28mm, f16 @1/6, ISO 400, WB Sun, Manual focus, tripod after the drop.
Many of you know by now that shortly after returning from Japan, my camera hit the concrete during the Painting with Light class at the CBG. The people at the Authorized Repair Store in Morton Grove, IL assured me that, try as they might, they were unable to get the needed repair parts. This lens was/is my personal favorite ever since I was bitten by the available light(not lightening) bug. Yes, this very rare 28mm f1.4 lens was made to be shot wide open and people who own one know that and are not about to give theirs up. It’s as sharp at f1.4 as at any other aperture. Even though it’s be out of production for some time, there are less expensive ways to get to f16 than buying this fixed 28mm.
So you’re wondering what brings perfection to another gray day around Chicago? Well flat, even light is just right for checking the focus of any lens. Especially if you put it on a tripod and use a shutter release cable, your phone or other non-tactile way to trip the shutter. I’ve just returned from a trip to the wild environs around the C3 (Carlson Camera Clubhouse) where I was manually focusing the damaged lens in fervent hope that it will still focus — with my help. Check out the above snap and draw your own conclusions. The next gray day could be just right for focus-checking. If your lens is soft between f8 and f16, consider two things: 1. replacing it with one that’s generated positive reviews and 2. holding a bake sale to under write the cost.
The other shot is one from a pre-drop night shoot in Tokyo. Check the sharpness at f1.4, hand-held and you could end up wanting one of these.
28mm, f1.4 @ 1/80, ISO 320, manual focus, hand-held
