@geekcop I have both kit lenses - the 28-80 D (with the aperture ring) and the 28-80G. I find both excellent but prefer the G just because the design matches the N80 better, and it is a little smaller and nicer looking IMO.
No complaints whatsoever with their performance, I think they are a steal.
Everyone's favourite reviewer Sir Kenneth Rockwell likes them too:
More testing with the Pentax Espio 628 and I wanted to try it with some B&W. We have a refrigerator in the garage which is where I store my film supply. Opened the drawer with the Ilford films, reached in a grabbed a roll of HP5. That was until the camera was loaded and the little window showed it was Pan F. I had never used Pan F before but it was in the camera and that was the tester film.
The Espio has a "Macro" setting. In P&S speak, this means nothing closer than a meter. There are two lines in the viewfinder for macro viewing and learning the hard way, return to normal distance mode, don't leave in in Macro.
The Pan F was developed in Adox XT-3, stock solution. It's a glorious film and I really ment to use it in my M cameras or at least the Retina IIa. Here's a few from the roll. NLP B&W, no other corrections:
madNbad wrote:
More testing with the Pentax Espio 628…
The Espio has a "Macro" setting. In P&S speak, this means nothing closer than a meter.
The Samsung AF Slim Zoom focuses down to .55 meters with no need to use a macro mode (they call it auto macro), while the Samsung AF slim focuses down to 12 inches!
Espio 24EW focuses down to .3 meters.
Desmolicious wrote:
The Samsung AF Slim Zoom focuses down to .55 meters with no need to use a macro mode (they call it auto macro), while the Samsung AF slim focuses down to 12 inches!
Espio 24EW focuses down to .3 meters.
The best information I was able to find puts the macro minimum distance at .6 meter. There is also a focus light that is solid green when focus is confirmed and blinks if it isn’t. Much of the stuff on the roll that wasn’t in focus was closer than two feet. I’m glad I have some time to learn what the camera can do and see the results on film.
madNbad wrote:
The best information I was able to find puts the macro minimum distance at .6 meter. There is also a focus light that is solid green when focus is confirmed and blinks if it isn’t. Much of the stuff on the roll that wasn’t in focus was closer than two feet. I’m glad I have some time to learn what the camera can do and see the results on film.
A little more testing reveals the focus conformation light doesn't blink if the subject is closer than 30cm. I also learned the close focus lines are to frame a subject that is between .6 and 1 meter.
More testing with the Pentax Espio 628. I really wish this camera had fill flash. No flash isn't quite enough and full flash is a bit too much. Ilford FP4+, Rodinal 50:1
Andie and her cousin Kathryn, no flash
Andie and her cousin Kathryn, with flash but contrast added in post
Put two rolls of FP4 through the Espio today and it'll be a fine travel camera.
Huss, I'm WILD about these pics. I'm going with some photogs to Alaska beginning of February and will be using my Sony gear. But I'll be in Seattle for a couple of days before and struggled whether to bring my M11M to do some street shooting there - concerned about getting mugged walking around alone.
I've been thinking about film for a while, decided it's not something I want to put serious dollars into, and then I saw your pics and thought WOW, this would be great for shooting street in black/white with a high contrast imperfect look, especially since the camera seems dirt cheap.
Wondering what you think about that and if you have any suggestions, whether pro, con, or other cams and/or film.
Also - was reading up on Arista EDU 200. Did you shoot it at 200? I read a review where someone thought it should be shot at 100, another concluded 160.
brick33308 wrote:
Also - was reading up on Arista EDU 200. Did you shoot it at 200? I read a review where someone thought it should be shot at 100, another concluded 160.
Shooting it at box speed works fine, but the shadows do drop off really quickly there. For a high-contrast look I'd go for box speed; for more tonality you could overexpose it a bit.
