Greggf wrote:
A quick shot with my MD 35-70/3.5(2.8!!) macro on A7rM
Gregg
Gregg, very nice composition as usual... could you please explain me (maybe you have already talked about that in the past) how my wonderful Minolta MD 35-70 f/3.5 Macro could become an f/2.8 lens? Thanks in advance!
Manuel
P.S. no PM because I think could be interesting also for other owners of that gem and then because we have to reach soon 1000 pages
ManuelLaMantia wrote:
Gregg, very nice composition as usual... could you please explain me (maybe you have already talked about that in the past) how my wonderful Minolta MD 35-70 f/3.5 Macro could become an f/2.8 lens?
Manuel and Michelle...
If you looks the the MD 35-70/3.5 macro, when the lens is wide open(f3.5) you can see that the blades aren't fully open! Derek was the one who actually told me about it. Somehow, I was able to google the process, and open the aperture to f2.8. I sent the link to Bob, who also has the lens. I'll see if I can find it in Pm's or email. In on the road at the moment(stopped for lunch!), so give me a little while and I'll see what I can come up with!!
Gregg
Edit...
Found the pm I sent to Bob...
Here is a link to a few pics of how to mod the 35-70 to make it f2.8. Really quite easy, except be careful when undue the 4 screws to NOT take the aperture ring off and lose the ball-bearing that is used for the aperture clicks( it's really tiny!). http://www.flickr.com/photos/debuggerus/4076285386/in/set-72157622016476872
I did mine last night but haven't used it yet. On mine, the aperture doesn't change from 2.8 to 3.5 at the click, only 5.6. But it does get smaller in between. I'll take it out this week to see the diff.
Gregg
Although I like my tripod, sometimes I wish it was a tad taller, so of late I've been strapping the a7r onto a DJI S1000+ Octocopter.
This is more a "full time tweak and repair" pod than a tripod, but it is fun when it works.
I don't know how to recored the altitude yet in the exif, so the first was at about 20m, the second at about 130m and the last was a 2 shot pano at about 70m.
All shots that look rather different from the ground.
Greggf wrote:
Manuel and Michelle...
If you looks the the MD 35-70/3.5 macro, when the lens is wide open(f3.5) you can see that the blades aren't fully open! Derek was the one who actually told me about it. Somehow, I was able to google the process, and open the aperture to f2.8. I sent the link to Bob, who also has the lens. I'll see if I can find it in Pm's or email. In on the road at the moment(stopped for lunch!), so give me a little while and I'll see what I can come up with!!
Gregg
Edit...
Found the pm I sent to Bob...
Here is a link to a few pics of how to mod the 35-70 to make it f2.8. Really quite easy, except be careful when undue the 4 screws to NOT take the aperture ring off and lose the ball-bearing that is used for the aperture clicks( it's really tiny!). http://www.flickr.com/photos/debuggerus/4076285386/in/set-72157622016476872
I did mine last night but haven't used it yet. On mine, the aperture doesn't change from 2.8 to 3.5 at the click, only 5.6. But it does get smaller in between. I'll take it out this week to see the diff.
Gregg...Show more →
Just saw this but glad you found the link. I would agree that the process is pretty easy. The effect at 2.8 is most noticeable from about 50-70mm. Below that, I didn't find much difference in light gathering or bokeh.
Two more images with the A7s and Leica WATE The second shot is wide open in a sort of futile attempt to obtain an out of focus effect. Maybe a little bokeh. Not much. The lens just wants to be in focus from a half meter to infinity.
Greggf wrote:
Manuel and Michelle...
If you looks the the MD 35-70/3.5 macro, when the lens is wide open(f3.5) you can see that the blades aren't fully open! Derek was the one who actually told me about it. Somehow, I was able to google the process, and open the aperture to f2.8. I sent the link to Bob, who also has the lens. I'll see if I can find it in Pm's or email. In on the road at the moment(stopped for lunch!), so give me a little while and I'll see what I can come up with!!
Gregg
Edit...
Found the pm I sent to Bob...
Here is a link to a few pics of how to mod the 35-70 to make it f2.8. Really quite easy, except be careful when undue the 4 screws to NOT take the aperture ring off and lose the ball-bearing that is used for the aperture clicks( it's really tiny!). http://www.flickr.com/photos/debuggerus/4076285386/in/set-72157622016476872
I did mine last night but haven't used it yet. On mine, the aperture doesn't change from 2.8 to 3.5 at the click, only 5.6. But it does get smaller in between. I'll take it out this week to see the diff.
Gregg...Show more →
Thank you very much Gregg (& Derek, of course)... I will do an investigation this weekend.
Ciao - Manuel
