Personal gear review

[Brownie]

Do the m42 lenses have the same capability as the old M series K-mount lenses with the green button? i.e. viewing through the camera wide open, but stops down when metering with the button and when taking the shot?

I don't think my 50/1.4 was the "Planar killer" but I really don't know for sure, I'll have figure out if I have any photos of it.

I'm trying to remember from the last time I shot M-42, but it seems my camera has a lever that lets you show the scene stopped down before you shoot. In other words, you can see through the viewfinder in full brightness, then push the lever to see it stopped down. I recall something about a dot on the aperture ring that you set it to auto-stop down, so the aperture closed to your setting when you made the shot.

Edit: The camera has an auto-exposure. When you set the aperture to auto, the camera stops down to the correct metered setting based on your shutter speed. An early shutter preferred.

It was a while back, don't take this to the bank...

 

[Iron]

Do the m42 lenses have the same capability as the old M series K-mount lenses with the green button? i.e. viewing through the camera wide open, but stops down when metering with the button and when taking the shot?

Yes, the Green Button works for both scenarios. It's usually to get the correct/perfect exposure per type of metering and/or reset the parameters if the user makes a mistake when exposing. The difference is that the Green Button is almost always required per exposure with lenses that are not always stopped-down, like in the bayonet K-mount. With lenses stopped down in full manual mde, Av Mode can be used and not worry too much about the Green Button.

I don't think my 50/1.4 was the "Planar killer" but I really don't know for sure, I'll have figure out if I have any photos of it.

The Planar Killer is the 8-element one. Here's a good video to determine the difference between the 7- and 8-element versions:

The Planar Killer doesn't have the aperture lever, by the way, so it requires M mode and the green button, if needed.

I'm trying to remember from the last time I shot M-42, but it seems my camera has a lever that lets you show the scene stopped down before you shoot. In other words, you can see through the viewfinder in full brightness, then push the lever to see it stopped down.

That's the stop-down lever/DoF preview button. It's carried over by Pentax from the film to the digital era. In digital Pentax cameras, they are usually beside the On-Off switch. The DoF preview lever/button usually just gives the user the view while the Green Button does the same plus meters/resets to 0 in Manual. The DoF preview can be used instead of the Green Button in some cases.

Edit: The camera has an auto-exposure. When you set the aperture to auto, the camera stops down to the correct metered setting based on your shutter speed. An early shutter preferred.

Yes, old M42s that have that can be used in Av mode even when adapted in dSLR bodies. Pretty handy, especially with the Takumars. Cheers.

 

[MoonMind]

To cap it off, the elephant in the room was the existence of the Fujifilm X100V with its modicum of sealing - but truth be told, having to piece together some fiddly kit to achieve what is built into the G1X III seems too much like Fujifilm dropping the ball on purpose, possibly to make you spend more money. I'll not buy into that (pun intended). Even though I might even enjoy shooting with that camera, it certainly doesn't truely address the issues I'm seeing, while adding some of its own. So, it's out (for now - may time and opportunity will change my take on this; at the moment, I actually doubt that).

I have to come back on that statement - as some will have noticed, I now own a Fujifilm X100V, and while some of my misgivings certainly still ring true, it's mostly a very enjoyable, very well performing camera; and the NiSi filter fixes the annoying bit that it lacks complete sealing in a very straightforward way.

That said, I've now carried and shot the camera alongside my usual picks (mostly, that means the Nikon Z fc and Z 50,, but also other cameras like the Z 6 and Leica M10), and while it delivers on size, portability and IQ, I prefer the handling and overall experience of other cameras. The interesting part is that the X100V *is* small, small enough in fact to feel fiddly at times (trying to change the aperture via the aperture ring *can* be hit and miss because the ring is so small and the "ears" aren't always easy to locate). This was to be expected, in a way, but still feels irritating at times. For its size, the X100V is a technical marvel, and in terms of IQ, it outperforms the G1X III (across the board, no contest) as well as the otherwise very nice Z fc with its Z 28mm f/2.8 SE kit lens - even though I prefer the Z fc's handling and actually get at least as many keepers. The X100V's lens is better overall than any of my small Nikon Z primes, even though I still love the images coming from the Z 28mm SE and the especially Z 40mm f/2 (shot on the Z 6, overwhelmingly). So, I can go both smaller *and* optically better with the X100V, which is a boon. So, when it comes to modern AF cameras, the only other camera I own the X100V has to compete with is the GR III, and while I will say here that the results from the Ricoh are generally even better (or, more precisely, more impressive) than those coming from the X100V, in this case, the X100V wins the experience and handling contest, hands down (of course, the GR III's portability is unsurpassable).

So, all in all, the X100V is a very impressive, very balanced package with few real downsides - at a premium price. But in some ways, it's trying a bit too hard to be something it's not - a RF work-alike. It's a modern AF camera with acceptable speed and good, but not great direct operability, and that's what it stays in operation (which isn't a bad thing). Some aspects that make it special and expensive aren't necessary though, nor are they practical in use (like the OVF/EVF thing ... a great feat, but totally redundant IMO). Crucially, I think Fujifilm should have focused more on everyday usability than stand-out features - full sealing and modern AF would help more than the OVF and a lens that is so slim that its handling is affected by its size. Since the camera isn't trouser pocketable anyway, a few more millimetres of overall depth wouldn't have hurt either way.

I do like the X100V - and, through somewhat over-zealous research before buying it, knew exactly what I was getting into, so no regrets or real worries, either. The camera is very close to perfect, but its gestalt keeps it back. And I know what I'm talking about: With a true RF body, I'll accept a lot of compromises - and besides, with the right lens, I can get it down to almost the same size as the X100V. But that latter's advantage is its modernity - so why not exploit that fully?

I hope this doesn't come across as too much of a rant - it's just me coming to grips with the fact that I really enjoy shooting with the X100V while I also find it so easy to see how it might be made better that it's slightly vexing ... And in the end, I still reach for the Z fc more often because it does present me with less irritations as an EDC.

M.

 

[agentlossing]

the X100V is a technical marvel

In photographer speak, this is always followed with "... but..." I think that is the universal phrase to express "I'm impressed by this but it doesn't speak to me right now" - which is a feeling I've felt with many cameras myself. Thanks for the detailed user notes! I've been tempted once or twice by the "V" myself.

 

[Tili]

Recently, on my last trip to the homeland, I took two small cameras with me.
The trip was about visiting friends and family and being a bit of a tourist.

As usual the LX100, for me the perfect point an shoot, was with me. Very flexible and dependable, and if desired, a bit of bokeh.

I would have taken my Fuji XT-3 + 3-4 lenses with me, but instead, I just took my Olympus Pen E-PL8 + VF-4 + 25mm f0.95 with me. With a little ND8 for sunny days.

That's it! It was really nice to not have to make decisions about lenses or what to take and what to leave behind. Also no lens swaps!
My backpack was all but empty, and so very light!

I took ~1.5k photos and some video and I am very happy with the results.

It does somewhat raise the question why I own a 2 Fuji cameras + lenses..

 

[P9F4]

Recently, on my last trip to the homeland, I took two small cameras with me.
The trip was about visiting friends and family and being a bit of a tourist.

As usual the LX100, for me the perfect point an shoot, was with me. Very flexible and dependable, and if desired, a bit of bokeh.

I would have taken my Fuji XT-3 + 3-4 lenses with me, but instead, I just took my Olympus Pen E-PL8 + VF-4 + 25mm f0.95 with me. With a little ND8 for sunny days.

That's it! It was really nice to not have to make decisions about lenses or what to take and what to leave behind. Also no lens swaps!
My backpack was all but empty, and so very light!

I took ~1.5k photos and some video and I am very happy with the results.

It does somewhat raise the question why I own a 2 Fuji cameras + lenses..

I agree 100% - sometimes, having less options is a good thing. More focus on creativity, less worrying about what equipment to use, piece of mind because one needs to work with what you got…what’s not to like?

 

[agentlossing]

Yesterday a parcel arrived in the mailbox: an Amazon Warehouse "used very good" Pentax HD FA 35mm f2 AL. Everything was included: lens, hood, caps and padded bag. Only the box had some wear and tear, everything else looks practically new, but as if it had been stored for a while. It's a new lens in Pentax's lineup, as of 2019, but is said to be the same as the existing FA 35mm f/2 lens, just with new coatings to reduce flare and ghosting. I've shot a few images yesterday and today and it appears to be very sharp once stopped down a bit. Wide open, it has some vignetting and is softer outside of the center, with a tiny bit of glow. That goes away when stopping down a very little bit. It has all the characteristics of a modern prime lens with very pleasing rendition, which is what I expected. It's not very expensive, nor very cheap, at around $400, however I got it for $230, so that makes me happy.

I've been enjoying the way the K-1 II supports legacy lenses, which is to say, better than most, and about as good as you could hope for. All of the imperfections of an old lens, especially in the corners, or anywhere out of the center really, are evident on a full frame DSLR. The M-series 28mm f2.8, for example, has horrendous corners unless it's really stopped down - but I kind of enjoy that in a lens from the 70's that cost me $40. I can play around with that kind of character. And then, pure gems like the M 50mm f1.7 can shine as the K-1 sensor perfectly captures its colors and sharpness. I'm glad to have found a one-lens solution for when I need autofocus and modern rendering. I think I'll probably be happy with the 35 f2 for a while. it's just wide enough to maybe get started experimenting with astrophotography too; it would be quite enjoyable to start getting milky way shots. I'm mildly interested in the Samyang 14mm f2.8 as well - it's said to be very sharp, and has an A setting on the aperture ring for automatic control in the camera. It's a small lens for a focal length like that in FF format, and inexpensive.

 

[tonyturley]

I've been doing very little photography lately, basically just documenting the projects in my workshop. I even went out on a bike ride recently, and never bothered to pull the camera from my handlebar bag. My Fuji X-T2, X30, and Oly E-M5II are all capable of fine imagery, but I've just been feeling "meh" to both photography and travel. My Facebook memories feed keeps reminding me of places I've visited in past years, but even when I go out for a long bike ride, I've been sticking to places no further than about an hour from my house.

I decided to splurge yesterday, and ordered a Fuji XF 27 Mk II for the X-T2. I like compact gear, which is why I never seem to be able to hold onto a telephoto lens for very long. I'm hoping this new lens will help spark a resurgence of interest in photography for me.

 

[agentlossing]

I've been doing very little photography lately, basically just documenting the projects in my workshop. I even went out on a bike ride recently, and never bothered to pull the camera from my handlebar bag. My Fuji X-T2, X30, and Oly E-M5II are all capable of fine imagery, but I've just been feeling "meh" to both photography and travel. My Facebook memories feed keeps reminding me of places I've visited in past years, but even when I go out for a long bike ride, I've been sticking to places no further than about an hour from my house.

I decided to splurge yesterday, and ordered a Fuji XF 27 Mk II for the X-T2. I like compact gear, which is why I never seem to be able to hold onto a telephoto lens for very long. I'm hoping this new lens will help spark a resurgence of interest in photography for me.

Photography is like that. The muse is fickle, but she'll be back. And yes, despite the language of the neoclassical poets, that sounds like a toxic relationship.

 

[gordo]

Since the X-H2S announcement, been doing a lot of thinking. Not thrilled at all with the X-H development due to more down-sizing and the fully articulated screen. PASM interface isn't a big deal for me. The X-H1 is almost too small for me to comfortably use, so the 2 might be a no-go anyways. I'll have to see if I can handle one somewhere later down the road. If it is workable, the 40mp version might be a go for landscape stuff.

So, decided to stick with what I have for now, with the exception of some changes in lenses. Grabbed a 200/2 on sale, missed the previous sales for various reasons. 100-400 will likely be going away. Since my handheld keeper rate with prop and rotor aviation stuff drops the further I go past 300mm, the 200 with 1.4TC will get me almost the same focal length. The optics and AF are supposed to be better, and if so I'm hoping to maximize what I can get out of my X-H1 and my remaining ability to handhold. That will be my main kit for the next airshow in March 2023 (if not cancelled). And I'll do another re-evaluation at that point. (Considered the 150-600 as it would work well for me doing moon shots, but with some features not enabled on the X-H1 like the focus set and additional focus buttons, plus loss of focus while zooming, not sure it would be a good choice for aviation for me. With those limitations, personally I'd prefer a prime.)

Otherwise I'm going to use the 27/2.8, 16-55/2.8 and 90/2 on my X-H1 x 2 and work on improving my eye and skills as much as I can. Haven't decided yet if the X100F stays or goes.

editted for typos and a little clarification

 

[P9F4]

Hey everybody!

I’ve talked about using the PL15 for the next couple of weeks in one of my former posts in this thread.* The last four weeks were very interesting and teached me a lot; not only about the lens, but also about me and my shooting style.

1.) The camera body problem
The first question that came up: which body should I use? The answer was, at first glance, quite obvious: the GX850/800, of course. Small, light, capable and the additional physical controls on the lens help with the usability of the body. A great match. Easy, right?
Except, it isn’t. I struggled more with this combo than I’d like to admit. On the GX80, the PL15 feels a lot better - the weight is more balanced and the EVF helps with getting the framing right. I found that composing with a wide angle is significantly more difficult for me than doing so with lenses in the normal range, because I can’t pre-visualise the picture. The EVF helps here, as well as IBIS; having an image that doesn’t shake makes focusing on the stuff you want in the picture easier, and since you include more elements with a wide angle, this made a huge difference.

2.) The “comfort zone” problem
For years, I’ve ONLY shot the Olympus 25mm f1.8. Lenses in that range are easy to use for me - wide angles aren’t. In that regard, I’m a “Gewohnheitstier”, a creature of habit. The thing is: we all need change though, and we especially need it in creative parts of our life. This little self imposed challenge helped me to improve as a photographer and sparked my creativity.
Sometimes, all we need is a kick in the butt.

3.) The 15mm vs. 20mm problem
…isn’t one. Before all this, I thought I could figure out which lens is “better” (although they’re both outstanding) and just get rid of the other. Not gonna happen. Both have distinctive features (weight, size, additional physical controls, image quality characteristics) to differentiate them. Also, those 5mm make a huge difference (which is to be expected, but to be honest, I didn’t believe it). I’m keeping both, the P20 is going to be glued to the GX800. That match is simply outstanding.

* If I had known before about the “Single in …” challenges, I would have used that opportunity. There’s always a next time, though.

 

[gordo]

Additional notes re the 200/2.

Not as heavy as you'd think for that type lens, but when added to an X-H1 + battery grip it's heavy enough I'm not comfortable lugging it around. I've been doing some exercises to simulate holding and using the camera + lens. Will be looking for something like an 8-pound dumb-bell to work out with for a few weeks before I take short round out and about.

Still kind of that I dropped the money for this.

Good news is that if I end up not keeping it, I should get a good portion of my money back.

 

[agentlossing]

I continue to get along really well with the Pentax K1 II, especially with the Pentax-M 50mm f1.7 which I picked for the single in challenge. There's absolutely nothing bad I can say about the lens. It's as sharp on a modern FF sensor as it ever was in its heyday on film cameras. CA and softness wide open are really less than any of the other film lenses I've used on any format so far. I'd hazard that the CA presence is less even than some of the modern Pentax lenses I've tried. It's a tiny addition to the reasonably chunky K1. For the sub-$50 I paid for it I could not have done better, as far as I'm concerned. Also it's nice to shoot with a 50mm again, on a camera with a good physical presence and viewfinder. Why does this make a difference? I think it's because a 50mm benefits a little more than a wider lens from deliberate and careful framing, and the way a camera handles contributes to doing that, as does the quality of the viewfinder. I've long thought of a 50mm as a very short telephoto lens, which offers a bit of compression and benefits from careful composition.

So far, the HD 35mm f2 is a good lens, though I must say I am unenthusiastic about its handling. It looks and feels like a gussied-up FA lens, and that line was very plasticky and a little ugly. I also notice that the optics seem to be the same as the earlier version, and they aren't the sharpest until stopped down, and have some fringing/CA. Still, it is a sharp lens, and combined with the K1 sensor it really sucks in detail, which can be easily extracted again, so to speak, in post-processing. It fills the need of a versatile everything lens, neither wide nor long, which is standard for a 35mm lens.

One thing I've noticed about the K1 sensor is that I can easily manage difficult lighting conditions due to the excellent dynamic range... in fact, it makes it almost too easy. I can raise shadows and lower highlights to the point that the image becomes a little unnatural, which is not something I am used to with smaller sensor formats. Usually, my stopping point for correcting lighting is the point where the image degrades. Now, I can push to the point where the image loses believability before degrading, so I need to make an adjustment in the way I handle files. Still, it's very nice to have the leeway when I need it.

Last weekend I carried the K1 around for a couple of days in Seattle, most of the time on a neck strap, over one shoulder. It really didn't get in the way at all, just like it's easy to carry around in the hand with a sturdy wrist strap for insurance. In general I think the rumors of the size and weight of the K1 have been greatly exaggerated. The size and weight directly relate to how tactile and straightforward it is to shoot with. I am still very pleased about how well it works with non-electronic, manual-focus lenses. The fabled green button is becoming habit for me. It takes exposure comp into account, so if I have it set to around -0.7 or -1 EV (which I frequently do) the camera knows to aim for that when I point the lens in the general direction of the subject and hit the green button to obtain a shutter speed. I usually keep the function dial set to ISO and maintain a set ISO. So, upon obtaining an exposure with the green button I can quickly rotate a dial to raise/lower either the shutter speed (front control dial) or ISO (third/top dial) to adjust what I think the camera is going to give me. Getting used to an EVF means that coming back to a DSLR can take a little adjustment. You have to learn what the camera's meter will give you based on its interpretation of your exposure comp or settings.

I still haven't decided what to do about my other cameras. I still need to pay off the rest of the K1 acquisition. That'll have to be the subject of another entry.

 

[Brownie]

One thing I've noticed about the K1 sensor is that I can easily manage difficult lighting conditions due to the excellent dynamic range... in fact, it makes it almost too easy. I can raise shadows and lower highlights to the point that the image becomes a little unnatural, which is not something I am used to with smaller sensor formats. Usually, my stopping point for correcting lighting is the point where the image degrades. Now, I can push to the point where the image loses believability before degrading, so I need to make an adjustment in the way I handle files. Still, it's very nice to have the leeway when I need it.

Last weekend I carried the K1 around for a couple of days in Seattle, most of the time on a neck strap, over one shoulder. It really didn't get in the way at all, just like it's easy to carry around in the hand with a sturdy wrist strap for insurance. In general I think the rumors of the size and weight of the K1 have been greatly exaggerated.

I still haven't decided what to do about my other cameras. I still need to pay off the rest of the K1 acquisition. That'll have to be the subject of another entry.

1. The added DR is kind of crazy, isn't it? The Sony being my first foray into FF I noticed the same thing when processing. I soon realized it's pretty easy to take shots under poor conditions and still pull it together in post.

2. Same. The size thing is overblown, at least for me. I fond the same thing to be true when I had the G9, not that big of a deal. The one caveat with FF is that one must pay attention to choice of lenses. There are plenty of ways to get into huge glass though!

3. I faced the same thing but came to a conclusion fairly early. It wasn't in my original plans to go all one system, but it became clear that it was the most practical.

 

[agentlossing]

1. The added DR is kind of crazy, isn't it? The Sony being my first foray into FF I noticed the same thing when processing. I soon realized it's pretty easy to take shots under poor conditions and still pull it together in post.

2. Same. The size thing is overblown, at least for me. I fond the same thing to be true when I had the G9, not that big of a deal. The one caveat with FF is that one must pay attention to choice of lenses. There are plenty of ways to get into huge glass though!

3. I faced the same thing but came to a conclusion fairly early. It wasn't in my original plans to go all one system, but it became clear that it was the most practical.

I certainly appreciate having the DR available. I don't hunger for megapixels, I hunger for dynamic range. Of course, 36MP is kind of a nice number when you want to do a little cropping!

One of the added benefits of Pentax is that they have some conscientiously small lenses in the form of the FA Limited series. I don't have any of those yet, but they are my obvious upgrade path. The 31, 43 and 77 "three amigos/sisters/whatevers" seem like the perfect trio for my needs. Brand new, the HD versions would command a bit of a premium, but I'm hard-pressed to see why I would need to pay extra for these over used, SMC versions, unless it's just to have something new out of the box (which I usually don't care about, but admit that was a consideration when I purchased the K1 II. So many of the used examples looked like they had seen slightly hard use that it didn't seem worth the savings compared to a new camera with a warranty. I bought a kit with the 28-105mm and a free Venus Laowa 100mm f2.8 super macro via Adorama, and sold both lenses. After the sales, the K1 ended up costing me about $1450. Lightly used examples of the K1 II were going for around this. So, I need to do some saving (and selling) before I can jump into any new lenses, but when I do, they may be the FA Limiteds. The only other lens really on my radar is the Rokinon 14mm f2.8. It looks very compact for a FF ultrawide, has an auto setting for aperture control by the camera body (the similar Samyang version does not), and is very inexpensive at $299 new.

I would really like to get down to one, fairly compact and versatile, high-quality and robust film camera to go along with digital. Film prices have shot up recently. Combined with lack of lots of free time for developing and scanning, these things are making it hard to shoot much. Actually, exploring K-mount film lenses has somewhat replaced my explorations of the film camera world for now. While I have a number of film cameras now, which satisfy several different use-cases (K1000 for sharing K-mount lenses, Bessa-T and Skopar 35 for street and snapshots, Petri Color 35 for a pocketable scale-focus and Ricoh 500G for a small and simple rangefinder with a decent 40mm lens), I'd love it if I could get most of what I want in a simple, single camera. Then again, it might be best to just settle for having some of what I want by keeping some of what I have now, and letting others go.

 

[Brownie]

I think 36MP is a nice MOR place to be. When they first introduced the A7IV @ 33MP I was a little disappointed, hoping for something under 30, but figured 33 wasn't too bad. Then when I decided to go whole-hog Sony I bought a used A7R-III as a backup/second camera which is 42MP. As it turns out neither of these are cumbersome, but there are definitely differences.

As you state, the added MP are nice for cropping when needed or when you just want to. I'm still surprised when processing and I see the MP dimensions of an image, how much can be cropped out, and still end up around 25MP. I can't even comprehend what a 50 or 60MP file would be like, and to be honest I'm not certain I want to find out!

Downsides are of course resources. Bigger cards, more storage, longer uploads. There is a significant difference even between the 33 and 42. I have begun shooting RAW only, no jpeg in order to save card space and upload time.

The 30-40MP range seems to be a nice compromise between cropping, resources, and resolution.

 

[agentlossing]

I spent some time with a can of air getting rid of some of the dust on the mirror and focusing screen of the MX I just got, the viewfinder is now mostly clean except for a few stubborn spots. Clean enough. Meter works great with a couple of SR44 batteries. The meter is quite easy to use and I appreciate the different colors for slight under- or over-exposure, it makes it really easy to get a good reading quickly. Really a smartly-designed meter. The huge viewfinder has the unfortunate side effect of being difficult to see the whole frame with glasses, but not too bad (very much like the Olympus OM-1 as far as I can remember). Definitely a much bigger and brighter viewfinder than my K1000. I'd like to run a couple of rolls of film through it, and, if all goes well...

I may finally brutally thin down the film camera herd. I've been planning on doing this for a while now, and low-key been on the lookout for a versatile camera to take the place of the multiple different approaches I now have. It's always fun to hang on to film cameras, since they are such interesting pieces of history, but why let them sit unused (and possibly deteriorating) when demand for working examples is still high and someone will enjoy shooting them? Especially if there are things I don't like about a camera - I'm not likely to pick it up unless I'm just hungering for something different. For example, the K1000, for all its respectability, isn't the most fun camera to carry around and shoot. This one was given to me by someone (a client) form my workplace awhile back, and I've kept it somewhat from sentimental feeling, but - it may sound harsh - I don't like to keep a lot of things for that reason alone. It has to be a really deep meaning. So I'm still undecided, but leaning to selling it, with one of the M50mm f2 lenses I have. If it sells for enough to make it worthwhile. Then there's the Voigtlander Bessa-T with the Color Skopar 35mm f2.5. I really enjoyed my time with the camera, but it's kind of a lot to have invested in a film ecosystem (M-mount) when I only use it occasionally for film and am not planning on adding a digital M camera anytime soon ($$$$$). I'd be sadder parting with the lens than the camera. Maybe I will start with the T body and hang onto the lens for a bit. I was this close to trying out a Leica CL (film) but you have to work around the lack of 35mm framelines. Most people, I gather, use the whole frame to approximate 35mm, but I don't know how accurate that is, because I've seen people advising doing that for a 28mm lens as well. Add to that, the meters in those cameras are at least as spotty as those in a Pentax MX, so reliability isn't a given, and the cost difference is rather large ($500 versus, you know, free). If I bought a working meter CL and then it stopped working, it would lose a lot of value. I think the CL would be a lot of fun and I really liked how the body felt, but it's another bundle of compromises just like the Bessa-T. I could buy a cheap Bessa-L body (my lens is screw mount) down the line... but is it worth hanging onto a nice rangefinder lens I won't use that often when its resale value would more or less get me one of the FA Limited K-mount lenses, to work on either the MX or the K1? Probably not.

I'm also deciding whether to hang onto the Petri Color 35. It's a very unique little scale-focus camera, but with several really strong quirks which make it hard to love sometimes. First, the focus scale is only in the viewfinder, so I have to bring it to my eye and then adjust focus. This makes it less good for street photography. Also, you kind of have to judge your distance BEFORE putting the camera to your eye, because the small viewfinder makes distances a lot less easy to determine. Also, 1/250 is a difficult top shutter speed where there's movement. So the Petri is more of a snapshot camera for scenery, travel, etc., and less for street. I will still put some color film through it before making any decisions. Good enough color performance might change my mind, as I did find the B&W results to be charming, even when they lacked a bit of sharpness. the slight softness plus very vibrant colors would equal a win, whereas if the colors are a little flat, I won't like that combination with less-than sharpness, I think. I've also more or less decided my time with the Ricoh 500G is over. I've had it put away for 6 months or so and haven't missed it. It's a sweet little camera, but the viewfinder isn't great and the RF patch is tiny. It reinvigorated my love of film and was the first film body I shot with to develop my own, so I'm a bit attached to it as well... in theory.

So there are four film cameras with a questionable future in my collection. Part of me would enjoy thinning things out and simplifying, and part of me would miss them. Ain't that always the way.

 

[JensM]

So, back from a proper family vacation (iow flying) for the first time in 7 years, and the first time on the M43 platform, I thought I would do a write-up of my thoughts about the gear choice, I had some thoughts before going and have some reflections after.

I am rather spoilt for choice in regards of M43 gear, and could have brought a lot, but took my choices based on perceived unobtrusiveness both to carry, in use and this being a family vacation, not a photography outing even if I managed to sneak in quite a bit of photography due to a patience wife and ditto Son #2.

After going a bit back and forth, I ended up taking the following gear:
GX9 with 3 batteries

GM5 with 2 batteries

OEM Handgrip on both cameras

14-140 to use on the GX9

12-32

35-100 f:4-5,6

PL15

Oly 9 BCL

Manfrotto 209 tabletop tripod

Cable release

5 SD cards, 4 32 GBs and one 64 GB.

58 mm Polarizer, should have brought the 46 mm as well, but didnt find it.

PD Leash and handstrap for the GX9, one of those tiny compact camera handstraps for the GM5



Two tiny bags for the gear, a Lowepro Compact Courier for the GM5 stuff and a small Cullman bag for the GX9, these fitted all the mentioned camera gear sans chargers and such sundries that rode in a Helikontex packing pouch in the main suitcase, along with other small acessiories for general travel use.

The camera gear rode in my standard travel bag for the flying legs of the journey, a well used Barbour Tarras that also held a tablet, a book and such stuff.



Thoughts before/under and after:

I have touted the 12-32/35-100 combo along with a fast(ish) prime as an ideal travel arrangement since I first stumbled over the combo when I bought my long gone GX7, so that was a given. Pondered swapping out the 35-100 with the 45-175, both are rather miniscule for what they are and both delivers splendid results. Unobtrusiveness being the name of the game, and the 35-100 being the smaller of the two, I went for that, calculating that the 14-140 would pull its weight given its longer reach. I also pondered slipping the full size tripod into the suitcase, but decided against it, ditto with the Lee filters.

The plan was to use the GM5 with the two (three including the 15mm) kit lenses with the Lowepro bag as a always with me set-up, and bringing out the GX9 with the 14-140 for "proper" outings and then running the GM5 with the PL15 for indoor shots in a two camera set up.

What I actually ended up with was running the 12-32 on the GX9, the Oly 9mm on the GM5 squeezed into the Cullman bag along with the 35-100, with spare batteries and SD cards tucked into the front pocket, normally leaving the 14-140 and the PL15 back at the villa. For shooting in Italy, I found the 14 mm end to be somewhat constrictive, and much to my surprise, ditto with the 12 mm but to a slightly lesser degree, hence the Oly 9mm. When the gear was collated into the Cullman bag, the handgrips came off to get the load-out to fit in the bag.

Primarily I shot in "A", with auto ISO capped at 3200 and with average light-metering, for normal daylight shooting I had the exposure comp at somewhere between minus 1 and minus 3, Italy in summer is intensely bright in sunny weather. These settings worked fine under most circumstances and with the GX9s excellent IBIS in combination with the dual stabilisation with the kit-lenses took care of the indoor shots, with one exception where I ended up shooting for a stack, which turned out a bit meh when processed in LR, but may possibly be pulled together in PS.

Upon returning home, I found that I had used the 15mm the least, followed by the 14-140. The 12-32 carried the brunt force of my shooting with the 9mm Oly on second place. There was only one situation where the fast aperture of the PL would have come in handy, but of course it wasn't carried at that occasion. The two camera set-up worked a treat and cut down on lens swapping to no little extent and LVFs are a must have when in Italy.

The little Manfrotto was not used at all, but had I done my due diligence correctly I would have had use for the full size tripod as well as the Oly 60mm Macro for those lazy days lounging around the rented villa. The tripod would also had made short order of the most terrific thunderstorm I have experienced in quite a while.

Rather spotty Wi-Fi hindered efficient use of the tablet for transferring/backing up the daily take so I need to horse around a bit more with that solution, even tried for wired transfers but no dice in that department either, I may have gotten the wrong sort of cable for that to work (USB B to USB C adapter). But given that I bought the tab on a whim the day before departure and it being my first gadget of that sort, I hadn't much hope of it being a smooth operation and that was correct.

All in, I have a good stack of pictures that I like, some I love and a interesting string of things to ponder. The greatest surprise was probably the hankering for the wide end, which is something I have not had before. Am somewhat keen to upgrade the Oly BCL to the PL9 mm rectilienar. The Oly is a odd duck, and you cant get it smaller than that, but it also has some clear drawbacks. The fixed aperture (f:8), a very very rudimentary manual focus thingy and a tendency of some odd cromatic abberations, both greens and reds.

 

[agentlossing]

At the close of this most recent Single In challenge, I have learned some more about the K1 and the 1.7/50mm manual lens which I shot the challenge with. On the one hand, I'm glad to have deeper knowledge about the gear - and it's been great to reacquaint myself with the focal length and with manually focusing. On the other hand, it's going to be a relief to put an autofocus lens back on the K1 for the majority of the time. Sometimes it feels good to be just a bit lazy! Also, I want to give some serious time to the HD FA 2/35mm, so I know whether it's a lens I will want to keep long term.

The K1 is seriously good for manual lenses. I won't say it's perfect, and I'll get the negatives out of the way first: there is nothing like a manual focus lens to change your thinking about how big and bright a viewfinder is. I loved the K1 finder when I first used it, and I still do, but now I notice the black borders around the scene, and wish the magnification was greater than it is. However, it's a minor thing. Again, I never even noticed it before spending so much time scrutinizing the focus on a manual lens. It's still a very good and bright viewfinder. But the viewfinders for which those lenses were originally intended were quite the feats of engineering. The MX viewfinder is so big I can't see the edges, but (even without the focus screen) it's so easy to see the point of focus. And that brings me to the only other negative I could find with the manual focus experience, not at all unique to Pentax, of course: DSLR viewfinders don't have the manual focus aids, like ground glass or a split image. It has me considering the possibility of getting a custom focusing screen for the K1. I don't know if I want to go that route - usually they need carefully shimmed and thus it's not that easy to switch back and forth between the regular one and the one used for manual focus. But it may be an interesting and possibly fruitful diversion. We'll see.

On to the good: the K1 does everything in its power to make manual lenses easy to use. The green button is a well-documented exposure aid, works perfectly in M, and I'm getting familiar enough with the camera's exposure to know that I can hit the green button and then move the shutter dial a click or two faster to get exposure where I want it. The focus confirmation in the viewfinder is very helpful, though when you're close to wide open, it's not really sensitive enough to capture perfect focus some of the time. There's a bit of movement still where the light stays illuminated, and actually when the red light illuminates the focus point it's a touch hard to determine whether the focus is perfect. But it's not unusual to say that manual lenses are easiest to use when stopped down a little, in which case the focus depth is enough that I can quickly nail focus by trusting the focus confirmation when it illuminates. I also enjoy the focus throw on lenses which were designed for manually focusing. Modern lenses have just the smallest movement between about 2 meters to infinity, I like having enough differentiation to make zone focusing possible. And, of course, the ability to have a semi-auto exposure even on a lens from the 1970s is pretty cool. The camera always prompts for me to enter the focal length upon turning it on, this is for the IBIS but also records the focal length in the EXIF, which is helpful.

Then there's the MIYABI JPEG profile. I really enjoy it; it's the profile I have most clicked with since getting the camera. I am just a touch ambivalent about the JPEG options with Pentax, but I am spoiled by the Ricoh GR. It has much more in-depth settings and options as well as some excellent profiles. Similar to Fujifilm, but less based in mimicking analogue film. I can of course get marvelous results editing Pentax files, but I enjoy getting a certain look out of camera, mainly because it stimulates me to think in that "look" much the same way as a film shooter would look for scenes which suit the particular film stock in the camera. It's harder to think that way when I have to do the extra work of making the edit later on, off-camera, so to speak. However, with MIYABI I have a look which I enjoy and which I can look for harmony with in the world when I'm taking pictures. It's a lot like a cross between lush negative films and slide film like Kodachrome, and suits the sensor and output of the K1 really well.

It was really enjoyable shooting consistently with a 50mm again. I haven't owned one (except on the K1000 which I didn't shoot very often) for a while. Sure, the 40mm lenses (of which I have one, two, three - Petri Color 35, Panasonic 1.7/20mm, GR IIIx) are move versatile, but they are more of a blank slate (or tabula rasa, if you're feeling fancy), very neutral, where the 50mm is an artist's lens. It forces you to be careful with framing, while not being punitive about it. It's a wonderful way of seeing, especially when combined with shallow DoF on tap when you want it. I can easily see why photographers like HCB often felt like a 50mm was all they needed (HCB used a 35 as well, but mainly for his photojournalism I believe).

 

[gordo]

LOL I'm a knucklehead. I cannot find my two Delkin Black SD cards I had in the X-H1 setup with the battery grip. Last seen when I used them at the airshow last November. Downloaded the images from the cards after the show. Noticed they weren't in the camera last week. (edit - my 64gb Extreme PROs were in the camera instead.) Been looking for them since.