During the middle of Golden Week, I visited Shibaura Central Park, a hidden gem for rose photography that I happened to discover last autumn while on comutuing. I thought it might be a little early for spring roses, but perhaps thanks to the recent warm weather, I was pleasantly surprised to find the roses in full bloom.
For a flower bed where I can freely zoom in and out, it’s time to bring out that single-focus lens, so I dusted off my PENTAX K-3III and the HD DA Limited 15mm F4, smc FA Limited 31mm F1.8, and smc FA Limited 77mm F1.8 lenses. The solid, metallic feel of the SLR camera in my hands is truly special.
The flowers are blooming generously.
This park is located on top of a sewage treatment plant, but the roses bloom beautifully and luxuriously, without giving off any sense of being in such a place.
Sometimes you can catch glimpses of the Shibaura Tower Mansions and the high-rise buildings under construction for the Takanawa Gateway in the background, which is a unique charm of this location (lol).
Limited lenses are often criticized for their outdated design and softer image quality compared to modern lenses, but they offer a nostalgic, old-school look (technically speaking, manufacturers refer to this as “intentionally retaining aberrations”) that is enjoyable, lightweight, and bright—making them irreplaceable.
Since it doesn’t have an internal motor, the body’s motor makes a loud whirring sound during autofocus—a well-known quirk that PENTAX users are already familiar with.
Even someone like me, an eternal beginner, can achieve stunning results with this lens.
This one is also quite impressive.
If I may be so bold as to express my personal preference, I think the 77mm is best for capturing the fragile beauty of flowers.
Not limited to flowers, but in terms of being able to capture the atmosphere even when taking casual, rough shots like this, the 31mm lens is also a rare gem.
I find again 31mm a difficult focal length to master, and I stare intently at my hands.
In any case, this was an episode of enjoying lighthearted spring rose photography with PENTAX Limited lenses.
