2016 - A Few Thoughts

2016 has seen the fewest blog entries since I started blogging a few years ago, but at the same time, I took a record number of pictures in the same year, mostly with my Sony A7.

Looking back, I did not spend any money on digital camera bodies in 2016. For some reason, I didn't have the urge to upgrade the cameras like I did in previous years.  Perhaps I have come to the realization that my Sony A7, Nikon D810 and the Olympus EM5 are still great cameras. The Nikon 1V I got was given to me in exchange of some work I did for a friend, and I really do not like that camera at all, for manual focus lenses.  Nikon has castrated the very feature I need, mainly, auto exposure for manual focus lenses, and I can't see myself using manual exposure for every freaking frame I take.  It's just not happening.  That's the reason I have not even bought any adapters for it. Really don't know what to do with the camera.  A shame really, as it has so much potential for small format lenses like D-Mount, C-Mount, and half frame lenses.  As an AF camera, it's quite nice, dynamic range of the sensor not withstanding.

The best thing I did in 2016, was the purchase of the micro lathe.  It has been only a short time, and the lathe is not perfect, but I got a taste of what I can do with such a machine, and I am hooked.  I really look forward to adapting more lenses with it.  In fact, I have a plan which I will talk about in another post :)

Last year also saw me amassed a large number of non-standard lenses and (mostly dead) rangefinders. My goal was to buy enough of these things for me to practice on, to make myself a more skilled lathe operator. So far, I have done about a dozen conversions, mostly on slower rangefinder lenses or on lenses that are already manually converted but with less than satisfactory results. The only thing that slows me down is the lack of time I have available. I think for simple conversions, I can do a pretty good job now.

I fully realized that my blog has become more niche and covers mostly non-standard lenses.  This may turn off some readers who may expect me to cover conventional mount lenses, but I find it in my interest to discover and try out these gems.  Sorry if this is not your cup of tea.  There are so many of these lenses out there and as many people don't realize they can use them on digital cameras.  If I can provide enough information to make some of these lenses live a second life, my goal is accomplished.

Photographically, 2016 was not a bad year for me.  No, my pictures have not improved,  but I enjoy taking them nonetheless.  Hopefully 2017 will be even better!

Streetcar on Queen St. East. Vivitar 40mm f1.7 & Sony A7

Canon FD 20mm f2.8 Sample Pictures

When I bought my NEX-6 and the Sony E50mm f1.8 OSS lens, I told my wife that would be all the gear I would buy for this year. She eyed me suspiciously and said, "Yeah sure." She knows me too well. I don't have a good track record on keeping my promise when it comes to buying photographic gear. Just one month into the year, I have already bought the Sigma 19mm and 30mm f2.8 lenses, the Canon nFD 50mm f1.2L, and the latest addition, Canon FD 20mm f2.8. I'd better stop here, or I will be in real trouble!

In typical Canon FD built fashion, the FD 20mm f2.8 is well put together and handles smoothly, despite its age. I had the auto focus version of the 20mm f2.8, which I, and many others, do not like much, and I wonder if its design was derived from the FD version. Both have a 72mm filter thread. At least on the NEX-6, the corner sharpness seems a bit better than the EF version, but I could be mistaken, as I used it on the 1.3x sensor before, and the corners weren't very good even stopped down. Overall, I am happy with the FD version on the NEX-6, however, on my very preliminary two day use.

DVP north at night - NEX-6 & Canon FD 20mm f2.8. Click for larger.

Smart - NEX-6 & Canon FD 20mm f2.8. Click for larger.

Streetcar turning. Shot through windshell - NEX-6 & Canon FD 20mm f2.8. Click for larger.

The yellow building - NEX-6 & Canon FD 20mm f2.8. 

Canon nFD 50mm f1.2L Samples

The Canon New FD (nFD) mount 50mm f1.2L is slightly larger and heavier than the normal, non-L, nFD 50mm f1.2 (see picture below). It's very well built and you know and feel the quality workmanship by holding it in your hand. I shot a few pictures with it this morning and I am quite satisfied with it. Not really a huge difference between this and the non-L nFD 50mm f1.2; if there is, you would have to pixel peek to death to find it. I promise, if I find the time and will myself to the task, I will do a comparison of the two lenses.

Three brothers - nFD 50mm f1.2L [left], nFD 50mm f1.2 [middle], and nFD 50mm f1.4 [right]

Size comparison. Click for larger

Crossing. shot through windshell - NEX-6 & Canon nFD 50mm f1.2L @ f1.4. Click for larger 

Streetcar - NEX-6 & Canon nFD 50mm f1.2L @ f1.4

Sunset on Queen Street

Sometimes you can get a glimpse of a sunset in the city; it can even be beautiful. The only trouble is capturing it faithfully.  With today's sensors, it's near impossible to record the shadow details in such a high contrast situation, without resorting to HDR of some kind.  Sensors today just do not have the dynamic range of the human eye yet, but I think they will be in a decade's time, or even less.

Sunset - NEX-5N & Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f1.4 HFT QBM 

Voigtlander Nokton 40mm f1.4 as a Carry-Around Lens

Battle Zone on Spadina & Queen -- NEX-5N & Voigtlander Nokton 40mm f1.4. click for larger.

I am now somewhat attached to the Voigtlander Nokton Classic 40mm f1.4 lens on the NEX-5N.  The small size, relatively light weight, and fast maximum aperture makes for a perfect candidate as a walk-around lens on my NEX-5N.  The image quality is excellent and for the money, especially when compared to the Leica 50mm f1.4 Lux, it's an unbeatable value.  I haven't had many chances of using the lens in low light, but for those occasions that I did, the lens did well, though focusing is always an issue at maximum aperture in low light.  In all, I find find the lens to be very enjoyable to use, and it renders pictures that are sharp with nice colours. 

Photo Essay: Around My Work Place in Infrared - Part II

This is the second part of a three part series on Infrared around my work place.  Today I headed west toward Bathurst on Queen street.  As always, this is a very busy section of the city, especially at lunch time in a nice day like today, when many people just wanted to go out for lunch and enjoy the weather.

I started from Spadina & Queen.  This intersection is one of the busiest in the area, partly because many people get on or off here from streetcars.

Spadina & Queen North East Corner -- Canon 20D IR & Penatx-M 20mm f4. Click for larger.

Hot Dog Stand -- Canon 20D IR & Pentax-M 20mm f4.

In the picture above, the same hot dog stand has been here for many years in this spot.  It opens 24 hours.  It almost becomes a fixture at the north east corner.  On the left of the picture, you can see my colleague Mark, with a camera on his right hand.  If you like street photography, you will love Mark's pictures on Flickr.  Mark is a collector and user of vintage cameras/lenses.

Trees -- Canon 20D IR & Pentax-M 20mm f4. Click for larger.

Even with a very ordinary and boring street scene, infrared makes it look different and interesting, and the false colours adds some weirdness to it.

St. Stanislau R. C. Church -- Canon 20D IR & Pentax-M 20mm f4.

King Meets Queen

King Street ends here at Queen Street near the Don Valley Parkway. For all its green/environmentally friendliness, the overhead wires that provide power to the street cars, which run around Toronto, are extremely messy, especially at the intersections where street cars run on both streets. I guess it's something that we as Torontonians have to get used to it. The street cars have been part of Toronto for more than a century.


End of King Street -- Canon 5D & Zoomar Kilfitt Makro Kilar 90mm f2.8. Larger Picture.