The Tiny Squad (Pentax Auto 110 lenses)

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

A few weeks ago I got lucky and I won an eBay auction for 40£, this is what I won:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The entire Pentax Auto 110 set with a wonderful original leather Pentax case. Though most of my interest is towards the lenses: Pentax 18mm f 2.8, 24mm f 2.8, 50mm f 2.8, 70mm f 2.8. Everything is in very good condition with all accessories and lens caps.
Wanted them to try to make a video project on my upcoming holiday in August, the first time I’m trying to make a good short video.

Because the lenses are so small I was wondering how I could travel with them in my backpack. And I was thinking of a small case to keep them in. But I couldn’t think of something that would fit well for all 4 of them since the size difference is big and I don’t want them to wiggle and bang each other. So I went on Amazon and found something that would fit all of them in:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

But they would still bang along freely inside so I thought about getting some porous foam as well. They arrived yesterday. So after about an hour and two tries:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Using just a good cutting knife and some a scissor I cut the shape of the case and the shape of the lenses inside and came out with this:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Though I think I should have made the cut for the Pentax 50mm f 2.8 to fit horizontally (like the big Pentax 70mm f 2.8).

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

With all the lenses fitted in, the foam is quite bendy when I push my fingers on the side of the lenses to pull them out but strong enough that the lenses won’t come lose on their own.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

This is everything fit in, it’s a bit snug because the case is a few millimetres thinner then I would love so the lenses don’t feel squeezed BUT the other side is made of padded material so it’s not a big issue. And the case has a zipper pocket on the other side of the flap where I have the Micro Four Thirds Adapters, Step Up rings for all of the lenses to 49mm and (on my to buy list next month) 49mm ND filters.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

All of that in a case about the size of my palm and thickness of my two palms put together.
I am quite happy with the results and I still have a spare bit of foam to give it a 3rd try and see if I can get better looking and shape padding.

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

I forgot about this one:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The Ting Squad, from left to right: Pentax Auto 110 18mm f 2.8, 24mm f 2.8, 50mm f 2.8, 70mm f 2.8 with a 10 Pence coin for size comparison, the coin is the same diameter and same height as the 18mm f 2.8

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

I finally got the Tiny Squad out for a few pictures yesterday morning after work, the sky was very cloudy with some break-in of sunlight for a few seconds once in a while. I wasn't much in a mood for making pictures so I didn't test all of them equally or for very long. All of the pictures are converted from .ORF to .DNG, imported in Lightroom and exported to .JPEG with no post-processing applied (beyond the default sharpness and Adobe Colour Profile) or resizing.

Pentax Auto 110 18mm f 2.8:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The sun broke through the clouds right when I was framing the butterfly and shattered my exposure while I had the big Oly EVF to my eye.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I love the minimum focus distance of 25 cm and the buttery smooth manual focus, very easy to get in focus.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The contrast is quite high for a plastic 1970s lens, enough that Focus Peaking is very strong, intense and accurate.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I love the perfectly round highlights and creamy background rendition. And the colours are absolutely brilliant even on a dull grey day.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Again, the background rendition is just wonderful for this tiny lens and I am not bothered at all by the lack of aperture ring, I'm just fine with f 2.8 only with such character.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I have been looking for years for some ultra soapy bokehlicious balls making lens ... and I found it by accident "Spoilers: I love this lens's character the most out of the entire Tiny Squad"

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

And the colours it produces can be so *Insert stupid Apple marketing terms: MAGICAL*

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Backlight rendition does come with some loss of contrast but I think the colours and character are still there if you bring it back with a bit of post-processing. Not bad for the '70s optical coating.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

From the very limited and preliminary observations, this lens really loves the pink-red-orange-yellow colours.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

A simple composition of very few colour pallets seems to work very well with this lens (possibly avoiding too many internal reflections of colour spam to the optical lens coating). PS: Please ignore my finger in the corner of the frame, I don't know how it got lost and ended up in there )

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Now comes the downsides of the lens: corner sharpness is quite bad, almost vignette-like so I don't think it's a specific specimen issue but a lens design limitation.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I wouldn't recommend this lens for landscape or use at infinity focus ... unless it's an artistical design and looks you might be going for.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

But I do admit that it can have that appeal on me sometimes, if it works well with the subject (not saying the above one does though )

Upcoming is Pentax Auto 110 24mm f 2.8

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Pentax Auto 110 24mm f 2.8:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

This lens has longer minimum focus distance, of 35 cm, compared to the 18mm f 2.8 so the magnifications is less, but it keeps the soapy bokelishous bokeballs with a softer look to them and more oblique shape towards the edges.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

This one is here just because I love that little fly on the flower while I was trying to frame the picture as close to the one from 18mm f 2.8 for comparison's sake

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The colours seem to be quite similar to the 18mm f 2.8, I haven't tested this lens as much because I basically forgot about it because of 2 other lenses

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The colder colours are well renditioned though not as intense or apart like the 18mm f 2.8

Upcoming: Pentax Auto 110 50mm f 2.8

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Pentax Auto 110 50mm f 2.8:

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

At 90 cm minimum focus distance this lens doesn't appeal to me as much for flower portraits, the background rendition is ok, I would say good for an f 2.8 lens. The colours and sharpness seem a tad bit better than the 24mm f 2.8

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Again, the background does ok for an f 2.8 though that minimum focus distance reminds me of the limited rangefinder type lenses.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The colours on this lens seem to be very vibrant and pretty and that's without even touching the RAW files. I get the feeling these lenses would work wonders for JPEG shooters, especially with Oly cameras

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Here I am starting to notice a common thread for these lenses: focus distance closer to infinity suffers from really bad corner performance and with a tap of (the usual for their age and technology) chromatic aberrations. Center sharpness seems to hold up quite well though, even in the very low light (that this shed was hiding under a tree).

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

And at minimum focus distance, the sharpness seems better across the frame (though nowhere near bigger lenses, like 35mm old glass). Featuring dead beauty

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Subject separation is similar or mono-coloured pallet works quite well for this lens. I quite like the warm-ish tonality these lenses produces.

Upcoming: Pentax Auto 110 70mm f 2.8

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Pentax Auto 110 70mm f 2.8:

Before the pictures, I noticed when I got home and cleaned the lenses that this 70mm f 2.8 has very thin fungus growth on it, which explain the dreamy look to the pictures?, but I still included the pictures because of I kind of like some of the renditions. I do have a 2nd copy of 70mmf 2.8 without fungus so I will have to test that one out and see how much of a difference it will make.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I was quite surprised by the dreamy background look, especially in the white highlights, even watching it on the back of the camera screen. This got me quite excited about this lens 10 seconds after putting it on the camera for the first time and the picture above was the first picture I ever made with it.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The minimum focus distance is very far for a lens like this, 1.5 meters, which kind of ruins the potential of such a long and fast-ish glass. To get the foreground out of focus I was shooting upwards through lots of branches on dead leaves that were glinting in the sunlight through the tree.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Same with this picture and it was this one that made me think about the lense having fungus inside. The chromatic aberrations are surprisingly behaved, at least for this specific picture.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

With sufficient distance between the background and the subjects, this lens can make creamy bokeh, though the sharpness is not the best but consider this particular lens has fungus on it so it's not a decisive opinion on sharpness for this model lens.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The handling of backlight subject is not pretty good, the contrast seems ok-ish but sharpness seems to be lacking.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

At minimum focus distance, the background doesn't seem to be busy, but it's a quite solid background with no specular highlights.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The focus was made on the branch that hangs the first apple in the middle. The highlight bloom is noticeable here but it's not too intrusive. This is my 2nd favourite lens of the Tiny Squad so far (fungus or not).

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I think this lens is the weakest when it comes to colour rendition, it looks less vibrant and the greens seem a bit colder then the others.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Though the focus ring is buttery smooth and easy to turn it seems a bit harder to achieve focus with this lens (possible lack of practice on my side). The issue was exacerbated by the fact that the adapter I had seem to be quite badly made because this lens wiggles a lot when mounted.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Comparing the minimum focus distance with the 18mm, even at 140mm equivalent, the magnification is very low. The usefulness of this lens is more limiting than the other lenses for me. I am curious how it would handle portraits but that might be the most I would use for (and on very rare occasions).

 

[Bushboy]

Sweet post!
My dad bought exactly the same kit you have bought, he bought it brand new, and still has it...
Unless of course, ummmm, you didn’t buy this from New Zealand by any chance?

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

So far my favourite lenses are Pentax 18mm f 2.8, Pentax 24mm f 2.8 and least favourite was Pentax 50mm f 2.8 because it just feels average and Pentax 70mm f 2.8 because of limited usefulness that I found for myself, at the moment.

I will test these lenses and try to come out with a review and final verdict in a couple of months, to do some proper (field only) testing.

I won't be sending back the adapter because I have a 2-week vacation in the 2nd half of next month and I have a video project I want to try to do and I don't have enough time to get a replacement. I will look for a better-built adapter in the meantime.

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Sweet post!
My dad bought exactly the same kit you have bought, he bought it brand new, and still has it...
Unless of course, ummmm, you didn’t buy this from New Zealand by any chance?

Don't worry, I bought it from the UK. I think your dad's kit is still safe (I hope). If you can get yourself a kit if it's affordable enough for you. My advice is to look for a complete set because they should be cheaper than buying individually. I got the full kit in a bid for 42 £. I got them separately as well (as a 2nd kit for a friend) and it cost me buying individually 60 £ plus 10 £ for the leather case and that doesn't even include the shipping for each item, which for total comes closer to 100 £.

 

[barry]

The Kipon adapter is miles better than the Pixco; no wobble or focus wiggle.

I haven't noticed that dreamy look on the 70mm, but not sure I've shoot into the sun.

In case it wasn't mentioned, these lenses don't have an iris, and no adapter with one is currently commercially available. It is possible to sacrifice the body to use it's square iris though.

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

The Kipon adapter is miles better than the Pixco; no wobble or focus wiggle.

I haven't noticed that dreamy look on the 70mm, but not sure I've shoot into the sun.

In case it wasn't mentioned, these lenses don't have an iris, and no adapter with one is currently commercially available. It is possible to sacrifice the body to use it's square iris though.

Thank you, I will put the Kipon on my Shopping list in the future. I wasn't shooting particularly into the sun, most of the shots had the sun behind me. I do get the feeling it might be because of the fungus doesn't look like small spots with spreading tentacles but a hole thin web that covers the entire glass element, from what I can see.

I would not sacrifice the body because it's in excellent shape with no damage so it can be functional to have fun once in a while with 110 films (Lomography is selling them and they are coming up with a new film emulsion for 110, 35mm and 120mm on Kickstarter right now). As well as it's a background showpiece (I'm slowly starting to build a film camera set for all film sizes).

 

[jimr.pdx]

Looks like you got a nice bargain set!

.. least favourite was Pentax 50mm f 2.8 because it just feels average and Pentax 70mm f 2.8 because of limited usefulness ..

For just over $200 used the other limited Pentax 70 is useful I mean the useful 70mm Limited is really nice! It's a great alternative to the Oly 75, nicely priced and still small with K adapter attached (it does need an aperture-activating adapter though).

 

[richardp]

Thank you, I will put the Kipon on my Shopping list in the future. I wasn't shooting particularly into the sun, most of the shots had the sun behind me. I do get the feeling it might be because of the fungus doesn't look like small spots with spreading tentacles but a hole thin web that covers the entire glass element, from what I can see.

I would not sacrifice the body because it's in excellent shape with no damage so it can be functional to have fun once in a while with 110 films (Lomography is selling them and they are coming up with a new film emulsion for 110, 35mm and 120mm on Kickstarter right now). As well as it's a background showpiece (I'm slowly starting to build a film camera set for all film sizes).

Just noticed this thread.
If you're still interested in adding a variable apertureo youmay want to have a look at the Pentax 110 on M4/3 thread on Flickr. Various people have tried various things but one, pandreas68, has added an iris he got from China via eBay. There are some on eBay.co.uk under 'microscope, camera and lens adapters'.
Hope this helps.

 

[barry]

Just noticed this thread.
If you're still interested in adding a variable apertureo youmay want to have a look at the Pentax 110 on M4/3 thread on Flickr. Various people have tried various things but one, pandreas68, has added an iris he got from China via eBay. There are some on eBay.co.uk under 'microscope, camera and lens adapters'.
Hope this helps.

Thanks, looks like that's at
https://flic.kr/p/29KgU2a (Click image for more info)

https://www.flickr.com/groups/pa110onm43/discuss/72157629363120201/

He mentions the Pixco adapter has problems; the Kipon is much better. Adding an aperture to either would require some grinding for the lever.

 

[barry]

And
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclingjim/sets/72157629532297383/
using plastic discs

 

[richardp]

And
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclingjim/sets/72157629532297383/
using plastic discs

Hi Barry
Yes those are the right URLs. I'm rpats99 on Flickr.
I think you and I discussed using lensbaby discs a few years ago. I found they worked ok to start with but after changing lenses numerous times they became loose causing vignetting on one side. Also I was worried they would fall out and damage the sensor.
I'd like to try the solution suggested by pandreas68 but life gets in the way.....!