Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/03/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I have a set of these, purchased when they were first introduced about 5 years ago. Though simple, with plain anodised aluminium barrel, plastic mount, and no aperture diaphragms, these are actually pretty good performers. All of the elements are actually coated, too. The 3e/3g "fisheye" 20mm/8 produces an image that covers about 160 degrees diagonal, and is quite free of flare, due to its simple construction. Preset at 2m or so, everything from one meter to infinity is in focus. The 120/4.5 macro is surprisingly capable, although it's not possible to step down for additional depth of field. The instruction recommends that you make a disc with a hole, like old lenses. The rear most element of 120/4.5 macro can be removed, then the front group inverted to form a 2e/1g 90/4.8 soft focus achromatic lens that is probably comparable to the performance of Thambar, at less than 1/100 the cost. The real star is the 400/8, which comes apart into two sections, and the 4e/2g configuration in the traditional telephoto configuration, is a capable performer. I have taken some pictures of wildlife with it, and placed one of them at: http://briefcase.yahoo.com/kiisaka Please excuse the poor scanning quality, however. The film used was Fujichrome Astia, and the exposure was something like 1 second at 1:8. No, WAY FAR AWAY from Doug's pictures, but I figure this lens cost me $50. - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Rabiner" <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2001 2:28 AM Subject: [Leica] funky cheap new FUN glass from Nikon OT > http://www.ave.nikon.co.jp/nti/nti_e/index.htm > > Nikon has come out with a new line of lense which are virtually toys. > > They have no aperture function. > > A compact 400 f8 (girl watcher lens!) > > a 120 soft macro??? (fuzzy bumblebees!) > > a 20 mm f8 FISHEYE (your mother in law is coming!) > > sounds like they hired the head engineer from Spirotone!!! > > Mark Rabiner > Portland, Oregon > USA > > http://www.rabiner.cncoffice.com/ > > a new concept in trash shooting > I should lighten up should i and shoot with some plastic glass!!! > > does this turn my Nikon into a Holga!!!!? > :) >