Fuzzy US Capitol
I’ve been using a Super Takumar 50/1.4 adapted to my Rebel XT a lot lately. I think it’s got a bit of the radioactive yellow thing, which I guess means it sat around a while out of the sun. It’s supposed to go away after exposure to sunlight, but after several months of use and some time in the windowsill it’s still a bit yellowish. It doesn’t really matter with digital because it’s easy enough to adjust the color later.
I forget to stop down the lens a sometimes after using the open aperture for easier focusing. All the stray light, flare, internal reflections and whatnot conspire to make some subjects look pleasantly soft. Seems to be distant subjects, where you’d have the focus at infinity, that look best. So, I tried a few shots of the capitol with the aperture open to 1.4. Bumping up the contrast removes the haziness, and I prefer shots like this in black and white. In color they look like 70s snapshots, which can be nice too.
Comparing a couple of M42 wide-angle lenses
So, after spending maybe-a-little-too-much time on eBay I’ve got 3 wide-angle M42 screw-mount lenses to choose from. I didn’t intend to get two 28mm lenses, but I bid on a couple of lenses where the descriptions were vague and the photos were out of focus - lucky I didn’t end up with a couple of paperweights I guess. Here they are together with the 35/3.5 Super Takumar I already had, for size comparison:
Super-Takumar 135/3.5
After using the 35/3.5 for a while (a day or two) I was hooked, so I’ve started looking around for more M42 lenses. I just got a 135/3.5 Super Takumar and some extension tubes from Collectible Cameras. I decided to order a lens they described as a “9-” because the 35/3.5 from Adorama was an “E+” and I wanted to see if there’d be much difference between “really good” and “not as good.” Optically and functionally, the 135/3.5 is flawless, except maybe the focus feels less smooth than the 35/3.5. I guess I can figure out how to lubricate it if it’s a problem. The 135/3.5 does have a few wear marks on the metal that I don’t care about.
Two photos with the new lens and the longest tube:
Update: Here’s a shot of the LDS temple that shows how sharp the 135/3.5 is, even with my mediocre focusing skills:
Super-Takumar 35/3.5 & EOS adapter
The combination of retro manual lens and modern digital camera sounded fun for some reason, so I ordered an M42 screw-mount to EOS adapter and a 35mm lens to try out with my Rebel XT. The adapters are available all over the place, probably cheapest on eBay, but I ordered mine from Adorama along with the lens. The lens came with a silly old case that I guess can go on a shelf somewhere. The adapter is silver metal, which totally clashes with the black lens and camera. There are black adapters on eBay if you’re fashion-conscious. There’s also an adapter with a little chip that enables the ‘in-focus’ dot, which can apparently be helpful.
So far I like the lens. It’s a solid chunk of metal and glass, in contrast to inexpensive modern Canon lenses, which are mostly plastic. Even my 28-135 isn’t as solid and tight as the 35/3.5. Focusing can be tough, although with digital it’s easy enough to take a shot, check for focus, and take another if it’s not right. The shooting procedure goes something like this: set the lens aperture at its widest, focus a while, set the aperture where you really want it, make sure your exposure is acceptable with a half-push of the shutter button, then take the shot.
The lens, with the adapter and a Canon rear lens cap attached:
Some purple coneflowers with the lens wide open at f/3.5:
…and at f/16:
Some cherry tomatoes with the lens wide open:
Oscar doesn’t like flashes
I got an external flash and have since been chasing the cats around with it, allegedly in an effort to learn how to use the thing. I bounced it off the ceiling for this shot, and I guess the earlier shots had left poor Oscar looking just like he does during a thunder storm.
