[twinda1]

Well, I finally managed to get a second hand one from China (on the way to me now ). Costed even more than I could've got for a brand new one a year ago, but I guess that's the price we need to pay for LBA

Frank, you had one in your hands 2 months ago.

[frank]

Frank, you had one in your hands 2 months ago.

Yeah, but that's not mine. I wasn't ready to pay such a big amount for it yet, kinda regret now

[distudio]

Actually you were the very first guy I asked about this lens (and its comparison w/ the A100/2.8 macro), pity I let that one go (when it's only around $500USD!). But it's never too late, isn't it

But I think the A50/2.8 macro will still be my favorite macro lens

Hi Frank, I have been spruiking the virtues of the V125 for many years now but still my A50/2.8 tends to be my most used macro lens. :-)

[frank]

Hi Frank, I have been spruiking the virtues of the V125 for many years now but still my A50/2.8 tends to be my most used macro lens. :-)

The A50/2.8 is such a joy to hold and use. It's probably the most balanced lens (size/weight/handling/IQ) I've ever had. I'd keep mine as long as Pentax still makes cameras for it

[knyghtfall]

i know most ppl don't really use b&w on macro... and much less on wilted flowers on the ground... but here's a shot from the VT 125 macro:

[sashae]

We all know how good the V125 is as a Macro lens, but I'm really enjoying it as a portrait lens as well. Beautiful stuff. I'm strongly thinking of picking up the Nokton 58mm as well, as the appearance of the photos in general are so pleasant with the 125.

[thePiRaTE!!]

I was doing some testing with a new (to me) VL90 and repeated some of the purple fringing tests I'd used in the T*25, FA31 tests and found the VL to be superior to both in its handling of pf. The weird part is how it seems to do it. I noticed scrolling through the shots I'd taken that being back, front or in-focus made a difference to how much (if any) fringing resulted. That seemed weird to me . . . . I kinda wondered if anyone had a reason why that might be?

50% enlarged - infinity back focused:


50% enlarged - in-focus plane:


50% enlarged - front focused:


Overall you can see, even wide open at f3.5 that the VL90 flies through this test - though I found the results a little odd.

I'll have my full review up in a day or two once I can get outside with it.

K.

[distudio]

Overall you can see, even wide open at f3.5 that the VL90 flies through this test - though I found the results a little odd.

I don't think it's all that odd. The lens is apochromatic at the plane of focus, however it appears to exhibit axial chromatic aberrations in front of and behind the plane of focus.

Cheers,

[thePiRaTE!!]

I don't think it's all that odd. The lens is apochromatic at the plane of focus, however it appears to exhibit axial chromatic aberrations in front of and behind the plane of focus.

Cheers,

But its the front focused image that is free of fringing (ie. background oof area is free of fringing, in-focus has the most). Mind you, the amount of front focus in relation to the contrast area was very little, the difference between it and the in-focus shot fringe wise was the most apparent.

I'm a student when it comes to the science of fringing, I didn't realize until now that it would matter how the lens was focused, just if it was stopped down or wide open. I did pick up recently the difference between lateral and axial chromatic abberation, with lateral perhaps increasing (ie, spreading with the bokeh) in the forward and backward oof areas, but this seems to be relegated with the front focused shot being virtually free of any trace of pf. So axial it is - I'm all ears to hear more about how it is affected by the focal plane though! [sponge mode: ON]

On a seperate note - Someone asked me to test whether the K20 was as susceptible to pf as the K10, suggesting that the 10's CCD was perhaps prone to pf in general. I'll can check that too while I'm at it.

[tlfaust]

Hi
I just got the Voigt 125 yesterday. Had some sunlight late this afternoon. I shot these without my contact lenses - relying on the focus indicator only. It'll take a bit of practice to get used to this lens, but I think it will be well worth the effort.

Taken with the K20D - no flash. No PP...





Regards

[TKH]

I now join one week the Voigtlaender 58 1.4 Nokton.
The lens is a big surprise for me. I never expected so mutch bang for the buck:

f2:







f4:




Rainer

[roentarre]

Congradulation.

When you buy Nokton, you are buying its supreme bokeh quality. f2 seems a reasonable aperture to avoid unsharp images. The bokeh quality pretty much remained unchanged from 1.4 to f2 except in the highlight department where the circles would be smaller and perfectly round...

[TKH]

Yes, you are right. But its a little difficult to hit the spot in 1.4.

But I also love the f4 shots of this lens.

Now my first love 43mm 1.9 has a problem...

Do I need a second camera for it??

Best,
Rainer

[roentarre]

Yes, you are right. But its a little difficult to hit the spot in 1.4.

But I also love the f4 shots of this lens.

Now my first love 43mm 1.9 has a problem...

Do I need a second camera for it??

Best,
Rainer

My trick with Nokton using f1.4 is to manual focus from shortest focusing distance to infinity. As soon as the screen turns clear, that would be the spot to take a shot. The clear sharp image in the focusing screen tends to stay for a while when you are continuously manual focusing towards infinity and that is where the unsharp images will turn out when you get home.

No need for second camera.

Yes, 43mm is not that far different focal length from Nokton but they are very different lenses. Believe it or not

[thePiRaTE!!]

Some of you may recall I ordered a Zeiss Makro-Planar 50/2 to oust my Nokton as my 50 of choice, and possibly only 50, but with this talk of great bokeh and Piotrs recent shots with his 1.2, I wanted to really see if the Nokton could carve a place in my stony heart. Its working:

Pint of the good stuff


Spring is finally blossoming in Western Canada


I'll test the Makro-Planar's mettle against this mighty bokeh to see if - like the T*25 and FA31 before them - they can co-exist or if one will evict the other from my bag.