Junk to Macro Lens = Recycle of Kyocera Zoom Lens

You might be misunderstanding that I’m playing with cameras for the

sake of blogging. Far from it, behind the scene I’m disassembling

3 times more lenses or cameras.  I only showing them if I found a fun.

In most of the case, I’m doing it just looking for a spare parts or

particular component such as when I needed to get a mirror for an

ultra-low-angle photo-adapter.     —– I was disassembling a Yashica

compact Zoom camera, looking for a Motor and a Gear mechanism.

— Some old film cameras had auto-wind and rewind mechanism which

I could utilize in the other mechanical design.  So, from Yashica, I got

two motors with each gear mechanism, and not only that, I found an

extending Zoom lens barrel seems to be very useful. 

I had used a same kind of barrel to make a focusing helicoid.

This Kyocera-Yashica 38~115 mm zoom lens seem to have a quite 

fancy design.  Front group convex lens has a Canon like Arc-formed

motor for focusing and having aspherical lens, and rear group is pure

diverging concave lens.   And I found the front group lens works well

as a macro lens (used in reverse) = So, mount the lens into the

extending lens barrel = Here I have a x1~x3 (about) macro lens.

This front group lens had a Shutter-aperture-combined blade which

I removed therefore there is no F-Aperture = always fully open !

—– still, this sample photos showed rather good quality and giving

beautiful out of focus bokeh.

But with further test, lens showed strong curvature of the image =

image is not flat = good for 3D subject but not good for a flat object.

(When lens was designed, the aberrations, inherent to any single lens

were corrected by the combination of the other lens.  Yet, in this case, 

such strong curvature of the image needed to be corrected by the 

strong diverging lens of the rear group.  But, as only front group lens 

was used here, the uncorrected aberration became too apparent.

—– Photo above Left showed x3 image.  Its coloring was caused by the

Chromatic aberration.  Photo Middle (x1 size), the best focus was made

to peripheral.  And the Right, best focus was made to center.   The focus

to the center is 4mm different ! = If the subject was 4mm deep shallow

dish, this lens will make a good focus from center to the corner.)

I need to find a good subject. = Ideally, Halloween Costumed insect.   🙂

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Morning Sun

Toward the winter solstice, the Sun is going down south.  It’s mean, it’s

getting lower and lower in the sky.  So, we can see the sun coming through

side of the tree.   And now, the tree got their golden leaves. 

Unlike Wabi-sabi of typical Japanese, I got bad habit to push even farther. 

So, the Curry got to be very hot etc.   And to see twice as much Gold leaves,

the instant twice-rich-magic was to give a double exposure.   😀

While giving double exposure, even the focus has been changed to make

painting like images. —– When crispy sharp picture can be made even

by Phone-camera, I rather like to push opposite direction.

And for this picture — focus was made for background leaves and

to the foreground flower.  (—– I like this water-color effect too.)

— Have a peaceful nice week, everybody.   🙂

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Not heal by Buddhism ? ! 仏道からの癒し－－－それともコーヒー？

彼岸寺といふ仏教サイトに面白い事が書かれていました。浄土宗の日下と言う僧侶が書いたもの

だそうですが，彼は何故か仏道に癒しが感じられない　－－－むしろ一杯のコーヒーや家族に

癒されるとのこと。浄土宗では教えないのかも知れませんが元々の

釈尊の教えは「無私」ですからそもそもコーヒーを愛でる己れ，家族に愛着した己れどころか

対象としての仏教なるもの自体が存在しない。

－－－という現象を学ぶ為に仏教では延々と続く勤行を繰返し，それを無意識，無感情でする

（無私無心）訓練をする。＝無私無心でちゃんと生活が成り立つ　＝では誰が生きているのか？

＝　それが法　／　ダルマであるのです。

己れにしがみつきながら，どこか彼方から　癒しが得られるのでは，と期待するのは

お門違いでは？？？

* * * *

In one of the Buddhist’s site “Higan-dera” in Japan, a monk called Kenyu Kusaka

wrote a short essay saying that he noticed that he is not feeling the heal from

Buddhism, but from coffee !  He was a Pure-land sect monk, so that expecting him

to have the understanding of what Buddhism IS, might be too much to ask.

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The core of the teachings of

Lord Buddha was, First, there IS no such thing like SELF (Atman) exists. 

And to learn this truth, the followers practiced long repeated practice

until they could do it automatically (= without thinking) and without emotion

(= no-emotion / not having a feeling of SELF = hence realize No Existent of the Self )   

Without knowing this teachings, the monk may still thinking that there IS the

subject called Buddhism and a person who is learning it.

No such things there or anywhere = if only a person doing the practice and the life

without having the SELF, what prevailed there IS the Dharma.

(= if the person IS NOT there, who is living there = That IS very Dharma)

[]

But a monk like Kusaka, clinging his SELF and attached to his family AND a cup of

COFFEE, Buddhism is too remote, yet wanting to feel a healing ?  What he is asking ?

There is a big irony, —– as long as the person asking, never given, as long as

the person looking for, never find. = The EGO of want push the goal away.

___/\___

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Focus-Shift Flower image

Somebody in the USA contacted me to use one of my old photo which was

taken by a technique of Focus Shift, hence the image has big off-focus

bokeh superimposed on it.  In fact I’ve published such photo many times

like this or this. (though, the gear used or the lens may not be the same)

And even there was such drastic approach.   🙂     But this time, focus ring

was moved manually, and in order to have a slower shutter speed, shooting

took place in the evening, under rather dim light.

And to make off-focus, shift to near or far, or the setting of F-aperture etc,

above all, how far the subject, will make the picture looks quite different.

(still, there is no fixed manner = it’s just case by case.   🙂  )

Funny things of Focus Shift is, first moment, it was focused to the main

subject, then move the focus, generally till completely out of focus though,

why not focused here and there.  = Two subjects will have each clear focus

(and bit of bokeh)  🙂

Camera used here was the Nikon D810 — having had 37Mp image-censor,

there are ample of space to crop the image.

A radio DJ mentioned Xmas —– Oh no, soon it will be the November

—– still, flower patch has few flowers left.    Thanks Goodness.

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Salmon Tofu — simple cooking

Indeed, this was the reason why I bought Tofu. —– I used to invite the people 

to see my work, and in such a case, often I cook and eat the meal together.  

Now, I don’t need to do that since I started to show the photo in my Blog,

even the short viz in the Youtube, = just tell the person “See the blog”.

Anyway, when I cook, Salmon Tofu which I invented was my regular cooking.

—– not because original but above all it is the simplest and easiest cooking.

(no complicated preparation of Dashi etc — just put together and heat)   🙂

Only three ingredients = Tofu, a chunk of Salmon and a fresh Ginger —

well, a drop or two Soy-source. 

When the three were put together, place the bowl into the pan with shallow

water to boil = it’s mean, Tofu in the bowl was steamed. (7~10 minutes boil)

(Or put a cover on the bowl and cook in the microwave cooker for 5 minutes.)

The steam drip down through Ginger to Salmon and to the bottom of bowl

makes beautiful soup as well —– and its taste struck everybody.  (so far)   🙂

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Although this is not a vegetarian, I regard this is the Zen cooking.

= everything was there as it is but nothing else. 

And everything melt together and creates the best by themselves.

No complicated thinking or manipulation = just leave the process to them.

= the nature is having the best in its own.   (Proof of the taste — you try !)

And this nature, we call the Dharma. 

___/\___

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Rice-rice

In comparison to the potato, price difference of the rice is much wider,

especially if we count the price of the Japanese rice in Japan.  There is no

secret that the Japanese eating the best rice in the world, swallowing the most

expensive price comes with it.  (If you are interested in to know how much the

price over there, you can look into the list. (though, they are in Japanese) )

Photo above Left, is one of the most expensive,  among the expensive

Japanese rice,  “Kosihikari” I paid £3 for this 500g bag here in London.  

Still, even in Japan, people expecting to pay for this rice £20~£25 for 10Kg.

To get Japanese rice over here, the price would be doubled = so that, the

Californian rice grower found the market in Japanese residents here and

sell their “Japanese variety rice” 10Kg for £25 price (with huge profit). 

So that, to buy Californian rice was a bit of luxury if not a status symbol.  

While, Japanese food, Sushi etc becoming a fashion, the sale of Sushi-rice

became a competitive market.  Now, even a Californian rice was sold less

than £20 for 10Kg. (photo middle) and even Chinese started to grow

Japanese rice and selling as “Sushi-rice” £15 in Chinese shop (Photo right)

but, I found the quality was pretty low — if not Cadmium contaminated.

(It is a well known story, Chinese don’t eat Chinese rice if they can afford.)

And the Chinese Supermarket does know the situation, so, they are selling

a Spanish grown Japanese rice, or Italian grown one both about £12 for

10Kg.  (Second Photo, middle and right)

—– I found Italian was a bit better even though their naming “Shinode” (got

to be “Hinode”) was too funny.  Still, taste and the texture wasn’t too bad.    🙂

In fact, the Japanese rice grown outside of Japan, they didn’t make so much

difference = the way how it was cooked makes more difference.  So that,

the cheaper the better and find the best way to cook is more important.

(I mean, if not using automatic electric cooker.)

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Tofu-Tofu

Since last time when I’ve talked about how I was annoyed by the Chinese Tofu,

I didn’t have any Tofu cooking —– it has been completely disappeared from

my mind. (Same as like when I stopped to touch woman or smoking, or even

just stopped to go particular club or shop.)   A funny thing was, that Tofu has

been in my fridge, thus, seeing it everyday all through those period.   Though,

I didn’t even think about to chuck it away.  It was not exists in the world.   🙂

So, I don’t know why I got an idea to buy it again and make a particular

cooking. (That cooking will appear in this blog soon.)  

And for that, I did a special shopping at a Japanese food shop.  (Then

I noticed that the Japanese Tofu (though, they were made in USA) having

pretty long shelf life = enlarge the photo above to see each “sell by date” )

(Those Tofu I bought, were either made by Morinaga or House = both are

pretty big company thus, least likely do any cheating while taking a risk.)

—– And, I show you “That Tofu” after 7 months. (Photo above Right) =

looks quite edible if not poisonous.   Japanese Tofu sold in a Japanese

food shop is twice more expensive, therefore I never bought them before

—– but there is no alternative left to me. 

( And I’m not such keen to make a Tofu from the Soybean.  😀 )

And I didn’t know that the Japanese Tofu is having up-to 6 (six) different

grade of firmness ! = how civilized, how sophisticated !

= almost obsessive Japanese over quality !    😀

* * * * * * *

Incidentally, a feedback for eating “Japanese Tofu” first time was, — I’m

not necessary like Boxed Morinaga one. Their texture is artificially smooth =

almost plastically. —– I rather like to have more natural-food like uneven

texture = like the one, made by the House Food.

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Phenomena

In the afternoon,  I found a glowing rainbow in a corner of my room. 

Obviously it was a sun spot though, — ?     where it was reflected and

coming through ?  —– So, I came to the spot to trace back the light

and found it came through a draftsman’s plastic ruler.  

As its edge was angled, its transparent plastic worked as a good prism.

= and created good rainbow when it was hit by a sun beam.

We are living in a world of numerous physical phenomena

— not necessary we are aware or able to notice it, let alone understand

and able to explain why.   Such as a burning fire, falling apple !, frozen 

or boiling water, or how induction cooker, microwave cooker works etc.   

Among them, a rainbow color must be the most loved by anybody.

Real Rainbow in the sky was created by the light reflected inside of the

water droplets of the mist or cloud. (half of Hi-viz bright tape works in

the same way = each minute grass beads reflect back the light —– other

half works as microscopic 90 degree roof mirror = reflect back the light  

to the same direction where it come from = unidirectional light is bright.   

       When the light travel through such as in the grass or any transparent

material, the light bend a “bit”.  How much the “bit” was depend on the

color of the light. —– Color ?

You may think the sun light is white but you are seeing the mixed light of

rainbow color.  There is NO white light in the world.  So that a white LED

is in fact a Blue LED covered with yellowish fluorescent pigments — its

different mixture makes warmer white or cool white, even pink LED.  🙂

— Any how, each colored light has different energy  (hence even outside 

of Violet = UV burns our skin) all depend on each wave length of the light.

= Red has longer wave length but Blue is short, Violet, UV is much shorter.  

And even shorter wave was used in a Microwave cooker to heat up the food !

= We may not aware why we get sun-burn or the pasta was cooked, — still

those invisible phenomena configuring the world.

Rainbow is not just here to please our eyes. —– It makes us to wonder !

[]

     A Japanese scientist, Prof. Kajita is going to receive this year’s Novel prize

for Physics for the discovery of  that the sub-particle  Neutrino has a mass.

—– So, what ?   I never seen even a hint of such Neutri-something — though,

it’s said to be flying around everywhere ! — The phenomenon of this particle

was captured by the thousands of photo-detectors  surrounding a pool of

50 thousand tons of pure water by detecting a trace of faint light created by 

the passing  particles.     Dear dear dear, what a work and the toil.

[]

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Karmic Encounter or just a Coincidence ?

From Japan,  group of tourists are visiting northern India / Ladakh.

At the introduction meeting of one group, in a sheer coincidence,

two of the members found  that they’ve got a common connection.   

Both of them happen to be my old friend. 

The guy was a younger member of our Alpine Club and the lady used to

work in the Uni’s Herbalium = a part of the  Science Dept’ where I was

taking botanical photos and assisting their expeditions and field works.

So that, when I had my wedding party in the mountain hut, they were

invited and indeed, both of them were there — long time ago !   🙂

—————— (Some photographs of Ladakh from my friend)

In practice, their encounter wouldn’t have any  real implications to the

two and to myself —– still, it reminded me that I spent more time to deal

with Botanics in the Hervarium, than facing the Rock while I was in my Uni’.

= This fact seems crucial for me to stock-take my Life.

= It’s mean, I haven’t been in Ladakh, Himalaya, Patagonia etc etc, but what

I did for the Ogasawara Expedition left me more legacies, exactly like how

the life in the mountain shelter structured me, far more than the life in the

Alpine Club. (— sorry, I’ve gone too personal though, without having those

underline causes,  Yoshizen couldn’t be existed as I am now. )

It explained well, Yoshizen was not a man sitting on the rock but kneeling

down and watching the flowers.  — and I like this stance.

[]

It signified my approach to the Zen Buddhism.    Unlike a kind of guru who rely on

the maze of mambo-jumbo (so-called spiritualism), but me to approach the Buddhism

from the factual observation with scientific, neurophysiological aspect was correct.

As the result, to see the Mushin as a fatigue of one’s mind and the No-self as

the jump-process or no-tagging of the Emotion.  Those prosaic definition had no

glorious Mahayana like ornamentation though, have you ever read the words of

Lord Buddha with a mythical embellishment in the original Agama Sutra ?

Lord Buddha was a rational scientist, hence had no delusion or illusion.

So, the original teachings of Buddhism didn’t have any mambo-jumbo.

(In fact, there was an urgent needs to explain that there wouldn’t be any danger to

reborn to an animal or lower cast like as newly emerging “Hindu” preaches,

because everything exists in relation (Karma) to the others, when the body dies,

the soul dies too = nothing remain to reincarnates.    This was what

Lord Buddha taught then, 2500 years ago.  Anything else was a mix-up.)

___/\___

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On this Planet

Time to time, I fond the very rare access to this blog, such as from

the Palestinian Territories or Bhutan.    And learned, such as

Faroe Island who supposed be a part of Denmark was treated

as an independent country and has their own flag.

Of course, these days, even middle of desert such as in Mongolia,

the locals has electric generator and watching satellite TVs so,

nothing strange to have a computer connected to the Net

—– and stumbled my blog  🙂   (Where ever on this planet, be ever

so remote, still someone stumbled and read this blog is nothing but

a manifestation of the Karmic power.)

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Mankind is an incredibly resourceful animals.  Longtime ago,

I heard from Afghan, in order to connect satellite mobile phone,

they improvised to use chicken-net to make a satellite dish.

And I heard that in Cuba, where under the trade sanction,

everything has to be homemade or improvised = engine-oil

was made by a washing-up liquid mixed with sugar !

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Nothing like their creativity, still, I had to improvised a bit to take

a photo above. = Long list of the countries.

On the beginning, I tried to collage scrolled 2 images though, it 

wasn’t looks good. — So, I setup the screen upright and showed

whole list in one screen and took the very photo.

(the reason why I’m writing such trivial story was, “It’s so funny

— and difficult — to use a screen upright”)

= It’s better you try it by yourself. —> Go to Control Panel —>

Adjust Screen Resolution. (in there, you’ll see “Screen set-up

= Landscape : Portrait”  Then click Portrait. = So, the image flicks.

But, when you try to use mouse or touch pad, you’ll see the hell.

(It may not happen, if the device was touch-screen type).

After having had a fun, Go to the Control panel and click back.

= everything back to the normal !  (You feel sigh !)  😀

(I couldn’t imagine that the Microsoft still having such incredible

shoddiness in their program === It was a DISCOVERY !)

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