Zoomar Kilfitt Makro Kilar 90mm f2.8 - A Set of Pictures

The Kilfitt Makro Kilar 90mm f2.8 is one of those lenses that while not used often, but is the lens I would grab when I want to shoot some macro pictures, or pictures in the portrait focal length.  Sure, the Contax Carl Zeiss S-Planar 60mm f2.8 Makro is sharp as a blade, and I also like it lots, but it doesn't have quite the same kind of characteristics that I find attractive with the Kilfitt 90mm f2.8 Makro.

Butterfly - NEX-5N & Zoomar Kilfitt Makro Kilar 90mm f2.8. Click for larger.

Cyclist - NEX-5N & Zoomar Kilfitt Makro Kilar 90mm f2.8. Click for larger.

Streetcar - NEX-5N & Zoomar Kilfitt Makro Kilar 90mm f2.8. Click for larger.

Sunflower - NEX-5N & Zoomar Kilfitt Makro Kilar 90mm f2.8. Click for larger.

Biking From Toronto To Niagara Falls

On Canada Day (July 1st), seven of us rode our bicycles from Toronto to Niagara Falls, to test our endurance.  We started at 6am and arrived at Niagara Falls at 7pm, for a total of 13 hours, covering more than 170KM of distance.  My 13-year-old son Ryan, who rode more slowly, hence the longer time it took.

Dillon, Kevin, Lens Bubbles, Ryan, Quang and Ivan. My friend Cliff would join us later in Mississauga. Click for larger.

The event didn't start out smoothly.  I had a fall just a few kilometers from where we started, and had  a scraped knee.  Luckily, it was only the skin and nothing serious, except a sore shoulder.  We pressed on and at around Mississauga, two flat tires from Dillon's front wheel.  Fortunately, after this, no more flats.

Scraped knee.

I am very proud of Ryan, who didn't have much bike riding experience and made it to Niagara Falls, despite the initial rough start.  And also for Dillon, who's a year older than Ryan.  He also rode back the next day.  For me, about 2/3 of the way there, my right knee joint started to hurt and it got worse as I rode.  By the time we were near our destination, I was practically peddling only with my left leg, and was limping my way to the hotel.

Taking a break at Grimsby.

There were seven of us riding to the Falls, but only three were riding back (Quang, Kevin and Dillon).  The rest of use either was driven or took the train home.  It took roughly 12 hours for the three to ride back.  The trip was very challenging for all of us.  The hot weather and humidity made it worse.  We consumed large amount of water and sugary drinks on the way there.  It was truly a great experience.

Lens Bubbles and Ryan arriving at the Niagara  Falls.

Minolta MD 85mm f2 - Another Sample

Driving is back -- NEX-5N & Minolta MD 85mm f2

The reason I have not used this lens much, is due to the very stiff focusing ring.  To gear addicts like me, properly calibrated, and well maintained equipment is a big factor in enjoying the picture taking process.  Sticky, stiff, choppy focusing is a real downer.  You feel it every time you take a picture.  This, however, does not stop me from liking this fabulous lens.  In some ways, the smaller size and lighter weight makes up for the 1/3 stop of light loss to my other favourite portrait lens - the Minolta MC-Rokkor 85mm f1.7.  Probably for this reason, the 85mm f2 is very popular portrait lens choice.

Auto Chinon 55mm f1.7 M42 - First Look

The Auto Chinon 55mm f1.7 is a sister lens of the Chinon 55mm f1.4.  Aside from their size difference, they look very similar, as the picture shows below.  Both are possibly made by Tomioka and probably share the same optical formula, as the pictures from both have same kind of look to them.

There are at least two versions of this M42 mount lens.  The one below shows the older (probably the original) version, and there is also one with rubber focusing ring.  Not really sure what the differences are, as I don't have the other version.  I would imagine the later model would have better coating.  Also, there is a K-Mount version as well.

Chinon 55mm f1.4 on the left, Chinon 55mm f1.7 on the right. Click for larger picture.

This lens is quite inexpensive.  Often selling for about $10 to $50 depending on condition.  The build quality, like most of the lens of its kind from the same era, are excellent when you compare it to how the entry level lenses are built today.  Remember, this f1.7 lens is the cheap version of the f1.4 version, but the built is identical to the expensive f1.4 counterpart.  Even after many decades, the focusing is still supremely smooth with just the right amount of damping.  Turning the focusing ring will remind you that you are holding and using a precision instrument.  Simply joy for the senses.

Fence -- NEX-5N & Auto Chinon 55mm f1.7 wide open.  Click for larger.

If the lens simply looks good and feels good in the hand, but performs poorly, it would be just a nice paper weight.  Fortunately, beauty is more than skin deep.  Wide open, contrast and sharpness is not great, but even very expensive lenses would perform better stopping down a little.  This is not to say that you can't use the lens at f1.7.  In fact, for portraiture, it's quite fine using f1.7, as long as you can find the focus point.  From f2.8 to f5.6, this lens shines.  Sharpness and contrast rivals today's auto focus 50mm f1.7/f1.8 lenses.  Even the edges are very good at f5.6 on APS-C sensor.

Ship - NEX-5N & Auto Chinon 55mm f1.7 @ f5.6. Click for larger.

I find the bokeh quite acceptable, but it's a subjective thing.  Certainly there are lenses that produce better bokeh, but we are looking at a very cheap lens here. I don't have anything to complain about, when taking into the consideration of cost, and its good built quality.

Would you pay more for the f1.4 version for 2/3 of a stop more light?  If the price is not too great, I would say yes, but this lens is great for people who just want to test the waters on manual focus lenses.  It's well built, optically competent, and most important of all, it's cheap.  You can get beautiful pictures out of a lens like this.

Lock - NEX-5N & Auto Chinon 55mm f1.7 @ f1.7

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.

Kowa 102mm f1.9 Super Prominar Projection Lens Samples

This is the third Kowa projection lens I have.  The others are 50mm f1.2, and 76mm f1.9.  Though not a big player in 35mm photography arena, Kowa did make some 35mm cameras with interchangeable lenses.  I still have one of them sitting in a box somewhere.  It also made/makes spotting scopes, medium and large format lenses, movie camera lenses, and of course, projection lenses.   All the Kowa lenses I have, I like them, especially the 50mm f1.2 projection lens.  It is one of my most used projection lenses.  Generally, the Kowa projection lenses are very sharp, including this 102mm f1.9.  But, like most projection lenses, the bokeh is not at all desirable, though not really objectionable either.  But, for $10, who would complain?

Bokeh -- NEX-5N & Kowa Super Prominar 102mm f1.9. Click for larger.

Rose -- NEX-5N & Kowa Super Prominar 102mm f1.9. Click for larger.

Eatery at the edge -- NEX-5N & Kowa Super Prominar 102mm f1.9.

Using Long Lenses with the Sony FDA-EV1S Eelectonic View Finder

One of the reason I got the EVF for the NEX-5N was to help get more usable pictures with longer lenses.  If you have ever tried using long lenses, even a 135mm lens, without the EVF, you will know that it is difficult to focus, because the narrow angle of view magnifies the shakiness on the LCD screen.  If you are taking pictures in bright light, the washed out picture on the LCD makes it even more difficult.  By focusing with an EVF, the lens is somewhat more stabilized as the camera is held against your eye.

To me, focusing through the view finder is far more natural than holding the camera at arms length, which compromises camera stability. Still, it's quite difficult to focus with long lenses due to narrow angle of view, but much better than without EVF. Is it worth buying the Sony EVF for the 5N?  I would say yes, though I think the price is pretty steep for an EVF.

Blue flowers -- NEX-5N & Minolta RF Rokkor-X 250mm f5.6. Click for larger.

The requisite cat picture -- NEX-5N & Meyer-Optik Primotar 180mm f3.5. Click for larger.

Highlight -- NEX-5N & Minolta RF Rokkor-X 250mm f5.6. Click for larger.

Couple -- NEX-5N & Birns & Sawyer 150mm f3 Cine Lens

It's Time for Affordable Full Frame Cameras from Canon

You have to hand it to Nikon for the great effort with their recent business direction: delivering desirable new cameras [D800/D800E], exploring new territories [J1/V1], and the up coming affordable full frame camera D600, rumored to have a price tag around $1500.  Where is Canon?

If anything, it should be Canon who should introduce the first affordable, in the $1500 range full frame camera.  Canon was an innovative and aggressive company that pioneered the camera industry's many firsts: Full electronic lens mount [EF], Image Stabilization [IS] on lenses, Ultrasonic [USM] Motors on lenses, first commercial use of APS-C sized and full frame CMOS sensors, DO optics, first affordable DSLR [Rebel 300D], first affordable full frame DSLR [5D] and more.  It's CMOS sensor was the envy of its rivals with ultra low noise and high resolution in its day, while the competition was still using CCD sensors whose low light capabilities were limited.  But times have changed.

Nikon was always behind Canon both in low noise and high resolution sensors, but it has turned itself from a follower to a leader since the D3/D700.  And now the high resolution D800 that caters to the pros who need the megapixels; the D800E for those who want the ultimate resolution; the J1/V1 to fill the mirroless gap; the imminent introduction of the [hopefully] affordable D600.  Meanwhile, Canon has finally given the 5D III the AF it deserved, and with a very small increase in resolution, many expect the image quality and dynamic range of the sensor to be spectacular, but alas, it isn't so.

Since the AF fiasco of the 1D Mark III, Canon seems to have lost their Mojo.  Every camera introduced since then has been ho hum with little or no innovation.  Sure, the 5D Mark II has been a huge seller, only due to the addition of video in a full frame sensor.  The basic camera was nothing spectacular.  The fact that it's the only major camera maker that still does not have a mirrorless solution tells us something about how conservative they have become.  Canon has become the follower.

For the last few generations of Canon's imaging sensor, there are little or no improvements in image quality and dynamic range.  If anything, image quality has gone backwards with the introduction of the 18MP sensor.  I owned the Rebel 550D (T2i) and 7D, but I couldn't stand the noisy/mushy image quality at its base ISO, compared to older Canon cameras or other others of the same time frame.

I know I am only a one of Canon's customers, but I am the typical of many Canon users who already own a Canon body and looking for something better than the competition to upgrade to. If I didn't already own so many Canon lenses, I would have been an EX-Canon user two years ago.

It's time for Canon to take control and be the innovative company that it used to be.  Wow us with real improvements in sensor design.  Create a new market like you did with the original 300D,  and step out of the comfort zone, and be a leader.  Because, Nikon is eating your lunch.  If you don't wake up, it will be all over your dinner table.

Flowers in evening sun -- NEX-5N & Minolta RF Rokkor-X 250mm f5.6.

Photo Essay: Around My Work Place in Infrared - Part 1

I have been working at Spadina and Queen area for the last 13 years.  If I could manage, I would usually go out and do some shooting during my lunch hour.  Regular readers will no doubt see many pictures of the same places.  Even with a lot of activities in the area, there is only so much you can shoot.  So, I decided to shoot the area in infrared (IR) to get different looks.  This will be a mini-series once a week for three weeks.

 This is Part I.  Hope you enjoy it.

Black Bull Patio -- Canon 20D IR Modified & Pentax-M 20mm f4. Click for larger.

Starbucks on Queen & John Sts -- Canon 20D IR Modified & Pentax-M 20mm f4. Click for larger.

Giant Tree in Grange Park -- Canon 20D IR Modified & Pentax-M 20mm f4. Click for larger.

[Yellow] Roses -- Canon 20D IR Modified & Pentax-M 20mm f4. Click for larger.

Old Buildings at Grange Park -- Canon 20D IR Modified & Pentax-M 20mm f4.

Sunset Clouds

clouds -- NEX-5N & Jupiter-9 85mm f2 LTM. Click for larger.

Clouds are a fascinating natural phenomenon.  We know what cloud is, how it's formed, and yet, at least to me, it seems to possess mysterious powers.  We feel the pressure and uneasiness with the forming of low hanging dark clouds before the storm; we marvel at the natural beauty of the clouds that interact with the setting or rising sun.  Clouds can affect our mood and change our feelings, and clouds are infinitely variable -- you never know what shape they will take.