Saturday, August 29, 2020

Next week's kit

 So once everything is assembled, this will be my setup - sorta.

'pixco' 8 fish-eye -- Lumix 20/1.7 -- Σ DN 60/2.8
Lumix 12-60 -- Lumix 45-150 -- Zd 70-300 (4T)
Pentax da40xs (PK) -- Qtaray 90 2.8 (NF)


I say 'sorta' because I still have a few tests to crank out. I have several Nikon lenses that could be adapted with a 0.71x 'speed booster' (magification reduced by 0.71 leading to 1 stop more light concentrated). Tossing that into the mix makes things.. messy.

YN 35/2 = 25/1.4 -- YN 50/1.8 = 36/1.2 -- Sigma 18/3.5=13.8/2.5
A few other Nikon-F mount zooms could be used too.

This all comes down to usability: can such manual-only beasts be used comfortably on the GX8 with its larger grip? With µ43 it's the common problem, where the reduced depth of field is overcome with faster lenses, which add bulk, which (to most users) defeats the entire purpose of the smaller sensor that brings more compact lenses. Why carry a full35-scale Sigma 18mm And a focal reducer to match the Lumix 14/2.5 autofocus pancake lens?

Why indeed. All three will have work to do, to justify hanging around. I could use them as straight adapted lens without the added weight of speedboosting, which is what put the Quantaray 90 macro in the top list; that however leaves me with 35, 40 and 50mm primes of which only one would get used. 
(ah but which of the three? again, who knows..)

The Pentax 40 is in a unique place. I know its imaging characteristics and really like them, so its place in the lineup is pretty comfortable - meaning the two Yongnuo NF-mount primes are probably off to market. That 90 macro might fit as well as the Pentax, though bulkier - and it speedboosts to a 65mm f/2, putting the Sigma f/2.8 at risk! And the old Sigma 100-300 speedboosts to a faster 70-210, which tries (and likely fails) to bump the 4Thirds Olympus 70-300 from its weighty perch on the longer end.

Clearly the house of optical cards has not settled just yet. A few slow tests and some honest evaluation of how things feel in hand are in the works.

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