Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Bokeh with Classic Zeiss lenses)
Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog), published in 1889, is a humorous novel by English writer Jerome K. Jerome, about three friends embarking on a Read More …
Giant Sunflower, Olympia Sonnar 180mm f2.8 and Zeiss Mutar 2 tele-converter
The Giant Sunflower was shot with the legendary Carl Zeiss Olympia Sonnar 180mm f2.8 lens for the Contax/Yashica mount, Made in West Germany in 1987. The Sunflower was partly shot Read More …
More than Swirly Bokeh: Biotar 58mm f2 lenses on APS-C camera
When German and Russian Biotar type 58mm lenses are used on a Sony a6100 camera with an APS-C sensor, a crop-factor of 1.5 applies. That makes the field of view Read More …
Incredible India and the legendary Nikkor 105mm f2.5 lens
All photos were shot in and around the Kabini River Lodge in Karnataka, India in January 2019 with the over-35-year-old legendary vintage prime lens Nikkor Ai-S 105mm f2.5 and the Read More …
Swirly Bokeh? The legendary Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f2 vs. the Russian copy Helios 44M-4 58mm f2 lens
Article abstract How does this well-preserved copy of the legendary Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f2 lens made in 1953 compare with a Russian Helios 44M-4 58mm f2 lens in MINT Read More …
Lens Design Evolution: Gauss, Double Gauss, Planar, Biotar and Biometar
The Double Gauss lens, the origin of the Planar, Biotar and Biometar lens designs Already during his lifetime, Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777 – 1855, born in Braunschweig, Germany, many years Read More …
Olympia Sonnar Carl Zeiss 180mm f2.8 lens Made in West- vs East-Germany, which is better?
Abstract In this article about two classic lenses I will address the following: After World War II, Zeiss was separated into two co-existing corporate entities for over 40 years: Zeiss Read More …
TOP 10 Tips: Macro Photos, Extension Tubes & Reverse Lenses
My gifted acquaintance Gregor took some extraordinary macro photos, with a setup of low cost photo equipment. Look at all macro photos in the 3 photo galleries below! TOP-10 Tips Read More …
Krav Maga in Action with the Zeiss Batis 85mm f1.8 lens on a Sony a6400/a6100 camera
Emrich Lichtenfeld, inventor of the self-defence system Krav Maga (Hebrew for “contact combat”), was born in Budapest in 1910 into a Hungarian Jewish family, and grew up in Bratislava (Slovakia). Read More …
Zeiss Olympia Sonnar 180mm f2.8 lens adapted to a Sony a7ii full frame camera
Jump directly to the DIGITAL GALLERY of photos shot with the full frame digital Sony a7ii camera and the ANALOG GALLERY of photos shot with the medium format analog Pentacon Six camera The Read More …
Afghan Girl with the Green Eyes and the legendary Nikkor 105mm f2.5 lens
The Soviet–Afghan War lasted over nine years, from December 1979 to February 1989. During that period the Soviets had attempted to eliminate civilian support for the mujahideen’s guerrilla forces by bombing and depopulating rural Read More …
Nikon, Zeiss Jena, Carl Zeiss and Canon classic lenses for Macro Photos at Schäftlarn abbey
How to make a macro lens out of a legendary classic lens? Take a legendary sharp classic lens like the Nikkor Ai-S 105mm f2.5 from the 80s (newer and sharper Read More …
Viltrox 85mm f1.8 lens review on Sony a6000 APS-C camera at Octoberfest in Munich
Sitting in an Oktoberfest beer tent in Munich when it’s raining at night? Let’s get out of the tent for 30 minutes with the Viltrox 85mm f1.8 lens on a Read More …
Bokeh hunting with the “Lord of the Red Rings” Canon 135mm f2 vs. Carl Zeiss and Nikon classic lenses
Why going bokeh hunting with fast 135mm telephoto lenses? For a maximum of subject separation and a creamy bokeh, a fast 135mm lens is a good choice. Lenses with longer Read More …
Sunflowers and the Bokeh of classic lenses from Carl Zeiss, Nikon, Raynox and Canon
Bokeh has been defined as “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light”. Bokeh occurs for parts of the scene that lie outside the depth of field. You can get more information Read More …
Viltrox 85mm f1.8 lens review on a Sony a7ii full-frame camera with Brutalist Architecture
How does the Viltrox 85mm f1.8 e-mount lens perform compared to an over-40-year-old Nikkor Ai 85mm classic lens and a modern Sony zoom lens? The following lenses were reviewed for Read More …
Classic Tokina superzoom lens vs. modern Sony superzoom lens review
Can a classic superzoom lens from 1987 for EUR 50 beat a modern superzoom lens for EUR 1,000? The following lenses were reviewed for center and corner sharpness at 28mm, Read More …
FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE: Cheap classic lenses sharper than Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS full-frame kit lens?
I dare! Shooting with 2nd-hand lenses and reducing my CO2 footprint — Greta would love Classic Lenses! The Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS is the standard kit lens for all Read More …
FACT or FAKE: Cheap classic lens sharper than Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM?
Is an approx. EUR 30 classic prime lens sharper than the sharpest modern Canon EF 50mm lens? Let’s compare the center and corner sharpness of the 40+ years old Minolta Read More …
“van Gogh Bokeh” of the Canon FD 200mm f2.8 vintage lens
Twelve Sunflowers is one painting out of two series of sunflower paintings by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. It’s one of the most valuable paintings in the world and demonstrates Read More …