Sunday, September 25, 2016

Vivitar SMS 28mm f1:2.8 MC


Yet another pawn shop purchase for around $30 was a Vivitar SMS 28mm f1:2.8 MC lens with a Minolta mount.  The filter diameter of 49mm is compatible with my collection of ND, circular-polarizers and UV filters of that size.  I picked-up a Fotasy MD-to-NX adapter for mounting to my NX1.




I was stunned by the first several photographs with the Vivitar 28mm.  Two are shown below.  The shot directly below was taken just as the sun dipped beneath the mountains here in Arivaca, Arizona 

This is a photo of 'Sundog' in his garden. Click on any image to enlarge.

                                                          f8    1/60sec   -0.3EV   ISO100

The second photo below shows good skin tone on Sundog's face with a nice contrast of the white shirt and compared to the lush green background, darkening with the setting sun.

1/250sec   0EV   ISO100   f5-6

Another shot just after sunset. I forgot to note the aperture setting on this one.



Rokinon 85mm f1.4


I picked-up this Rokinon 85mm f1.4 at a pawn shop for about $116 (retail approx $300).  The lens was in mint condition. The lens was for a Canon EF lens mount, so I purchased an adapter for my NX1. The photo below shows the lens mounted and also purchased a rubber lens hood.  The filter diameter is 72mm.  

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE

The photo below of "Sundog" in Arivaca proudly displaying part of his organic garden harvest with the Rokinon 85mm.

f8    1/60sec   ISO 100  -0.3EV

Friday, September 9, 2016

Kalimar 50mm f1.7 Lens - First Impression

Stopped in a pawn shop downtown Phoenix to see what they had for vintage lenses.   I saw this unfamiliar brand - Kalimar 50mm f1.7 for around $30.  It had a Pentax K Mount, for which I had an adapter to mount to my NX1.  Then I noticed the lens was made in China.  Although I prefer lenses made in Japan, being Chinese made actually heightened my curiosity as to whether the lens has some type of artistic quality for my digital film projects.  So I picked it up enthusiastically. 

The bottom line: Excellent color, sharpness when it counts and attractive bokeh.  I'll have to try it with video next!


CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Before I get onto the photos, here are a few 'specs' for the techies:

Pentax K (PK) to Samsung (NX) mount adapter: KECAY Mount Adapter 18011


Mounting the lens went without a hitch.  Switched to 'Manual" mode and I'm ready to get my first shots.

Note: All photographs are presented 'as photographed' (not edited or enhanced, but each image was resized for web posting from their original 23.6MB JPEG setting).  Additionally, all photographs were handheld camera.

Photograph 1: Spider

Soft background with nice color.  The spider is the focus point for the eye, while the web provides subtle intricacy.

f4   1/50sec   EV+0.3  ISO100  Focus Metering: Center Weighted Average


Photograph 2: Cactus Garden


This photograph was taken just at sunset - no direct light - yet the cactus seems vibrant in some visually attractive way.

f4   1/40sec   EV+0.3  ISO200       Focus Metering: Center Weighted Average

Photograph 3: Mt. Wrightson View

I used a circular-polarizer for this shot.

This photograph shows a nice interplay of light and shadow in the foreground and good detail in the distant mountains.  The camera kept warning me that the bright white on the building at mid-range was blown-out; but it doesn't look too bad.  I tried closing the aperture 1-stop to reduce the blow-out, but it darkened the foreground shadow too much. 

f5.6   1/250sec   EV-0.3  ISO100       Focus Metering: Center Weighted Average

Photograph 4: Unfocused Cactus

Lately I have been enjoying certain out-of-focus images and this cactus shot is no exception.  Can't explain!

                        f4   1/60sec   EV 0    ISO200       Focus Metering: Center Weighted Average

Photograph 5: 

I took this photo for color and depth of field.   The sun was low in the sky about 1/2-hour before sunset.  By manually focusing on the sign at close range, the mountains appear soft in the distance.

                          f4   1/60sec   EV 0    ISO200       Focus Metering: Center Weighted Average

Photograph 6: Light and Shadow

The photograph below sold me on the Kalimar 50mm lens.  The image is sharp.  Nice light and stripe shadows.  The texture on both the Agave on the left and the Hedgehog cactus on the right is gorgeous!  
                     f5,6   1/400sec   EV 0  ISO100  Focus Metering: Center Weighted Average

Photographs: 7 & 8 

Flowers are a good way to see how a lens works with primary colors standing out in the 'greenscape'.  The color in these two photographs seems a little over-saturated. But I love the bokeh and how my eye seems to hunt to find areas of focus, yet wanting to dissolve into the background.

                       f4   1/125sec   EV +0.3    ISO100       Focus Metering: Center Weighted Average

                       f4   1/125sec   EV +0.3    ISO100       Focus Metering: Center Weighted Average

Photograph 9: Palm Row

I was testing a circular polarizer with this image.

f5.6   1/250 sec   EV 0.0    ISO100   Focus Metering: Center Weighted Average

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Kalimar MC 50mm 1.7 lens on Digital Video

I found this test video of the Kalimar MC 50mm 1.7 lens on YouTube , shot with a Canon 500D/T1i.

I really like the color tone...As if from a time we remember but can't pinpoint. I wanted to have this test footage as both a guide, comparison and future reference.