Acquired Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 3.5/90

Manfred

Nikon FM10 Test

Camera: Nikon FM10
Lens: Manual Nikkor 35-70mm / F3.5-4.8
Film: Fuji Fine & Tough 400

Concept of Law

1.4/50 ZF

Pat

Image taken with
Lens: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 2/45
Body: Contax G2

New Carl Zeiss ZF Lenses - 2.8/25, 2/35, 2/50, & 2/100.

Distagon T* 2/35 ZF
Newly computed fast reporter lens with moderate wide-angle coverage.

Technical Specifications
Focal length: 35 mm
Aperture range: f/2.0 – f/22 (1/2 steps)
Number of elements/groups: 9/7
Focusing range: 0,3 m – infinity
Angular field, diag./horiz.: 63°/54°
Coverage at close range: 129 x 196 mm
Filter thread: M 58 x 0.75
Dimensions: ø 65 mm, length 97 mm
Weight: 530 g

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Makro-Planar T* 2/50 ZF
Fastest 50 mm macro lens for the 24 x 36 full frame
Very high image quality over the entire focusing range from infinity to the close-focus limit at half life-size
Optical system with “floating element” and longlife full metal precision mechanics.

Technical Specifications
Focal length: 51,6 mm
Aperture range: f/2.0 – f/22 (1/2 steps)
Number of elements/groups: 8/6
Focusing range: 0.24 m – infinity
Angular field, diag./horiz.: 45.5°/38.5°
Coverage at close range: 48 x 72 cm
Filter thread: M 67 x 0.75
Dimensions: ø 72 mm, length 88.5 mm
Weight: 530 g

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Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF
The first photo lens with ARRI/ZEISS Master Prime optics from Hollywood’s movie industry, enabling exceptionally selective focusing

Far superior in optical performance, even wide open, from infinity to the close-focus limit at half life size

Optical system of phantastic performance.

Technical Specifications
Focal length: 97,5mm
Aperture range: f/2.0 – f/22 (1/2 steps)
Number of elements/groups: 9/8
Focusing range: 0.44 m – infinity
Angular field, diag./horiz.: 25°/20.9°
Coverage at close range: 48 x 72 cm
Image ratio at close range: 1:2
Filter thread: M 67 x 0.75
Dimensions: ø 76 mm, length 112 mm
Weight: 680 g

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Distagon T* 2,8/25 ZF

Superior wide-angle performance combined with extreme close-up potential: a MOD (minimum object distance) of only 6 cm from the front element!

Impressive sharpness; clearly beyond even the best color films available today

Technical Specifications
Focal length: 25.7 mm
Aperture range: f/2.8 – f/22 (1/2 steps)
Number of elements/groups: 10/8
Focusing range: 0.17 m – infinity
Angular field, diag./horiz.: 80.2°/70°
Coverage at close range: 56 x 85 mm
Filter thread: M 58 x 0.75
Dimensions: ø 65 mm, length 90 mm
Weight: 480 g

Images of Summitar 5cm F2

About the lens:
Summitar 50mm f2 collapsible lens.
Made by Leitz of Germany around 1950.
Leica screw mount.

Images above taken with Carl Zeiss ZF 1.4/50.

Keroro Gunso!

Peak Hong Kong

Acquired Carl Zeiss 1.4/50 ZF

Hong Kong Star Ferry

Nikon AF 70-300 4.5-5.6G
Surprising results from a cheap Nikon lens.

Lens comparsion: Nikkor 18-55, 18-70, 70-300, 50mm.

(1) Nikkor 50mm F1.8, at F14.

(2) Nikkor 70-300mm, F4-5.6G, at 200mm F22.

(3) Nikkor 18-70 F3.5-4.5G DX, at 70mm F20.

(4) Nikkor 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G DX, at 55mm F20.

I conducted this test because I wanted to find out which lens will give me 'stars' when taking night time shots. As it turned out, both of my DX lens (i.e. 18-55 and 18-70) couldn't do it.
From the four images above, Nikkor 50mm and 70-300 gave better 'star' performance. Whereas both Nikkor 18-55 and 18-70 performed poorly.

Nikkor 50mm F1.8 produced the kind of 'star' that I wanted exactly.

Manfred Lai

Full Moon on 14th July.

Nikkor 450mm, 1/160s, F7.1, ISO200.
100% crop from original.

Fire! Help! Fire!

Nikkor 18-70 / F3.5-4.5G, 70mm, 1/50, ISO200.

Sony Cybershot F88 (Red Color)

Contax G2 Top View

Nikkor 50/1.8

Nikkor DX 18-70mm

Image above taken with Nikkor 50/1.8.

Contax G2 with Planar 45mm F2

Who's the boss?

Not mine! She's not mine!

Nikon D80 Photos / Press Release Images

Nikon D80 Kit Lens View

Nikon D80 Front View

Nikon D80 Top ViewNikon D80 Rear View

These are the first press release images of the Nikon D80. That a look, there is a new kit lens for the D80, but still it does not have VR.

Manfred

Predictions about the new Nikon

HK Exhibition & Convention Center (HKCEC)

Nikkor 18-70mm.
By Manfred (C)

Central, Hong Kong

Panorama of Hong Kong Cetral, from this picture you can see the Bank of China Building, IFC Towers, Conrad Hotel etc. Somehow I don't feel pleased with this photo, but I just can't nail what's wrong with it.

Manfred

IFC Hong Kong

1/20s, F3.5
AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm SWM ED IF Aspherical.

Comparison of Nikon 18-55mm & 18-70mm DX

Here is the question: How does these two lenses compare to each other?
Since I have both lenses, I will attempt to conduct a long term test between them.

Now most would expect the more expensive 18-70 to perform better.
Within the coming weeks, I will shoot with both and find out.
So stay tuned!


Manfred

Yokohama - Minatomirai 21

Using CR2 Batteries with Nikon D50

Disclaimer: Follow and try at your own risk! I am not responsible for whatever that happens! Don't say you have not been warned. On the brighter side . . . nothing bad happened to my D50 though.

Today is 18-Jul-06. And I am certain I am the first one to invent this mod. So if you wish to refer to this mod, at least refer to my site. :-)
Now, here is how it's done . . . (time required: approx 15 mins)
(1) Buy a Nikon 'MS-D70' CR2 Battery holder. These came bundled with the Nikon D70. Or you can order them from any Nikon Dealer.
(2) There are only four tiny screws in the holder, remove them. Not shown here . . . you will surely find it!
(3) Wrap a piece of wire around red circle no1. To hold the wire in place, use a blunt object to dig a shallow ditch for the wire to bury itself into. So that it stays in place!
(4) Use an exacto knife to break off the plastic as shown in red circle no.2.
(5) Use an exacto knife to remove a piece of protruding plastic in red circle no.3.

Now you are done!

So how much life can you get using this this battery holder?
According to D70's manual P205 . . . if you fire the speedlight at full power for every other shot, image size set to L . . . bla bla bla . . . you should get 160 shots.
So in real life . . . I think I should at least get 250 shots using the MS-D70 battery holder. Who on earth is going fire the flash at fullpower so often?

So with this mod, the Nikon D50 can now use CR2 batteries.

Background:
The Nikon D50 normally cannot be used with MS-D70 battery holder. The MS-D70 holder was designed as an emergency backup battery holder for Nikon D70. But heck I figured, if it worked with the D70, it should work with the D50 . . . (and any other Nikon DSLR using the EN-EL3). So this mod shows it does work! Have fun!


Manfred

Manual Nikkor 35-70mm 3.5-4.8

AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 ED

Nothing spectacular. A Nikon ED Lens equipped with a silent wave motor. Housing and mount is made of plastic. All I can say is that it's light weight makes it great for hiking.

Hakone - Owakutani

Shinjuku Station - Lumine

Hakone - Yumoto - Tenzan

Tokyo Odaiba

Thinkpad R51e Overclocking Update

Since my last post, I have made some further progress to increase the performance:
(1) I am now using a utility called 'Thinkpad T43 Fan Control' available for download here:
https://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=153962
It is not absolutely needful to use it but just offer a greater degree of control over the cooling of the notebook, plus ability to monitor the temperatures real-time.

(2) After overclocking the Thinkinpad R51e from 1.5Ghz to 2.0Ghz. I have turned my attention to overclocking the graphics chip. The Thinkpad R51e came with an ATi Radeon X200M IGP chipset. With an intergrated Radeon X300 and powerplay support. I have observed that during daily normal task, the graphics core runs at about 266Mhz, during playback of HD content, it goes up to 566Mhz max. From my last post, with stock drivers from IBM, the ATi Radeon X200M got received a 3DMark05 score of 610 points.

After trying various options, I've been able to increase the score to 785 points. First I replaced Thinkpad R51e orginal graphics driver with an update from Omega. http://www.omegadrivers.net/
Then I installed a utility called 'Powerstrip'. From within Powerstrip, I overclocked the speed from 566Mhz to 599Mhz. The notebook performed without a hitch at 599Mhz. EA's Battlefield 2 ran at 1024x768 smoothly, with all other settings (effects, light, shadows, etc) at low. I was able to join battles with 64 persons and fight and kill without lag. I have not checked the exact frame rates, but if I return fire, and go on a killing spree, it's good enough. Prior to the overclocking the ATi Radeon X200M, the best possible settings for Battlefield 2 was 800x600 only, that is if you want to stay alive.

Overclocking the ATi Radeon X200M, will bring temperature within the notebook upto 80 degree celsius during constant gameplay, but will have not effect during normal daily web-browsing, word processing. Load Powerstrip to overclock only when you plan on playing games. During extentsive game, use the Fan Control Utility and set it at 6, this is adequate. Do not use 7.

After overclocking the bus speed to 699Mhz will bring the core speed of the IGP to 315Mhz. From ATi's website, it should be possible to run at 350Mhz max. However, once I overclocked to 721Mhz, 3DMark05 scores started to degrade, dropping to around 730. Perhaps this is the fastest this notebook will go.

This two simple tweaks will increase your graphics performance from 610 to 780 points. It's actually possible to go the opposite way, underclock the graphics to save power, and get longer battery life.

If you have further questions:
Post your comment and leave me your email. I will reply.

Manfred
7th June, 2006.

Internet Explorer 7 - excited not.

Internet Explorer 7 is now available for download. & it's only a matter of time before flaws are discovered . . . busy searching for patches here and there. Conservative I am, for considerably safer computing, why not stick with Firefox anyway? In my opinion, IE7 is for the old guys who know not better.