Archive for November, 2008
Today it’s snowstorm here. The last few days I have had the idea to do a 50mm battle (my armada of 50mm lenses is growing), but I never seem to get out and do it. Well, I have some images on storage since last shoot so… heres fluffy catched in backlight with Asahi Opt.Co. Super-Multi-Coated 55mm f1.8 M42-lens on the camera Canon EOS 350D:
Fluffy sunset with this Pentax-lens
Took some iceshots on my wlk the other day :)
Icebubbles made with Asahi Opt.Co. Auto Takumar 85mm/1.8
On DIYPhotography.net a new projects has started, where you pair up with a friend and temporarily exchange a piece of gear and then write a review about it. I will try to participate, I like these kinds of projects – it reminds me of the previous $50-dollar film camera project arranged by EpicEdit which was very fun :)
Something New
One thing that comes to mind, would anyone be interested in a long term group where we send cheap M42-lenses round to eachother for testing? I guess it would have to be a closed group where you exchange adresses and place trust in eachother. Well, the idea just popped in my mind…
As I sit here today and watch the images form yesterday, I see things I want to change. Lucky me that the subject is nearby, will give it another go tonight. However, I like this portrait photograph from yesterday made with Asahi Pentax S-M-C Takumar 55mm/1.8 m42 on Canon EOS 350D. Fixed a bit in Photoshop (black and whit, crop, contrast).
Photograph of Sara made with Asahi S-M-C Tak 55mm f1.8
Are you like me – rather the one behind the camera the in front of it? However, sooner or later you will need a picture of yourself, right? For your company, CV, website, book – whatever.
Well, I needed a couple of images for different occasions. So late tonight I took out the cameragear and gave it a try.
I tied the string to the tripod and stretched it to the chair. Sitting on the chair I focused on the tripod. Without touching the focus I put the camera back on the tripod. With the string I could tell where the focus in the image is.
I put selftimer on and ran back to the chair. Took the string to my eye (so it would be in focus). The lights were like I wanted them after several attempts. It’s a bit trial and error. I don’t have good flash or studiolights so I have to use whats available, but I think it turned out ok:
Selfportrait with Asahi Auto-Takumar 85mm/1.8
Old Yashinon-lenses are not often mentioned in discussions about which M42 SLR-lenses to get. Well, not as often as Takumars and Carl Zeiss anyway. I think this might be bacause they are underrated, or maybe just not as common. Many might associate them with the Contax/Yashica-mount of later Yashica lenses. But there are some great stuff for your M42 camera or adapter if you’ll take a look…
The purchase
I bought a Yashica J-7 here in Sweden with this lens on it. It is the camera I reviewed on YashicaForum and entered in EpicEdits $50-dollar camera challenge. Both the camera and lens are in great shape, no marks and great lenses. It has yellowed a bit but I haven’t noticed any impact on my images.
Yashinon-DX 50mm f1.7 m42
Introduction
As you might now I’m a fan of Yashica cameras and lenses (the reason I started YashicaForum.com offcourse). It all started out with a couple of old rangefinders and reading about the greatness of ML-series of lenses on forum.mflenses.com … at the time I think it was the ML 24mm that was being discussed. I decided to get an adapter for Contax/Yashica and try this manual lenses on my Canon DSLR.
Yashica ML 50mm/2 Front
The purchase
I got this lens from Richard for free – thanks :) I also bought one on swedish ebay Tradera, just because it was so cheap and I didn’t wan’t it to go unsold. They are easy to find, buy one if you can!
Side of the lens Yashica ML 50mm/f2
Went for a walk and took russian M42-lenses with me, including the Mir-1v. This is the result, photographs in the dark swedish november, in the sundown. Lens mounted on camera Canon EOS 350D.
Mir 1V into sundown
Field portraied by this old russian lens
My daughter carried on my wifes back. She likes to look over the shoulder and look at the cars :) Made som photographs with Mir-1V on Canon EOS 350D. There was very much overcast light (swedish november), and hard to focus with that camera but I like this images as the show the spirit of the moment ;)
Nice bokeh with Mir-1v
Pekaboo with Mir-1v, more nice bokeh
