Sunday, October 9, 2016

Rokinon 85mm in Tough Light


This photograph was shot with a Samsung NX1 and a Rokinon 85mm Lens (no filter). I used a tripod. The NX1 handled this shot well since the subjects were in shadow under a ramada.  Bright sunlight was present in the background. No adjustments were made to this photograph in post.

Specs:  f/5.6    1/500sec   ISO100    EV -0.3

Monday, October 3, 2016

First Impressions: Soligor C/D 80-200mm MC MARCO Lens


The Soligor f/4 C/D 80-200mm MC MACRO, is an 80's-vintage SLR  lens - mounted on a Samsung NX1.  Apparently, the C/D means computer designed and it is believed Tokina may be the manufacturer of this Soligor lens.  What I look for from the lens is what 'texture' results from its optics and glass.  The camera/lens setup is an impressive amalgam of an analog-era SLR lens joined with the latest digital camera technology embodied in the NX1 (below).

 CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE

 This all came about when my wife came home from a thrift store with a worn camera bag that contained an 80's-vintage Olympus OM10 SLR and three SLR lenses. For about $50 at the thrift store, it was a quality find.  An Olympus OM-mount to NX-mount adapter was purchased to install on the Samsung NX1. 

 Below are some specs on the camera I pulled from the Internet.  If I come across any other insights, I'll update.
 

Just to note that a 'circular-polaring filter was added to the lens for all the photographs shown here.  The lens was 'manually'-adjusted during use and I didn't use a tripod. However, for the landscape shots I steadied the camera on top of a fence post.

This first photo is a portion of the Cerro Colorado Mountains just North of Arivaca, Arizona.  I made some basic adjustment with the image's brightness, contrast and gamma, bring-out the features in the photograph.

         Lens set at 130mm   f/11  1/125sec ISO100  EV -0.3 

The second photo below showing Baboquivari Peak was adjusted later in Photoshop Elements.  I like the resulting texture in that shot.

         Lens set at 130mm   f/11  1/125sec ISO100  EV -0.3 

The following shots in the historic town-site of Arivaca, Arizona are just hand-held 'street shots'.

(Below) Main Street Arivaca looking West, South-West with the Soligor at about 90mm.  This is my favorite shot from the shoot.  I can see using this lens in certain situations when shooting digital film. 

Additional settings below. Manual focus with the NX1 camera in the "Center Weighted Average" mode.  

 f/5.6  1/125sec  ISO100  EV -0.3 step

Below: People Assemble at Virginia's Taco Stand.  I took this hand held shot quick.  In hindsight, I should have thought more about setting the focus.

f/5.6  1/125sec  ISO100  EV -0.3 step

 The lens was adjusted to 90mm for this photograph.  I was interested in seeing detail and handling the white plaster walls in the sun.

                   f/11  1/125sec  ISO100  EV -0.3 step

Overall, it was a rewarding walk-around today with the Soligor f/4 C/D 80-200mm MC MACRO on my Samsung NX1.  These are just my initial photographs and more to come.