Alan WF

The closest native equivalent to the 19/3.8 on a focal reducer (giving a 14/2.7) is the Panasonic 14/2.5 pancake, and I'm sure it is sharper, has better contrast, and is less susceptible to flare. ...

Mine seems mechanically sound. There's a slight rattle of something light, so perhaps something in the aperture mechanism ,but that's all. I'm not really interested in it as 20/3.8, since I ...

I've managed to find 13 serial numbers or partial serial numbers for the Vivitar 19/3.8 using, mainly, Google image search. I find: (1) All begin with 9. This is widely believed to mean that they are ...

Yes, I read your very useful review before buying. Thank you. I'll not be too bothered if it really is only as good as a kit zoom; I'm mainly looking for a nice MF experience, and plenty of ...

I just got a Vivitar MC 19/3.8 in FD mount. It's a handsome little lens, and about a 28-mm equivalent on my GM5 and focal reducer. I'm looking forward to giving it a spin over the weekend. Vivitar ...

I bought an excellent 100-300/5.6L for US$200, and it only weights 710 g. So, you'd save a fair bit of cash and weight compared to an FL-F. Regards, Alan

Yes, that's what I had in mind. Stand on your porch. Take images of distant trees. Change configuration. Repeat. See which configuration gives bigger trees while enjoying the beverage of your choice. ...

I didn't choose 50 mm. I simply applied one specific definition of magnification that I have seen others use in the context of prime lenses and which seemed to be the meaning that the OP had in ...

What you want to keep from your father or mother is often a little idiosyncratic. I'd like to think my kids would see my love for my 50/1.4 and want to hang on to it. However, when my father died, ...

I'm asking from ignorance, but how does one focus an adapted lens on a rangefinder? Zone focus only? Does that work for macro? Regards, Alan

It depends what you mean by "magnification". Some people mean that "a 50-mm lens on 35-mm film gives 1x magnification and a lens that gives an image N times smaller gives Nx magnification". If you ...

Hi Tom, If I understand you correctly, one configuration is: A: Lens : Adapter to EF : EF to MFT focal reducer : MFT to E adapter : FE Body and the other is: B: Lens: Adapter to EF: EF to E focal ...

Pen F? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_Pen_F Regards, Alan

The comparison images are at f/4, and if you look carefully you can indeed see the difference in aperture shape. Regards, Alan

Interesting. Why do you say that? Regards, Alan

Thanks. The pentagonal bokeh of the f/1.8 doesn't seem too bad here. Regards, Alan

Nice comparison. You might also add something to show the effect of the number of aperture blades on the bokeh. For example, your first image of white flowers taken at f/2.8 rather than wide open ...

I'm not going to answer your question (yet), but I will give you two ways of looking at FRs which might help you come to your own understanding. I'm looking at a GM5 with a MFT-to-FD focal reducer ...

#2 is very good indeed, with #3 a close second. Regards, Alan

Very nice colors and light in this. Regards, Alan