Samsung 85mm f/1.4 ED SSA

This 85mm f/1.4 ED SSA (Super Sonic Actuator) is a professional prime lens from Samsung Electronic, made for their NX-mount line of cameras including the NX1.   It is a very sharp lens with fully automatic electronic functionality with the NX1 via firmware.   The only drawback with this lens is the automatic focusing which can be clunky at time - hunting for the right focus especially when light is poor or when you add a Neutral Density (ND) filter.  

The photographs below are presented 'as-photographed'.  These photographs show the exceptional imaging quality of the Samsung NX1 camera with its back-lit 28-megapixel APS-C sensor.

Note: With sensor crop factor, this lens images at 35mm focal length equivalent of 130mm

f2.8  /  1/1000sec  /  ISO100  /  0EV 

f2.8  /  1/1000sec  /  ISO100  /  0EV 

 f1.8  /  1/320sec  /  ISO100  /  0EV

 f7.1  /  1/1000sec  /  ISO100  /  0EV 

 f3.2  /  1/1600sec  /  ISO125  /  0EV 

f4  /  1/1600sec  /  ISO100  /  0EV 

Tele-Astranar 400mm f6.3 Lens Test

Found this Tele-Astranar 400mm f6.3 lens in a thrift store for $15.  The thread mount looked like a M42, and although the diameter was about right, the threads on the Astranar looked dense (finer) than the M42 mount adapter I have for my NX1.   

Then after doing some research I found that threads where for a T-mount (or T2-mount) so I ordered T2-to-NX adapter online.
  

The Astranar is a 'preset' lens meaning There is a second ring which lets you control where the other aperture ring stops (the one that actually closes the aperture down). So if you recompose an image you can quickly turn the aperture all the way open so the viewfinder is bright, then stop back down to your shooting stop without taking your eye away from the viewfinder (below).

Below are test photographs. All images are at f-stop 6.3 (open).  All images below are 'as-photographed'

 f 6.3  /  1/500s  /  ISO100  /  EV 0.3 

f 6.3  /  1/500s  /  ISO100  /  EV -0.3 

f 6.3  /  1/200s  /  ISO100  /  EV 0.0 

Close-up showing resolution

 f 6.3  /  1/125s  /  ISO100  /  EV 0.0

f 6.3  /  1/125s  /  ISO100  /  EV 0.0 

f 6.3  /  1/125s  /  ISO100  /  EV 0.0

Overall I really like this lens even though the it is not that sharp and lacks in contrast and color saturation.  However, the photo above shows this lens has some inherent artistic potential.

I will have to try next taking some RAW format photographs and try to improve in some of the lens's shortcomings in post. 

Olympus ZUIKO Auto-W 28mm f2.8 - VIDEO TEST

This is a 4K video test of a vintage Olympus ZUIKO Auto-W 28mm f2.8 adapted to a Samsung NX1.  I'm impressed with this Olympus lens. Nice and sharp.  I will add some still images and lens specifications at a later date.

There are two parts to this video: As recorded and fast grade using Film Convert.  Skip to 2:47 to begin the 'graded' part of video.

[Please note that the point of this test is for the video only. The camera-recorded sound is poor due to acoustics of the setting and crowd noise.]