Nissan Leaf

Lantau Peak

I always loved running... it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.

Jesse Owens

Aka: Phoenix Mountain
GPS: N22.249769° E113.921303°
Elevation: 934m
Free map from Lands Department

Notes on Zeiss Distagon T* 28mm f/2.0 ZF & Nikkor 45mm f/2.8 P

Zeiss Distagon T* 28mm f/2.0 ZF
f/2.8 Center 80% of frame is very sharp.
Slight peripheral softness.

f/4.0 as sharp as any Nikkor can get.

f/8.0 sets the perfect golden standard.

Nikkor 45mm f/2.8 P
f/2.8
60% of the center frame is already rendered quite sharply.
However the extreme left and right frame is soft.
Peripheral softness is visible.

f/4
Strangely the four corners are distinctively soft.
Whereas the center of the frame is very sharp.
Acceptable portraits at f/4.0, maybe.
Must position subject in center of the frame.

f/8.0
This lens is almost totally primed.
The entire frame is extremely sharp.
Large improvement on the peripheral sharpness over f/2.8.
Good enough for landscape photography.
Near Zeiss performance.

Leica Summaron 35mm F3.5

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Soft Target Test

Lens used: SMC Takumar 135mm
Body: *ist DL2

Zenit Industar-61 L/Z MC lens 2.8/50

Pentax *ist DL2 & 18-55/3.5-5.6

Lens used: smc Pentax DA 18-55/3.5-5.6

Pentax *ist DL2

NIkon FM10

smc Pentax 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL

Lens information:
12 Elements, 9 groups.
Contains one aspherical element.
Smallest Aperture: 22-38
35mm Equivalent: 27.5-84mm
Closest focusing distance: 25mm
Filter Size: 52mm

Voigtander Nokton Classic 40mm F1.4

Images taken with Pentax *ist DL2
Lens used: 18-55/3.5-5.6

Why use older mechanical cameras?

Photographers are equipment lovers, connoisseurs of mechanical minutiae, aficionados of quality lenses, appreciators of fine design. Some cameras and lenses simply "speak to us": something visceral happens when we hold them and use them.

I personally think this visceral hit occurs more often with older cameras. There is something in the heft and feel of older, mechanical cameras that is missing from many of the newer polycarbonate models. Some of these new cameras are superb instruments, to be sure, and are just what the professional needs, but they don't bring the same aesthetic to the table. Call it "design as art form" or even "form follows function", many older cameras are beautiful machines you can enjoy and savor over and over again. Some are not so beautiful, but have a scruffy personality that makes them endearing. And they still take good pictures. And they're cheap (Leicas being a notable exception). So in addition to being a literal description, "Old Beater" is also a term of affection and endearment. If the term bothers you, you can use the more upscale term "Heritage Camera", but "Old Beater" suits me fine.

So, hats off to the fine cameras of yesteryear! Keep 'em snapping and keep 'em alive! Salut!

Nokton Classic MC 40mm F1.4

TST Pier

VM APO-Lanthar 3.5/90

Nokton x BMW

VM Nokton 1.4/40

Star Ferry Ride

Voigtlander Super Wide Heliar 4.5/15

Voigtlander Heliar 4.5/15

Super Wide Heliar 15mm F4.5

New Carl Zeiss ZM lens for digital rangefinders.

Zeiss ZM 4/18mm


Zeiss ZM 4,5/21mm

12th November 2006, Carl Zeiss will be two additional ZM mount lenses: (1) C Biogon T* 4,5/21 ZM; and (2) Distagon T* 4/18 ZM.

Release date for these lenses are unclear, and should perhaps be available in 2007 April.

More about C Biogon T* 4,5/21 ZM, & Distagon T* 4/18 ZM:-
These two lenses have much smaller apertures, and are obviously designed for digital rangefinders, namely the Leica M8, and Epson R-D1, R-D1s. Digital rangefinders can produce images with lower noise at higher ISO, thus these two lenses will be perfect even if it is less bright. With a focal mul

Previously Zeiss had released a ZM 2.8/18mm. It was made in Germany and carried a price tag of at least US$2,500 (to be exact, Japanese Yen 350,000). Awesome lens but it costs too much. The new less bright 4/18mm will certainly be more affordable.

Manfred

Star Ferry Pier

Ultron 1.9/28 Samples #02

Ultron 1.9/28 Samples #01

Lens used: Ultron 28mm F1.9

Nokton 1.4/40

Lens: Nokton 1.4/40
Camera: Voigtlander R2