Hi Y'all
Yesterday I received a mint with super clean glass copy of Pentax-A 50mm/F1.2 for 570 €/$.
The moment I put it in my hands reminded the grenades I used in the army so hence its baptism "GRENADE". Not to mention that you're like holding a grenade ready to explode heavenly or crappy photos.
Before I even received the glass I pre-ordered a "cinematic" metal hood for a vintage/sexy touch for 45€/$; the most expensive but better quality/looking.
I also ordered a "vintage" case for 25€/$ to keep the Grenade safe and happy
Total cost 640 €/$ for the exception to all my 7 Limited+Biscuit (the XS...) primes (my zoom collection is an irrelevant story).
NOW.... my problems for which I ask your help. Please note that both my cameras are KPs and I got it in order to use it almost exclusively wide open at f/1.2 for street-shooting, night shooting and why not .... ASTRO
. And of course always in DNG never jpg ( any difference in PEF?; don't know)
I don't plan on using if for bokeh-close ups in flowers or portraits as I already have the HDs 35/2.8 & 100/2.8 for macros as well as the SMC 70/2.4 Limited for portraits.
1. It back-focuses a couple inches ie the focus is some 2 inches toward the camera. In the Menu C4 it ONLY allows me to adjust the callibration for ALL lenses. The "just this lens" in disabled !!!
My only option is to callibrate every time I use this glass and then recallibrate after I finish shooting with the chance I forget. Have I messed any other settting that makes the "only one lens" callibration off?
2. Even at -10 callibration and with the green pentagon "Focus OK sign" on the viefinder the copy seems to be again backfocusing a bit
Some times I even feel that its focus on the image is leaning towards the right
So, is there any other way to reduce the back-focusing with some ViewFinder menu adjustments?
3. Focus is only in SPOT. Any chance to change that?
NOTE: In LIVE VIEW MODE the focus works fine; even without callibration!!! What does that mean?
4. I shoot in P mode since the U4 mode that is for Manual lenses messes with the Aperture and it's not that customizable. I still may be using it as "auto" mode in night-outs where I won't be bothering too much with "adjustments". Yet, I'll be always using the green-dot button for metering before adjustments or any shooting mode.
5. In Photoshop there is no "lens profile" for this glass so I am using the "closest one" I can find ie the "Asahi PENTAX Super-Takumar 50mm/f1.4 M42". Has any one else used a lens profile before other than that? The differences are huge!
6. In the RAW profile I realized that I need " Adobe Standard" Profile for the colors, an increase to 62 the Texture in the Basic menu, an 120 in sharpness with 3.0 radius and a 25 Noise Reduction (all these three twicks in the Detail mode). Plus an AUTO in edit adjustmens which I will be later changing if needed per DNG.
ALL these because they truly bring the image/glass close to modern DA resolution/sharpness and I am familiar with "DNGs basic" post processing for 20 years. I don't photoshop the photo beyond it's natural essence.
Does anyone else have/using a different setting? This I've saved this as a present for this glass.
Below first sample photos using the KP with the "Grenade" and all the callibrations and adjusments I mentnioned.
I am 16 years in Pentax mostly Limited Primes and this is my first "manual F" glass.
ALL HELP, COMMENTS, ADVISE will be most greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks,
Athanassios
PS: I am so puzzled and I really wonder whether I should trade it with a brand new SMC Pentax-DA* 55mm F1.4 SDM or a mint used of HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW. It's not that "I need practise". I love f/1.2 but I wonder whether I am just a DA guy. All these focus callibrations and photoshop adjustments seem unnatural to me since I can today simply shoot, put the proper "lens profile" and have top images.
All photos wide open at f/1.2
Last edited by Athanassios; 12-03-2022 at 02:23 PM.
Reason: syntax