I may regret this.. parts 1 and 2

 .. but I've decided to shed grams again. I let go of several pieces of gear for cash plus the 24-50 Z-native zoom. 

This lens is tiny and light, poor at capturing light, and has tolerable though not spectacular IQ by most accounts. The 24-85vr will be hard to beat for images but with the ftz it was awkwardly nose-heavy with the z6. Hopefully the camera's internal IS will be sufficient with the wide lens since it has no VR itself, and its rather minimal moisture resistance won't fail me on damp days. 

The 40mm f/2 and Tamron rxd are better sealed, and perhaps some day a 24-70/4 can fill the wider slot; for now, this will do. I loved my Pentax-m 24-50/4 in my film days. 

I still have the fairly fast 70--150/3.8 vivitar and a dumb F-z adapter, so when it comes to FL< 24mm I will have a few options available. 

---

Part ii - a memory intrudes!

Back in my Pentax days of lens swapping I owned a Sigma 21-35 for my aps.c camera. It was rather bulky, and extremely prone to flare.. but still gave good results when used carefully. I found a Nikon model for $30 - it can fill behind the 40/2 now and then if I don't just pass it along. Might be fun for sky images, unless brighter stars make ghost images 👻

One thing is for sure: I can get $30 worth of use from it, however long it stays!

---

Update! Wow. 

Here is my 9/30/14 post about this lens in Pentax mount. But does the new one have the permanent hood? We shall see.. 

Fingers crossed..

 I dismantled my vivitar 24/2.8 (s/#37xxx =Tokina) and poked around. I unscrewed the rear element, cleaned and examined it - and that was about all it seemed I could do without major disassembly. 

Testing showed the same problem as before: the view approached infinity focus only when it was focused nearly to the minimum value! Almost like an extension tube, but reversed? Hmm.

So I took it apart again and noticed two shims that limited the depth of the rear element. I unscrewed the rear element slightly and tested again. Same result.

On reopening I discovered it had three shims! So I took two out and tried again. Hey that looks better!

By now it was 10pm so I was shooting indoor tests. Worse still, I was set on a telephoto focal length for internal IS was set to 135mm! I tried both the 24 and 28mm lenses with a much improved shake reduction value, and I believe that both lenses are now giving quite decent results! 

If spare time is available in daylight, I will check it again. Good night and high hopes for tomorrow's tests!!

Vivitar 24, smc-a 28, 24-85g +ftz

Update: sunlight tests show the 24/2.8 is working much better. However, it is not as good as the 24-85g at f/4. That isn't a great shock, as the prime failed to wow me before the adjustment failed; it's simply not a great copy and it's perhaps 30? years older. Also: the 24-85g/VR is that good! 

Testing my Pentax-A 28/2.8 against the zoom shows a pretty close contest between them at f/4 (zoom is f/3.8 at 28mm). I didn't get rigorous as the lenses don't really compete so Team Pentax will have their turns! As for autofocus kit, it means the wide shots are well covered with 24-85 and 40/2.

As noted elsewhere, I've released the 20mm for now (plus other gear) to acquire the Tamron 70-300 rxd. I really like the idea of having an 18-20mm prime, but its usefulness is not great. When I'm certain of a long hike above treeline, something small in that range will be valuable - but such a trip is not in the works. Perhaps by then a few other wide primes will be available!

 

kit, reborn

Don't Look Behind!

mid-July 25

---

> The Z Kit  

After much reviewing of options, the Nikon Z6 has some new companions. Primes are primarily Pentax (28-50-70-135) but the z40 f/2 sits near the center. A 300mm mirror lens and 400mm Hanimex cover the long end. 

The ftz is now working less, adapting the Nikkor 24-85g VR but no telephoto zoom. In exchange for three not-quite ideal telezooms and a bit more cash, the Tamron rxd 70-300mm is taking over the spot. Weather protection, quiet AF motor and the Z6 internal stabilizer justify the move - and the lens' weight is as low as it can go for an xx-300 zoom. 

The adapted telephoto Vivitar 70-150/3.8 and Focal 80-200/3.5 will remain for now. Both are fun and have great imaging ability - but it's amazing that the 80-200 is nearly twice the Vivitar's weight for the extra 50mm of telephoto and 1/4 stop of light!

>  μ43 remains in play  

The silver kit of Lumix GX7 and 14-42ii now has a shiny Sigma 60/2.8 also. These and the 14-140 and ZD 70-300 plus 10-17-30 primes make for a nice anywhere/time setup. 

>  Pentax  

Several K-mount lenses remain in play, mostly primes. Thanks to my .71x speed booster they have bonus focal lengths on the GX7! The massive 80-200 f/2.8 with speed boost becomes an 112-284mm, f/2.5-equivalent beast!

Kitpicking - and a new plan

All the in-transit items for the Z6 have arrived. 

Now what? 

It's time to select groupings! 

Part of the benefit of this is to check whether any lens might be expendable. The lack of small telezoom has caused to be creative in the 50-300mm zone, none of which is my favorite or final answer. 

Here are a few kits: 

• Max range: 20 + 24-85 + 100-400
• 24-85 + 70-300: two fx AF zooms
• 24-85 + 55-200dx* is lighter, but.. 
• Primes (20/40/70) plus telezoom of choice
• All manual focus: 28+50+70 + either 85+135 or Vivi 70-150/3.8
• The fastest kit: 20/28/40/70 + 80-200/3.5
• Lightest: 20/40/70 + 55-200*

Ah, but the weight.. 

• 
  Clearly the 100-400 adds plenty of range, but will not be carried often (1250g) when the Vivitar (510g) or Sigma (630g) will do. The 80-200 is pretty bulky too - but the 55-200* is even lighter! 
• Also clear is that the 300mm mirror lens is a decent alternative when grams and cubic inches matter. Weird bokeh and all! 
• Two wide-zoom alternatives have some merit. The 24-50 is a very lightweight option for the wide end - but far slower than the 28+40 primes and the 24-85. The 24-70/4 is better in that regard but is just 50g lighter; I feel what I have now is my best answer. All Z-native lenses have 5-axis stabilizer, but the 24-85G dual VR is as good - and is (minimally) wx sealed! 

One conflict that I see immediately is the 55-200dx vs 70-300. Both do good work but with strong compromises: much lower resolution* with the former, focus noise + no stabilizer² + slow AF with the latter, and no wx seals with either. The Vivitar and Tamron are sufficient, I expect. I shall not rush into anything though. 

* 80-300mm eq  - but @11Mpx resolution 

² see 24-85 shootout to see how much lens IS helps! 

---

Update! 

After the review above, I decided to make a rather large swap. 

So farewell to the marvelous yet still massive 100-400, to both of the lenses in conflict - and to the Viltrox 20 (I expect it to return later, assuming I ever pursue deep backpacking again). 

In return a Tamron Z-mount 70-300rxd will fill the telezoom gap, save me many grams, and use all the sensor unlike the dx 55-200mm. 

I'll be gaining 

• multiple weather seals 
• a better focus motor
• a USB port for software updates
• and the lightest 70-300mm zoom available in Z mount today!

The Vivitar and Focal zooms will remain for a while as I get comfortable with the New Order; their fate will be decided at leisure.

24-85G Nikkor contest!

"Would that it 'twere so simple" - from Hail, Caesar! 

Well, this test was an easy one. Bummer that my preferred answer did not pan out.

I put the two 24-85 Nikkors G (VR and previous) in a dimly-lit room and shot it out. ISO 500, f/5.6 and an instruction manual about six feet away. Shutter was 1/2.5 seconds for easy VR evaluation. Elbows on knees but little other support; with ftz the lenses are just over 500g.

First up was the VR lens, fully engaged. Wow: an excellent result with lens and sensor VR in effect. No surprise? Well, 85mm and 1/4 second is 8+ stops - so an image this sharp was a surprise.

Turning off VR is simple, as the lens switch disables both internal and lens VR. It took me three tries and much more rigorous technique to achieve a nearly not-blurry shot. The other two were awful. 

Lens #2 with in-body VR was better than no VR.. but not by much. The internal VR definitely couldn't handle the shutter speed used in this scenario. Coming from Pentax and Lumix S5, it was disappointing. However: internal VR improves to a 5-axis system with Z-native lenses; bonus points for the marketing team for that 🫤 but my wallet is displeased. 

So about five minutes of testing convinced me that the slightly heavier VR lens is a keeper, and a 72mm cpl filter is in my future. I had hoped to run with just 52+67mm filters; oh well. At least I already have a 72mm split ND! 

Wow! on several levels

 After a sleepless night I did some browsing yesterday. I had a z6 in hand and lenses on the way, but the path they were taking was slow and tortuous - or maybe I was just impatient?

In any case, I encountered a 'used well' copy of the 24-85G that I had bought but just leaving New Jersey. This copy was a pinch less expensive and sitting in Adorama (New York) seeking adoption. I bought it and upgraded to fast shipping for under $10.

It arrived in 24 hours to our home in SW Washington! And we do not live in Portland or Vancouver, we're an hour away in a semi-rural Longview 'suburb'.  Wow.

When I opened it up, I noticed it had a 72mm lens cap. That's odd, the copy I sought and the online image all said 67mm. Oh, look at that - this was the 24-85G VR lens. Wow!!

I hadn't sought VR since the z6 body has its own within, but it can make use of the lens' internals to improve slow-expo images even more - so absolutely no complaints here. Well, maybe one: I suppose now I need few new filters.

Thanks Adorama!

And of course let's not forget: the non-VR lens is coming soon (it's probably past Philadelphia by now). 

While the front glass on the VR is larger and overall weight is up a few grams, most reviews I've seen rate the image qualities as essentially identical. The non-VR copy takes 67mm filters (also on their way as I write), so I suppose a showdown is coming. 

Inevitably. 

springy!

 We'll take it!

This is an ideal start to June - morning clouds, afternoon sunshine, max temps in the mid-70s. Since I cannot lift heavy objects yet post-surgery, the air conditioner can wait another 10 days. Tomorrow is the warmest in the forecast, so just one day of discomfort.

Nice.

Update - the Wx Underground forecast graphic is for valley-floor locations, which is always ~4 degrees off from our hill-top site. It's generally warmer in summer with thicker atmosphere, but colder in winter thanks to cold-air seepage. We reached 80° Friday up here, and NWS temperatures near 750' show mid-upper 60s next week. 

Nearly as nice!

Zomething New

I've tried to steer my big kit back toward Lumix S .. but the S9 refuses to drop into my price range, the S1 is hovering just out of reach (both price and kilograms!) and the s5 .. well it didn't quite suit me. The Lumix II bodies are most excellent, and substantially beyond my budget.

Other trends are intent on shifting me to Nikon Z!

In the Z world, the z5 is priced right but feels.. wrong. Not a bad camera, just too similar to the S5 and with more video limitations. The next step up is the z6, which .. really feels like a fair match. A tilting touchscreen that is almost to Lumix level of interaction, decently 4k capable, and a viewfinder better than most (above S5, below S1) for using manual-focus lenses. It has fewer aspect ratios that impress me in the Lumix bodies, but it does include 1:1 which allows many dx/aps-c lenses to play nicely. I gratefully accept! Sadly the 'open gate' (video on full 3:2 sensor) video option is Lumix-only in my price range :^(

Mirrorless systems did not play nice with my Minolta A- or Sigma SA- mount lenses. Both SA-L & A-E adapter setups came with many limitations. The FTZ solution apparently does not have those problems; also, nikon-G slr lenses* are both talented and available at good prices.

---

How to decide?

At some point one must choose from two decent options. Here's my z6 logic:

• 

  apotelyt table screen-shot

  Bsi sensor: z6 (though no dxo-rated difference)
• aa filter: s1 has none
• Screen: both excellent but s1 better
• Tilt screen: nice on both, again s1 better
• Hdmi: neither is micro = good
• autofocus: z6, though will vary by type of shooting
• Battery life: z6 test results are curiously low?
• Weight: z6 in a landslide :^0

Many features are pretty much a draw, but both options are preferable for me over Sonys or the s5. Low weight, phaseAF and improved sensor vs. massive with very good build and more aspect ratios for both stills And video. 

I wasted plenty of time & energy attempting to adapt SA>L and A>E -with very limited success (despite each one dealing with a single company - sigma is SA and an L member, Sony owns A and E). It seems that Nikon took this more seriously with its FTZ protocol so I can use nikon G* with very few constraints! Farewell to lost causes..

* though no af drive for D lenses :-/

Timely migrants

The first call of a swainsons' thrush was heard on 5/18, right on schedule! Our first grosbeaks (black headed) were seen and heard five days later. We love both songs and it's nice to see and hear them.

We also had a deer family drop by, a mom and two small ones from last year. They camped out for most of two hours! 

My surgery in early May was followed by damp weather, which has allowed the grass to grow tall. This coming weekend should be dry, so it should be taken down several inches soon!

downtime

 

nice weather for it!

I'm heading in for prostate removal on 5/5. Other than lawn mowing, it looks pretty nice for sitting in the outdoor swing and sipping fruity drinks! Spouse and ma-in-law can fight over the riding mower, assuming the battery is decently charged. Hopefully I'll be nearly mended by the 10th, though weight-lifting and twisting limits will remain for a few weeks. 

Another lesson learned

 I've heard it so often: "make sure your proposed system has the lenses you want before you buy in! ". 

Yet somehow I didn't take it to heart when the S5 called. The L mount is still expanding, and lenses will assuredly appear as appropriate. 

Oops.

Worse yet, very few mirrorless systems carry what I seek. Seek ye an 50-200mm in any 36x24 system that weighs under 800 grams. The answer is: μ43 and nothing else. The Lumix 35-100/2.8 is amazing - but larger systems offer nothing slower than f/4. Those are less bulky than their f/2.8 siblings, but still not in my comfort zone. I'd prefer my old Minolta 70-210 /3.5-4.5 or 100-200/4.5, both under 500 grams and plenty bright enough for a 36x24 sensor. But to make them autofocus requires a bulky adapter, and poof goes the weight and size advantage.

The nearest things are from Tamron, which means Sony E or Nikon Z. Since I actually own the Minolta 100-200, Sony sadly makes more sense. Both have tilt screens instead of flipout, so that's a positive. The α7³ has a BSI-tech sensor with two ISO channels and PDAF - both make it comparable to the S5.II and a slight improvement over the S5. Neither company has the aspect ratios or touchscreen features of the Lumix types though - ah well.

I've been here already with the mk II Alphas, but the mk.III has become available at my price. And so the mutations begin again - please God, let it end here.

For now a 28-60 and another la-ea4 adapter will suffice for both Minoltas (100-200 and 50 macro); as other gear sells, I'll look more deeply into lens options.

the never-ending struggle

 Me vs. TECH

As usual, I came in second.

I spent the entire last week in skirmishes with technology. Mostly it was the 5g home internet system.

I have three computers and a few phones/tablets. And a printer - and oh yes, a 'smart' television. These all conspire with each other in frequencies I cannot access, and choose which among them will take it turn in my torment.

This past week it was the computers taking turns. They mostly communicate with the internet, but very rarely with each other. All are in the same workgroup and use the same WiFi - but shared files often don't, and the internet keeps flashing in and out.

First up was the traditional tricks: reboots, network resets, even reworking the outdoor antenna that supposedly helps it all work. Finally, I descended to a network full reset - then things really went mad.

Two of the computers plug directly into WiFi box ethernet ports, meaning they should not be bothered by anything WiFi at all. Yet they were. After several attempts of varying types I recalled the 192.168 opening to the network internals. I rebuilt a 5Mhz and a 2.4Mhz channel and began reconnecting things to WiFi, removing the ethernet connections. Hooray, it all works!

Until the next day. OK that wasn't fun or effective.

The last two days found me trolling the web for newer WiFi drivers. I found an updated driver for the i7 box yesterday, and it's continuing to work via WiFi. Today I found a driver for the i5 box - but I couldn't get the file to the right computer. It's on my phone, it's on the i7 - but the i5 won't connect so neither google drive nor network connections will push it across! Finally a thumb-drive did the job. Now the i5 can't install it, as the driver needs to be uninstalled. Well I did that three times, but rebooting just reloaded the familiar old driver. At last I broke down and pulled the WiFi card from the i5 and restarted with ethernet, a clean WiFi slate and no drivers..

And now it works great on the ethernet port! OK I'm not feeling compelled to reinstall either card or drivers now. We'll see how long this lasts.

In the meantime the i3 box has been functioning again via ethernet for the last two days. 

Yippee?

And today I found a $30 4g+ phone with a smaller screen, a USB3 charging port, and all the features I liked in my old Moto E5 Play. I'm really tired of juggling (and dropping) the larger Moto 5G Ace UW, or somesuch long name. 

The tech world will make a Luddite of me yet.

Back story:

My favorite cell phone was the Moto e5Play. A nice size and screen ratio, nice performance, a good bit of memory, microSD capable and acceptable battery life. It even took a quick dunk with no repercussions!

With every new upgrade, I've missed it more. Actually it's still here, used as a voice recorder for music lessons - but it's not the same.

After dropping my 5G moto Ace yet again, I made a quick stop at eBay in search of a reasonable step down. I don't need 5G and would prefer something like.. well, a modern e5 play! And to my surprise I found one rather quickly.

It's an LG G5.

• Nearly identical size to e⁵play
  
• Android 8 (I liked Oreo :)
• μSDXC card slot!
• USB C port! 
• Speed charging!
• Higher spec chipset!
• Improved screen specs!
• NFC capable 
• Better user ratings!
• Used for .. $30?!

I'm looking forward to stepping back!

A new way to work

 I spent part of the day with my S5, changing button- and Q-menu settings. After recording the current settings on a spreadsheet, I looked closer at this:

.. and there were pretty much all the settings I use in one place! And even a couple more, like HLG and flash adjustments. Better still, the control panel and EVF are separate - so having it on the big screen doesn't limit my shooting through the eyepiece! 

Maybe I don't need to program the joystick to control additional Fn buttons after all .. 

I spent some time attempting to shoot birds with the S 70-300mm. Nearly all were grounded for no particular reason, but I shot in af-c anyway. I tried disconnecting AF from the shutter button but that didn't go well today. I'm still learning the camera and stumbling over whether ISO or white balance is in the middle position, and where that video button is hiding.

Practice, and practice more:  that's what I need to do!!

Battle of the White Cams!

I got two great deals on a prospective second camera companion for the S5. 

First came a K-01, aka the mirrorless Pentax. Nearly universally panned for style and a few awkward details, it's a fine example of bad timing to market.* With a bargain 18-50re lens (also white), it's fairly quiet and has the sweet-16Mpx aps/c sensor that made the K5 and D7000 famous.

I was almost immediately caught by an online  discount offer for a white Oly e-p5. With Sony's 16Mpx μ43 sensor that propelled the eM5 to glory, but in a smaller body crammed with features. Sadly, no white lenses are available.. 

White body but silver top on the e-P5. Each has its normal lens attached: smc-A 50/2 and TTartisan 23/1.4.

As I put them against each other, neither has a viewfinder; the e-P5 does have a hotshoe evf available bit it isn't .. pretty. Both have a flash, unlike the S5, and the K-01 can use an external microphone.

Each has its special feature mix, and each has its awkward moments: Pentax put lipstick on a brick but previous Pentax users like me adjust fine, while Olympus menus are challenging to anyone who didn't practice with an eM5 first. 

Both have sensor stabilized bodies, neither has wx seals. The e-P5 has two control dials, the K-01 just one. The Oly autofocus was speedy in its day, with years of mirrorless practice over Pentax, but neither is great when light levels drop. And both are lightly used: the k-01 has just over 10k clicks, the e-P5 under 2600!

As a former user of both systems, I have more comfort with the Pentax environment. My best-liked cameras were the K-5ii and e-M1. It's a tough call at first blush, but I don't feel rushed.

As to lenses in hand, 

• I have 27-300eq in two Pentax AF zooms, plus their fine DA40xs, 70/2.4 Limited and 35/2.8 macro primes - and a few K-mount oldies (28, 50, 85, 135 and manual zooms).
•  For μ43 I have 20-600eq in a Laowa 10mm, Lumix 12-32 + 14-140 and four-thirds Oly 70-300. Also, the Pentax gear can be adapted, but with no electronic contacts. A few fast native primes with no contacts rounds out that kit.

---

Second blush - among the lenses I listed was one important omission. I have two native K-mount macros, the 35/2.8 Limited and Sigma 50/2.8 in manual focus. These can both be adapted to the Pen, but only the 35 Limited can autofocus and expose. Since I have many slides and negatives to copy, that could prove important. Also worth noting is a K-01 effect to reverse all colors in an image, handy for color negatives. It also has 3-shot HDR for difficult high-contrast shots.. which means Kodachrome slides. While the eP5 has great extras including stabilized video, those points might be overwhelming.

Sigma 50 and Pentax DA35 Limited, plus PK-L adapter

On the other hand, the Sigma 50/2.8 is also useable on the S5. The 35 Limited is almost so, with only mild vignetting when shooting 4:3 aspect images; at 3:2 native ratio the aps-c macro has distinctly black corners.

So the best image should come with the S5 then K-01 whichever lens is used. But.. most people duplicating slides and negatives this way claim that 14-16Mpx is plenty good enough to resolve the grain of most old film images. More resolution and detail doesn't really help the image in that case! To settle it for myself, I'll need to shoot a couple of sample slides with the K-01 and S5, decently focused and similarly lit, and see what I see. I might as well test drive the eP5 while the setup is there. 

---

* It was too large (2025 models are larger), retained the K mount (genius to some), and CDAF was too slow (true) - but a K-02 could easily be made with sensor PDAF, a viewfinder, and the KAF4 mount with electronic aperture control.

---

sure why not

I made a straight trade, essentially: eM1 and a couple of lenses for K-01 and 18-50re (both white!).

What I lose:

• weather+chill sealed body
• some compactness
• a complex menu structure
• PDAF focusing

Do I gain? I believe I did!

• a very familiar Pentax operating system
• a camera that can use Very small DA lenses (DA40+70 on hand) with no adapter!
• a 'casual' body that looks silly not serious
• flash available at a button press

And the similarities are good ones:

• decent image stabilization inside
• acceptable HD video with optional mic input
• spare batteries on hand

The loss of weather protection is covered by the S5, so one camera it another can compensate. 

Once again, my keeping Pentax lenses around drags a PK body back into my kit. I looked at a K200d, but the K-01 also has happy memories, and a more up-to-date sensor means nice results and simple video. Nothing magical by modern standards, I grant you, but still respectable dXo test results - far higher than the eM1 could manage with its smaller scale.

Should be a fun team. 

And most of the Pentax lenses will serve time on the S5 in "classic" manual or A-priority modes.

the Snow Month looms

 Well, it's almost February - our historically snowiest month on the hill-top. January has mostly been dry, cold and clear, with about 1/3 of normal precipitation. The pattern change is right on schedule!

I have surgery scheduled for mid-March based on our February snow history; looks like it was a good idea.

It's still about a week away, so no doubt the numbers will dance a while before the event unfolds.

Update: a respectable forecast! We had 2" in the 2nd, melted half of it then added two more! Quiet on the 4th but more showers on the 5th. No big dump (which was not predicted) and it was gone below 400'.

My First Sensor Bath

Until now I've been able to dislodge dust with a squeeze blower. Last week I took many images at the local park/lake and after further review, I saw spots! 

When I saw the images I knew just what to do - until I saw the spots. These were not dusty bits holding on to the sensor glass by electrostatic magic, they were once-liquid blobs. Like rain on a windshield. I dabbed at them gently but they were not persuaded to leave, and once I applied a touch more pressure I had a smear. 

It was clearly time for a wet cleaning!

I was not afraid of the process, but it hadn't been necessary until now. I learned that newer designs like rakes are common now, and my kit arrived in a short time.

The kit was simple, just a cleaning solution and a dozen or so long-handled rake/trowel thingies each wrapped individually. Two drops on each side, a swipe back and forth at a rather shallow angle (no poking!), and .. done!

I'm not sure if the camera came to me that way; I should think I looked at the sensor last month when the S⁵ first arrived but I'm not certain. And I don't know what the firm liquid was: I remember the Nikon D600 and its oil issues, but I'd expect the odds of oil spatter is much greater on an SLR than a mirror-free design.

But what do I know about it? Can't believe everything I read in the virtual world. Not even my own work, especially when I claim to own the perfect kit and will shop no more. Oopz.

I shall be watching my sensor more closely now!