My "new" Sears 28mm macro

lapeen · 08-30-2007, 10:42 AM

First a shout out to this forum!! Everyone has been SO nice and helpful. Going even beyond the call of message board etiquette, Ken (regken) noticed that I was in his area and was nice enough to go to a local pawn shop to scope out some lenses for me since I didn't even know what lenses there would FIT a pentax! Today I picked up my 28mm that Ken had the pawn shop guy put behind the counter for me and took it out for a test spin.

I tried out (and had a lot of fun with) the 'trap focus' technique that I ALSO learned here! It worked great for landscape type photos, but I had a hard time using it for close-ups because it kept focusing and firing on the wrong thing (as you will see below).

Any tips are appreciated... CC is welcome, but I know they are not the best pictures as I am still quite clueless! And I must admit that I am not entirely sure how this lens is "better" than the kit lens.

totally bummed about this one... it's the first time I had a dragonfly cooperate but I couldn't seem to get focus off the stick....

Chako · 08-30-2007, 02:53 PM

I find the best way to focus on close-ups, is to turn off the auto focus, preset your focus manually, and just move back and forth till your subject is exactly where you like it to be.

lapeen · 08-30-2007, 03:49 PM

I will do that next time, thank you.

Also I looked at the 'big' version of the first one. I TOTALLY understand about purple fringing now.... YIKES!

regken · 08-30-2007, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by lapeen

I will do that next time, thank you.

Also I looked at the 'big' version of the first one. I TOTALLY understand about purple fringing now.... YIKES!

Coleen,
It looks like that Sears lens is not a great performer. The PF is bad. Maybe it was the lighting, but I don't know. Hope you stayed around the price we talked about. Sorry.

Ken

lapeen · 08-30-2007, 04:51 PM

Originally posted by regken

Coleen,
It looks like that Sears lens is not a great performer. The PF is bad. Maybe it was the lighting, but I don't know. Hope you stayed around the price we talked about. Sorry.

Ken

Don't be sorry!! You didn't manufacture it...lol

I traded it for the other broken lens... so it felt 'free.'

I don't even have buyers remorse since it was so cheap and I will still play with it!

Chako · 08-30-2007, 05:26 PM

Well purple fringe is easy enough to eliminate if you have Photoshop or some other like program.

Here is one way to eliminate it:

1. select the eyedropper tool, and click on a colour pixel you want to use over the purple colour.

2. Go to your paintbrush tool, select the right sized brush, zoom into the area that needs purple elimination.

3. In your paint brush tool properties, select "colour" mode. This will allow you to keep background detail and luminance the same as on the photograph.

4. Using short strokes, paint the new colour over the purple.

Its not that hard to do on photos you might otherwise throw away due to the bad purple fringe. Just an idea.

lapeen, just have some fun with the lens. You might be surprised at some of the quality photos you will be taking with it later.

lapeen · 08-30-2007, 05:54 PM

Thank you... sounds easy (hopefully you aren't just one of those people that are good at making things sound easy when they really aren't

)!! I will definitely save this info for future reference.

And I will definitely continue to have fun with the lens!

little laker · 08-30-2007, 06:27 PM

purple fringing or not, your grasshopper picture is better than the one I got using my Vivitar 28mm lens today

I'm actually thinking that the fringing in the second picture might just be the sky anyways.

Personally I think that you should take t out on a nice day and see what it can do. It won't be the best lens, but it might not be all that bad.

08-30-2007, 10:42 AM	#1
lapeen Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: bangor, maine Posts: 380	My "new" Sears 28mm macro First a shout out to this forum!! Everyone has been SO nice and helpful. Going even beyond the call of message board etiquette, Ken (regken) noticed that I was in his area and was nice enough to go to a local pawn shop to scope out some lenses for me since I didn't even know what lenses there would FIT a pentax! Today I picked up my 28mm that Ken had the pawn shop guy put behind the counter for me and took it out for a test spin. I tried out (and had a lot of fun with) the 'trap focus' technique that I ALSO learned here! It worked great for landscape type photos, but I had a hard time using it for close-ups because it kept focusing and firing on the wrong thing (as you will see below). Any tips are appreciated... CC is welcome, but I know they are not the best pictures as I am still quite clueless! And I must admit that I am not entirely sure how this lens is "better" than the kit lens. totally bummed about this one... it's the first time I had a dragonfly cooperate but I couldn't seem to get focus off the stick....

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08-30-2007, 02:53 PM	#2
Chako Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ont, Canada. Posts: 563	I find the best way to focus on close-ups, is to turn off the auto focus, preset your focus manually, and just move back and forth till your subject is exactly where you like it to be.

08-30-2007, 03:49 PM	#3
lapeen Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: bangor, maine Posts: 380 Original Poster	I will do that next time, thank you. Also I looked at the 'big' version of the first one. I TOTALLY understand about purple fringing now.... YIKES!

08-30-2007, 04:06 PM	#4
regken Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangor, Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,377	Originally posted by lapeen I will do that next time, thank you. Also I looked at the 'big' version of the first one. I TOTALLY understand about purple fringing now.... YIKES! Coleen, It looks like that Sears lens is not a great performer. The PF is bad. Maybe it was the lighting, but I don't know. Hope you stayed around the price we talked about. Sorry. Ken

08-30-2007, 04:51 PM	#5
lapeen Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: bangor, maine Posts: 380 Original Poster	Originally posted by regken Coleen, It looks like that Sears lens is not a great performer. The PF is bad. Maybe it was the lighting, but I don't know. Hope you stayed around the price we talked about. Sorry. Ken Don't be sorry!! You didn't manufacture it...lol I traded it for the other broken lens... so it felt 'free.' I don't even have buyers remorse since it was so cheap and I will still play with it!

08-30-2007, 05:26 PM	#6
Chako Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sault Ste Marie, Ont, Canada. Posts: 563	Well purple fringe is easy enough to eliminate if you have Photoshop or some other like program. Here is one way to eliminate it: 1. select the eyedropper tool, and click on a colour pixel you want to use over the purple colour. 2. Go to your paintbrush tool, select the right sized brush, zoom into the area that needs purple elimination. 3. In your paint brush tool properties, select "colour" mode. This will allow you to keep background detail and luminance the same as on the photograph. 4. Using short strokes, paint the new colour over the purple. Its not that hard to do on photos you might otherwise throw away due to the bad purple fringe. Just an idea. lapeen, just have some fun with the lens. You might be surprised at some of the quality photos you will be taking with it later.

08-30-2007, 05:54 PM	#7
lapeen Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: bangor, maine Posts: 380 Original Poster	Thank you... sounds easy (hopefully you aren't just one of those people that are good at making things sound easy when they really aren't )!! I will definitely save this info for future reference. And I will definitely continue to have fun with the lens!

08-30-2007, 06:27 PM	#8
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	purple fringing or not, your grasshopper picture is better than the one I got using my Vivitar 28mm lens today I'm actually thinking that the fringing in the second picture might just be the sky anyways. Personally I think that you should take t out on a nice day and see what it can do. It won't be the best lens, but it might not be all that bad.

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