first FA 50mm f/1.4 shots

[todd_phillips3]

I got some unexpected side work that brought in about $2k after all was said and done, and while it all needed to

go to bills, I insisted that I get to start a new LBA with at least <i>some</i> of that money. So I got a Tamron

70-300

LD (for $75) and the FA 50mm 1.4 (for $200). The 50mm arrived in the mail yesterday in time for me to try it out

on some of my favorite subjects, and so far I am not regretting the purchase.

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmphillips/2830121163/" title="IMGP5182 by tmphillips, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3270/2830121163_518c193322_b.jpg" width="600" alt="IMGP5182" /></a>

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmphillips/2830925890/" title="IMGP5154 by tmphillips, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3156/2830925890_26d257bb0b_b.jpg" width="600" alt="IMGP5154" /></a>

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmphillips/2830116229/" title="IMGP5178 by tmphillips, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3050/2830116229_994a1e796a_b.jpg" width="600" alt="IMGP5178" /></a>

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmphillips/2830094269/" title="IMGP5155 by tmphillips, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3061/2830094269_d9f4fd791d_b.jpg" width="600" alt="IMGP5155" /></a>

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmphillips/2830947506/" title="IMGP5177 by tmphillips, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3205/2830947506_cc51955953_b.jpg" width="600" alt="IMGP5177" /></a>

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmphillips/2830976944/" title="IMGP5219 by tmphillips, on Flickr"><img

src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3194/2830976944_486fbb9651_b.jpg" width="600" alt="IMGP5219" /></a>

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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmphillips/sets/72157607124022560/">the whole set (32 shots)</a>

[andrewg_ny]

Nice set, Todd, I'm sure you'll enjoy the new glass. Skin tones in that last one are pretty odd.

[todd_phillips3]

Thanks.. Yeah I noticed that skin tone too. I am sure it's me not handling the light in their room right.. I did another edit of it that looked to washed out.. I'll clean it up when I have more time..

[miserere_mei]

On APS-C, this lens is great for portraits (waist up and head'n'shoulders) and available light shooting. Or for both combined :-)

 

Some of those lovely pics would work great in B&W. Be adventurous, Nick!

[miserere_mei]

Sorry Todd! I just called you Nick :-(

[todd_phillips3]

No problem Bill! ;-)

[todd_phillips3]

Btw, I tried one in B&W and didn't like it. I think I need a lesson or something on making B&W look good..

[markus maurer]

Todd, how about my attempt, I hope you don't mind?<div></div>

[markus maurer]

-2-<div></div>

[todd_phillips3]

wow! yeah those look very nice! what was your process? I didn't try these shots and I think the one I tried was also a bad choice..But all I tried was one time desaturating in ufraw and then another time in GIMP...

 

Also on another note, I am looking at this thread on a difft computer right now and noticed that I chose the wrong size to share on flickr so now the photos look all messed up from the downsizing here.. like the hair looks all jagged/anti-aliased.... oh well..

[markus maurer]

I used Photoshop's b/w conversion but lightened the skin with a mixture of yellow and red filtering. I slightly denoised

the image because of the JPG and small size, then I added a bit of black and a touch of brown sepia as well to warm

it up.

[todd_phillips3]

oh, is that all? :-D

[miserere_mei]

...Then leave in the oven for 20 mins or until skin tones are slightly browned. Let stand and cool down on desktop for 5 mins before posting to p-net.

[shots worth sharing]

Good buy, Todd. My one piece of advice to my son, Abe, when he got the k10d was to get the 50mm f1.4. He loved it so much he actually thought I knew something about photography for a while (but he's a bright guy and caught on eventually.)

[dorus]

I'm not much a fan of B/w, but looking at that last one....wow. Don't know much about the technical side, but I can recognise a good image....!

[snik75]

I thought that one was the best of the color shots, too. Looks good, Sam! Bill! Oh yeah, Todd. :-)

 

Say Markus, does yellow filtering, for example, make the image more yellow? Or less? I'm never quite sure how to adjust my pictures before BWing them. Thanks!

[todd_phillips3]

I am usually not much a a b/w fan either, but probably just because I can't do what Markus does.. Man that is some

inspiring stuff..

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Speaking of inspiration, I posted about this guy over at pentaxforums, but this is a good place to post here

too... I stumbled across some shots from a fellow over at flickr and really like his work. I find it very

inspiring and recommend a visit through his photostream if you like this lens. I confirmed with him that he is

using the FA 50mm 1.4 with his k10d...

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<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/fundone/2830218966/">alǝx's photostream</a>

[markus maurer]

Each filter color brightens it's own color and darkens the complementary color. A red filter during conversion to

grayscale makes skin

nearly white (and blemishes less visible but the lips too pale) and darkens for example the blue sky

dramatically. A blue filter would do the opposite. For portraits, yellow and moderate red filtering is often

pleasing.

[markus maurer]

Nick, I make color photos looking as good as I can in color first and the filter is used later --> during

<-- conversion to b/w.

[garry_young1]

Nice work Todd! The 50 is a great little tool - enjoy.

 

Very interesting thread about b&w processing too!

[michael_kuhne]

That lens is a real bargain among fine primes. You are already getting great results! You should check the 50mm f/1.4 prices of Canon, Nikon, etc. which did not equal the Pentax performance according to POP Photo's retest of last year. The Pentax is also a more compact design.