Hin's Photo Corner: PhS

Showing posts with label PhS. Show all posts

Tair-3 Phs 300mm f/4.5 and Pentax-F 1.7x AF TC

2009-04-21 Posted by Hin Man

I brought in my Pentax F-1.7x AF TC to work with the Photosniper. I also attempted to use my cheapo Dynatran AT CF992 from Amvona . My tripod came with a tripod head that is supposed to hold the weight of the combo but it seems to move quite a bit due to the heavy weight.

First my set up, I use my camera bag to stabilize my tripod

Foil to get F-1.7x to work with M42

Focus trap also kicks in

I changed the T-mount to cover the contacts

and K locking pin

I can only use wide open

due to focusing (explain later in detail)

Red knob cocking the lens wider than f/4.5

likely f/4.0

Toilet Plunger lens hood

The magical AF mechanics from Pentax F-1.7x AF TC works quite well in the set. Unfortunately, I can't stop down to f/8.0 or smaller as the AF from the TC will kick in again after stop down and I can't release shutter due to inability to obtain focus after stopping down

I will need to re-set AF button to cancel AF and use combination of AF and shutter release button to release shutter without AF after stopping down.

First two test shots are done on tripod with SR off and cropped in the middle, the bird is quite far away, I don't think my tripod head is very stable for the shot. Also the wide open shot and TC can degrade on detail as expected. All shots wide open.

And next three are done hand-held, I manage to get closer to the bird without the tripod. All shots are cropped middle with some sharpening in iPhoto.

Photosniper Tair-3 PhS 300mm f/4.5 Humming Birds

Some test shots on hummingbirds with this lens wide open in f/4.5 in using the lens alone without the gun stock. This lens is the most difficult lens that I have used

Due to blades in manual diaphragm, I can't confirm focus at f/8.0 and bigger apertures.
The focusing knob is underneath the lens barrel.
The preset ring serves as a cocking mechanism for the lens.
Once cocked, the aperture is wide open, slighter wider than f/4.5, maybe f/4.0, and I can focus but the catch is having to rely on the gun trigger to stop down the lens
Without the gun stock, I can still stop down by tapping the diagram release bar underneath the lens barrel

#1

#2
shadow and too dark to freeze the motion

#3
user focus error
again a bit too dark

#4

#5

Photosniper Tair-3 PhS 300mm f/4.5 Test Shots

2009-04-20 Posted by Hin Man

All test shots hand-held wide open aperture wider than f/4.5, likely f/4.0 with the preset ring set at full diaphragm opening.

Photosniper Tair-3 PhS 300mm f/4.5 Test Shot

Initial impressions and notes

weight 1.6kg/3.5 lb, quite heavy
very long lens, about 9.5 inches without hood
filter size: 72mm
lens hood reminds me of a toilet plunger
color and contrast is quite good straight from jpg and K20D
sharpness is reasonable at f/5.6, I tested few shots in f/4.5, a touch soft but still usable, more use will tell, I have many user errors due to its weight and length
focusing is on a knob underneath the lens barrel, surprisingly good in focusing
due to focusing knob location, it is extremely odd if not impossible to shoot portrait orientation, tripod will help
no aperture f/stop in half stop, even if you turn preset ring into half-stop, the diaphragm release bar will reset it to full stop
Due to M42 mount in manual diaphragm, blades are closing down in stop-down, I can confirm focus easily in f/4.5, f/5.6, but I can't confirm focus easily on f/8.0 onwards due to dimmer light. A tripod setup may help. Also, the sniper stock gun has a mechanism in cocking the gun wide open for focusing, but I have to choose between gun stock or tripod but not both of them at the same time
This lens will require genuine m42 adapter with adapter mounted on camera body first, extreme caution is needed as the rear is small and not able to cover the K mount locking pin. All electric contacts are exposed.
More to come as I put this lens into use

Photosniper Tair-3 PhS 300mm f/4.5 Purchcase

2009-04-17 Posted by Hin Man

I have recently purchased 2 copies of this lens. The one with a stock gun rifle arrived in the weekend. The user menu is quite interesting with a handsomely dressed guy in a suite playing with the Photosniper in the field. I can fancy myself as an agent in reading that menu. It is perhaps how they attract sales with that user menu nicely done with very polished b&w photos. Some scan of the user menu to share

Menu cover