Gear - cameras and lenses

Without experience equipment is just a tool that can fascinate and arouse interest, of course, but only when used properly does it have an effect. I have this self-observation: the longer I take pictures, the less I worry about equipment. Obviously - this is a certain simplification: without a sufficiently good and reliable kit it is impossible to take good pictures in many cases. For me, good equipment is one that does not limit me, does not let me down and allows me to improvise when needed.

It is not my intention to write objective product reviews here, so I will dedicate time only to the most unusual or interesting designs that I own and use. I have never considered myself a collector, collection is a side effect of passion and curiosity about the world (in my case)

Objectively about optics

If I pay attention to a piece of equipment, it is usually a lens; a lens is to photography what a brush is to painting. Currently, I mainly use fixed focal length lenses. Their simplicity of construction excludes optical-mechanical limitations - usually such lenses are brighter, more precise and maintain better geometry. The lack of zoom rings means a fixed focal length (hence the name) and forces you to be more active on the set - but at the expense of my own convenience of use, I gain, thanks to this, access to a huge potential of power over light and photo quality.

Petzval - Bokeh monster

Without a doubt, the most phenomenal lens I own. Its design differs strongly from a typical lens both inside and out. Apertures work on the principle of sliding disks (they can be of various shapes), focus is adjusted with a dial, not a ring.

It is difficult to use: it is very difficult to sharpen at infinity with it, but it is also difficult to sharpen at several meters. The sharp area is rather in the center, it also sometimes vignettes and is heavy. So what do I love it for? For the bokeh!

Once you get the hang of it, the results are spectacular, this is the lens that produces the swirly effect behind the foreground - swirly bokeh, and that is its purpose.

The name of the lens itself may be misleading, as the modern Petzval acts as a rather extravagant alternative in a very specialized niche. The first Petzval lenses were developed in 1840 and were designed by József Petzval. They are considered to be the first lenses whose design was established in a scientific/mathematical way and allowed them to achieve unprecedented quality, precision and performance for the time. I'll take a chance and call them a milestone in the history of photography development.

Helios

I use the Helios once I'm sure I have good pictures and can afford to take the risk to mess something up. Maybe I can just happen to get a few more good shots? Helios is a capricious lens that doesn't always work well with modern equipment. It is strongly susceptible to weather and only sometimes sharp. It is very bright, tends to create swirly bokeh but above all is extremely "painterly" and soft. It is the latter that makes me happy to take it with me.