SMC-M 200mm f/4

[shots worth sharing]

I was able to grab a few shots with this lens today. I'm ambivalent about the results. In addition to dealing

with the challenges of shooting M (not second-nature by a long shot), I was also trying to apply some of the tips

regarding exposure from Javier's Bee "thread." Beyond that, none are as quite as sharp as I'd like.

 

In this shot, the concrete high-lights are blown out but I've decided that's a feature, not a bug.<div></div>

[shots worth sharing]

This one presented a different challenge in terms of lighting.<div></div>

[shots worth sharing]

This one drives me crazy--I see all sorts of things wrong with it (it's not sharp, there's fringing at the edges of the gear and around the little highlights on the left vertical) but, still, I kind of like it.<div></div>

[markus maurer]

While I don't use my M-200mm that often it is a fine and compact lens. I used it for some detail and even panoramic

photos from the top of the Grossmuenster church in Zurich with good results. M mode is mandatory for panorama

shots anyway so I don't care but for action or candid shots its M mode does indeed slow me down too much.Try

again with the roses Dave, I liked that one :-)

[le-plume]

<p>I've had a M 200mm f:4 for a while, yet I don't use it as much as I thought I would, even though it is remarkably compact and light given its focal length. I got a few nice pics out of it though, both for panoramas and details.

 

<p align="center"><a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7357332"><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/7357332-md.jpg"><br/>Wire and Points, rue Riquet, Paris 19^e, May 31th, 2008.<br/>Pentax ME Super, Fuji Pro400H, SMC Pentax-M 200mm f:4</a></p>

 

<p>The reason for that is probably my reliance on the SMC Pentax-M 135mm f:3.5, which is really the killer lens for the type of picture I tend to take:

<p align="center"><a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/7655715"><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/7655715-md.jpg"><br/>Signals, boulevard Poniatowski,Paris 12^e, July 27th, 2008.<br/>Pentax MX Super, Fuji Reala 100, SMC Pentax-M 135mm f:3.5</a></p>

 

Then again, I only shoot film, which probably gives me a different perspective: on the one hand, no crop factor (but that should push me towards the longer focals, I guess); on the other hand, no SR, which makes it a bit tricky to shoot hand-held at 200mm and more, especially with Reala 100...

[le-plume]

<p>That would be the first shot I took with the 200mm, in November last year. I was rather happy with it; kept using the 135mm much more though. Go figure. Now that I've got the SMC 300mm f:4, maybe I'll start using the 200mm more often!

 

<p align="center"><a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/6673435"><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/6673435-lg.jpg"><br/>Lightship on the Seine, Paris 13^e, Nov. 17th, 2007<br/>Pentax ME Super, Fuji Pro 400H, SMC Pentax-M 200mm f:4.</a></p>

[le-plume]

(oops, I was sort of hijacking the thread here, my apologies to Dave. I get sort of hyper when I see "SMC M" in a topic)

 

To go back to Dave's pic: you really raised to the challenge on pic #2, it's really a great pic. On the third one, I guess one more stop would have eliminated most of the problems, but you obviously wanted to have a limited DoF. Focus was probably a few feet too short though; it is a nice capture nonetheless.

[shots worth sharing]

No need for apologies, Christophe! It's nice to see your work with the lens under discussion--interesting

studies in line, shape and light! The lens is, indeed, compact for its FL (and , like you, I also have the M

135 f/3.5.) I think you're right about the 'gear shot': I'm not sure what aperture setting I used (of course,

the camera doesn't recall, either ;~) but I certainly missed the focus.

[markus maurer]

Two samples with the Pentax M-200mm on the *istD for you Dave. Shot on a overcast day from the Grossmuenster

tower some days ago, I had to raise contrast quite a bite in post processing but otherwise I can not complain :-)<div></div>

[markus maurer]

view from the Grossmuenster tower over Zurich<div></div>

[shots worth sharing]

So you have a special bath for ancient women in Zurich? ;~)

[le-plume]

Dave, I think you read that wrong: Markus meant to say that he has lots of ancient lenses, because he likes to take

pictures of the women bath from the top of a church!

 

Nice pics, Markus. I guess that for the second one the lens was stopped down quite a lot?

[miserere_mei]

I never knew Markus was such a voyeur...of the ancient.

 

Senior women in the US would be mightily offended if they were referred to as "ancient". Everything has to be PC

around here. Once in a while I wish it were a bit more MAC.

 

I've been waiting ages to use that pun.

 

I'll be here all weekend and am available for children's parties and funerals. Thank you.

[dugger]

<i>"I'll be here all weekend and am available for children's parties and funerals."</i><br>

And don't forget to try the veal! ;)

[markus maurer]

You really got me with that "Freudian slip" Pentaxians! Old M lenses for the ancient bath http://www.badi-info.ch/nostalgie/FrameSet.htm, for the young "colleagues" I will use the Tamron SP 300mm ;-)

[markus maurer]

Christophe, the M-200mm lens was at ~ and around F8-F11 for optimal depth of field in the St. Peter clock photo.