tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14158877527524740432012-02-16T10:06:20.918+02:00Playing around with a stock 18-55 and a Sigma 70-300 ...<br> Now, with an SMC Takumar 105 and a CZJ Flektogon 35 too ...IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1261100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-7249736551687475912011-12-11T23:47:00.000+02:002011-12-11T23:47:37.621+02:00

After a little absence because of my new sport activity, i'm back with a new cleaning tutorial. The patient awaiting for disinfection and cleaning is a nice Canon 55mm f/1.2 SSC, in FD mount. Although i neglected to take a picture of the infection, the fungus has spread around the inner border of the front element (at least). The molds are quite light, the infection is just at the beginning,

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-33947155183234919382011-10-01T16:18:00.000+02:002011-10-01T16:18:49.543+02:00

A few months ago i borrowed this lens from a friend of mine, to take some sample pictures to sell it (he doesn't have a Pentax body for testing). As soon as i mounted the lens on the camera, i was disappointed, as i discovered that the camera was unable to control the diaphragm of the lens. After a simple inspection, i discovered that the electrical contact for the auto operations on the mount

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-18888883047405650472011-06-24T22:23:00.000+02:002011-06-24T22:23:26.409+02:00

My quest for photographic accessories has leaded to a nice M42 focusing helical. Since i had some "spare" enlarger lenses available and didn't want to go out with a bellows on my camera, i finally decided to buy one following the advice of Calvin from MFLenses. The helical i bought is an M42-to-L39 type, with an L39-to-M42 ring on the rear side, so that i'm able to use it on both my DSLRs (and,

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-27818220912131473862011-06-08T20:23:00.000+02:002011-06-08T20:23:47.758+02:00

Going on with the lens rescue series, an SMC Pentax-M 50/1.7, one of the best Pentax lenses, is the new patient. As you can see here, back-lighted by a LED flashlight, a fungus has widely infected the lens. Since the fungus will reveal to have infected all the elements in the lens, a fully elements removal is required. As usual, before going on, the classic legalese disclaimer: AS USUAL, I

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-86262468518594929642011-05-13T23:43:00.000+02:002011-05-13T23:43:13.912+02:00

Hi all, My assignment for my second MF lens cleaning has been an SMC Takumar 150 f/2.8 for a Pentax 6x7, left to my care from one of my preferred sellers at the Toulouse monthly flea market. The lens is built according to the usual standards of the Takumar lenses, with a full-metal barrel, and is a huge piece of glass and metal. Whereas the barrel shows signs of usage, the diaphragm is working

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-23138198055200439892011-04-24T00:42:00.001+02:002011-05-01T23:51:42.517+02:00

Being a rainy day, i decided to spend some time cleaning a lens of my preferred seller, a Tamron SP90/2.5 Macro (the 52B model, with a 49mm filters thread) ... The lens was affected by some kind of internal haze and some strange internal reflections, which made me almost skeptical about the success of the operation (read why at the end of this post)... Do you want to know more ? If no, then

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-69996709630470074492011-04-17T13:23:00.000+02:002011-04-17T13:23:21.189+02:00

A few months ago, an sudden LBA crisis leaded to the buy of a nice Voigtländer Color-Ultron 50 f/1.8, with an M42 mount. Despite its name, this sample comes from Singapore, according to the copyright on the mount. Up to now, i haven't been unable to get some spare time for taking sample pictures but, yesterday i decided it was time to go ... Taking advantage of the sunny day, i brought this

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-59919349469842593722011-03-31T23:59:00.000+02:002011-03-31T23:59:22.084+02:00

Or, in other words, the consequences of my last LBA crisis ... A few weeks ago i had the chance to play with the SMC Macro Takumar 50/4 of a friend. After looking at the results, i decided that this one was (one of) the lens(es) i was looking for ... Thus, the acquisition of a Macro Takumar 50/4. As you can guess from the picture, this is not the common 1:2 ratio, but it is the preset

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-90897058407578539452011-03-21T01:00:00.000+02:002011-03-21T01:00:59.324+02:00

It has been a few weeks since i bought my last 35mm, a Porst WW 35/1.8 MC in M42 mount. Finally, i have been able to test it for a while, in one of my preferred places in Toulouse. The lens has been a nice surprise. It doesn't have the same contrast as a Flektogon 35/2.4, at least wide open, indeed it is quite easy to focus, probably because of the reduced DOF. On my K10D, with a Katzeye

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-17951941932469245082011-03-11T01:50:00.001+02:002011-03-11T01:53:46.666+02:00

Well, another lens i have to sell ... A mint Meyer Görlitz Orestegon zebra in M42 mount: Here is a sample picture taken with an extension ring of 5mm to shorten the minimum focusing distance: I will update this post later with a thorough description of the lens. Luckily, i can play with it for a few days before it goes to a new home ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-83105239309987430612011-03-02T00:50:00.001+02:002011-03-02T23:55:46.068+02:00

... An SMC Takumar 50 f/4 Macro, M42 mount, of course, with both original caps: And a sample picture, shot with the lens wide open: Thus, the set of lenses to sell has grown ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-64890665781132224022011-03-01T02:30:00.000+02:002011-03-01T02:30:06.386+02:00

This is my first post the first of the month. I hope that such scaring will not appear here really often (some of you know that i'm seriously affected by LBA) ... A friend of mine, a professional seller, recently asked me to sell some of his lenses, because he no longer have the time to take sample pictures of the lenses he's selling nor he has the time to setup a site for sales ... Thus, we

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-72359795563359804872011-02-13T22:32:00.001+02:002011-02-13T22:37:47.638+02:00

Another one lens ? Yes. In my collection ? No. This one, too, belongs to the same seller who borrowed me the Porst 55/1.2. I got it to cleanup some cleaning traces and a few spots of fungus. This time, i haven't made a tutorial because the lens is really easy to service. But, if you really want to know how to proceed, feel free to leave a comment here requesting more info, and i will either

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-91949536326818116382011-02-09T23:39:00.000+02:002011-02-09T23:39:01.796+02:00

... But from another copy of this lens (believe it or not, i still didn't have the time to play with mine) ... Following my previous post about this lens, one of my Flickr contacts showed some interest in it. So, i managed to get a second copy of this lens for testing. Here are some results: Wide open, in direct sunrise lightning: Wide open, in direct sunlight, to test for CA, purple

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-8872192297485573712011-02-05T23:37:00.000+02:002011-02-05T23:37:12.818+02:00

Thanks to the sunny day, i have been finally able to bring outdoor the lens i borrowed. So, here are some sample pictures: At f/2: At f/5.6: Again, at f/2: At f/4: The last one at f/4: Actually, the lens has revealed to be more easy to focus, in my last test probably i had issues because of the low light. There is some CA wide open, but it shouldn't be too difficult to fix.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-36188066871855885562011-01-31T22:58:00.000+02:002011-01-31T22:58:53.197+02:00

I borrowed this lens from a friend of mine (actually, one of my preferred lens dealer) because he was looking for someone to test it before selling ... Thus, last weekend, i got a mint SMC Pentax-M 35/2. This is the first time i have one of these on my camera (before, this focal length has been almost the exclusivity of my FA-31, my Flektogon 35/2.4 and my SMC Takumar 35/2) ... The lens looks

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-85279238908555827212010-12-17T21:45:00.000+02:002010-12-17T21:45:27.973+02:00

Hi all, Thanks to LucisPictor from the MFLenses forum, the Porst 55/1.2 he sold has found a new home and, since i ever wanted one of those hyper-fast lenses, now my K10D (and soon, my EOS 5D Mark II) is enjoying the fast glass ... Being quite busy actually (as usual, before holidays), i don't have too much time for a full review. Instead, i'm just publishing a picture taken with this lens wide

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-60901849084188455582010-12-03T01:11:00.000+02:002010-12-03T01:11:36.577+02:00

Hi all, Going up with the rescue series, this time is the turn of an Olympus Zuiko Auto-W 35/2, a really nice lens ... The (now) happy owner of this lens, a co-worker, left this nice piece of glass in my care, to get rid of a small spot of evil fungus that was developing on the elements ... Before going on with the reading, be aware of this: it worked for me, it doesn't mean that it will

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-45001184644473186302010-09-25T16:01:00.004+02:002010-09-25T16:31:50.437+02:00

To celebrate its 40-th anniversary, Airbus held an "open doors" day on Sunday 19 September. The Toulouse-based facilities were open the whole day, allowing the people working on site to share with their families and friends their own work.For once, the cameras were freely allowed on the whole site, thus offering the possibility to bring home some nice shots, so i brought with me my K10D and my

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-43152127869438318892010-07-02T00:15:00.006+02:002010-07-02T01:13:46.931+02:00

One of the most sought Zeiss lenses is undoubtedly the MC Flektogon 35 f/2.4.Widely available a few years ago, it has actually reached a cult status (and the related stellar price), mostly because of the increasing number of people using manual lenses on their digital cameras. Nevertheless, its IQ cannot be questioned anymore, excellent sample pictures are widely available on the internet.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-61712254474865247712010-05-15T20:14:00.018+02:002010-05-16T01:11:11.109+02:00

Built like a tank with a full metal barrel, this lens has two issues that prevent from using it on "regular" M42-compatible bodies: an "auto-only" diaphragm control and a small lug nut on at the bottom of the lens, used by Fuji bodies for diaphragm coupling.Luckily enough, it is quite easy to overcome them.At first, the diaphragm control pin issue can be fixed either using a small plastic

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-66512489030453590602010-04-18T21:35:00.006+02:002010-04-18T23:27:50.198+02:00

... With a Pentax-KA mount, allowing the control of the diaphragm through the camera body dial and full "Av" exposure mode ...Manufactured by the Tokio based firm Kino Precision (who also manufactured other excellent lenses branded either Kiron or Vivitar) during the early 1980s, this macro lens is able to reach a 1:1 reproduction ratio at the focusing distance of 35cm. It was sold also under the

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-648422331295934142010-04-13T00:19:00.005+02:002010-04-13T02:10:10.982+02:00

... Notably, an EBC Fujinon 55 f/3.5 Macro, in M42 mount ...It took me a few weeks before being able to use it, since its diaphragm blades were stuck wide open and the lens was an "auto-only" M42, requiring the rear pin to be pushed for closing the diaphragm ...The first issue was quite easily solved, but for the second one i had to ask Alex from mflenses.com for a tailored M42 to Pentax-K

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-80549780879056051752010-04-11T17:58:00.003+02:002010-04-11T18:11:24.227+02:00

... The "classic" MC Electric 35/2.4, with M42 mount ...Last week-end was really sunny, so i had a good reason for going out with the "old friend" (it was one of my first M42 lenses enjoyed by my K10D) ...All the pics shot at f/5.6 or f/8, straight from the raw files without PP, except EV adjust:Enjoy the pollen on the left petal of the flower, if you don't suffer of hay fever ;-) ...Clicking on

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-12827136822016970062010-04-04T21:33:00.004+02:002010-04-04T23:01:52.042+02:00

... Well, not really interesting for the new Hall D in itself, which is, any way, very nicely built with a modern look:The most sought attraction of the day were, of course, the Concorde and the A380 available for visiting:Useless to say, at those distances, my FA-31 Limited is by far too long for catching the whole aircrafts. Nevertheless, it has been really useful for the details:For those who

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-22347428928546813522010-03-18T22:06:00.005+02:002010-03-18T22:30:48.567+02:00

The most recurrent question i have received from people reading my posts about fixing lenses was not about cold cream (surprisingly), but about the sink cap i use for removing the front ring of the lenses i service (it works like a charm for front rings from 36 up to 58mm) ...So, after shipping several to some of my Flickr contacts in the US, i decided to read the cardboard of the packaging, and

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-89135663819443900322010-02-21T21:45:00.008+02:002010-02-21T23:53:52.262+02:00

... Enjoying enlarger lenses as 100-th post here ...Because of the missing focusing mechanism and diaphragm automatism, these lenses are really compact: the Ental II presented here has a focal length of 108mm, but it is smaller than my Pentax-K 28/2.8.Usually built around a very simple optical formula, these lenses are very well corrected to offer high performances over a flat plane (they are

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-17879332704173139162010-02-05T00:34:00.005+02:002010-02-05T01:05:19.809+02:00

Posting a bit late on this event, although the pictures were available on my Flickr photostream since a few months ...The show was promoted by the Rotary Club Toulouse to sponsor the Association Hopital Sourire, to the advantage of hospitalized childs.The cars exposed were really fine, and some of them were available for maiden runs. Too pity, it wasn't the case for the queen of the show, a

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-54474641533176407312010-01-26T01:28:00.006+02:002010-01-27T00:31:31.659+02:00

After cleaning the Nikkor 50/1.4 in my previous post, it has been the turn of a Nikkor 50/1.2 from a friend ...Of course, before giving it back, i took some sample shots, just to be able to say "Hi, yesterday i played with an f/1.2 lens", so i catched my Nikkor-to-M42 adapter ring and i screwed the lens on my K10D ...Now, i'm starting to understand why some people like these ultra-fast lenses,

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-21398637820431563082009-12-30T22:52:00.007+02:002009-12-30T23:22:50.309+02:00

Among the Deckel-mount lenses available today, the most common are certainly the Schneider Tele-Xenar 135 f/4, originally for the Kodak Retina Reflex, and the Voigtlander Super-Dynarex 135 f/4, for the Bessamatic/Ultramatic SLR series.Both lenses are made of full metal and glass, the Schneider shining with a nice chrome finish, while the Voitlander shows a more discrete leatherette collar.Despite

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-90658247649828961682009-12-17T00:26:00.013+02:002009-12-19T15:15:09.579+02:00

... whether Ai, NAi or Pre-Ai, i don't have any clue (sorry Nikon shooters) ...Nevertheless, a really nice lens to let the evil fungus there ...As usual, the standard foreword: it worked for me, it doesn't mean that it will work for you. In other words, whether you decide to repair your lens by yourself, or to let a pro do the job, it's up to you:I have no responsibility if you destroy your

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-43138163810911286662009-09-17T21:28:00.005+02:002009-09-17T21:38:11.524+02:00

... A necklace on a black paper background lighted by a snooted Maglite, moved from the bottom to the front ...The picture has been taken with a Phoenix 100mm f/3.5 Macro, stopped down to f/4.5 to have enough depth of field to have the hook in focus. The original picture has been partially cropped, to remove a bit of black background. No further PP.More to come, at least until the batteries lasts

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-91592491718938862692009-09-13T23:47:00.006+02:002009-09-13T23:55:45.786+02:00

Light painting is a photographic technique in which exposures are usually made at night or in a dark room by moving an hand-held light source. Basically, there are two ways of using light painting: the most common, is to use the light source to make drawings and the like, thus producing a graffiti effect (do a search on Wikipedia for some nice samples). The other way, is to use the light source

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-30540461608817227052009-07-28T19:58:00.005+02:002009-07-28T20:28:32.664+02:00

... Not really related to the Steven Soderbergh film, but, instead, to a very nice sample of a Steinheil Auto-D-Tele-Quinar 135 f/2.8, in M42 screw mount, with its original cap and hood ...Bought some months ago, i didn't really had the time to test it, until a few weeks ago. Having used a broken Quinar 135/3.5, i was aware of the great quality of the Steinheil lenses, but this one exceeds all my

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-86428780130594195692009-05-02T20:16:00.003+02:002009-05-02T20:30:32.885+02:00

... An Olympus PEN-F right angle viewfinder, bought for a few euros in a street market. The optical portion was fine, but the metal mask was (badly) adapted to a Contax camera viewfinder.Now, after a little "dremelling", it perfectly fits the viewfinder of my K10D.The ring on the body of the viewfinder allows to adjust the focus on the focusing screen (used some dust particles on the focusing

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-64880811076482481742009-04-29T23:38:00.005+02:002009-04-29T23:50:57.456+02:00

... 50mm f/4, originally for a Pentacon Six, and now for my K10D, and Novalpha, on the Garonne edge in Toulouse ...The Pont Neuf, with its colored spots:The Pont Neuf and the Chateau D'eau on the right:On the walls of the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Toulouse:Both shot at f/11, with a tripod, of course. The images are straight from the raw files, no need to push the contrast with such a lens, just

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-83177139741154815692009-04-19T15:13:00.004+02:002009-04-19T15:59:33.022+02:00

Having a Zeiss Biometar 80/2.8 available, i decided to try my Pentacon Six to Pentax-K adapter.Here's the lens attached to the adapter:Focusing is quite easy, since the barrel rotates of almost 360°, the counterpart is that it is quite slow. And, also, i would have preferred a preset diaphragm mechanism, easier to use on a DSLR. Nevertheless, the results, mostly taken between f/5.6 and f/8, seem

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-68991188721153395042009-04-08T20:19:00.007+02:002009-04-08T23:07:47.991+02:00

High quality lenses are usually expensive, and macro lenses make no exception to the rule: whether you look for a Pentax, Canon, Nikon, or whatever your brand is, a good macro lens costs several hundreds (no matter if you count in dollars or euros). This rule applies to third-party macro lenses, too, which are surely cheaper than the branded ones, but still cost a lot ...In the whole offering,

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-7786063949112080992009-03-23T02:22:00.007+02:002009-03-23T02:49:48.846+02:00

Having a spare P6-to-Pentax-K adapter, i decided to give a try to this lens, but, when ready to go shooting, i noticed the evil traces on the front element (the picture on Flickr has a note showing where the filaments are):So, time for the rescue team to act again ...To access the front element, at first the name ring must be removed. The classic sink cap helps a lot ...Name ring removed, now

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-38253488807973760842009-03-07T14:14:00.006+02:002010-12-06T23:14:05.743+02:00

Hi all, No pictures post this time, but just an update ... In my old post Fixing infinite focus on Super Takumar i shown how to fix the infinity focus on my old Super Takumar 24/3.5. Almost a year after, i have feedback from some kind readers of my blog and some forums threads. So, up to now, the technique shown in my post has worked for the following lenses: Super Takumar 24/3.5 Super Takumar

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-50497152913628999782009-02-11T21:11:00.004+02:002009-02-11T21:45:42.798+02:00

After beeing away for a while because of professional reasons, now back willing to share the last hint ...As most of you know, the worst enemy of a lens is not dust or sand (or the Nutella on your fingertips), but the spores that fix on the elements of the lens and grow, especially in an humid environment, leading to some specks on the lenses, almost impossible to clean with "normal" liquids ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-10743805897297805442009-01-04T18:56:00.015+02:002009-01-04T19:47:28.761+02:00

... A Pentax FA-43/1.9, in black finish (not my choice, i just took what was available).Picture taken with a Pentax-K 85/1.8 stopped down to f/11 with a Vivitar auto extension tube of 12mm in cloudy daylight.In the tradition of the Pentax Limited lenses, this one is very well built with a full metal barrel and front cap, and comes with a soft leather pouch (not shown here). Its focal length of

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-38575275139905593752009-01-01T15:27:00.003+02:002009-01-01T15:30:20.077+02:00

Happy new 2009 to everyone.Pentax FA-43 Limited wide open, in unfixed halogen light. Image straight from the raw file without PP.Have a nice shot.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-9973613263288957242008-12-30T18:12:00.004+02:002008-12-30T21:28:59.217+02:00

... Among my preferred ;-) ...Magia Nera (Black Spell): dark chocolate filled with a Strega flavored cream.Cuneesi al rum: dark chocolate filled with a rum flavored cream.The whole (and growing) sins set is available here.Best wishes for an happy new year.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-81524158685055495162008-11-10T18:08:00.002+02:002008-11-10T18:13:35.560+02:00

... As usual, with my Metz 45 CL-4 and the Cactus radio controller ...Green glass nuggets on a white opaque acrylic sheet, to diffuse light, backlighted by the flash in manual mode triggered by the Cactus radio controller. A black paper cylinder has been used to accentuate the black borders of the nuggets. Shot with my new preferred lens, the FA-43 Limited ;-) ...More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-41462773916715325172008-10-18T00:05:00.003+02:002008-10-18T00:09:59.851+02:00

... My first shot with my first Limited lens, a wonderful FA-43 f/1.9 ...... An Airbus A330-200 TAM Airlines shot at the Toulouse Blagnac (LFBO) airport, landing after a touch-and-go ...More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-46805651953701006062008-10-11T00:28:00.004+02:002008-10-11T00:44:43.719+02:00

"Là où je vais, je suis déjà" ...Personally, i don't really like the main theme for this year of the modern art festival in Toulouse, quite negative and pessimistic, IMHO ... Nevertheless, i couldn't resist to the temptation of testing my "new" SMC Takumar 50/1.4 ...... and, of course, my preferred 35mm, an SMC Takumar 35/2 ...The whole (quite small) set of pictures is available on my Flickr

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-86624076862399229902008-09-28T23:43:00.005+02:002008-09-28T23:50:45.765+02:00

After some hot HP, time for some "real" horses ...From a journey in a local horses club, near where i live ...Enjoy Cariñoso ...... and Galan ...The whole set of full res pictures is available on my Flickr photostream clicking here. Be careful: the set is not yet complete, still other pictures to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-81407414196201041602008-09-12T23:18:00.007+02:002008-09-13T10:11:46.814+02:00

Fee-Rarissime is a show promoted by the Rotary Club Toulouse Sud to aid hospitalized childs. More than 50 superb Ferrari were exposed, and some of them available for "first run" ...You can read more about the show on the Fee-Rarissime official site.The whole set of full-res 10Mp pictures is available on my Flickr photostream.C u.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-77914818808081976492008-09-02T00:51:00.003+02:002008-09-02T00:55:41.481+02:00

Some shots from the city of Concarneau: the Ville Close and the Musee de la Peche.The entry to the Ville Close by night:A coelacanth from the Musse de la Peche:The whole set will be online in the next few days.C u.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-85661008930828460552008-08-25T00:07:00.004+02:002008-08-25T00:24:01.439+02:00

This time, some shots from two afternoons spent in Quimper, the ancient capital of the Cornouailles bishop, on the Odet river.A partial view of the Saint Corentin's Cathedral:Some flower arrangements you can find almost everywhere here, but especially on the river's banks:The other pictures of the set are available by browsing my Flickr photostream here.More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-83032392624980357632008-08-17T22:38:00.007+02:002008-08-17T23:03:44.128+02:00

This time, some pictures from the Festival of Gorse Flowers, in Pont Aven (the oldest, the most authentic, the most prestigious Breton cultural feast).For the curious, the gorse flowers are the yellow ones in the picture below.The feast gives the occasion to look at the wonderful embroideries of the traditional Breton suits, as proudly show the two little fans of the feast below, dressing the

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-37011844194906214202008-08-13T03:05:00.002+02:002008-08-13T03:11:04.834+02:00

Some shots from the visit at the Chateau de Trevarez.Unluckily, there were a really harsh light, and the only portion of the castle open to the public was the store and ... an empty room!Luckily, the garden of the castle is really worth the price of the ticket!To access the whole set of picture, click here.All pictures shot with an SMC Takumar 35 f/2.More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-80981738197963916982008-08-11T23:42:00.004+02:002008-08-13T03:04:57.549+02:00

Back from holidays in Brittany (exactly, in the Finistere, near Quimper).Some shots from one of the most beautiful regions of France. Just click on the image below and follow the photostream on Flickr.This is only the beginning, more to come on next days (i have to choose between 3200 pictures ...)Have a nice look.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-25364489734108178482008-07-23T00:40:00.004+02:002008-07-23T00:47:50.340+02:00

Some shots from the expo Rosso Pompeiano at Museo Nazionale Romano di Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.If you want to see the other pictures, feel free to click here.All pictures taken with an SMC Takumar 35 f/2, stopped down between f/2 and f/4 according to ambient light (no flash allowed).More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-29660366261689613562008-07-16T00:07:00.009+02:002008-07-18T19:54:37.382+02:00

... with an SMC Takumar 35 f/2 (going to be my preferred M42 35mm), an SMC Pentax-A 50 f/1.7 (my preferred "almost" pancake lens), and ... my Pentax K10D ;-) ...All the pictures are available clicking here. This is the whole set: the first 18 pictures have been shot with the SMC Takumar 35, the others with the Pentax-A 50mm. All are jpegs straight from the raw images, unprocessed and uncropped (

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-28924709194672273842008-07-07T00:24:00.005+02:002008-07-17T00:42:02.645+02:00

After a shooting session for a knitting work, a quick tour of the Neofutur expo at Musee des Abattoirs.If you want to see more pics, go to this Flickr set.If you want to know more about the expo, go to the Neofutur official site.C u.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-13804566245968745372008-07-05T00:43:00.004+02:002008-07-05T00:48:00.428+02:00

This time, with an orchid phalaenopsis as model ...This time i used the Maglite without its front lens, to have a more diffused light source ... 30 sec. at f/22, +0.5EV, color temperature fixed.More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-27950617251303836502008-06-24T21:16:00.006+02:002008-06-25T19:34:46.381+02:00

... A few shots from my last trip to Rome, to say hello to the last born of the family (sorry, no pictures of him here) ...First part of the series: the Vatican Museum (well, a little portion of the museum, just the pinacoteca and the Egyptian Pavilion) ... A really harsh light, but some great places to visit ...If interested in more pictures of the trip, just follow this link, and feel free to

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-52387614978664332562008-06-21T01:10:00.003+02:002008-06-21T01:17:17.813+02:00

After some time spent discussing on various forums, i ended up trying something really simple i never thought about ... Using a mini Maglite as light source. Would have liked to say that this is my idea, but in fact i have been really inspired by the wonderful pictures shown in this forum.Shot using a mini Maglite for lightning, a black t-shirt to hide the eventual reflections from the pot, a

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-9388243262709778892008-06-08T20:45:00.008+02:002008-06-08T21:37:06.871+02:00

Hoping to be useful to someone, last week i did some test shots with some vintage 35mm lenses, some well known, others not ...The competitors are:Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35 f/2.8 (alu finish)Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon MC 35 f/2.4 (black finish)Isco Göttingen Westron 35 f/2.8Nikkor-O 35 f/2Super Paragon 35 f/2.8I have tried to do my best to perform the test, but keep in mind that:the exposure

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-62428280160381038092008-05-15T00:06:00.006+02:002008-05-15T00:37:49.116+02:00

Now, time for the big cleaning. I tried at first with the optical lens cleaning fluid, then i had to go on with the Zippo fuel. Using the "cotton fiocs" first, and the micro fiber cloth after, it has been quite easy to wipe out the haze from the inner element of the front cell ...21. After cleaning all the lenses, i just reassembled them, starting from the rear element of the cell, and then the

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-24580507067119579822008-05-14T23:25:00.006+02:002011-02-01T22:34:44.109+02:00

... Continued from previous post. 7. I focused on infinite the lens, fully opened the diaphragm (don't know if required, but, just in case of ...), and started to unscrew the outer ring ... For safety reasons, instead of fixing the lens and turning the compass, i hold the compass strongly, and turned the lens on its rear cap, to be sure i didn't scratch the front element ... 8. The lens

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-79467464786815821142008-05-14T22:18:00.007+02:002011-02-01T22:33:30.411+02:00

... Be careful: not for the fainted of heart ... At first, apologies for the multi-part post, but i have to cope with the 6K characters Blogger limitations ... A few months ago, i got a Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35 f/2.8 (the chromed one) in "mint condition" from an eBay seller. As soon as it arrived, in its original box, i inspected it visually and noticed nothing, no fungus/haze, or oily

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-37363856494108984242008-05-12T19:51:00.002+02:002008-05-12T19:55:40.537+02:00

Airbus A380, powered by four Engine Alliance engines, shot with a Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro zoom, while landing at the Toulouse Blagnac airport.More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-57957819223275805892008-05-11T15:52:00.009+02:002008-10-12T16:09:18.246+02:00

A few months ago i bought a Super Takumar 24 f/3.5 in minty conditions for a few bucks. The lens was really clean and i noticed no faults, but, since i hadn't my camera with me, i didn't test it immediately ... Little mistake, because, although it performed really well on close focus subjects, i noticed a lack of infinity focus on landscapes. So, after logging on one of my preferred forums, i

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-35647501454537663702008-05-08T02:01:00.004+02:002008-05-11T00:32:39.645+02:00

... Is not the A380, as you could believe, but the A340-600 (by about 3 meters).This one, shot during landing after a test flight, is powered by four Rolls-Royce engines (if in doubt, click on the picture, get the bigger size, and look at the logo on the engine cases ...).More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-2168326193096831402008-05-06T02:17:00.004+02:002008-05-11T00:32:39.646+02:00

Sorry for the sea lovers, but this is not a fish (at least, not only ...)Superb specimen of an Airbus Beluga landing at Toulouse Blagnac airport, shot with a Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro.More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-11647688495299379652008-05-04T23:58:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.356+02:00

... In such a case, a Super Takumar 24mm f/3.5, in M42 mount ...The picture of Ecole des Beaux Arts has been shot by Pont Neuf, and PP by Pentax Photo Laboratory and PhotoME.More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-42176329148316928432008-04-26T13:06:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.357+02:00

... with a green glass apple and my Metz 45 CL-4 Digital, really a great flash for the money ...The support is a white pexiglas sheet, back lighted by the flash with a green filter on the main strobe, the lens is an SMC Pentax-M 85mm f/1.8 stopped down to f/22 (lack of an ND filter, for now ...)More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-90567046021375417622008-04-24T01:57:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.358+02:00

Shooting with a Pentax K10D reaches its first year of life ... Thanks to all the people who spent their time looking at my pictures, leaving comments, simply watching the pictures or contacting me by mail ... This is really paying for the time spent shooting more than 12000 pictures with my K10D in a year (13000, soon) ...I would like to take this opportunity for a message:RUNNING OUT OF AFTER

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-42682869729207341562008-04-20T19:10:00.004+02:002008-05-11T00:29:15.554+02:00

Rainy sunday, indoor shooting (snif ...).This is my first attempt at using the multiple exposure mode of my K10D. The first shot has been used for the candle light, and the second one for the flashed portion (i am starting to find the colored filters set of my flash really funny ;-) ...).Picture taken with my SMC 85mm f/1.8 stopped down to f/22, back light with a Metz 45 CL-4 Digital.More to come

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-9957374873186232632008-04-14T01:57:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.362+02:00

... Here you go. Orchid Phalaenopsis, shot in sunny afternoon daylight. Crop from the unprocessed raw file.For the whole image, and other Isco Westron samples, click on the picture or go to my Flickr photostream and select the Isco Westron set.More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-78882945929041675592008-04-13T21:39:00.004+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.364+02:00

... A minty sample of Isco Göttingen Westron 35 f/2.8, coming from the usual source ;-) ...For the history fans, Isco Göttingen is a lens manufacturer since 1936, when it started producing lenses for the Exacta and Praktica cameras (informations collected from Internet, if someone could enlighten me ... thanks). Most of the lenses produced for these cameras had a metal barrel, in the classic

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-55762644605789698392008-04-10T22:02:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:30:01.041+02:00

... always with the Metz 45 CL-4 and the Cactus ...This time, a bowl of glass nuggets, on a opaque white acrylic support (to diffuse light), backlighted with the flash in manual mode, and my old CZJ Flektogon 35 f/2.4, stopped down to f/5.6 ...More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-62650169457467635272008-04-06T01:41:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.366+02:00

... with direct sunlight. Orchid Phalaenopsis shot with a Pentax-M 85 f/1.8, in direct daylight, overexposed by 3 f/stops.Don't know why, but this picture makes me thinking about Japan ...More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-24300612060267025132008-04-04T20:39:00.005+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.368+02:00

... with the new toy on the block ;-) ... A Metz 45 CL-4 Digital with a Pentax dedicated SCA adapter, and a Cactus radio control (from another great eBay auction) ...Picture shot with a vintage Tamron SP 90 f/2.5 Macro, stopped down to f/8. Hands-free camera, flash with Cactus on tripod, a blue filter on the main strobe head and secondary strobe on.Tap water offered by my kitchen, wooden cutting

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-27066765561022196792008-04-03T00:18:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.369+02:00

Playing with one of my preferred models, a superb specimen of Phalaenopsis.Shot with a Pentax-M 85mm f/1.8 SMC lens, stopped down to f/4, in daylight (end afternoon).More coming ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-13765613114556105072008-03-24T21:17:00.005+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.370+02:00

After a really warm february, after the beginning of spring, the winter seems to be back again ...Shot with a Pentax-M 85mm f/1.8 stopped down to f/4 in cloudy daylight.C u.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-13288411702559444862008-03-22T17:14:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.371+02:00

Hello, just a few shots of the new toy, a minty Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon, born about in 1951, which decided to join my vintage lenses collection.Shot by the eternal Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, in direct cloudy (snif!) daylight.Coming soon, a close combat between the Flektogon 35 f/2.8 (the father) and the Flektogon 35 f/2.4 (the son).Now, going to enjoy a coffee ...C u

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-49329455876091113972008-03-17T00:36:00.004+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.372+02:00

After looking at some night shots from the blog of my friend Novalpha, i decided to try, so here are the results.The fountain in Place Wilson:Portion of Rue D'Alsace Lorraine, behind the city hall:Place du Capitole, detail of the city hall:All shot with a Pentax-A 50 f/1.7 at 1/4 sec. without tripod/monopod (believe it or not) and shake reduction on (thanks Pentax).More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-22529287569782874722008-03-09T14:27:00.002+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.373+02:00

Phaleanopsis shot with a vintage Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35 f/2.4 stopped down to f/8, in cloudy (snif!) daylight ... and my K10D.More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-32294583146194427342008-03-07T01:57:00.002+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.374+02:00

... With the new adapter.Shot with a Micro Nikkor 55 f/3.5 stopped down to f/8 and my K10D in halogen light (color temperature corrected).C u

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-84421707943185178502008-03-06T00:51:00.004+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.375+02:00

Hi all.Having found a great thread on a forum about mounting vintage Nikkor lenses on Pentax, i managed to get a Micro Nikkor 55 f/3.5 for about 35$. Exactly as shown in the forum, the lenses mounted quite well on my K10D (you can see in a previous post the picture of a ring shot with this lens). It is really sharp and i got infinity focus, thanks to the greater depth of camera body required by

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-87341118045926043062008-03-04T03:01:00.002+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.376+02:00

... Bright lens (f/1.8), fully usable even wide open (see below) ...This lens is definitively joining the circle-of-preferred-lenses ...More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-70461888307876005742008-02-27T00:25:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.377+02:00

... Other shots from the previous session, with the SMC Pentax 85mm.More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-62654682909687492812008-02-20T01:37:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.377+02:00

... Other shots with the "classic" Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35 f/2.4 ...... Still a lot to choose from before publishing ...BTW, for the people who asked me: these jpegs are just converted from the Pentax raw file using UFRaw WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROCESSING ... Not that bad for a lens aged of about 30 years ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-83549337591471215422008-02-18T22:48:00.003+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.378+02:00

... Just taking the opportunity of a sunny day to test the new old lens, an SMC Pentax-M 85 f/1.8 ...More to come (have to choose between 240+ shots ...)

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-44011767886811047322008-02-13T02:37:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.379+02:00

... Am i wrong ;-) ?Pentax K10D with Micro Nikkor 55 f/3.5 stopped down to f/8, direct halogen spots.May your lenses be with you.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-65122663447133544122008-02-12T03:07:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.380+02:00

New toy found in an habitat store, a low power bulb with flower-shaped electrodes. Doesn't light very much, but the visual effect is really cool.Shot with a Flektogon 35 stopped down to f/22.Going to sleep ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-60275477034657355472008-02-07T02:14:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.381+02:00

... Got from another great eBay auction, as well as the Pentax K/A Adaptall 2 adapter.Going to sleep ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-27330011768997297762008-01-27T20:48:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.381+02:00

... Just playing with a few Nespresso caps and the classic CZJ Flektogon 35 ...Going to drink a coffee ;-) ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-75645397249043013582008-01-19T22:38:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:33:38.704+02:00

... cropped detail from the raw image file. Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 180 f/2.8 stopped down at f/16.I think a better result could be achieved using a polarizer, but i don't have yet found a cheap source for an 86mm B+W or Tiffen polarizer ...May Pentax be with you ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-5318327572078432292008-01-03T00:23:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.383+02:00

No photography talking this time. Just Happy New Year 2008.C u L8R.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-81712244762243514142007-12-26T23:46:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.384+02:00

Just a few shoots to test my new eBay acquisition, a superb Carl Zeiss Sonnar 180 f/2.8 ... Of course, the honor is for the King of the house ;-) ...Merry Christmas (although late)

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-65264413977055780782007-12-09T02:04:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.385+02:00

Another Flektogon shot, another yellow orchid - really like these flowers ... If you do too, there is another blog about orchids growing named Orchid Care, which has plenty of useful tips about these really fascinating flowers.In the meantime, i hope you will enjoy this:C u.

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-19626795416459324672007-12-01T16:41:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:35:52.125+02:00

... shot with the K10D in Av mode and the Flektogon stopped down to f/4.More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-17823493059701332202007-11-30T01:02:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.386+02:00

... Small pause while coping with the boxes, after moving to a new flat.Just a picture of a rose growing between trees, in half-light - the white spot beyond is a sunbeam passing through the branches. Shot with the Takumar 105 at f/4 (thanks Pentax for this great lens).More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-80892345832355935882007-11-21T01:45:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.387+02:00

... for the sake of a Nokia 6233 ...More to come ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1415887752752474043.post-88866073047092523442007-11-18T20:09:00.000+02:002008-05-11T00:26:35.388+02:00

... tanning in a black dish. Shot by the K10D with the usual Flektogon 35 at f/5.6.More coming soon ...

IndianaDinosnoreply@blogger.com0