Author: | | New Member Registered: June, 2012 Posts: 12 | Review Date: April 4, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $75.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | Bokeh, sharp, looks the business! | Cons: | Focus ring a little underdamped. | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K-m
| | There comes a time when 1.7 just isn't enough, and you start hankering after a 1.4. (Don't even mention 1.2 - too pricy!)
There are pros and cons to wider aperture lenses - faster, (better light transmission), but if you've got six blades and you don't want hexagon OOF highlights you've got to learn to live with a very shallow DOF. Wide open, this lens has a lovely dreamy bokeh, and has sharpness even at 1.4 - you just have to get your focussing bang on target! This is aided by the long focus throw of around 135 degrees.
From f2-2.8 onwards it's really sharp, has very nice colour rendition, and overall it's a very fine lens. My version is not the MC variant, and seems to have a single coating. I never shoot outdoors without a lens hood, so flare is not a problem.
My one criticism, and I'm being picky here, is that the focus ring, while being very smooth, is just a little under-damped - I'd like just a tad more resistance. There is also a slightly irritating clunk when you reach either end of the throw, but you get used to it.
I'm finding it needs +1 - 1.5 stops exposure (AV mode), but that fits with all my other M42 lenses, so is really down to the camera.
All in all though, a lens I can highly recommend - the Porst brand was big in Germany, but the lens itself is Japan (Tomioka) built - so that sets it in the 'must haves' for me - especially at a price of £45 (around $75).
And that big front element just looks so cool! | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: May, 2012 Location: --- Posts: 6,802 2 users found this helpful | Review Date: September 2, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $66.00
| Rating: 9 |
Pros: | F1.4 Sharp, short DOF, good bokeh good colors and contrast | Cons: | bit soft wide open, bokeh busy, flare | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
| | This is an other branded Tomioka 55mm F1.4
What it looks like
This lens is soft wide open, but it's a nice softness that gives a bit of a dreamy cast over the picture. Close op it's much less evident and dissapears when you stop down. (But you don't really want to because you paid for F1.4 so you better use it!).
soft F1.4
sharp F4
short DOF
Busy Bokeh
Smooth Bokeh
Bokeh is smooth or busy or in between, mainly depending on relative distance from subject to backgrond. The Takumar 50 1.4 will probably be less busy.
General use is no problem, just stop down and shoot: | | | | amateur dirt farmer Registered: December, 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Posts: 41,256 | Review Date: May 1, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $125.00
| Rating: 8 |
Pros: | color, clarity, sharpness | Cons: | bokeh (apertures smaller than f2), can be pricey | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 7
Camera Used: K-5 IIs
| | end-of-month review: Porst Color Reflex MC Auto 55mm f1.4 (M42)
I had hoped that there would be a bit of the Porst 55/1.2 in this lens and the month would be that much more interesting....
there isn't and it wasn't - I was completely bored with the lens by week two...
why bored?
because I currently have 12 55mm lenses and this outshines none of them; to be perfectly fair, there is nothing wrong with the lens - it has nice bokeh (at f2 or beyond), produces great color, focuses clearly, but....
it does nothing notable...
supposedly, this is one of the Tomioka-designed lenses, but I can't see that it outshines my Cosina 55/1.4, which shares the design....
the build quality is just OK - it doesn't feel like it is going to fall apart in your hands (I'm looking at you, Flektogon), but it's nowhere near my Super Tak 55/1.8....
the huge 1.4 aperture is nice in low-light, but I can't say that it's any easier to work with than any other fast 55mm I have...
the bokeh is beautiful at f1.4 through f2 - but anything beyond that is hexi-bokeh time and, while nostalgic and sometimes interesting, can become frantic and tiresome...
examples of nice, smooth, dreamy bokeh: sunset behind Indian paintbrush by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr dandelion by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr bumblebee in bluebells by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
and examples of frantic, hexi-bokeh: bridal wreath spirea by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr crepe myrtle by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
overall, however, this is a competent lens that will reward your patience and talent: toad by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr wet pavement by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr in town by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr hydrangea by Pepperberry Farm, on Flickr
and my flickr album for this lens: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pepperberryfarm/albums/72157713474457356/page1
final thoughts: I can recommend the lens, but it will probably be overpriced due to the brand name and supposed ties to Tomioka...
and that I'll probably sell it off simply because in the time I've owned it, it's never sparked any joy for me...
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