Let's talk about lenses.

[Ben Rubinstein]

One with the Pentax wide open from today. Wife says it's nice but nothing special. Such is life

The view as I eat my breakfast outside the bakery across the road from work in the 'Hungarian' area of Jerusalem.

 

[fahim mohammed]

I rarely do posed shots. The following is an exception.

zf 35/2.

 

[fahim mohammed]

When I have taken my Nikon along with me, I generally have hauled the three lenses..35, 50, 100mm.
Or a 35 and a 50. Or a 50 and a 85. Or a 35 and a 100. Except the lovely 85mm, none is an autofocus lens.

I do not depend on autofocus. I want to focus where I want, not the lens. But with age, autofocus can be a blessing too!

I have carefully, and painstakingly, made my lens collection over the years. There is always something better, newer, the latest...but need and want are two different issues. And money, for me at least, is a very big determinant.

My advise, for what it is worth, is to buy just one lens. Know it inside out. Keep it, or get rid of it. Get the one that you are comfortable with. Which renders the way ' you ' like.

Here is another pic with the Zeiss zf 35/2. Lovely lens/ Super close focussing ability. Typical Zeiss colors.
And excellent oof capabilities.

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

I have a love hate relationship with manual focus. I like that I can use certain either specialised or older lenses. I like that I can take control. However I have an eye condition which makes manual focus, especially rangefinder manual focus very difficult and trying to focus an old lens at f1.4 when the view has low contrast anyway in a DSLR viewfinder, even with a Leica split view viewfinder is very very difficult. I can nail it most time with a viewfinder magnifier. Without, at f1.4, it's one in two at the moment.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Ben, my eyes too weakening. But I can luckily still manage manual focus. It might not be the same next year; who knows. But in the meantime, I enjoy the mf as opposed to the af.

When I carry only the 50mm with my Nikon, it is invariably the Zeiss zf 50/2 Makro Planar.
Excellent close focus. As good as it gets at infinity and close up. Heavy, metallic, business like. Long focus throw, and I detect some weakening in the corners at f/2.

But there are times, when only it will do..

I just love the colors from Zeiss.

 

[Michael Nagel]

The Pentax F 50/1.7 was once a kit lens - the one that is usually delivered with the body, unlike the F 50/1.4 which was available at roughly the same time frame.

It is a kit lens I like.

Lights mark the way




Lonely Bicycle




A rose




Sooo bequem​

Best regards,
Michael

 

[fahim mohammed]

Just like lenses, or wine ( I don't know about it!! ), coffee and women; so with chocolat. We pronounce it
sho-ko-la.

Mysterious, different tastes, different flavors. Each with their own personality and of course their flavor.

Here are some shots with the Zeiss zF 50/2 Makro Planar, handheld, at 2500, under a dim bedside lamp..

As they say..there is chocolate and their is chocolat!!

unsharpened, of course. I like them smooth to the palate.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Very few lenses can do sterling duty close-up and at infinity. 2 lenses that I have found to be particularly
good are the Zeiss 50/2 and the superlative 100/2 Macro Planars.

In this instance, I had no problems getting real close, with the 50/2 Makro.

 

[fahim mohammed]

When talk turns to lenses, two names are prominent; to me at least. Mandler and Peter karbe.
Talk of computer aided asphericals, one thinks of Karbe. Think of softness, a look. A signature; I think of
Mandler. Beautiful lenses, superbly dseigned.

Here is one with a Mandler lens. the elmarit 90mm...

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Big fan of the Mandler look, specifically the 35m and 50mm pre-asph summilux's but then I do love a good glow!

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

I took my class to the area opposite the Machane Yehuda Shuk in the centre of Jerusalem today and when I set them loose for 40 minutes to complete an assignment, I took the opportunity to visit this doorway which I have been trying to put down 'on film' for two years now. I think I've finally got it.

Canon 50mm 1.4 wide open under the only circumstances where wide open on that lens works, i.e. overcast skies and not a hint of a specular highlight. Even so the contrast is still far above my Takumar and the coma/halation nowhere near as strong as the glorious Tak. Oh well, it was the lens I had with me at the time...

 

[fahim mohammed]

Sterling photograph Ben.

Yes siree..the glow from old lenses is something!

Kindest regards.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Let me throw a few street names. Rue St. Honore, Boulevard Saint-Germain, Rue de Saint Peres, Boulevard Madeline, Rue Bonaparte.

There are many others, but these should suffice for now.

What to they have in common? That they are in Paris, yes. But something else. Interesting for you to spend some time finding out the what, why and how. I shall hint at the answer later on.
Or for that matter what do Oberkochen and Solms have in common?

Posted earlier. Leica ME and the summilux 50 asph. OOC, 100% crop from a b&w jpg capture.

Regards the question I posed earlier. The palate.
Pass me the Herschey bar.

Delicious and elegant! An idea brought to life.

Well done Fahim!

 

[fahim mohammed]

Delicious and elegant! An idea brought to life.

Well done Fahim!

Yum, Yum.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Which is my favorite lens? Just two or three. Cannot have just one. Else use a fixed lens camera. Right?

One of my absolute favorites. I consider it to be one of the very very few of the best lenses ever made.

Never lets me down. Superb in all respects. Near, far, distortion, vignette, soft/sharp. contrast/micro contrast. fast, superb build, ergonomics above reproach. Just delivers, out of the way. I do not think about the lens, or the cam. Just the image.

Cron 28 asph.

 

[Michael Nagel]

The Tamron 70-200/2.8 is not a lens to carry for everyday use. It is the smallest an lightest of its kind and still heavy enough. It is not the most expensive one either - more the contrary, but I would not consider it as a cheap lens. It does not have the reputation of the lenses of the large camera makers. I like the built quality, I do not like the two steps you need to switch between AF and MF. I certainly do like the image quality.


Repost:

Waldkauz - Gesicht​

Not a repost:

Schwan - Putzstunde​

Close focus is not bad either:

Kartoffelbovist​

Best regards,
Michael

 

[Wolfgang Plattner]

Hi
I do like my old EF 100mm f/2,8 in the morning light of spring

and in the smooth late afternoon sun of spring

 

[Asher Kelman]

The Tamron 70-200/2.8 is not a lens to carry for everyday use. It is the smallest an lightest of its kind and still heavy enough. It is not the most expensive one either - more the contrary, but I would not consider it as a cheap lens. It does not have the reputation of the lenses of the large camera makers. I like the built quality, I do not like the two steps you need to switch between AF and MF. I certainly do like the image quality.

Repost:

Waldkauz - Gesicht​

Michael,

Where on earth was the bird and is this the entire image? It's hard to imagine any lens sharper! Altogether stunning. where differences might be important to me would be the speed and accuracy of focus and the contrast and resolution. I just upgraded to the Canon IS II of that lens type. I plan to check a few more copies, but it seems a great improvement on the original version in all these respects.

Not a repost:

Schwan - Putzstunde​

This is splendid and where the sensor and lens need to work together to bring out the range of detail in the white feathers. Can you show a cropped portion of the feathers to show off the gray range there?

Certainly, to my eye, unless you discovered faults in focus, for example, this seems to be a stellar alternative to Canon's expensive lineup!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Hi
I do like my old EF 100mm f/2,8 in the morning light of spring

and in the smooth late afternoon sun of spring

These work well. The lens needs that soft b.g. and the flowers just emerge as needed to greet us., very gentle and poetic work! Still, I won't blame this just on the lens! You did point it well too!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

When talk turns to lenses, two names are prominent; to me at least. Mandler and Peter karbe.
Talk of computer aided asphericals, one thinks of Karbe. Think of softness, a look. A signature; I think of
Mandler. Beautiful lenses, superbly dseigned.

Here is one with a Mandler lens. the elmarit 90mm...

Here, Fahim, I'd love to see the result in color, not because the B&W is inadequate, but because I have a sense that there's a lot more image to mine, given the lens you used. B&W, to work optimally is also about assignment of tonalities for the subject. There may be more yet to see.

Asher

 

[Michael Nagel]

Repost:

Waldkauz - Gesicht​

Michael,

Where on earth was the bird and is this the entire image? It's hard to imagine any lens sharper! Altogether stunning. where differences might be important to me would be the speed and accuracy of focus and the contrast and resolution. I just upgraded to the Canon ISL II of that lens type. I plan to check a few more copies, but it seems a great improvement on the original version in all these respects.

Asher,

this is a repost from this thread. It is a crop which was reduced to 50% of the original resolution. The displayed image is a further reduction. The original (reduced) size is here.

Schwan - Putzstunde​

This is splendid and where the sensor and lens need to work together to bring out the range of detail in the white feathers. Can you show a cropped portion of the feathers to show off the gray range there?

Certainly, to my eye, unless you discovered faults in focus, for example, this seems to be a stellar alternative to Canon's expensive lineup!

Asher

A larger image (also a crop reduced to 50%) is here. There is a spot on the head of the swan which is slightly overexposed, but given the smaller dynamic range of the Samsung Sensor in the K-7 I used that time this was not too bad.

The two versions of the lens can be seen here. The pictures were taken with the A001 version, the newer A009 version could be interesting for you.
I did not see focus issues with the K-7, there was some correction required on the K-5 using the same lens, but still within the range that can be corrected in the body without sending in camera and/or lens.

Best regards,
Michael

 

[fahim mohammed]

Here, Fahim, I'd love to see the result in color, not because the B&W is inadequate, but because I have a sense that there's a lot more image to mine, given the lens you used. B&W, to work optimally is also about assignment of tonalities for the subject. There may be more yet to see.

Asher

Asher, thanks for stopping by. Unfortunately, This image was taken in b&w in jpg. I have been following the discussions of the monochrom M with keen interest. But I have begun to realize that my M8 for b&w
is no slouch...direct as b&w or a color dng file converted to b&w.

The monochrom M, to me, is interesting but my M8 shall suffice for my b&w needs...so long as its display does not pack up, making it irreparable.

Regards.

 

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

Asher, thanks for stopping by. Unfortunately, This image was taken in b&w in jpg. I have been following the discussions of the monochrom M with keen interest. But I have begun to realize that my M8 for b&w
is no slouch...direct as b&w or a color dng file converted to b&w.

Hi Fahim,

I would always prefer a color image as a basis for B/W rendering, over the need to use color filters to influence the tonality of a B/W image. The only real benefit of a monochrome sensor is a slightly higher sensitivity and resolution.

When you use the camera for non-scientific applications, but rather for creative/documentary use, the color information allows incredible control over the final tonal rendering, especially when used in combination with a plug-in like Topaz Labs B/W effects. It's very reasonably priced for the good quality it delivers, and it also does great e.g. Platinum toning to simulate that noble process.

I'm not a B/W person myself (I also dream in color), but if I were then I'd certainly purchase that plugin (also much more affordable than a monochrom M).

Cheers,
Bart

 

[Wolfgang Plattner]

Hi

anyone here with experiences on the Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1,4 T* C/Y ?

 

[fahim mohammed]

Hi Bart.

I am sure you are correct. I could not even begin to discuss the technical details. In this case, I just am a
fly-by-visual sort of person. I have used direct b&w as well as conversions from color. Both seem to work for me.

For my type of ' street ', I prefer b&w. Also color, at times.
Converted or direct in-camera. Nik software or AlienSkin for me.

The MM?. A niche product in a niche market. Good luck to those who use it.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Regards.

Hi Fahim,

I would always prefer a color image as a basis for B/W rendering, over the need to use color filters to influence the tonality of a B/W image. The only real benefit of a monochrome sensor is a slightly higher sensitivity and resolution.

When you use the camera for non-scientific applications, but rather for creative/documentary use, the color information allows incredible control over the final tonal rendering, especially when used in combination with a plug-in like Topaz Labs B/W effects. It's very reasonably priced for the good quality it delivers, and it also does great e.g. Platinum toning to simulate that noble process.

I'm not a B/W person myself (I also dream in color), but if I were then I'd certainly purchase that plugin (also much more affordable than a monochrom M).

Cheers,
Bart

 

[fahim mohammed]

Sorry, the image posted was not a c/y .

Head over to fredmiranda, there you might find discussions on the c/y lenses.

Hi

anyone here with experiences on the Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1,4 T* C/Y ?

 

[fahim mohammed]

Staying opposite waterfalls, one has the luxury to have breakfast with feet in the cold running streams
Fruit juices cooled by the clear water stream.

Sunlight too high for the DR of the cam.

I have applied two levels of moderate softening to the original!! Ektachrome simulation.

cron 75 apo asph.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Sometimes I take photographs because I just want to use a particular lens. It brings a smile to my face, when I see what it does.

cron 75 apo asph.

 

[fahim mohammed]

And a lens that is my workhorse. I walk out for a day, and forget to change it. No need really. I have thrown everything at it. It just delivers for me.

cron 28 asph.

 

[fahim mohammed]

Who do you think is the most important person in a hotel?

To me there are two. Housekeeping and the concierge.
They are the ones that make every client feel like the most important person in the world with a personal service.

So it is with lenses. One lens that makes me feel that the image I am about to capture is the most important image I shall ever capture. It works hard. Real hard. Gives me its all. And some more.

Because it knows that the image I am about to capture is it. So it should not let me down. Ever.

lux 50 asph.