Game Single in March 2013

**southlander** · 03-31-2013, 04:18 AM

Well, my half month Challenge was quite enjoyable. Long enough to get into the spirit of the Challenge, but avoiding the fourth week that can get a little tough.

As others have observed, the Pentax 50's are great lenses. The M50/1.7 was a pleasure to use, and produced some really nice colours (when the post-processor's heavy hand didn't overdo it). Small amounts of CA at and below F4, but easy to remove, and was never a problem. I'm not a bokeh expert, but the lens it seemed to generally create a pleasant OOF outcome.

I struggled a bit with the APS-C field of view provided by the M85/2 I used last November and I seemed to be regularly fighting the narrowness of the view. The 50 on APS-C felt really good and I never found the FOV annoying me in any way. Makes me think the M85 on FF would be a lovely focal length.

Never been much of a wide aperture user unless forced to open up a lens to deal with to a shortage of light. I use these challenges to try to break free of my comfort zone and found I enjoyed using the 50 near wide open. Something I should do more of. I have a F50/1.7 lurking somewhere - something I should turn to once I'm done challenging all my M's.

I'll be continuing on in April, taking up the film challenge. Haven't shot a roll of film for a good decade and have never had any film scanned, so this should be interesting.

Last edited by southlander; 03-31-2013 at 04:28 AM.

**southlander** · 03-31-2013, 04:31 AM

Originally posted by Zorglub

Torben and Bingo

That's a great shot.

**southlander** · 03-31-2013, 05:32 AM

Sorry, yet another post from me.

On Saturday, I ended up with quite a few photos, and a few more have been posted over here.

**blackcloudbrew** · 03-31-2013, 06:12 AM

What can I say about the Q + 02? Well it's clearly a versatile lens combination. We got a firmware update for the Q this past week and I think it made the 02 even better. I can say that it's not wide enough and not long enough for me as to complete walk around lens but it's quite good. I can see why when they introduced the Q the 02 was a logical length for it. I've added an after market bayonet hood for it and I think it helps. I really only had one case of flaring with the lens and it wasn't too offensive. My feeling is that if you own or plan to own a Q or Q10 and don't have this lens...you will want it as the combination of the 01 prime and 02 short zoom are a very nice pair.

I'm glad I did a month with Q, it was fun and got me more in to the camera. It really is something to slip into ones pocket and take everywhere. Very cool.

**pbancr** · 03-31-2013, 09:50 AM

Well the month is done! Yay! Had a lot of fun and learned a lot. Was difficult as it was my first time with my new Q AND using a fisheye lens. I found the lens to be enjoyable...but not up to pixel peeping. I experienced flare and PFing often outside which is where I mostly shot. Learning the Q was also a challenge...the lack of a VF made focusing very tough in many situations. I did enjoy it though and the fisheye will stay in my bag...although probably not see much use. Taking April off but will be back in May...don't know yet if it'll be with the Q which is just SO convenient to have with you at all times or one of my DSLR's. Have fun next month folks.

Have to include a final shot of my long suffering husband and dog. They'll be glad not to have to bear with my continuous photo-taking next month.

**pbancr** · 03-31-2013, 09:53 AM

Originally posted by Zorglub

I think I have babbled on about the Q enough this month so I will leave you all with a fond farewell and a hope to see you all again in the challenge.

Torben & Bingo signing off from dog walk month with a little 12 second self timer action.

Wonderful shot of the 2 of you!! Great way to finish off your great month.

**blackcloudbrew** · 03-31-2013, 06:25 PM

Originally posted by pbancr

Well the month is done! Yay! Had a lot of fun and learned a lot. Was difficult as it was my first time with my new Q AND using a fisheye lens. I found the lens to be enjoyable...but not up to pixel peeping. I experienced flare and PFing often outside which is where I mostly shot. Learning the Q was also a challenge...the lack of a VF made focusing very tough in many situations. I did enjoy it though and the fisheye will stay in my bag...although probably not see much use. Taking April off but will be back in May...don't know yet if it'll be with the Q which is just SO convenient to have with you at all times or one of my DSLR's. Have fun next month folks.

I really was impressed with how well you got on with the 03 lens. I've not had much luck with it but your month was inspiring. Well done.

**Eric Auer** · 03-31-2013, 06:30 PM

This month was great but super busy, Thanks all for sharing your Images!!

Sagitta · 03-31-2013, 08:16 PM

I'm going to go hunt down a final 50mm f/1.4 shot for March then go try to decide what lens to use next month. Its April, I should start seeing things swing green towards the middle to end of the month (Its Maine, Spring is a bit pokey getting up here) so I have that to consider as well. Should be decent flower shooting in a few weeks here.

Wired · 03-31-2013, 08:19 PM

I actually did more this month than I thought I did, or that I was going to be able to do. I really enjoyed everyone elses shots, and I hope we can get more participation as we get into spring from some of the people who took a break. I have viewed every day, but I havent' had time to comment, especially in the last week as I've been getting my forum time in on my phone vs the computer.

I hope everyone has had a great Easter, and I can't wait for April!

As for my lens choice for March, the FA 31mm limited, I have the following to say: The lens renders beautifully, both in color and clarity. I haven't taken the time to setup the back/front focus on it yet, so I was happily surprised by how accurate my copy is. It's still a little off, especially when wide open, so I'll take a night coming soon to get it just right. Unfortunately I don't see this lens staying in my digital bag along side the 77. First off, its a big heavy lens compared to the 77, and it's hard to just "sneak it in". Secondly, the FOV on digital is not something my brain understands. My mind seems to pre-frame photos in a 85, 105, or 135mm FOV on 35mm format crop. So 55mm+ on APS-C is the most natural shooting FOV for me, which is probably why I love my 55mm and my 77mm and 90mm lenses so much. I do love the lens for indoor family visits though. When I baby-sat my nieces and nephews last week it was perfect for shooting indoors. I was lazy though and didn't do much.

For next month, I'm going to go with my M 75-150mm f4.0. I'm excited as I will be able to use this lens on my LX, Q, and K5, giving me lots of FOV options. I've already started to really enjoy it mounted on the Q, which makes it a 412-825mm lens! I'll also try and test my hand in the film SIC with my 645 with the A 75mm f2.8 lens.

Sandy Hancock · 09-20-2013, 05:48 AM

An extremely late addendum to my 06 Telephoto Zoom review.

I got a new copy of this lens with my Q7, and all I can say is WOW! A couple of early test shots, both wide open. I will be virtually giving the old copy away with my Q10 and original 02 Zoom.

**Eric Auer** · 09-20-2013, 08:02 AM

The new Q looks like a winner for sure.

Really looking forward to seeing more of this little powerhouse.

09-20-2013, 05:48 AM	#116
Sandy Hancock Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,272	An extremely late addendum to my 06 Telephoto Zoom review. I got a new copy of this lens with my Q7, and all I can say is WOW! A couple of early test shots, both wide open. I will be virtually giving the old copy away with my Q10 and original 02 Zoom. Attached Images

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Samsung Full-Frame Mirror-less - March 2013	Winder	Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Other Camera Brands	30	03-26-2013 06:12 AM
Game Single in February - 2013	Bramela	Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories	96	03-07-2013 07:18 PM
Game Single in January 2013	patjp	Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories	216	02-28-2013 10:14 PM
Game Single in March 2012	jackassp	Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories	119	04-01-2012 01:26 AM
Game Single In March	KarenH	Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories	306	03-31-2011 11:53 PM

03-31-2013, 04:18 AM	#106
southlander Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Adelaide Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,364	Well, my half month Challenge was quite enjoyable. Long enough to get into the spirit of the Challenge, but avoiding the fourth week that can get a little tough. As others have observed, the Pentax 50's are great lenses. The M50/1.7 was a pleasure to use, and produced some really nice colours (when the post-processor's heavy hand didn't overdo it). Small amounts of CA at and below F4, but easy to remove, and was never a problem. I'm not a bokeh expert, but the lens it seemed to generally create a pleasant OOF outcome. I struggled a bit with the APS-C field of view provided by the M85/2 I used last November and I seemed to be regularly fighting the narrowness of the view. The 50 on APS-C felt really good and I never found the FOV annoying me in any way. Makes me think the M85 on FF would be a lovely focal length. Never been much of a wide aperture user unless forced to open up a lens to deal with to a shortage of light. I use these challenges to try to break free of my comfort zone and found I enjoyed using the 50 near wide open. Something I should do more of. I have a F50/1.7 lurking somewhere - something I should turn to once I'm done challenging all my M's. I'll be continuing on in April, taking up the film challenge. Haven't shot a roll of film for a good decade and have never had any film scanned, so this should be interesting. Last edited by southlander; 03-31-2013 at 04:28 AM.

03-31-2013, 04:31 AM	#107
southlander Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Adelaide Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,364	Originally posted by Zorglub Torben and Bingo That's a great shot.

03-31-2013, 05:32 AM	#108
southlander Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Adelaide Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,364	Sorry, yet another post from me. On Saturday, I ended up with quite a few photos, and a few more have been posted over here.

03-31-2013, 06:12 AM	#109
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,460	What can I say about the Q + 02? Well it's clearly a versatile lens combination. We got a firmware update for the Q this past week and I think it made the 02 even better. I can say that it's not wide enough and not long enough for me as to complete walk around lens but it's quite good. I can see why when they introduced the Q the 02 was a logical length for it. I've added an after market bayonet hood for it and I think it helps. I really only had one case of flaring with the lens and it wasn't too offensive. My feeling is that if you own or plan to own a Q or Q10 and don't have this lens...you will want it as the combination of the 01 prime and 02 short zoom are a very nice pair. I'm glad I did a month with Q, it was fun and got me more in to the camera. It really is something to slip into ones pocket and take everywhere. Very cool.

03-31-2013, 09:50 AM	#110
pbancr Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southeast Connecticut Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,575	Well the month is done! Yay! Had a lot of fun and learned a lot. Was difficult as it was my first time with my new Q AND using a fisheye lens. I found the lens to be enjoyable...but not up to pixel peeping. I experienced flare and PFing often outside which is where I mostly shot. Learning the Q was also a challenge...the lack of a VF made focusing very tough in many situations. I did enjoy it though and the fisheye will stay in my bag...although probably not see much use. Taking April off but will be back in May...don't know yet if it'll be with the Q which is just SO convenient to have with you at all times or one of my DSLR's. Have fun next month folks. Have to include a final shot of my long suffering husband and dog. They'll be glad not to have to bear with my continuous photo-taking next month.

03-31-2013, 09:53 AM	#111
pbancr Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southeast Connecticut Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,575	Originally posted by Zorglub I think I have babbled on about the Q enough this month so I will leave you all with a fond farewell and a hope to see you all again in the challenge. Torben & Bingo signing off from dog walk month with a little 12 second self timer action. Wonderful shot of the 2 of you!! Great way to finish off your great month.

03-31-2013, 06:25 PM	#112
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,460	Originally posted by pbancr Well the month is done! Yay! Had a lot of fun and learned a lot. Was difficult as it was my first time with my new Q AND using a fisheye lens. I found the lens to be enjoyable...but not up to pixel peeping. I experienced flare and PFing often outside which is where I mostly shot. Learning the Q was also a challenge...the lack of a VF made focusing very tough in many situations. I did enjoy it though and the fisheye will stay in my bag...although probably not see much use. Taking April off but will be back in May...don't know yet if it'll be with the Q which is just SO convenient to have with you at all times or one of my DSLR's. Have fun next month folks. I really was impressed with how well you got on with the 03 lens. I've not had much luck with it but your month was inspiring. Well done.

03-31-2013, 06:30 PM	#113
Eric Auer Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,211	This month was great but super busy, Thanks all for sharing your Images!!

03-31-2013, 08:16 PM	#114
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	I'm going to go hunt down a final 50mm f/1.4 shot for March then go try to decide what lens to use next month. Its April, I should start seeing things swing green towards the middle to end of the month (Its Maine, Spring is a bit pokey getting up here) so I have that to consider as well. Should be decent flower shooting in a few weeks here.

03-31-2013, 08:19 PM	#115
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519	I actually did more this month than I thought I did, or that I was going to be able to do. I really enjoyed everyone elses shots, and I hope we can get more participation as we get into spring from some of the people who took a break. I have viewed every day, but I havent' had time to comment, especially in the last week as I've been getting my forum time in on my phone vs the computer. I hope everyone has had a great Easter, and I can't wait for April! As for my lens choice for March, the FA 31mm limited, I have the following to say: The lens renders beautifully, both in color and clarity. I haven't taken the time to setup the back/front focus on it yet, so I was happily surprised by how accurate my copy is. It's still a little off, especially when wide open, so I'll take a night coming soon to get it just right. Unfortunately I don't see this lens staying in my digital bag along side the 77. First off, its a big heavy lens compared to the 77, and it's hard to just "sneak it in". Secondly, the FOV on digital is not something my brain understands. My mind seems to pre-frame photos in a 85, 105, or 135mm FOV on 35mm format crop. So 55mm+ on APS-C is the most natural shooting FOV for me, which is probably why I love my 55mm and my 77mm and 90mm lenses so much. I do love the lens for indoor family visits though. When I baby-sat my nieces and nephews last week it was perfect for shooting indoors. I was lazy though and didn't do much. For next month, I'm going to go with my M 75-150mm f4.0. I'm excited as I will be able to use this lens on my LX, Q, and K5, giving me lots of FOV options. I've already started to really enjoy it mounted on the Q, which makes it a 412-825mm lens! I'll also try and test my hand in the film SIC with my 645 with the A 75mm f2.8 lens.

09-20-2013, 08:02 AM	#117
Eric Auer Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,211	The new Q looks like a winner for sure. Really looking forward to seeing more of this little powerhouse.