Pentacon 2.8/135 - first shots

sichko · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 2475 Location: South West UK

The lens (older version 15 blades) came with a Domiplan and a Praktica Nova for not very much. After a good clean I took it out today.

Here are 3 shots of the same subject (Canna iridiflora) from different angles. Pentacon 2.8/135 at f/8 on Nikon D40x with Kood infinity (glass) adapter; RAW capture with moderate PP.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Seems this Kood works fine for close captures. Have you tried at near infinity ? My noname glass adapter performed quite well for close and was horrible for longer distance.

Barata · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 223 Location: Ovar - Portugal

Colors seem a bit shallow.

From a nikon camera i'd expect a bit more color saturation. Or is it the lens?

I liked the bokeh.
Second photo sharp is right on!
Keep them coming. Wink

sichko · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 2475 Location: South West UK

I am aware of the potential problem you describe Attila. I usually use 135s for plant "portraits". However I often take a shot of something in the medium or longer distance as I'm walking home. Here's one from today - it's not infinity but 30 m - maybe.

Full frame - sharpened in reduction - Bicubic Sharper

100% crop - no sharpening

More generally, I find focussing at long distances difficult anyway - with a variety of lenses including the Jupiter 37A with a Nikon mount and the Telear-N, also with a Nikon mount. I had thought about the adapter - when using it - but it could also be my eyesight or technique. I'm not sure how I can do a test which will distinguish between the different possibilities.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

I see no evidence of lens adapter did present Shocked

this lens is not sharper even without adapter. Might be I did never sell my D50 if I did know this adapter exists! Fantastic!

sichko · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 2475 Location: South West UK

@Attila - I think that I was lucky when I started my MFLens career. The Kood was the only infinity adapter that I'd heard of when I bought it and I had absolutely no idea how it would work.

@Barata - thanks for your comments. I agree that the second picture is the best. I included the third because of the bokeh. the colours are not right. however the problem is with the editor - ME. After about a year of shooting in JPEG only I now shoot in RAW+JPEG. Unfortunately the camera only allows "basic" JPEGs. These are unusuable because of artefacts but they give me some idea of the colours I might like.

Here's the JPEG for #3 - straight from the camera after cropping and resizing - there's quite alot in in-camera sharpening..

... and here it is after editing - to my taste ...

The colour of the flower is spot-on - on my monitor. Unfortunately I haven't been able to extract this from the RAW file - yet! Perhaps I'll have another go later today.

NikonD · Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Posts: 1922 Location: Slovenija

I would like to see this kood adapter perform on f2.8