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Archive 2009 · the best advice you ever got here.

burningheart
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · the best advice you ever got here.

It is not a sin to use a lens that has no AF, no IS/VR, not the same brand name as your camera, use an adapter to mount a lens, use a lens that was built many many years before your camera.

Alt users are willing to share knowledge and experiences and are willing to help others in their journeys by asking questions and giving opinions.

Introduced me to the world of Leica R, Zeiss, Voigtlander, Rokkor.....

Dec 09, 2009 at 01:23 PM

rachp
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · the best advice you ever got here.

morpheus2891 wrote:
+1 the alt image thread has been a great resource as well as people just posting about their fav lenses.... find out about some pretty neat glass here and see great samples.... really opens up a lot of possibilities to someone who'se just learning like me... thanks to all!

+2 The alt image and admirable blurr threads have been great for seeing what these strange lenses can do. Thanks to Weekh and Cogitech for getting me into the CV 125 before it got priced out for me!

Dec 09, 2009 at 01:33 PM

edwardkaraa
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · the best advice you ever got here.

This is the best forum for alternative gear, no doubt!

Dec 09, 2009 at 01:52 PM

Cableaddict
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · the best advice you ever got here.

For me, I think the recent discussions of 3D effect (err, plasticity) - and the warm, fuzzy feeling of finding out that I wasn't the only one a little confused by it.

-or perhaps the many "what is good bokeh" threads, especially the one where many decided the Siggy 50 is TOO creamy.

These two issues helped me really understand the subtle differences between lenses, (and the pics taken with them) whereas prior to that I pretty much only looked at sharpness & color.

Edited on Dec 09, 2009 at 03:57 PM · View previous versions

Dec 09, 2009 at 03:47 PM

Cableaddict
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · the best advice you ever got here.

RustyBug wrote:
The BEST singular advice (amongst a ton of excellent advice) ...

... having the concept of 'drawing style' explained. This totally changed the way I look at glass ... and corresponingly, the way I think about imagery. .

I still don't quite understand that one!

I know - Bokeh, plasticity, field curvature, micro-contrast all play a part, but somehow when I see the actual term "drawing style" I start to feel like a college freshman taking a senior-level course. I just KNOW that the rest of the class understands it better than I do...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another great idea here, idea more than advice, is the extreme emphasis on primes.
Primes is good. Primes is OK. Primes shouldn't make you feel less manly than Uncle Bob with his big, mighty zoom. Took me in a whole new direction. Made me the man I am today!

Dec 09, 2009 at 03:55 PM

alexandre
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · the best advice you ever got here.

Tariq Gibran wrote:
Minolta Rokkor 58 1.2 ($80)

I hate you

But I had some good deals in the past too, including
Pentax Super Multi Coated Takumar 50 1.4 ($50)
Zuiko 21/3.5 ($160)
Beat-up Pentax-K 50/1.2 ($30)

Dec 09, 2009 at 04:38 PM

Paoletto
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · the best advice you ever got here.

The elmarit R 19/2.8

Dec 09, 2009 at 04:41 PM

Michael Gordon
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · the best advice you ever got here.

Yes, wonderful advice here. Thanks.
Special thanks to Jim (jcolwell) for
advice on Mamiya lenses and use with the Mirex.
Mike

Dec 09, 2009 at 04:48 PM

Cableaddict
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · the best advice you ever got here.

alexandre wrote:
I hate you

But I had some good deals in the past too, including
Pentax Super Multi Coated Takumar 50 1.4 ($50)
Zuiko 21/3.5 ($160)
Beat-up Pentax-K 50/1.2 ($30)

I hate you.

Dec 09, 2009 at 04:51 PM

Jos Tesseract
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · the best advice you ever got here.

I'd have to say I've learned quite a bit indirectly by looking at other people's work and such - through trying to replicate results for myself and what not.

"Get out and Shoot" is a definitely high on the list, as well as Cogitech's comment about cloudy days being the best beauty dish you could ever wish for.

It's like working under one giant beauty dish or softbox.

Made me rethink my approach. I had been thinking that I was only able to get good shots when full sun was out, but when i look back, I've shot quite a few decent pics when light was hardly ideal.

Now... if only there was a Cogitech for Lensbabies...

Dec 09, 2009 at 05:30 PM

DanPBrown
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · the best advice you ever got here.

My first alt lens and still one of my favorites, C/Y 60mm Macro.
Dan
www.danbrownphotography.com
http://www.danbrownphotography.com/galleries/albums/userpics/Library_Hill_Fireworks.jpg

Dec 09, 2009 at 05:44 PM

Tariq Gibran
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · the best advice you ever got here.

Cableaddict wrote:
I hate you.

It was a lucky, local "buy-it-now" ebay find offered by a very nice camera repair guy. I even told him what they were selling for and offered to pay more before he gave me the lens!

Those are great deals as well, particularly the Zuiko 21.

Dec 09, 2009 at 05:59 PM

zombii
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · the best advice you ever got here.

C/Y Zeiss lenses (particularly Planar 85, Planar 100, Makro-Planar 100, VS 28-85)
Contax N 24-85 (Maybe the best of available worlds for zooms; now if it was only f/2.8!)
Voigtlander
Canon FD
About to find out about Leica R

Manual focus is superior to AF when the light is sufficient and the subject isn't moving too fast.

I was already on the prime bandwagon but found out that I could go back to some Zeiss zooms and still be happy.

Jim Buchanan, Paul Yi, Jim Schemel

Dec 10, 2009 at 01:28 AM

philber
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · the best advice you ever got here.

1) participating here taught me that I wasn't alone is seeing that even the best Canon lenses just don't measure up to some alts when it comes to quality. Result: my Canon count went from 5 to 0, and my Zeiss (ZE and C/Y) from 2 to 7.
2) it also taught me a lot by exposing me to truly amazing work by many of you, thus raising the bar of my expectations. I am sure I am forgetting many, but I wish to salute the gaggle of amazing Sandinavian shooters, Ulrik, Anden, Ovredal, Samuli, Makten, Jonas, Cosmoskatten and others, the brace of Jims (Grenache, Schemel, Colwell), of Pauls (Cogitech, Yi) of Dans and Steves, not forgetting Andrew (Snowboarder), Nate, Twok, Rustybug and especially Richard (brainiac) for his wealth of information and great talent for putting it across.

Edited on Dec 12, 2009 at 01:26 PM · View previous versions

Dec 10, 2009 at 02:49 AM

yukselserdar
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · the best advice you ever got here.

Lately ive been bored of shooting and havent actually shot for some weeks now. So i decided to sell out almost all of my AF nikon lenses and try something different.

Ive decided to go back to MF and trying zeiss lenses, and came back to this board to look for advice and experiences. Last time i was here was almost a year ago.

Accidentely i read a thread here about the summicron 90mm and fell in love with the leicas lenses immediately. And for the last week ive been reading every thread about leicas, going back to 2006

So the best advice(s) ive gotten so far, are all your threads and willingness to help out others and share your experiences. Thanks for that and for now im gonna suck up all your knowledge and hope i soon can be able to share my experiences with you

Dec 10, 2009 at 05:15 AM

freespirit
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · the best advice you ever got here.

Buy good quality lenses, one at a time if you cant afford the full set.
Test the lenses - know their strengths and weakness through the aperture range, near and far focus.

Dec 10, 2009 at 07:53 AM

AndersB
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · the best advice you ever got here.

The best advice here has been about the Rokkor 58mm 1.2, but also all about zeiss and zuikos.
The problem is that i now have way too many lenses (according to my wife), but I still want more...
This site has caused me a serious addiction.
Now the owner of rokkor 58mm 1.2, contax 28mm 2,8, 50mm 1,4/1,7, 85mm 1,4/2,8
Zuiko 18mm 3,5, 28mm 2,8, 35mm 2,8, 80mm macro, 90mm 2,0 135mm macro, bellows, ext, tubes
and a pentax SMC 135 2,5
Will it ever stop

best regards
AndersB

Dec 11, 2009 at 03:27 PM

brainiac
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · the best advice you ever got here.

AndersB wrote:
The best advice here has been about the Rokkor 58mm 1.2, but also all about zeiss and zuikos.
The problem is that i now have way too many lenses (according to my wife), but I still want more...
This site has caused me a serious addiction.
Now the owner of rokkor 58mm 1.2, contax 28mm 2,8, 50mm 1,4/1,7, 85mm 1,4/2,8
Zuiko 18mm 3,5, 28mm 2,8, 35mm 2,8, 80mm macro, 90mm 2,0 135mm macro, bellows, ext, tubes
and a pentax SMC 135 2,5

That's not 'too many'.

Dec 11, 2009 at 08:41 PM

philber
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · the best advice you ever got here.

Anders, Richard, repeat after me: "I am an altoholic..."

Dec 12, 2009 at 01:49 AM

brainiac
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · the best advice you ever got here.

philber wrote:
Anders, Richard, repeat after me: "I am an altoholic..."

I suppose I'm more like a nymphomaniac hooker, because I make my living with my gear...

Dec 12, 2009 at 11:16 AM

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