by
jenkwang, on Flickr

What I like about a fast 50mm on FF is that versatility it gives.
A good working distance (usually not too near/far)
Flexible for close up portraits as well as stepping back a few steps to get some environmental relationship with the subject.
And that good focal length + fast aperture combo that gives good isolation thru DOF.


20150103-DSC08101 by
jenkwang, on Flickr

 

[pinholecam]

20150110-DSC08148 by
jenkwang, on Flickr

There is an advantage in using the 50mm as the main lens for children.
And thats' working distance.
Generally, I do not need to be too far from my children when taking the shot, and thats important if I'm the only minder around too, in case they topple over or just for the fact that there is eye contact and interaction when doing the shot.



20150110-DSC08132 by
jenkwang, on Flickr


20150110-DSC08135 by
jenkwang, on Flickr


Again, seems like I've only scratched the surface here with this lens.
Darn... only rather shallow DOF type shots shooting from wide open to f2.8 for all the shots of the week.
But to me, this is a cheap, well made lens, versatile and reliable.
Being small really adds to the usability of the lens.
I'm pretty sure this will be the lens I will be bringing with me on my next overseas trip in fact.

 

[hjbyeo]

Great start, JK! Keep them coming.

 

[keithwee]

definitely going to follow this thread , glad u continued this theme in 2015 !

 

[pinholecam]

Great start, JK! Keep them coming.

Certainly will.
But holidays is up, really less time to move around and take other stuff other than the kids.

definitely going to follow this thread , glad u continued this theme in 2015 !

Thanks.
Hopefully, it provides some visual ref for those who need it too.

 

[keithwee]

So long as no poison I'm game heh heh

 

[wonglp]

your manual focusing is so zhun! the pentax 50/1.7 has very good sharpness, your gal seems to pop out of the frame, maybe it's the stare haha

 

[pinholecam]

your manual focusing is so zhun! the pentax 50/1.7 has very good sharpness, your gal seems to pop out of the frame, maybe it's the stare haha

Thanks LP.
I do think these f1.7, f1.8 50mm don't get much credit.
Imagine, so many were made, I am sure they made lots of good memories for their owners.

Pentax 50/1.7 is nice for me since its also rather handy.

 

[pinholecam]

A week with Pentax FA35/2


20150118-DSC08229-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr


On apsc, the 35mm lens is about 52mm equivalent, so its seldom a landscape lens for me in that format.
However, the 35mm has been quite an anchor in the realm of landscape photography during film days, so getting the FA35/2 onto FF has somewhat brought back that usage.
What it gives, is a wide FOV but not OTT wide like UWA lenses, little to no distortion as a lens characteristic and no perspective exaggeration.



DSC08234-bw-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

Lens wise :
6 elements/ 5 groups
6 aperture blades
49mm filter thread

A smallish lens thats about the size of a Canon EF 50/1.8 for those who are more familiar with that lens.
49mm filter thread, so that gives an idea of the size of the lens (a handy portable, smallish size)
Plastic shell with metal internals which is typical of Pentax FA series lenses.



20150116-DSC08199-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

The 35mm is also a favorite among some street photographers or as a walkabout lens.
I can see why.


20150116-DSC08202-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

Walkabout, see some nice building or scene, it can be wide enough for a fair bit of it (and very sharp )
See some interesting people, happenings, it shows a good amount of environmental context.
Not too far or near working distance too for the above.
See some small objects that catches one's attention, its able to get close up.
At f2, its also able to give a good bit of DOF control, usually between the f2-f2.8 region.

 

[pinholecam]

20150116-DSC08217-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr



20150116-DSC08216-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr



20150116-DSC08212-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

Overall, this has been a lens I liked very much on apsc, and it has translated well onto FF.
Highly dependable in IQ, resistance to flare, sharp, nice contrast and drawing style.
Being smallish is icing on the cake.
A good all rounder lens that I would not hesitate as my one lens for the day out if I wanted to just go with a one lens setup.

 

[hjbyeo]

When the Pentax FF is here, this lens will be up for grabs!

 

[keithwee]

still waiting for Pentax to do FF

 

[pinholecam]

When the Pentax FF is here, this lens will be up for grabs!

Its common enough
But hopefully it becomes true this year.

still waiting for Pentax to do FF

I keep my fingers crossed until they got stuck permanently in place
I sure hope so, miss the interface and colors that I prefer actually...

 

[pinholecam]

A week with the Jupiter 9 (85/2)


Another rather famous/infamous lens with a history.

A copy of the Zeiss pre-war 85mm f2 Sonnar lens, that the Russians copied after they got hold of the Carl Zeiss factory in Jena.
Truly a lens that shows off both what it could have been and what can all go wrong.

There are so many of these lenses made that it spans from the 50's to 1980's.
Quality of the lens is the main bugbear, as can be seen from the polarizing reviews that are out there.
Either by the age of the lens or the poor quality controls of communist Russian manufacturing, there are just as many lemons out there as there are good ones.
And judging by the good condition exterior of the lens can be the worst thing to base the lens quality on.
I got one many years back, black version, it looked good on the exterior, but in use, it was so 'fairy tale' soft from f2 to f4 that I had thought that this was the lens characteristic.

Much later, after looking at a fair amount of online samples, I decided to try another lens.
This time with a tip from an experienced user.
"Get the one that looks bad on the outside; that means that it was optically good and the user used it a lot"


20150118-DSC08271-bw-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr
I do feel that a lot of these old lenses with their little/no color correction just give a different 'air' in BnW.


My 2nd lens is a silver version.
Externally, beat up.
Unfortunately, sometime in its already hard life, some owner thought himself a 'smart jury rigger' and somehow replaced the M42 mount with a Pentax K mount.
Seemingly, its got a K-mount adapter welded onto the lens (no way I can see it can be removed).
Still, its usable w/o much fuss and optically very good which is the important part.
(Note to self: Don't try to do something 'smart' to a lens and leave it as it is to posterity if possible)


20150118-DSC08277-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr
The Sonnar soft/sharp look, a more gradual transition between in focus, OOF.
Bokeh in general is more smooth and dependable right from wide open, unlike the case of the J3 (a 50mm Sonnar), which can vary more
Covered here
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1475299&p=9059323&viewfull=1#post9059323



20150123-DSC08317-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

 

[pinholecam]

Lens Info :
85mm f2
Sonnar design
15 aperture blades (rounded aperture)
min focus distance : 0.8m
49mm filter thread

Very handy lens, being not too big at all.
One of the reasons why I like slower f1.8, f1.9, f2 85mm lenses over faster more 'sexy' f1.4 ones.
Enough DOF to 'cut the cake' while not wearing me out if used extensively with a bag of stuff over a week during travels.


Oops! Crash landed the shuttle... beam me up Scotty! by jenkwang, on Flickr



20150123-DSC08335-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr
Less contrast and weaker colors compared to modern options (not a good/bad, just a characteristic imo) , but at least its overall sharp at f8 for detail/landscape type shots id pressed to use it for such



A magnified look at the future of Apple by jenkwang, on Flickr


Falling short by jenkwang, on Flickr


Overall, a nice lens, esp for bnw and portraits.
A less 'modern look', as in less strong sharpness and contrast and more gentle (not unsharp, but just a more gentle look)
Handy lens to bring around given its size.
For me, I would be a bit more cautious with it for all rounder and landscape work due to the weaker colors and flare tolerance, but otherwise, I have no qualms using it as the "lens for the day" when taking the kids out.

 

[Snowywolf]

Thanks for sharing, woah.. how did the taxi end up taking a dip in the canal?

The photo on the palmistry is also very candid!

 

[pinholecam]

Thanks for sharing, woah.. how did the taxi end up taking a dip in the canal?

The photo on the palmistry is also very candid!

Thanks.
No idea how the taxi got there.
Probably it turned from a nearby junction and did not do a turn.

 

[pinholecam]

Breaking the usual schedule by starting the lens for the week even as its usage is still ongoing.


This is perhaps my most challenging week, as I have to try to make it to 7 landscape shots for this lens over this week. (TBH, I'd be happy if I make 6)
Most young guys with lots of "me time" will have no problems.
For me, its a monumental task.
Mornings, tied up with sending my daughter to school.
Sunset times, no go... got to rush home to cook, else everyone goes hungry or at the least I am the bottle neck to the evening schedules if dinner starts late.

So really a hit and run for me.
I hope the weather will be kind (so far so good.... fingers crossed)

A week with some landscape in a pocket.


DSC08446-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr


So what lens makes me so excited as to do such a masochistic thing to myself?

An interesting lens to me.
The Pentax M20/4 which I just got recently.

I always prefer small lenses.
Easy to carry, (even as a 'just in case') and important for the lower encumbrance that I like when traveling which is often on foot or just because I am already burdened as Man Friday with the family items when with family.

So when I happened to find a Pentax M20/4 on ebay at a good price, I took the chance to get one.
At 2.95cm length and 49mm filter thread, its a really small portable lens.
Did not want to pass on the chance to try one out.


DSC08453-2400-bw by jenkwang, on Flickr

 

[pinholecam]

DSC08482-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

Lens Info :
Weight : 150g
Length : 2.95cm
49mm filter size
8 elements, 8 groups
5 blades

As mentioned, real small for a 20mm lens.
Roughly speaking about 2/3 the length of a Canon EF50/1.8 for those more familiar with that lens.
Few makers seem to want to make smaller more portable f4 wide angle primes anymore, which is a pity imo as very often such FL see more use as a f8 and smaller wide view / landscape lens than anything else, so less need for a f2.8 which adds to the weight and size.

 

[pinholecam]

DSC08510-2400 by jenkwang, on Flickr

I'm a strong believer of 'real world' testing rather than shooting some flat test chart filled with black lines.
Leave those to the experts who can do it properly and usually there is no lack of those sort of tests. (useful as a guide)

That leaves the question of how the lens really performs in real use.
Does it have a cool rendition that I won't like?
Is it bad when shot against the Sun in a rather typical Sunrise/set situation?
Does it have field curvature and is it bothersome enough and if so can it be mitigated with careful placement of focus and f-stop setting?
How does the lens handle real dimensional objects which have depth, rather than being just a flat print on the wall?
So yeah.. better for me to try it out than find it out during an important photo trip.

Pict 2 and 3 of the series so far seems that the lens is nicely resistant to flare since the Sun is directly in front of it for those shots.
Field curvature seems real slight (almost none) compared to other legacy faster 20mm which tends to have a significant amount that needs to be taken care of during focus.
f8 is generally good, with a some softness only in the corners (tips), perhaps a hint less sharp on the last 1/10 of the frame.
Thats not uncommon for many legacy 20mm (and even quite a few more modern wides).
The latter may be an artifact of the thick sensor stack of the A7 series.
f11 is probably where I want to set if I want better corners and no issues at all on the edges.