malykh.com notes: 2023-10

2023-10-31

Panoramas of the Kitoy River (September 2006)

Panoramas of the Kitoy River. September 2006.

Pentax *ist Ds (1.5x crop factor, 6MP) + unknown manual focus lens

Image albums:

Kitoy

2023-10-29

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II: My experience [3/3]

(see part 1)

More examples of background blur on the Sony a7c (FF, 24MP) with the Cheecar FF 35/1.4 lens at f/1.4.

I'm not sure if the claimed f/1.4 aperture is real (but it's clearly faster than f/1.8-f/2). Overall, I see this inexpensive (that's important) lens as a demo version of a reasonably fast 35mm lens. It allows you to evaluate whether such a lens is needed.

See also related notes:

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II: My experience [1/3] (2023-10-25)

Image albums:

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II

2023-10-27

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II: My experience [2/3]

(see part 1)

All of these examples were taken with the Sony a7c (FF, 24MP) using the Cheecar FF 35/1.4 lens.

These shots with the Cheecar were taken at [claimed] f/1.4. The lens is quite capable of that.

It is possible to shoot landscapes, as I have already shown:

On the contrary, it is possible to shoot small subjects:

Moreover, the aperture allows you to shoot quite large subjects with blurred backgrounds. This looks interesting together with the wide angle.

Of course, there are chromatic aberrations at f/1.4. But for such an inexpensive lens, I think the result is good.

See also related notes:

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II: My experience [1/3] (2023-10-25)

Image albums:

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II

2023-10-25

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II: My experience [1/3]

I use the Cheecar FF 35/1.4 lens on my Sony a7c (FF, 24MP).

Unlike the OEM 50/1.1, this lens is less versatile. It is not so easy to shoot landscapes even at closed apertures (f/8, for example). Infinity is not at the hard stop of the focusing ring, and the field curvature is also a strong effect (also when focusing).

But if you focus correctly, the result at f/8 is normal:

The lens has a noticeable barrel distortion:

Sunstars have 10 rays.

The lens is a bit prone to flare.

It is more interesting to shoot with this lens at f/1.4.

Even landscapes.

And other things.

See part 2, part 3.

See also related notes:

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II: My experience [3/3] (2023-10-29)
Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II: My experience [2/3] (2023-10-27)

Image albums:

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II

2023-10-23

"Finger point" on Pentax lenses

Pentax K, M, A, F (and some FA) series lenses may have a "finger point" ("ball mark" as a small protrusion).

(K, M, A lenses)

This is obviously for "blind" mounting a lens on a camera, but this mark doesn't seem to match anything on modern Pentax cameras.

The reason is that this point mark is from the days when the lens unlock/release button was located near the lens locking pin.

(Pentax K1000, source)

The same can be seen now on the Pentax K-Sony FE/E adapter, for example.

The idea is that this mark should be aligned with the unlock/release button, the lens is inserted into the mount, and then turned clockwise:

But over time, the button and the pin have moved to different locations on cameras:

(Pentax K10D, source)

So the "finger point" became meaningless (it doesn't correspond to the unlock button placement) and disappeared on almost all lenses back in the days of the FA series.

See also related notes:

K&F Concept: Адаптер Pentax K (DA) - Sony FE/E (2022-03-28)

Image albums:

2023-10-18

SZ Viewer A1-2023-10-18 (Android)

SZ Viewer (Android) changes:

1. The information output in the DTC tab is technically limited. I didn't like the previous version, so I changed the formatting.

2. A workaround for the "lacks permission android.permission.BLUETOOTH" bug of Chinese devices running on Android 12+.

See also related notes:

SZ Viewer: общая информация (2014-02-15)

Image albums:

On-board diagnostics

2023-10-16

Anastigmat Victar 50/2.9: With close focus (helicoid) adapter [2/2]

(see part 1)

More results from the Sony a7c (FF, 24MP), the Victar 50/2.9 at f/2.9, and close focus (helicoid) adapter:

It's important to choose the background and the lighting.

That's when those soap bubbles of a triplet will appear.

And here is an example of flare (remember, this lens is uncoated) :

When the palm of a hand is used as a hood replacement:

See also related notes:

Staeble-Werk Choro R 35/4.5: My experience [2/3] (2023-12-11)
Riconar/Rikenon 55/2.2: Two types of focusing and background blur (2023-11-27)
Staeble-Telexon E 85/5.6: My experience [2/3] (2023-11-09)
Anastigmat Victar 50/2.9: With close focus (helicoid) adapter [1/2] (2023-10-14)

Image albums:

Victar 50/2.9

2023-10-14

Anastigmat Victar 50/2.9: With close focus (helicoid) adapter [1/2]

The Victar 50/2.9 shows triplet traits (see 1 and 2), but the limitation is that the minimum focusing distance is too long.

So I had to build an assembly: the lens, the M40x1-M42x1 ring, the M42x1-M39x1 adapter, two M39x1 5mm extension tubes, the M39x1-Leica M adapter, and the close focus (helicod) Leica M-Sony FE/E adapter.

It allows the minimum focusing distance to be shortened if necessary.

On the Sony a7c (FF, 24MP) I got the following result at f/2.9:

See part 2.

See also related notes:

Riconar/Rikenon 55/2.2: Two types of focusing and background blur (2023-11-27)
Anastigmat Victar 50/2.9: With close focus (helicoid) adapter [2/2] (2023-10-16)

Image albums:

2023-10-13

Panoramas of Bolshiye Koty (July 2006)

Lake Baikal, panoramas of Bolshiye Koty settlement. July 2006.

Pentax *ist Ds (1.5x crop factor, 6MP) + K 35/3.5 (53mm equiv.), as far as I remember.

Image albums:

Baikal

2023-10-12

Lenses without cemented elements (2023)

There are lenses where there are no cemented (grouped) elements, i.e. the number of elements is equal to the number of groups.

Some people believe that such lenses produce a more interesting image. I don't think so, but from a practical point of view, the lack of cemented elements makes it impossible to de-cement. And there will be no haze between the cemented groups. This is important for (very) old lenses.

I have such lenses: