Japan is Tea is Japan (film v smartphone)

There's a lot of talk about how great smartphone cameras are these days - the portability and versatility are deniable but for me large cameras and film have a look that are never going to be beat by something that can fit in a pocket. Just check out the difference in exposure, depth of field, leaf greens and sky blues between the two pictures. One is take on a Motorola One Vision, the other taken on Pentax 645 with RVP 50 film.

While modern technology keeps moving forward, it doesn't always capture what made the past so great.

Japanese tea on the other hand has no competition! ;)

Fish eye by night

level view point

low view point

The difference between a level camera and one that isn't straight is so extreme with a fisheye that you really need to use a tripod to take your time, get the camera level, check everything is completely aligned as you want it before taking the shot. The slightest angle puts everything out of line and distorted out of shape in every possible way! I never had to think so much with my other lenses before taking a shot. The Canon 15mm on a full frame camera has almost a 180 degree angle of view which is a whole new world if you are used to zoom lenses. You have to watch everything-particularly where your hand and arms are holding the camera and even your feet. It's very easy for them to stray into the edges of a shot without noticing.

 The fisheye is potentially the worst lens for making people look beautiful but if carefully done, it could have a niche look you don't normally see. Hope to get some portraits with it soon... Keeping a flash out of the shot is going to be interesting!

Oh my...lens!

I have been researching about a particular retro lens for a few years now and thanks to the advent of modern mirror less DSLRs made by the likes of Sony, the demand for it (and the price) has been on the rise for the past few years.

the Canon 50mm 0.95 dream lens dividing opinions and relationships for the last 50 years

The Canon 50mm f0.95 lens is a one of a kind as the first mass produced lens to beat f1.0 from what I have read and Canon haven't tried to repeat since so it has the same heritage as ridiculously fuel-guzzling American muscle cars of the same era. It's a mighty chunk of glass that can suck light in better than most modern optics except maybe a leica or two but the thing that makes it loved and hated about as much as Marmite is its look in the photos it produces. It has a smooth bokeh that I personally find as entrancing as thickly spread Marmite on my toast for breakfast and part of its appeal for me is that it isn't a perfect lens. It hasn't benefited from digital construction or the latest computer tech to make it transmit light is cleanly as a modern optic but it does have soul and fortunately it isn't radioactive unlike some other lenses of its generation. Any imperfections make it what it is and whenever I see any images by this Canon dream lens, I can't help but want to make similar images too.

So when I saw this lens up for sale at a relatively cheap buy it now price on a net auction site I knew I had to risk it. I figured even if it was scratched or mouldy I could sell it on without a loss as I have seen even cracked copies of this lens go for a high price. (I owe a couple of people for helping me get this lens as it's been sitting in Japan waiting me to check it out for a few weeks and had to persuade my partner it would make it's money back and more when sold)... And the wait was totally worth it!

It's the cleanest lens I have ever seen second hand with not even a scratch and it's over 50 years old. The camera sold with it was labeled as just an extra but it's also as perfect and untouched a camera as could be expected. Now I just need to put some film through it to see if it works but I'm super cautious of touching either of them let alone taking them outside.

The lens is numbered 10007 which I'm sure appeals to Bond fans but according to my research means it's also the 7th lens ever made on the production line and the lowest number I could find (even the lens featured in the original catalogue is numbered higher). So now I'm stuck with a tough decision. I hoped this lens could be an investment that I wouldn't mind selling on after a few months use, but now I can't see myself parting with it at all as I will never find another like it again... BUT How am I going to explain that to the better half?