[utak]

Guess you don't really need a review of the SMC Pentax 135/2.5. It's fast, sharp, excellent. But I will say a few other words, if you'll permit.

It was not as tiresomely heavy as I first feared. It can produce both purple and green fringing in the same area of the same photo in the right conditions, but it's manageable. I used an old metal Takumar 200mm hood all the time - highly recommended.

So why did I buy the 135/2.5? I already have three thrift shop 135mm's: including a SMC Pentax 135/3.5, and a newer Pentagon bokeh monster with fewer blades, that I love. The Pentax f3.5 is as sharp as the f2.5, stopped down. The $15 Pentagon produces amazing colours.

I got one because each time it was on sale, with photos, I saw something that none of my other lenses (not just 135's) could dream of delivering. There is something special. beautiful and unique (to me) in how it renders. The day 2 photo below gives a hint of what I mean; in retrospect I should have taken more photos of this kind of scene.



The funny thing is, I was planning to swap the f2.5 for my f3.5 half way through the challenge, and not tell anyone. But the differences were SO bleeding obvious, I only posted one f3.5 photo here, clearly marked. Sandy was kind enough to ask that day...where is the f2.5?!

I'm going to miss the 135/2.5 in November....I'd be quite happy running straight through with the same lens, there is so much more to learn, especially landscapes and portraits. To make matters worse its a K28/3.5 for Nov. 28mm is my least favourite (cropped) focal length.....

As always, I've really enjoyed your photos and comments and particular congratulations to mtux, who has developed into a true Master of Macro Photography in front of our eyes.

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Last edited by utak; 10-30-2014 at 12:40 PM.

[mattt]

28mm is perfect for street Simon... feel the normal.

[jackassp]

@Simon, during the very first Single challenge, a few of us used 28mm lenses, Michael (uccemebug) used the K28/3.5, I used an A28/2.8, I thought the A28 was pretty good until I saw Michael's shots of the streets of Tokyo! Please show us the streets and alleys and markets, and parks and river views of the London precinct, we would all love to be there shooting with you.
Alas, my dreams of travel are all but shot now


A quick review of the 135/2.5.
It's big, slightly heavy, and drew attention wherever I went, not really good for candid shots when out roving the streets.
It just won't meter correctly on my K-3, in the end I shot "brackets" of shots in M mode, green button to meter, shoot, turn front dial a notch, shoot again, and repeat 3 times, inefficient, but it works, and doesn't take too long to do.
CA is negligible, fringing occurs, because there's no ED glass, and it's not apochromatic. But B&W shots are great!

On the positive side, it is very easy to focus, things just 'snap' into focus.
And you get quite a lot of keepers every day!

I can't wait to see what Rod and Sandy can come up with!

Jack

[g026r]

It just won't meter correctly on my K-3, in the end I shot "brackets" of shots in M mode, green button to meter, shoot, turn front dial a notch, shoot again, and repeat 3 times, inefficient, but it works, and doesn't take too long to do.

I know that I've found green button metering to be inconsistent* on my K-30, so wondering if the algorithm for it that they've been using in recent-ish cameras is simply a bit off.

* For wider apertures, at least. Get smaller than f9.5 or so and it goes from "inconsistent" to "consistent but wrong". Unless somehow a shot of the same static scene at f11 requires less exposure time than at f8...

[jackassp]

I know that I've found green button metering to be inconsistent* on my K-30, so wondering if the algorithm for it that they've been using in recent-ish cameras is simply a bit off.

* For wider apertures, at least. Get smaller than f9.5 or so and it goes from "inconsistent" to "consistent but wrong". Unless somehow a shot of the same static scene at f11 requires less exposure time than at f8...

Spot on!
Exactly my findings with the K-3. Metering on my K-5 with the 135/2.5 is better, but still not as good as a light meter (as I said I take brackets of shots, sometimes I use my iPhone 4s as my lightmeter - some free apps are available)


Jack

[mtux]

and particular congratulations to mtux, who has developed into a true Master of Macro Photography in front of our eyes.

Wow, thanks Simon, I really appreciate it. And thanks for your comments throughout the month, and the nice review of your lens.
I think it's not only the lens, but the one who is using it is matter as much if not more. and you've great as always.
I agree with John, on shooting streets of London, That should be one of best cities for street photographers. at least for shooting buildings.

[Tsuken]

I snicker at all this buying. LBA abatement is thought to be a side effect of being so disciplined as to shoot with one lens a month... On the contrary, it appears to have become a hot bed of infection!



Good clean fun even if we are lying to our selves.

Very much so.

I think a 135/2.5 of a different flavour will be in my future. I added one to my wishlist (shared list with my wife, so we can see what each other is ogling, as it were); I went to have a look at it on eBay today, only to be greeted by a green banner proclaiming "you have bought this item". It's only a "takette", but I'm happy with my 28mm takette, so I should be happy with this one.

Whenever it gets bestowed...

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Last edited by Tsuken; 10-30-2014 at 10:10 PM.

[wolfiegirl]

Phwoar... so I fell of the face of the planet again. Sorry guys. But this time I managed to scrabble back for a few last minute shots! That was last week. And then wolfieboy decided that we were selling our original house (it's had renters in it for the last 3 years), so off we trekked to get it sale ready, and suddenly Singles In gets a back seat again, while we sugar scrub walls and paint patio lattice.

Feeling a little humbled that I didn't get to shoot as much was I wanted and ogle what everyone else was doing at the same time. It didn't help that my internet reached 80% capacity 2 weeks in either. I'm starting to think I needed a bigger plan...

In regards to October's lens (Jupiter 135mm 37a on the k-01), I must say that I quite enjoyed shooting at 135mm, even if I had to ensure that wolfiepup was outside for me to get anything decent. I quite like the bokeh rendering and when things got in focus they were sharp enough for me. This lens has been collecting dust for at least 2 years, so I'm glad I was able to brush it off - if only for what, a fortnight? maybe less.... I'd try to keep it on my camera for another month, but another lens is beckoning....

[utak]

@Simon, during the very first Single challenge, a few of us used 28mm lenses, Michael (uccemebug) used the K28/3.5, I used an A28/2.8, I thought the A28 was pretty good until I saw Michael's shots of the streets of Tokyo! Please show us the streets and alleys and markets, and parks and river views of the London precinct, we would all love to be there shooting with you. Alas, my dreams of travel are all but shot now

Thank you for this advice - I'm off to find those challenge photos for inspiration, and look forward to your November fast fifty photos. S

[Tsuken]

This month was my third (second consecutive) month with my Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 1:3.5/135, which I got from evilBay for the princely sum of $55 Australian. This month was also The October of Birds.

You may have noticed.

Anyway... I'm better at handling it than when I first got it (no surprise, I guess); the weather is cooler, so the lens isn't starting to unscrew from the body when focusing at the long end (I'm presuming the lower temperature is the reason); I'm using Lightzone instead of apps on my iPad; and LORIKEETS.

Because of the birds, there was less "daily driver" use - which is what I began to find frustrating with it earlier in the year. Some of that did turn out really well though, so I think I'm getting better at seeing half-decent telephoto shots.

No surprise in picking my pic of the month; almost from the moment I clicked the shutter it was always going to be Draculorikeet:



I'm really happy with this pic of my lad though:



And just because, this lorikeet too:



Also, October 2013 was my first 'Single in' challenge month, though I didn't start till a couple of weeks in, as I got my K-30 in the early part of that month. I think I've learnt a hell of a lot, not just about each lens, but about photography in general; this group is fantastic for encouragement, advice, and critique.

All my SMC Tak 135/3.5 pics.

[jackassp]

Thank you for this advice - I'm off to find those challenge photos for inspiration, and look forward to your November fast fifty photos. S

Here is the link for this site:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/members/213-uccemebug/albums/1444-single-september-2010/
(Single in September 2010 - where it all began)

This was my all-time fave of his:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/members/213-uccemebug/albums/1444-single-...cture9865.html
"The last day of summer"

Cheers!

[OzzRod]

Super-Takumar 105 mm f2.8


October was my first proper outing with the 105, having bought it on ebay solely on spec (pure LBA). Looking back, I’m happy with the range of shots I got (https://flic.kr/s/aHsk3Vydk6), although I’m sure that I haven't explored all the lens’s strengths and weaknesses. This was partly due to adopting a theme of “heads” for the month - I compiled a big list of potential subjects but too many were unavailable at random times due to my location and weather. This theme actually proved to be quite demanding at times.

I deliberately shot a lot at f2.8 or nearly so and apart from the outer portions of macros I thought the bokeh was really pleasing. I was particularly happy with my Brenizer of the 22nd. Flash macros were much more acceptable (I do like sharp) and the Pentax ring flash synced adequately for manual exposures. At the other end, landscape shots surprised me with the fine detail picked up at distance when stopped down to f5.6 or more. Mind you just getting things reasonably sharp with manual focus and a less than perfect right eye was the usual challenge. The most pleasant result for me was the wonderful colour rendering - many times I was blown away by the intensity, especially when I attached a polarizer, and yet the colours seemed so close to what I was seeing anyway.

Overall - not the easiest lens I’ve used by any means, but I’m hanging on to it.


Many thanks to everyone for your comments and faves; there were several informative exchanges during the month and as usual there were a multitude of fine images to view from other participants. Lots to enjoy, and lots of subject and technique options to explore in future. Thanks for the inspiration. Roll on November!

[Zorglub]

I used the smc DA 70mm f2.4 Limited.

What I thought:
- minimum focus distance is too long, I like my D FA 100mm WR better
- I bought it for portraits, but as it turns out I don't do that kind of photography
- It's not weather sealed thus I can't be sure to use it during the fall/winter season

What I think:
- the minimum focus distance forced me out of the "macro lust" mental view. Not that anything is wrong about macro! but the limitation helped me shoot something at a range
- it renders like a DREAM and SHARP at any f-stop, if I had a blurred/soft image => my fault, not the lens
- It is very light, and takes up very little space in my bag. I had a Ricoh GR+K01 with DA 70 for my Berlin trip and they were the perfect combo
- There is no fringing/CA to speak of in high contrast situatiuons at any aperture that I could detect
- WR matters, but when it is so small and sits in a bag, well just pull it out, SNAP and put it back again. Shot an entire day in the rain in Berlin. No problems.

Now the question is, would I buy this over the D FA 100mm WR? probably not, but I would not like to live without either of them.

[Sandy Hancock]

Another month, and what a month! Some incredible macro work with Raynoxes and focus stacking fungi, two 135/2.5's for inspiration, and another 135 for lorikeets. Well done all.

My lens was the SMC Pentax-DA 21mm 1:3.2 limited. It is a tiny, beautifully wrought little gem of a lens with magical rendering, very good flare resistance, 14 point starbursts, nice bokeh, fast autofocus and close minimum focal distance. I had a blast with it, and there seemed to be quite a lot of love from the flickrverse as well. I like it *much* more than my DA15, which is why I plan to use the latter in November.

Thank you all for your comments, faves, and of course, your own images.

[mtux]

What a month it was!!
So many stunning photos from all of you, some magical renderings of other variety of 135mm lenses, some wonderful abstract works from Zorglub, So many beautiful and yet new to me mushroom photos which made me decide to look for fungis in the park and planed to go to park with tripod to shoot some of them (with macro lens, of course) one day soon.

I have to thank all of you for your comments and supports of my macro photos. First week of month I thought I'm not gonna finish this month with this long lens! but when the Raynox arrived, things changed.

First review of M135mm f3.5:
It's the cheapest lens I bought, (on eBay, $55 for lens+shipment from US) and it was really clean!I bought it because some guys on the forum said it's a good lens to use handheld on the Q! but I found it's not as good as I expected, specially because it's totally unusable (for me) wide open! and it gets pretty good once you stop it down to f/5.6! which is way slow to use handheld on the Q.



On K-30, It's still soft wide open, and almost usable one click down, and good f/5.6, and very good at f/8 and so.
No magic in it (Unlike it's big brothers f2.5s), I think it was a consumer portrait lens in it's time, so no surprise about that. the MFD is very good for portrait works! but not good for my style of living, thus I bought the Raynox.
To get decent sharp shots out of it, I had to work with Sharpening sliders of Lightroom 5, I found that it's possible to get decent sharpness with its help, but you need to learn some lessons on sharpening. Here is a good article to start and get better understanding on sharpening.
And last word is that 135mm is too long for my liking, good to know this now! because now I can get the thinking of DA300 out of my mind.



Raynox DCR-150 review:
Background:
Back when I bought my K-30 + DA18-135, I bought a set of single element closeup filters to use on it as a cheap macro. (it cost about $16 on Amazon) But you can guess the results. so I gave up on it and went for macro lenses. Later I heard that the Raynox's are better because they are double element and have corrective glasses, blah blah blah.
So FF now: as I mentioned before it is much much better than those cheap single elements.
While it's pretty good for normal usage like bugs, but it hasn't a flat field of focus or a flat field for sharpness! and this is visible in my yesterday shot, the right side is pretty soft while the left side is very sharp. But it's still a very good way to get macro shots with almost any lens, without fiddling with extension tubes.
My best insect shot of the month is this spider, because of the context, and the play I had with it to get the shot. (Fooled me by hiding very fast under the leaf)


And here is my other macro which some of you liked as much as myself. (But it wasn't my idea, stole it from an article. hint for low inspiration days )
And I liked it because when I showed it to my wife, it puzzled her that what happened to the fork? what is in the way?


Let me share one more insect, This is the best butterfly I ever shot.


Thanks a lot for reading such a long story of mine.
Looking forward to November and my little DA50 is already mounted on K-30. See you...