Asimov's QR codes

Isaac Asimov - The Naked Sun (1956)

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    Baley stared at the robotic newcomer. It was sleek, but not glossy. Its surface had a muted, grayish finish, with a checkerboard pattern on the right shoulder as the only bit of color. Squares in white and yellow (silver and gold, really, from the metallic luster) were placed in what seemed an aimless pattern.

    Daneel said, "Take us to the conversation room."

    The robot bowed and turned, but said nothing.

    Baley said, "Wait, boy. What's your name?"

    The robot faced Baley. It spoke in clear tones and without hesitation. "I have no name, master. My serial number" - and a metal finger lifted and rested on the shoulder patch - "is ACX-2745."

    Daneel and Baley followed into a large room, which Baley recognized as having held Gruer and his chair the day before.

    Another robot was waiting for them with the eternal, patient nonboredom of the machine. The first bowed and left.

    Baley compared shoulder patches of the two as the first bowed and started out. The pattern of silver and gold was different. The checkerboard was made up of a six-by-six square. The number of possible arrangements would be 2³⁶ then, or seventy billion. More than enough.

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Angarsk: 11 views from 1956 (and 2025)

This is a small postcard titled "Виды Ангарска" (Views of Angarsk, 11 photos) from 1956. Also see another postcard (10 photos) from 1956.

The views themselves are tiny, about the size of a postage stamp, so the resolution is low.

I've also included similar views that I took in June 2025.

Disclaimer: My photographs are nothing more than a documentation of reality.

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See also related notes:

• Angarsk: 10 views from 1956 (and 2023) (2023-06-17)

Image albums:

• Angarsk

Suzuki AGS

The Suzuki AGS  (or 5AGS/6AGS) is a five/six-speed Auto Gear Shift transmission. Based on a manual transmission, it uses an electro-hydraulic actuator for automatic gear shifting.

A notable feature is the Park (P) position of the gear selector (see 1 and 2), which makes the AGS appear to the driver as a conventional automatic transmission.

Since 2014, it has been a low-budget option. However, it later became part of Suzuki's "strong" hybrid system.

Overall, I don't like the AGS. It combines the disadvantages of all types of transmissions. Thankfully, there are no AGS transmissions in new JDM cars anymore. This also means that there are no strong hybrids for JDM. JDM strong hybrids based on AGS have been replaced by mild hybrids based on CVT.

See also related notes:

• Suzuki Every [Wagon]: Automatic transmissions (2025-06-19)
• Suzuki Alto HA36S/HA36V (2014+): как определить тип трансмиссии (вариатор или "робот") (2020-10-05)

Image albums:

• Suzuki

Pentax Q 04 6.3/7.1 Toy Lens Wide: Samples [1] - 1/2.3" - f/7.1

Camera: Pentax Q (1/2.3", 12MP)

Lens: Pentax Q 04 6.3/7.1 Toy Lens Wide (f/7.1 only)

Once again, I'm having trouble focusing. The image quality is specific. There is also noticeable barrel distortion.

See also related notes:

• Pentax Q 04 6.3/7.1 Toy Lens Wide (2025-06-13)

Image albums:

• Pentax Q 04 6.3/7.1 Toy Lens Wide

Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 40/4.5 (M42x1): Non-retrofocus lens

The Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1:4,5 f=4cm (40mm f/4.5) with M42x1/45.5 mount.

Despite its focal length being shorter than 43 mm, it was designed as a non-retrofocus lens for SLR cameras. Because of this, it has a rather protruding back.

According to the serial number, the lens was manufactured in 1949.

The Tessar 50/3.5 (on the left) and the Tessar 40/4.5 (on the right):

See also related notes:

• Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 40/4.5: Samples [1] - FF - f/4.5 (2025-07-09)

Image albums:

• Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 40/4.5

Suzuki Every [Wagon]: Automatic transmissions

The DA17V/DA17W Suzuki Every [Wagon] (2015-present) can be equipped with one of the following types of automatic transmission: 4AT, 5AGS (Auto Gear Shift, AMT, for the DA17V Every only, until 2024), or CVT (since 2024).

One simple way to determine the type of automatic transmission is to look at the gear selector (as with the Alto). All three types have the conventional symbols P-R-N-D, but there are some differences.

1. The 5AGS has +/- M symbols that stand for manual gear control.

2. The 4AT has 2 and L symbols indicating the gear shift limit positions.

3. The CVT has an L symbol, but not a 2 symbol.

See also related notes:

• Suzuki AGS (2025-06-25)

Image albums:

• Suzuki

Calibrite ColorChecker Classic Mini

The Calibrite (formerly X-Rite) ColorChecker Classic Mini.

This small, 63.5 x 109.0 mm target is the most affordable option with 24 patches (by Calibrate). I'm going to use it to create DCP profiles for use in ART.

See also related notes:

• RawTherapee (2022) и ART (2022-03-30)

Image albums:

• Photo

Mitakon [Zhongyi] Creator 35/2: Samples [1] - FF - f/2

Camera: Sony a7c (FF, 24MP)

Lens: Mitakon [Zhongyi] Creator 35/2 at f/2

Like its sibling, the Mitakon 85/2, this lens produces a smooth background blur. However, its other qualities are questionable.

See also related notes:

• Mitakon [Zhongyi] Creator 35/2 (Pentax K): The lens that can break your film camera (2025-05-03)
• Mitakon [Zhongyi] Creator 85/2 (Second Version) (2023-03-31)

Image albums:

• Mitakon [Zhongyi] Creator 35/2

Pentax Q 04 6.3/7.1 Toy Lens Wide

The Pentax Q 04 Toy Lens Wide (6.3mm, f/7.1) is another lens from the so-called "Unique Lenses" series for Pentax Q cameras. This is the second lens from this series that I have purchased for my Pentax Q, after the Q 03 Fish-Eye. On the Pentax Q (1/2.3"), it is equivalent to a 35mm lens.

The Q 04 is slightly smaller than the Q 03 Fish-Eye but slower (f/7.1 vs f/5.6).

It is an electronic lens with manual focus. It lacks a built-in leaf shutter and aperture control. Therefore, it behaves similarly to that of a manual focus lens with an adapter, with a few exceptions. First, a Pentax Q camera saves EXIF data with lens information (including the permanent f/7.1 aperture value). Second, a Pentax Q camera recognizes the focal length (6.3mm) for the sensor-shift image stabilization (SR).

The focusing ring is mechanical, but overly sensitive. There is no distance scale, and the ring rotates far past the infinity (which is also unmarked). The depth of field is large, focusing is difficult.

The lens has 4 elements in 3 groups. Since the flange focal distance of the Pentax Q mount is rather large (9.2 mm) for a mirrorless camera with such a tiny sensor, this wide-angle lens is retrofocus, which is more typical of an SLR.  The simple optical design and diffraction due to the slow aperture result in poor image quality. The Q 04's image quality is worse than that of the Q 03 Fish-Eye lens.

This lens is called the "Toy Lens" because its image quality resembles that of cheap plastic "toy" film cameras.

See also related notes:

• Pentax Q 07 11.5/9 Mount Shield Lens (2025-08-21)
• Pentax Q 04 6.3/7.1 Toy Lens Wide: Disassembled (2025-08-17)
• Pentax Q 03, 04, 05 lenses (2025-07-27)
• Pentax Q 05 18/8 Toy Lens Telephoto (2025-07-05)
• Pentax Q 04 6.3/7.1 Toy Lens Wide: Samples [1] - 1/2.3" - f/7.1 (2025-06-23)

Image albums:

• Pentax Q 04 6.3/7.1 Toy Lens Wide

Kiev-6S: Budget medium format film camera

When I decided to start shooting film again, I planned to use both 135 (35mm) and 120 (~6cm) format films. So I bought a development tank that supports both formats.

Of course, shooting with 135-format film is easier. There are many cameras available for it. However, I recently acquired the Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar MC 80/2.8 lens and wanted to test it with 120 film.

Consequently, I bought a Kiev-6S (Киев-6C/Kyiv-6S) film camera manufactured in 1983. It is a budget medium format (6x6) SLR with a Pentacon Six (P6) mount, which is called the Bayonet-B (Байонет-Б/Mount-B) in this case.

Compared to the Pentax Super A, the Kiev-6S is bulky, large, and heavy.

The camera came with a complete factory kit, including two viewfinders and a Vega-12B 90/2.8 lens. The 6x6 frame size is 56x56 mm, so the diagonal is approximately 79 mm. A 90/2.8 lens for 6x6 is equivalent to a 49/1.5 lens for FF.

I use the Kiev-6S with the waist-level viewfinder and the Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar MC 80/2.8 lens.

The camera is in good condition and has seen little use. I shot one roll of film, and the images turned out well, with consistent interframe spacing (important for Kiev-6S/60 models). The main problem is achieving accurate focus. It is harder than I expected.

One notable feature of the Kiev-6S is its shutter release button, which is designed for left-handed use. I have no problems with it.

See also related notes:

• NONS SL42 (II): Medium-format (P6) lenses - Biometar, Vega, Mir (2025-07-29)
• Vega-12B 90/2.8: Samples [1] - FF - f/2.8 (2025-07-25)
• Kiev-6S: TTL light meter (2025-07-13)

Image albums:

• Kiev-6S
• Pentax Super A
• Vega-12B 90/2.8

Mitakon [Zhongyi] Creator 35/2: Adapting for Pentax film cameras

The Mitakon [Zhongyi] Creator 35/2 with Pentax mount can damage a film camera. This is due to the absence of a groove for the stop-down indicator. Therefore, I modified the lens for use with a film camera.

I removed the mount and cut it with a drill and file (I used the M42-Pentax K adapter as a template).

This groove moves the stop-down indicator when the lens is mounted.

The modified lens worked well when tested with the Pentax Super A, despite my sloppy work.

One rhetorical question: Why couldn't Zhongyi, the manufacturer, do such a simple thing itself?

See also related notes:

• Mitakon Creator 85/2 II: Pentax K mount (2025-07-07)

Image albums:

• Mitakon [Zhongyi] Creator 35/2
• Pentax Super A