Beginning of Winter season

Believing in the information by Hankyu Railway Co., I visited "Zuihou-in" park today with confidence, but the condition was inferior to that of "Kyuanji" at Ikeda Tada visited the other day. Consequently, miss-combustion of my mind obliged myself to extend for another place, it was "Zuihouji-park" situated at Arima, just 10 km Northern portion from Ashiya into Mt. Rokko. 2nd visited place was good enough to satisfy my willingness to shoot. A milk-stand deep inside of the park will close from tomorrow till next Spring because of cold weather, so said the sellers to me. 1 more week will invite chilly temperature here.

Canon Demi HS 30 mm/17 lens transplantation, 6 elements and 4 groups

Probably the lightest lens is prepared by DIY arrangement utilizing Canon Demi HS 30 mm/17 lens with interplantation, weighs only 86 gr.. Half size imaging circle obliges to crop down to SPS-C format, but it's permissive for my usual use as a standard focal length lens. Iris control is available by adjusting a lever rotating and extraordinary 20 cm close-up capability is an indispensable gospel at all even with an original helicoid parts diversion. Cute and adorable appearance of this modified lens has an enough potential to surprise and frighten even a SONY engineer. 6 elements and 4 groups lens design construction has enough advanced concept even on Digital Imaging Sensor, no argument is acceptable to show it's resolution power and sharpness with delicacy. Small & Cute figure do not mean less capability even on a recent designed sophisticated Digital equipment.

Camouflage on lens barrel surface

It looked transparent to use without cleaning in the posterior element of Zoom-HEXANON AR 35~70/3.5 2nd generation at the beginning, but careful investigation found out small colony of hatred mold inside. Without any hesitation to disassemble thoroughly, all the rear groupe was removed and cleaned including applying edge black coating for the most posterior glass circle. With all this kind of thorough measures, I will have some clean & transparent pics by this zoom lens, anyway adorable one. My lenses are all camouflaged with any pet bottle decoration, so to speak Urban town camouflage. By applying this kind of funny appearance on the barrel, I can reduce the high presence of Tele-photo lens in front of the general public leading to soothing facial expressions of the others. This is why I apply camouflage on the camera lenses with funny & toy-like coloring, but all are reversible.

Konica Zoom-HEXANON AR 35~70mm/3.5

Without discipline, bid I another standard zoom lens in Yahoo Auction and the fact that no other competitor existed led me to obtain additional one at 1 yen, meaning getting the item for sipping fee only. Store in Yahoo Auction often sells some item at 1 yen for the sake of dealing strategy and some bidder might catch a chance if no other applicant exits. The harvest this time is Konica Zoom-HEXANON AR 35~70mm F3.5 with no mechanical damage, no trace of wear and no other defect except mold breeding inside. It is true that a Zoom lens is convenient to be carried with a photographer because of adjustable shooting angle, no need to endure the weight of several fixed focus length lenses. On the other hand, the weight of zoom lens can not be ignore some time. The lighter the lens weight is, the more opportunity to be brought out as a matter of fact. Consequently, zoom lens like this time often thrown away unused just damaged by mould attack inside. Though such a defect could be repaired by cleaning as before, specific tools, technology and know-how are required to do that. Even a layman can be an expert if several experiences should overcome. This hobby work is exactly fit with me, a retired engineer who has enough free time. The least payment with the greatest contentment is my life style. Clogged mould colony were on the glass surfaces shown in the figure. Piston & Cylinder like movement of zooming module invites many mold spores in action and the same in iris portion. As an experimental attempt, I ordered 62 mm metal lens hood in the morning today and I got it this evening without shipping fee, how come? Incredibly quick commercial distribution organization should be established already these days! Maintained, cleaned and finished one squeezed to be used ASAP, so went I for shooting with this new one today to an old farmer's house. Performance of this zoom lens is the second to none!

Ultimate performance of RMC Tokina 35-70-/3.5

Immediately after obtaining, RMC Tokina 35-70mm/3.5 Zoom lens was put into operation on SONY Alpha 9 for the evening scenery shooting at Dojima Nakanoshima Osaka yesterday. Thanks to some desperate effort done for cleaning and maintenance by myself, the potential and capability were exerted enough for the requirement on the various sceneries. Clean and transparent pics were obtained as a matter of fact with smooth and comfortable performance in every shooting, no complaint at all.

RMC Tokina 35-70/3.5 on SONY Alpha 9

A pretty old zoom lens has newly obtained from Yahoo Auction the other day, RMC Tokina 35-70/3.5 has done at the cheapest price 90 yen considering it's condition, no hitting mark, no rusting, no clogging and no other mechanical defect except broad mould colony marks. No evidence of being worn out shows it's history that very few opportunity to be used. Full disassembling on every lens housing promptly proved that 98% optical performance was been acquired and all the slipping and waving parts were supplied with rublicant adequately. Now, Tokina 35-70 zoom lens has survived like a Phoenix on the Digital imaging sensor in SONY Alpha 9 today, as a selemony, Autumn colored leaves will be a good target after long sleeping for over half a century time interval. The result would appear in later report.

Autumn leaves scenery shooting

I went out for Autumn Scenery shooting to Ikeda Kyuhoji and Minou yesterday successfully. The former temple was at the best condition and the latter required more 1 to 2 weeks to be the best. The equipment brought with me was Minolta MD Zoom Rokkor 28-85 on Sony alpha 9. Their potentials are enough for me to shoot colorful Autumn Leaves. Though this zoom lens was the first time to bring out with me, I felt the least inconvenience for actual use, independent focusing and zooming rings required some trial experience but no problem at all. It's a good Gospel for me to catch old silver-salt period time lenses at the least prices like nothing in Yahoo Auction, though some skill and experience might be required to clean dust and mould colony on the lens surfaces. Cleaning and fixing old lenses procedures, actual shooting test are the better way for Geriatric like myself to kill free time. Though the lenses obtained at the cheapest prices have became more and more in number, now is the time to refrain from continuing this style.

The potential of AR Zoom Hexanon 28-135

AR Zoom Hexanon 28-135 was brought out with me today for the first time, as this mould covered one was cleaned and maintained yesterday. 960 gr weight including mounting adapter is just a little bit heavy for usual use together with SONY alpha 9 and I did not have good future outlook at all. But, my fortune telling was turned over completely after checking today's harvest on my PC LCD, too good to be denied as a conclusion. Though test shooting performed priorly in the room did not show any good result in resolution and sharpness, the broad picture angle, 28 mm to 135 mm is some good insurance like a soldier equipped with grenade rancher. Color, resolution and sharpness have no room to be complained for this AR Zoom Hexanon 28-135 Tokinar made OEM lens produced over 50 years ago. Consequently, I am obliged to carry this heavier zoom lens together with me for the time being, how come?

Konica AR Zoom Hexanon 28-135 obtained

As I have experienced comfortable convenience of variable focal length lens on Minolta Zoom Rokkor 35-135 with satisfactory, the direction of my tentacles has changed into opposite side. Consequently, I came across with Konica AR Zoom Hexanon 28-135 when 50-135 idea was in my mind. Though latter one was found in Yahoo Auction at relatively higher price, 9,600 yen with Minolta bland, I found out former one with Konica bland at 1,300 yen with FTA body. In spite of the least desire, the items arrived was not so bad but not a mint condition, considerable mould colony were scattered on the frontal surface of the initial zooming module, as a matter for good resulting news, all the shadow and cloudiness was eliminated with my desperate efforts as usual. Grease-up and hard viscosity oil application on required surfaces recovered some smooth and comfortable handling feeling finally, in addition 40 cm close-up distance at 35 mm is one of an indispensable good gospel. Shooting test on comparison with fixed focal lenght lenses proved that this newly obtained Zoom Hexanon 28-135 has enough potential and capability to use as my equipment, with 960 gr weight makes me feel a bit heavy as a little hesitation.

"Rokudou-e" in Ohtsu Ethnographic Museum

I had an opportunity to visit Ohtsu Ethnographic Museum to meet with historic Buddhism Graphics called "Rokudou-e" being exhibited every 30 years. So, this is the last chance to meet with them especially for Geriatric. As is often the case that all of them were not so clear and brilliant but dark and dull because of hundreds of period of time, just a natural phenomena. The efforts of keeping their condition as it had been is great and above words. As most of the visitor of the Museum does, I dropped in Mii-temple on the way back that is famous for specially designed big Bell. Large and beautiful place was well maintained and was worth visiting. The station Miidera of Keihan Rail Way was just beside the Canal called Sosui or Incline, that was artificially engraved for the purpose of electric power source for the Tram in Kyoto City, but now not.

Better performance of Minolta MD Zoom Rokkor 35-135/3.5

I dropped in the shooting point at Itami Osaka International Airport on my way home yesterday arriving at the place just before Sunset. As my Alpha 9 body had only MD Zoom 35-135 by chance, I thought some lack of Telephoto focal length, actually, over 300 mm must be suitable for Airplane shooting from a distance. But, my anxiety was in vain, 135 mm length was enough for shooting the taking off phase as a matter of fact. Over 40 years old Minolta Zoom lens played well as if it was produced recently with some sophisticated technology and I have no complaint about it's Physical performance if it is applied in front of the full sized image sensor. The lens designing technology must have been established already over 40 years ago, though some one might dictates some lack of capability of old lenses if they were used on digital sensors. Ordinary photographers do not always eager for the ultimate performance at all, as for me, my desire would be fulfilled if the atmospheric resolution should be reproduced on the picture, because the only one lens was used at the critical scenery. The more twinkling F number, the less opportunity to take it out, because of the heavy weight and the more distance from the standard focal length, the less chance to meet with.