AF Nikkor 35-70mm 1:3.3~4.5, At The Playground

The CCD Sensor: Image making with an AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-70mm 1:3.3~4.5 and a Nikon D200, colors of the children's playpen.

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The AF-Nikkor 35-70mm 3.3~4.5, is a lens of sorts, with both accolades and brickbats from both sides of the fence. This lens is small and light, weighs only 260 grams, has eight elements in seven groups, and comes with a plastic mount, as is most of the body. The lens was among the early batches of Nikon autofocus lenses designed for the AF Nikon F501/N2020 SLR camera in 1986 and has virtually the same optical formula as the manual focus Nikon Ai-S 35-70mm F/3.3-4.5.

The lens was also bundled as a standard lens for the F301, and the F501 as well as with other models after the two. Its compact size, measuring 70.5mm x 61mm, makes it one of the most compact AF Nikkor zoom lenses during that early period of AF photography. The lens was offered as a low-cost option for enthusiasts looking for a casual-use lens.

Nikon D200, AF-Nikkor 35-70mm 3.3~4.5

On the 10MP DX-format CCD sensor Nikon D200, which the lens was tested with, the lens is equivalent to a 52.5-105mm lens on a full-frame camera, making it almost a standard 50mm prime on the short end and a short telephoto on the long end. The lens, readily available on sales and auction sites, at much lower prices than anticipated, is a good bet and fun to work with.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40, Early Images

The CCD Sensor: Image making with a 14.1MP CCD Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40, early images, and model update notes.

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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40/45, launched in 2010, an update of the 2009 DMC FZ35/38, comes with a 14.1MP CCD sensor, a wide-angle 24x zoom lens with an equivalent focal length of 25-600mm, a fixed 3-inch 230K-pixel LCD screen, a 201,600 dots EVF (Electronic Viewfinder), and Venus Engine HD II processing engine. The camera also offers AVCHD Lite 720p HD video recording, and manual shooting mode, and comes with Panasonic's Sonic Speed auto-focus system that provides the industry's fastest focus times.

Whilst only having a CCD sensor, the FZ40/45 is virtually identical to the higher spec DMC-FZ100, which has a 14.1MP CMOS sensor, higher resolution 460K dot 3.0 inch tiltable LCD, and faster shooting speed. Both have a maximum shutter speed of 1/2000 second, ISO speed range from 80-1600 in Auto and 1600-6400 in Hi-Auto.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40

Aside from having a larger LCD screen than the DMC-FZ35/38, the DMZ40/45 saw the EV/LCD option button moved back to the top of the film back, the Red Movie button is now mid between the Shutter Release and Focus buttons on the top plane of the camera, the Joystick that was used to adjust the camera settings on previous models is now a cycle selector button for AF, AF Macro, and MF options.

The Record/Playback slider of the FZ35/38 is also missing, replaced by a push and turn Rear Dial to activate and set Exposure Compensation, Shutter Speed, and Aperture Opening when the camera is operated in PASM exposure modes. Playback is now a Green Arrow button on the camera back.

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Olympus E-PM2, A Public Space And A High Place

People And Places, image making with an Olympus E-PM2 with a Lumix G 14mm 1:2.5 Asph., people and places and looking from a high place.

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My street walk across the 69-meter 'Saloma Link,' a combined pedestrian and bicycle link across the Klang River in Kuala Lumpur recently yielded me another set of images as seen here, shots at and from the top end of the link on the residential side, which is 3-stories high above the ground level.

The links connect the residential district of Kampung Baru across the river to the commercial center of Kuala Lumpur in the vicinity of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre. The platform is a good height to enjoy the view of both the city side from across the bridge, as well as the clutter of low-rise mixed development on the residential side.

Olympus E-PM2, Lumix G 14mm 1:2.5 Asph.

The final image is a tranquil weekend ground shot of the area seen from above in the previous image.

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AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1:3.5~5.6, Early Images

The CCD Sensor: Image making with an AF Nikkor 28-80mm 1:3.5~5.6 on the equally vintage 10.2MP CCD Nikon D200.

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The AF-Nikkor 28-80mm 1:3.5~5.6 D 8 elements in 8 groups lens, launched by Nikon in 1999, is a replacement for the earlier 7-element 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-D version which was made from 1995 through 1999. Compared to the previous version, the lens came with a broader manual focus ring and was sold mainly as a kit lens with their lower-end 35mm SLR film cameras (F55, F65, and F75). On the D200 the lens has an equivalent focal length range of 42-120mm.

The plastic mount lens is lightweight at 250 grams, comes with an aperture ring but no focusing scale, 7 rounded blades diaphragm which stops down to f/22 @ 28mm to f/36 @ 80mm, a minimum focusing distance of 0.4 meters, a screw-drive AF system, and was introduced as a native AF-D spec optic with a built-in microchip that feeds focusing distance information to the camera body. The AF-D will work with all Nikon AF cameras, as well as on 35mm MF Nikon SLR film cameras (FM, FE2, etc.,).

Nikon D200, AF-Nikkor 28-80mm 1:3.5~5.6 D

While the lens did not enjoy much of review exposures across the Net, even with brickbats on its all-plastic construction, and its tendency to zoom-creep, it does come with a mention or two as an excellent midrange zoom, reasonably sharp, and very low-end prices. Enjoy the images!

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