malykh.com notes: 2024-02

2024-02-29

Olympus E-PL1: Micro 4/3 mirrorless camera (from 2010)

My new old camera: the Olympus E-PL1 with the 14-42/3.5-5.6 lens (28-84mm equivalent).

I mentioned this camera back in 2011. It is exactly this one. I recently got it for free.

It was one of the first mirrorless Micro 4/3 cameras (2010). The crop factor is 2x (with the 4:3 aspect ratio), 12MP.

The camera has simple controls. There is not even a dial except for the mode dial. To change the aperture/shutter speed in manual modes, you should use the up and down buttons.

Surprisingly, the menu is quite powerful, there are many options to customize the camera.

The shutter counter shows about 5500 frames. But there are few problems, typical for old Olympus cameras. However, the camera shoots and is still usable.

I don't see any reason to use the camera for everyday photography, but I hope to test it with some manual focus lenses (via an adapter).

See also related notes:

My digital cameras (2025-05) (2025-05-31)
Pentax Q: My experience (2025-03-05)
Leica M as universal mount (2024-08-01)
Olympus E-PL1: 14-42/3.5-5.6 lens (2024-07-07)
Olympus E-PL1 shutter count (2024-06-03)
Leica M-M4/3 adapter (2024-05-12)
Olympus E-PL1: Malfunctions (2024-03-22)
Olympus E-PL1: Firmware upgrade (2024-03-15)

Image albums:

Olympus E-PL1

2024-02-27

Pentax K 30/2.8: Samples [1] - FF

Photos taken with the Sony a7c (FF, 24MP) and the Pentax K 30/2.8 at f/2.8.

A sunstar at f/8 (or f/11?)

See also related notes:

Pentax K 30/2.8: ad (2023-09-15)

Image albums:

Pentax K 30/2.8

2024-02-23

Pentax K 35/3.5 lens (K): Retrofocus wide-angle Tessar

The Pentax K 35/3.5 lens (1975-1977):

(Pentax K 35/3.5)

This is the direct K-mount successor of the 35/3.5 M42x1 Takumar series (Auto/Super/S-M-C versions, 1959-1975).

(Takumars 35/3.5)

Meanwhile, the 35/3.5 Takumars came as an evolution of the Takumar 35/4 (1957-1959).

(Takumar 35/4, source)

All these lenses have 5 elements in 4 groups. And they are retrofocus versions of the Tessar optical design: a diverging meniscus was placed in front of a Tessar base lens. It defines a character of the lens.

See also related notes:

External optical viewfinder (35mm): Accuracy (2024-10-11)
Pentax K 35/3.5: Samples [2] - APS-C - f/3.5 (2024-08-25)
Pentax K 35/3.5: Samples [1] - FF - f/3.5 (2024-06-01)

Image albums:

Pentax K 35/3.5

2024-02-21

Loop counter name: "t" vs "i"

It is common in programming to use the variable name "i" as a loop counter. This is an old practice with roots in mathematics (using "i" as index notation, index of summation, etc.). The practice was played up in early versions of Fortran, where the default implicit typing rule is that if the first letter of the name is I, J, K, L, M, or N, then the data type is integer, otherwise it is real.

Of course, when I started programming, I also used the name "i". But if you look at some of my old code, you will see a deviation from the rule.

For example, Tonigy (C language, 2001-2002):

w95k_tvh (C language, 2002):

malykh-geo-ep (Java language, 2009-2010):

Yes, the name "t" is used instead of "i". And there was a reason. Back in the 1990s, my keyboard broke: I had to press the "i" key hard to close the switch. It was very annoying, but I had no money to repair or replace the keyboard right away.

So I tried to minimize the use of the "i" key. And I chose "t" for the variable name (I assumed it meant "temporary").

Although I replaced the keyboard after a while, the habit persisted for a long time.

Today, I don't use the name "t" as a loop counter. Modern programming languages allow direct enumeration of entities without an index. Therefore, the name of the loop variable should be related to the entity type. And only for a simple index (in a clear case of use) I write the name "i".

(some Scala code of SZ Viewer)

See also related notes:

724mix - OS/2 mixer for YMF724 [OS/2, 2000-2001] (2024-03-11)
Webolog: Common/Combined Log Format analyzer [Java, 2001] (2024-03-01)

Image albums:

History

2024-02-19

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II: Samples [1] - FF

Photos taken with the Sony a7c (FF, 24MP) and the Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II at f/1.4.

See also related notes:

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II: Full-frame lens (2023-09-23)

Image albums:

Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II

2024-02-15

Pentax DA L 18-55/3.5-5.6 (K)

I bought the Pentax K-m (DSLR) with an 18-55 kit lens.

Early I already had the first version (Pentax DA 18-55/3.5-5.6, 12 elements in 9 groups), which I sold in 2020. It was not so good.

This later version is the Pentax DA L 18-55/3.5-5.6 (11 elements in 8 groups).

While it is a cheaper design (there are plastic mount and lack of quick-shift), but I see that it is optically better than the first (12/9) version. Now it is closer to the Samsung NX 18-55/3.5-5.6. This is important because the K-m is not suitable for manual focus lenses and I have no other Pentax autofocus lens.

See also related notes:

Pentax DA L 18-55/3.5-5.6: 24mm on FF (vignetting and Flat-field) (2024-04-30)
Pentax DA L 18-55/3.5-5.6: Samples [1] - FF (2024-04-13)
Pentax DA L 18-55/3.5-5.6: Using on FF (2024-03-19)

Image albums:

Pentax DA 18-55/3.5-5.6

2024-02-13

Slik Sprint Mini II tripod

Now I have a Slik Sprint Mini II tripod. Actually, I wanted this tripod in the past, but then I preferred the DiC & MiC E302C. However, when used in the field, the E302C has some disadvantages.

So I decided to go with the Slik Sprint Mini II (Operating instructions in PDF). This is an old model, I found a used one in very good condition.

The Slik Sprint Mini II is compact in size. The folded length is about 370mm. It is like the Rekam RT-L39N, which is much worse.

The weight of the Sprint Mini II is 780g (without a case). It is made of aluminum.

The tripod has a removable ball head (SBH-100DQ) for 1/4" center column mounting.

The ball head is small but usable.

Unlike the SBH-100 ball head of the Slik Sprint Mini (previous model), the SBH-100DQ ball head has a removable "quick release" plate (with 1/4" thread mount).

This is a tiny plate called the Slik 6252:

You should use a screwdriver or coin as there is no handle on the mounting screw:

The center column is locked with a stopper and a locking nut.

The leg sections are fixed with locking levers (I wanted this way).

The maximum height is about 1085mm (when all four sections and the center column are extended).

But usually the lowest section and the center column are folded when I use the tripod. Then the height is about 685mm:

The center column consists of two parts. The lower part is removable.

Without the lower part the minimum height is about 150mm:

The center column is invertible as well.

I liked the compactness, the set-up speed, and the simplicity of the Slik Sprint Mini II tripod. And it is quite stiff. The only thing I dislike is the need to use a coin to attach a camera to the plate.

Of course, it is not a replacement for the E302C. I use all my tripods: the Slik Pro 500DX (for video), the DiC & MiC E302C (indoor), and this Slik Sprint Mini II (outdoor). It depends on the application and the shooting conditions.

p.s. The Slik Sprint Mini II has been discontinued. It has been replaced by the Slik Sprint Mini III BH and the Slik Sprint Mini III BHAC. The BHAC version uses an Arca Swiss style plate, which is a good advantage. But the new models are quite expensive and hard to buy for me.

See also related notes:

Slik Sprint Mini II: Tripod mounting plate adapter (2025-05-07)
SLIK PRO 340DX Tripod (with SH-705E head) (2024-11-04)

Image albums:

Tripod

2024-02-11

Pentax M 135/3.5: Samples [1] - FF

Photos taken with the Sony a7c (FF, 24MP) and the Pentax M 135/3.5 at f/3.5.

(I am not sure if it is f/3.5)

See also related notes:

Объективы 135мм: Юпитер, Таир и Pentax (2022-04-15)

Image albums:

Pentax M 135/3.5

2024-02-09

Zorki-6: Rangefinder film camera

My next attempt to get a 35mm film camera. A used and cheap one, of course. And my priority is the ability to mount M39x1/28.8 lenses.

The Зоркий-6 (Zorki/"Sharp-sighted"-6) is a rangefinder camera (1959-1966). This copy was made in 1966.

It is a very simple M39 mount camera with only five shutter speeds (not including Bulb): 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500. There is no light meter. The shoe mount is "cold", but there are two (X and M) sync terminals. There is a self-timer. It's worth noting that the coupled rangefinder is combined with the viewfinder and the rangefinder base length is quite long.

The Zorki-6 is considered to be a reliable camera (especially the 1964-1966 version). However, while my copy looks good, it unfortunately has problems with the second shutter curtain, the shutter release button, and the film advance lever. It's so obvious that I didn't try to test it with a roll of film (which is expensive now). I returned the camera.

Overall this camera model is interesting. But now I want a different model. Unexpectedly, the Zorki-6 reminded me a lot of some Зенит (Zenit/Zenith) SLRs, which I do not like.

See also related notes:

Zorki-6: Rangefinder film camera (another copy) (2025-01-10)
Film camera: Pentax K instead of M39x1 (2024-03-14)
FED 2: Rangefinder film camera (2024-03-09)

Image albums:

Photographic film

2024-02-07

Images embedded directly in HTML [2000]

There should be an image (32x32):

If it is not visible, open the note directly in a browser .

In 2000, I came up with a way to embed image data directly into HTML code (and without any CCS). This is done using tables. There is a "global" table consisting of tiny single cell subtables (as placeholders). Choosing different background colors for the cells of the "global" table allows to render an image.

In the simplest version, each cell (td) is a single pixel (height=1 and width=1). In a more complex version, a cell (td) can be a horizontal group of pixels (height=1 and width>=1) by using "colspan". Anyway, this HTML code is quite large.

And in 2000 I even wrote a program for OS/2 in C to generate HTML code from ICO (OS/2 version) files. I called it pic2html, but never released it. I lost the program, but you can easily rewrite it yourself.

The image above has HTML code ("colspan" version generated in 2000, and I just pasted it into the note HTML code):

===

<table bgcolor=#0080ff border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0>

<tr>

<td height=1 width=32 colspan=32>