Flock (photo study)

Flock is a photo study made at h_da (Hochschule Darmstadt Mediencampus) in Dieburg, Germany, September 2026.

GFX 100S test of ISO range

Just when I thought I might be done with my tripod, I started wondering about the usable range of ISO on this camera. Like my other tests this is done mostly for my own benefit, so that I know the constraints I'm working with. 

Everyone has different tolerance to noise but most photographers would prefer it to be as low as possible. Adding film-like grain is a different matter since this has quite a different look from sensor noise. The aesthetic appeal can be gauged by the number of software applications just waiting to add grain to your shots. 

You can read my previous post for my testing method. Let's see how this camera performs!

Vintage lenses tested on GFX 100S

Recently I tested two Fujifilm lenses on the GFX 100S. Since I can't afford a full fleet of native glass my plan is to use my modest collection of fine vintage (manual focus) glass. I have been happy to use a selection of these on the full-frame (135 format) Panasonic S5. But not all of these lenses will support the larger sensor size. I expect some vignetting, especially wide open. Or the borders could simply be too weak (e.g. blurry with aberrations).

So... bring on the testing! I lined up a selection of Contax-Yashica mount Carl Zeiss lenses, namely:

• Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2,8/28
• Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1,4/50
• Carl Zeiss Makro Planar T* 2,8/60 C 
• Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 2,8/85
• Carl Zeiss Planar T* 2/100

And a few M42 screw mount lenses:

• Carl Zeiss Jena DDR Pancolar auto 1,8/50 MC
• Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Domiplan 2.8/50
• Pentacon 2.8/135

Pentax will have to wait since the adapter I purchased is apparently on a world tour. 

A quick Fujifilm GFX lens test

The first two lenses I purchased with the Fujifilm GFX 100S are similar everyday focal lengths: 45mm and 50mm. The plan is to compare these and keep the one that works best. So I immediately went for a walk in my neighbourhood... who could resist!

Nonetheless, I return to my bookshelf for this article, since it provides a controlled environment with a variety of colours, textures, and printed text. Test shots allow me to get a quick idea of lens acuity / sharpness at different apertures. While I don't claim to be scientific, this is more controlled than mere guesswork.

Enhancing the GFX: modes versus recipes

I just published my first look at the Fuji GFX 100S. Today I present a recommendation that would be a huge win for ergonomics and the Fuji community. This would fix a logical error in how these cameras deal with saving and restoring settings. All it would take is a firmware update to open up a new world of flexibility and the possibility to directly share development recipes. 

First look at the Fujifilm GFX 100S

I'm only five years late, but here's my evaluation of the GFX 100S, a medium format camera that might replace my Panasonic Lumix S5 as my main workhorse. In this article I will compare salient features. To begin:

MODEL                  DIMENSIONS (mm)  MASS (g)  SENSOR       PIXELS
Fujifilm GFX 100S      150 x 104 x 87   880       43.8 × 32.9  102 mp
Panasonic Lumix DC-S5  133 x 97 x 82    715       36.0 x 24.0   24 mp

A personal photography chronology

I've used five different camera systems in my life, but a sixth has just arrived at Studio Ubiquity. This seems like a good time to update my history with still photography. So I've trawled the archives and compiled the following narrative. It helps me to understand the decisions I've made along the way. Perhaps it will be useful to you?

You can also read an older version of this article. 

Comparing compact 85mm lenses

After obtaining a new lens I enjoy making a few quick comparisons with what I already own, so that I can determine the strengths and weaknesses of each optic. These test are not meant to be scientific, so please take with a grain of salt. Sample variation may have a large bearing on the results. 

In this article I will compare three compact 85mm (or thereabouts) lenses available (from Olympus, Carl Zeiss, and Pentax) with the native Panasonic Lumix counterpart. I find this focal length particularly useful for gig photography, since in the small places I frequent, anything longer would put people between myself and the subject on stage. Anything shorter won't have the reach needed to isolate a performer.

Optical design of the Olympus Zuiko 85mm

 

In my previous articles I introduced the Olympus Zuiko 85mm and discussed the thorny problem of variants. This post will conduct a thorough examination of the optical formulas that Olympus deployed and their relationship to the classic Ernostar and Sonnar designs.

Olympus Zuiko 85mm variants

In my last article I introduced the Olympus Zuiko 85mm and compared its properties to my other two 85mm lenses. In my next article I will describe the optical formulas employed by Olympus.

In this post I'll explore a mystery that haunts this lens. Various writers claim that there are from two to four different variants. They don't agree on the particulars beyond the important fact that there were two different optical designs. Early lenses used 6 elements in 4 groups while later lenses used 5 elements in 4 groups. Photographers enjoy the original for its classic soft portraiture and claim the latter has superior sharpness and aberration correction. 

My goal is to sort out the confusion. Further information or corrections are welcome!

Olympus OM 85mm lens: introduction

 

Olympus launched their range of single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras with the M-1 in July 1972. The next year this camera was renamed the OM-1, the initials apparently standing for Olympus Maitani, honouring chief designer Yoshihisa Maitani (1933-2009). So began the famed OM System.

This article provides information on the Olympus Zuiko 85mm. The second article will examine the mystery of the different variants. I've now finished a third article that dives into the optical design.

Asahi Takumar and Pentax normal lenses

My interest in Pentax lenses should be obvious considering the articles on this website. One of the reasons I went down the rabbit hole of lens design history was to discover how the numerous lenses released by Asahi Optical related together over time. This article compiles the results of that research.

The format is original even if the lens data is available in numerous places. Read on to get a spreadsheet organised chronologically by lens family and optical design. 

Updated 26 November 2024 to include some lens diagrams.

Photography and Lens Design SERIES

This series of articles provides historical information on lens design for cameras, specifically those using 135 film, but also their SLR and DSLR offspring. Today's mirrorless camera systems allow us to adapt almost any lens from the history of photography. So there has been renewed interest in how families of lenses are related in their optical design.

This series is for readers interested in learning the basics without being overwhelmed by technicalities and mathematics. Here you will find a solid basis for any further readings.

Lens Design Glossary

This article provides a glossary of useful terms, written in such a way as to flow from one concept to the next. The first section covers basic lens terminology. The second section provides capsule descriptions of the most common lens aberrations, defects that the lens designer struggles to overcome.

In the interest of time I haven't provided illustrations. Please consult other sources after familiarising yourself with this primer.

Lens Design References

This article will provide further reading for those interested in pursuing the subject further.

Development of Symmetrical Lenses

This article will outline the development of symmetrical lens designs conventionally described as double Gauss. These include the Zeiss Planar, Lee Opic, and Biotar, as well as the vast majority of normal lenses made from 1896 to the end of the twentieth century. It's not too much to claim this innovation as the most important in lens design for camera systems.

In the appendix “Lenses and Their Makers” Cox lists many symmetrical lenses that were on the market at the time. Pages 484-97 of his book (see my references) contain no fewer than 64 different lens diagrams. But if we restrict the survey to 35mm film cameras, only four of the designs were used by more than one lens. That's remarkable consistency!

Camera Lenses of the Nineteenth Century

 

This article will outline a brief history of early lens design, starting with the simplest 2 element topologies for daguerreotype cameras. This can be considered as background my article on symmetrical designs. This is by no means complete. For that you will need to read many chapters in the books I list in my references.

Planar / Tessar / Sonnar / Distagon

A recent question about the naming scheme adopted for Carl Zeiss lenses encouraged me to do a little research. So I wrote the first version of this article... but then I couldn't stop reading about lens design! So now you can enjoy an entire series by clicking on the banner above.

Creative names like Planar, Sonnar, and Tessar were initially used to describe families of optical designs. But later they were used for marketing reasons, so the original meanings were not always preserved.

I now have more detailed articles on the development of lenses in the nineteenth century and those that used the symmetrical pattern. This article repeats some of that information, but from the perspective of Carl Zeiss offerings, in particular the Contax-Yashica line. (Since these are personal favourites.)

what flowers say about your photo gear

What do flowers say about your photography gear?

It's all good. Stop chasing more equipment. What you have is fine.

They say: F4 and be there.

And: Aren't we pretty?

With the punchline out of the way, I'll explain in some detail.

Comparing Vintage 28mm Lenses: Revisited

Three months ago I compared five vintage 28mm lenses. Based on those results I've obtained one new lens and dug up an old M42 from my archives. Here are the lenses in today's comparison, with their official designations:

• smc PENTAX 1:2 28mm 
• smc PENTAX 1:3.5/28
• SMC PENTAX-A 28mm f/2.8
• Vivitar Series 1 28mm 1:1.9 VMC Auto Wide Angle
• Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 28mm f/2.8