[monochrome]

And yet we have Johnny Appleseed...

The varieties of apples (Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Graany Smith, McIntosh) are mutations. They are grown as rootstock cultivars* and often the varietal limbs are grafted onto rootstock trees of a different variety..

Directory of Apple Varieties

List of Apple Cultivars

I recently acquired a very clean Tamron Adaptall-2 P/KA adapter for my AD-2 SP35~80/2.8/3.8 01-A. No more fussing with changing an adapter to change lenses.

* Selection of rootstock cultivars can be difficult: vigorous roots tend to give trees that are healthy but grow too tall to be harvested easily without careful pruning, while dwarfing rootstocks result in small trees that are easy to harvest from, but are often shorter-lived and sometimes less healthy. Most modern commercial orchards use one of the "Malling series" (aka 'M' series), introduced or developed by the East Malling Research Station from the early 20th century onward. However, a great deal of work has been done recently introducing new rootstocks in Poland, the U.S. (Geneva), and other nations. The Polish rootstocks are often used where cold hardiness is needed. The Geneva series of rootstocks has been developed to resist important diseases such as fireblight and collar rot, as well as for high fruit productivity.

[WPRESTO]

And yet we have Johnny Appleseed...

I think your question has been answered. It is possible to grow apple trees from seeds, but what the fruit will be like is totally unpredictable. Bananas are different. SFAIK the vast majority, perhaps all commercial banana trees have been propagated from cuttings or similar methods, such that essentially all bananas are genetically identical. There is a fungal disease attacking the trees, and without genetic diversity, no chance to find a resistant strain quickly, so it is possible that the banana familiar to us will go extinct.

[UncleVanya]

The varieties of apples (Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Graany Smith, McIntosh) are mutations. They are grown as rootstock cultivars* and often the varietal limbs are grafted onto rootstock trees of a different variety..

Directory of Apple Varieties

List of Apple Cultivars

I recently acquired a very clean Tamron Adaptall-2 P/KA adapter for my AD-2 SP35~80/2.8/3.8 01-A. No more fussing with changing an adapter to change lenses.

* Selection of rootstock cultivars can be difficult: vigorous roots tend to give trees that are healthy but grow too tall to be harvested easily without careful pruning, while dwarfing rootstocks result in small trees that are easy to harvest from, but are often shorter-lived and sometimes less healthy. Most modern commercial orchards use one of the "Malling series" (aka 'M' series), introduced or developed by the East Malling Research Station from the early 20th century onward. However, a great deal of work has been done recently introducing new rootstocks in Poland, the U.S. (Geneva), and other nations. The Polish rootstocks are often used where cold hardiness is needed. The Geneva series of rootstocks has been developed to resist important diseases such as fireblight and collar rot, as well as for high fruit productivity.

Actually I'm aware of this. I live in NC where we have a lot of apple farms in the mountains. I point out that you can easily get apples from seeds - just not the same apples you might expect. We don't grow our varieties that way but we can make apples that way.

[UncleVanya]

I think your question has been answered. It is possible to grow apple trees from seeds, but what the fruit will be like is totally unpredictable. Bananas are different. SFAIK the vast majority, perhaps all commercial banana trees have been propagated from cuttings or similar methods, such that essentially all bananas are genetically identical. There is a fungal disease attacking the trees, and without genetic diversity, no chance to find a resistant strain quickly, so it is possible that the banana familiar to us will go extinct.

Yup. I agree with all of this. The Cavendish banana may indeed go bye bye...

[carlthellama]

Two lenses arrived today! First was a stunning Schneider Kreuzach Edixa Xenon 135mm f3.5 orgasmatron...... OK, I added the last bit but it is stunning! I cannot wait to test it! The second arrived shortly after and this one I did test. I took it out for a walk round the village and the pictures appeared so sharp that I cut myself when I was viewing them. This baby, and possibly my new favourite, is a mamiya sekor 50mm f2! I am in love!

What other 50mm's have you used? I have a mamiya 50mm f2 and haven't given it much attention but from the few tests I have done with it the performance seems to be fantastic.

[Nakedgun]

Yup. I agree with all of this. The Cavendish banana may indeed go bye bye...

Then, I suppose they are both Cavendish, but I definitely prefer those imported under the Chiquita brand over those from Dole, whatever their difference.

[Cerebum]

What other 50mm's have you used? I have a mamiya 50mm f2 and haven't given it much attention but from the few tests I have done with it the performance seems to be fantastic.

Oooh, loads lol. 50mm is very common in m42 & I do love variety. List in ascending order of sharpness
Steinheil munchen cassaron f2.9 needs cleaning.
Steinheil munchen cassar f2.9
Carl Zeiss tessar f2.8
E Ludwig Meritar f2.9
Pentax-m f2
Carl Zeiss pancolar f2.8
Auto Mamiya sekor f2

I havent pixel peeped round the corners with these because for my level, soft corners are ok, its based on centre area. The sharpest wall to wall is probably the pancolar. The e Ludwig and steinheil munchen are silver, look great on the camera and are cheap and fun to use. Mine is the slightly conical e Ludwig and it is great. It isn't quick to use but that just means you factor in thinking time. I also have a super tak 55 and two Helios, 44-2 & 44-4 so I have sharpness and variety in abundance. My mamiya is unaltered so I always open her up to focus and I have a magnifying eyepiece. Today I am expecting a yashika auto Yashinon f1.7 and I am very excited. The Yashinon is my most expensive at £38 but the average is probably £20. The mamiya was £12 and when you think that in many cases the glass and build quality can rival a £500 prime, they are a bargain

[Marcus Rowland]

Got a Praktica LLC with two M42 lenses for £20 - a nice clean Pentacon Electric 1.8/50, and an OK Prinzflex 2.8/135, both good sellers. And if I can get the meter to work it gives me a way to test Pentacon Electric lenses, which might occasionally be useful.

[aslyfox]

two items on the way to my house

a cap for a 21mm limited which is supposed to fit any lens with a 49mm filter

an " experienced " smc Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 Limited ( 49mm filter )

will have to decide whether the Limited is impressive enough for me to get rid of the " best in its class " smc Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 XS

[mattb123]

My silver FA 43/1.9 just came today. Looks pretty cool. Test shots are good so now I need to find something more interesting!

[monochrome]

My silver FA 43/1.9 just came today. Looks pretty cool. Test shots are good so now I need to find something more interesting!

Yes! Another 43 Limited Acolyte

[timw4mail]

• Nikon FE
• Micro-Nikkor 55/3.5 (non-AI)

[monochrome]

• Nikon FE
• Micro-Nikkor 55/3.5 (non-AI)

Nice camera and lens. I have an FE2 and that lens. Sharp, sharp.

[Canada_Rockies]

BenQ 21.5" Monitor for my MacBook Air. Far from the best, but for C$142.23 delivered it's an improvement over the 13.3" built in on the laptop. It seems to be good enough for my uses. The MacBook Air running High Sierra even had a built in colour profile for it -- No need to load the CD.

PS: The picture is the boat launch and marina area in Elkwater, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, AB. The beauty in the deck chair is chasing birds with her Pentax X-5. Quite successfully, too, I must admit. I like the shot so much it's my desktop background.

[clackers]

Just trying out the Sigma 85mm f1.4 I got from eBay …