[Spaceman-Spiff]

Well, the PK mount will be available until December, againt the August of Canikon. I think they will have time to produce as no standar mount

Actually, it can only be ordered within the next SIX DAYS - that's when the Kickstarter project ends. I quote: "This project will be funded on Tue, May 10 2016 5:00 PM BST."

And if a total of only 50 pledges is not achieved, no Pentax version will be made (I suspect ever, if even the initial project fails to arouse enough interest)

December is when delivery occurs for those lucky few that ordered one. Or two...

So people, you really need to get your skates on and order these things now, before it's too late! Four hundred bucks is a bargain IMHO when you compare it against the price of mass produced plastic lenses - this is a rare and historically interesting lens in brass!

[IgorZ]

Actually, it can only be ordered within the next SIX DAYS - that's when the Kickstarter project ends. I quote: "This project will be funded on Tue, May 10 2016 5:00 PM BST."

And if a total of only 50 pledges is not achieved, no Pentax version will be made (I suspect ever, if even the initial project fails to arouse enough interest)

December is when delivery occurs for those lucky few that ordered one. Or two...

So people, you really need to get your skates on and order these things now, before it's too late! Four hundred bucks is a bargain IMHO when you compare it against the price of mass produced plastic lenses - this is a rare and historically interesting lens in brass!

The Kickstarter campaign website says that the retail price of the lens will be $499 dollars or euros. Not really expecting a positive answer, but I asked them if that means I can pledge $400 Canadian to get the lens. 400 rubles would be even better, but I would settle for $400 CDN

[UncleVanya]

3 are pledged in black so likely only 13 more needed.

[IgorZ]

interesting review of the lens

Review: Lomography Daguerreotype Achromat 2.9/64 Art Lens

[IgorZ]

I really like this lens, but I wonder how much of its performance is basically advertising by Lomography, and how much is real. When I look at the pictures on their kickstarter campaign, they look great, way better than the pictures taken by the reviewer above. Have they been heavily processed? How can you judge? The reviewer said that you need to stop down aperture to get some sharpness, but then you lose the bokeh, which is understandable. What I wonder is whether you need to stop down to get the colors and contrast as well... I guess the question is how can we evaluate performance, or do we simply trust Lomography?

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

I really like this lens, but I wonder how much of its performance is basically advertising by Lomography, and how much is real. When I look at the pictures on their kickstarter campaign, they look great, way better than the pictures taken by the reviewer above. Have they been heavily processed? How can you judge? The reviewer said that you need to stop down aperture to get some sharpness, but then you lose the bokeh, which is understandable. What I wonder is whether you need to stop down to get the colors and contrast as well... I guess the question is how can we evaluate performance, or do we simply trust Lomography?

Valid concerns. The lens appears to require quite a bit of practice because the type and speed of aperture selection greatly influences the effects. Clearly, shooting wide open is reserved for those who want a dreamy, rather soft effect. I'm not sure the reviewer fully understood how best to use the lens, and I'm giving a lot of benefit of the doubt. So many shots were relatively wide open shot against difficult light. Pretty much a recipe for disaster with such a lens. The reviewer said he struggled with focus. This wouldn't be an issue with quality Live View and focus peaking - even in difficult light. Still, a few of the shots are quite interesting, and somewhat sharp.

Based on the images I've seen posted, the lens is capable of good sharpness in a small area of the image, so that can be achieved if selecting the proper aperture insert in decent light. Considering the design, that's about all you really can expect. Some of the OOF rendering is lovely, some interesting, some unflattering. Interestingly complex situation for a relatively simple lens.

[Spaceman-Spiff]

I also wonder if the reviewer really understood the lens - he talks about problems with limited depth of field, sharpness and of using Lightroom and post-processing to upgrade your images! It appears that he's approaching it from the perspective of comparing the technical ability of the achromat with that of modern lenses, and the comparison is unfair. This is, by both design and intent, a completely different sort of beast.

The whole point of this lens - in my view - is the soft, impressionistic effects it can create! These are the very qualities that made me want to buy one. I'm after a portrait lens that can do the sort of things that old film studio lenses used to do back in the 1930's and 40's. Wafer thin DOF, soft buttery backgrounds and amazing bokeh effects. Take a look at studio shots from that era and you'll see what I'm talking about. The eyes are always in focus but the ears often not. And the rest melts into a lovely blur. It's a very flattering effect indeed.

[IgorZ]

I also wonder if the reviewer really understood the lens - he talks about problems with limited depth of field, sharpness and of using Lightroom and post-processing to upgrade your images! It appears that he's approaching it from the perspective of comparing the technical ability of the achromat with that of modern lenses, and the comparison is unfair. This is, by both design and intent, a completely different sort of beast.

The whole point of this lens - in my view - is the soft, impressionistic effects it can create! These are the very qualities that made me want to buy one. I'm after a portrait lens that can do the sort of things that old film studio lenses used to do back in the 1930's and 40's. Wafer thin DOF, soft buttery backgrounds and amazing bokeh effects. Take a look at studio shots from that era and you'll see what I'm talking about. The eyes are always in focus but the ears often not. And the rest melts into a lovely blur. It's a very flattering effect indeed.

I agree with you completely. But I do wonder how unprocessed images look. I love my Jupiter 9, but wide open it is soft, washed out, and lacks contrast. You can still get some of that dreamy soft nice looking picture with it wide open, but you have to process it a bit, or have appropriate lighting. I definitely want some of that old portrait look, but I wonder how much of it is added in post production, especially since Lomography shots look better, than reviewer's...

[Spaceman-Spiff]

I agree with you completely. But I do wonder how unprocessed images look. I love my Jupiter 9, but wide open it is soft, washed out, and lacks contrast. You can still get some of that dreamy soft nice looking picture with it wide open, but you have to process it a bit, or have appropriate lighting. I definitely want some of that old portrait look, but I wonder how much of it is added in post production, especially since Lomography shots look better, than reviewer's...

The reviewer didn't really "get" the lens, so maybe that prevented him getting the best results from it.
I suspect this lens is one of those that requires a bit of love and intuition to operate well. And I rather like that sort of challenge - it takes photography to a more artistic, creative place.

[IgorZ]

Here is another review. The colours do look a bit more muted when compared to what Lomography shows...

LOMOGRAPHY – The DAGUERREOTYPE ACHROMAT 2.9/64 ART LENS : Derrick Ong Photography

[Spaceman-Spiff]

Here is another review. The colours do look a bit more muted when compared to what Lomography shows...

LOMOGRAPHY – The DAGUERREOTYPE ACHROMAT 2.9/64 ART LENS : Derrick Ong Photography

Interesting! I hadn't seen that review before, and you're right about the muted effect. Looking at the sky and all the clouds I wonder if the light was rather cold when the images were shot. I'd have welcomed some samples taken at different times of day / subjects / locations. I'm not sticking my head in the sand and ignoring evidence here, but there are days when I get muted effects using whatever lens I stick on the camera, including my cherished Limited glass. Light is everything. And other reviewers have particularly noted a warm and subtle colour rendition from the achromat.

At the end of the day I can't know for sure until I get my lens (fingers and toes all crossed) but I'm still delighted to be on the pledge list for this special and potentially very rare (in Pentax form) lens

[tjbogart33]

I have to say folks, for a newbie to post something that _might_ be interesting and end up with 3 pages of chatter - thanks for make me feel welcome.

and 42 bronze plus 3 black with 5 days to go is looking good.

Cheers

[ThorSanchez]

I have to say folks, for a newbie to post something that _might_ be interesting and end up with 3 pages of chatter - thanks for make me feel welcome.

and 42 bronze plus 3 black with 5 days to go is looking good.

Cheers

I did an out-of-character impulsive pledge mostly thinking we won't get to 50 so the wife won't care. Well... I think we're getting to 50.

[virusn3t]

I did an out-of-character impulsive pledge mostly thinking we won't get to 50 so the wife won't care. Well... I think we're getting to 50.

Im still on the fence, this lens or the Laowa 105 STF...

[tjbogart33]

I did an out-of-character impulsive pledge mostly thinking we won't get to 50 so the wife won't care. Well... I think we're getting to 50.

that warrants a 'ruh-roh'