[blackcloudbrew]

Can you help flash n00b? My flash manual says; Try to avoid using high-speed sync flash, which will cut short flash tube’s lifetime. So what kind of attitude one should take to this?

Have you any idea how long is typical tube's lifetime and how significantly high speed sync lowers it? Are we talking about hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands? I paid about 80€ for flash. 1000 shots would be under 10c/shot. 10000 under 1c/shot. So if high speed sync lower lamp life from 30K to 20K it's pretty much meaningless and one can happily snap away. If it drops from 10K to 1K it starts to mean something and worth avoiding.

Ok, this is my empirical experience with flash units (any brand). The mount could and has broken off, batteries have died on rechargeable units, replaceable batteries AA, AAA, etc. have over stayed their welcome and oozed chemicals on to contacts, and they have just sat around gathering dust from lack of use or being forgotten, but never in all of that have I experienced a flash tube failure. While I don't doubt that it might happen, I think it's the least likely thing to worry about. Clearly others may have different experiences but for me, I'd just carelessly shoot away (or flash away perhaps).

[iheiramo]

Ok, this is my empirical experience with flash units (any brand). The mount could and has broken off, batteries have died on rechargeable units, replaceable batteries AA, AAA, etc. have over stayed their welcome and oozed chemicals on to contacts, and they have just sat around gathering dust from lack of use or being forgotten, but never in all of that have I experienced a flash tube failure. While I don't doubt that it might happen, I think it's the least likely thing to worry about. Clearly others may have different experiences but for me, I'd just carelessly shoot away (or flash away perhaps).

Thanks for info. So 1 vote for meaningless and happy snapping

[robgski]

My flash experience is very limited, but I am sure your batteries will fail long before anything else, and they will fail just before you take a picture.

[garywakeling]

Well the end of another fun month, I spent it with the SMC FA* 80-200mm ED IF mounted on the K1. I have had this lens from new, back in the film days. It has always been a go to lens for me, the focal length of the zoom just seems to fit with my photographic view of the world. I feel I may have to repeat this lens for another month as life caused the photo taking to take a bit of a back seat this month and I feel I could have shown it better.
The power zoom works well even on the modern bodies, it doesn't have the party tricks of the film era Z1 where it would zoom to keep the subject the same size in the viewfinder as the moved towards you, or remembering a favourite pre set zoom setting to go back to at the touch of a button. However the image quality is what the * lenses have always been about. People often mention the silver paint being an issue, however I must treat my lenses a little easier than most as the finish on all of my silver lenses seems to hold up nicely. Nowadays the fashion seems to tend towards interesting bokeh, back in the day I don't remember it being a "thing" however to my eye the bokeh, when focused on near subject has a rather pleasant circular bokeh to it. The ease of switching from manual to auto focusing is simply to push or pull the focus ring to engage one way or the other, the same works with the power zoom or manual zoom. Compared to the DFA 70-200 quick shift auto is not available, however with the wide aperture of 2.8, the subject seems to quickly pop into focus with little need for small adjustments, but a quick pull of the focus ring towards you lets the focus change without taking your eye from the viewfinder.
Actually , when I look at the photos from the month, I am more than happy with the results, here are my favourites from the month













hmm turns out I seem to like holding this lens in portrait mode looking at what I chose, who knew?

[iheiramo]

I'm done. Time for wrap up. I had A35-70 f3.5-4.5 zoom for this month. My first zoom in SIC. Didn't like it. Instead of flexibility it just made looking for daily shot more complex as it add one more dimension in procedure. Most of the month I shot it as having three primes, 35, 50 and 70mm, with me and based on the scene I decided desired focal length and did final framing by moving like with prime lens. I think partly my problems were due to manual focus. I think the use of AF zoom lens would be more flexible as the camera gets the focal length information from the lens.

The lens is decent from wide open. I didn't really grasp the aperture thing as with all focal lengths f3.5 was brighter than f4 or f4.5. Maybe at long end it just isn't enough brighter than f4.5 to merit the status of constant aperture zoom. Main complain in IQ is barreling. This is the first lens where I find it bothering me. In few shots it probably gave extra charecter to the shots and looked good. Mostly it was just spoiling the lines. Sharpness is nothing to chear about, but perfectly acceptable from wide open. Acceptable is probably a good word for everything about IQ. I didn't find any strength that would encourage me to use this lens in future, but macro feature at 70mm was good to have, as it was needed during the month and made it easier and more fun.

I got mine cheaply. Just 7,5€ on sale due lack of smoothness in focus and especially zoom adjustment. No point to talk about handling and build quality, as this is broken specimen. Fare price for a month of usage, but I'll might throw this into trash can now. No point spending time selling this.

Last days were more about learning flash than testing lens. I'm such a n00b. One thing is sure. I don't like the look of onboard flash type of usage. The minimum demand is learn to bounce the flash for indoor portraits when not enough light and consider flash as last resort when all else fail. If I want to make flash part of my style, I will need more flash units, stands and softboxes, diffusers and/or umbrellas. Also controller unit might be handy. Not sure yet if I willing to dive into that world, as portrait really isn't my game.

I'm off for November. This time I feel like it might hold. The autumn greyness and lack of light has really hit us, and with zoom this month, I don't really feel enthusiastic ATM. Also flash feels more burden than inspiration, but I will learn it.

f3.5 @ 70mm:


f4.5 @ 70mm:




f8 @ 70mm:


f8 @ 50mm:

[mbceft]

Thanks for info. So 1 vote for meaningless and happy snapping

Add me as another vote for happy snapping. I don’t think you will wear the tube out anytime soon. I also don’t think you will use HSS all that much especially with the TT350. It’s not an especially powerful flash to begin with and HSS cuts the power even more. I used it one time for that single in test I did last month and haven’t used it again. Some of my speed lights have many thousands of cycles and I have never lost one to a bad tube. Falling light stands? That is another matter all together 😊

[Chris_K]

Another month is done. The Tamron SP 90 macro (72B) is a great lens and it is my second great discovery of this year (the first one being A 70-210). Very versatile lens, sharp(!!) and the IQ is excellent starting from wide-open. A macro option is a killer and a long focus throw in the macro zone makes the focusing very easy. The only minor drawback is a very short focus throw at longer distances (a few meters), so here the focusing can be a bit tricky.*On the other hand, around half of the month my job took over my time almost completely and it affected my performance quite heavily. Sorry for being less involved in the commenting - there were lots of great pictures from you this month.Thanks to everyone for comments and critique. Below some of my faves.

[mbceft]

Another month comes to a close. I haven’t submitted today’s entry but feel I can give my thoughts on the M85 all the same. This is the first that I have spent any time with this lens and can say that I honestly enjoyed every moment of if. Unlike the last two months of M zooms, I never really wished the month would just end.

I’m not much for extreme bokeh which this lens will certainly do on a crop body at f/2 so there weren’t many examples to call that out. What I do enjoy is the rendering of this lens and the ease of filling the frame at this focal length. This is probably a keeper lens for me as long as my eyes can take the manual focus. This paired with the M28 f/2 and M50 f/1.7 make a great small prime kit.

Here are some of my favorites for the month.

20201011_SIM

20201016_SIM

20201018_SIM

20201019_SIM

20201020_SIM

[zubzubadoodle]

A disappointing month with the Pentax DFA 28-105mm lens. I didn't really take to it. Working from home doesn't help as there isn't the diversity of subjects that there were when I was travelling into town every day. So, in an effort to improve the picture taking opportunities next month, I'll be using a lens with a good macro capability.

[womble]

The SMC Pentax "K" 150mm f/4 lens is an unusual focal length, and not a very common lens. I had to buy mine from Japan when I saw a good one for a sane price. My main complaint for the challenge is that on APS-C it is quite a long focal length, obviously not the lens' fault! Bad weather and not travelling much was not ideal. It would have been more fun in mid-summer. Using zoomed-in live view and focus peaking to get the focus spot on, leads to very sharp images, especially for a 50 year old lens. I definitely got better results when using a tripod and MLUP. There was a little bit of colour fringing on a few images, but nothing that Lightroom couldn't sort out. My main thought is one which must have been asked when it was originally made: why does one need 105, 120, 135 and 150mm focal lengths?, and the 135mm comes in two varieties! If I am travelling and just taking one lens in that range, the M100/2.8 is the one I am most likely to pack in the bag. If weight is less of a problem, the 135mm/2.5 is likely to get the call. Using film, I might pack the K105 so that all my lenses have a 52mm filter thread.

Here are a few examples.


Oct 3: Vauxhall PA Velox par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


Oct 11: Ayot St Peter par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


Oct 13: Trafalgar Square (1) par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


Oct 28: tree with rays par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


Oct 29: racing penguins par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity

[W412ren]

My main thought is one which must have been asked when it was originally made: why does one need 105, 120, 135 and 150mm focal lengths?, and the 135mm comes in two varieties!

Because in those days they could afford to give you that many options.

[W412ren]

Having arrived a little late to the party with the FA* lenses I have definitely come to appreciate their qualities. I have had the FA*24 for a few years now and have been looking for a zoom with quality and rendering of my DA*200. Finally this year a fine copy came up in Japan for a very sensible price.
I have enjoyed this last month; the lens is different to anything else I own being both long and heavy but the rendering has that special look I was after and it zooms and focuses internally so does not change length at all. I cannot say either that I noticed any impact from focus breathing (unlike the DA*60-250 that I sold).
Wide open, stopped down, short end or long end - this lens performs well. You even get a hint of swirly bokeh at wider apertures, longer focal lengths and shorter focal distances.
I was impressed with the power zoom - not sure why some reviewers think of this as a gimmick - zoom and focus with one finger on the PZ ring; great trick :-)
Handling; feels a bit clunky when trying to manoeuvre it around the camera bag but the important bit is that it feels beautifully balanced on the K-1. Probably the only issue I have with the lens is that the tripod foot is too small (needs to be more like the size of the foot on the A 400/5.6)
Anyway, I feel sure that this lens will be staying with me for the foreseeable future.

A few favourites from the month:

[Tsuken]

Right then. My second month with the Plastic Fantastic DA 35/2.4 on my "magnesium fantastic" KP. The first was January - with the KP having been only a week in my hot little hands at that point. As I compare the January set with this month's efforts I fancy I can see progress - in use of the camera, and of the lens; perhaps in my processing too.

As for the lens itself, it remains truly fantastic. Sharp, lovely rendering, fairly close focus, weighs nothing, handles ... well there's nothing to handle unless you go MF, which I almost never bothered with, but it's ok. It's surprisingly cheap for such an excellent bit of kit. I LOOOOOOVES it!

On to November, with the other plastic fantastic (DA50/1.8)

[pepperberry farm]

end of the month review for the Soligor C/D Macro MC 90mm f2.5

this is a Komine-made lens, available in several different brands (Soligor, Elicar, Vivitar, etc), and is an old-school metal and glass affair...

the one item that separated this lens from all the other Komine-manufactured versions: the 'A' setting for the aperture ring - that, and the pristine condition of this lens, were the reasons I bought this from eBay.de

so - it's a full 1:1 macro lens, with the twisting double-helical extension that some manufacturers seem to prefer (vs the the single extending barrel), and with all that metal and glass - it's a weighty lens...

it is a sharp, contrasty, crystalline-clear image producing lens, with some angular bokeh occasionally, but nothing frantic or distracting - I enjoyed shooting with the lens all month...

the only negative that I found, aside from size & weight, was that the Soligor was a little glowy at full-open aperture (which is f2.4 on my K-3) - I shot at f4 mostly all month and didn't have any issues with it...

how about some shots?











the rest of this month's shots:

Single in Challenge - October '20 | Flickr


but - for the weight and cost of the lens, the Tamron Adaptall-2 72B (with the PK-A mount) is easily as good, weighs less, and may be more readily available....

[blackcloudbrew]

I'm way behind at this point. Won't catch up until tomorrow I'd guess.