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Archive 2016 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Frogfish
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

As part of my 'get fit' regime I'm walking ca. 70kms / 45 mls a week. This puts Qibao within my reach, being a ca. 10kms round walk from my home. Qibao is the smallest of the 'Watertowns' in the area but being the closest to the centre of Shanghai (ca. 15 kms), so it's very popular with locals and tourists alike, more so since the metro runs right to its doorstep - especially with ladies who like to dress up in traditional wear and pose by the canal. Lots of traditional and local speciality foods are also sold here which increases the attraction.

A few days ago I made the walk from home and took along my A7r and two classic lenses, the Steinheil Cassarit 100/3.5 & Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50/2.8, to keep me busy when I arrived, just for a bit of fun. Both are M42 lenses and both I bought for their 'Soap Bubbles' so this was an unusual outing for them since there would certainly be no soap bubbles on this walk !

These lenses will certainly not win any prizes for sharpness at 100% but I quite like how the shots came out.

1.

I quite likes this 3 shot series - her grandmother told her not to be shy and received a peck on the cheek !
4a

Edited on Apr 16, 2016 at 03:11 PM · View previous versions

Apr 16, 2016 at 05:45 AM

Paul Mo
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Nice. Shanghai is at or near the top of my must-visit list.

Apr 16, 2016 at 07:10 AM

cherubino
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

It is nice to use old lenses on digital bodies. I have an old Tessar and Distagon that are used occasionally just for fun. Thanks for sharing! Nice images also.

Apr 16, 2016 at 07:31 AM

cvrle59
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Title mentioned D800E, but later on A7R was used. Have I missed something?

Apr 16, 2016 at 07:44 AM

f.hayek
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

My experience with half-century old Leica glass is similar in that the colors come out looking pastel and unreal (obviously useful in certain instances-image #3). To me, there's a visual dissonance between modern elements of scenes and the off-colors of these legacy lenses.

Much prefer modern glass when intending to shoot color.

That first image is particularly lovely; doesn't want for sharpness and the tonal gradation of the light on the trees in the background are delightfully subtle and captivating.

A modern, high-contrast lens would have ruined it.

Apr 16, 2016 at 08:43 AM

Two23
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

I like these old lenses. Yours, being Post War, are coated. I've had four 19th century lenses put into Nikon F mount and enjoy using them. Sharpness is often over rated for these kinds of shots.

Kent in SD

Apr 16, 2016 at 09:38 AM

f.hayek
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Two23 wrote:
Sharpness is often over rated for these kinds of shots.

Kent in SD

Yet, some of the most evocative shots of the mid-century were made with Leica glass; relatively high resolution (for the era) and restrained contrast.

My favorite lens is the Leica 35 Summicron 8-element; whilst the resolution really catches the eye, it's the lower contrast that adds the interest. This combination creates an atmospheric that isn't replicated by some older, lesser optics.

There are threads over at Leica User Forum (LUF) for old glass; one fellow from East Asia posts images made with 3rd-party LTM glass of the 30's-50's and there's something missing to them. Time and again, the most interesting images posted there (to my eye at least) are lower contrast and higher resolution, most often using vintage Leica or Zeiss lenses. Something really magical to them.

The one modern lens still in production that does this combination nicely is the Nikkor 50/1.2 AiS.

Apr 16, 2016 at 09:45 AM

Frogfish
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

cvrle59 wrote:
Title mentioned D800E, but later on A7R was used. Have I missed something?

Sorry - that's my other camera !

Apr 16, 2016 at 03:10 PM

AGeoJO
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Wonderful images

, Kevin!

Apr 16, 2016 at 03:32 PM

charles.K
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Great images and unique perspective !!

Apr 16, 2016 at 08:05 PM

rattymouse
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Paul Mo wrote:
Nice. Shanghai is at or near the top of my must-visit list.

Really? Why?

Apr 16, 2016 at 08:59 PM

Paul Mo
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

rattymouse wrote:
Really? Why?

Contrast, I guess.

Apr 16, 2016 at 09:11 PM

austinschutz
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Lovely photos. Keep going on those walks, we all want to see more : )

Apr 16, 2016 at 09:24 PM

f.hayek
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Paul Mo wrote:
Nice. Shanghai is at or near the top of my must-visit list.

rattymouse wrote:
Really? Why?

Fresh air, clean water & the rule of Law.

Apr 16, 2016 at 11:06 PM

bobbytan
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Nice job, Kevin! Looks a bit like Fenghuang although I've not been there.

Apr 17, 2016 at 12:08 AM

wfektar
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Wow. All are good but that first one is spectacular. Thanks for sharing.

Paul Mo wrote:
Nice. Shanghai is at or near the top of my must-visit list.

Better do it while it's still shang hai.

Apr 17, 2016 at 12:26 AM

rattymouse
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

f.hayek wrote:
Fresh air, clean water & the rule of Law.

Brutal!

Apr 17, 2016 at 05:47 AM

apsphoto
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Great shots, really love the first and third. All are nice.

Alan

Apr 18, 2016 at 11:40 AM

Frogfish
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

bobbytan wrote:
Nice job, Kevin! Looks a bit like Fenghuang although I've not been there.

Thanks Bobby. I'm sure Fenghuang knocks the socks off of this place (you know the camera can cover up so much) it's on my China bucket list

Apr 18, 2016 at 11:46 AM

Frogfish
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Ancient Town of Qibao with A7r and two 60 year old lenses

Thanks for all your kind comments & 'Likes' everyone !

Apr 18, 2016 at 11:49 AM

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