R.Young wrote:
Sebboh, maybe you can get rid of the colour cast, but so far I'm finding it hard to do in Lightroom, white balance is one of the features I find hardest to use, unless it's already close I can never seem to get it right. I would also assume that there is a certain amount of degradation to the image, after all, we all use these expensive lenses to reduce our time in post, at least I do. I know processing can save images to a certain degree, but I am almost certain colours will be spoiled to some degree by the yellowing, even after correction in post....Show more →
the easy way to get the white balance right is to shoot a white card.
your right, having a yellow lens most certainly effects the color balance that reaches the sensor. it is basically equivalent to having a filter somewhere between a standard yellow filter and a warming filter. i actually kinda like what it does to skin tones so i'm tempted not to correct mine.
I'm using mine too often to think of leaving it by a window too, it hasn't ruined any shots so far, but I might think about curing it next year if I get bored of the effect
R.Young wrote:
Wfrank, I currently use a 1ds2 as it was the cheapest option for full frame apart from the 5d1,which ironically I didn't like for the slow AF. Now I'm mainly mf so may as well get live view and a lighter body.
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Haha, yes that's a bit ironic :-)
2nd hand 5D2 are going to fall when 5D3 arrives I'm sure. And it still has a clear edge compared to the very best APS-C sensors as in the NEX 5N for example. WA is no match, and for the rest the difference in DOF with comparatively cheap and well performing lenses covers the rest. Even some fast fixed EF's (which some yell at) are really good in my world.
I do it both ways (still love AF), but as I saw it hard to justify some of the L's when e.g. Samyang produced better IQ on focal lengths I liked I started to do MF as well. And the NEX have really got me used to slow-photography LV, so it's going to be interesting to see if I use that more now when I am returning to the 5D2 for a while.
Sebboh, thanks, did not know about the auto compensation of WB in this context. I do a couple of std moves in ACR, then in PS adjusting the light selectively but not much more. Hopefully I do not need to go too much into coloring as it is an area I dont feel very comfortable in.
for those interested in how much difference yellowing makes in the look of photos here's an informal comparison of two portraits taken a minute apart in window light. the first is the rokkor 58/1.2 wide open and the second is the canon FL 55/1.2 (which does not have a radioactive element) wide open. both are processed identically except for exposure and white balance. white balance was set off the same place in both images (white on the shirt) giving the rokkor a temp of 4400 and the canon a temp of 5450. exposure is different because the yellowing makes the rokkor about half a stop less bright than the canon. obviously there are more differences between these two lenses than just a yellow element so focus on just the color.
Yes, sebboh, I remember a comparision between a radioactive Rokkor 58/1.2 and a Canon FD50L and the difference was almost a full stop more exposure for the Rokkor, due to the yellowing and slowing of the lens.
Ok first tries, total darkness has fallen on this part of Europe for a couple months most part of the day. No real close up fancy bokeh stuff going on here, but here are two shots, high ISO 2500 & 4000. Wideopen/handheld. 5D2 Rokkor 58/1.2.
Thanks Young. This 1024 format improves the sharpness experience :-). But yes, sort of spot on albeit with high ISO, so it doesnt get as sharp as it could be. Some ACR moves does the trick though (weighted sharpening/noise reduction). And yep, these are unwillingly LV as the focus distance is >5m which is when my mirror hits. Very shaky in LV x10, more than half where turned out blurry, but more so due to the shutter time, not bad focus I think. Should probably convert to Tv for these type of shots, say 1/80 since it's 58mm w/o any stabilization should get you on the safe side.
As a sidenote I have hopes/prayers for the next Canon FF sensor if it closes up to Sonys later APS-C sensors. Then one could really exploit Tv in a new manor, almost disregarding ISO and shoot very underexposed and still get very nice output with basic moves in ACR/PP. The NEX 5N makes this possible as of today while the 5D2 does not.
helimat wrote:
Was the rear element retainer reduced wfrank? If not, it is and easy project and should increase the useful range to near infinity with the 5D2.
Helimat, no I dont think its reduced, looks very original. Took a look and it sticks up something like 1mm above/around the glass. Can this be grinded in an easy way or what?
for those who had the oil spots on the inner element please be careful when you take apart the front element! I somehow chipped a small piece off about 1mm and I used an alcohol swab pad to gently clean away the oil that accumulated in the corner. Now there are swirly marks everywhere, I'm sad. Will probably hunt for another for good measure.
The one time I did it myself I sat the lens face down, removed the rear retainer and sanded it in a figure-8 pattern on with an adhesive-backed sandpaper on a flat surface, until there was just enough meat left to continue to retain the rear element.
