Pentax K-m, SMC Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8

CCD Resurgence: Image making with a legacy 40mm equivalent SMC Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, on the 10MP APS-C CCD Pentax K-m (K2000) digital SLR camera.

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Pentax, the Japanese camera and lens maker, introduced the electronic aperture control system for its cameras with the launch of the Pentax KA-mount system in 1983, and the SMC Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8 in 1984, after an earlier shift from the M42 screw-mount Takumar lenses to the SMC K-bayonet mount in 1971. The KA mount, also known as the 'PK-mount,' maintains the manual focus feature of the original lens design while adding full aperture- and shutter-priority, program, and manual exposure modes on compatible cameras.

The mount system, featured on the Pentax Super A (known as the Super Program in the USA), incorporates electronic contacts on the K-mount flange that allow the camera to control the aperture from the lens when the ring is set to 'A' and to read the focal length for in-body shake reduction features.

Interpreted in terms of camera capabilities, all KA-mount SLR/DSLR cameras, manufactured from 1983 onward, can use SMC Pentax-A lenses in all exposure modes, including manual focus mode. This mode remains available when the lens is set away from the 'A' button position to one of its aperture settings.

Designed for full-frame K-mount film cameras, the SMC Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8 is a compact, all-metal wide-angle prime recognized for its robust build, pleasing color rendition, and strong center sharpness. A favorite with film shooters and digital adaptors, the lens is a 7-element in 7 groups construction, with 5 aperture blades.

The lens measures approximately 57 mm in diameter × 42 mm in length, weighs 170 grams, and accepts 49mm filters. It shares the same optical formula as the second version of the Pentax-M 28mm f/2.8 but adds an 'A' setting on the aperture ring, enabling full program and shutter-priority automation on compatible Pentax bodies.

On the 10MP CCD Pentax K-m (K2000 in the US), introduced by Pentax in 2008, the lens is equivalent to a 40mm prime (42mm to be exact) on a 35mm full-frame camera. The focal length is still considered to be within the standard normal range, capable of capturing images that mimic what the eye sees, in natural perspective. The lens sits between the wider 35mm and the standard 50mm, a versatile choice for various photography genres, including street and portrait photography, city and urban scenes, as well as documentaries and photo journalism. 

Pentax K-m, SMC Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8

The Pentax K-m is a compact entry-level digital SLR camera fitted with a Pentax KAF2 lens mount, which adds auto-focus features to the lens mount system. The camera, well vetted for its capabilities and CCD image captures, makes for a very compact and highly recommended digital SLR camera with a legacy lens setup for CCD image enthusiasts.

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Minolta AF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (RS), First Impression

CCD Resurgence - First impression images with the highly acknowledged Minolta AF 100mm f/2.8 (RS) mounted on a 14.2MP CCD Sony Alpha DSLR-A350.

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First impression images with the Minolta AF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (RS), a legend of its time, a classic known for its excellent sharpness and 1:1 magnification capability. Despite its production run that ended more than 30 years ago, the lens is still a hot spot today with digital photo enthusiasts enamored of its dual-purpose design as the first autofocus 100mm macro lens capable of 1:1 (life-size) magnification, and a portrait/short-telephoto lens with beautiful subject separation.

The lens, introduced in 1993, is the second of the series, with the original AF 100mm f/2.8 Macro, the first autofocus 100mm macro lens capable of 1:1 (life-size) magnification, launched in 1986, the RS, and follow-up Minolta AF 100mm f/2.8 Macro D (with ADI metering) in 2000, and the Sony AF 100mm f/2.8 Macro in 2006.

The RS (re-Styled) version is a refresh of the original, with a new barrel design featuring an enlarged rubber focus ring, a focus range limiter (to reduce excessive focus hunting), and a focus hold button (to lock focus on a subject), useful when using continuous autofocus (AF-C). ADI metering allows the lens aperture to be automatically adjusted by the camera based on the lighting conditions.

Designed with an 8-element, 8-group floating element with rounded blades which was maintained throughout the production series, the lens has a minimum focusing distance of 0.352 meters, measures 71mm in diameter and 98mm in length (approximately 119mm fully extended), accepts 55mm filters, and packs a rather hefty (compared to current lightweights) weight between 505 and 519 grams across the series.

The lens is highly acknowledged for its excellent sharpness, even when shot wide open at f/2.8, and is said to be capable of maintaining excellent sharpness across the aperture range. Ideal applications for the lens include life-size close-ups or used as a short telephoto lens for heads and shoulder portraits, wildlife, landscape elements, sports, and candid street photography from non-intrusive distances.

On the Sony Alpha DSLR-A350, the AF 100mm f/2.8 is equivalent to a 150mm medium telephoto lens on a 35mm full frame camera, a versatile focal length excellent for capturing images with a shallow depth of field and subject isolation. At 150mm, a macro lens with a 1:1 reproduction ratio is perfect for detailed close-up shots of insects, flowers, and other small subjects.

Sony DSLR-A350, Minolta AF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (RS)

A snug fit, though a bit heady at 1.2+ kg combined weight, the camera/lens kit is a pleasure to use. For handheld manual focus close-ups with the lens at its closest focusing distance, the camera can be cupped in the hand with the thumb and index finger conveniently distanced over the focus ring. At the other end, shooting with the camera held at arm's length, with the camera set to Live View, is equally fun and exciting.

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Sony DSLR A-350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

CCD Resurgence: Out and about with the Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4, an equivalent standard normal zoom on the 14.2MP CCD Sony DSLR A-350.

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Out and about with a highly recommended 'CCD Resurgence' digital SLR camera kit, a vintage 14.2MP CCD Sony DSLR-A350, mounted with an equally but earlier vintage Minolta AF wide-angle zoom, the Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4. On the Sony DSLR-A350, the 24-50mm zoom is equivalent to the standard-normal 35-70mm zoom on a 35mm full-frame camera, a versatile general-purpose standard zoom suitable for most photography genres, including landscapes, portraits, and everyday snapshots.

Short zoom lenses, especially the 35-70mm, or equivalents, are broadly defined as standard zooms that have a midpoint near the classic 50mm mark, the focal length that defines 'standard normal,' or what the eyes see, with natural perspective. The zooms may range between 2.5× (28–70 mm) to 5x (24–120 mm), with the 3x (24–70 mm) being the most common.

The concept, as introduced by Canon in 1973, saw the FD 35–70mm f/2.8–3.5 as the first practical solution for 35mm SLR film cameras. The idea was later carried by other manufacturers who joined the bandwagon to promote their own versions of the standard as well.

As for the selection at hand, the Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4, introduced in 1987 as part of Minolta's AF lens lineup following the launch of the Minolta Maxxum 7000 system, is a lightweight and compact constant aperture standard zoom is a 7-element in 7 groups design with spherical elements and conventional multi-coating to control aberrations.

The lens is highly regarded by both Minolta analog enthusiasts and, later, by Sony Alpha users for its excellent build quality and optical performance. It features both autofocus and manual focus options, focuses down to 0.35 meters (with a maximum magnification of 1:5.56 at 50mm), measures 69 mm in diameter and 60 mm in length, weighs 285 grams, and accepts 55 mm filters.

The Sony Alpha DSLR-A350, on the other hand, is a mid-range APS-C DSLR introduced in 2008. It is notable for its 14.2MP CCD sensor, body-integrated Super SteadyShot stabilization, and an innovative Live View feature enabled by a tilting mirror mechanism. The DSLR was Sony's top-tier consumer SLR for 2008, with the second-highest pixel count for an APS-C format DSLR at the time of its launch, and it was positioned between entry-level A200/A300 and the prosumer models.

Sony DSLR A-350, Minolta AF Zoom 24-50mm f/4

For the CCD enthusiast with a passion for the legendary 'Minolta Colors,' which may be more myth than reality, the Sony DSLR-A350 and the Minolta AF 24-50mm f/4 are both available at affordable prices on auction sites or even in brick-and-mortar stores. The kit won't cost you a fortune, and for a small investment, you'll get the chance to explore the film-like, high-quality, and low-light capabilities that CCD sensors are known for. 

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Olympus E-500, Sigma Mini-Wide II 28mm f/2.8

CCD Resurgence: Image making with a legacy Sigma Mini-Wide II 28mm f/2.8 wide-angle prime mounted on a 2x crop sensor Four/Thirds digital SLR camera.

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A highly recommended digital SLR and lens kit combo for CCD enthusiasts is the Olympus E-500, a vintage digital SLR camera launched in 2005 with an 8MP Four Thirds sensor from Kodak, fitted with a legacy manual focus from the 1080s, the Sigma Mini-Wide II 28mm f/2.8. The camera and lens combo, light in the hand, and swift on the take, should do well for enthusiasts enamored with the low-light, high-quality film-like images CCD sensors are known for.

The Olympus E-500, although not the smallest, was the lightest DSLR camera on the market when it was launched in 2005, and, unlike the preceding E-300 model, featured a body shape similar to that of a conventional SLR. The camera is fitted with the highly acknowledged 8MP Kodak KAF-8300CE CCD sensor, has good ergonomics, a comfortable hand grip, and a body that is built stiff and strong.

The Sigma Mini-Wide II 28mm f/2.8, on the other hand, is a lens known for its good contrast and color rendition, and is a later version of the original Mini-Wide. The lens, a compact, manual-focus wide-angle lens, was made available in various camera mounts from the 1980s to the early 1990s.

Construction-wise, the Mini Wide II is mainly of plastic construction with a 6-element, 6-group optical design, multi-coated glass, and 6 matte blades that form a hexagonal aperture shape. The lens measures 43–50 mm in length, depending on the version, weighs around 210 grams, and takes 52mm filters.

To distinguish it from the original iteration, the Mini Wide II features a plastic aperture ring and a diagonal pattern focus grip, while the original Mini Wide has a metal aperture ring and a square pattern focus grip. On PentaxForums, the Mini Wide II enjoys a favored rating of Sharpness (8.6), Aberrations (7.4), Bokeh (7.7), Handling (8.7), and Value ( 9.2).

Reviews indicate that the lens shows moderate sharpness when used wide open. Sharpness, however, improves significantly from edge to edge when the lens is stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8, a characteristic that makes the lens well-suited for shooting in bright daylight with smaller apertures.

Olympus E-500, Sigma Mini-Wide II 28mm f/2.8

On the 2x crop sensor E-500, the Sigma Mini-Wide II 28mm f/2.8, with its standard normal 56mm equivalent offering a field of view similar to that of a short telephoto, is a good choice for street photography, cityscapes, and environmental portraits. The lens has a close-focus distance of 0.22 meters and is known for its macro capabilities at a 1:4.5 macro reproduction ratio.

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Nikon D200, Nikkor Ai 28mm f/3.5

CCD Resurgence: Image making with a legacy Nikon Nikkor Ai 28mm f/3.5 on an equally vintage 10MP CCD Nikon D200 AOS-C digital SLR camera.

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The Nikon Nikkor Ai 28mm f/3.5 lens, a legacy manual focus from Nikon that has been developed progressively since its first iteration as the Nikkor-H Auto 28mm f/3.5 was introduced in 1959, is one of the earliest pre-Ai Nikkor manual focus wide-angle lenses for the F mount. The lens carries the reputation of being the very best that Nikon (or Nippon Kogaku, as it was then known) had to offer. The lens evolved from the Nikkor-H to the Ai version produced from 1977 to 1981, and the Ai-S, produced from 1981 to 1985, with the Ai-S version being the last of the 28mm f/3.5 series from Nikon.

The lens, with a 6-element in 6-group design with a 7-blade diaphragm, has an all-metal barrel and silky focus mechanism, an aperture range from f/3.5 to f/22, measures 65mm long, has a minimum focusing distance of 0.3 meters, a focus throw of about 180 degrees, takes 52mm filters with a non-rotating thread, and weighs 242 grams.

Although updated by later iterations of the lens and overshadowed by its sister f/2.8 and f/2 28mm models during its production run, the Ai copy of the 28mm f/3.5 lens preserves and retains its niche as an enthusiast's favorite for its balanced and compact performance. The lens is also known for its exceptional optical performance, distinctive rendering characteristics, and sharpness with subtle color nuances, which contribute to its legacy of adaptability to both film and modern digital cameras.

On 1.5x crop sensor digital SLR cameras, the lens equates to a 42mm prime on a 35mm full-frame camera, close enough to the 43.3mm diagonal dimension of the film frame, making it almost an automatic choice for a 'standard normal' lens, i.e., lenses with a focal length and field of view that mimic what the human eye sees.

At 42mm equivalent, the focal length sits between the wider-angled 35mm focal lengths and the tighter field of 50mm standard normal lenses, capturing more of the scene while keeping the main subjects isolated and in focus.

The focal length is often described as a 'sweet spot' for photography, especially in street photography, where the photographer can still shoot intimately from within the scene. The focal length is equally adaptable, just as well, for general photography, travel, documentary, portraits, or just everyday scenes.

Nikon D200, Nikkor Ai 28mm f/3.5

On D200, D300, and D700 digital SLRs, which support matrix metering and EXIF data, the lens’s focal length and aperture can be manually entered into the camera's non-CPU lens data index. With lower-end Nikons like the D80 and D40, shots have to be taken manually, using the Sunny 16 Rule, external meters, or chimping via the LCD. Later mirrorless digital cameras, with peak focusing, are also excellent choices for adapting the lens to.

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