Monthly Archives: November 2017

Rokinon MFT 7.5mm f/3.5 MFT fisheye lens – Part I

Exceptional and cheap.



The Rokinon 7.5mm fisheye for MFT. Click the image to go to Amazon.



Garden cranes at sunset. There are no halos from the sun. Uncorrected original at f/8.


Corrected in Fisheye-Hemi from Imaudio. Graded darkening of the sky added in LR.

At $218 the Rokinon MFT fisheye lens costs less than a third of its Panasonic counterpart; it sacrifices AF and full EXIF data for truly outstanding all metal construction and resolution to die for. I have not tested the Panny FE but reviews disclose that the Rokinon is a far better optic. The 7.5mm fisheye is the only true MFT lens listed by Rokinon on its USA site; all others are either APS-C or full frame adapted to the Panny/Oly MFT bayonet mount and are, accordingly, huge and out of proportion on an MFT body.

I have no interest in the gimmickry of fisheye perspective but I am very interested in having an ultrawide prime. I first experimented with de-fishing images from my Canon FF fisheye here, concluding that defished images were almost as sharp as those from a very costly Canon 14mm prime and came in at 12mm effective focal length. That’s considerably wider.

While there are many fisheye profiles to be found in Lightroom, none does a great job and there is not one tailored to this lens. Some fishing around (sorry!) on the web disclosed that there was an outstanding plugin for LR from Imaudio for $30 and after testing the trial version, which watermarks the processed image, I sprung for it. There is no loss of edge definition unlike with the stock LR profiles and the image is considerably wider, less being lost. Look carefully at the above images and you will see that content loss really is negligible.

In keeping with the MFT aesthetic, the lens is tiny, unlike your FF or APS-C fisheye with an adapter.

Manual focusing:

The Rokinon is a manual focus optic. However the great depth of field means that careful focusing is really only needed at close distances and large apertures. Otherwise at, say, f/8 (the aperture ring has half click-stops except between f/16 and f/22) the focus is set at the hyperfocal distance (just short of infinity, like in the first image above) and you bang away, happy as a clam. When careful manual focus is required, using the relatively stiff focus collar, Panny MFT cameras come with the best focus aid in the business. Having first set ‘Shoot w/o lens’ on the last page of the third menu to ‘Yes’, allowing the lens to be recognized, you push the left quadrant rear button once, then the Set button. The center of the image is magnified allowing easy critical focus. On the GX7 you can vary the magnification using the knurled wheel around the shutter release button. I have mine set to maximum magnification.

When focused the group of lens elements extends within the confines of the petal, non-detachable lens hood. The total extension is around 1/8″. The rear glass moves forward a like amount suggesting that all the elements are being moved in unison during focusing. There is no way to attach filters and the deep, provided lens cap must be correctly oriented to clip on and lock in place. In practice the lens hood’s petals do a fine job of protecting the front glass. A rear lens cap is also provided and fits well.

The same lens appears to be marketed under a variety of brand names, including Bower and Samyang. Buy the cheapest. I much prefer chrome finish lenses and the Rokinon comes in a chrome variant; however, I have read that the chromed focus ring is plastic whereas the black one is very much metal, so I opted for the latter. The weight is just 6.2 ozs (176 grams). As I stated above, it is tiny, easily accommodated in a trouser or jacket pocket.

As I only ever use my GX7 bodies in aperture priority auto-exposure mode, correct exposure is guaranteed with the Rokinon, despite the absence of any communication mechanism between lens and body. Of course, one of the most appealing bits of magic of the MFT format comes into play here: as the aperture is changed the finder image remains the same brightness, for the finder automatically adjusts to the change in aperture. The only variable which visibly changes is depth of field.

Along with the outstanding 12-35mm f/2.8 Panasonic pro zoom and the small GX7 Panny body the user has a full frame equivalent lens range of 12mm to 70mm. The size:performance equation here seems to be impossible to improve on.

More in Part II.

Support our National Parks

But do so conditionally.

I wrote about the need to support our National Parks here.

A recent new request for a donation from the NPS elicited this response from me:

If you believe, as do I, that this is how our National Parks should look, write them along these same lines:



How Yosemite should look.

Suggesting that reading and comprehension skills at the Park System are not the greatest, I got this stock reply:

Well, at least they got one thing right – the Parks are for Americans ….

Open House at MotoGhost

For two wheeled BMW men.

Omar Sayied, the owner of MotoGhost is not only a fine mechanic, he is also an astute businessman, putting his MBA to good use in running a successful business. That business caters to BMW motorcyclists who either own older machines in need of repair, ones which the factory dealers long ago abandoned, or newer motorcycles where the often outrageous dealer pricing is to be avoided. Omar ministers to my two airheads (BMW bikes with air cooled two cylinder motors and shaft drive, last made in 1995) when specialty tools or specialty expertise reside outside my garage.

Today saw the MotoGhost Open House and some one hundred machines were already there when I pulled up at noon, eagerly searching out the free bratwursts! Needless to add, I was one of the youngest riders there. Honest!

I rode my 1994 R100RT, a fully faired machine perfect for the 16 mile freeway trek north, the motor humming along happily at 70mph and 4000rpm in fifth gear. This is very much the sweetspot for the 1000cc shaft driven, air cooled twin, with vibes at a minimum and everything as it should be. The machine has been trouble free and its relaxed seating position and big fairing make for fine long distance touring, pannier bags and top case attached.

There was a broad variety of machines to be enjoyed:



MotoGhost is in north Phoenix, off exit 26 from the 101.


The showroom is small and pristine.


Entente cordiale.


My 1994 R100RT in the foreground. The aftermarket rear monoshock is by Progressive Suspension. 60 horsepower – all you need for day long touring.


Enjoying the free eats.


Ouch!


Parts, parts, parts.


Specialty tools do not come cheap. Not available at Harbor Freight ….


Vacuum gauge for carburettor adjustment.


Parts carousels in the workshop.


Alles in ordnung! Tools arranged just so.


Recent vintage machines in the workshop. The R1200R in the forefront is a nice ride.


An early 1970s R60/5. Note the drum front brakes. Larger capacity machines of the era sported a single disc brake in front.


Basket case. Cheaper to buy a good used bike ….


A lovely 1975 R90S, the first modern ‘superbike’.


A 1991 K100RS with a four cylinder, 16 valve motor. Lots of power …. and the personality of a washing machine. 95 buzzy horses, this one. ABS brakes are a nice touch


A late 1970s R100RS, the first motorcycle with a wind tunnel fairing, designed by Hans Muth. A machine much loved by autobahn cops.


Modern BMWs have grown along with American waistlines.


A Russian Ural with sidecar. The Russians stole the airhead engine design from BMW after WW2, and it’s hard to blame them. The quality of these machines is execrable, as you might expect.


A nicely restored 500cc R50 of the 1960s. Not really enough power for modern freeway speeds, and with marginal brakes, this machine nonetheless exudes period charm. The sprung saddles complement the near non-existent rear suspension. Badly in need of pinstripes!


Sidecar rig, this one with a 750cc R75/6 motor.


My 1994 R100RT backed by a modern R1200RT, a compact and surprisingly light tourer, with an oil and air cooled 8-valve boxer engine and almost twice the power at 109hp.


So, now you know.


If you are a Phoenix area resident, MotoGhost is unreservedly recommended for your two wheeled BMW needs.

All snaps on the Panny GX7 with the 12-35mm pro zoom; the interior images all at the f/2.8 maximum aperture.

Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 Power OIS MFT lens – Part II

Outstanding in every respect.

The mechanical aspects of the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 12-35mm zoom were outlined here.

This is a costly zoom and for the money you get a fixed f/2.8 maximum aperture, a far higher standard of construction than the kit zoom, with silky smooth controls, and bulk not much greater than the kit lens. The original 14-45mm kit zoom was a fine optic and you can read about it here. It has long been discontinued but affordable ones can be found on the used market.

What does the 12-35mm add? Outstanding micro-contrast and edge to edge sharpness even at full aperture, an f/2.8 which comes in handy in marginal lighting. And the extra width at 12mm is a good trade-off for the loss of 10mm at the long end.

Here’s a selection of images taken in Williams and Sedona, Arizona the other day.


In Williams, AZ: Boat. 26mm, f/5.6


No halos, right into the sun. 24mm, f/6.3.


Brando lives! 12mm, f/6.3.


Hot rod. 32mm, f/6.3.


Steaks & BBQ. 25mm, f/7.1.


Cruiser’s. 14mm, f/5.6.


Deserted. Note the Art Deco touch on the bank building at left. 23mm, f/5.6.


Western outfitters. 23mm, f/5.6.


Sultana Theater. 12mm, f/4.5.


Sultana Theater plaque. 33mm, f/5.6.


Tasting and Tap house, formerly an opium den! 29mm, f/5.6.


Santa Fe. 17mm, f/5.6.


Native America Trading Post. 35mm, f/5.6.


Halloween witch. 12mm, f/4.


Italian Bistro (what?), 22mm, f/10.


Grand Canyon Hotel. 31mm, f/10.


Grand Canyon Hotel plaque. 16mm, f/5.6.


The Carriage House is a separate three room building in back of the hotel. 31mm, f/10.


In Sedona, AZ: Tinplate display at the Son Silver West gallery in Sedona. 19mm, f/6.3.


Hot peppers and T Rex. 23mm, f/6.3.


Pottery pumpkins. 19mm, f/6.3.


More hot chili peppers.

Except for modest use of the Highlight and Shadow sliders in Lightroom for the Williams images – the late sun lighting means very high contrast – these are pretty much straight out of camera, my Panasonic GX7.

Proof of the pudding? The Panny 12-35mm has replaced three of my other MFT lenses – the 14-45mm kit zoom, the Olympus 17mm prime and its brother the Oly 45mm prime. All sold. Now my MFT kit is back to basics, consonant with the ‘small and light’ concept of the original design. I own only one other MFT optic, the excellent 45-200mm zoom, with its mighty reach for special occasions. It resides permanently on my other GX7 body.

Here’s the ‘contact sheet’ from the Williams outing; having grown up poor and using film, digital waste is not something I indulge in:


The two images with a ‘2’ in the upper left corner were roundtripped via Photoshop – the first to remove overhead wires, the second to fix verticals.