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07-01-2008, 03:29 AM   #1
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Cheap/Fun WA lens-Zenitar 16mm

This is a fun/cheap tiny (3" & 67mm filter) lens. Well at F4 to F5.6 above, I doubt if any WA can beat it re the fun/cost factor .
A lot of people are put off because of the FE distortion and manual focus. The FoV can be corrected with a click at the time when u do resizing. MF is a non-issue as it DoF is so huge. A lot of time I had everything in focus.


This is wide angle shot from film with zero crop factor and fisheye








Strict from dslr (84 degree of FoV) , with no defishing









All pict below have been defished, mostly around 77 degrees of FoV















Daniel

07-01-2008, 06:55 AM   #2
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I couldn't agree more Daniel. Easily the most fun lens in my bag. The one thing I think you forgot to mention is that it focused quite closely too, tho your "bird in hand" shot (I've seen it before and still love it) alludes to that. I'd say it's biggest downfall is that it's quite soft at 2.8. But for the price who cares? The other thing I'd like to mention, is that since its fisheye distortion isn't all that huge on a DSLR, with some careful composition and framing you can almost completely negate it's effects. I'll post some shots with mine when I have a bit more time.

NaCl(my "Z" is almost always in my bag)H2O
07-01-2008, 07:03 AM   #3
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I have got to find one of these in M42.
07-01-2008, 07:12 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Mike Cash Quote
I have got to find one of these in M42.
You can get k mount ones. M42 may be cheaper though. But you need an adapter for it and taking it out for other lenses may be a pain assuming you do not have a m42 dedicated dslr.

I have DL & K100D. And if I get a K20D, the DL can be a M42 dedicated one.



Both are slightly defished and I like the FoV of around 74 degree













Daniel

07-01-2008, 09:11 AM   #5
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As promised

Like I said with careful framing and judicial cropping you don't even have to defish.



But the fisheye effect is a lot of fun too



Then there's the kinda 1/2 way point



DOF is HUGE! Here is a shot straight up the flagpole like sculpture in front of the Air and Space museum in Wash, DC.



Just so you can get an idea of what I was shooting



NaCl(if you want fun, get a "Z" )H2O
07-01-2008, 09:26 AM   #6
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Really like that second shot Daniel, especially the candles. One of the nice things about the lens is that since it's so wide you can get some very nice angles and POV's.

NaCl(wish all my lenses were as easy to use)H2O
07-01-2008, 09:55 AM   #7
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Now, if my Zenitar 16 would only GET HERE! I placed my order the first week of April with rugift.com and the first lens they shipped got hung up somewhere in customs. They shipped another that I received the first week of June, but that copy had defective aperture and focus mechanisms. I had to ship it back to Russia and am still waiting for the replacement. With any luck maybe I will be able to photograph some fall color when it gets here!

In the mean time I guess I will have to just be envious of the good work displayed in the previous posts. Great images from all!

Steve

07-01-2008, 12:08 PM   #8
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Yup, it is a great lens, espeically for the $$. I haven't used it much lately, maybe I need to get it out and start again



07-01-2008, 05:07 PM   #9
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LOVE it! Everyone needs one...nevermind the DA 14 and 16-50 at 5x the price...
07-01-2008, 07:32 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by ryan s Quote
LOVE it! Everyone needs one...nevermind the DA 14 and 16-50 at 5x the price...
How should Zenitar fans be defined? I would say it is exactly the opposite of 'measurebator'. We care about fun and posting images. The rest are just side issues - sharpness, distortion, CA, PF.....
Who the h_ _ _ cares? What counts is the images.
It is like a flood gate opened for us.



Ceiling low light 1/3s shots at the Lourve ceiling










Papal Palace, Avignon, France







Daniel
07-01-2008, 08:13 PM   #11
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It's the most fun lens i had, but i got it in EOS mount for the 30D, had i just gotten it in M42.....i would still be able to have fun. And i'm supposed to get me a grip with the money....not another Zenitar, what a mistake clicking this was! ;P
07-01-2008, 09:02 PM   #12
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how's the FOV when mounted on a APS-C camera..
can you give me some sample shots? or the pics above on DSLR already..

thanks!
07-02-2008, 02:22 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by danielchtong Quote
You can get k mount ones. M42 may be cheaper though. But you need an adapter for it and taking it out for other lenses may be a pain assuming you do not have a m42 dedicated dslr.
Not a problem as I shoot Takumars extensively. I don't do the K-mount <-> Screwmount shuffle. When I go out with M42s, that's all I take out.

Anyway, besides the K100D I have three Pentax film bodies I want to use it on, and two of them are from the screwmount era. Buying it in M42 will assure I can use it on all of my cameras. I'm one of those people who find that K-mount limits my options, whereas M42 broadens them.
07-02-2008, 03:07 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by DJey Quote
how's the FOV when mounted on a APS-C camera..
can you give me some sample shots? or the pics above on DSLR already..

thanks!
I know it is confusing as there were film image (with no crop factor), dslr image (with crop factory) and partially defished image.



This is the original dslr FoV of a Zen at around 84 degree. See the horizon of the gorund. Taken from 2007 Kit Festival of Toronto. These kites were gigantic at around 20 ft apiece





FoV from dslr at around 84 degree








The image after defishing. As you can see the distraction at left centre is defished out






Daniel
07-02-2008, 03:49 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by danielchtong Quote
I know it is confusing as there were film image (with no crop factor), dslr image (with crop factory) and partially defished image.



This is the original dslr FoV of a Zen at around 84 degree. See the horizon of the gorund. Taken from 2007 Kit Festival of Toronto. These kites were gigantic at around 20 ft apiece





FoV from dslr at around 84 degree








The image after defishing. As you can see the distraction at left centre is defished out






Daniel
WOW! Thanks Daniel!
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