[pepperberry farm]

There's 4 more DA Limited lenses though. With you having the 21 and 40 now, I guess you're skipping the 20-40 zoom and the 35 macro? So the two left will be the 15 and 70?

and don't forget the FA Limiteds - 31, 43, and 77.....

[lmd91343]

You will like the Limited 15mm. I have the SMC version. It is one of my favorites.

[que es tu]

There's 4 more DA Limited lenses though. With you having the 21 and 40 now, I guess you're skipping the 20-40 zoom and the 35 macro? So the two left will be the 15 and 70?

Get the 15mm SMC. It has the best starburst and flare resistance.

At least for now I will forego the zoom and the macro. I am really enjoying the size and weight of the primes, not to mention I have been learning a lot about framing and composition while using primes. Also, I have a 100mm macro.

I definitely plan on getting the 15mm and 70mm, both SMC. It will be a little while before I do, I need to build up some funds in my photography piggy bank first!!

HOWEVER, who knows? I may eventually get all the DA limiteds! I hear they’re addictive??

---------- Post added 12-11-22 at 13:42 ----------

and don't forget the FA Limiteds - 31, 43, and 77.....

NOOOO!!!! Don’t mention the FA Limiteds!!!! NOOOO!!!!!!! You are EVIL!!!!! NOOOOO!!!! I MUST RESIST!!!

[lmd91343]

I just got the Irix 15 Blackstone. I’ll test it out tomorrow. I will also compare it to my Samyang 14.

Test charts tomorrow. Real world, outdoor testing after my cataract surgeries later this month and the beginning of January.

We got a break in the rain with broken skies. I took the 055 tripod and remote control out and used mirror lock-up

I found:

• At infinity 180' using LV, focus peaking, and magnification, at all fstops the Irix is sharper in the center, halfway to the edge, and at the edge.
• At infinity 25' using LV, focus peaking, magnification, at all fstops both lenses are very close in sharpness.
• It is very easy to provoke flare in the Samyang 14.
• I was unable to provoke flare in the Irix 15.
• I was unable to provoke purple fringing in the Irix 15.
• The Irix is bigger an heavier than the Samyang.
• Both focus beyond infinity with the Irix "clicking at infinity.
• The Irix can take filters the Samyang can't.
• The Irix has a sliding window in the hood for adjustment of variable ND filters.

Much more green than orange. Irix wins!

I still have chart testing to do. That will be this afternoon, Monday, or Wednesday.

I need to figure out how to test for coma. Ideas anyone?

[photoptimist]

I need to figure out how to test for coma. Ideas anyone?

The night sky is a very convenient and pretty stringent coma test chart -- bright infinitesimal points of light on a black ground. If that isn't available, a city skyline at night with shots taken so the horizon is on the edge of the frame can also reveal coma and aberrations.

Good luck (and we look forward to your results!)

[lmd91343]

The night sky is a very convenient and pretty stringent coma test chart -- bright infinitesimal points of light on a black ground. If that isn't available, a city skyline at night with shots taken so the horizon is on the edge of the frame can also reveal coma and aberrations.

Good luck (and we look forward to your results!)

Thank you. Good idea.

Stars in the sky is out for me. On a good night the sky glows orange and I can see six or seven stars. This is Los Angeles.

I suppose the city skyline, looking north over the SF Valley from the bridges over the freeways in the Sepulveda and Cahuenga passes. This is easy and only a five mile drive. Just need tripod, camera, lenses, and remote. I would get lots of small dots of light of several different colors.

It is probably better than my idea of a very small pin prick (.1mm?) in a piece of aluminum foil taped over an LED light fixture from 50’ after dark in my house. The light may not be far enough away. I would need each edge, each corner, and the center, the light is monochromatic. My wife won’t like me turning off all the lights.

[rvandenbrink]

Spare lens caps for everything I use day to day.
.. Because it’s only a matter of time before I need them :-)

[jspi]

Regulator on the old Craftsman 2 gallon air compressor has been leaking. One of the cars needed air in the tires so I got it out of the shed. Plugged it in, turned it on, and it struggled to start but did start and work. I assume that means the electric motor is getting weak. Regulator seems to be leaking more. Also assuming replacing both wouldn't be cost effective considering it's at least 15 years old. So it was off to see what the local stores had on sale for Christmas. 6 gallon Ridgid pancake compressor was on sale for $99 so I got that and a new air hose. About all we use it for is for tires and occasional cleaning (dust removal) so it will hopefully last as long as the old one.

[lmd91343]

Thank you. Good idea.

Stars in the sky is out for me. On a good night the sky glows orange and I can see six or seven stars. This is Los Angeles.

I suppose the city skyline, looking north over the SF Valley from the bridges over the freeways in the Sepulveda and Cahuenga passes. This is easy and only a five mile drive. Just need tripod, camera, lenses, and remote. I would get lots of small dots of light of several different colors.

It is probably better than my idea of a very small pin prick (.1mm?) in a piece of aluminum foil taped over an LED light fixture from 50’ after dark in my house. The light may not be far enough away. I would need each edge, each corner, and the center, the light is monochromatic. My wife won’t like me turning off all the lights.

I tried the aluminum foil over the small LED light with a .2mm pin prick hole. The light was 40 feet away. I only did testing at f2.8 on both lenses. I'll wait to do a full test after my cataract surgeries with the skylines.

The Samyang 14 had "snow cone" looking lights with the vertex pointing away from the center. Dots in the center were round. All of the spots were about 10% bigger than similarly placed ones on the Irix.





The Irix 15 had small "X" shaped spots around the periphery and round in the center. The spots were all smaller than similarly placed Samyang spots. The center spot is enlarged almost to pixelation.






There is a small crinkle in the foil that causes an artifact below the spot in each picture.
The pictures are not in scale to each other. The Irix spots are all smaller.

[trixtroll]

I'd planned on using my holiday bonus to fund some more glass and extra 120 backs for my 645 kit, but my wife has requested that I expedite a few home improvement projects that I've been putting off.

I recently traded my truck for a sensible hatchback that gets 35 mpg, but it's not so great at hauling things for home improvement projects. I don't haul things often enough to justify owning a truck anymore, but figured it's convenient to have a small utility trailer to haul things home from the hardware store.

[gaweidert]

An Oukitel RT2 Android 12 tablet with a 10.1" FHD screen. Wanted an rugged tablet with a long battery life and this fit the bill. Mil spec rugged, IP69 waterproof rating and a 20,000 mAh battery. It does come with a price as it comes in at a hefty 1Kg (2.2 pounds). 8GB RAM and 128GB ROM.

[RobA_Oz]

I'd planned on using my holiday bonus to fund some more glass and extra 120 backs for my 645 kit, but my wife has requested that I expedite a few home improvement projects that I've been putting off.

I recently traded my truck for a sensible hatchback that gets 35 mpg, but it's not so great at hauling things for home improvement projects. I don't haul things often enough to justify owning a truck anymore, but figured it's convenient to have a small utility trailer to haul things home from the hardware store.

I’ll bet my little DS3 is smaller than your sensible hatchback, and I’ve fitted roof bars to mine to carry things. Obviously, a trailer can handle a greater load, and heavier items will be easier to handle on it, but I’ve just bought a sturdy aluminium roof tray to attach to the roof bars that makes it more flexible. I’ve got a building project on the go, too.

It’s amazing to some folks what you can get by with, if you don’t own an urban assault vehicle.

[Arjay Bee]

It’s amazing to some folks what you can get by with, if you don’t own an urban assault vehicle

On the flexibility theme, a Hyundai Getz can fit a washing machine still in its carton - a colleague asserts that he picked one up and the warehouse people couldn't believe it. A few years later he picked up a crated oven range and the warehouse people remembered that he was the legend who picked up the washing machine 3 years earlier. Drivers' seat forward, rear seats down, short distance = doable.

[Canada_Rockies]

On the flexibility theme, a Hyundai Getz can fit a washing machine still in its carton - a colleague asserts that he picked one up and the warehouse people couldn't believe it. A few years later he picked up a crated oven range and the warehouse people remembered that he was the legend who picked up the washing machine 3 years earlier. Drivers' seat forward, rear seats down, short distance = doable.

My daughter and her husband have a Honda Fit The SIL plays hockey at an outdoor rink, and managed to get 7 SEVEN! straw bales inside it. When he has larger stuff to move he invites his FIL (me) to come visit with the pickup truck.

[tim60]

On the flexibility theme, a Hyundai Getz can fit a washing machine still in its carton - a colleague asserts that he picked one up and the warehouse people couldn't believe it. A few years later he picked up a crated oven range and the warehouse people remembered that he was the legend who picked up the washing machine 3 years earlier. Drivers' seat forward, rear seats down, short distance = doable.

I once carried a 20’ extension ladder tied to the side of a Corolla, with padding to stop damage. I had no way of loading it on top.