January 7, 2021

Another Lens covid-19: day 290 | US: GA | info | act

I just can’t help myself. This is the final lens for a while (unless I see a really good deal). I ordered a Konica Hexanon AR 1.8/40 pancake lens. I watched a fairly lengthy presentation about using vintage lenses, and the photographer recommended 1960s-era Konica Hexanon as a series of lenses that are excellent and inexpensive. (He went on about Zuiko lenses, too, and showed some pretty stunning landscapes he captured with those. This guy also likes Zuiko, so I may have to pick one up at some point, though the 1.4/50 I tried was terrible. Maybe I just got a bum copy.) These lenses are not M42-mount, so I have to get another adapter. Fortunately, I found an AR-LM adapter, so I can use my LM-L close-focus adapter with it.

That said, I still need a 28mm of some sort. There is a Hexanon f/3.5 flavor and a Zuiko f/2.8. Either would probably do. Later, I mean.

                    

So I know these are nothing special (it’s raining outside, of course), but I just got my Helios 44m-4 2/58, and these are my first samples.

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These shots are at f/2. The bokeh is nice—especially in the second and third images. All of these are taken with available light. It appears this copy is a good one. I’m psyched to try this more extensively.

While the lens is in pretty good shape, the shipping container was crap (cheap cardboard and balled-up newspaper), and the back lens cap is missing. I checked the original ad, and he even twice mentions the sale includes both lens caps. I sent a message, but I’m not really expecting a reply. Oh, eBay. How I missed you.