X-T4 with a vintage lens - a few samples from the garden

Hello fellow vintage glass owners,

One of the reasons I love the Fuji X-T series is because of the manual controls and the focus tools. And well, the many other subtle ways these cameras seem to call out for manual lenses. Forget Auto mode and just practice the craft of photography - and have a lot of fun in the process.

I recently upgraded my X-T2 to an X-T4. One reason I did this was because of the IBIS, which I felt would help me get less shaky shots from my old lenses. And I have to say the camera has delivered in every concievable way. It's a pleasure to use and gives me confidence that I will be able to reliably focus and take photos that aren't shaken even with fairly slow shutter speeds, or at 300mm with the old Tamron 300mm Adaptall (a really heavy monster of a lens).

Anyway. I thought I'd share a few example shots taken with a Minolta Auto Rokkor-PF 53mm F/2. It's a lens design which dates back to the early 1960s and I have every reason to believe mine is really that old.

It's an all metal design, even the lens cap. Although it's physically small it has definite heft and feels solid and very well built. I'm fortunate enough to have one in pristine condition although I don't actually think they are expensive to buy used.

The sample shots are all pretty much out of the camera with only light adjustments in Capture One 20 Express Fuji (the free version). Most of them shot wide open at F/2 using Velvia film simulation.

Doggo's name is Carlo by the way. I oncluded that one to show how surprisingly sharp this old design is wide open, and how the IBIS allowed me to very accurately focus on the eyes.

Will you look at that. Dahlias are lovely flowers.

Very subtle colors here, didn't want to increase the exposure out of fear of blowing those highs.

Manually focused on the mouth of the flower.

Starburst at F/16. Nothing much to write home about but there it is.