my new love : The Silent Companion
From the moment I first held you, I knew you were different. Your smooth curves fit perfectly in my hands, as if you were made just for me. When I look through you, the world becomes clearer, more beautiful, more vibrant than I ever imagined possible.
You help me see things I never noticed before, the delicate morning dew on flower petals, the subtle expressions that cross a stranger's face, the hidden beauty in ordinary moments. With you, everything comes into sharp focus.
You have a few scratches now, marks of our adventures together, but they only make you more precious to me. Each one tells a story of where we've been.
People don't always understand our connection. They say I spend too much time with you, that I should try something new. But they don't see how you've changed the way I view everything around me. Through you, I've learned to be more patient, more observant, more present in each moment.
Yes, there were others before you. But they were never quite right too rigid, too soft, not quite the perfect fit. When I found you, everything just clicked into place.
I take care of you, protecting you from harsh elements, keeping you close. And in return, you help me capture life's most precious moments, preserving them forever. Together, we make magic.
You're my constant companion, my trusted partner, my perfect match. Through you, I see the world as I always dreamed it could be. (I just took some intimate pictures of you, i hope you don't mind.)
Love at First Focus
okay, third time’s the charm; this is my third attempt at writing this. maybe good things do come in threes.
either way, i hope you enjoyed my little love letter to my pentacon electric 50mm f/1.8 lens, a trusty companion that turned out to be far older than i expected. research reveals this lens saw 11 versions with three major design changes, and mine is the earliest iteration. production of the second model began in 1971, but my version predates that. single-coated (no “MC” marking) and likely from the late 1960s. i plan to consult experts to pin down its exact year using the serial number.
what exactly is this lens? it’s a rebranded meyer oreston, as i’ve since discovered. though aged (it has seen some years), it remains sharp and reliable. the lack of multi-coating means minor chromatic aberration, but it’s negligible.
its versatility and character like the pentagonal bokeh (hence “pentacon”? a stretch, but poetic) outshine modern, perfectly circular bokeh any day. Most photos on my page were shot with this lens.
mounting it felt like a marriage of sorts. from the first click, my camera and lens synced perfectly. when i powered it on, i even panicked: “is the focus ring broken?!” turns out, its depth of field at f/2.8 is that seamless; almost magical. i’ll soon share comparison shots against my “nifty fifty” to prove this vintage glass is leagues ahead. no offense to modern lenses, but the pentacon’s charm is undeniable.
exploring vintage lenses has been transformative. while chromatic aberration limits their use for astrophotography, i’m eager to capture “outer-system” light rays soon. for everyday photography, though, they’re stellar; especially if you don’t rely on autofocus. affordable and character-rich, vintage optics make photography a joy.
the lens’s age fascinates me. what stories could it tell? most well preserved optics likely lived quiet lives, but mine now bears a proudly unofficial “seen some shit” certification; courtesy of my adventures.
