Discussion Forum for various Lenses of different major labels in a shared environment at Photography In Malaysia

1. From : JWoods (centurywoods@noSPAM.com)
Url : http://
Date : 09:39 PM Friday 05 October, 2007

Creating a useful and content-rich website can be a very tedious process. I had followed leo on a particular one on the Nikon F4 (and subsequent F5) - he took 3 months each to compile a useful site for all to refer (almost everything in the system accessories that possibly attached with the system). As for the lenses site, I only check with his Nikkor (Manual), seemingly it is like an endless project for him with updates and new info gathered along with it. He has told me once that it can be extremely difficult to create a related topic website without adequate research and knowledge (his famous phase is ".. I don't do half baked cakes..". I do know he intended to create a Pentax lens section years ago citing lack of good web info on the Pentax optic but later he had called off the idea . I guess Zeiss lenses site is also difficult project for him as he doesn't own any of the Carl Zeiss system now (except the few pro RTS series cameras). Lastly, there is nothing what we call "best lenses" in the world. To me, all the labels are almost the same except in some categories and specific lens type which one label may excel over the others in terms of varieties and options but rather - I would think the mind of the photographer has a more important role than the lens itself he owns. I don't speak for leo, but I first know him way back since the mid '90 (And I can figure out other web buddies here such as Rick, Luigi, Gen.H. had known him for years too). I hope I can help him to explain this a little to answer question such as J.cob has asked for. Peace ! Sorry for my English I am a native Uruguayan, residing in US.

2. From : J.cob (noname@nomail.com)
Url : http://
Date : 04:55 PM Thursday 04 October, 2007

why wouldn't this site has a Carl Zeiss lens section like what you did for the Canon, Nikkor and Zuiko ? Zeiss is the BEST !

3. From : Lev (levberez@gmail.com)
Url : http://
Date : 09:26 PM Wednesday 03 October, 2007

Thank you all for the education. I am very happy that I can continue using my lenses. The 90mm macro is my favorite lens. Let's hope that the 180mm's glass hasn't been etched. I didn't know that it shouldn't be store in its own leather case. Lesson learned. Thanks again.

4. From : Robert Glenn Middleton (the_redd_groyne@hotmail.co.uk)
Url : http://
Date : 10:05 AM Wednesday 03 October, 2007

Lev,

If you go down the 5D route, the screen you require is the Ee-S. This screen is for manual focus with lenses of f2.8 or faster. (I found it worked ok with f3.5 / f4 lenses.) The standard screen is also available with an etched grid, otherwise the two screens are the same and work with lenses of f2.8 or slower.( I forget the references for these screens.) The nice thing about the 5D, you set the screen type from the menu. Thus differences in screen brightness are compensated for in camera, thus exposure readings are always correct.

5. From : Robert Glenn Middleton (the_redd_groyne@hotmail.co.uk)
Url : http://
Date : 09:50 AM Wednesday 03 October, 2007

Bryan,

Do not be concerned about the 'shape' of the aperture. You could have a problem if the lens does not stop down to the true value, no matter what the shape is. I have come across this 'problem' on lenses that function normally, on the other hand I have found it happening on lenses that needed the iris mechanism cleaning and resetting.

Run a few test exposures and you will soon see if it needs a service or not.

6. From : Bryan (cheesemonkeys@yah00spam.com)
Url : http://
Date : 08:12 AM Wednesday 03 October, 2007

I was looking at a used lens i purchased, and I noticed that the aperture is not symmetrical. Using the depth of field lever repeatedly, I can see sometimes it is symmetrical and sometimes it is not. And when it's not, its not super obvious, but i suppose asymmetrical things are easily spotted. Also, when its stopped down, I can bump the lens and alter the aperture shape, sometimes getting it into/out of symmetry. But I checked out one of my other lenses, and it too does not have a perfect aperture (although the rest of my lenses appear to be fine). I'm just wondering if I should be concerned of this "problem", if it is indeed a problem. Is this normal?

7. From : rick oleson (rick_oleson@yahoo.com)
Url : http://rick_oleson.tripod.com
Date : 07:36 AM Wednesday 03 October, 2007

Hi Lev:

I'm not in the budget range of the 5D, but I use Zuiko, Nikkor and Pentax lenses on a Canon XTi. The TTL meter still functions in Manual and Aperture Priority Auto modes; there is no auto diaphragm operation in the lenses, so the finder darkens as you stop down. The XTi has a "semi-spot" metering mode, I believe the 5D has a real spot meter.

However, a word about finder screens, manual focus, stop-down metering and spot meters (yes, I am going somewhere with this): The factory screen in the XTi, and I assume in other AF cameras both digital and film, is not really designed for focusing. You get a general sense of DOF, but in order to enhance brightness they use an array of microlenses instead of a random matte surface for the focusing surface. Being lenses, these have a relative aperture of their own, and they can only detect the DOF effects of apertures smaller than that of the microlens. This appears to be about f/3 or f/4, which means that if you try to focus a fast lens manually on this surface you see the DOF as it would be at ~f/4, even though your actual DOF is much shallower than that in the actual image taken at, say, f/1.8. This gives very frustrating and unsatisfying results. You can get a lens adapter that activates the AF confirmation lights in the finder to alleviate this problem, but I was not 100% happy with this solution either. The approach that I have found most satisfactory was to change the screen out for one with a split-image center spot, and more important, a matte outer field. It's a bit darker but it focuses correctly with my manual lenses.

BUT:.... the light meter, in the XTi at least, reads through the finder screen. The difference in overall brightness is not a problem, it still gives good readings without any compensation... but as you stop down past f/5.6 or so the center RF spot starts to black out, and if at this point you're also using the center spot metering function, the meter is looking into the black spot in the center of the screen. If you like the spot meter, the best approach would probably be a plain groundglass screen with a true matte focusing surface rather than the "super bright" microlens type that comes in the camera. I don't know what screen options are available for the 5D, hopefully you can get one like that for it. If you use a split image screen you need to meter wide open if using the spot meter and set the aperture manually. The non-spot modes are fine even when the center spot blacks out at small apertures.

I'm not very familiar with the Olympus DSLRs, but I believe they have the same basic problem with the focusing screen; I think in their case the AF lights will work with your lenses in all cases, if that helps. Changing the screen in an Olympus may be a problem, I don't think they're interchangeable except for the E-1, and they are VERY small.

Now on to the fungus in your 180: Fungus can be cleaned, if you catch it in time. If left uncleaned, the fungus over time will etch little grooves into the surface of the lens element and from that point there's no way back. Unfortunately, I don't know of any sure way to determine whether it's too late except to clean out the fungus and see if the lens looks okay afterwards. With a lens of the value of a 180/2.8, I would probably go ahead and pay for the cleaning.... at least it will stop the continuing degradation of the lens where it is, and if you're lucky it will make it all better.

8. From : Lev Bereznycky (levberez@gmail.com)
Url : http://
Date : 01:18 AM Wednesday 03 October, 2007

Thank you for the replies. I do want to keep my lenses if I can. What exactly do I lose as far as camera functions when using my old lenses? I don't mind manual focusing, but am I losing the ability to meter through the lens? One thing I loved about my OM-4 was the multiple spot metering. Can I still do that with either the digital Olympus or Canon SLR's?

I know that to replace my lenses would cost a small fortune.

Also ... my 180mm has a bit of fungus growth in it. I've read that you can clean it. I called a local shop and they said that they'd send it out for $125. I presume that I shouldn't try this myself or is it simple enough to take a lens apart and put it back together?

9. From : Robert Glenn Middleton (the_redd_groyne@hotmail.co.uk)
Url : http://
Date : 11:52 PM Tuesday 02 October, 2007

Lev,

I fully agree with Rick's comments. The lack of auto-focus in architectural photography is not a problem, and the subject matter is ideal for manually operated lenses. Optically you have some very good lenses, and these will take serious money to replace with modern equivalents. Personally I would put the money into the full frame Canon 5D and use your existing lenses. The only reason for going to modern lenses would be the greater range of focal lengths available in tilt and shift today.

I also find that the full frame dslr is the ideal tool for architectural photography - unless you are prepared to pay mega bucks and go digital medium format. However that is another story!

10. From : rick oleson (rick_oleson@yahoo.com)
Url : http://rick_oleson.tripod.com
Date : 11:05 AM Tuesday 02 October, 2007

Hi Lev:

You can use your Zuiko lenses, not only on Olympus but also on Canon digital SLRs. If your budget permits, the Canon 5D has the advantage of a full-frame 24x36mm image size, which would make full use of your 24mm wide angle and shift lens. Other Canon DSLRs have a smaller, 15x22mm image size ... your 24mm will still be a mild wide angle but your shift lens would be about a "normal". The Olympus cameras have an even smaller format, about 12x18mm ... this is about the size of a 110 Pocket Instamatic frame, your shift lens will be a telephoto and your 24mm will be a normal. On the other hand, on the Olympus DSLRs that 180/2.8 is a very fast super-telephoto.

To use your manual focus on any of the DSLRs (or on an autofocus film camera) you'll want to replace the focusing screen in the camera; the AF screens are much worse than a plain groundglass for manual focusing.

If you decide to sell the lenses, list them separately on eBay.... it's your best bet by a good margin.

PAGE | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 118 | 119 | 120 | 121 | 122 | 123 | 124 | 125 | 126 | 127 | 128 | 129 | 130 | 131 | 132 | 133 | 134 | 135 | 136 | 137 | 138 | 139 | 140 | 141 | 142 | 143 | 144 | 145 | 146 | 147 | 148 | 149 | 150 | 151 | 152 | 153 | 154 | 155 | 156 | 157 | 158 | 159 | 160 | 161 | 162 | 163 | 164 | 165 | 166 | 167 | 168 | 169 | 170 | 171 | 172 | 173 | 174 | 175 | 176 | 177 | 178 | 179 | 180 | 181 | 182 | 183 | 184 | 185 | 186 | 187 | 188 | 189 | 190 | 191 | 192 | 193 | 194 | 195 | 196 | 197 | 198 | 199 | 200 | 201 | 202 | 203 | 204 | 205 | 206 | 207 | 208 | 209 | 210 | 211 | 212 | 213 | 214 | 215 | 216