Best of 2018...

wolan · Joined: 30 Jun 2015 Posts: 576 Location: Zurich

Hi,

2018 was for me a the best photographic year so far. I'd like to share with you my best ofs:

Best lens period: Carl Zeiss Pancolar 55mm f1.4
This is a magic lens, it was love at the first shot.
My gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wizardofdof/albums/72157700228082931

Surprise lens: Jupiter-11 135mm f4 L39 version
Not quite a surprise actually, I bought it long ago, but the adapter detached (it was a version modified for Nikon mount). I manage to repair it and now I can go out without it
Gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wizardofdof/albums/72157702211416991

Absolute surprise lens few know about:Cosina 50mm f1.7
It cost me almost less than the shipping cost from Germany, where I bought it. It is a fantastic lens, the bokeh is unique and stopped down is very sharp.
Gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wizardofdof/albums/72157699188414152

Yet another lovely, lovely Helios: Helios-89 39mm f1.9
I use it mainly for macros and close-up. I bought it out of curiosity and the results are stunning.
My gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wizardofdof/albums/72157701983635605

I have bought and used many other MF lenses this year, but the three above stand out from the rest.

Please share your best of, including the pictures!

I wish you a happy photographic new year.
N.

sergtum · Joined: 14 Nov 2016 Posts: 735

Happy New Year!!!

Westanar 135/3,5 and Ортагоз 13,5/4,5 are absolute surprise lenses for me
https://www.flickr.com/photos/136961670@N04/albums/72157694877049784
https://www.flickr.com/photos/136961670@N04/albums/72157697031553902

tb_a · Expire: 2019-08-28

That not that easy for me although my lens purchase was rather limited this year. I think only 7 lenses or so....

Most probably my best idea was the purchase of the very versatile Voigtlaender VM Nokton 40mm/F1.4 as it turned out to be now my most favorite walk around lens, particularly on my Techart PRO adapter which is adding AF and close focus capabilities for my new A7R II:

http://forum.mflenses.com/voigtlander-nokton-40mm-f1-4-on-sony-a7r-ii-t79831.html

BTW, also a "Happy New Year" to all of you!

Cheers,

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 3754 Location: Switzerland

Difficult to say... last year i spent much more time on publishing books than on searching / finding lenses!

Interestingly, i got quite a few vintage cameras, such as the Nikon F, F4 and F5, the Pentax LX, the Canon F-1 old, an EOS-1 and a few German cameras including the Leicaflex SL, the Voigtländer Ultramatic CS, and an early Praktiflex (brass!).

Lenses? Canon FL-F 5.6/300 Fluorite, Nikkor 4.5/300mm IF-ED, Pentax M* 4/300mm ED ... And a few Konicas, among them a super-rare 1.8/85mm for the original Konica F. And a Minolta AF 2/100mm ... a really nice lens! Probably some more stuff, but i don't remember everything Wink

Stephan

jamaeolus · Expire: 2015-08-20

Like stevemark I also bought way more gear than I will likely ever have time to really use. But I love checking out the characteristics, learning about the cameras, the lenses and trying them out on the a7rii.

Paulius · Joined: 25 Nov 2014 Posts: 321 Location: Connecticut

For me in 2018 the enlarger lenses has been rediscovered on Sony A7R2.
I find the Componons, Rodagons and Geronons plus APO versions are the sharpest lenses you can find, covering a huge circles, FF in this circles are only the central portion, distortions and CA absolutely free.
For the bellow it started from 100 mm up to 210mm, also I'm going to utilize a helicon adapter for the shorter focal leigh.

Happy New Year for all fellows photographers!

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

A lot was going on in 2018, found and bought so many unique lenses, which still many haven't been converted and used, the Carl Zeiss Visionar 183mm + 200mm for instance, the Ob512 quartz fluoride CAT prototype lens from the Russian Mission to Mars, the Russian Zikar-1 f1.3/100mm space CAT lens from their space programe, the NYE Optical Lyman Alpha high speed catoptric f1.1/90mm lens etc etc. ... Wink

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 3754 Location: Switzerland

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 3754 Location: Switzerland

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 3754 Location: Switzerland

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

Sjak · Joined: 29 Sep 2017 Posts: 696

For me, by far the biggest asset was finally biting the bullet and getting an M Monochrom. Lens-wise, sending my Jupiter-3 to Ukraine for CLA & calibration to Leica-standard was gold. I shot for several months almost exclusively with that lens on the Monochrom.

Collection-wise, it was fun getting a range of Leica-adjusted Jupiter 3-8-9-12, Orion-15 and Industar-50.

New experience was participating in a studio-workshop with pro-light and models, which resulted in my first pics published (on a modest scale)

casualcollector · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2019 6:31 pm Post subject:

For me, 2018 turned out to be "The Year Of The ZUIKO"! These were not actively sought acquisitions, rather, accidental finds at stoopid prices.

The first ones came during the summer from a Habitat for Humanity store. A box marked at $12 or $15 contained a Canon Power Winder F, 1.8/50mm Zuiko and 2.8/24mm Zuiko.

Later in the summer, a friend was cleaning out closets and asked if I'd be the caretaker of her Olympus outfit. This kit included well used OM2n camera body, 1.4 50mm, 3.5/28mm Zuikos and a Vivitar 75-205/3.8, dedicated Oly Winder, accessory shoe and flash, 2X and 3X converters, filters. Biggest sentimental treasure for me was a little paper admission ticket from southern New Jersey's famous Atco Dragway where the outfit picked up its many dings, scuffs, scratches and general wear as she photographed her husband's drag racing exploits.

In early December my girlfriend called from an estate sale in sprawling Palm Bay, Florida. She and her friends had purchased a piece of furniture too large and heavy for them to handle. We cruised the sale while waiting for additional muscle to arrive and found a box of camera gear containing an OM1-MD, 2/85, 4/200 and 4/75-150 for a modest sum.

None of the stuff is in primo condition as it suffers loose focus grips, sluggish apertures and general use wear, but that matters little as they should be able to function well enough when adapted to my EOS DSLR.