tsdevine wrote:
From Sunday, probably my last waterfall trip this spring. We're under shelter at home orders, although there are some remote areas where I'm sure I could practice social distancing. I'm not sure if I am allowed to travel there.
In Ohio, parks are one of the places that are A-OK...which is good, since it's pretty easy to stay apart from people. I went shooting on Sunday and I didn't see another person until I was back in my car.
I usually prefer more natural skin tone to avoid plastic effect but this time, due to the warm day, the model's face was too shiny so I had to push a bit on the slider to soften this unsightly effect...
A7r + Batis 85 WO
I took this image 2 years ago but I re-edited the file and changed the format from vertical to horizontal. The aperture displayed here is not quite right. The aperture of the lens is f/1.8 and not f/1.7. There was a glitch in the FW of Metabones I used back then. Yes, mine was a Canon EF mount lens.
A little bit about the lens - I bought this lens new when it became available in 2017 and used it for a little over a year. I really loved that lens; it ticked all the boxes for me. I used it for portraits and really enjoyed that lens tremendously. But, I sold in anticipation of getting the GM 135mm but I was on a lengthy trip when it was supposed to be delivered. I cancelled the order and bought it used a few months later for quite a bit less. On paper and the AF performance, the GM is a better lens but the Sigma is no slouch either, even with an adapter. The AF, even with this older camera back then was right on the money, maybe a tad slower but for portraits, the speed was plenty.
It is for sure a matter of preference, I used the Sigma lens way more and grabbed it each time I was out to shoot portraits. The GM..., well, it is a superb lens alright but somehow, it stays home more than the Sigma did when I still had it. I am sure, it has to do also with the fact that I do have and use the monster Sigma 105mm for the bokeh...
My favourite large town in Tibet - Tsetang. After the day shooting monastic sites is over, I stroll down the shopping strip and photograph whoever I can. Being lovely people, it's pretty easy.
I like this lens rendering a lot. Of course, it's Ernostar design and although well corrected is not like a 135 GM, yet it produces high contrast and smooth transitions, and can keep up to A7R IV when kept in great shape and clean optics.
Looking at a Snowy Egret in breeding plumage.
Cropped from the left and the right, tripod mounted 200-600mm f5.6-6.3 G set to 200mm and A7rIII camera; silent shutter.
ISO 100, f6.3, 1/1600 second.
Exposure Corrected +0.39 Stops.
January 6, 2020
At Gatorland, Orlando or Kissimmee, FL.
I'm getting out as I can when the rains break here in Western Washington. The weather makes for some great lighting at this time of year, even near midday.
Not the perfect architectural lens for most subjects, the 40mm works pretty well on residential home exteriors when there is enough room to move back. Sharpness and color can't be faulted though.
