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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

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Return to 1945s steam - Vivitar 85/1.8 preset
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 4:45 pm
Post subject: Return to 1945s steam - Vivitar 85/1.8 preset
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 4:45 pm
Post subject: Return to 1945s steam - Vivitar 85/1.8 preset
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We visited the Watercress Steam Line in Hampshire today, which is a steam line purchased and brought back into use after British Rail decided to stop running commercial services back in 1973 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watercress_Line

Today was a special reconstruction of 1945, and all shots in this post were taken with the old and rare Vivitar 85mm f/1.8 preset model Smile

#1


Vivitar 85/1.8 portrait by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#2


IMG_0463.jpg by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#3


Watercress 1945 2 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#4


Watercress 1945 3 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#5


Watercress 1945 4 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#6


Watercress 1945 5 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#7


Watercress 1945 6 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#8


Watercress 1945 7 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#9


Watercress 1945 8 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#10


Watercress 1945 9 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#11


Watercress 1945 10 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#12


Watercress 1945 11 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr

#13


Watercress 1945 12 by <<BackToTheFuture>>, on Flickr


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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:17 pm
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:17 pm
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Very good...being an old fart I remember steam trains. clothes etc in the 40s....... Cool


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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:20 pm
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:20 pm
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Excalibur wrote:
Very good...being an old fart I remember steam trains. clothes etc in the 40s....... Cool


Haha! I have to say, these old steam trains are remarkably smooth Smile


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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:23 pm
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:23 pm
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The whole series is very nice indeed! I cannot decide which of the pictures I like best.


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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:29 pm
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:29 pm
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What - no rain?
The line isn't under water?
Lovely set.


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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:12 pm
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:12 pm
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Thanks guys Smile There was a bit of rain, but not enough to stop these wonderful old trains. Unlike the modern ones Laughing


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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:38 pm
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:38 pm
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Superb images Very Happy


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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:12 pm
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:12 pm
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A nice young lady can 'sell' everything #1 looks best to me, excellent capture.


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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:56 pm
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:56 pm
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graham, is it me or is this lens really incredible??!! really, im not sure ive seen better portrait lens shots. the first of your wife just blows me away for the detail, color and bokeh. can you post a picture, opinion and some lens info at your leisure?
tony


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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:16 am
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:16 am
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Absolutely stunning series. How on earth do people keep that stuff? I really love the steam trains - takes me back to Clapham Junction in the 40's Embarassed


patrickh


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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:29 am
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:29 am
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Excellent series as usual. I think that I would have preferred film over digital here though - period feeling Wink
Are those people in #5 dancing one-step? Smile
#11 is the best one in my opinion, it looks like a scene from a movie.


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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 1:45 am
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 1:45 am
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Attila wrote:
A nice young lady can 'sell' everything #1 looks best to me, excellent capture.


+1 another great series.


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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:46 pm
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:46 pm
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Great set, love the period clothes and the steam train especially.


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Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:59 pm
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Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:59 pm
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Great series and for sure a great lens! My fav is #1 & #8, two nice shots with lovely details and some great pop! I like also #5, just a shame the "modern" car on the background Rolling Eyes ....


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Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:01 pm
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Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:01 pm
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rbelyell wrote:
graham, is it me or is this lens really incredible??!! really, im not sure ive seen better portrait lens shots. the first of your wife just blows me away for the detail, color and bokeh. can you post a picture, opinion and some lens info at your leisure?
tony


Hi Tony, this is a really interesting lens as there aren't many examples about. It's a preset model from a line which all looked very similar. I previously owned the 135/3.5 (which was not impressive) and the 300/5.6 which had wonderful bokeh but suffered badly from flare and was soft until stopped down to f/8. But...the 300mm had some pop!

This 85mm lens lacks contrast compared to more modern designs, and I needed to increase the blacks on the shots here as a result. I think most of the shots here were taken ay f/2.8 and some possibly at f/4. It was a bit of risk taking it to this event, but I'm really pleased with the results Smile

Here's an earlier post:

http://forum.mflenses.com/vivitar-85-1-8-t-mount-samples-t16541.html


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Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 12:53 pm
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Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 12:53 pm
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Good series. I like the candids in particular.
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