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Lily of the Nile Autor: nparsons13 3 0 3047 | Small red flowers Autor: nparsons13 3 0 3071 |
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This is my preferred lens for closeup and macro shooting (1:2 on APSC without rings) down to 15cm. In that range it is very sharp yet has a beautiful soft, buttery bokeh. The focus ring is smooth and has a very short throw--a little over 90 degrees from infinity to 0.15m. That might make it difficult to focus at wide apertures at longer distances, but for close-ups it's easy to use: just set the distance and then move the camera toward or away from the subject to get the focus exact.
It's a very compact lens and not extremely heavy. It is at its longest extension, 159mm, at the 70mm setting and at minimum focus. At its shortest, 50mm and infinity, it is about 82mm long. Fit and finish seem to be very good, with glossy black paint and clear numbering and lettering that remind me of my Kiron lenses. The focus ring is smooth, though a little loose for a ring with such a short throw, and the zoom ring is smooth but firm. The aperture ring turns easily but has firm, clear clicks at full stops between 2.8 and 22.
Weaknesses:
My copy is unusual because its rear element is finely pitted over much of the rear surface. It looks as if the rear of the lens has been dropped or pressed into sand or fine gravel. At least partially as a result of that damage, it suffers from poor contrast and flare in most conditions. As a result, I can't comment on the lens's performance for anything other than close-up and macro work except to say that I almost gave up on it soon after I received it; then I discovered its close-up qualities.
Comments:
I have this lens with the Atan label. I understand that it may also be found under the Soligor brand name. I've seen speculation online that it may have been manufactured by Cosina or Komine.