Well it is the eve of the election here in the US. I went for a walk after work to clear the head and it was a cold and dark walk with the time change.
I decided to go straight party ticket tonight with Nikon on Nikon
gbohannon wrote:
Well it is the eve of the election here in the US. I went for a walk after work to clear the head and it was a cold and dark walk with the time change.
I decided to go straight party ticket tonight with Nikon on Nikon
Noct on the Df during the late blue hour.
George
Intriguing. Will be so bad if I unable to have it in bucket list.
All these lenses were tested for hot spots with an IR modified D600 (720nm).
All test shots at infinity against a blue sky; no PP.
The "rating" is simply an average of all apertures results from a score from 1 point (worst hotspot) to 5 points (no visible hotspot).
So if a lens (f/4 to f/22 for example) had the f/stops (scores):
f/4 (5); f/5.6 (5); f8 (4); f/11 (3); f/16 (2); f/22 (1);
then the rating will be: (5+5+4+3+2+1)/6 = 3.33
As you can check above (sorrey the long list), at least my copies of both lenses revealed the 5.8 is a bit better, but the 50/2 HC is no slouch, with no hotspot up to f/5.6.
gbohannon wrote:
Well Rafael, I didn't take my own advice or learn from your past lens adventures.
I wanted to test and see how the medium format Nikkors made for Bronica would hold up on the GFX compared to the Nikkor F primes that cover the sensor.
So I found a 13.5cm f/3.5 Bronica S Nikkor on eBay and was going to compare it to the 135mm f/2 F mount. Advertised as free of fungus, a few scratches etc... Only $50 so good for a test.
After 2 weeks sitting at the USPS distribution center 25 miles from my house and 2 inquiries and a call to consumer affairs at that center, it finally arrived today. That should have been a sign.
The aperture blades are frozen. Not sticky, but frozen solid. No movement at all.
And the seller was a US camera shop too, not an individual. I am done with eBay.
I only buy from Japnese sellers now and ask a few questions before buying. I have returned a couple of items but mostly it's been a great experience. One guy even refunded me before I even sent the item back.
All these lenses were tested for hot spots with an IR modified D600 (720nm).
All test shots at infinity against a blue sky; no PP.
The "rating" is simply an average of all apertures results from a score from 1 point (worst hotspot) to 5 points (no visible hotspot).
So if a lens (f/4 to f/22 for example) had the f/stops (scores):
f/4 (5); f/5.6 (5); f8 (4); f/11 (3); f/16 (2); f/22 (1);
then the rating will be: (5+5+4+3+2+1)/6 = 3.33
As you can check above (sorrey the long list), at least my copies of both lenses revealed the 5.8 is a bit better, but the 50/2 HC is no slouch, with no hotspot up to f/5.6....Show more →
This is a great reference article Jose. Thanks for sharing.
There are numerous Nikon lens hotspot databases/articles out there but I'd trust your analysis over all of them.
The 24/2.8 NC is one of my go to lenses for IR and you rate it highly - as do I.
I tend to shoot my 50/2 H (and recently the HC) at f/8 for IR and have not noticed any sign of hotspots in realworld scenes.
The other thing I want from my IR setup is image sharpness. The 16/3.5 and 50/2 are excellent for IR in that regard. The 24/2.8 NC less so but still good. Probably 95% of my IR shooting revolves around these 3 lenses.
Whaaaaaat? An alligator on the lawn? I would rather rake leaves...without any of these creatures. Worst thing possible to stumble upon in 'my' woods are the wild boar (and bears but thats further north). They can get agressive if the babies are around, but most of the time they are more afraid of you than you are afraid of them.....
Ken Hill wrote:
I think the snowbirds have arrived. See who was out my back door this morning! Very skittish 6 foot/ (2M) gator. Was on the lawn until I opened the back door then it went into the water.
Yes, the 25-50 always deliver. It's one of those lenses I haven't boght and dold and then bought again. The 50-135mm is also one of those....both excellent zooms.
Take care
Kristian
rolubich wrote:
Very nice pictures Kristian.
I love the 25-50mm f/4, it has all started with this lens about in 2008 with my D200, it has been my first manual focus Nikon lens, then the 50-135mm f/3.5 has followed and than many others.
Very sharp to the corner! I suspect this old lens could be sharper than a new not professional zoom like 24-105/120/200mm.
So I managed a few moments outdoors last night, not long. Grabbed the first lens I put my hands on, turned out to be the 105 f/2.5 AI-s.
Had ordered something ceramic from amazon, and it arrived in one of those bubble envelopes... cracked and box smashed. Had taken it to the UPS store to be returned, and around the corner from the UPS store at this strip mall, I grabbed this shot.
Beautiful light there, Laura. The past two pages are filled with great photography, as usual and even more impressively, the gear being used.
First good and sunny day since Thursday last week in my neck of the woods. Just like the last time, the rains hammered the flowers into submission. Some though, are more fit than others.
pburke wrote:
the 16/3.5 is the only MF lens I still use regularly. Best MF dollars I ever spent. Also likely the sharpest MF lens I have ever seen. You can crop the heck out of these shots and they still hold up. You can de-fish, or use for effect, hold level and crop a little and nobody will ever know it was a fisheye. Very versatile once you get the idea of how to employ it. For most subjects, you just have to get in real close. As for frequency of use - I can't see going on any shoot without it. It adds a tool no other lens in my kit can substitute for even if you get into stitching and other methods to enlarge field of view.
I only buy from Japnese sellers now and ask a few questions before buying. I have returned a couple of items but mostly it's been a great experience. One guy even refunded me before I even sent the item back.
It has been quite a while since I bought out of Japan and my experience was always positive there. I looked there too for this lens, but shipping costs were almost what I paid for this lens and would take a month to get here due to what I am assuming is covid related shipping delays. In hind sight, if it would have been a working lens, maybe it would have been worth the added shipping costs.
So may look later this winter. Never say never, right?
Edit: but then you see listings like this....
N-Mint Nippon Kogaku Nikkor-H 5cm F/3.5 for Bronica S2 EC from Japan
EX+++ on the optics
EX+++ ? Read the details and find this...
There is fungus on the lens, it maybe affect shooting in some situations.
There is scratches on the lens, it maybe affect shooting in some situations.
bobbelbob wrote:
Whaaaaaat? An alligator on the lawn? I would rather rake leaves...without any of these creatures. Worst thing possible to stumble upon in 'my' woods are the wild boar (and bears but thats further north). They can get agressive if the babies are around, but most of the time they are more afraid of you than you are afraid of them.....
