Pentax Monochrome

K3MP0073-V3.jpg


Surreal / Abstract enhancement.
 
Freakscene said:
Nice! Victor Steinbrueck Park! Unusual weather (it rained the entire time I was in Seattle 30 odd years ago).

This is lovely, and I really like the way that Pentax camera renders things.
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That was Hard B&W mode, with a couple of minor tweaks. I like how it rendered the grass!
 
In post #309 one thing I emphasized was that I had not found an autofocus normal that I like. The 35/2.8 macro is the best overall ‘normal’ that I have used for the Pentax K-3 iii Monochrome, but it’s too slow. Looking at some photos today, both the Pentax 35 and the Sigma 35/1.4 are substantially longer or have a substantially narrower field than the Leica 50/1.4 ASPH, and I would prefer a proper ‘normal’. 35s are too long for me (yes, I am picky). I am going to try the Pentax 31/1.8 but I wish Pentax would make a nice highly corrected 31/1.4 or 33/1.4 specifically for this format.
 
Freakscene said:
In post #309 one thing I emphasized was that I had not found an autofocus normal that I like. The 35/2.8 macro is the best overall ‘normal’ that I have used for the Pentax K-3 iii Monochrome, but it’s too slow. Looking at some photos today, both the Pentax 35 and the Sigma 35/1.4 are substantially longer or have a substantially narrower field than the Leica 50/1.4 ASPH, and I would prefer a proper ‘normal’. 35s are too long for me (yes, I am picky). I am going to try the Pentax 31/1.8 but I wish Pentax would make a nice highly corrected 31/1.4 or 33/1.4 specifically for this format.
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I understand this - it is a bit tighter than a 50.

I think you have the 21 and 70 DA limiteds? How do you find them?
 
sojournerphoto said:
I understand this - it is a bit tighter than a 50.

I think you have the 21 and 70 DA limiteds? How do you find them?
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I have the 15, 21 and 70mm Limiteds. They are all lovely lenses in their own way. I really like the tonality they deliver and I’m happy to shoot with any of them. The main downside with the lenses is the camera - I find it harder to focus any of them, but especially the 35 and 70, than it is to focus an equivalent or nearly equivalent lens on a mirrorless camera or a digital Leica M with live view. The Pentax lenses don’t lose tonality with slight focus errors like the Leica ones do - this is a downside of lens design where focus falls off quickly away from the plane of focus - but I throw away a lot more frames with the Pentax because of focus errors than I would with the Leica. My eyesight is also decreasing both in that I need a lot more correction than I used to and when fully corrected I have less acuity than I used to have. Time. Sorry, again this is more about the system than the lenses, but what I think of them is interlinked.
 
Freakscene said:
I have the 15, 21 and 70mm Limiteds. They are all lovely lenses in their own way. I really like the tonality they deliver and I’m happy to shoot with any of them. The main downside with the lenses is the camera - I find it harder to focus any of them, but especially the 35 and 70, than it is to focus an equivalent or nearly equivalent lens on a mirrorless camera or a digital Leica M with live view. The Pentax lenses don’t lose tonality with slight focus errors like the Leica ones do - this is a downside of lens design where focus falls off quickly away from the plane of focus - but I throw away a lot more frames with the Pentax because of focus errors than I would with the Leica. My eyesight is also decreasing both in that I need a lot more correction than I used to and when fully corrected I have less acuity than I used to have. Time. Sorry, again this is more about the system than the lenses, but what I think of them is interlinked.
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Thanks Marty. Appreciate that a system is just that. I’m 59 now and had a detached retina a few years ago in my right, camera, eye. I was fortunate and the repair was successful and left me with no related vision problems. However, I then had a consequent cataract that required lens replacement. That’s settle down to leaving me with good acuity and a -0.5 prescription. That turns out to work well with my Leica with no contact lens - better than before when I was correcting with -8.5 contact lenses! I’m sure there will be another period of aging to come though.
 
This thread has sparked my interest in this system. I’d love to see one in person but we no longer have a local camera store. Actually outside of a 200 mile drive to Atlanta I’m not sure where a camera store is.

Anyway I’m curious if anyone is using the old thread mount lenses?Anyone using the old vintage lenses and if so how would you describe their performance. I’m a big fan of vintage glass and have returned to my 1960’s glass for my Leicas. There’s a beauty about their images that newer glass just doesn’t have.

Your take on vintage thread mount glass on this camera.

I think I’m going to be forced to rent one for a week.
 
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