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The Fixie Project is finished
Frame:
Old Dawes Super Tube - Hand Built in England - Restored and painted in gargoyle grey
Handlebars and Stem:
Stock Stem with Engraved Dawes Handlebars
Fork and Headset:
Stock
Front wheel:
Velocity Deep V 36H + Formula Hubs + Schwalbe Electric Blue Tires
Rear wheel:
Velocity Deep V 36H + Formula Hubs + Schwalbe Electric Blue Tires
Crankset and Bottom bracket:
Bricklane Bikes Import (cheap and cheerful) Upgrades soon
Saddle and Seat Post:
FI'ZI:K Aliante Saddle on Cheap Seat Post 26.42mm
Pedals and Chain:
Stock
Cog/Gearing et cetera:
46T - 16T
Notes:
My first fixy......Cant believe what ive been missing out on!!! :-)
I got this lens when i found the need for a telephoto lens. Being a variable pull-rotate zoom manual focus lens with an acceptable F3.5 fixed aperture makes this one of the sort after vintage lens. My version is the Tokina Made one and came in practically mint condition for around USD49.
Optical quality of this lens is neither outstanding nor disappointing. But considering its age i would rate it above average and very good. I've made many comparisons between this lens and other primes of the same focal lengths. At F3.5 of all focal lengths there is low levels of glow and good contrast, but purple CA which is the main weakness of this lens is visible. Stopped down this improves but is still visible at pixel-peeping levels. Corner sharpness performs very well across the focal range and can be considered impressively equal to prime lens.
@ 70mm : MFD is rather poor here, but sharpness is good. Best @ F8 with Low CA & moderate contrast
@85mm : Good sharpness, Best @ F8 with moderate CA & contrast
@100mm : Very good sharpness, Best @F8 or F11 with moderate CA & contrast
@135mm : Good sharpness, Best @ F11 with moderate CA & contrast
@150mm : Good sharpness, Best @ F11 with moderate CA & high contrast
@ 210mm : Below average sharpness, Best @ F22 with moderate CA & high contrast
Handling of this lens is on the heavier side. Its length is also rather long. At 700g weight mounted on the A7R with tripod it feels like it is rather stressful to the mount without any lens collar support. Focusing is slow & shaky with small movements resulting in shaky preview image during focus magnification. Handheld is not optimal either without in-body stabilization. There is no zoom creep for my copy, but moving from 70mm to 85mm is a little tight. Rest of the range moves smoothly. The focus ring rotates with a nice feel to it. Aperture clicks and works ok. It takes rather large 67mm filters.
I personally use this lens before getting telephoto primes for still photography to get the powerful perspective compression. But i have not taken a liking to it due to its weight and size. It simply is not travel nor tripod friendly. Its F3.5 is handy but not beneficial for me as my camera has no IBS. I also find the high purple CA to be annoying & obvious. The flexibility of the zoom is not an advantage for my purpose use and its functionality is replaced with 85mm F1.8, 100mm F2.8 & 135mm F2.8 primes instead. I have since considered selling it away.
RECOMMENDED (as telephoto lens introduction)
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