Petrol was $1.311 /ltr the other day = $4.96 /US gallon . Today it has gone up to $1.327 /ltr . I don't know why as oil went down on the world markets. Lucky I don't have a gas guzzling SUV. I can't imagine having to shell out over $100. for a tank of gasoline.
I go to work early and our temps are still hovering around freezing. Yesterday I was very tempted to ride and I was humming and hawing and in the end decided to use my Honda. When I left I had to scrape the ice off the windshield even though it was around 2°C (Above freezing) so I think I made the right decision. A couple of hours later I looked out my office window and saw the sun come out and the rest of the afternoon was just beautiful and perfect for riding.
Earlier in the week I did manage to commute on my V-strom but since we moved our clocks ahead, the mornings are darker. It's a trade off but I would rather have usuable daylight after work, than before.
You all probably know that I am a hobbyist and I like to experiment with my photographic equipment. I still have a lot of stuff hidden away but lately I have been playing around with old, classic, prime-lenses. I managed to acquire a set of Takumar SMC M42 screw mount lenses along with an SP body which appears to work just fine. I also recently picked up an M42 SMC Takumar 28mm 3.5 courtesy of CL
I have been busily ordering adapters off eBay so I can drag out more stuff I have hidden away. I have noticed many people have been getting great results from their Zeiss lenses. ZF, ZM, ZE, ZA, ZK etc I wasn't sure what all this meant but basically Zeiss stopped lens production a decade ago but decided to bring out new lenses in popular mounts. I don't have the desire to spend funds on new lenses but I remembered that I still had a couple of classic Zeiss lenses and my Contax 139 quartz body in C/Y mount.
Being a member of the British Commonwealth it was easier to select a vendor which shipped from Hong Kong for then I can have my items shipped to me directly to my work address, with shipping included using EMS (Express Mail Service). If I order from a USA vendor I have to ship to Point Roberts, WA then waste a half a day to cross the border and pick it up. Also I have to pay the HST (12%), and duty, if applicable. Small dollar items up to around equivalent C$40. are usually exempted from both HST and duty.
(C/Y to EOS adapter)
It only takes around 10-14 days from time of clicking my mouse to receiving the goods. (C/Y = Contax Yashica)
(Zeiss Planar 50mm 1.4, mounted on Contax 139 Quartz)
The Zeiss 50mm 1.4 is probably one of the finest 50mm lens made
I also had a 25mm 2.8 Distagon T*
(Zeiss Distagon 25mm 2.8 T*)
With the use of this adapter, I am now able to use these fine lenses on my EOS Canon T2i body
(Zeiss 50mm 1.4 Planar, mounted on Canon T2i)
Lenses are used in manual, stop-down meter mode, aperature priority. Focusing is very smooth and you have a distance/focus scale
I find that prime lenses are usually sharper as they have been optimized for that specific focal length . You loose a little convenience as you have to let your legs do the zooming, either that, or you have to be more creative in cropping your subjects.
