cogitech wrote:
Anden wrote:
cogitech wrote
Problem is, all the people who forked out big bucks for the Oly 18 always jump in and declare the Tamron to be crap.


Well I, being a happy 18 owner, do not care whether the Tammy is as good as my more expensive Oly. The only reason to argue for the superiority of the lens one own is to boost the price... I will probably never sell my 18 so I do not care. One reason for me to own the Oly is that it is a better looking lens than the tammy :-)
My lens takes photos I am happy with and yours do to. We are both happy.

A


I shouldn't have said "all the people". Really there is only a select few.

Regarding the reason to discuss the performance of lenses, my reason is to reveal the amazing value that some lenses offer over much more expensive lenses. Why do you think I go on about my $182 FD 300 F4L, $115 Rokkor 58/1.2, $484 85/1.2, $60 Zuiko 28/3.5, $40 Vivitar 28/2...?

I try to be the voice of the less wealthy out there, who cannot afford lenses like the Zuiko 18/3.5. For the sake of those people, I truly hope the price of the Tamron doesn't increase. I just want them to know that it is an excellent lens, with performance basically on par with that Zuiko 18/3.5 that they may be lusting after. I'll never sell my current copy of the Tamron either, so I am not concerned about increasing its value.

I've profited from the sale of multiple copies of the Rokkor 58/1.2. Rightly so, I think. Beyond that, I just want to promote the excellent values out there for people who are willing to take a chance or do some conversion work.

If ever in doubt, assume that my point is to break the "you get what you pay for" rule. I have discovered, time and time again, that you can often get far, far more than you pay for. I have built an amazing line-up of lenses on a budget that would make most of you giggle or cry, depending on your perspective. I hope to inspire others to do the same.

Alternative alternatives. That's what its all about, for me.

I think that you, being a great photographer, wonīt have to be negative about other lenses in order to promote great value lenses. I have not seen the 3-4 stops vignetting you are talking about with the Oly. Please provide examples of this. If one is to make claims concerning one lens vs. another one shall have own real life experience with both. IMO. I, personally donīt find the V APO 125/2.5 or the Leica 100/2.8, great value when compared to the Zuiko 135/4.5 for example. But I have not shot with them so I wonīt make the comparison...

As for making money on lenses. I have no problem if people do. I have sold lenses with a gain and sold lenses with a loss. It is all a part of the game when beeing a lensoholic...

Be well Paul. Keep posting your great work.

Mawz, very nice shot.

Canon 5D Mark II | Olympus OM 21/3.5 @ f/16

Thanks, and that's an excellent and interesting cat shot.

Love the cat-shot Great work!

Mawz,
Nice shot with the Bessa!
Like the depth and the subtle tonality.

wayne seltzer wrote:
Mawz,
Nice shot with the Bessa!
Like the depth and the subtle tonality.

Thanks!

I'm really loving those old Sonnars, the results are wonderful for tonality and depth. I'd borrowed that Canon 50/1.5 until I acquired the Sonnar clone I was looking for, the Nikkor 5cm f1.4 Close-focus. Both are pretty much straight clones of the 50/1.5 Sonnar. The Canon's a real gem of a lens, but the Nikkor focuses down to 0.45m uncoupled making it just about the most flexible RF 50 for my G1.

The only downside to these is the minimum coupled focus distance is in the 3.5'-1m range.

mawz wrote:
wayne seltzer wrote:
Mawz,
Nice shot with the Bessa!
Like the depth and the subtle tonality.

Thanks!

I'm really loving those old Sonnars, the results are wonderful for tonality and depth. I'd borrowed that Canon 50/1.5 until I acquired the Sonnar clone I was looking for, the Nikkor 5cm f1.4 Close-focus. Both are pretty much straight clones of the 50/1.5 Sonnar. The Canon's a real gem of a lens, but the Nikkor focuses down to 0.45m uncoupled making it just about the most flexible RF 50 for my G1.

The only downside to these is the minimum coupled focus distance is in the 3.5'-1m range.

Interesting. Looks like a nice walk-around street lens for the G1.

Paul and Nate: Thanks for your honest impressions, much appreciated. So concise and eloquent. Frustration and running away have been on my mind for quite a long while now. But I had no idea someone could catch that looking at photos I take, I'm humbled and dumbfounded.

Nate: how many cameras do you have? If your digital files end up looking this way why do you still shoot film? It's catastic!

wayne seltzer wrote:

Interesting. Looks like a nice walk-around street lens for the G1.


It's a little long for my tastes for walk-around but quite nice on the G1. It's also quite the portrait lens. I tend to use it paired with the CV 15/4.5 on the G1.

mawz wrote:
Thanks, and that's an excellent and interesting cat shot.

IMHO it would be better still without the blue color cast.

NEW TOY ALERT:

I just picked up a Vivitar 120-600 today. This is a crop from the 120 end of things with some basic pp. I had to shoot it on my D70s instead of my usual 1D MK II because it is an F mount. Now I MUST get a Nikon to EOS adapter.

Leon Noel wrote:
Nate: how many cameras do you have? If your digital files end up looking this way why do you still shoot film? It's catastic!
This was my lens mounted on my friend's 5D2. I only have 1 digital camera, the D700; however, I shoot film mostly for the small package, large finder and superb tactile response. I'd probably never shoot another roll of film if someone came out with a digital back, or camera the size and weight of an FM3A, OM4, or FE2 using the D700 sensor or even something with a good ISO 6400, no autofocus and 4 or so megapixels. I also like shooting lenses on their native mounts when possible, another reason to shoot film.

Toothwalker wrote:
mawz wrote:
Thanks, and that's an excellent and interesting cat shot.

IMHO it would be better still without the blue color cast.


My shot right? I do see a slight blue cast. Is this better?

Yea, I shot a cat shot, but didn't this close. I got scared thinking he would run away which he did after TWoK got this epic cat shot.

Some buildings with the OM 21mm f/2, OM 21mm f/3.5 & the OM 18mm f/3.5

Here are some shot from an interesting butterfly that was in my backyard this afternoon. These were taken with my CZJ 135mm f/3.5 and a 25mm Kenko extension tube.

Some more from the single shot I posted before.

5D + Zuiko 50/1.4:

Lovely!

Great portrait work Patrick, the soft window light is very nice.
I would clone stamp out the distracting table lamp in the bedroom shots.
The 1st shot is my favorite and it is beautiful. Great looking model too.

mawz wrote:
wayne seltzer wrote:

Interesting. Looks like a nice walk-around street lens for the G1.


It's a little long for my tastes for walk-around but quite nice on the G1. It's also quite the portrait lens. I tend to use it paired with the CV 15/4.5 on the G1.

Yeah, I forgot about the crop factor.