So we have all been having high dosage of superb lens sharpness, technical perfection (as near as you can get), blazing fast AutoFocus and all the modern photography supremacy greatness over the week on this blog, through the Olympus M.Zuiko 75mm F1.8 review series. Just as I have ended the review work, I immediately picked up the CCTV lens, 25mm F1.2 (C-mount) which I have acquired last week and shoot some images on the street with the lens mounted on my humble, lowly Olympus PEN E-PL1.
All images in this entry were taken with Olympus PEN E-PL1 and CCTV lens 25mm F1.2
A Striking Skin
Mobile Phone Generation
The puddle
Glossy ground
A Shoulder to Lean On
In Blue
Rainy Conversation
Motion
Kids These Days
Synchronized
Wild
Luke's Nikon FE2
The consequence? No convenient and effortless autofocus, and had to go full time manual focus, with the focusing ring which was not that easy to twist. Add a handful of technical flaws, and every photographs shot through the CCTV lens has heavy vignetting, heavy corner softness, evident barrel distortion, prominent flares, and well, the list just goes on. Have we become so dependent on technical perfection that every image must be free of flaws? I have come to embrace the older inferior characteristics of the CCTV lens, and you know what, I love the lens flaws in each and every photographs I have taken in this session. This is just the antidote I needed to balance up the hype created by the 75mm F1.8 lens.
Most of the times, what makes a great photograph has very little to do with technical perfection.
You make the CCTV lens alive. Nice picture!
ReplyDeleteThanks ! Actually the CCTV lens made me alive haha
Delete"Mobile Phone Generation" is absolutely top! The expression of the girl, the composition and colours make this shot.
ReplyDeleteThanks hugo !! Definitely my favourite among the series too.
DeleteI love the out-of-focus point lights. And yes, "Mobile Phone Generation" is excellent and so is "Luke Ding". I also like the way the subject in "Motion" is ... mysterious.
ReplyDeleteThanks !! I do think that the bokeh shapes and characteristics of this lens is a bit spunky, but I like it !
DeleteHello Robin,
ReplyDeleteExcellent photographs Robin. Love the unique bokeh produced by the CCTV lens. One quick question, I'm on the search for a dSLR and I'd like your opinion on it. I've shortlisted two camera's - Nikon D7000 and the Olympus OM-D EM-5 and frankly, I really love the image samples put out through the Olympus. Especially the high ISO images!
Currently I'm using the FUJIFILM HS10.
Regards,
Rosh
Hello Rosh,
DeleteThanks for the kind compliments. Usually I would refrain from giving suggestions on camera choice especially if I do not know you in person. The reason is I do not know what your shooting preferences are, and what you will use the camera for.
Both D7000 and E-M5 are very capable camera and they have their strengths and weaknesses. If you have friends who have those cameras, give it a try, have a brief session with them and see which one fits you better. I do not use Nikon so I cannot give you any useful comments on Nikon system. If you do not have friends who have those cameras, join a local photography forum, I am sure some of the members have already purchased the cameras.
Hello Robin,
DeleteI forgot to mention regarding what I shoot.. I'm into casual nature photography and close up photography.
And thank you for your suggestions. I will surely try out with some local camera stores to get a feel of the camera's and how they will fare for my purposes..
Regards,
Rosh
great photos.
ReplyDeletei love the 25mm 1.2 too
you can check my photos with this lens here: www.luke-photoblog.blogspot.com
Christoph,
DeleteYou have directed me to your blog before and I have already commented on your latest blog entry.
As usual you make me wanna buy a new toy. I think you are perfectly right about flaws...sometimes it just adds the right touches to a shot. Well done. Do you mind posting a picture of your camera with the CCTV lens. You are the absolute best
ReplyDeleteHi Dino,
DeleteI have posted a photo of the camera + lens before.
http://robinwong.blogspot.com/2012/06/having-fun-with-cheapest-lens-i-could.html
Ok, now you make me to think twice to sell my epl2.... thinking of changing to x100 but lacking of some interchangeable lens feature make me still love my epl2 and the µ4/3 eco system... Nice post :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Dee. X100?? Fixed lens, and slow AF just put me off.
DeleteThanks for your comment Robin. Yeah that's what I'm thinking. I think I should stick to my EPL2 and just enjoy photography... Hope one day can meet you in person and get poison by you... Hehehe :)
DeleteThat's a brilliant article! Great images.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah
Deletedoes this count as a fast lens? LOL
ReplyDeletehi , where did you get the adapter and lens ??
ReplyDeleteI am very interested in the way you said, I will try to make their own, what you said to me a lot. Have time to look at my store, thank you! Frontpoint Reviews
ReplyDeleteThese pictures show how CCTV lens could be used effectively not only for security reasons but for great photography images as well. People who might need such lens could check out how the DigitalDirectSecurity website could help them out in selecting the lens they need.
ReplyDeleteNice information, many thanks to the author. It is incomprehensible to me now, but in general, the usefulness and significance is overwhelming. Thanks again and good luck!home alarm companies
ReplyDeleteRobin, Many many thanks. My CCTV 25mm just came. Here's one of the first shots out of the box. Small exposure adjustment, that was it. I just love this thing ;-)
ReplyDeletehttp://ohnostudio.com/2012/11/giblets-gotta-be-the-shot-of-the-day/
Thanks bro. I was kinda having dilemma either buy this or not. But U assure me that the flaws actually worth the admission he he
ReplyDelete