Hermanland

富士經典夢幻組Fujifilm made its name in high performance portable digital camera in its F series.  Fuji did it by leveraging the result of its continous R&D effort in sensor technologies and the careful balance in various factors in camera design.  I have no doubt the famous moonlight camera F31FD is qualified to be admit to my dream team.  The comparatively less well known F700 and F810 have recently joined my dream team.  Unlike F31FD, they are both capable of saving in raw format and supported by Adobe dng converter.  F700 is fitted with Super CCD SR to optimize the dynamic range while F810 provides 16:9 format.  A common characteristic of all these team members is that they all are not mega pixel blaster but still their humble 6 mega pixels sensors are producing pleasent image which can be seen from my online album http://hermanland.com/zp

Should I use raw format or jpg format when taking photograph? I had tried to explain to the beginners as most books do and still could not manage to get them understood with correct expectation. Recently, I think of a better analogy for easy explanation.  Just like raw food I got from the market, raw food is often not as tasty as the cooked food or raw format does not look as eye candy as pre-cooked jpg.  Well, some people prefer their dish cooked by P.  Here P may stand for chef from Pennisula hotel or the raw file processor from Pentax:-)  Oh, so Pennisula taste…oh, so Pentax color. If I cook the food myself, it may not taste the same as cooked by P or it may be even worse depending on my cooking skill or post processing skill to the raw file.  However, with the raw food on hand, I have the flexible to cook to whatever taste I want.

Although Fujifilm claims F200EXR as intelligent machine fitted with EXR sensor that auto switching between high resolution low noise mode aka the classic HR sensor and wide dynamic range DR mode aka the classic SR sensor, the end resulting image produced in its auto EXR mode is less than satisfactory except a better DR. In the Kim’s Fuji F70EXR – How to shoot it, Kim summaries his experience which also applies to F200EXR. 1) Use P mode for general purpose shooting, set M size to 5M, set auto iso 1600 or lower for people, set DR400 2) use EXR DR mode for super harsh sunlight, M size is fixed by the machine, iso is fixed at 200 by the machine, set DR800 3) Use M mode for special effect e.g. concerts or long exposure, set M size, set iso, set aperture wide open, set shutter speed.  For all cases, in film mode, use Provia.  Set -1 ev when shooting lights at night. Set -1/3 ev for general outdoor and -2/3 ev in strong sunlight.

I were suspecting there were some image files in the folder which were not known to the IDimager database yet.  I performed a “Search image files on hard drive” with “Only return uncataloged files” box checked.  However, I found the search result also included the “Uncataloged” labeled image files making the result less useful for my purpose.  A “Uncataloged” image file may still be known to the IDimager database.  For example, I imported (not downloaded) the image files to IDimager.  These image files were surely known to the database because they were referenced in the “Import session” label under the “Auto Catalog” label.  Some of these images were automatically labelled as “Uncataloged” during the import session because there were no keyword embedded in these image files yet.  The search function will be more useful if there is another check box to “Only return files not known to database”.

Like all other Olympus DSLR users, I am interested in knowing how the smaller sensor affects the image quality, equipment usability and price comparing to other popular format e.g. APS-C.  Rather than hearing from Olympus, I prefer to hear more from third parties and end users.  Four Thirds Sensor Size and Aspect Ratio is a good article explaining how the 4:3 aspect ratio affects the image cropping in print and screen output, the smaller size sensor affects the Depth of Field and size of lens and viewfinder.  Not until recently, I had overlooked these factors and just emphased on the impact of the smaller sensor to noise and resolution. From the same website, there is also an interesting article about Depth of Field and your digital camera. When I use an old manual 50mm F1.4 prime lens on Olympus E-420 DSLR, I used to think I had a super 100mm portrait lens with super F1.4 DOF. From the article, I found it is not as super as I thought. In fact, I only got a DOF equivalent to 100mm F2.8 i.e. F1.4 x 2 in full frame and not 100mm F1.4. Well, 100mm F2.8 is still super.

I used to update the EXIF to record the old manual lens used to take the photo. I found I had named the same lens in a different way which is confusing. To help standardizing the naming, I find the need to maintain the name list of my lens collection. Following is the starting point:

Accura Diamatic 135mm F2.8 sn 255136E (M42)
Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm F2.8 (Exakta)
Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm F2.8 sn 4167584 (M42)
Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm F2.8 sn 10821332 (M42)
Fuji Fujinon 55mm F1.8 sn 504882 (M42)
Fuji Fujinon EBC 50mm F1.4 sn 152687 (M42)
Ricoh Rikenon 50mm F1.7 sn 064529 (M42)
Ricoh Rikenon 55mm F1.4 sn 300886 (M42)
Ricoh XR Rikenon 50mm F1.4 sn119235 (PK)
Ricoh XR Rikenon 50mm F2.0 sn147970 (PK)
Schneider Xenon 50mm F1.9 (M42)
Schneider Xenar 135mm F3.5 (M42)
Mamiya Sekor 55mm F1.4 sn 12622 (M42)
Meyer Primotar E 50mm F3.5 sn 1886013 (Exakta)
Meyer Trioplan 100mm F2.8 sn 1693275 (Exakta)
Meyer Telemegor 180mm F5.5 sn 2635559 (M42)
Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 (4/3)*
Olympus Zuiko Digital 25mm F2.8 sn 212552458 (4/3)*
Panagor PMC Auto 24mm F2.5 sn 811280 (M42)
Pentacon Electric Multi Coated 50mm F1.8 (M42)
Pentacon Auto Multi Coated 29mm F2.8 (M42)
Pentax SMC Takumar 55mm F1.8 sn 7091893 (M42)
Pentax Super Takumar 55mm F2.0 sn 4385425 (M42)
Pentax Super Takumar 105mm F2.8 sn 3713851 (M42)
Pentax Super Multi Coated Takumar 28mm F3.5 sn 6026565 (M42)
Pentax Super Multi Coated Takumar 35mm F3.5 sn 6267555 (M42)
Pentax Super Multi Coated Takumar 135mm F3.5 sn 7881939 (M42)
Pentax smc PENTAX-M 40mm F2.8 (PK)
Pentax smc PENTAX-M 50mm F1.4 sn 2172411 (PK)
Pentax smc PENTAX-M 50mm F1.7 sn 3486469 (PK)
Pentax smc PENTAX-DA 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL sn 5729169 (PK)*
Pentax Takumar 55mm F2.0 sn 278890 (M42)
Yashica Auto Yashinon DS-M 50mm F1.4 (M42)
YashicaML 50mm F1.4 sn A1059628 (CY)
Yashica ML 24mm F2.8 sn A1522979 (CY)
Yashica ML 50mm F2.0 sn A90126668 (CY)
Vivitar Auto VMC 50mm F1.7 sn 97502071 (M42)
Voigtlander Color Skopar  X 50mm F2.8 sn 5766359 (Bessamatics)

* : These are auto focus lens for DSLR.  Others are manual lenses originally for film SLR.

Like all Four Thirds DLSR camera, my E-420 can be used with all my old manual M42, PK, CY or even Exakta or Voigtlander mount lenses via suitable lens adaptors. Except for the top quality (and hence more expensive) adaptors made in Japan or Germany (which I have not got the chance to use yet), most adaptors do not focus correctly at infinity. Instead of turning the focusing ring to infinity, I need to turn the ring back for a small amount. I kept a record here for self reference:

For Four Third – M42 adaptor made by Pixco working with M42 – Voigtlander adaptor (unknown maker), Voigtlander Color Skopar X 50mm F2.8 lens (serial no. 5766359) focus infinity at 20 metre setting 

Pentax ist DS2 vs Olympus E420 as DSLR for old manual lens e.g. M42, PK, Exakta, CY lens.

Good

• Brigther and bigger viewfinder for manual focusing (pentaprism vs pentamirror, the lower croping factor also contributes bigger viewfinder under same magnifying factor, the bigger viewfinder also contributes brighter viewfinder).
• In-focus indicator still works without any electronic coupling (although some E420 lens adaptors also provide electronic coupling to enable in-focus indicator, I found these adaptors are less reliable.  2 out of 3 adaptors I tested in the shop did not operate properly. Furthermore, I found a Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.4 lens could not properly mount on an adapter because the electronic part of the adapter blocked the rear lens mechanism).
• Lower croping factor (1.5 vs 2.0 and hence 50mm lens is still 75mm portrait lens instead of 200mm tele lens).
• PK lens can be used without any adaptor.
• Guarantee exact focusing at infinity for PK and M42 lens (four thirds lens adapter often focus beyond infinity and hence manual focusing is still needed even for landscape photo).
• Metering is more accurate when aperture wide opened (properly because APC-C format comparing with four thirds format is less far away from 35mm format).
• PK lens with “A” mode setting on aperture ring can be used with any exposure mode.
• PK lens without “A” mode setting can still be used in semi stop down metering.
• Image quality seems better at wider aperture (properly because of the absence of image-space telecentric requirement which is essential in four thirds system).
• Smaller Depth of Field DOF (because DOF is inversely proportional to format size).

Bad

• In-camera jpg output is not as good (but raw is good if properly developed).
• No RAW+JPG mode (I still want in-camera jpg as backup until I am more confident in my raw develop skill).
• Heavier (because of the four AA batteries).
• No live view.
• Less variaty of lens adaptor available e.g. Exakta lens, CY lens (hence, I still use E420 with these lens).
• No dust reduction.

Conclusion

I dont use expensive DSLR to play with the manual lens because I expect the sensor will be more easily contaminated because of the frequent exchange of lenses. Furthermore, an effective dust reduction system is an appreciated feature which I can find in Olympus E420. PK lens means Pentax K mount lens and hence it is not surprising to find Pentax ist DS2 can preserved more automation features on the old PK lens. Both cameras are small and portable. However, Pentax ist DS2 allows easier manual focus and crops the focal length less to the tele side. Metering is more accurate and image quality is better at wider aperture. Comparing to the 4 years old Pentax ist DS2, there is no doubt the image quality from the modern Olympus E420 is better, especially the in-camera jpg output. The difference is less significant when shooting in raw. For M42 or PK manual lens, I think Pentax ist DS2 is better for the job. Similar criteria may be used to assess other lens system. For example, what is the best DSLR for the old manual Leica M lens. I guess Leica M8 or even the cheaper EPSON digital rangefinder may work better than Olympus E-P1 with M adaptor. I shall never be able to prove it because Leica sounds too expensive for me to get one

I finally got a DSLR specially for my M42 and PK lens collection.  It is a Pentax ist DS2 which is basically a Pentax ist DS with bigger LCD and newer firmware.  It may sounds funny to buy a DSLR which was made four years ago, right   For M42, there is no coupling between the camera and the lens and therefore, I need to close the aperture manually for metering and taking foto.  All my PK lens are original K mount lens i.e. SMC Pentax-M or Ricoh XR.  Because Pentax ist DS2 is fitted with “crippled” KAF mount, the camera cannot tell what aperture the lens is set when metering.  The workaround method is to set the camera to full manual exposure mode and press the AE-lock button to stop down the lens and take a meter reading.  I call this a semi auto stop down metering.  The workaround is not needed for KA or KAF lens.  When these lens working in A mode, the aperture can be controlled from the camera.  There is no KA or KAF lens in my collection yet and hence I cannot confirm whether they really work or not.  I prefer the original K lens because they are much cheaper and solidly metal built.

In 愛上中古相機, I saw more people in Hong Kong are interested in the subject now.