Neurad1 wrote:
How exactly did you get to White Pocket?
You cannot go to that place by yourself. Not only you need a heavy-duty 4X4 but there is a section of the route where you have to go through a private property. You have to hire an outfit that has a permit that will guide you there. The outfit we hired was based in Kanab. I believe there are two of them there and you can get their info on google. That’s how we found them. We didn’t stay overnight there although we left early in the morning and came back in the evening. BTW, White Pocket is absolutely worth the trip.
AGeoJO wrote:
You cannot go to that place by yourself. Not only you need a heavy-duty 4X4 but there is a section of the route where you have to go through a private property. You have to hire an outfit that has a permit that will guide you there. The outfit we hired was based in Kanab. I believe there are two of them there and you can get their info on google. That’s how we found them. We didn’t stay overnight there although we left early in the morning and came back in the evening. BTW, White Pocket is absolutely worth the trip.
Neurad1 wrote:
Thanks. I think I need to hire a helicopter to take me in
While you at it, get a bigger one, please . I would like to go back to that place again... and here is another Batis 18mm image from White Pocket to whet your appetite.
Joshua these shots are some of the coolest shots I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing.
Not sure if I'll ever get there...turned 62 yesterday and I'm in pretty crap shape...a career of Neuroradiology, sitting at a PACS station reading MRI scans all day getting very soft and fat. Retiring at the end of this calendar year and hope I'll be more active. But it sounds like this trip is a long drive on a dirt road followed by rugged road requiring a 4 X 4 with high ground clearance topped of by a further hike on foot. I'll have to get in better shape before even trying that...
I wish I made different choices when I was young....
So I ordered the Batis 40. That will complete the set. Does anyone here use the Batis set as a light travel kit? I have all four, though I only recently bought the Sony 24 1.4 GM and may take it on my next trip instead of the Batis 25.
Neurad1 wrote:
So I ordered the Batis 40. That will complete the set. Does anyone here use the Batis set as a light travel kit? I have all four, though I only recently bought the Sony 24 1.4 GM and may take it on my next trip instead of the Batis 25.
Congrats! I just picked up the Batis 40 and have really been enjoying it so far. Here's one from the Soldier's and Sailor's Monument in NY.
Neurad1 wrote:
So I ordered the Batis 40. That will complete the set. Does anyone here use the Batis set as a light travel kit? I have all four, though I only recently bought the Sony 24 1.4 GM and may take it on my next trip instead of the Batis 25.
Yes I have the Batis 18, Sony 24 GM, Batis 40, Batis 85, and Batis 135. I’m taking that kit and my CV12 and 100-400 GM to Montana and Glacier NP. I’ll use the 4 Batis and 24mm GM for longer hikes and keep the 100-400 GM plus 1.4x teleconverter for outings where wildlife is more likely and hiking less mileage. I do love the image quality and light weight of the Batis lenses.
I have the Batis 18 and 40 and they are coming with me to Europe.
I sold the Batis 25 after getting the GM 24 and used to own the Batis 85 but rarely shoot 85, so moved to the FE 85.
I've taken a few trips recently with the 24/40/85 or 18/40/85 kit.
I also pair my Batis 18 with the FE 24-105 for travel - both share 77mm filters, so convenient for ND filters for video use.
I have done something similar in the past...but I want to have at least one fast "normalish" prime with me... The 40 will serve that function next trip. The 24-105 is great. Punches above its weight class, for sure. I took it last year to Tuscany with the Laowa 15 2 as my only prime. It was pretty good and a light kit. I only wished for a longer lens a couple of times when shooting landscapes in/near San Quirico.
Neurad1 wrote:
I have done something similar in the past...but I want to have at least one fast "normalish" prime with me... The 40 will serve that function next trip. The 24-105 is great. Punches above its weight class, for sure. I took it last year to Tuscany with the Laowa 15 2 as my only prime. It was pretty good and a light kit. I only wished for a longer lens a couple of times when shooting landscapes in/near San Quirico.
I took the 18mm as my prime to extend the WA reach of the 24-105mm and the 135mm to extend the longer end on the last trip to Peru. Like the GM 135mm, the Batis 135mm cannot accept Sony FE tele extender. That is really too bad, otherwise that lens, either one, would make a more flexible lens. I had to take my GM 100-400mm for the trip to Peru and to Tuscany/Val d’Orcia earlier in the year for longer reach and compressed effect.
I bought the 135mm later on after the price has come down but as it turns out it did go down some $250 further than what I paid . Oh, well. It seems that the 40mm is experiencing the same fate, at least in the used market. A friend of mine just bought his for $800 and he is happy with it. I got the hunch that the price still has some more room to go down to approximately $700ish before it stabilizes. Then I may be enticed to get one... . I wouldn’t buy a brand new one for sure and you can get the confirmation from the seller that it is great copy.
Ah, here is another image from the Batis 18mm. Nothing special but I like the sun rays caused by dust filtered by some tree branches late in the afternoon.
AGeoJO wrote:
I took the 18mm as my prime to extend the WA reach of the 24-105mm and the 135mm to extend the longer end on the last trip to Peru. Like the GM 135mm, the Batis 135mm cannot accept Sony FE tele extender. That is really too bad, otherwise that lens, either one, would make a more flexible lens. I had to take my GM 100-400mm for the trip to Peru and to Tuscany/Val d’Orcia earlier in the year for longer reach and compressed effect.
I bought the 135mm later on after the price has come down but as it turns out it did go down some $250 further than what I paid . Oh, well. It seems that the 40mm is experiencing the same fate, at least in the used market. A friend of mine just bought his for $800 and he is happy with it. I got the hunch that the price still has some more room to go down to approximately $700ish before it stabilizes. Then I may be enticed to get one... . I wouldn’t buy a brand new one for sure and you can get the confirmation from the seller that it is great copy.
Ah, here is another image from the Batis 18mm. Nothing special but I like the sun rays caused by dust filtered by some tree branches late in the afternoon....Show more →
Nice shot (again). I really like my 24-105. I rarely use my 24-70 GM as a result. Too dang heavy. I should sell it. I already purchased the Batis 40. Seems good so far but I've only done limited shooting with it. I traded in some old M43 gear and only wound up paying $523 after the trade in value was applied. But 700 without a trade in would have been a great price.
Brief personal notes on the Batis 40. The lens I didn't want to like.
Just shot a baptism with the Zeiss Batis 40 last Sunday. Let me say I am very pleased with this lens. Much more so than I had anticipated. I fully expected to return this lens, but as a Batis aficionado anyway, I really wanted to give the 40 a try and add it to my kit with the new firmware of course 😉 I do rely upon my Batis lenses and turns out this AF 40mm is a perfect fit for my system.
My Baptism kit included Batis 85 ( my typical go to event lens) and the new Batis 40, maiden voyage. Perfect light weight duo for one small bag and for my style. 40mm was great for family/group shots and environmental portrait with no fear of wide angle distortions. F2 was just what I needed, safe for low church lighting w/ ban against flash during the ceremony. Colours, IQ and AF performance just what I expected from a Batis lens. * I am not able to post baptism fotos but will be posting other Batis 40 images soon.
Just a note - I was convinced that I would buy the Batis 135mm lens immediately when it was first introduced but when Zeiss announced the price at $2K for an f/2.8 lens, that turned me off. An f/2.8 lens? Then shortly after Sigma came out with a 135mm counterpart but significantly faster at f/1.8. I bought that lens and loved it. Then Sony introduced the GM version of that FL at the same speed. But due to an extended planned trip when it was to be delivered, I cancelled my pre-order. In the meantime, Zeiss lowered the price of the Batis to $1.5K and that put pressure on the used ones. I ended up getting my copy that way but in the meantime, the price tanked even further... oh, well.
I didn't use that lens much in the beginning but I started taking it as a lighter and more compact alternative to a heavier GM tele zoom of the same speed on a few trips and it grew on me. One thing led to the other, I started using that lens on a few portrait sessions locally as my longest lens.
While you at it, get a bigger one, please 
. I would like to go back to that place again... and here is another Batis 18mm image from White Pocket to whet your appetite.
. Oh, well. It seems that the 40mm is experiencing the same fate, at least in the used market. A friend of mine just bought his for $800 and he is happy with it. I got the hunch that the price still has some more room to go down to approximately $700ish before it stabilizes. Then I may be enticed to get one... 
