RE: [APML] Geminids 04: Something Really Different...

["Chris Schur" <cschur@therim.com>]

Jim,

And if you would have bought the ST7, a year later those sweet ST10s would
have looked even better!  There is no end to all of this, it just keeps
going on and on.  The Super in the lens series is for the quality of the
lens itself.  My 50mm gets very sharp corner to corner at one stop down, at
f/2.8.  At f/4 it is so amazing, I can hardly believe it.

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: astro-photo-bounces@seds.org
[mailto:astro-photo-bounces@seds.org]On Behalf Of Jim Vineyard
Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2004 7:38 AM
To: Discussion of Film Astrophotography
Subject: Re: [APML] Geminids 04: Something Really Different...


Hello Chris,
  Am I correct the "Super" in the 35mm Pentax "Super Takumar" meant they
were multi-coated or did it denote a K-mount?

  It's my understanding Pentax pioneered the first 35mm multi-coatings in
their screw-mount lenses and all the other makers followed their lead when
they observed the effect to be gained.  Prior they'd all been simple
mag-florite coated.

  I shot all Pentax in: a 28mm f/2.8 Takumar "non"-Super Multi Coated, a SMC
50mm at both f/1.7 and  f/2.8, and a non-SMC 50mm f/2.0 on the 2001 Leonids.
ONLY the SMC picked up meteors, and at both f ratios, and quite a lot at
that!  I was VERY surprised at those results!
  Ever since I would always recommended that anyone picking up a nice used
35mm Pentax lens always go for the Super Multi-Coated (SMC) varieties.  The
light loss at each element's air to glass surface without the coatings seems
to add up to a very real difference, at least for astrophotography.
  Your 50mm f/2.8 Pentax Super Taukumar seems to shoot very well indeed.
I've heard some of the older variety, and screw mount non-excepted, were
exceptional.  There's an old 300mm one I still would like to get a hold of,
though I forget its f ratio without researching it.  If everything wasn't
tending toward CCD I'd like to expand my collection since they can now be
had for a relative steal on ebay.
  Anyone out there, just steer clear of the 135mm non-SMC plain Takumar.
It, in particular, was not made in Japan (Tiawan I think) and can be pretty
poor.
  Pretty much everything SMC seems pretty good but tends to be a little
slower than some other major camera manufacturers, Nikon etc.  I used to
have a bit of an inferior feeling about the 35mm Pentax line but don't
really care a bit anymore after researching various lenses and their makers.
  The very expensive SMC 50mm f/1.4 is only as good as the inexpensive SMC
f/1.7 though, since both need stopping to f/2.8 for acceptable
astrophotography IMHO.
  BTW, my first ever astrophoto was on a whim with the 50mm f/1.7
piggybacked, and (old) Fuji Super G800 plus pointed toward the Milkyway for
from 8 to 12 mins.  THAT WAS THE HOOK!!!

Nice Job!

Jim Vineyard

P.S.  You would never know it, but a very long time ago while I used to
listen in on the SBIG list, you had me that "" close to buying an ST-7.  But
I opted for an STV with the $.  Wish I'd gone for the 7!



-----Original Message -----
From: "Chris Schur" <cschur@therim.com>
To: "APML" <Astro-Photo@seds.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2004 9:49 AM
Subject: [APML] Geminids 04: Something Really Different...


> Hi All,
>
> I captured a whopping 4 meteors in 48 shots with the robotic camera during
> the peak Geminids, and rather than just post the images, which are
> probably
> rather ordinary, I did a bit of analysis on them.  You can see my results
> here:
>
> http://www.psiaz.com/schur/astro/filmimagepages/geminids04.html
>
> You can still look at my full frames as well.
>
> Comments?
>
>
> Clear Skies,
>
> Chris Schur
> Astro: http://www.PSIAZ.com/Schur/astro
> Robotics: http://www.psiaz.com/schur/astro/roboticsmain.html
>
> ---
>
> _______________________________________________
> Astro-Photo mailing list
> Astro-Photo@seds.org
> http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/astro-photo
>
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