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Цитата
To: "Pentax Discuss" <pentax-discuss@pdml.net>
Subject: Zenitar 16mm fisheye
From: "William Robb" <w_robb@accesscomm.ca>
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 18:15:41 -0600
I just processed my first roll of film from the Zenitar.
Since we were in the process of closing out my mother's house
(which is a horror story to match my LX tales of woe), I went
through the house taking pictures of it.
Cool lens. It is WAY wider than my 17mm rectilinear.
Build quality is solid, but a bit noisy. The aperture mechanism
rattles when off the camera, though it does not affect operation
of the lens, and is quiet when the lens is mounted. Focus is
smooth but is backwards to Pentax lenses. The aperture ring is
quite notchy, more like a cheapo 50mm A series lens. I suspect
that it could be improved with some judicious disassembly and
application of suitable lubricants, but it is something I can
live with the way it is.
I was pleasantly surprised by the flare control. I pointed the
lens more or less at the sun for one picture, and while there is
a bit of flare, it is very easy to live with. Colour and
contrast is very good, right up there with my other prime
lenses, and the lens seems to be very sharp as well.
This is a full frame fisheye lens, so the field of view is 180?
diagonally, and it has all the curvaceous barrel distortion that
is expected of a fisheye. The nice thing is that there is no
linear distortion through the horizontal and vertical center
axis' of the image, so it is possible to get a relatively normal
looking image if some care is taken with the composition.
The lens comes with a filter set, which includes 3 colour
filters for black and white, and one clear filter. The filters
are screw in, and go onto the back of the lens. A filter must be
mounted at all times, or else infinity focus is not possible,
and other optical compromises may be introduced.
A fisheye lens is a very limited use optic. While I have, on a
few occasions wanted one, I was not able to justify a genuine
Pentax, as they are quite expensive. The Zenitar is around
US贶.00, which is fairly easy to swallow.
I don't know how the overall quality control is on the Russian
equipment, I have heard varying reports on this lens from very
good to POS, though that report came from someone who I know is
an equipment connoisseur, and I can see how it would be a
disappointment to someone who only used the very best.
My sample seems to be as good as any third party lens I have
seen, and seems as good as any of the mundane A series lenses,
both mechanically and optically.
For my purposes, this lens will be just fine.
William Robb
Subject: Zenitar 16mm fisheye
From: "William Robb" <w_robb@accesscomm.ca>
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 18:15:41 -0600
I just processed my first roll of film from the Zenitar.
Since we were in the process of closing out my mother's house
(which is a horror story to match my LX tales of woe), I went
through the house taking pictures of it.
Cool lens. It is WAY wider than my 17mm rectilinear.
Build quality is solid, but a bit noisy. The aperture mechanism
rattles when off the camera, though it does not affect operation
of the lens, and is quiet when the lens is mounted. Focus is
smooth but is backwards to Pentax lenses. The aperture ring is
quite notchy, more like a cheapo 50mm A series lens. I suspect
that it could be improved with some judicious disassembly and
application of suitable lubricants, but it is something I can
live with the way it is.
I was pleasantly surprised by the flare control. I pointed the
lens more or less at the sun for one picture, and while there is
a bit of flare, it is very easy to live with. Colour and
contrast is very good, right up there with my other prime
lenses, and the lens seems to be very sharp as well.
This is a full frame fisheye lens, so the field of view is 180?
diagonally, and it has all the curvaceous barrel distortion that
is expected of a fisheye. The nice thing is that there is no
linear distortion through the horizontal and vertical center
axis' of the image, so it is possible to get a relatively normal
looking image if some care is taken with the composition.
The lens comes with a filter set, which includes 3 colour
filters for black and white, and one clear filter. The filters
are screw in, and go onto the back of the lens. A filter must be
mounted at all times, or else infinity focus is not possible,
and other optical compromises may be introduced.
A fisheye lens is a very limited use optic. While I have, on a
few occasions wanted one, I was not able to justify a genuine
Pentax, as they are quite expensive. The Zenitar is around
US贶.00, which is fairly easy to swallow.
I don't know how the overall quality control is on the Russian
equipment, I have heard varying reports on this lens from very
good to POS, though that report came from someone who I know is
an equipment connoisseur, and I can see how it would be a
disappointment to someone who only used the very best.
My sample seems to be as good as any third party lens I have
seen, and seems as good as any of the mundane A series lenses,
both mechanically and optically.
For my purposes, this lens will be just fine.
William Robb
