| Showing all 9 reviews by kernos | |
| Review of: Tokina AT-X Macro "Bokina" 90mm F2.5 by kernos on Sat August 18, 2018 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
Views: 84522
Reviews: 11
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I owned this lens (and still do actually) on my film Olympus. It never left the camera. On full frame, it was a really wonderful portrait lens as well as a macro lens. On aps-c Pentax, the macro is still wonderful but the portrait less so. Nonetheless it is one of my favorite lenses and certainly the best manual focus lens I own. On macro and minimum focus distance there is a razor thin area in focus and the rest is the dreamy bokeh the lens is famous for. Here's two examples
 IMGP8843.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
 Woodland sunflower early bloom by David Miley, on Flickr
Stopping down a bit and backing up shows off the sharpness and normal rendering..
 IMGP7053-Edit.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
 IMGP5505.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
This lens will not fit everyone's style, but it fits mine. I'd love to try it on a K1, but that may take awhile.
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| Review of: Canon FL 55mm F1.2 by kernos on Sun June 10, 2018 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
Views: 13867
Reviews: 1
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This lens was converted for me by Brian Gohacki. I bought the original, fungus infected model on Ebay for $125 and Brian cleaned, lubed and machined a PK base. I believe that without a friend discount this lens would be in the $300-$400 range after being converted to PK. So why go to all the trouble? The answer is, as always the rendering and not just a 1.2. It is very reminiscent of the Pentax FA 77 in terms of color portrayal. The lens is built like a tank and focuses easily. The aperture could use a detente at 1.8, but there is a hidden 1.4 that clicks but is not on the scale. While most people buy a 1.2 to shoot at 1.2 (and its better than a Porst 55mm 1.2 by far at 1.2) I like the rendering stopped down slightly. Along with the FA77 and the Bokina its one of those lenses that pleasantly surprise me when I open photos in Lightroom. Perhaps a few photos would be better than words
K5iis at 1.2
 IMGP6982-Edit.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
K5iis at 2.0
 IMGP8680.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
K5iis at 2.0
 IMGP7037-Edit-Edit.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
K5iis at 2.8
 IMGP7760.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
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| Review of: Porst, Spiratone, Apollo ...et al (Mitake) Tele M 135mm F1.8 by kernos on Sun October 8, 2017 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 59967
Reviews: 5
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I have the Formula 5 version. This is not the Spiratone 135mm 1.8 reviewed elsewhere although Spiratone, Weltblick, Eyemik and a cast of other characters also rebranded the Mitake. Spiratone 135mm by Mitake will be marked on the front of the lens. The other Spiratone has a different optical design.
For a host of reasons one would not use this lens as your go to 135mm. A reviewer on another site mentioned that the Formula 5 had every known aberration. It is heavy and the aberrations do not clear up until you stop down which means that you can carry a relatively lightweight 135mm lens and get decent shots at 2.8 without the weight.
On the other hand, one can use those aberrations to advantage, producing thoroughly surreal and painterly photos that respond very well to a bit of tweaking in LR. Pictures are better than writing. All shot wide open at 1.8 mostly on a K30. This is a lens you paint with, hence the seeming disconnect between the numbers and the recommendation. It seems other folks are figuring out about this lens. Current prices (October 2017) are much higher than what I paid, ranging from $399-$568 and I've seen higher.
 IMGP6387-Edit.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
 IMGP6352.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
 IMGP6397-Edit.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
 IMGP4733-Edit.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
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| Review of: Spiratone YS 24mm F2.8 by kernos on Sun August 20, 2017 | Rating: 10 | View more reviews | |
Views: 24840
Reviews: 2
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This review is only for close focus and macro extension work. I suspect it's just fine as a normal 24mm, but I never use it that way. What always surprises me is the 3D effect that this lens produces. Sharp, bright, good colors - what's not to love. LR enhanced, but they started good. this lens is a great way to get out of a flower macro rut.
It is an open question concerning the actual maker of this lens since Spiratone was not a manufacturer. With a filter size of 52mm this is not a Sigma mini-wide or super-wide. It looks nothing like the Sigma Filtermatic which had internal filters but the same external filter size, min aperture and mfd. I'm going to guess that even if there is some similarity, the reviews are so bad especially for bokeh that this cannot be the same lens.
The Sun Optical Co. lens looks a lot like it including filter size, has the same YS mount and so my guess is that they're the actual manufacturer. A few other third party folks like Quantaray also have a version of this. So, there are not a lot of reviews and this may be a sleeper lens.
I'll let the pictures speak for me.
Two Rose of sharon shots in the rain. No extension tube wide open. Everything on a K50  
And for the extreme of bokeh at close focus
 [url=https://flic.kr/p/XVM9QZ]IMGP6157-Edit.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr[/URL]
Smallest original Pentax PK extension tube shot wide open, Rose of Sharon
Middle original Pentax PK extensiontube wide open
Cleome
Crepe myrtle
  [LEFT]
Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/122-lens-clubs/129563-macro-lens-club-177.html#ixzz4qK0r0kk3 [/LEFT]
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| Review of: Helios 77M-4 MC 50mm F1.8 by kernos on Sat November 26, 2016 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 97004
Reviews: 7
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Mostly I use this lens on extension tubes for flowers. I love the rendering. If I could characterize it, it is plenty sharp and has a restrained version of the Helios 44 swirly bokeh. Here is a very lucky macro shot as the bee did not move even with the lens almost touching its body.
 IMGP4021.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
I also love the way it delivers out of focus bokeh. Chromatic aberation comes with the package with bright light and very close focus.
 IMGP3866.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
And then there is just straight wide open bokeh with a group of yellow flowers without the tubes.
 IMGP3720.jpg by David Miley, on Flickr
There is quite a body of work on the web from Russian photographers who use this lens. This is Alexandra Bochareva's go to lens and she gets amazingly evocative portraits from it. If you haven't seen her work, its worth seeking out. For me it is one of the two or three m42 lenses that I go to for florals, the others being a Mir 1b and a Soligor 105mm (non-macro). I just wish it did not seem like it was going to fall apart when I focus.
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| Review of: Mir-1 (Mir-1A, Mir-1B, Mir 1V) 37mm F2.8 by kernos on Sun August 28, 2016 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 180871
Reviews: 11
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I only use this lens with extension tubes so this is not a general review. I have had a lot of success with it on macro that starts with sharpness but also brings out a dreamy characteristic in the OOF ares.. So here is a link to 8 macro shots that I'm reasonably proud of. Pay no attention to the EXIF focal length as I often forget to set it and it doesn't matter much on an m42 lens. Also, I had some really cooperative bugs that did not mind a lens almost nudging their antennas.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/13383244@N00/albums/72157673085802875 | |
| Review of: Soligor Tele-Auto 105mm F2.8 by kernos on Fri April 29, 2016 | Rating: 9 | View more reviews | |
Views: 17688
Reviews: 2
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This is a sleeper lens, almost unreviewed on the internet. It is a T2 mount using m42 that I use with the very good Kipon aperture pin pushing adapter. The lens is razor sharp, even wide open. This is an example taken on the K30 with a short extension tube. Here is some stop down macro work. This cluster of maple winglets is an example. This may be even better. A cluster of cornus pods shows off both the insane resolution of this lens and the pretty bokeh.
The lens is beautifully constructed and the focus and aperture mechanisms are very smooth. We are talking an old school solid metal first quality build here. Really the only downsides are the minimum focal distance which is a bit long at 4.8 ft and 2.8 may not be fast enough for some uses. As noted in the lens description, there was an a Soligor to Takumar comparison on the pentax forum blog. Its a long read with lots of pictures, but the Soligor more than holds its own and may be a bit cheaper since there are almost no reviews. This is a lens that can be acquired for little money, produces great images and feels really well built.
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| Review of: Vivitar P and B ( Soligor et al) Preset T-mount 135mm F3.5 by kernos on Thu April 14, 2016 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 16107
Reviews: 2
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I have the Weltblick version which seems to have the same 4/4 optical formula and 15 blades and 46mm filter ring. Mine is tmount to m42. There are other versions of the this lens branded as Sands Hunter and Soligor. The original was almost certainly the Tamron 860. One site indicates that the Weltblick version was made by Tomioka, but no one else says this and there is some evidence that the Soligors were made by Tamron because of the beginning T in the serial number. This site actually shows my actual lens down to the serial number :-).
This is an odd lens to categorize. Using modern concepts of photographic good, this lens is crap. But let's go beyond modern concepts for awhile. First it is really tiny and light for 135mm. Second, the build is very solid. Third, the aperture ring turns smoothly without clicks, giving some of pleasure to stop down metering. The only worrisome thing about this lens is that the base is so small that it exposes the K30's lens contacts - no shooting in the rain with this one.
As for image quality, it is situational. No this is not a camera to use in bright light. Strange purple shadow liners show up everywhere. Against all odds stopping down in bright light produces ghosts. Actually it does not even have to be that bright to ghost. It is actually better to risk flare at f5 or larger than to stop down in bright light.
Where the lens shines (so to speak) is in diffuse natural light portraiture, wide open or slightly stopped down. The lens is sharp wide open. This lens loves my wife at 5 feet wide open. While not nearly as versatile or sharp as a Tokina ATX 90mm macro on film, it has some of the same vibe. All shots below were in the f3.5 to f5 range
This example was shot with indirect light flowing for three directions. The colors surprised me in a good way.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/13383244@N00/26396932545/in/dateposted-public/lightbox/
This is an example of sharpness with only incandescent and north window midday light.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/13383244@N00/26390940855/in/dateposted-public/lightbox/
This is an example of bokeh.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/13383244@N00/26301935462/in/dateposted-public/lightbox/
The lens is cheap and really pretty good if you don't ask it to do things it can't do. At $32 plus an m42 to PK adapter (mine is a kipon with auto pin depressor) it provides a lot of amusement and some good pictures for not a lot of money.
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| Review of: Pentacon MC Auto (M42) 29mm F2.8 by kernos on Fri April 8, 2016 | Rating: 8 | View more reviews | |
Views: 187156
Reviews: 17
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I had somethings specific in mind when I bought this lens - getting to bubbly bokeh with some degree of sharpness. As it turns out, you can't have both at the same time. The lens simply is not sharp even close to wide open when the bubble factory is in full swing. As a normal lens for everyday shooting, it is fairly ho-hum. And if that were the whole story, I would probably consign it to ebay and try for something else.
Why I'm keeping the lens if for it's closeup capability. Not a macro, but it is possible to get really close. With a 45mm 35mm equivalent FOV this can produce some engaging pictures. If you shoot at f10 or so it provides a real sense of foreground depth (dare I use the term 3D) and the background blur is completely smooth. The colors are nice too, even when I haven't done a little LR manipulation. This picture (click url), while not great art, illustrates the point.
So this lens has a niche use in giving small things like flowers a sense of vitality from a slightly unusual perspective. For that its worth keeping in my bag. Overall an inexpensive lens to have some fun with.
Mine is the m42 auto version. Just as a note, you need an m42 adapter that will depress the auto switch or you can glue tape or surgerize the lens. I'm using the Kipon adapter with auto aperture depress that seems to do the job.
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