Hin's Photo Corner

I get this in an email promotion as a subscriber and affiliate to Adorama. The email suggests to use

• coupon code: S0703101
• Offer expires on 7/3/2010
  

This looks like an awesome deal for a mirror-less APS-C dSLR. My good friend Miserere in EnticingTheLight has a three part reviews starting in SamSung NX10 review part 1 for your reference.

I read about Samsung NX5 and I don't see much reports talking about NX5. I do find a post in www.imaging-resource.com and www.testfreaks.com mentioning about it as a cheaper model to Samsung NX10. Little is known about the actual differences between NX10 and NX5. In my brief searching, one important difference in NX5 is in using a more traditional LCD as compared to the Amoled display screen used in Samsung NX10. Given the current discounted price that I see in Adorama, someone looking serious into Samsung NX10 should also ask around about NX5. This looks to be an exciting beginning time with affordable and outstanding hybrid cameras.


Related Links:

• Samsung NX10 on sale in Adorama
• EnticingTheLight on NX10 part1
• imaging-resource link on NX5
• testfreaks link on NX5
• Pentax K-x White Arrived
• Hin's Camera Gear
  

Pentax DA 15mm f/4.0 limited is surprisingly small. Those who love the pancake will love the DA 15 in terms of size and compactness. The following is a side by side with the 21mm with hood mounted. It offers the minimum focusing distance of 0.18m which is the shortest among all the DA limited primes. It is very likely that it offers the best close up among DA limited but more tests and use cases are needed to confirm.



And a visual differentiators is the thin metal screw cap. The inner lining seems like dust magnet as it is made of some cloth material like suede similar to other DA limited lens. The manual focusing is much more dampened than the 21mm. AF is a sweet baby. The close up is at 0.18m in the DA 15 as compared to 0.2m in DA 21.


Casual Initial Test Shots












Impressions & Notes

• It is too early to draw any conclusions but here are few notes that come to my attentions.
  
  
• It is surprisingly small. Very close in size to the 21mm limited
  
  
• The focusing ring is well dampened when I compare it to 21mm limited. Not that I use it in manual focusing but the quick shift focus in DA prime with a dampened focusing ring is a welcome thought.
  
  
• Close up is very decent and offer better close up than the 21mm limited
  
  
• A bit concerned on the fringing that I see in daytime in f/9.0 in the corner
  
  
• Sharpness is great in center. Yet to see corner sharpness.
  
  
• Handling, size, compactness is good with the 15. Surprisingly good.
  
  
• The lens cap is one of a kind unique among the DA limited. I like its thin cap design and the screw mount cap will take some time to get used to but I think Pentax design it well for the 15mm.
  
  
• Outstanding in flare control in shooting into the light. The 21mm is already quite good in both flare control and protection from the square opening of the lens hood but the 15mm is simply outstanding in flare control. The lens hood in 15 limited is pull-out type and hence it doesn't protect the lens as well as the fixed lens hood on the 21mm limited. The lens hood is of a petal shaped hood.
  
  
• Unlike the 21mm limited, it is much easier to add a filter or a diopter to the lens front as the built in lens hood don't intrude the mounting of a filter. That is not the case in the 21mm where the lens hood is fixed and the only thing one can do is to get a 43mm odd sized filter. And I honestly don't know if a 43mm filter will work well with the built-in lens hood on the 21 limited. On the 15, it is plain and simple just like any front loading lens front and the beauty lies in that the lens hood continues to work for the 15 limited.
  
  
• The built in hood is great to use and not as flimsy as the DA 35mm. It is of the same kind as in pull in extended hood with a petal design
  
  
• This will become my night shooter on a street scene. Fringing concerns me but I am hopeful that the fringing that I see is moderate
  

Related:

• Mirchi Cafe with Pentax DA 15mm f/4.0 limited
  
• Traveling with Pentax K-x and DA limited lenses
  
• Traveling with Pentax DA 21mm f/3.2 limited
• Traveling with limited lens
• Pentax DA 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 fish-eye
• Pentax K-x and DA limited primes
• Tamron SP 17mm f/3.5 adaptall-2 (51B)
  
• Hin's Camera Gear
  

I find the lens a bit too heavy to carry around in hiking purpose. It is a long lens and I feel better balanced when I have it mounted on K20D. The lens does well for me in sharpness and bokeh. The PF/CA is one thing that I still find occasionally in shooting. I recently used it with K-x in weekend hiking trip. I especially like the contrast and bokeh in the close up at the long end in 210mm.






And in the last fall, I used it with Pentax K20D for some fall pictures while visiting Mountain View Shoreline Park.






Related:

• Tamron SP 70-210mm f/3.5 adaptall-2 19AH Initial Tests
• Comparing Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm
  
• Tamron SP 80-200mm f/2.8 adaptall-2 30A
  
• Tamron SP adaptall-2 p/ka adapter
• Tamron adaptall-2 articles
  
• Hin's Camera Gear
  

I have created my own LBA dilemma in having overlap lens with Pentax FA 77mm f/1.8 limited. I bought the 70mm after the Pentax K-x purchase. Having the trio of DA limited lens in 21/40/70 is great in traveling with compact lens design. The 70mm serves well for portraits and candid shots in event. Its size is more compact than the 77mm limited but not by much when the fixed lens hood is mounted on the 70mm.


When the hood is mounted, it look closer in size to the 77mm limited. The fixed size lens hood in 70mm seems to double the actual size of the lens. The 70mm is actually quite small in size like the 21mm limited.












Impressions & Notes

• The 70mm is closer to half the height of the 77mm when its hood is not mounted. Out of the DA limited lens in 21/35/40/70mm, I find the lens hood in the 70mm the biggest to be used that hide the compactness of the prime. I much prefer the thinner lens hood in the 21 and 40 limited.
  
  
• Sharpness is pretty in par with 77. At least, that is my impressions. Color is better in the 77mm if I have to find something to talk it down.
  
  
• The quick shift focus in 70mm wins it hand down for me as compared to the 77mm limited as I do find it great to have the overriding mechanics in quick shift which allow one to minor tune the focus after half-press.
  
  
• Auto-focus is faster in 70mm than the 77mm. It is noticeably faster in K-x.
  

Related:

• Pentax FA 77mm f/1.8 limited Insanely Good with K-x
• Pentax FA 77mm vs DA 70mm dilemma
  
• Pentax FA 77mm f/1.8 limited insanely good
• Pentax FA 77mm f/1.8 vs Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8
• Hin's Camera Gear
  

It is my irony that I frequently go for zoom in traveling instead of having primes for less lens change. I have recently pushed myself in bringing two primes in short weekend trips with Pentax DA 21mm f/3.2 limited and Pentax DA 70mm f/2.4 limited. It is a surprise for me that I have gotten used to using the 21mm for both landscape and portraits. I see more in the background. And that is a welcoming thought that I have grown to love with the 21mm. It is a dependable limited pancake in traveling. It is not in the extreme wide angle but I find it very capable and dependable in traveling. I love the color and wonderful flare control that I can depend upon.











Impressions & Notes

• Its close up is at 0.2 meters. Not sure on filter size as I see 43mm on the lens hood. The cap between the 70 and 21 are not interchangeable. Yes, one can still mount a 49mm on the lens but the hood will not fit. The lens hood that comes with the 21mm limited has inner thread that is likely to fit a 43mm filter.
  
• Color is outstanding. I can't say it is the sharpest among all limited lens. It is quite good but I find other limited lens to be sharper than my 21mm.
  
• Flare control is outstanding. I especially love its thin lens hood. The lens hood provides great protection to the lens that I don't find the need to put an optical filter for protection.
  
• I am surprised to find its good use in portraits to blend in with great landscape on the background. You see more in the background.
  
• Great pancake for traveling for sure. It is not an extreme wide angle but it has its pancake uniqueness to be much liked for its excellent build and compactness.

Related:

• Pentax DA 21mm f/3.2 limited Purchase
• zPizza with Pentax DA 21mm f/3.2 limited
• Pentax K-x and DA Limited lenses
• Pentax DA 21mm f/3.2 limited in FF film bodies
• Hin's Camera Gear

Now I am torn with two outstanding lens that are only used infrequently. I wish I am a photog who can justify keeping both. They are precious prime lens for portraits.
For best value with cheaper cost, the 70mm is a no brain-er to get. If you are tight in budget and that you have the K-x, get the 70mm as f/2.4 is plenty to work with the higher ISO in K-x. If you have the K20D/K7D and that you wants the best in color, get the 77mm. Sharpness to me are outstanding in both of them. I have yet to use more to tell one over the other. My impressions on differentiation on color between the two. In terms of color and contrast, the 77mm wins and it has that magical color rendition in both outdoor and indoor. AF is better in the 70mm and the quick shift focus in the 70mm is a handy plus over the 77mm especially in tricky scene needing manual control. AF in 70mm is noticeably faster with the 70mm.

When it comes to further trimming of my LBA overlap, I will likely keep the 77mm as my copy is from Japan but I digress with the thought in owning all the pancakes from Pentax as that is a unique set of small primes to use. Not that the 77mmm limited is big but the 70mm is really small like the 21mm prime. It is not that noticeable when the hood is mounted on the 70mm. When the hood on 70mm is not mounted, it shows like half the height of the 77mm.


Related

• Pentax FA 77mm f/1.8 limited Insanely Good with K-x
• Pentax DA 70mm f/2.4 limited Test Shots
  
• Pentax K-x and DA limited primes
  
• Pentax FA 77mm f/1.8 limited Insanely Good
• Pentax FA 77mm f/1.8 limited vs Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8
• Pentax K-x white and DA/FA Limited
  
• Limited in Traveling
• Hin's Camera Gear
  

It has been a while since my last blog post. I have been caught up with work and family and I lack time and energy for pictures and blogging. Over the Memorial day weekend, I got a chance to test out an old and quite rare adaptall-2 lens in my possession. I got my copy of Tamron SP 24-48mm f/3.5-3.8 (13A) from an eBay seller in UK and I was disappointed to see the scratch and cleaning marks on the front glass. Once I used the lens in two outings, the poor cosmetics and rough marks don't look as bad as it seems.


One thing that I should pay attention is the missing of the Tamron #27FH optional lens hood in my purchase. I did my test shots without the lens hood and lens flare seem to have less contrast in those brightly lighted scenes in my test pictures.

The lens is not a small lens by Pentax standard. It is quite heavy and bulky when compared to a pancake lens. It is well praised in adaptall-2 site on 13A and it is perhaps the smallest at the time. I personally love 24mm in full frame and I think this rare lens is more popular in 35mm film use. I have both this Tamron SP 24-48 f/3.5-3.8 (13A) and Tamron SP 35-80mm f/2.8-3.8 (01A) and they seem to be a solid pair to go together.


I did all the following test shots without the lens hood. Lens flare seems to impact some of the pictures.











Impressions & Notes

• The lens hood is important to have and it is essential to enjoy this lens. I don't have the original and I use none in the test shots and lens flare seem to be a problem for me. I later found a 58 to 62 step up ring and a 62 inch rubber lens hood and I think I will have better results in next outing
  
  
• The lens is not small and lightweight by Pentax pancake standard but still relatively small when compared to other similar lens of its time. You can think of it as a good wide angle prime in 24mm and quite good performer for normal lens in the 48mm.
  
  
• The front of the lens can't fit a filter ring easily and the original lens hood number #27FH has a filter thread mount for 77mm. The front is oddly shaped as if the lens is partially broken. The threads on the front don't seem to go well with a filter. I suppose the filter is supposed to be used the original lens hood #27FH is used.
  
  
• Unlike the Tamron 35-80mm f/2.8-3.8 (01A), close up is not its strength. The minimum focusing distance is about 0.6 meter.
  
  
• On the trip, I set up my SR focal distance at 24mm as that capture most frequent shots and I didn't bother to change the setting. I used the zoom lens as three primes in one as in 24mm, 35mm, and 48mm. I used 24mm for all the wide angle shots, 48mm for the portraits and 35mm for the in between.
  
  
• I suspect the lens is prone to flare to a fair degree
  
  
• The lens seems to be well controlled in regards to PF/CA
  
  
• Overall, I am quite pleased with the lens performance. Sharpness is quite good over its focal range. I imagine it to be more valuable and likable in film use.
  

Related:

• Exploratorium with Tamron SP 24-48 13A
• Tamron 35-80mm f/2.8-3.8 (01A)
• Tamron adaptall-2 p/k-a adapter
• adaptall-2 related blog posts
• Pentax K-x White
  
• Hin's Camera Gear