Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Macro Test Shots

2008-08-08
The LBA and ebay have made the sucker of me to bid this up for a high price and I have buyer remorse in buying this old lens instead of my original plan for a new Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 1:1. Many discussions in forums has lured me to pay attention to Lester A Dine as it is the same lens with the same optics as in Vivitar Series1 105mm f/2.8 and other variations with Vivitar 100/105mm f/2.5 and f/2.8 1:1 Macro. All were made by Kiron or Kino Precision.

Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Dental Macro Test Shots with Pentax K10D

Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Dental Macro Test Shots with Pentax K10D

Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Dental Macro Test Shots with Pentax K10D

Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Dental Macro Test Shots with Pentax K10D

Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Dental Macro Test Shots with Pentax K10D

Lester A Dine 105mm f/2.8 1:1 Dental Macro Test Shots with Pentax K10D

I tested the legendary lens, and the pictures so far are good but my expectation are higher than the pictures that I get. I can't seem to get good sharpness when I get closer to 1:1 focusing. I have more user errors than expected with this manual lens than my previous attempts with other 1:2 macro manual lens.

Impressions & Notes:
  • Off focus rendering is very good with the lens
  • Bokeh is excellent
  • Build quality quite outstanding
  • PF/CA are present and seen in wide open aperture, though subtle.
  • In closer to 1:1 macro range, lens tend to have slight over-exposure.
  • At 1:2 magnification, I find making much less user errors with the lens. Also exposure are more accurate in 1:2 magnification.
  • In 1:1 magnification about 1.45 feet, I find myself needing to add -1/3 to -2/3 Ev
  • I tried using tripod to brace my shot but I find framing much harder with tripod. I gave up on tripod after 10 minutes of trying without getting a focus lock.
  • A monopod maybe better suited. Perhaps a railing system is also required
  • A flash to increase shutter speed may help to minimize my mistakes due to movement in taking the shot
  • I am yet to test the Dine Macro Ring light, I am hopeful that the macro ring light will make the shutter speed faster to help me cope with blur. Others reported that the ring flash is compatible and work in K200D
  • The lens is a bit heavy but I find it very comfortable for hand-holding, especially for the 1:2 macro shots. The lens is a bit lighter than the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8.
  • Though the focus throw is almost like a full circle for fine manual focusing need, I find the focusing ring a bit stiff compared to other lens that I have used. I prefer the focusing rings in my Pentax A 50 f/2.8 1:2 Macro and that in Pentax 100mm f/4.0 1:2 Macro
Related:

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just see your blog, your beautiful photos, super interesting, very varied and I see that we have one thing in common! love of nature. Friends ...
Excuse my English "The French PassionNature78"

Tran Thanh Tan said...

Very nice capture, i use also a K10D but you have a good collection of lenses

Anyway, Lester A Dine is a brandname of lens?

imad said...

I used lester dine wide open it's soft but 5.6-8 it is amazing use it for landscape as well crazy microcontrast and sharpness

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