[edom31]

The monochrome one is particularly lovely.

thank you!

[paulh]

SMC-M28/3.5 on K5

[iheiramo]

I posted this on Single in thread, but some here might also be interested. Looks like M's have nothing to be ashamed of in landscape work

So I got out to take some test shots with DFA*85, M85 and M50/1.7 on K3 which has been my reliable landscape fifty. On crop body it works pretty much like 85 on FF. I don't label the shots I show and I try to fit 3 in a same row and I also try to mix the order, so you won't know which lens is used for each shot. The point is not to pixelpeep which is best on the pixel level, but to look for 3D feeling in the shots.

My first shots are a scene where everything is in focus. Taken at f11:



Focus on foreground at f11:



And as last same view at f5.6:

[paulh]

SMC-M75-150/4 on K5

[iheiramo]

No comments so far. I think it's safe to move on to my conclusions. The order of the shots is:

M85, DFA*85 & M50 on the first row.
M50, M85 & DFA*85 on the second row.
M85, DFA*85 & M50 on the third row.

In this size there really isn't much difference in the shots and it's very hard to tell which is which. From larger jpg's, expecially when you can flip them back and forth to compare, it's little easier to tell. But already jpg translation looses something in the detail and difference in the feel is easiest to tell in C1 while looking at RAW shots.

I think it safe to say that DFA*85 rendering is most reliably correct. I used tripod and remote control to take the shots. There was slight change in the angle due to lens change, but I cut the shots to 3:4 frame to remove that. I also cut M50 shots a bit smaller so that visible area is close to 85 lenses as possible.

To me the difference is most clear on the first row of shots. There is a fence right under the lower edge of the shot which I used as a mark for the crop. So the bottom is on the same level between 85's, yet the pier and treelien on the other side are located higher in the M85 shot than in DFA*85. So there are more distortion in M85 shots and I think that gives the shots a bit more 3D to the rendering. Still I think that somehow the M50 does this best thought in theory it has weaker camera attached to it and needed a slight crop.

So I think this test support my expectation that less corrected oldet lenses give better 3D feeling to the shots when stopped down to f8-f11, but the difference ain't as big as I expected and by the time I have downsappled the shot to size I post in Pentax Forums I'd say there ain't much difference left. If shot is used in instagram and viewed with mobile phohe, I'm certain there is no difference left. So I understand now why the DFA* landscape shots often feel a little soulless when I start to edit them, but I shouldn't care about it so much and there is no need to avoid taking stopped down landscapes with DFA*85, if that's the lens I got and there's a good scenery available. But there's also no point to expect similar magic in the shots as there is when shooting on wider apertures.

This also supports my thought to keep on packing small and light M's on travels and to leave heavy expensive stuff at home. Assuming that this Covid stuff ever gets to the point where I feel like it's sensible to travel again. I've been at home for 2 years now and that's the longest since my childhood. (for clarity I count Ruka as my home also, so going there is not travel.)

Thirdly I must reconsider my plan to get all DFA* lenses as wider versions are released. I probably will hang onto the plan, but the reason to get them must be wide open and portrait works. Landscapes the M's can handle. For that there is absolutely no need to put any more money on the lenses.

[paulh]

M50/2 on *ist D (xposted)

[Mbaez]

No comments so far. I think it's safe to move on to my conclusions. The order of the shots is:

M85, DFA*85 & M50 on the first row.
M50, M85 & DFA*85 on the second row.
M85, DFA*85 & M50 on the third row.

In this size there really isn't much difference in the shots and it's very hard to tell which is which. From larger jpg's, expecially when you can flip them back and forth to compare, it's little easier to tell. But already jpg translation looses something in the detail and difference in the feel is easiest to tell in C1 while looking at RAW shots.

I think it safe to say that DFA*85 rendering is most reliably correct. I used tripod and remote control to take the shots. There was slight change in the angle due to lens change, but I cut the shots to 3:4 frame to remove that. I also cut M50 shots a bit smaller so that visible area is close to 85 lenses as possible.

To me the difference is most clear on the first row of shots. There is a fence right under the lower edge of the shot which I used as a mark for the crop. So the bottom is on the same level between 85's, yet the pier and treelien on the other side are located higher in the M85 shot than in DFA*85. So there are more distortion in M85 shots and I think that gives the shots a bit more 3D to the rendering. Still I think that somehow the M50 does this best thought in theory it has weaker camera attached to it and needed a slight crop.

So I think this test support my expectation that less corrected oldet lenses give better 3D feeling to the shots when stopped down to f8-f11, but the difference ain't as big as I expected and by the time I have downsappled the shot to size I post in Pentax Forums I'd say there ain't much difference left. If shot is used in instagram and viewed with mobile phohe, I'm certain there is no difference left. So I understand now why the DFA* landscape shots often feel a little soulless when I start to edit them, but I shouldn't care about it so much and there is no need to avoid taking stopped down landscapes with DFA*85, if that's the lens I got and there's a good scenery available. But there's also no point to expect similar magic in the shots as there is when shooting on wider apertures.

This also supports my thought to keep on packing small and light M's on travels and to leave heavy expensive stuff at home. Assuming that this Covid stuff ever gets to the point where I feel like it's sensible to travel again. I've been at home for 2 years now and that's the longest since my childhood. (for clarity I count Ruka as my home also, so going there is not travel.)

Thirdly I must reconsider my plan to get all DFA* lenses as wider versions are released. I probably will hang onto the plan, but the reason to get them must be wide open and portrait works. Landscapes the M's can handle. For that there is absolutely no need to put any more money on the lenses.

Like you said: It's really hard to compare at those sizes. But in 2 cases, before reading the answers, I liked the M85 shots better.

[jacksonae49]

K-1 Mk11 / SMC Pentax-M 28mm f2.8

[paulh]

Starting up the trail at Hill Canyon, Calif. M75-150/4 on K5

[paulh]

SMC-M75-150/4 on K5

[paulh]

SMC-M28/3.5 on K-5

[Jonathan Mac]

I took the M 50mm f/1.4 to an indoor market in Madrid yesterday and took some shots on the S5. I really think this camera is going to breath a new lease of life into my M lenses, especially the 50/1.4 - I'm very happy at how well it performed and it was an absolute pleasure to use.

The market has both tourists and locals and the outside walls are glass so it gets good light (for an indoor market).


Market bar by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr


Market bar IV by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr


Market bar III by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr


Market bar II by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr


PAN by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

[Jonathan Mac]

M 50mm f/1.4 on Lumix S5


Retiro blossom by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr


Statue by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

[paulh]

Spring on the hillside, Hill Canyon Calif. M75-150/4 on K5

[iheiramo]

It's been awhile, but shooting M in Single In Challenge again. M50/4 macro for May