Revue 24/4: My experience [2/2]

(see part 1)

All examples are taken with the Sony a7c (24MP, FF).

And, in my opinion, the Revue 24/4 is well worth using (at f/4) for photographing flowers and so on.

It's a shame that such an optically interesting lens was made in such a cheap Bakelite body with so many flaws.

By the way, there was a multicoated (MC) version of this lens, which is more recent. Perhaps this version is more resistant to flare.

See also related notes:

• Revue 24/4: My experience [1/2] (2023-09-17)

Image albums:

• Revue 24/4

Revue 24/4: My experience [1/2]

All examples are taken with the Sony a7c (24MP, FF).

The Revue 24/4 (OEM version of the Enna München Lithagon/Ennalyt 24/4) is an ultra-wide lens, so the first thing you want to do with it is shoot landscapes.

The result is not terrible, although the resolution in the edges and corners is quite low (even at f/8-f/11). Especially since my copy is not the best one. But in the center it's pretty good.

The other problem is the simple (old) optical coating. The lens has no cemented elements, there are 7 of them in 7 groups. This causes a lot of flare.

This has to be taken into account or used as an effect.

But the main use of this lens is to take pictures of subjects (at f/4), including close-ups.

The 24mm gives a different perspective for close-ups than longer focal lengths.

See part 2.

See also related notes:

• Revue 24/4: My experience [2/2] (2023-09-18)

Image albums:

• Revue 24/4

St. Petersburg, Kolomyazhsky Prospekt (2004)

St. Petersburg, a view of the Kolomyazhsky Prospekt, 2004:

Pentax Optio 450 (4MP, 1/1.8") @ 7.8mm (37mm equiv.)

Image albums:

• Saint Petersburg

Pentax K 30/2.8: ad

Advertisement of the Pentax K 30/2.8 (source):

And separately, optical design:

This is probably the most mysterious of all my lenses (see 1, 2, 3).

And something I hadn't noticed before. This lens was part of the K-series since 1975 with the name SMC PENTAX 1:2.8/30. After the introduction of the M-series in 1977, it was not replaced by an M lens, but changed name to SMC PENTAX 1:2.8 30mm (M-style, but without the letter M). I have exactly the first version (1:2.8/30) from 1975-1977.

See also related notes:

• Pentax Super A: My new film camera (2025-04-21)
• Developing a color C-41 film as a B&W negative (2024-11-23)
• Pentax K 30/2.8: "Wide angle photographic lens" patent (2024-04-21)
• Pentax K 30/2.8: Samples [1] - FF (2024-02-27)
• Pentax K 28/3.5 vs Pentax K 30/2.8 [1] - FF (2024-01-31)
• Lenses without cemented elements (2023) (2023-10-12)
• Pentax K 30/2.8 vs Pentacon 30/3.5 (2023-10-10)

Image albums:

• Pentax K 30/2.8

Anastigmat Victar 50/2.9: Old lenses and contrast

One of the problems with old (really old) lenses is low contrast. This is most often caused by simple anti-reflective lens coatings.

I have the Victar 50/2.9 lens, which has no coating at all. When shooting with this lens, there is often no deep black color in the shadows because of the low contrast:

But contrast correction in digital photography is a simple thing. Much easier than color correction, for example.

By black point compensation, you can make the image have a higher contrast:

But then the character of the old lens is partially lost. So it makes sense to do a little compensation. Something between the original and an image with too much contrast:

Maybe even less compensation.

So when I show examples with old lenses, there is often some (but not too much) black point compensation. This has to be taken into account.

See also related notes:

• Pentax Q 05 18/8 Toy Lens Telephoto (2025-07-05)
• Anastigmat Victar 50/2.9: My experience [1/2] (2023-09-29)

Image albums:

• Victar 50/2.9

Drag racing, Shelekhov (2003)

Drag racing competitions, Shelekhov, Irkutsk region, 2003 (20 years ago).

As far as I can remember, these were the first official drag races in the Irkutsk region. Before that there were only illegal ones.

The photos are of very poor quality, because they were taken with a bad 0.3MP digital camera (see also: 1, 2).  I have upscaled them to 800x600 with Lanczos3.

The pictures were taken on different days in the summer of 2003.

See also related notes:

• Иркутск, "Орбита", Усадьба Шастина (сентябрь 2003) (2022-12-13)
• Фотоистория (Pentax Optio 450) (2012-12-28)

Image albums:

• Sport

My lenses by focal length (2023)

Grouping my prime lenses by focal length, most are 50-55mm:

This doesn't mean that I'm a big fan of that focal length. It's because such lenses were the most popular in the film era.

In second place is the 35mm:

Then 85mm lenses:

30mm lenses and 1.5x crop 20mm (equivalent to 30mm):

1.5x crop 29-30mm lenses, which is equivalent to 45mm:

100-105mm lenses:

And the remaining prime lenses: 11mm, 16mm, 24mm, 28mm, 135mm, 200mm, 500mm.

There is still a 25-45mm zoom left, which is not in these pictures. There are 39 lenses in total.

Grouped by mount:

Pentax K: 15 lenses (including 2 lenses with T[2]-mount), see also My Pentax lenses (+Takumar)

M39x1 (with different flange focal distance): 7 lenses

M42x1: 6 lenses

Sony FE: 5 lensed

Samsung NX: 3 lenses

Nikon F: 2 lenses

M40x1: 1 lens

See also related notes:

• My lenses by mount (2024-06) (2024-06-27)
• Vivitar V3800N: Film SLR camera with Pentax K mount (2024-04-20)
• Staeble-Telexon E 85/5.6: My experience [3/3] (2023-11-11)
• Lenses without cemented elements (2023) (2023-10-12)
• Pentax K 55/1.8 vs Pentax A 50/1.7 (2023-10-07)
• Staeble-Werk Choro R 35/4.5 (M39x1/44): Very rare wide-angle triplet (2023-10-05)
• Staeble-Telexon E 85/5.6 (M39x1/44): Telephoto lens for [Super] Paxette II (2023-09-27)

Image albums:

• Holga
• Pentax M 100/4 Macro
• Photo
• Samsung NX 30/2
• Takumar 105/2.8 (II)

Reverse polarity converter cable

Some devices (such as guitar equipment, for example) use the "reverse" polarity of the power connector: the barrel is positive polarity, and the pin is negative.

Whereas power supplies usually use the "standard" polarity: the barrel is negative polarity, and the pin is positive. And if there is no polarity switch, they cannot be used directly.

There are reverse polarity converter cables so that you don't have to do any extra work.

In this case for 5.5 x 2.1mm.

Image albums:

• Electronics

Risespray 11/2.8 Fisheye: My experience

I already have the Зенитар (Zenitar) 16/2.8 fisheye lens. And this copy is quite good [optically]. But I like the Risespray 11/2.8 (for Sony FE/E) better.

It has better resolution and is generally nicer. Although it also has mechanical weaknesses. My copy had to be repaired right after I bought it. But now it is ready for use (with some play in the focusing mechanism).

Unlike the mirrorless TTArtisans 11/2.8, the Risespray has 10 aperture blades and good sunstars.

The Risespray has a good image quality at f/2.8.

At close objects, the background blur starts to be visible (still here is a very short focal length).

The closer you get, the stronger the blur.

When the subjects are quite small, you can see the specific design of the diaphragm. At f/2.8, the polygons (decagons) in the blur appear as if the aperture were closed.

(crop 1:1)

But this is hardly a drawback.

By the way, this lens has a short minimum focusing distance: 170mm from the sensor plane. The front optical element is very close to the subject (about 65mm).

See also related notes:

• Risespray 11/2.8 Fisheye: Samples [1] - FF (2024-02-05)

Image albums:

• Risespray 11/2.8 Fisheye

Flowers

Sony a7c (24MP, FF) + Pentax K 35/3.5

Image albums:

• Nature

Samyang AF 35/2.8 FE: My first AF lens for Sony

I didn't have any autofocus lenses for the Sony a7c (24MP, FF). I thought about buying one, but didn't plan to. But by chance I saw the Samyang AF 35/2.8 FE on sale for only $130 (new). It was the cheapest full-frame autofocus lens on the market for the Sony FE (even if looking used).

I can't say it's my dream lens. But it's small, lightweight and the focal length suits me, so I bought it.

(lens with the original "hood" attached)

It's really new (unused) but from old stock. I tested it out, it works.

By the way, f/2.8 on a full-frame sensor is equivalent to f/1.9 on a sensor with a 1.5x crop factor.

The design is 7 elements in 6 groups, 7 aperture blades.

The filter thread size is 49mm. And 40.5mm with the original "hood" (included).

Unfortunately, since the lens was made some time ago, it has the old v.04 firmware, while v.07 is now available:

It is impossible to update the firmware of the Samyang lens on the camera, you need a separate lens docking station. This is a drawback of the Samyang lenses.

First of all, I liked the electronic interface of the lens: EXIF information (model, focal length, aperture), data for IBIS, profile application.

See also related notes:

• Samyang AF 35/2.8: Lens station (2025-05-15)
• Viltrox AF 20/2.8: Firmware update (V1.1.2) (2024-11-16)
• My AF lenses for Sony FE (2024-10) (2024-10-07)
• Viltrox AF 20/2.8 (FE): Ultra wide angle autofocus lens (2024-08-31)
• Samyang AF 35/2.8 FE: Samples [1] - FF - f/2.8 (2024-06-22)
• Poor extension tubes (MF Sony FE) (2024-05-03)
• RockStar/AstrHori 35/1.8 (Sony FE/E): Full-frame lens (2024-03-06)
• Pentax K-m vs Sony a7c: Size comparison (2024-03-04)
• Pentax K-m: Manual focus lenses (2024-01-23)
• Staeble-Werk Choro R 35/4.5: My experience [1/3] (2023-12-09)
• Cheecar FF 35/1.4 II: Full-frame lens (2023-09-23)

Image albums:

• Samyang AF 35/2.8 FE
• Sony a7c