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Cyclop - The One-Eyed Monster
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hey Woodrim i don't want to discourage you but i think you give too much importance to CA and one photo proof. I can send you 10 photos with the same Cyclop having much CA and 10 photos without any CA all without post-processing. CA depends on many conditions.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I could have bought three or four recently. I paid just under $50 shipped.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
What you call matt finish looks like a textured paint. Why is that one better? Does it have anything to do with having the name Cyclops as opposed to that other marking?

No, it has a smoother focussing ring.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 8:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
Hey Woodrim i don't want to discourage you but i think you give too much importance to CA and one photo proof. I can send you 10 photos with the same Cyclop having much CA and 10 photos without any CA all without post-processing. CA depends on many conditions.


I'm not discouraged, but I remain encouraged by the sample picture. The lenses I have here that display fringing would have definitely shown some in that situation. Additionally, there was no ghosting around brightness like my other fast telephoto lenses (not even this fast). All is encouraging. However, I do realize that some cameras, presumably the software, handle CA better than others. His camera was a Canon Rebel, mine is Sony. But to narrow down the causes other than what I just acknowledged, I understand it to result from high contrast, light and dark adjoining areas... or maybe just the bright and anything else.

He did report that while he had much difficulty focusing successfully, all the bad focus pictures were also free of CA. Still, in the end, I expect to get some amount of it; I just hope that it isn't severe.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
Anytime I've tried to measure actual infinity, I've run out of room.


Laughing Laughing Laughing


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 6:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
He did report that while he had much difficulty focusing successfully, all the bad focus pictures were also free of CA. Still, in the end, I expect to get some amount of it; I just hope that it isn't severe.


I think you should take it easy, as a "fun" project. Worrying about CA before you have even received it... Surprised

Just enjoy it and all's well Cool


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 6:07 pm    Post subject: Protruding rear lens - poor results Reply with quote
On the Cyclops I bought - yes it is the later copy with the lens protruding from the rear Sad - the image quality is very poor when mounted on a macro extension.






Lens seems very clean inside, but the front elements seem to have huge flaws in the coating. Perhaps this is the issue? Works very well as a night sight though Smile



Pretty sure it would not be possible to get infinity focus without taking a hacksaw to the rear end. Not worth doing if the image is going to be this soft anyway Smile Think I'll have to wait for one of the older models to come up at a reasonable price.


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 6:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I don't know that the image quality is so poor as much as it is just a very shallow point of focus. The lens in normal mode has a very shallow focus, being a f/1.5. Now throw in the extender and in macro it's going to be even worse.

I've seen a picture of that rear pretrusion; can it be cut off without affecting the rear element? And if so, would it then be functional as M42?


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 6:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Spotmatic wrote:
I think you should take it easy, as a "fun" project. Worrying about CA before you have even received it... Surprised

Just enjoy it and all's well Cool


Who, me worry? I merely was emoting my joy in not detecting CA. I deal with CA all the time and with good success. I look forward to playing with this monster.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
I don't know that the image quality is so poor as much as it is just a very shallow point of focus. The lens in normal mode has a very shallow focus, being a f/1.5. Now throw in the extender and in macro it's going to be even worse.

I've seen a picture of that rear pretrusion; can it be cut off without affecting the rear element? And if so, would it then be functional as M42?


Hi Woodrim,

Going by the third shot of the print on a box, it seems to me to be extremely soft, even when it is within the very narrow DOF. I am comparing to some of the amazing shots posted in this thread, taken with the variants which don't have the blue coating (badly applied or not Smile ).

The rear element unscrews, but still leaves the metal tube onto which the rear element is mounted. I believe someone else has posted a shot of it.

I have taken the rear element off and taken a couple of shots without it. They seem to me to exhibit exactly the same softness, hence I reckon it might be the coating causing the problem. Taking a hacksaw to the rear tube would maximise the possibility of getting infinity focus.

If I can't sell it as a night sight, I might get drastic and try to remove the coating to see if that improves matters. No idea how to do that though, without marking the glass itself Twisted Evil


PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
I don't know that the image quality is so poor as much as it is just a very shallow point of focus. The lens in normal mode has a very shallow focus, being a f/1.5. Now throw in the extender and in macro it's going to be even worse.

I've seen a picture of that rear pretrusion; can it be cut off without affecting the rear element? And if so, would it then be functional as M42?


Extender and macro use? Don't do it, there are many better options for around 50 EUR.

As i said don't buy blue coated version. It's optical design is fully different with terrible glass in it, no matter what you cut or rearrange. I had luck and sell it further as night vision device hopefully to a paintballer not a real hunter Wink.

Here some Cyclop samples done yesterday at Arabic nights on Cilli's castle. Scroll right please and sorry for all vertical photos.












PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great shots: I fixed the vertical photos for you (just add a blank line between the photos).


PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
woodrim wrote:
I don't know that the image quality is so poor as much as it is just a very shallow point of focus. The lens in normal mode has a very shallow focus, being a f/1.5. Now throw in the extender and in macro it's going to be even worse.

I've seen a picture of that rear pretrusion; can it be cut off without affecting the rear element? And if so, would it then be functional as M42?


Extender and macro use? Don't do it, there are many better options for around 50 EUR.

As i said don't buy blue coated version. It's optical design is fully different with terrible glass in it, no matter what you cut or rearrange. I had luck and sell it further as night vision device hopefully to a paintballer not a real hunter Wink.

Here some Cyclop samples done yesterday at Arabic nights on Cilli's castle.


Yes, very nice shots. Exactly what I was hoping for when I ordered my night sight. Shame i didn't see your original post identifying the blue versions as the duff ones before I clicked the button Sad. Never mind, I am sure that the correct version will come along soon.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, you at least have a night vision scope, and that has to be a pretty cool thing. But after the initial novelty wears off, I was thinking of pairing mine up with something like a Helios 44-2 and selling it. Was thinking that might work out well.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you guys. I am glad you like the photos.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2010 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've tested the illumniation mods with this "lens".
It's funny to see people in a the dark Laughing


PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, I finally managed to buy one (well, two actually Smile ) and they are both of the right sort, with the orange/yellow lens coating and no protruberance Smile


It's grey and raining here, but managed to get a couple of shots.




The second one (complete with laser marker hand grip, shoulder strap and carry case) is for sale if anyone is interested. <edit>SORRY IT'S GONE ALREADY</edit>



Last edited by martyn_bannister on Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:51 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Congratulations on the arrival of your twins, and very lovely they are too Laughing

Nice first samples too - it's a lens that's really a lot of fun, but that's also more than capable of surprisingly good results in the right hands.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Mal1905 wrote:
Congratulations on the arrival of your twins, and very lovely they are too Laughing


Thanks Smile

Mal1905 wrote:
Nice first samples too - it's a lens that's really a lot of fun, but that's also more than capable of surprisingly good results in the right hands.


That rules me out then Smile. If the sun ever shines again I fancy taking this one walkabout to see what I can get.

<edit> Done that now http://forum.mflenses.com/cyclops-went-walkabout-t31465.html </edit>

Last edited by martyn_bannister on Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:52 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Martyn: You seemed to capture the swirl nicely in the purple flower shot. Given the very shallow focus depth, do you have any thoughts about how best to use this lens? I'm thinking angle as well as type of subject is important. I won't have mine in hand for another month or so.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
BTW, I'm not seeing any CA. Did you process it out or not get any?


PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
In my own experience I've never noticed any CA when processing shots taken with this lens, can't speak for Martyn though.

woodrim wrote:
BTW, I'm not seeing any CA. Did you process it out or not get any?


PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
woodrim wrote:
Martyn: You seemed to capture the swirl nicely in the purple flower shot. Given the very shallow focus depth, do you have any thoughts about how best to use this lens? I'm thinking angle as well as type of subject is important. I won't have mine in hand for another month or so.

Hiya,

What appealed to me in the shots already posted in this thread were the full face portrait shots. The "taken at an angle to emphasise the DOF" shots are really fun too, but the portraits with the whole subject (face) in focus but the background madly OOF are gorgeous in my eyes. The swirl didn't seem to show up through the viewfinder, but is obvious in the final image. I love it, but entirely down to the lens, not the nut behind it.

As for CA, absolutely no PP at all. All I did was resize down to 640 wide and post them up.

Given that they were less than £50 each, I think these are fantastic quality lenses for the price. When I get a chance I'd like to have a go with home made aperture masks of different shapes too. Like to see what that will do for the bokeh Smile


PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Here are a couple with a heart shaped iris made from tin foil. It has the desired effect (#2), but would be better made from black paper/card (#1 showing internal reflection?)




PS, not an original idea Smile


PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks Mal and Martyn. I had mentioned earlier in this thread that I didn't observe any CA in test shots sent to me by my friend who still has my lens. I find that quite amazing given the f/1.5 opening. I get plenty of CA from lenses much slower, some even considerably newer.

I did pick up on the earlier discussion about fabricating an iris. I too would like to experiment some with that approach. I'd like to find the best compromise iris size for depth/bokeh. I think someone mentioned installing it inside the lens. If it's possible to easily open the lens I would think that a better approach. I'm assuming that you held your tin foil in front of the lens. If that approach is all we have to work with, I would think a black lens cap, cut for the opening, would work well as the iris, although I can't get past thinking it is better to be inside and behind the front element.
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