~derf / hardware / photography

Photography Hardware

In Use

Google Pixel 7a

I would've preferred a combination of regular and tele lens as in the Pixel 4, but the markup of getting a Pixel 7 oder Pixel 7 Pro just for that was way too hefty. I don't use its fisheye lens nearly as often as I would use a tele lens, but it's still nice to have.

Canon EOS M50

  • Mirrorless digital camera
  • Mount: EF-M
  • Sensor diameter: 22.1 × 14.9 mm CMOS (APS-C – about 1.6x smaller than a 35mm-equivalent full frame sensor, so crop factor 1.6)
  • Sensor resolution: 6000 × 4000 px (24 Mpx)
  • Cost: 444 € in March 2021 (Mediamarkt, including the EF-M 15-45mm lens)

At 2.3 Mp, the digital viewfinder has about twice the resolution of the 3" LCD's 1 Mp.

Canon zoom lens EF-M 15-45mm 1:3.5-6.3 IS STM

  • Aperture: f:3.5 (15mm) - f:6.3 (45mm) to f:22 - f:40
  • Iris: 7 blades
  • Focal length: 15mm to 45mm
  • Minimum focus distance: 0.25m
  • Mount: EF-M (APS-C)
  • Filter thread: 49mm
  • Cost: – (kit lens, bundled with EOS M50)

Not too bright, but definitely good for everyday shooting, and pleasantly compact. Features built-in image stabilization (“IS”) and a silent stepper motor for focusing (“STM”).

Specs @ canon.de · Review by Ken Rockwell

Canon EF 50mm 1:1.8 II

  • Aperture: f:1.8 to f:22
  • Iris: 5 blades
  • Focal length: 50mm
  • Minimum focus distance: 0.45m
  • Mount: EF (full frame)
  • Filter thread: 52mm
  • Serial: 1815102579
  • Cost: 60€ used in March 2021 (via ebay)

Good for portraits and (not necessarily easy) event photography, e.g. at GPN 2024. Depending on the lighting, there can be quite a lot of chromatic aberration when the aperture is wide-open.

Specs @ canon.de · Review by Ken Rockwell.

Canon zoom lens EF-S 55-250mm 1:4-5.6 IS STM

  • Aperture: f:4 (55mm) - f:5.6 (250mm) to f:22 - f:32
  • Iris: 7 blades
  • Focal length: 55mm to 250mm
  • Minimum focus distance: 0.85m
  • Mount: EF-S (APS-C)
  • Filter thread: 58mm
  • Cost: 245€ new in March 2021

My preferred lens for zoo visits, featuring built-in image stabilization (“IS”) and a silent stepper motor for focusing (“STM”). It's a little dark in the upper focal lengths, but as long as it is used outdoors and the sky isn't too dark, that isn't too much of a problem.

Specs @ canon.de · Review by Ken Rockwell

Super Carenar 1:2.8 f=135mm auto tele

  • Aperture: f:2.8 to f:16, full-stop clicks
  • Iris: 6 blades
  • Focal length: 135mm
  • Minimum focus distance: 1.8m
  • Mount: M42 (full frame)
  • Filter thread: 55mm
  • Serial: 246625E
  • Cost: 35€ used in Oct. 2025 (via Kleinanzeigen)

Possibly related pentaxforums review: Super Carenar MC 135mm F2.8

Pentacon auto 1.8/50 multi coating

  • Aperture: f:1.8 to f:16, half-stop clicks
  • Iris: 6 blades
  • Focal length: 50mm
  • Minimum focus distance: 0.3m
  • Mount: M42 (full frame)
  • Filter thread: 49mm
  • Serial: ?
  • Cost: 40€ used in Oct. 2025 (via Kleinanzeigen)

Seems to have originated as Oreston 1,8/50 in 1965, building upon the earlier Domiron 2/50. Apparently, lenses from this era may contain thoriated glass and thus be mildly radioactive (mostly alpha and possibly some beta rays) I haven't checked whether this holds for mine.

Probably related pentaxforums review: Pentacon auto multi coating 50mm F1.8

Pentacon 4/200

  • Aperture: f:4 to f:22, no clicks
  • Iris: 15 blades
  • Focal length: 200mm
  • Minimum focus distance: 2.5m
  • Mount: M42 (full frame)
  • Serial: 9611320
  • Cost: 35€ used in Oct. 2025 (via Kleinanzeigen)

This lens seems to have originated as an Orestegor 4/200, with first units built in the 1960ies. Judging from its looks and serial number, mine seems to have been built in the 1980ies.

The corresponding pentaxforums thread is probably Meyer-Optik Görlitz Orestegor / Pentacon 200mm F4. There also seems to be a successor that doesn't quite match mine: Pentacon Preset 200mm F4.

Vivitar 28mm 1:2.5 auto wide-angle

  • Aperture: f:2.5 to f:22, half-stop clicks
  • Iris: 6 blades
  • Focal length: 28mm
  • Minimum focus distance: 0.3m
  • Mount: M42 (full frame)
  • Filter thread: 67mm
  • Serial: 22639853
  • Cost: 30€ used in Oct. 2025 (via Kleinanzeigen)

Pentaxforums: Probably Vivitar / Panagor (Kiron 22xxxxx) 28mm F2.5.

Looks like there are quite a lot of variants of this lens out there. Mine is the M13 variant, apparently manufactured around 1980 by Kiron Corporation in Carson, USA.

Attic

Panasonic DMC-FZ82

Small sensor, lots of noise, but came with raw support and (thanks to its small sensor) up to 1200mm of 35mm-equivalent zoom on its built-in lens. It served me well from 2017 to 2021 – at that point, I started regularly visiting zoos and wildlife parks, so I wanted something with a somewhat bigger sensor and the option to switch lenses. Used from 2017 to 2020 Features an (audible) image stabilizer.

Google Pixel 4

I really liked the (about 50mm-equivalent) tele lens. It's a pity the Pixel 7a doen't include one.