Wide-converter to Soft Telephoto Lens

It may looks a bit drastic action to deal with camera optics.  🙂 

Though, today’s camera lens made by a plastic was often fixed by a

liquid glue hence impossible to disassemble. = So, it calls drastic action !

—– There was a funny idiosyncratic subconscious = optics has to be handled

with kids-gloves on.   And this apply to a gear obtained for almost nothing.

So, the edge of the Wide-converter (and its Lens Retaining Ring) was cut.  

And the ring was (carefully) lifted-up and removed. (Photo above left)

= Then the converter’s front concave lens was separated from

the converging rear optics. (Photo right, center front. — this concave lens 

looks as strong as minus 15 diopter.) 

Mounting this “rear section” of the converter to a DSLR camera —–

I found this optics works as an (about) 160mm telephoto lens.

And as I expected, the image produced had a lots of aberration = fuzzy images

still, by reducing the original (about) F-4 to F-11 with a hole on a black paper

(Photo above Right) the quality of the images were drastically improved.

(but don’t expect a quality of thousand pound genuine lens)  🙂 —– in fact,

this optics had achieved what  I failed before with the Tamron 300 mm lens.

= Soft Telephoto Lens !

The Photo left was fully open.  ——— And the Photo right was F-11 (?) ! ! !

But to be fare to the expensive lens, they are not just boasting the quality.

(I wouldn’t play ignorant for the sake of fuzzy image.   🙂 )

This photo was taken by the Canon EF 70~200 F2.8 at 200 mm

and a clopped center.

And this photo was by the Tamron Mirror 500mm F8 and a clopped center.

In a closer range, the effect of Iris (full or F11) looks so clear. = It’s mean,

by changing the size of a hole in a black paper (white paper may

increase the halation even more.  🙂 ) we can chose the softness to the

degree what we prefer.

—– So, I had a fun. (and planning the field test)

[]

Antic Camera ? — Doppel Anastigmat Lens

OMG !  —– In an odds and ends box in a camera shop, among the modern

high-tec camera or broken lens kind etc, I found a 100 year old camera !

It looks pretty much like German Ihharge kind but, this one was very small.

Before roll film was invented, the camera then was using a glass plate as a 

photosensitive material.   And a contact print was a way to make a print

= hence the size of the glass plate was often “Postcard size” —– though,

this camera was using “6 cm x 4.5 cm size” so, pretty small in deed as

you can see from the photo above. 

On the lens, it was written “Steinheil Munchen Doppel anastigmat 1:5.4  f=7.5cm”

— Doppel mean Double, so the lens seemed to be a symmetrical design of

stuck of a convex meniscus and a concave meniscus placed both side of an iris.

(altogether 4 lenses)    Back of the camera has detachable focusing glass.

= After framed and focused, focusing glass has to be changed to the glass plate

to take picture. 

75mm lens for 6 x 4.5 cm photo size mean, this was a camera of so-called

medium format camera ( such as Hasselblad, Rolleiflex etc) and the 75mm

lens could easily be used on a 35mm DSLR body — which I did with a

help of Pentax Helicoid Extension Tube. (on Nikon or on Canon) —– what

I realized was that this lens doesn’t have a clear crispy sharpness of the 

modern lens, but neither beautiful softness. (of a kind what I like)  in other

word, it was just an old dull lens ! (No mythical subtle touch of “old lens” ) 

I can see the character of this lens here still, I wouldn’t pretend to be a

master to appreciate this softness = it is just a lack of sharpness which

never improve with smaller F-aperture. (this photo was fully open = F 5.4)

(Lens got a lots of fungi = can’t create any sharp photos anyway.) 

The lens was mounted on a Pronto (later called Prontor) shutter — and

amazingly, after 100 years, they are still functioning. (more or less)

The photo above left was shot by using Pronto shutter 100th. (while

5D’s shutter was open with B setting, then click Pronto shutter)

and the photo right was a comparison, Pronto was opened on T setting

and a photo was exposed by the 5D’s shutter.

Something peculiar on this type of  camera then was that the most of them

were having  “Lens Rise control” ! —– Do you know why and what for ?

Set the camera on slightly low angle (about waist high) — thanks to

the “Lens Rize” (without looking up) it is possible to take picture of the

whole body, while making the leg looks longer !   🙂  

[]

Peckham Vision

Went down to Peckham, a corner of the south London, somewhere

(in the art-student sense) between Camberwell and the Goldsmith College

(both are a part of the Uni’ of Art, London now), I was lured into a building with

a word of the “Exhibition”  🙂  —– it was more like a public information event

of their activity. —– of the organization called Peckham Vision.

 <<  www.peckhamvision.org  >>

 <<  twitter.com/PeckhamVision  >>  <<  www.facebook.com/PeckhamVision  >>

The organization having a lots of group’s activities, campaign etc etc and showing

their works, even architectural town scape model !

— I thought they were made by the Architect student though,  they were made by

 the non specialist members (by hand cutting !) — ( yet still among them there

 also was a professional architect, a daughter of  a sculptor Andrey Gomery

 as well. = he is a local here)

So, the event attracted many visitors and there were lots of talking, discussion etc etc.

And there was an architectural model ( film set ? ) of  “Peckham on the year, 2115”

= futuristic scene, survival after the nuclear holocaust ! = destroyed local landmark,

multi-story car park building has been occupied by the survivors who made the

building top as a farm growing veggie, having built even a windmill ! —– though,

? ? ? —– what sort of the imagination ?

Roof-top garden might be fashionable if it was on the clouded city buildings though, 

after whole land was destroyed, hence the plenty empty land was everywhere, what

was the point to grow veggie in the top of a building. —– who bring the water there 

when the weather was dry ?     And what that windmill for ? —– Generating electricity

or grinding the corn ? = How much corn can they produce which need to have

a mechanical power ?    

Years ago, I was volunteering a keeper of a mountain shelter.  When rain water run-out, 

we had to fetch the water from a well we’ve dug on the col, 100m down, with 18 litters

buckets front and back on our shoulder. — each member carrying up the water on the 

slippery mountain trace 10 times. — Do you know how the hell it was.

—– it is pointless if the people who has no realistic imagination, try to predict the future !

It’s shame, as the model itself was pretty well made.

[]

Magnolia – 2015 (B)

This Magnolia was an utterly unexpected discoverly.  And beyond of my knowledge

and imagination — came from where or if it was a garden variety, how it was

created from which parents ? ? ?  

She is a tall tree and the flower is huge = as big as a Magnolia Grandiflora

 ( even 10″~12″ ) still, flowering long before the leaves was coming out

= closer to the Kobus but not Grandiflora.

In closer look I wonder if they are in fact a kind of invertebrate from the sea ?

—– You know what I feel and that was why I wanted to create fuzzy image.  🙂

Lens used was Canon EF Macro 100mm F2.8 and Tamron 500mm Mirror F8

on Canon 5D Mk-3.   (Some fuzzy pictures were taken by Homemade Lens.  🙂  )

[]

Singing Bowl

After the post of Wind-Bell I got a call from a person who said that she got

genuine Japanese glass Fuurin. “Oh, marvellous!”—– It’s said to have come

from a Net-shopping with a help of her Japanese friend.

“The sound is exquisite, its ethereal resonance suck you into the infinite depth

of space!” “How extraordinary!”— and she said that she got a singing bowl

from Tibet too which sound even deeper and draw us into deep meditative state.

—– though, —– What can I say ? ? ? —– should I say “Congratulation” for her

able to get hold genuine article ?

Or should I praise her keen effort to seek a genuine sound ? —– ? ? ?

Or should I flirt her that her spirit will reach higher awareness soon.

[]

It may not fare to write here like this because soon she will read this and might feel

offended though, this is not just her personal phenomenon but this is the wide-

spread misconception among those who, so-called “spiritually awaken” — or

New Age kind of people.

As a matter of fact, it is not easy to see what they are after. (Fashion ?  Snobbism ?)

Are they really believing that they can get hold the Cosmic Power through a

Crystal they bought ? —– Are they believing that to keep a particular article, made

her to posses its myth and the understanding ?  (It’s called Fetisizm Sir/Mme !)

[]

In this area, there are three levels of  misconception.  

1) Believing that the object has its own power. (Like a Crystal power)

2) Or believe the function of its object would solve the problem.

(Like an exercise machine — the matter is not what the machine is but your act.)

3) With its object, the one can imagine that he or she suddenly acquire the truth.

(Like a “Special Mantra” “Book of ancient wisdom” kind. Chanting  O~~~~~rm !)

(— like seeing a film, made a person to believe “Be force with ME” ? )

Unfortunately, none of those kind are in the world. If anybody selling, it’s a fraud. 

[]

Yes, I did said that the sound draw a mind into meditative state and this IS the

state of Void.    This is true, — you try test = what you found?   Did your brain

configure any notion out of tinkling sound ?

I don’t think so = nothing there because nothing else of pure sound is there.

But in this Void what could be discovered ?   It is the question to be a Buddhist.

—– To a non Buddhist, Void or a sound of Fuurin or Singing Bowl wouldn’t make

any meaning other than A sound.   Though, to a Buddhist who seeks nothing,

this Void opens the eyes to see the Void.  (I said, “seeks nothing”)

[]

—– How come ? = our brain takes High-pitched tone as a sign of danger, hence

our brain activities were suddenly silenced and all the perceptions were

concentrated to pick-up further sign.  — even though our higher brain did know

that the tinkling sound was mere Wind Bell and nothing to worry about at all, still,

the emotional region / limbic system and all the sensory receptors were tentioned.

= This combination : completely blank-out Thinking activities and the

completely open / absolutely passive perception is very close to the state of Zen,

and it was the base of the Clear Eyes.   (Then, to see WHAT is depend on the person 

— some will see the enlightenment, but some see nothing.

— you can buy Singing Bowl but not necessary the Enlightenment.)  

And this is THE Singing Bowl ! —– yes it sounds more or less the same to Tibetan

Singing Bowl.

(It’s my cooking pan. = the handle was just unscrewed that’s all, and still sound nice !

— cooking pan wouldn’t make any rice sound.  But it would sound just Gong !   :-D)

—– What’s wrong with this ?          Do you still clinging to the Tibetan Bowl ?  

___/\___

[]

Poetry Contest (2)

Not necessary having a thought, I suddenly realized that the story of the Poetry Contest of Huineng and Shenxui was not right.    Its contest was the 5^th patriarch, Hongren try to find who should succeed him and become 6^th patriarch of the Zen.   Unlike the other sect of Buddhism, Zen does their learning without rely on the words. = the action in the practice or a thing or phenomenon trigger the understanding.

So, the founder of Rinzai Zen, Rinzai said to have uttered that, “On the way, (may mean Pathway) when you saw the scriptures, through them away.  When you saw the monks kill them or met Lord Buddha, kill him too.” —– (this advice was meant be getting rid of any notion, and empty the mind.) 

[]On the said Poetry Contest, for the answer to the Hongren’s request to show the Zen mind, well-learned top-rank monk, Shenxui wrote “Mind is like a mirror, I polish the mirror diligently for no dust to settle on it” —– opposing to this, one low rank monk, Huineng wrote “Since Mirror is not exists in the first place, where could dust settle”

—– Hongren found that Huineng has much deeper understanding in Zen, he chose Huineng to be his successor.

[]Zen teaching was started by Bodhidharma on 5^th century.   Though, as a matter of fact, there were numerous legend and myth about Bodhidharma but little historical facts were known, therefore any story has to be treated with a pinch of salt.

—–When Bodhidharma wanted to choose his successor, there was a similar story.   He asked his disciples  “Can each of you say something to demonstrate your understanding ?”

Dao Fu stepped forward and said, “It is not bound by words and phrases, nor is it separate from words and phrases. This is the function of the Tao.”

Bodhidharma: “You have attained my skin.” 

The nun Zong Chi stepped up and said, “It is like a glorious glimpse of the realm  of Akshobhya Buddha. Seen once, it need not be seen again.”

Bodhidharma; “You have attained my flesh.” 

Dao Yu said, “The four elements are all empty. The five skandhas are without actual existence. Not a single dharma can be grasped.”

Bodhidharma: “You have attained my bones.” 

Finally, Huike came forth, bowed deeply in silence and stood up straight. 

Bodhidharma said, “You have attained my marrow.”

Bodhidharma passed on the symbolic robe and bowl of dharma succession to  Huike and, some texts claim, a copy of the Lankavatara Sutra. 

Bodhidharma then either returned to India or died. (This story from Wikipedia)

(There was the conflicting stories, —– He might returned to Persia.  Or even killed in the mass execution at Heyin in 528.) []

My doubt was that why Shenxui, studying under Hongren did have such poor understanding ?  (While Huineng who was working in the kitchen could still pick up the Zen understanding from overheard conversation of other monks.)   

And the same question goes to the colleagues of Huike too. = they were no ordinary monks, THE direct disciples of  Bodhidarma.   As they lives together, they must have  lots of discussion even arguments. —– still keep maintaining such variety of idea = quite logical and full of blah blah, but where the “Teachings of the Master” which was supposedly on the principle of Void and abhorrence to the words, has gone ?

 And, what was the 5th Patriarch, Hongren’s understanding and the teachings of “mind” ? —– (Was he thinking, “There is Zen Mind” ? )  

— Who recorded those stories ?  — Was that came from the diary of Hongren ?  — weren’t those stories made-up to glorify each Huineng and Huike ? ? ?

While making others looks fool = makes stories interesting.  And this kind of practice was behind of all those compilation of “Sutra” or scriptures.  It’s mean, we need very critical sharp eyes to distinguish what was the true teachings.    🙂

___/\___  

[]

Fun from a broken Camera (2)

It was two weeks ago when I showed this photo of Canon G9.

Among the disassembled component, I found some of them are useable.

Such as the front lens alone (photo above left)  could be used as a 50 mm F2.6 lens

and the second group of the optics (photo above center) is a very strong diverging

(concave) lens = could be used to widen the view of a pinhole camera.

In order to use a lens, it has to be mounted somewhere — to a lens mount or

to a filter ring etc. —– unless it got exact diameter or screw pitch, we need to fill

the gap and glue (epoxy) them.  

I cut a beer can’s thin metal to the needed diameter and fix it with epoxy.

To do this kind of work, I bought M39 to M42 adapter ring and M42 to Nikon F

mount adapter. (Those item’s cost were only few pounds though, it took 2 weeks to 

get them here, and as being as cheap Chinese products, noting is what we expected

= M42 screw was slightly larger and couldn’t fit to the Pentax original mount.  

And the clow of Nikon Mount bayonet was too thin hence it was too loose.  

For M39 to M42 ring, I “re-cut” the M42 screw (Photo left in the center).

 (Photo Left : Nikon to Canon Adapter though,

part of its diameter was 0.5mm too large

= needed to file-down !)

(Such laborious cutting work with file is 

nothing but a good Zen practice.  😀 )

Second group of concave lens aforesaid was

mounted on the center of M42 to Nikon 

mount adapter. (photo above center)  

And the Front lens of G9 was mounted

on to a Nikon mount adapter via M39-M42 ring. (photo right) 

So, what was those hastle for ? —– The photo (right) here was taken by the

front lens of discarded Canon G9 Camera aforesaid.

(Left photo was also taken by a single lens came from another broken zoom lens).

( I’m preparing those lenses for the coming flower season ! )

If you like to see “sharp but ubiquitous” photo, please go to phone-camera.

The photos here, the images were full of aberration and halation still where

the focus lies, it’s sharp.  (Look the enlarged photo) —– they might be

the images what we are actually seeing.

(like impressionist painter had found).  🙂

[]

Dorkbot gathering #87

 Dorkbot is one of the most peculiar social group.

 As its motto says, it is the gathering of the

 people doing strange things with Electricity.

 Other than some Core-members taking care of

organizing the meeting, there is no membership kind, but just a mailing list. = If you

are interested in, just visit their site and join them (free).

After a bit of lapse, their gathering got back to the monthly base,

and this one was for the February.

The first speaker was James Auger and he talked about Robot things and

“Somewhat a kind of kinetic Sculptures” = kinetic mean, having some mechanism

with certain electronic controls. = hence, doing strange things with electronics.  😀

And, he is teaching it to the grown-up students and going to be a Phd !

James Auger is a designer, researcher and lecturer whose work examines the social, cultural and

human impact of technology and the products that exist as a result of its development and application.

His PhD topic is Why Robot? Speculative design, the domestication of technology and the considered

future. James is also a partner in the Speculative Design practice Auger-Loizeau, whose projects have

been published and exhibited internationally, including MoMA, New York; 21_21, Tokyo;

The Science Museum, London and the Ars Electronica festival, Linz, and

are part of the permanent collection at MoMA.

The second speaker was Tim Hunkin.  Since he has been running Fun Arcade,

with “Strange Game (?) Machine” he was THE genuine Dorkbot tribe.

Tim Hunkin is an English engineer, cartoonist, writer, and artist. He created the

Channel Four TV series and Science Museum gallery The Secret Life of Machines, which

explained the workings and history of various household devices.  He has just launched

a “new London arcade of home-made coin operated machines built by enthusiasts”:

www.novelty-automation.com
twitter: @NovAutomation

The third speaker was Restart Project.

The Restart Project is a London-based social enterprise that encourages and empowers people

to use their electronics longer, by sharing repair and maintenance skills. Through community

and workplace events we create engaging opportunities to extend the lifespan of electronics

and electrical equipment.

twitter: @RestartProject

And the last presenter was Pollie Barden.

Pollie is an artist, activist and game designer who has designed games from the mobile platform

to the urban landscape. Firefly is a tagging game that explores temporal memory, and exploits

the balance of collaboration and competition. The action takes place at night. Your first strategic

move is the clothing you wear. Players, wearing Flashing LED badges will compete to see who can

steal the most badges from other players. However, the prize you seek may be your downfall!

[]

I’ve been with this Dorkbot London for about 10 years, so, I’ve been watching

the popularity side of the technology. = understanding and approach of the

people toward the electronic technology.  — Years ago, the presentation of the

gathering were the handmade strange machines and its electronics.  We could

operate the machine and see its function and the way how it was made. — though,

now we got used to fire virtual weapon by pressing a button and see the enemy

smashed over a screen. (I’m guessing = I never played Game)   The operation,

movements etc etc getting more and more realistic and the resolution of the screen

is ever getting finer.  —– but how many of us does know such as a color in the screen

was generated, let alone to simulate it by the LEDs and its control of brightness. —–

I’m not happy with this trend = “Virtualization of the Life, thanks to the Technology”

—– May be I have to write about it in the other post.

—– incidentally, my pieces such as Wire Dragon, the Archer = Cupidon were

first time presented at Dorkbot many years ago.

[]

PS: The Red cast on some photos were caused by the low battery in the camera.

And a moale on the Pollie’s pullover was because of its pattern.

—– strange things would often happen in the Dorkbot.

[]

Fun from a broken Camera

Often when a camera of my friend or a friend of friend has broken down,

that camera was brought to me to have it repaired or for me to have a fun.

But a compact digital camera, Canon Powershot G9 was dropped in the muddy

water and beyond the repair = so,  I had a fun !  (and beyond.  🙂 )

The inside of the camera had, not only a water but also a lots of sand too,

hence like a lens barrel got stuck etc — rather hard to even disassemble

(not mention the rusted and stucked screws) — still, some of the parts were

survived well and still functioning !    The photo above was a 16 MP image sensor

and its left, pale green grass was a filter to remove the effect of Infra-red ray.

I think, this sensor is still usable though, what for ? —– Make yet another

imaging device ? = nothing creative = just buy a security camera would be cheaper. 

This was an interesting device = rather early design (this camera appeared

on the market 2007) of the Image-stabilizer.

As you might know a projected image is upside down.    So that, when the camera

was shaken down, the image would move upward.  Therefore, if a part of the optics

in which carrying the image, which was already upside down was shaken down,

its movement cancelling the shake.  = With this theory, Canon designed an

Image-stabilizing optics with rather heavy magnets and the driving coils.  

—– The whole unit was suspended by 3 springs therefore, it’s bounce with

camera shake to the opposite direction = but as I said, the projected image was

upside down, the camera shake was cancelled.  = It was a clever design though,

as its bounce was affected by the gravity, it wouldn’t be consistent with the different

positioning of the camera (holding the camera vertical or horizontal, or aiming

 up or down may affect to sense the direction and a strength of the movement. ) 

In the device, orange colored mouth (eye ?) shapes were the electric coils to control

the movements of the magnets. (on the photo left, it was heavily rusted ) On the photo 

right, round shaped component was a stepping motor to drive an Iris (F-aperture)

and this motor and Iris was working, I’ll use it somewhere on future.

The photo left, this is the back of the Image-stabilizer,  and it’s showing

two drive unit for the shutter and the built-in ND filter.

And the center and right photos, they shows the last (4th) optical group before

the image sensor and this optics might be a focusing unit which was driven by

a stepping motor with a screw movement.  

(I’m planing to make something with its fine and precise movement.)

The photo left, this was the first group of the optics or the front lens, and as a convex

lens, it would be used as a simple single glass lens. (Somewhat, 55 mm F2 lens.  🙂 )

The center photo was the second group of the optics which is acting as a concave lens,

creating zoom effect though, it seemed, those 2nd and the 3rd groups move together

with very complexed movement, it was not easy to say how zooming was done.  

The photo right shows the grooves on the barrel, by which how each group of

the lens moves.   (Small pin on the plastic barrel moves in those grooves = you see,

how those lenses were flimsy and fragile = one drop would destroy the camera and

it is cheaper to buy another camera than to repair (by replace the lens all together.)

[]

One broken camera provide quite useful components and the opportunity to

think  “What could be designed and made out of those components” —– the game

of the creativity.  So, it is a fun. ( —– without the cost !)

[]

Ai Music — What ? ? ?

This music said to have composed entirely by a computer.  It’s mean, a computer

(its program) had its mind how to compose a music, in other words it was an

Artificial Intelligence to be a classic music composer in Bach’s style.  

—– It’s pointless to talk about the music without listen it first.  (So, ask your ears.)

Sound somewhat a part of J.S.Bach’s clavier collection —– though, what did you 

find of this composition ? — In my feeling, I found this, very irritating to listen.  

So that, it convinced me that how the man who composed the original

Well Tempered Clavier, Book one = J.S.Bach  had  human mind and a sensitivity.

I think, the mind was conceived phrase by phrase such as  “I like this flower”,

“A is equal to B” or “As A was equal to B, therefore A plus B will be the amount

of twice of A” kind.  So, the music expression has more or less the same structure,

whether it has a poetical dialogue inside of the composer or the description of the

landscape etc, in any case, each phrase, description etc is a complete packet.

They never drug the argument endlessly, as they ought to settle somewhere.

Yet, this  “so called, Ai composed Music”  has no such packet structure, but just

continuing on and on for the sake of making it to the length.   How irritating !

[]

 —– My guess is, that the man who programmed this so called Ai,  just made an 

algorithm  “What most likely choice of a note after the note, according to the 

statistical tendency of  J.S.Bach” not the artificial emulation of  Bach’s Mind.

Music is not a permutation of the note,  but the emotional phrase induced by

a musical language.  —– Language need to have a structure and the words.

They are not an endless line of  alphabet.  

I don’t mind if this music was played to a computer, but human ear is not a machine. 

If you like to follow this Ai story, the link was :

http://www.gizmag.com/creative-artificial-intelligence-computer-algorithmic-music/35764/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=6730ebc432-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-6730ebc432-90317158

[]