2020年10月20日火曜日

Acquired close up capability on M Summilux 50/1.4 2nd

Our climate condition at Kansai Area in Japan has changed into cold from cool and comfortable recently relatively quickly and my geriatric body condition has some difficulty to meet with it so rapidly. Though I try to follow any invitation by my friends, I feel some fatigue in walking and driving car, not so good especially this year, some body training and refreshing are required instead of staying at home being influenced by CONID 19. Consequently, I make it a rule to carry my camera with me whenever I go out. As we know, the lens has much to do with the image quality and no argument is required on this point. I made up my mind to throw out all the camera equipment a few years ago and I did it without any regret. But my son gave me a lovely toy, "SONY Alpha 7" with full sized image sensor and I put my residual old lenses on it finding out special fun! My curiosity has been increased after that and it has accelerated especially replacing from Alpha7 to Alpha9 in addition to the operation, inter-plantation of 2nd generation M Summilux 50/1.4 onto Hexanon 52/1.8 helicoid that has enough capability for close up shooting in ordinary use. Though my desperate effort was required to accomplish this work only my own finger work not with any machining except a drilling machine and a grinder. It goes without writing that I could have much and studied more deeply on the way and they the true fun to be desired. However long period of time was necessary to carry it out, it took me 50 years, never give up and keep in mind all the time is my way. Thank to this special arrangement, 39cm minimum distance and 1/5.3 magnification were obtained, now a long lasting and crogging disadvantage of Leica M lenses, minimum closing distance 1 m has eliminated and a marbelous M Summilux 50/1.4 can prevail in my collection, 50 years dream came true, I appreciate to the engineers in SONY researching and developing division from the bottom of my heart! Ernst Leitz M Summilux 50/1.4 2nd generation lens is the finest one for all through my life.

2020年10月11日日曜日

Leica M Summilux 50mm/1.4 on Hexanon 52mm/1.8 helicoid


Not a few photographer might feel some inconvenience to make use of old range-finder camera lens on recent digital mirror-less format, because of lack of close-up capability. For example, most of Leica M lenses were so made to focus up in the range of infinity and 1 m, the nearest position for the standard lenses are not enough especially when used on a recent designed digital camera body. Ordinary 50 mm lenses produced for SLR in silver salt period have 45 cm close up capability, there exists some big difference between them for usual conveniences. The same opinion could be declared on Leica M Summilux 50 mm/1.4 second generation. It is true that it could be used on SONY E-mount body without any Physical problem except the close-up capability. On the other hand, the possibility to brought out side is reduced because of the dictated problem.

I caught my eyes  on the fact that the lens module including iris construction and helicoid mechanical moving part can be separated, then, what will happen if the module could be put in an another helicoid mechanism with close up possibility?  Just conveniently could I obtain Konica 52 mm/1.8 SLR lens at only 1 yen from Yahoo auction, my idea should be realistic at all so I determined. The helicoid extension of Konica 52 mm is 45 cm and Summilux lens module is acceptable diameter with the least modification on Hexanon lens case.

I must declare here why I insist on Leica M Summilux 50 mm/1.4, it is the extraordinary correction of spherical aberration, S shape curve correction is done between 1.4 and 2.0, this method has not be came across with in the field, no other one has such a way like this lens. Of course Summicron has outstanding character in any performances, sharpness and resolution, but if the title comes to "lens taste", my ranking is changed immediately, Summilux 50 mm/1.4 is the second to none, especially on the resolution of atmosphere at the moment. According to my long lasting distinction on that, I came to the conclusion to proceed to operate on this case as a matter of fact.

Because my Leica M Summilux 50mm /1.4 has acquired the capability of close-up shooting 45 cm at the minimum distance, I will make it a rule to bring out whenever I do it keeping it at the corner of my C-bag.

2020年10月1日木曜日

Standard lenses I'm keeping


Not a few standard lenses are here, all of them can be applicable on SONY E-mount. I got stuck in a swamp of lenses for about 2 years recently. Some of them were produced over 30 years ago and another were done more than half a century ago. Thank to the development of the technology in Digital Imaging sensors, we can see their Physical capability at that time so clearly on our LCD, it's a great fun for me at all. Utilizing our Digital camera as a Lens Optical measuring equipment, so apparently we can see the performance in stead of some expensive dedicated experimental equipment. Every produced lens product has their own character that differs each other.

On the other hand, recent lens production has the least disadvantage reducing lack of edge light source, resolution and sharpness with some high price. Lens Baby is a extraordinary character to show far inferior edge resolution, this is an intentional design. The specific design to reproduce only the central area is the way to be invited by some photographers for consolidation of central area in the picture.

As for my own opinion, concepts that form the basis of lens design had been established over 50 years ago and they are prevailing even now. I have no idea to purchase high priced lensed produced recently.