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Archive 2016 · First ever Lightning photos with A7II + Rokinon 14mm f2.8

  
 
AlphaPhotography
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · First ever Lightning photos with A7II + Rokinon 14mm f2.8


I recently picked up a Rokinon 14mm f2.8 and have been looking for opportunities to use it. Unfortunately it has been quite cloudy recently so astrophotography hasn't been an option. We had a lightning storm earlier tonight and I decided to try some captures. I wasn't really sure what settings to use so tried a combination of 30 second exposures, ISO 100-400, f2.8-f7, and bulb mode.

Due to the Rokinon's lack of electronic connection I don't remember exactly which settings worked best but I believe 30 seconds at f5.6-f7 ISO 100 did pretty well. The lens was also fogging up heavily due to the humidity. I'm pretty impressed with the Rokinon so far. A bit softer wide open and the corners aren't perfect but otherwise it's a lot of fun and sharper than the Canon 10-18mm I used previously. Here are the best of the bunch, thanks for looking:

























Aug 13, 2016 at 11:26 PM
bill s
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · First ever Lightning photos with A7II + Rokinon 14mm f2.8


Lightning is awesome. Nice capture. I think the foreground is a little distracting for me. Five stars for the lightning and the effort to make these photos.


Aug 14, 2016 at 01:52 AM
JimFox
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · First ever Lightning photos with A7II + Rokinon 14mm f2.8


While your focus was the lightning, the WA distorted trees, and halo's around all of the bad blending really takes away from these and puts the focus on some badly processed photos. The cropping along the bottom of the photo is also distracting as there are elements that a cut off and distract.

Just as with star shots, the setting in which the stars are shot help make the shot. So too with lightning, the setting the lightning is taken in will help make or break the shot.

Also keep in mind that our standard posting size here is 1200 pix wide, yours are 2000 pix wide and are too large.

Jim




Aug 14, 2016 at 02:55 AM
oldrattler
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · First ever Lightning photos with A7II + Rokinon 14mm f2.8


Congratulations on the lightning shots. Sorry, I agree with Jim on the PP.


Aug 14, 2016 at 04:31 AM
ckcarr
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · First ever Lightning photos with A7II + Rokinon 14mm f2.8


My thoughts are exactly like Jim's. And they were also last night when I first looked at this.

I think in the excitement of capturing something like lightning people forget that this is a Landscape Photography Board, where the composition, subject matter, and photographer's vision of a scene all come together to make a nice image. Your description sounds more like a gear opinion, better suited to the Sony board. The photographer has got to be able to step back, and look at the overall image and critically assess it. In landscape, it's the photographer and their skill, not the gear.



Aug 14, 2016 at 07:45 AM
AlphaPhotography
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · First ever Lightning photos with A7II + Rokinon 14mm f2.8


Thank you for all the feedback. I will definitely think more critically about the composition next time. Part of the problem (as with most night photography) is I couldn't really see what I was shooting in the foreground, only a silhouette on the review screen until I got them into Lightroom and pulled the shadows up.

I also need to work on post processing. Wasn't really sure what to do with them, played a lot with exposure, highlights, etc. Ended up increasing the clarity a bit too much because I liked it's effect on the sky but not on the trees. I will likely mask more in the future and I will use all of your advice. Thanks



Aug 14, 2016 at 10:03 AM





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