[clickclick]

K 55mm f/1.8 (what a lens...!)

Got a real chuckle out of the penguin - thanks

[cyberjunkie]

I like this lens (Primoplan) a lot. What is the mount of your copy?

Pentacon 135mm is a fine lens as well, but the focal length (resp.quite long minimum focusing distance) makes it's utilizing rather difficult.

What do you think about the primoplan? I keep reading about it and lots of people seem to say that it's a poor lens from the technical point of view, but that has lots of hype. I see lots of beautiful images taken with the primoplan though, but I don't know if that beauty is attributed to the primoplan. Most shootouts don't go for the beauty, they are good for judging technical aspects, but primoplan is not a stellar lens from that point of view. It would be nice to see a comparison that would show "here is what you can do with primoplan that you can't do with other lenses". Maybe a bit simplistic, but it's what I'd like to know

Well, I have many (most) Meyer lenses, including those in Altix mount (to be converted or already adapted to PK), but I can't say I know the Primoplan very well, cause it's the latest purchase, just added to the family
The main shortcoming is its build. Most lenses have the internal glass surface relaively shielded from the external. The barrel of the Primoplan lets plenty of air in, so most of the examples on sale are severely attacked by fungi and also hazy because of the migration of some grease from the focusing helicoid.
If you find on sale a clean one, it's very likely it has been cleaned already.
On the positive side, the coating (albeit single layer and rather weak) can easily withstand the cleaning and is rarely etched by the fungal infection.
Another negative is minimum focusing distance. The shot I posted was taken at MFD wide open, which means at the worst of the optical performance. I would have been happy to have an extension tube at hand, to get closer to the flower.
I can't find any other fault.
My example doesn't show poor sharpness. It is exactly how I expected it to be. Sharper than a Trioplan wide open at f/2.9, and inferior to the 8-elements Super Takumar at f/1.4.
So far I like this lens very much
Ii find it beautiful, which appeals to my collector's alter ego, and I think it renders in a smooth, classy way.
No huge soap bubble bokeh balls, a nice touch of swirl, sharp enough. Nothing excessive, but still very visible. Very classy
I see why it's getting hipsters cult status, and prices averaging 300/350 bucks.
A couple of smart ebayers snatched two of them quite recently for under 200 euros, unfortunately this is the minimum you can hope to pay on Ebay, as the lens is not very common, way less than a Trioplan, and very desirable.

I don't think I will post a proper comparison anytime soon.
In a way my two posts are a kind of comparison, though.
The two pictures were shot with the same camera, in the shade, with a very similar subject.
The EXIF of both pics are available on Flickr, and the originals are downloadable, to check on-screen at 100% the jps's (exported at 72dpi, resized 50%)..
The 8-elements Super Tak is a tough competitor, the best single-coated fifty I have at hand.
The different rendition is quite evident, no need for much words...

This is a technical subforum, so when I play with some uncommon lens and I like the result, I feel I should post one or two photos as examples. I appreciate when others do the same.
I don't usually shoot flowers, but it happens that most of my pics can't be posted for privacy reasons, so flowers it is!
Btw, there are other subforums, or other sites, for creative stuff

cheers

Paolo

[paulh]

Colors of Spring? From a walk in the woods with the F80-200 on K10D:

[kyteflyer]

Nice one, Paul

Here's one from K-5 + 15mm Ltd.

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Last edited by kyteflyer; 03-17-2019 at 02:11 PM.

[WPRESTO]

Another glass figurine @ Disney World with nice soft bokeh behind. The lens-effect of the curved glass has caused the tree trunk and limbs to semi-focus the background and thereby create pseudo bark-like texture. The tree and trunk glass is actually perfectly smooth and clear.

[taks]

DA50@f5.6


two with DA35@f2.8

[zzeitg]

DA*200

[awscreo]

K-1 & Tamron 70-200 2.8


Cider by Timur Dzhambinov, on Flickr

[Riggomatic]

Colors of Spring? From a walk in the woods with the F80-200 on K10D:

In the fall, does it turn green?

[ivanvernon]

I was shooting birds, but decided to shoot this tree wide open at f 4.0 with a medium format lens, Pentax 67 200mm f 4.0.

[paulh]

Nice one, Paul

Thanks, Sue! ...and who knew the DA15 could be a killer bokeh lens?

In the fall, does it turn green?

I'll keep you posted

[pepperberry farm]

[Pepe_]

Whispers of Spring

[zzeitg]

FA28

[paulh]

The forest is coming to life - taken in mid-March with the F80-200 on K10D: