Limkokwing Fashion Club Thursday Fashion Show (9/03) - First Time Using Vintage Lens: Review and Tho
Last post, I had covered how the pros and flaws of using my new vintage lens: Konica Hexanon AR 52mm f/1.8 which is a cheap full-frame manual prime lens as an alternative to the expensive-and-unaffordable modern lenses. It's a review and my thoughts of using this vintage lens!
This part (two) I'll be covering the thoughts of shooting with it at outdoor. That's it, after the girls had their makeup and outfits done perfectly, it's time to get some sunshine and spotlights!
The day was bright and whole plaza was brightly lit. It's the perfect time to test out the bokeh!
It's not much a difference if you compare the two photos. The lens has a smooth buttery bokeh if stoped down to f/1.8, but the edge of subject will glow and become less sharp. I recommend stopping down to f/2.8 to maintain the bokehness and the lens will be able to capture objects shaper.
Why not stopping down to f/4 and above to completely solve the problem? Well, I can't sacrifice the bokeh, I know I can bring the soft images to Adobe Lightroom so f/2.8 will be fine for me.
It's all really depend on what you want to do with it.
However, there's a bigger problem than soft images. The lack of lens hood really kills an image.
"Due to the deeply recessed front element, the lens is not very sensitive to stray light. A matching, round metal screw-in lens hood with inner velvet lining was available from Konica as an accessory."
-buhla.de-
The strong sunlight is evil even with wide rooftop situated on to of your head. Light bounces. Although lowering the highlight help to recover the image, bokeh can become a little bit harsh (for me) and unnatural. A lens hood is recommended for cheap glasses!
Otherwise, use this glass for low-key portrait!
Again, stoping-down to f/1.8 you will get the soft edges and glowing subjects. Glowing subjects is not always a bad thing, it turns everything to angel-like, except if you are taking a photo of Satan, then I can't help.
Manual Lens for Actions - Limkokwing Fashion Show Catwalking Models
Ask all the photographer if this lens is capable of shooting fast-paced subjects and you will get different answers. Some say no, you shouldn't use a manual lens to shoot a wedding because "it's all about moment" and you can't afford to lose the shoots.
Some say yes, you can use it because photographers few decades ago are using film cameras and photos are coming out fine since then.
I think it's the matter of practice. For me, it's important to be experienced enough to estimate how much shutter speed you need to freeze an object. 1/125? 1/200? or faster?
By the way, knowing how to read the light metre is also a bonus (duh, if you buy vintage lens I would assume you know how to read the light metre). When in doubt, always underexpose.
Also, if you had your shutter speed nailed the moment but your focusing is not doing a clever job...well, just be a positive guy. Sharpness is overrated, sharpness isn't everything. Sometimes blurry photo makes it like a dream...wet dream...because you cried on the photo while cringing.
Seriosuly, learn how to let go like you learn which photo to keep among the 3 shots you've burst shot. It's important to realise the feel / emotion of a photo is stronger than a sharp image, because in this era people can't really tell which photo is taken by iPhone / DSLR.
My Sony phone even have better tracking mode than my mirrorless camera. Gosh.
Conclusion
The Konica lens I have isn't the best lens in Konica 50mm lens lineup, but it's certainly not the worst lens to own. It's a lens that opened my mind about the importance of sharpness and colour / contrast (because the lens renders different feel from my kit lenses). But why care so much? Instagram is goooooooood.
Just in case if you ask:"since you're going to edit them in instagram, why bother using a manual lens?" Well, it makes me think more before shooting.
And...Is thinking more important in photographing? Yes, it is, because there's always a better angle than the one you chose to shot right now. No it isn't, because your photographing session is planned and you just need to get the job done.
