[Riggomatic]

Month with the SMC 85 f1.8 again: Last time I used this one was MoNovember 2021, and my feelings are still the same about the lens. Smooth focus (check), tank like construction (check), sharp when wanted (check). As always, I want to get closer to my subjects with it. I think I need to invest in a Raynox macro lens to take care of that one negative I keep bringing up on most of my lenses.

My biggest issue was limiting myself to abstracts. The images I had in my mind, never appeared on my camera, and that really irked me with each photo. I may have had 1 or 2 that might be abstract-ish, but didn't come close to my ambition of having enough for a small collage. Oh well, I still enjoyed the lens!

Some of the ones I liked (abstract or not):

[Tsuken]

So, June, returning to the wonderful HD DA 21 mm limited. I really do love this lens. I've been a bit off in terms of my mental focus (ha!) this month, which I'll put down to work: my boss, the Director of Clinical Services for mental health for our local health district, has been away for four weeks, and muggins here agreed to act up in his position. It was nice to hear that members of the Executive let out a cheer when informed that I had agreed to do so, and the month has gone really well, but it has demanded a lot, and I think that time to think about photography was a bit of a casualty. Happily that did coincide with some nice morning skies for reasonably pleasing safeties.

As for the lens ... just like I remember from my 12 months with it through 2021. I just love pretty much everything about it. Sometimes I think that faster than 3.2 would be nice, but then ... nah it's great as it is. I decided to shoot mostly in TAv, in an attempt to make shooting more of a consciously thoughtful process. I don't know how much of an effect it had, to be honest. I also decided to limit my photos taken, as though using a few rolls of film. That was good - but perhaps simply easy-ish due to the aforementioned time casualty.

My verdict remains: unless you are constitutionally-opposed to this fairly wide focal length, you should have this lens. It can imbue even the dumbest photos with a character that lifts them above the photographer (at least, when the photographer is budget like me...). I'll also emphasise, as I have before: stay the hell away from lens "corrections" in post, as they suck the life out of this lens.

My faves from the month:


Bike rack off Flushcombe by -Occasionally Focused-


Morning by -Occasionally Focused- - one of the aforementioned safeties, in all likelihood.

Not sure why, but I do like this one:


Graffiti wall by -Occasionally Focused-


Getting taller by -Occasionally Focused- - the boy's shooting up at a great old rate


B&W kuro obi by -Occasionally Focused-

This was different for me, and came out as I'd hoped:


Rapidly past by -Occasionally Focused-


That Tree morning (landscape) by -Occasionally Focused-

[Cerebum]

Great job, Peter, and very interesting images
I started a film SiC (ME Super, M 35/2.8; Ilford Pan 50) but it collapsed around June 12th due to lack of time. I'm going to finish the roll and post the most interesting shots somewhere in the bw film section.

Thanks there were a few mundane ones as you can see from the folder Foma 400 HC110 | Flickr I could have included one or two more but I didnt want to drive people bonkers lol. I haven't shot ilford pan, the thought of iso50 combined with our useless weather *shudder*. Having said that, I have some 30yo ilford fp4 that I am shooting at 64.... I am going to run it this month too. I was given a spotty sp1000 on the understanding that I use it, so i am going to run with that, a takumar 35mm f3.5 and a roll of 400, the new offering from Kosmo Foto called Agent shadow (its Kentmere 400 in a nice box). Let's see where that gets me

---------- Post added 30-06-22 at 10:42 PM ----------

OK, review time. I apologise for not commenting. I have moved from lightroom mobile over to a macbook for my processing which is taking a little longer because there are so many options I also just don't seem to have any time these days! I don't know what has changed! Regarding the lens, I started on the 40mm but broke it early on (yeah, its dead :'( ) so I switched to the 35mm limited. Shooting with this isn't really a challenge as living with it is so easy. This month has been more about getting my head round lightroom classic, now I have and I am never going back . I also processed a couple of shots with a much lighter touch. The retro look still works for me in many situations but I really liked the lighter look so I may delve into it more in July.

One of my last ever shots with the 40mm limited


35mm
















Possibly my favourite






The lighter touch


Apologies for there being so many. I hadn't realised what a successful month it was

[Chris_K]

Thanks there were a few mundane ones as you can see from the folder Foma 400 HC110 | Flickr I could have included one or two more but I didnt want to drive people bonkers lol. I haven't shot ilford pan, the thought of iso50 combined with our useless weather *shudder*. Having said that, I have some 30yo ilford fp4 that I am shooting at 64.... I am going to run it this month too. I was given a spotty sp1000 on the understanding that I use it, so i am going to run with that, a takumar 35mm f3.5 and a roll of 400, the new offering from Kosmo Foto called Agent shadow (its Kentmere 400 in a nice box). Let's see where that gets me

PAN 50 has a nice contrast despite being several years beyond the shelf life (obviously). I shot one roll of the Kentmere 400 one or two years ago and I actually liked it, but sticked to the HP5 and FP4. I'll probably use the FP4 when finished the present roll in my ME Super. Lots of fun, just no time for doing it
Anyway, it's great that you've found shooting film so much enjoyable experience!

[Cerebum]

Duplicate post

---------- Post added 30-06-22 at 11:19 PM ----------

PAN 50 has a nice contrast despite being several years beyond the shelf life (obviously). I shot one roll of the Kentmere 400 one or two years ago and I actually liked it, but sticked to the HP5 and FP4. I'll probably use the FP4 when finished the present roll in my ME Super. Lots of fun, just no time for doing it
Anyway, it's great that you've found shooting film so much enjoyable experience!

I have fomapan 200 in my bulk loader, that's nice but best at 125 but if you want a recommendation, try and get hold of a roll of Orwo UN54. It is the nicest mono I have ever used. Even though I already have 12months worth of fomapan I am thinking of investing in the orwo before the price goes up and yep, film is ACES!

[Jeff]

I did not finish this month's SiC as my lens winged its way away to a new home. I have mixed feelings about it - it was simply not consistent at the long end and I couldn't deal with that - what I thought was a good capture turned out to be bin-worthy. That said, I do have a few from it that I liked. I'd had it quite a while but it was always a backup for my primes (31,43, fat 50, 77) so I rarely used it. I've since sold it and am acquiring a 24-70 which I intend to use this month, probably mostly on my K3III. The 37-107 (@1.53 crop factor) is a nice range for the way I like to work, and I'll just swap it over to the K-1 where I want wider. I guess I'm curious as to how it will work on apsc (very well according to those who've done so) and how much I will get to like it. I thought of getting the 16-50 plm aw but it would have required a too-large selloff in order to fund it, so the used 24-70 will do. I do hope it is as good as I hope it will be for a month's worth of photography!

Here are a few of my favourites from the 28-105 for June.

[womble]

This is the sixth month of using one of my K lenses. As I spent many years shooting slides with just a 28mm and a 50mm lens, I thought that using the 20mm on APS would feel familiar in terms of focal length. I guess 15 years of shooting a mixture of formats has hard-wired by brain into seeing 20mm as wiiiiide on APS-C. I ended-up with a few "panoramas by cropping" due to this I rather liked this lens once I got used to it. It does suffer from barrel distortion which wasn't too bad on APS-C but would probably be more noticeable on 35mm. A slight tweak in Lightroom usually helped, as did turning on the "remove chromatic aberration" feature. It does focus quite close which was helpful for late night safeties (no extension tubes this month) and the large depth of field at f/8 helped with quick focusing. The lens is much bigger than my M-series 20mm lens which is quite compact. Here are some of the images from the month.


June 2 shadow stairs par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


June 4: abandoned par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


June 11: Corvette par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


June 13: abstract par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


June 20: Oxbrugh Hall par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


June 21: Necton seflie par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity


June 23: lion par Kris Lockyear, on ipernity

[AggieDad]

@womble – I am trying this month essentially what you did in June. I am using the SMC Pentax-DA 21mm F3.2 Limited, a new lens for me. I bought it on the PF Marketplace and just received it this past Thursday. It is very compact. It will be a big adjustment from the 135mm "A" lens I used in June.

[womble]

@womble – I am trying this month essentially what you did in June. I am using the SMC Pentax-DA 21mm F3.2 Limited, a new lens for me. I bought it on the PF Marketplace and just received it this past Thursday. It is very compact. It will be a big adjustment from the 135mm "A" lens I used in June.

Have fun! It's a big leap from 135 to 21. Helped that it was close focussing though.

[Tsuken]

@womble – I am trying this month essentially what you did in June. I am using the SMC Pentax-DA 21mm F3.2 Limited, a new lens for me. I bought it on the PF Marketplace and just received it this past Thursday. It is very compact. It will be a big adjustment from the 135mm "A" lens I used in June.

Very nice! I assume the SMC and HD versions differ only in the lens coatings (?) so I’m very sure it’ll be a great lens-month.