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Some Kodak Ektars on the G1 (40/1.6 & 63/2)

M

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Guest
I was pleasantly surprised with these two ektar C-mounts on the G1... They have nice sharpness and cover the sensor completely. The bokeh is interesting as well...

Here's the 40mm F1.6:




and the 63mm F2.0:


 

scho

Well-known member
Very nice. I particularly like the bokeh with the 63 and sharpness looks good with both lenses.
 
D

ddk

Guest
I've been following different G1 threads here on getdpi and been very pleasantly surprised by most of them. I don't know what everyone here is using to process their images but the combination of the exotic glass and the G1 is producing phenomenal colors and looks. The rendition of these images is nothing short of magnificent, thanks to everyone here for posting, I can see that finally there is some hope of a SOUL for the digital medium!
 
M

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Guest
I don't know what everyone here is using to process their images
Believe it or not.. This is .jpg right out of the camera! I try to stick to this method when lens testing for consistency sake. When shooting raw you can flush out even more quality/feeling which can be misleading for 'lens tests' IMHO. ;)
 
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ddk

Guest
Believe it or not.. This is .jpg right out of the camera! I try to stick to this method when lens testing for consistency sake. When shooting raw you can flush out even more quality/feeling which can be misleading for 'lens tests' IMHO. ;)
Now, I'm even more impressed! :thumbs: One question, what's the file sizes of these jpgs?
 

apicius9

New member
Excellent, thanks, I haven't gotten to those two, yet ;) I was really hoping for the 40mm to be good, I like that length for some reason. I also have an older, slower 1 1/2" Kodak Anastigmat and want to see how they look next to each other.

Stefan
 
M

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Guest
Now, I'm even more impressed! :thumbs: One question, what's the file sizes of these jpgs?
They start as the 'low compression' or 'large' setting out of the G1 (4000x3000). When I upload them to my photo host they are converted down to 800ish x 600ish for web display.

Feel free to check out the original files here. (click the image for a larger view then look for the 'get original uploaded photo' link below the blowup.
 
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ddk

Guest
They start as the 'low compression' or 'large' setting out of the G1 (4000x3000). When I upload them to my photo host they are converted down to 800ish x 600ish for web display.

Feel free to check out the original files here. (click the image for a larger view then look for the 'get original uploaded photo' link below the blowup.
Thanks, the large files have great tonality and depth.
 
R

Ranger 9

Guest
I was pleasantly surprised with these two ektar C-mounts on the G1...
I like the look, too, although I'm not so surprised. Believe it or not, there was a time when Kodak was one of the world's most prestigious lens makers, and "Ektar" was the trade name they used for their top-of-the-line stuff.

This may be apocryphal, but a collector of Kodak Retina cameras (made by Kodak Germany in Stuttgart) once told me that in the years between the wars, Retinas made to be sold in the US were equipped with Schneider and Rodenstock lenses because US photographers believed German lenses were the best... while Retinas made to be sold in Germany were equipped with Ektars because German photographers believed those were the best.

I suppose I should keep my mouth shut, though, so that eBay vendors will continue to think all US-made lenses are junk and price them accordingly. I remember only a few years ago when C-mount Switars (in fact, just about all non-zoom C-mount lenses) were considered obsolete oddities, usually found on dusty shelves in the back of camera stores and in "junk boxes" at camera sales, languishing under two-digit pricetags. Wish I had a Tardis so I could zip back and grab a few of those for G1 use now...
 
D

ddk

Guest
I like the look, too, although I'm not so surprised. Believe it or not, there was a time when Kodak was one of the world's most prestigious lens makers, and "Ektar" was the trade name they used for their top-of-the-line stuff.

This may be apocryphal, but a collector of Kodak Retina cameras (made by Kodak Germany in Stuttgart) once told me that in the years between the wars, Retinas made to be sold in the US were equipped with Schneider and Rodenstock lenses because US photographers believed German lenses were the best... while Retinas made to be sold in Germany were equipped with Ektars because German photographers believed those were the best.

I suppose I should keep my mouth shut, though, so that eBay vendors will continue to think all US-made lenses are junk and price them accordingly. I remember only a few years ago when C-mount Switars (in fact, just about all non-zoom C-mount lenses) were considered obsolete oddities, usually found on dusty shelves in the back of camera stores and in "junk boxes" at camera sales, languishing under two-digit pricetags. Wish I had a Tardis so I could zip back and grab a few of those for G1 use now...
Any tips on a few more great Ektars to look for?
 
M

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Guest
Any tips on a few more great Ektars to look for?
As far as I know they were made in the following flavors:

15mm F1.4 (will vignette on G1)
15mm F2.5 (will vignette on G1)
25mm F1.4 (may vig?)
40mm F1.6
63mm F2
107mm F2.7

I got a 107 with these two as a set but unfortunately... It's alive! :cry:
 

apicius9

New member
Has anybody looked into the differences between the Ektars and the (earlier, I presume) Kodak Anastigmats? I have a few of each and will eventually get to it, just wondering...

BTW, I posted a few pics taken with the 25/1.4 in the 'fast normals' thread, there is some vignetting but it is minimal compared to other lenses.

There are also a 50/1.6 (or 1.4?) and the 152/4.5 (or 4?) - can't go and look, I'm at work and shouldn't even write this :rolleyes: And they may be Anastigmats. I still haven't made a list of my stash but I will do so in the next week.

Stefan
 
M

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Guest
I remember only a few years ago when C-mount Switars (in fact, just about all non-zoom C-mount lenses) were considered obsolete oddities, usually found on dusty shelves in the back of camera stores and in "junk boxes" at camera sales, languishing under two-digit pricetags. Wish I had a Tardis so I could zip back and grab a few of those for G1 use now...
Thinking back to two years ago... I purchased a beautiful old nikon 20mm/F3.5 from a local elderly gentleman. He asked me if I had any interest in 16mm equipment. I was like 'not really, but I'd love to see what you have out of curiosity'. I kid you not he had EVERY macro switar made (yes even the 50mm). :bugeyes: I was like 'that's really cool but I'll have to pass...' :scry:

I returned to his house early this year and found the poor fellow in ill health. About those switars?? "I donated them to a local charity... I'm sure they sold em' at one of their garage sales" :scry::ROTFL::scry:
 
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