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First the irritating stuff: False AirPods
Via a Swedish market (CDON.se) i bought a pair of Apple AirPods "2:nd Generation" - only to find out that it actually was the first generation AirPods (2017). Those didn't really connect well, and even disconnected quite often. Plus that i never would buy the first generation, because their total battery lifespan is highly limited (1.5 years), while the 2nd Gen is way much better with at least 3 years or more.
I wrote a deceive letter back to the marketplace.
The company who sold it, is located in Stockholm Skärholmen. Lots with small immigrant businesses. And when i look at the receipt, i get even more the feeling of weird, sloppy made paper and writing. "Mini company / fake company". Probably some common fuck who is used to do shady business, and fucking customers. Skärholmen area surely is the right spot for that kind of gray stuff.
Not with me, you fuck !
You can identify the serial number of the device you connect to the iPhone. In my case the AirPods had a much older number: "A1523" - which is clearly the first generation AirPods (2017). I wouldn't even dream to buy such - because there were not that reliable. The 2:nd on the other hand are simply excellent and long lasting. Mine are 3+ years old now - still going strong - but one ear is a bit "muted", because of earwax particles likely having collected under the grille over time, despite me cleaning them. (I usually only use one AirPod, not two).
So, i filed a complain, and demanded my money back. Which will happen, because it tied to the larger market place CDON.se which acts as some kind of umbrella of responsibility. Or so it appears.
It is irritating, when shit like that happens. I like fair game, but don't accept bullshit.
So, they are going back, those stupid 1st Gen AirPods.
Macro & Close-up with Pentax 6x7
I wrote about a Macro Lens among the lens line-up of the Pentax 6x7 camera system. There are of course several options, specifically two are made for macro and close-up work.
But there is another option, i had not thought of. There is something called...
Asahi Pentax 6x7 Reverse Adapter
It is a ring, which allows you to mount a 6x7 lens with 67 mm front diameter reversed onto the camera (or in this case the Vertex adapter). Such as the Pentax 67 SMC 90mm f 2.8 lens. In reversed mode, this lens performs much better optically in the close up range, when you reverse it ! .
The thing is, that many of the Pentax 67 lenses have a longer minimum focus. That in itself is not a problem, because I also got the three tubes, which allows me to get a little bit closer (and it works well). But in case i wish to go a lot closer.... well, this reverse ring adapter, does the trick.
Pentax 67 SMC Fish-Eye 35 mm f 4.5
So, I decided for a wider Lens for the Vertex 6x6 style photography, where the Pentax 45mm 4 gave a fairly wide angle, but not really that wide. So, my thinking - of all the other solutions, with new adapters, different adapters, different medium format lenses, even different camera mounts *rolling my eyes*... i decided, i love the Pentax 6x7 lenses, and I love what the Vertex 6x6 adapter does ...
So, I chose the Pentax 6x7 SMC 35mm f 4.5 lens.
For digital use with the 6x6 Vertex Adapter
Since I am only using it digitally - where i stitch 4 images together, equivalent to a 46x46 mm image sensor - I can rather easily (so i think) de-fish the distortion from this lens - and make it look like a very wide lens in 6x6 format. Or at least a bit wider than widest lens can accomplish.
Also: i never use the weaker borders of this (or any other) Pentax 6x7 lens.
Apparently this lens is pretty sharp, and does well even in color. I have seem a few, rare color slides made with this 35mm f 4.5 lens, and it looked actually very good. Even with the Fisheye effect, if you keep it really straight and horizontal, the fisheye effect is far less pronounced.
When you use this lens with film on a Pentax 6x7 camera - it has built-in yellow, orange and red filter. Isn't that nifty ? This way you can for example make a blue sky darker - giving more contrast in Black & white images. Kind of cool, I must say. I mean that they built that into the lens.
Mamiya RZ Sekor Fisheye went a different way. There you mount little 37 mm color filters on the back part of the lens.
Other adapters - and all that fuzz... oh
I got pretty dizzy about all the other options out there (to bring medium format into the digital world). There is one adapter, in which you can with Sony fullframe cameras, stitch together 6-8 images, and really get a big picture (covering larger areas of the lens). But to be really, really honest....
I just love this new, unexpected 6x6 type of photography, the Vertex + Pentax 6x7 lenses gives me. So, I didn't want to buy any other branded lens (Mamiya 645 for example), or a different, or an additional adapter.
I just wanted to continue with the very same Pentax 6x7 lenses.
Because I really like them a lot ! They are coarse, hunky, extremely robust (like a farmer dude type) - built like a tank - and they work very well and give me wonderful results. Pentax made some really great medium format lenses (as did Mamiya, by the way). It is said that Mamiya actually mixed their own glass types in the lab, to accomplish their lens line. From 6x4.5 to 6x7 lenses. The latter which i have most of them - as that is my oldest camera - the big hunky Mamiya RZ67 professional system. With their huge lenses.
But they just work. And they work extremely well.
In the end - its the look & feel
Of course, these Pentax 6x7 lenses, adapted onto a Vertex adapter, creating 6x6 images... they don't truly rival true modern medium format lenses with super micro contrast, á lá Fuji GFX etc. But they don't have to, either. For me personally, this far - i am more than impressed. By the resolution, by the looks in the images, and the performance the Pentax 6x7 lenses give.
It is the overall image look, seen through older classic lenses - yet made on a digital sensor but retaining a similar that of analog film - which appeals to me so much in images.
The trivial kicker is - that the same lenses which i now use digitally - I can at any time use with analog film, too.
That is kind of cool.
I am very bubbly in my Diary
It is that extra energy right now. The excitement. The passion that is bubbling up... And that feeling of doing experimental photography like in the first years of my life, back in the end of the 80s, and in particularly in the beginning of the 90s.
The morning started with moist hazy weather again, very mild for this time of the year - at my place it dropped to 14-15°C, which is high like a summer's night in July in Stockholm. But today the clouds vanished very quickly - with the promise of a real summer day, around 25°C.
I find that exotic in September - but it ain't unique either. It has happened before (it's just I can't remember, because I usually don't focus so much on September months in terms of past weather statistics)
Max temperatures of 26°C down to Max 10°C ?!
The thought that this will be over in 5 days, is weird. I mean you feel this summer warm air on your skin - and then, it's going down to 10-12°C max a week later... that feels so weird !
What a switch. However, I am getting ahead of myself. For the time being, it is lovely sunny and warm already early in the morning. |
