Observation Deck - Art Gallery of Ontario

Observation Desk/Stair Case -- NEX-5N & Kodak 102mm f2.7 Cine Lens

One of the common issues with c-mount lenses on the NEX or M4/3 cameras is the vignetting.  To me, vignetting is not always bad.  Sometimes they add to the picture to create the look that makes the main subject standout.

Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50mm f1.9 DKL

If you have never heard of a DKL lens mount, don't worry; most people have not either.  In truth, there aren't that many DKL lenses to begin with, and most of them are small aperture lenses with maximum aperture of f2.8 or f4.  The only exception is the Schneider-Kreuznach 50mm f1.9 Xenon, with a maximum aperture of f1.9.  There are many variations of this lens, and most popular in Exakta mount.  There might be a M42 mount of this lens as well, but it would be very rare.

Colours & Bokeh -- NEX-5N & Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50mm f1.9 DKL. Click for larger

One other rather disappointing aspect of the DKL (and probably same for other mounts) is the pretty long minimum focus distance.  Even for most of the 45mm to 50mm lenses, it's something like one meter (three feet), and a 135mm f4 is 2.5 meters.  Again, the only exception, as far as I know, for the 50mm focal length, is this Schneider-Kreuznach 50mm f1.9 Xenon, with a 0.6 meter minimum focus distance.  This is the reason why the 50mm f1.9 Xenon is the most popular and sought after lens for DKL.  Of course, the great optical performance of the lens helps too.

Big Cat -- NEX-5N & Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50mm f1.9 DKL. Click for larger

Originally, I used the DKL lenses with adapter for Canon EF, and with the EF to NEX adapter, I can also use it on the NEX-5N.  Unfortunately, the adapter has a maximum aperture support of f2, which means I could not use this lens wide open.  Remember, DKL lenses have their aperture settings on the camera body, and therefore all DKL adapters have aperture ring built-in.  This is why DKL adapters are more expensive than other adapters.

Yesterday I received a dedicated DKL to NEX adapter which supports aperture of f1.8 and I can now finally use the 50mm f1.9 with full aperture control.  Personally, I think a lens shows its best personalities at maximum aperture, especially its bokeh, and I love the bokeh of the 50mm f1.9 Xenon.  It's delicious!

Roses -- NEX-5N & Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50mm f1.9 DKL. Click for larger

The 50mm f1.9 Xenon is indeed quite a nice lens.  The build quality is exceptional and the chrome finish is exquisite and beautiful.  After decades, it, like all my other Schneider DKL lenses, still looks stunning.  Most of the lens is made from brass and though small, it has a good heft and feels dense.  Even wide open, this lens is uniformly sharp across the frame on the NEX-5N.  I am sure the true corner is not as good in full frame, but it's excellent on the NEX-5N.  Fringing is actually quite well controlled, as is flare. Stopping down to f2.8, sharpness and contrast improve quite a bit.

Do I like this lens?  Quite a bit.  Be sure to look for the 0.6m minimum focus distance (MFD) version, as I think there might be versions exists with longer MFD.

Back lit leaves -- NEX-5N & Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 50mm f1.9 DKL.

Photoessay with Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8

Once or twice a week in the afternoon, I would walk south with my camera on John St. to King St., and then back to Spadina & Queen, where I work.  This area is very busy, especially during lunch hour in a nice day.  People would come out in full force; they would eat their lunch in the park bench, have a stroll with friends, line up for a hot dog or ice cream, or have lunch in one of the many eateries in the area.

Lining up for ice cream -- NEX-5N & Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8. Click for larger.

There are many, many hot dog stands in Toronto, mostly in the downtown area.  Some will argue the hot dogs are not as good as those in New York City, or Chicogo, but that does not stop the hot dog lovers from lining up for one, barbecued right in front of you up on ordering.  Add your favourite condiments from the dazzling number of them available to you, and you will be in hot dog heaven. Bad for you?  Who cares?

Hot Dog Condiments -- NEX-5 & Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8. Click for larger.

One of the many complains people have about downtown, is the horrible traffic and hard to find parking spaces.  In Toronto, we have streetcars that run on electricity and tracks.  We call the streetcar the "Red Rocket".  It's been a symbol of Toronto since the 1920s.  One of the disadvantages of running on tracks is that a blockage will affect all the streetcars the follow.  In the picture below, the delivery truck broke down and could start, forcing all the street cars pile behind it.  The streetcars are quite reliable and you don't see this happening often, but does happen once in a while, either due to streetcar break down, or other vehicles blocking them.

All blocked up -- NEX-5N & Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8. Click for larger.

The most popular place people go to in the afternoon, is restaurants and all kinds of eating places.  Almost all of them are packed with people.  What economic crisis?  You certainly will not see any signs here.  People just want to go out and have a nice lunch with friends/colleagues and enjoy themselves, and away from the (busy) workplace.

Lunch with friends -- NEX-5N & Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8. 

Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8 - Another Sample

Poppies -- NEX-5N & Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8.  Click for larger.

When I got the Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8, the focusing was stiff and coarse, but I have got it re-lubed and cleaned and it now works beautifully.  Very smooth focusing and the lens itself is very well built.  Like all Tessar lenses, this one is very small, though not as small as the 50mm f3.5 Tessar.  I very much like the bokeh. Even stopped down, the bokeh still looks very nice, due to its circular aperture.

Sign of the Times

It's an increasingly common sight: people are using their iPad or digital tablets to photograph or record video in place of the normal camera/cell phone/camcorder.  The first time I saw someone taking pictures using an iPad, I thought it was weird; it's just strange to see a person holding a 10 inch device taking pictures.  But, after seeing this a few times, I said to myself "why not?".  The iPad/Tablets are no different than a cell phone or digital camera.  It's just bigger.

iPad as a camera -- Canon 1D III & EF 85mm f1.2L @ f1.2

Megan at the recital -- Canon 1D III & EF 35mm f1.4L @ f1.6

Women and Bicycle

I always find that women who ride bicycles are incredibly attractive, especially when they deck themselves out with a nice bike outfit on a racing bicycle.  Simply irresistible!  I think the bicycle has a way of making women look beautiful on a bike.

Downhill -- NEX-5N & Birns & Saywer (Tewe) 200mm f3.2. Click for larger.

Uphill -- NEX-5N & Birns & Saywer (Tewe) 200mm f3.2

Girls at the Graffiti Alley

Girls -- NEX-5N & Leica-R 90mm f2.0 Summicron @ f2.0

I was strolling through the Graffiti Alley today, looking for some photo opportunities.  I have photographed enough of the actual graffiti and I wasn't really trying to take pictures of more of them.  Then I saw these two young women dressed as colourfully as the graffiti itself, and took a few shots.  I really like the colourful dresses they were wearing.  They blend perfectly with the surrounding art work, but I had no idea what they were doing.

Bell & Howell 76mm f1.6 Projection Lens

After a couple of weeks free of Projection lenses, I was itchy to take out the Bell & Howell 76mm f1.6 projection lens that I used briefly before with the original NEX-5.  Found it to be very sharp, but fringes badly. It seems to work even better on the NEX-5N.  Very very sharp at the working aperture of f1.6.

Colourful Window -- NEX-5N & Bell & Howell 76mm f1.6 Projection Lens.  Click for larger.

This lens only works with helicoids 32mm or shorter.  With a 17-32mm helicoid, it will focus to infinity as well as being able to focus pretty close.  If you are thinking of trying projection lenses, but still sitting on the fence, I would suggest that you give it a try.  Right now projection lenses are still very cheap.  It's a ton of fun shooting with one, not to mention the confusion you see from some people's face when they see what you are shooting with!

Afternoon Reading -- NEX-5N & Bell & Howell 76mm f1.6 Projection Lens.

Tamron Adaptall 28mm f2.5 - Sample Picture

Sunrise on Queen Street -- Canon T2i & Tamron Adaptall 28mm f2.5

The Tamron Adaptall 28mm f2.5 lens is very small.  It's almost like a pancake lens.  The front element is tiny for a lens with f2.5 maximum aperture.  Quite well made but the front edge is very easy to dent. One of the most common Adaptall lenses and you should be able to find out easily and cheaply.

Canon FL 58mm f1.2 - Some Notes

Dillon and I went for a relatively long (about 30K) bike ride today along the DVP and all the way to the end of the Taylor Creek Trail.  It was fun but lots of people as today's weather is amazingly nice.  Brought along the "finally" EOS-converted Canon FL 58mm f1.2 with me.  This lens was a failed attempt to convert to EOS, long ago when EVIL cameras were not yet on the market.  So it has been sitting idle and last night I went ahead and filed the FL mount down until it's short enough to focal to infinity on the 1D Mark III.  It's a cruel job, but works OK.  Now it works on my Canon as well as the NEX/M43 cameras.

Cruel conversion -- The lens was JB Welded to a Rollei QBM-EOS mount.

The FL 58mm f1.2 was the first f1.2 lens Canon made for its reflex cameras.  It works on Canon FL as well as FD bodies, and now Digital.  Compared to the FD 55mm f1.2 S.S.C and the Canon nFD 50mm f1.2, this 58mm f1.2 lens is softer at f1.2, which is expected.  It would have been a failure if the next generation lens is worse than the lens it replaced.  There is a bit of blooming and purple fringing wide open, again expected for a lens this age and class. One stop down makes a huge difference, both in terms of sharpness and bokeh.  I find the bokeh more pleasing with the 55mm f1.2 SSC and the nFD 50mm f1.2 than this lens.

Wild flowers near Taylor Creek -- NEX-5N & Canon FL 58mm f1.2 @ f1.2. Click for larger.

I am sure this lens was not designed to take pictures at f1.2 in the middle of the day, which was what I did.  In low light situations, it should perform better.  So far, I didn't do much testing with this lens.  The corner performance is not yet known.

Dillon. He did wear a helmet but took it off for the picture -- NEX-5N & Canon FL 58mm f1.2. @ f1.2.

Yours Truly. Picture taken by Dillon -- NEX-5N & Canon FL 58mm f1.2 @ f2.8.