SMC Pentax-A 50mm 1:2, The Penultimate Choice

CCD Resurgence: Image making with a vintage SMC Pentax-A 50mm 1:2 on a 10MP CCD sensor Pentax K-m digital SLR.

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My effort with the 'CCD Resurgence' series saw me going through a range of vintage digital cameras, cameras that were in production more than 10 years ago, fitted with CCD sensors, which was then the old standard for camera sensors from the early 80s till the late 2000s. For a kit setup, the Pentax K-m (K2000 in the US), and the SMC Pentax-A 50mm 1:2 manual focus prime is my penultimate selection.

CCD sensors are known to produce high-quality images with low noise, better color accuracy and uniformity, higher sensitivity, and a look and feel that are different from CMOS sensors, with some saying that the images are very much film-like. Though more expensive to manufacture CCD sensors still have many uses, including machine vision, astronomy, food science, as well as life sciences, and medical applications.

Pentax K-m, SMC Pentax A 50mm 1:2

The real advantage to photo enthusiasts is having the option to choose from a range of forms and functional capabilities, from ultra-compact travel zooms to superzoom digital bridge cameras, and to the ubiquitous digital SLR cameras. Prices vary, but you may find them costing lower than comparative film cameras, where you will have the added saving on film, film development, time cost, or the cost of acquiring an advanced digital camera that may prove a bit too hard to handle as well.

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SMC-Pentax-DA 18-55mm 1:3.5~56 AL, A Morning Bloom

CCD Resurgence: Image making with an SMC-Pentax-DA 1:3.5~56 18-55mm AL on a 10MP CCD Pentax K-M Digital, in the garden.

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Testing out my latest GAS pickup, a 10MP CCD sensor Pentax K-m, or the K2000 in the US, for the claim that CCD sensors, the standard for digital cameras from the mid-90s to early 2010s, are known for their high-quality, accurate colors, and low noise film-like images. The verdict? Well, you be the judge here.

The Pentax K-m was launched as a compact entry-level model with a 10MP CCD sensor by Pentax in 2008. The camera has a non-weather sealed lightweight body built on a lightweight and high-rigidity stainless-steel chassis, an AF system with five sensors, a very comprehensive and user-friendly set of menu functions and features, and shares the same viewfinder and LCD screen with the 10MP CCD sensor K200D and the 14.6 CMOS sensor K20D.

Pentax K-m, SMC-Pentax-DA 1:3.5~56 18-55mm AL

The camera was also designed to be adaptable to the plastic mount Pentax DA-L-series lightweight kit lenses, the first to be fitted with the KAF2 Mount, an adaptation of the standard Pentak K-mount system for adding auto-focus features to lenses on cameras with APS-C sensors. However, The K-m is powered by 4x AA batteries (Lithium, Ni-MH Rechargeable, or Alkaline), which puts it at a slight weight disadvantage compared to other cameras using lithium battery packs.

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Olympus VR-330, Night Scene Zoom-In

CCD Resurgence: Zooming in on a night scene in Program Auto mode with the 14MP CCD Olympus VR-330.

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Another session with the Olympus VR-330, one of a pair of super compact VR-series cameras launched by Olympus in 2011. The VR-330 is fitted, among others, with a 14MP CCD sensor, a 24-300mm equivalent zoom lens, dual image stabilization, 720p HD movie capture, a 3-inch LCD screen, 1cm super macro mode, Olympus Magic Filters, auto-focus tracking, and Intelligent Auto Mode. The camera is also particularly light and small, making it one of the handiest options within the super compact digital camera category.

The camera is designed to be a simple point-and-shoot. All you have to do is switch it on, zoom in to the desired image frame, and press the shutter. The Menu System, selectable from the LCD display, lists Program Auto, iAuto (Intelligent Auto), Scene, Magic, Panorama, and 3D as selectable or intelligent options, each with their own selection of subset variables and available as pew-sets. The iAuto (Intelligent Auto) mode, for example, switches itself to the iAuto Macro or Super Mode depending on the subject distance.

For the Night Scene Zoom In images here, I tried the camera both with the Night Scene and Program Auto mode settings and took two identical sets of images. The selection, however, goes to the selection captured with the Program Auto setting, where the images, though more subdued, are more likely to the scene itself. Images shot with the Night Scene mode are slightly overblown and washed out.

Olympus VR-330

Looking forward to more images next, on the CCD sensor of course!

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