[Benz3ne]

Well, sometimes the circumstances are a bit overwhelming and it might be better to take a break, whether you want it or not. A new month is coming and you can always start on Saturday/Sunday.

---------- Post added 10-31-19 at 01:16 AM ----------

So my M-28/2.8 has proven to be a very pleasant lens to work with. Decent wide-open, very good stopped down. I like this focal length on a crop sensor and this month was way easier than the previous one with M-135. Compared to modern lenses, M-28 gives more pale, unsaturated colors, so I had to improve it in pp every now and then. Overall, October provided me a very good experience with this lens, and before SIC it didn't see much use. Below are some of my favorites. Thanks for all the comments!

This is true and I’ve brought up my camera just in case. I think I’ll end up resting up a bit anyway so to speak, but handy to have it in case I change my mind.

[garywakeling]

Well, sometimes the circumstances are a bit overwhelming and it might be better to take a break, whether you want it or not. A new month is coming and you can always start on Saturday/Sunday.

---------- Post added 10-31-19 at 01:16 AM ----------

So my M-28/2.8 has proven to be a very pleasant lens to work with. Decent wide-open, very good stopped down. I like this focal length on a crop sensor and this month was way easier than the previous one with M-135. Compared to modern lenses, M-28 gives more pale, unsaturated colors, so I had to improve it in pp every now and then. Overall, October provided me a very good experience with this lens, and before SIC it didn't see much use. Below are some of my favorites. Thanks for all the comments!

Nice photos this month Chris, the real strength of the monthly challenge is getting to really know more about your lens, it looks like you have achieved that with the 28mm this month.

[iheiramo]

Wrap up time! October is done and, thought the weather has been mostly very autumn like, I'm very pleased with my album this month. The week of snow in the end offered also new possibilities.

M100/4 was, like all M's, a pleasure to use. Buld quality is great and focus is smooth to handle. But with macro lens it's long way from MFD to infinity, so a lot of turning sometimes. F4 is a bit slow, but sharpness is perfectly usable wide open, so it's not so big deal compared to other tele lenses in the series. Like with other lenses in FF so far it feels it works better on K1ii than on APSC round. I've had contrast issues with this lens. At first I expected it to be lens feature, but during this month I realised that there is haze on the front lens, which explain the problem. Not a big issue to fix in pp, if you don't shoot against the sun.

Personally I like M100/4 macro more than M100/2.8, as macro feature set it aside from M85, M120 or M150, which triumph both 100mm options when shooting targets further away or landscapes. So I will use this lens in future when there is a chance I need its macro. The lens itself was a keeper by default as I got it as a gift

The end of the month was fun enough that I want keep on shooting in November, so SIC with M50/2 is in order. Also I need to get my 100 posts again and posting this stuff to PF is good excuse to build up post count. As I haven't heard any complains, I'll keep on cross posting to M club.



Wide open:


f5.6




f8

[garywakeling]

Well another month is over, my feelings about the 60-250 have been confirmed, I find it a very easy lens to live with. I seem to mostly shoot towards the 250mm end however it is nice to have the wider end available too. It is razor sharp with details across the whole frame with the transition to the out of focus areas very pleasant. I kept to APS-C for the month, I know it performs well on the K1 too, however I might have a chance to single it on full frame in a coming month. The focusing accuracy seems very good, the focusing speed can be very good, it doesn't hunt when focusing but it sort of chugs in small increments towards the focus point sometimes, it doesn't hunt from minimum to maximum focal range like some other lenses. It also performed well on the infrared camera with no real hotspot exhibited. It is a solid chunk of glass, however with the addition of the tripod foot I find it easy to hold, my copy doesn't suffer from zoom creep when held vertically but some copies can from reports I have read. Flare control is excellent and the bokeh is nice and smooth. Like many internally focusing zooms it has a phenomenon of focus breathing, when focused closer the effective focal length is reduced. In use I never noticed this, but it is mentioned in test results. Looking back on the months photos makes me happy, isn't that what we want after a month with a lens, this one stays in the bag, not left on the shelf

[pepperberry farm]

what a surprising little lens

for October, the Fujinon 55mm f2.2 (M42) lens was with me all month long and turned out to be a great choice...

firstly, this M42 lens was a kit lens for Fujica ST film cameras and for it to work properly and fit flush on a standard M42 mount, it has to be permanently modified - there's a nub on the mount that has to removed... I've removed this nub, knowing full-well that what I've done...

this is a tiny, near-pancake of a lens, with a plastic aperture ring, a nicely-damped focus ring, a 49mm filter ring, and a reputation for producing amazing bokeh, but needs a semi-deep hood to maintain contrast in strong light...

only a couple of negatives for this lens: a longish MFD of about 2' and since it's an older lens, a lack of modern coatings for when the light gets bright...

some of my favorites from the month:











overall, a fun month - this is not a lens I would suggest that you attempt to track down - there are better 55mm's out there, and easier to find in decent condition (this lens tends to turn up with the plastics in poor shape) and probably cheaper, too (my mint copy was $50), but it you are interested in older Fujinon glass, it's a great lens to own...

the month's album:

Single In Challenge - October '19 | Flickr

[Chris_K]

Nice photos this month Chris, the real strength of the monthly challenge is getting to really know more about your lens, it looks like you have achieved that with the 28mm this month.

Thanks a lot. Before SiC, my 28 was just the focal length. Now, apart from the focal length, I have an idea of colors, sharpness and general "usefulness".

[Cerebum]

I cheated this month, I used my 35mm limited. I suppose the challenge was getting to know the KP it was attached to and in that respect this has been possibly my best sic ever next month has already started and that will be more challenging I just want to say thanks for all the feedback and encouragement

[Minimonster]

Well, the Ricoh CX3 is a truly awful camera. It can in the right circumstances take a decent shot but not in colour which is always terrible. Lots of pp work led to a few interesting vintage style shots. I'm glad to see the back of the thing but sad that it's not better as it looks nice, feels good in the hand and ought to be so much better than it is.

[Cerebum]

Well, the Ricoh CX3 is a truly awful camera. It can in the right circumstances take a decent shot but not in colour which is always terrible. Lots of pp work led to a few interesting vintage style shots. I'm glad to see the back of the thing but sad that it's not better as it looks nice, feels good in the hand and ought to be so much better than it is.

Lol oh dear it makes for a long month. I am currently disliking the M 135mm mind you it did have to follow the 35mm limited. You have more perseverance than I would have showed. Well done for sticking with it

[Minimonster]

Lol oh dear it makes for a long month. I am currently disliking the M 135mm mind you it did have to follow the 35mm limited. You have more perseverance than I would have showed. Well done for sticking with it

135 never did it for me until I tried it on the ff K1...

[Tsuken]

So. October with the SMC Takumar 135/3.5; first of three M42 months to close out the year while waiting for (I hope) a Pentax KP. #fingerscrossed

I'd forgotten how nice a lens it is to use, and how nicely it can render a scene. It looks great itself, and feels rather lovely to use. The focus throw is very long (sometimes feels like it takes a half a day to get from MFD to infinity) but that's ok; it makes you slow down and think, and allows quite precise focus when you get it right.

Image quality, to my eyes, is fantastic. Wide open it's somewhat soft and washed-out, but from f5.6, and maybe even f4, it's fine or better.

I was frustrated at times by my K-30's sketchy exposure metering - but not as much as I'm finding already with the Kimunor - which I don't really understand.

I was very happy with some of the photos I took:

Right off the bat:


Grevillea redux by -Occasionally Focused-

This is a sort of photo this lens seems to encourage - and renders really nicely:


Bee-mergency by -Occasionally Focused-

It does the family well, which always pleases me:


The fam by -Occasionally Focused-

And it passed the cat test:


His Floofiness by -Occasionally Focused-

All in all, a lens I'm really pleased to have - but not one I think will continue to get a whole heap of use, because I have a belief I get more dust on the sensor after screwing in M42 lenses than when I change K-mount lenses. Whether it is a true belief or not I have no idea, but it's hard to shake. It's hard to test, really - and thus hard to challenge.

Anyhoo. A fun month, and some photies I really like. Definitely a lens worth having.

[babywriter]

A few words on the Super-Multi-Coated Macro Takumar 4/100:

- This lens is quite sharp (as, I guess, you would expect from a Takumar macro lens). I was consistently pleased with the results, whether the shot was a close-up or focused to infinity.
- It's a long lens physically, which made it a tight fit in my Tenba bag. Some judicous re-arranging solved that problem.
- The focus throw is very long, as you might expect from a manual-focus macro. The good side of that is that it was quite easy to dial in perfect focus.
- Colors were bright and contrasty, in line with the SMC coating. I never had to boost the contrast, and the saturation only a little bit on some photos, according to taste.

I did shoot with a metal hood on this lens, and I believe this helped ward off flare on a number of occasions. With my Single In lenses, I've gone to a hood rather than adding a UV filter (depending, of course, on the relative value of the lens). But, holy crap, I loved this lens! Despite the long focusing length, I found it to be a joy to handle, and it delivered consistently excellent color and sharp detail. I also loved the flexibiility of being able to go very close when I wanted to, and out to infinity if the shot demanded it.

The first week of the month was stellar for me. The combination of an excellent lens and some great opportunities resulted in some of the best shooting I've ever done. One of my shots was my highest-ever rated on explore and got more than 450 faves. I know they're just internet points, but it was encouraging.

This one is a keeper. I expect that I will pull it out periodically when I need this kind of flexibility.

Some shots from the month:

[Tsuken]

A few words on the Super-Multi-Coated Macro Takumar 4/100:

- This lens is quite sharp (as, I guess, you would expect from a Takumar macro lens). I was consistently pleased with the results, whether the shot was a close-up or focused to infinity.
- It's a long lens physically, which made it a tight fit in my Tenba bag. Some judicous re-arranging solved that problem.
- The focus throw is very long, as you might expect from a manual-focus macro. The good side of that is that it was quite easy to dial in perfect focus.
- Colors were bright and contrasty, in line with the SMC coating. I never had to boost the contrast, and the saturation only a little bit on some photos, according to taste.

I did shoot with a metal hood on this lens, and I believe this helped ward off flare on a number of occasions. With my Single In lenses, I've gone to a hood rather than adding a UV filter (depending, of course, on the relative value of the lens). But, holy crap, I loved this lens! Despite the long focusing length, I found it to be a joy to handle, and it delivered consistently excellent color and sharp detail. I also loved the flexibiility of being able to go very close when I wanted to, and out to infinity if the shot demanded it.

The first week of the month was stellar for me. The combination of an excellent lens and some great opportunities resulted in some of the best shooting I've ever done. One of my shots was my highest-ever rated on explore and got more than 450 faves. I know they're just internet points, but it was encouraging.

This one is a keeper. I expect that I will pull it out periodically when I need this kind of flexibility.

Some shots from the month:

Beautiful pictures, and it sounds a great lens

[garywakeling]

Well, the Ricoh CX3 is a truly awful camera. It can in the right circumstances take a decent shot but not in colour which is always terrible. Lots of pp work led to a few interesting vintage style shots. I'm glad to see the back of the thing but sad that it's not better as it looks nice, feels good in the hand and ought to be so much better than it is.

Best end of month review I have read, well done on getting through

[garywakeling]

A few words on the Super-Multi-Coated Macro Takumar 4/100:

- This lens is quite sharp (as, I guess, you would expect from a Takumar macro lens). I was consistently pleased with the results, whether the shot was a close-up or focused to infinity.
- It's a long lens physically, which made it a tight fit in my Tenba bag. Some judicous re-arranging solved that problem.
- The focus throw is very long, as you might expect from a manual-focus macro. The good side of that is that it was quite easy to dial in perfect focus.
- Colors were bright and contrasty, in line with the SMC coating. I never had to boost the contrast, and the saturation only a little bit on some photos, according to taste.

I did shoot with a metal hood on this lens, and I believe this helped ward off flare on a number of occasions. With my Single In lenses, I've gone to a hood rather than adding a UV filter (depending, of course, on the relative value of the lens). But, holy crap, I loved this lens! Despite the long focusing length, I found it to be a joy to handle, and it delivered consistently excellent color and sharp detail. I also loved the flexibiility of being able to go very close when I wanted to, and out to infinity if the shot demanded it.

The first week of the month was stellar for me. The combination of an excellent lens and some great opportunities resulted in some of the best shooting I've ever done. One of my shots was my highest-ever rated on explore and got more than 450 faves. I know they're just internet points, but it was encouraging.

This one is a keeper. I expect that I will pull it out periodically when I need this kind of flexibility.

]

Nice to find a keeper that is such a classic Takumar