Lumix S 26mm f8 bodycap lens

[Markuswelder]

So a new version of darktable has been officially made available for Linux Mint. Kind of. So I updated it, & I'm really really liking it. Much easier to get the colour & contrast that pleases me.
A couple of my latest efforts

• Panasonic DC-S5
• LUMIX S 26/F8
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/200s
• ISO 100

• Panasonic DC-S5
• LUMIX S 26/F8
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/320s
• ISO 100

• Panasonic DC-S5
• LUMIX S 26/F8
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/320s
• ISO 100

 

[Markuswelder]

Ooooops. Wrong shot. Can't edit posts for some daft reasons, here's the one I meant to post. I hope.

• Panasonic DC-S5
• LUMIX S 26/F8
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/320s
• ISO 100

 

[The Rigger]

I ordered one of these lenses today from MPB; like-new condition in the original packaging for us$115 shipped. Should have it in hand by February 2nd. Looks like a fun lens.

 

[Markuswelder]

I ordered one of these lenses today from MPB; like-new condition in the original packaging for us$115 shipped. Should have it in hand by February 2nd. Looks like a fun lens.

I paid about $250 USD for mine brand new, I waited a while for the price to drop as I thought they might have due to all the vitriol & hate directed towards in on the interwebz, never really happened to I just grabbed one. Never regretted a single cent of the purchase price. It's not only just a fun lens to use (which it is in spades) -sometimes I have to check the EXIF data to make sure it was shot with that tiny little plastic lens I use it quite a lot when I'm working on projects at work, it's a bit of a disservice to it really, to relegate it to just that.

• Panasonic DC-S5
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/100s
• ISO 100

• Panasonic DC-S5
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/320s
• ISO 100

• Panasonic DC-S5
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/30s
• ISO 200

 

[Markuswelder]

So out of curiosity, I ran one of those shots through darktable. Without comparing back and forwards as I was editing. It surprised me what I got. I actually prefer the darktable version. A bit cleaner, I think sharper, & a bit more natural looking colour

• Panasonic DC-S5
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/30s
• ISO 200

 

[The Rigger]

Anyone come up with a nice case for this lens?
...Or a front lens cap, for that matter? I understand it only comes with a rear cap.

 

[Markuswelder]

Anyone come up with a nice case for this lens?
...Or a front lens cap, for that matter? I understand it only comes with a rear cap.

I use one of those Neoprene lens bags with a drawstring. One of the smallest available.
Never worried about a lens cap, it gets dragged everywhere with me, no special care, still looks like new

 

[Markuswelder]

And don't listen to the people who say the lens is difficult to focus manually. I set my S5 to picture in picture magnified focus box, activated by a press on the joystick, and focus peaking set to a custom button. You don't even have to look at/inspect any edges in the focus box, just rack the focus in and out a touch until you get the maximum amount of peaking colour, done. Perfectly focused shots. It makes a very big difference in the sharpness of your images, I suspect those who complain that the lens is not very sharp are just trying to use hyperfocal distance or zone focusing.
You can shoot relatively slow-ish moving subjects that way

• Panasonic DC-S5
• LUMIX S 26/F8
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/320s
• ISO 100

• Panasonic DC-S5
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/500s
• ISO 640

• Panasonic DC-S5
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/160s
• ISO 200

 

[Markuswelder]

I ordered one of these lenses today from MPB; like-new condition in the original packaging for us$115 shipped. Should have it in hand by February 2nd. Looks like a fun lens.

Did you end up getting yours? Shot much with it? Impressions?

 

[The Rigger]

Did you end up getting yours? Shot much with it? Impressions?

Got it, yes. It even came with a nifty neoprene "lens cap" (more of a lens jacket, really). First impressions just fiddling with it around the house were favorable, but then life reared it's ugly head and I haven't had a chance to take it out and give it a proper workout.

I've got a hankering to shoot a collection of murals that have been painted on various buildings around town, that this lens might possibly work well for. Stay tuned...

 

[Markuswelder]

It's not just the physical or image qualities that get me with the little 26, it's the whole experience. It's fixed aperture as well as fixed focal length, so about the only thing you can control most of the time, is the framing/composition to get an interesting shot. And that requires a bit of thought, and legwork. I find that quite good fun

 

[snaimpally]

I agree. Lack of EVF is an absolute deal breaker.

It is not a deal breaker for everyone. I have used a Lumix GM1 MFT for travel photography for many years and it doesn't have an EVF and so the lack of an EVF didn't stop me from buying an S9.

Thanks for sharing the images with the bodycap lens. Great shots!

 

[dseres]

I have bought this lens from MPB. It arrived on Tuesday. Yesterday I tested it in my backyard. Today, I brought it to work and I tested it there with a colleague. My first impression is that focusing was a bit harder than I expected.

Here are some of the first pictures.

Overall, I like this lens. I plan to use it while hiking. The weather is nice here in Hungary. Maybe I will go with my family this weekend.

 

[Markuswelder]

My first impression is that focusing was a bit harder than I expected.

Did you set up picture in picture focus peaking like I explained previously? It honestly makes it really really fast and easy.

 

[dseres]

Did you set up picture in picture focus peaking like I explained previously? It honestly makes it really really fast and easy.

Yes. I set up focus peaking, and It helped.

 

[dseres]

Sorry, the pictures are missing.


Panasonic S5D + S-R26, f/8 1/60 26mm ISO320

• Panasonic DC-S5D
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/60s
• ISO 320

Panasonic S5D + S-R26, f/8 1/160 26mm ISO100

• Panasonic DC-S5D
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/160s
• ISO 100

Panasonic S5D + S-R26, f/8 1/400 26mm ISO100

• Panasonic DC-S5D
• ƒ/8
• 26mm
• 1/400s
• ISO 100

 

[Markuswelder]

Yes. I set up focus peaking, and It helped.

Picture in picture? With the magnified view? That's the bit that makes it really easy. The PIP box is then like a focus point, you set that where you'd normally set a focus point, then just rotate the focus ring until you get max peaking colour. Focus is then absolutely spot on, without even judging edges or anything

 

[dseres]

Picture in picture? With the magnified view? That's the bit that makes it really easy. The PIP box is then like a focus point, you set that where you'd normally set a focus point, then just rotate the focus ring until you get max peaking colour. Focus is then absolutely spot on, without even judging edges or anything

I will try the PIP box. Thank you!

On the third image. I got the most peaking color by setting the focus to infinity minus a little. The Infinity did not result a sharp picture.

 

[Markuswelder]

Yeah, sorry to keep banging on about it, but that magnified PIP focus point/box is the key to the whole thing.Otherwise the whole screen/EVF shows the peaking colour, and you've no idea where the actual focus plane really is. PIP still lets you see the whole field of view so you can easily compose the shot, while still being able to focus accurately on the point you want with the magnified view.
Here's just a really really quick & dirty shot of my S5 showing how I've got it set. You can see the "P" symbol for Peaking, I've got my Peaking colour set to yellow, and the PIP box is showing just a small section of the subject where I want the focus plane to lie. I can still see the rest of the composition, and can safely ignore any Peaking colour that may occur outside the PIP box.
As long as you're seeing max peaking colour in the PIP box, you're good to go, perfect focus, and you can still compose your shot. Too easy

• Panasonic DC-G100
• ƒ/1.8
• 25mm
• 1/80s
• ISO 400

 

[2EV]

Yeah, sorry to keep banging on about it, but that magnified PIP focus point/box is the key to the whole thing.Otherwise the whole screen/EVF shows the peaking colour, and you've no idea where the actual focus plane really is. PIP still lets you see the whole field of view so you can easily compose the shot, while still being able to focus accurately on the point you want with the magnified view.
Here's just a really really quick & dirty shot of my S5 showing how I've got it set. You can see the "P" symbol for Peaking, I've got my Peaking colour set to yellow, and the PIP box is showing just a small section of the subject where I want the focus plane to lie. I can still see the rest of the composition, and can safely ignore any Peaking colour that may occur outside the PIP box.
As long as you're seeing max peaking colour in the PIP box, you're good to go, perfect focus, and you can still compose your shot. Too easy

I set it up the same way as you. Where do I turn on the distance scale?