Showing posts with label value lens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label value lens. Show all posts

Vivitar 70-150mm f/3.8 from Kiron -- 2 touch zoom

2008-12-31 Posted by Hin Man
Vivitar 70-150mm f/3.8 from Kiron -- 2 touch zoom

Vivitar 70-150mm f/3.8 from Kiron -- 2 touch zoom

I am always in the lookout for inexpensive lens for my Pentax gear. A month agon, I even thought about selling my Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8 to save money for a 2nd system. When I was asked about my replacement, I thought long and hard and tried to avoid the question. But the closest lens in my gear that matches the focal length is this Vivitar 70-150mm f/3.8 from Kiron with two touch zoom designs. After I abandoned my idea in selling my DA* zoom, I just get a chance to try this Kiron zoom and it is found reasonably sharp like my previous version of Kiron 70-150mm f/3.8 one touch zoom ring. The size and weight is definitely bigger and heavier in this lens but the two touch zoom ring design is what I like about this lens the most.

The two touch zoom ring allow me to lock in a focal range without slight alternation and lets me concentrate on SR length accuracy, stop-down metering, and framing. The one touch zoom ring as in Pentax K 45-125mm f/4.0, Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm series, and many manual lens has a common problem in shifting the focal length upon focusing as the zoom ring is shared in both zooming and focusing.



Test Shots:

Test shot with Pentax K20D and Vivitar 70-150mm f/3.8 from Kiron -- 2 touch zoom

Test shot with Pentax K20D and Vivitar 70-150mm f/3.8 from Kiron -- 2 touch zoom

Test shot with Pentax K20D and Vivitar 70-150mm f/3.8 from Kiron -- 2 touch zoom
Test shot with Pentax K20D and Vivitar 70-150mm f/3.8 from Kiron -- 2 touch zoom

Impressions & Notes
  • I like about the handling of this lens a lot, especially on the two touch zoom ring design

  • The close focus on this lens is pretty decent on the use with flowers in the 70mm end

  • Sharpness is very good, very similar to the other version of Vivitar 70-150mm f/3.8 with one touch zoom ring by Kiron

  • Build is solid with metal barrel, a bit heavy as compared but thin in lens barrel and easy to handle

  • The focus throw is about half turn and it has the loose focusing ring that I like for quickness in focusing when needed for street shooting scenes

  • Constant aperture in f/3.8 is a blessing on this zoom lens

  • A well pleased solid performer from Kiron that others may have ignored.

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Inexpensive gear with Pentax

2007-10-08 Posted by Hin Man
Pentax K100D & DA50-200 on Ultrapod 2

I use all the inexpensive gear that I can get with Pentax. I am on the frugal side who wants to go back to school for learning photography instead of lusting for the expensive DA* or all the primes that I am so inclined to look and NOT dare to see the price tag. Not that I want to discourage others from getting the better gear, I am simply constrained by my limiting budget and I try to enjoy my hobby with the inexpensive gear in the beginning.

The following are various blog posts on all inexpensive but quality gear that I have with Pentax

1. Thoughts on DA 18-55

0.5 sec, f/4.5, 38mm, iso 200, -1/2ev (hand-held)
Reflections with Pentax K100D & DA 18-55
I find the kit's lens is right on the money for my beginning path to dSLR from p&s. It does very well for me in outdoor setting. It is not the sharpest but it does reasonably well for outdoor and its zoom range at wide angle fits me very well for outdoor use. For indoor, I find it slow and needing the help with external flash as the internal flash does more damage to a photo that I would like

2. Thoughts on Pentax DA 50-200
1/60 sec, f/4.0, 58mm, iso 200, +7/10 Ev
Kids Portraits with Pentax DA 50-200DA 50-200 is my favorite as compared to my two lens combo with kit's lens. Its zoom range, lightweight, small size, make it a all time favorite for the amateur in me. I find it odd that I use it even for indoor portraits. It is definitely too slow for indoor use but when coupled with good window lighting, great portraits can be done with this lens.

3. Thoughts on FA 50 f/1.4
1/160 sec, f/2.4, 50mm, iso 200, 0 Ev
Late Espresso Cafe with pentax fa 50 f/1.4
My FA 50 f/1.4 has become my favorite replacing my kit's lens for much better indoor portraits and night scene photography. It is the most difficult lens for me to use among all of my automatic lens but it is also the lens that produces the best color and contrast among my gear. Pictures when done close to right is bright, colorful and it has a creamy look that I don't quite know how to describe.

4. M42 Pentax Adapter

Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 (M42 mount)
Pentagon 50mm f/1.8, M42 mount


I have three M42 lens that are costing me $0 dollar to me as I have forgotten that I have them in my old Praktica camera.

5. Takumar Asahi 28-80 Macro M lens

Picture of Takumar with added lens hood
Takumar Asahie 28-80 MacroThere is certain remorse in the initial purchase of this lens for cheap from ebay as I learned that super takumar should be the model that I should go after. But not too bad for the money that I spend especially for its macro capability at 80mm. The menu focusing is relatively harder than those in FA 50 f/1.4 or any of my M42 lens as the focusing ring is too short for fine tuning.

6. External flashes with Eyetek Digital DS328AZ
Update:
My bad, I have ordered an auto flash off from ebay for cheap. This is not something that I recommend my readers to try. I will be guinea pig confirming the fool or the cheap master in me.

Eyetek digital DS328AZ from eBay
Click picture to visit translated Emoblitz DS328AZ description
Eyetek digital DS328AZ
Eyetek digital DS328AZ


7. Free Software

And another odd thing about me on the frugal side, I even go the extra mile in not getting any software that incur a fee. I am using Picasa and Paint.net. And I am starting to explore with Gimp, PhotoPlus, faststone, and few others.
Picasa Samples
Picasa Samples Mosaic
8. Camera Bag (~cost of 2 diapers)
Backpack with Diapers & Lunch Box

9. Mini-tripod with Ultrapod 2 from REI I have managed to get at least a mini-tripod and I chose Ultrapod 2 from REI for $15.00. The tripod is very sturdy and it has a velco strap that looks strong enough to withhold K100D on a fence or tree trunk. On tabletop, it looks great and the money is well spent on the gear.

Pentax K100D on ultrapod 2
10. Tripod with DynaTran AT-CF992 from Amvona in Ebay

And I have purchased Dynatran AT CF992 from ebay and it is so awesome to have three level indicators, Carbon Fiber with 4.75lb weight and the maximum support of 8.8 lb. The tripod exceeded my expectation and I would pay for $200+ had it not offered in eBay through the store vendor of Amvona.

Other tripods considered include DynaTran AT 858B on eBay as well as many Manfrotto Bogen tripods.

Pentax K100D on DynaTran AT-CF992
Pentax K100D on DynaTran AT-CF992

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Photozone.de Pentax DA 50-200 review

2007-07-12 Posted by Hin Man
Photozone.de Pentax DA 50-200 Review does raise some concern for my dependable lens. I need to revisit the site and inputs and discussions among other dpreview Pentax SLR forum members to derive my own conclusion.

I do have bunch of photos made at 200mm and 50mm which I find acceptable. Anyway, maybe I am not trained with the experience to see the edge problems as noted in the review.

At 200mm


At 200mm

At 138mm

At 50 mm


At 50mm

Mosaic on Portraits
Picture link to Portraits with Pentax DA 50-200
Thirsty Water

Though it is slower lens wide open at f/4.0, I find Pentax DA 50-200 very versatile in taking indoor pictures for my kids. It has good color, sharpness, and bokeh for me. And best of all, it is light and I can frame my shot at ease from a farther distance observing my kids without interruption to their fun activity acting out at an any unplanned moment in the day. The above series are totally unplanned in a Sunday afternoon when my two boys have a great laugh in drinking their water. I am yet to look for an external flash to work on indoor portraits.

I love my Pentax DA 50-200, I use it the most among the combo lens with DA 18-55 and the recent purchase of FA 50 f/1.4 and Takumar 28-80 Macro. If I can get an external flash to assist in indoor pictures, it will be a great addition for my kids' pictures for both indoor and outdoor.

Mosaic on hiking
Picture link to Hiking with DA 50-200

Impressions & Notes:
  • Lens is extremely lightweight and it is my go to lens when I want to travel light
  • Lens is ideal for hiking use
  • Lens focal range very versatile especially on portraits and street shooting with emphasis on long end
  • I find softness in 50mm more so than the longer end
  • AF seems reasonable though AF hunts in indoor. Lens not suited to dim light for indoor shooting.
  • Focus ring is right in front similar to kit's lens and I find manual focusing quite alright with this lens
  • Close focusing is good on this lens and I see others with good results with Raynox 250/150.

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Welcome to Hin's Photo Corner, this is my learning blog on photography, blogging and advertising. And I hope you enjoy your visit. For contact, please comment in blog post or email me directly hintheman at gmail.com.

 

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