Going Wide: the $170 Solution

amateriat

amateriat

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So...it got so that every ultrawide RF lens I came across for sale ("ultrawide" in my world being anything beyond 24mm in scope) carried a too-large price tag for me. The rare UW that came up in Classifieds here got snapped up about an hour before I knew it was available. And, I wasn't all that certain how much I'd really dig dealing with a separate VF. So I thought about finding a UW for my lil' Olympus. And then saw what original Olympus OM UW glass was fetching you-know-where. Even the third-party glass was a tad insane...except this.

So now, I'll see how clever or silly I was in snagging this. If it works to my reasonable satisfaction, I'll be thrilled (and so will galfriend, who will insist on using it a good deal herself with her OM-2S...). Results posted here as soon as possible.


- Barrett
 
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21 - 35 ... what a great focal length for an OM. It'll be interesting to see what the quality is like ... especially in the distortion department! 🙂
 
Keith: Yeah...Sigma has long had something of a hit-or-miss rep regarding WAs and distortion. Once upon a time, I wouldn't touch a Sigma WA with the proverbial bargepole, but I'm in sort of a "beggars can't be choosers" situation with my little OM-2, and I'm not parting with upwards of $500-600 for the privilege of snagging a 21 f/3.5 Zuiko (no, you don't want to know what the f/2 goes for). All the Sig has to be is "not too 'orrible" in the barrel-distortion department, and I'll be happy. This lens will also make this not-quite-so-Evil SLR a good deal more relevant in my active camera arsenal. And, hell, where else can I get a halfway-decent ultrawide for under two Ben Franklins?


- Barrett
 
YEAH!

A Sigma 21-35 was the first wide angle lens I ever had for a 35mm camera, AND the first zoom as well. Mine was for a Canon A1, and both are long gone. Quality was far above my expectations - I still think some of the slides I shot with it are some of the best color work I've ever done.

I'm sure you are gonna love the lens.
 
As a way of returning the favor of good luck...

I have a hankering for it, too, but I'm already set, and a tad tapped-out for the time being. 🙂

Edit: Of course, some third-party optics will still set you back a nice chunk.


- Barrett
 
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Going Wide, Part Two: or, You Get What You Need

Going Wide, Part Two: or, You Get What You Need

The saga, so far:

The lens arrived late yesterday, and it's damn-near-mint:

"I saw her today at the reception..."
Olympus OM-2n, Olympus VariMagni finder, Sigma 21-35mm f/3.5-f/4 zoom
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I had an hour and a half outside with it late this afternoon, and should have results tomorrow. Everything felt solid about this lens (which figures, since it was their first–in fact, the very first for anyone–foray into ultra-wide-zoom territory. Funny how we took things like all-metal construction for granted back then, even regarding third-party manufacturers we once turned up our noses at.

And, in a single stroke, my long-dormant Manfrotto tripod and monopod have found a new calling...also a Good Thing.

So it's not the hip-pocket 35mm view-camera setup I envisioned. But if you try sometimes...


- Barrett
 

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I had a sigma 14-24 or somewhere around there in nikon f ai-s mount a while back. It had the worst distortion I've ever seen, but was decently sharp! I think yours will be much better.
 
i just wanted to say the TOkina 17/3.5, but i see somebody got in front.
I have one in minolta af mount. It's quite a cool lens. Regarding that i payed 150 euro for it, in near-mint condition, i am glad with the deal.
This was like five years ago...
I used it sometimes extensively, and sometimes didnt touch it for months.
Lately my whole slr kit is kinda ignored, but i probably wont sell the lens.

It's not a supersharp Leitz Whateveron in the corners, and has some light falloff, but low distortion and it's good enough in most cases.

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I just picked up a 24mm f2.8 Vivitar OM mount for the grand price of... £5.
Only problem is it won't stop down, so it is going to Techy Tom (the photo technician at my college) after the spring break.
Still, can't complain for a fiver.
 
hope you noticed before using it, that the lens shade is rotated 90°.
have fun!

oh, by the way: the fred gallagher from your signature - is he related to piro (megatokyo)?

cheers
sebastian
 
While my film (two rolls of Portra 160NC) is getting souped down the street, here are a few observations:

- Looking through the viewfinder late this morning, I could see obvious vignetting at the extreme corners. Not unusual; the few fixed UWs I've used have had a bit less, but when stopped-down a click or two, it's hardly noticeable on film. We'll see how this works out with this particular lens in a few hours, although I didn't do much wide-open shooting yesterday or today.

- At my local Rite Aid (where the film is getting souped), I asked why I haven't seen any more three-packs of Kodak BW400CN. The answer, from the woman in charge of the minilab, is that she's put in orders for it, but it hasn't shown up. People are definitely buying the stuff there (and there's always film going in and our of the Noritsu there), but she thinks it might have to do with the store reorganizing the display shelving in that area.

- This is the most fun I've had with an SLR in years. The little Olympus and the reasonably-sized Sigma work rather nicely together. I don't think it's the ticket for rapid-fire, surreptitious snaps (compared to my RFs, anyway), it works well in the hands for the somewhat more contemplative work I envisioned doing with this combo.

- Mechanically, this lens is so rock-solid, and just heavy enough to remind you that it isn't a toy. Anybody remember what this thing retailed for around, say, 1990? I've had OEM zooms that didn't feel this heavy-duty.

If I like the on-film results, I'll have to eat at least 75% of the trash-talk I hurled at Sigma over the last two decades.

I have to pick up a big LaCie CRT monitor someone is selling off cheap, then pick up the film and start scanning. See you guys in a bit.


- Barrett
 
sebastel said:
hope you noticed before using it, that the lens shade is rotated 90°.
have fun!
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Hmm...it's permanently attached. Is it rotatable? I'll need to check that out. Thanks for the heads-up.

oh, by the way: the fred gallagher from your signature - is he related to piro (megatokyo)?
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Yep, that be him. And MegaTokyo is truly addictive, more than merely "American Manga" (which I think Gallagher can rightfully claim as having invented, though he sort of scoffs at the idea). I'm only somewhat into manga/anime, but I appreciate his art, storytelling, and occasionally twisted sense of humor. (And couldn't us GASaholics here use our own little Seraphim, yanking our finger from clicking the Buy It Now button?)


- Barrett
 
A little bad news: sebastian was right...the (permanently mounted) lens shade is, indeed, installed bassackwards. How this came to be is a mystery. E-mailed the seller about it, and going to Nippon in Manhattan tomorrow (which was already a packed day) to see how easy/cheap (or not) it is to fix this. If it's not a brain/wallet-buster to fix, I'll just get it done and get on with things. If it's more serious than that, I'll need the seller to accommodate me somehow. (To think, I read about eBay horror stories, shake my head, and say "Damn, that never happened to me...")

Otherwise, the lens seems to work just fine. Argh, details...

On the other hand, that 22" LaCie monitor deal (hauled it all the way from Greenpoint) worked out well: $30, plus fifteen buck for a car service to help drag it back home. A little give, a little take. 🙂


- Barrett


From yesterday. Unretouched.
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Re Zenitar:

vrgard said:
Have you tried this lens, Ted/ampguy? Curious to know your experiences with it if you have any to share.

Thanks,
Randy
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I've used one a bit with K-mount for Pentax. Here's a shot with the K10D (digital, 24mm-equivalent FOV).

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I get mixed results, especially with regard to metering. I need to spend some more time with it to work out exactly what the issue is. I suspect it is a function of the very wide field-of-view and the contrast range across the scene, coupled with the metering mode selected. Optically I think it is a pretty reasonable performer.

And a 35mm full-frame sample in B&W:

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Doesn't look too bad. Honestly though, I'd just get a OM zuiko 24 f2.8. It's wide enough to be used for most stuff, and is one of the sharpest of a sharp bunch of lenses. Could get a nice one for the same price that siggy cost you
 
A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum...

A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum...

Well, the lens is in the hands of Nippon Photo Clinic in Chelsea, where someone found the lens hood issue "interesting"...if it's easy n' cheap, they'll go ahead and fix it, but will call if things get a little too interesting (and pricey). While I was at it, I brought in my Konica S3 for a once-over. Then I hustled down to Film Forum to buy tickets for me, galfriend and a mutual friend for an old-fashioned double feature (Billy Wilder's One, Two, Three and From Russia with Love, which was a more-clever pairing than it might appear on the surface, and both were were fresh 35mm prints...Wilder's flick in glorious black-and-white, the way b/w movies were meant to be seen.

And that reminds me...I need more XP2, but got into "the city" too late to make it to the usual suspects.


- Barrett
 
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