Thanks to all for the nice comments, I really appreciate them.


Scott - Love the fence row. At first, I thought it would look better in B&W, but the little bit of the red in the barn makes it.

Tony in CA - Nice set, love the chair!

Nancy - Good to see you again, I like the cat. We just lost one of our barn cats that looked a lot like this one.

Kevin - I know you'll like the 80-200mm. The hummers at 100% are still very usable.

Tony in DC - Welcome back, love the house! Don't forget to email me.

Rafael - I love the sunset image, nice colors and a nice level horizon!

Eric - Good to see you again, love the portrait of your daughter.

Dean - Good to see you again as well, and thanks. I'd like to see some more of your street shooting in HK.

Some of the first real world test shots with my recently acquired 50-135mm f/3.5 zoom.


Fireworks - 2013 with Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5 by labecoaves, on Flickr

Fireworks - 2013 with Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5 - heavy crop ~70%.
D7000 + 50-135mm f/3.5 ais @ 135mm + tripod, ISO 100, f/8 at 8 sec exposure.



North view of my balcony - 3 fused images with Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5


North view of my balcony - 3 fused images with Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5 by labecoaves, on Flickr

Some of the first shots with this old MF Zoom.
D7000 + 50-135mm f/3.5 ais @ 135mm + tripod, ISO 100, f/8 at 0EV (1/320s)
-2EV (1/1250s) + 2EV (1/80s).
3 fused images.


Bird test shot with Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5 - heavy crop


Bird test shot with Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5 - heavy crop by labecoaves, on Flickr

D7000 + 50-135mm f/3.5 ais @ 135mm hand held, ISO 250, f/5.6 at 1/400s.
Just to show the capability of this overlooked zoom at a ~100% crop.


Believe it or not, in a very informal comparison of 50-135/3.5 AIS @ 135mm vs. 135/3.5 AI vs. 135/2 AIS at infinity, the zoom leaves nothing to desired and it delivers similar (if not better ) sharpness in relation to the primes!
Thank you Leighton for open my eyes.
I am convinced this zoom will be in my bag during my vacations at Pompeii and Herculaneum next February

Thanks Leighton, will do. Probably this evening!

Jose - great fireworks shots and the feathers on that bird shot are incredible!

Couple non-Nikki shots from yesterday morning. D600 with 105/2.5, Hains Point is a National Park Service managed public space in the DC. It houses an 18 hole golf course and some other recreational facilities. The 3ish mile loop around it is really popular with road bikers and joggers. These shots of the seagulls are looking across the Potomac River towards Virginia.


Hains Point Flock 1 by Tony DeFilippo, on Flickr


Hains Point Flock 2 by Tony DeFilippo, on Flickr


Hains Point Flock 3 by Tony DeFilippo, on Flickr


Hains Point Flock 4 by Tony DeFilippo, on Flickr


Hains Point Flock 5 by Tony DeFilippo, on Flickr

asiostygius wrote:
Some of the first real world test shots with my recently acquired 50-135mm f/3.5 zoom.

Bird test shot with Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5 - heavy crop


Bird test shot with Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5 - heavy crop by labecoaves, on Flickr

D7000 + 50-135mm f/3.5 ais @ 135mm hand held, ISO 250, f/5.6 at 1/400s.
Just to show the capability of this overlooked zoom at a ~100% crop.

Believe it or not, in a very informal comparison of 50-135/3.5 AIS @ 135mm vs. 135/3.5 AI vs. 135/2 AIS at infinity, the zoom leaves nothing to desired and it delivers similar (if not better ) sharpness in relation to the primes!
Thank you Leighton for open my eyes.
I am convinced this zoom will be in my bag during my vacations at Pompeii and Herculaneum next February

Very interesting findings Jose. I always thought this lens was sharp, but the thing I like most about it is the color and contrast rendering. I know it will never leave my bag.

vpik01 wrote:
Thanks Leighton, will do. Probably this evening!

Jose - great fireworks shots and the feathers on that bird shot are incredible!

Couple non-Nikki shots from yesterday morning. D600 with 105/2.5, Hains Point is a National Park Service managed public space in the DC. It houses an 18 hole golf course and some other recreational facilities. The 3ish mile loop around it is really popular with road bikers and joggers. These shots of the seagulls are looking across the Potomac River towards Virginia.


Hains Point Flock 1 by Tony DeFilippo, on Flickr



I like this one Tony, I haven't been there in years. What's the bridge in the background so I can get my bearings.

Phillippe - a flying saucer! Well done.

Laura - a great series.

Ronny - love your dog

Leighton - I love the soft light and sharp focus - very soothing images

Rafael - the helicopter shots are terrific - the last one looks as if it's about to crash!

Scott - I can see you have cabin fever. Nice shot of the fence and the snow!

Kevin - nice first shots with the 80-200 hope you enjoy it.

Tony - DC really looks bleak but nice sunlit images

Jose - nice fireworks and amazing deatail from the 50-135

TonyD - I like the way you got the gulls to pose! Very nice series

Thanks Leighton, Tony and Peter.

Tony, very nice BIFs; I liked the way you made the composition of birds + landscape.

Work's got me bogged down, sigh
Though on a cheerier note, I managed to catch this office lot (multi-storey parking part of it I think) during sunset today. I pass by very often on my way to lunch.
The orange sunset rays weren't strong today, but have always envisioned it as an apocalypse dead-town building-left-standing kind place so it got the tritone treatment

35/2 AIS

conceive (CKC_8979_bw) by Zichar, on Flickr

vpik01 wrote:
Finally getting back to my backlog, including several more shots from Nikki's pre-Christmas visit to DC. I think I'm 'through' the holidays now...


Great Lens Adventure-DC-15 by Tony DeFilippo, on Flickr
Cool looking random house in NE DC, 3 shot vertical stitch.



Tony, nice looking house. Good colors and detail in the pano.
Scott

rafaelcasd wrote:
Great shots everyone. Went in search of sunset and did not find it, too many clouds.
But was able to get this with the 400mm 3.5 ais, D800. This thing is so sharp focused with live view it is insane. No wonder it does well with TCs


Nikon nikkor 400mm 3.5 at 5.6 D800 rainbow by Rafael CA, on Flickr



Nice image of the rainbow. Is that a pot of gold?
Scott

stedge wrote:
been a while, hope your New Year is starting out well. I have a lot of reviewing and catching up to do, certainly.

Had a weekend in Asheville, and had a chance for a hike with the ladies. Here are a few.


Eric, nice images of the ice and your daughter.
Scott

asiostygius wrote:
Some of the first real world test shots with my recently acquired 50-135mm f/3.5 zoom.

Bird test shot with Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5 - heavy crop


Bird test shot with Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5 - heavy crop by labecoaves, on Flickr

D7000 + 50-135mm f/3.5 ais @ 135mm hand held, ISO 250, f/5.6 at 1/400s.
Just to show the capability of this overlooked zoom at a ~100% crop.


Believe it or not, in a very informal comparison of 50-135/3.5 AIS @ 135mm vs. 135/3.5 AI vs. 135/2 AIS at infinity, the zoom leaves nothing to desired and it delivers similar (if not better ) sharpness in relation to the primes!
Thank you Leighton for open my eyes.
I am convinced this zoom will be in my bag during my vacations at Pompeii and Herculaneum next February

Nice work with the new 50-135. Leighton convinced me to get one of these as well. It is a very nice lens, just a bit larger and heavier than the primes though.
Scott

Thank you Tony (CA), Leighton, and Peter for the fence comments. Not much sun for the last two weeks around here so yes, things seem a bit dingy.
Scott

Just experimenting my oldest lens, the 16mm f/3.5 F aiŽd, specifically regarding the built in filters.
Nothing special, just the South view from my kitchen window.
A test of what the built in Red filter can produce in this old lens. I think the result is similar what would be for a B & W film.
It looks like the Red filter can be very handy for those of you that photograph extensively in B & W.



Nikkor 16mm f/3.5 F ai'd test by labecoaves, on Flickr


Top: regular colour photo - lens filter position "N", 1/800s;

Middle: regular in camera B & W mode - lens filter position "N", 1/800s;

Bottom: B & W mode + lens filter position "RED", 1/200s.

All photos with D3, ISO 200 at f/5.6.
The red filter delivers darker sky with contrasting clouds.

Jose, nice test shots. Great tip for BW. I've been reading about this lens and wanting to get my first Nikon fisheye to join the gang. Did you AI converted it yourself? Looks like Ray got the last AI kit

Leighton, Peter, Jose - thanks for your comments on the bird shots.

Leighton - the bridge in the background is the Amtrack/CSX Rail bridge, followed by the metro bridge and finally the 14th St Bridge... quite the cluster!

Scott, Glad you like the house shot... my wife and I are househunting right now (this one is not on our list) but I liked the style of it.

Jose - great 16mm series, I like the color in the first one. So much to look at!

Thanks Scott, Chuong and Tony.

Yes Chuong, I ai'd the lens (a "F" version made in 1973) using a surplus AI factory kit sold to me by Ray.

Zichar wrote:
Work's got me bogged down, sigh
Though on a cheerier note, I managed to catch this office lot (multi-storey parking part of it I think) during sunset today. I pass by very often on my way to lunch.
The orange sunset rays weren't strong today, but have always envisioned it as an apocalypse dead-town building-left-standing kind place so it got the tritone treatment

35/2 AIS

asiostygius wrote:
Thanks Chuong and Tony.

Yes Chuong, I ai'd the lens (a "F" version made in 1973) using a surplus AI factory kit sold to me by Ray.

Nice. I guess I need to find one somewhere. Based on the conversation a while back, Ray got the last one from the planet earth.

leighton w wrote:
vpik01 wrote:
Thanks Leighton, will do. Probably this evening!

Jose - great fireworks shots and the feathers on that bird shot are incredible!

Couple non-Nikki shots from yesterday morning. D600 with 105/2.5, Hains Point is a National Park Service managed public space in the DC. It houses an 18 hole golf course and some other recreational facilities. The 3ish mile loop around it is really popular with road bikers and joggers. These shots of the seagulls are looking across the Potomac River towards Virginia.


Hains Point Flock 1 by Tony DeFilippo, on Flickr



I like this one Tony, I haven't been there in years. What's the bridge in the background so I can get my bearings.



+1

me too Tony - solitary gull - the empty path receding into the distance.....nice. I liked the berry shot from the last page too.

ben