Trying something new to me - I put on an extension tube on my Batis 85mm and used it at close range at a local wisteria slope in my neighborhood yesterday. I stopped the aperture down to f/5.6 to get more DOF, too while focusing more on the actual full blooming flowers.
Schwarzlicht wrote:
from 2016, with A7II and Batis 85/1.8
@Schwarzlicht
Thanks for posting your landscape images shot using Batis lenses
I enjoyed viewing them, especially the Zeissy colors.
It had helped me decide build my collection of Batis lenses
I was wondering if you use ND filters so as to shoot wide open?
Also, do you use polarizers to reduce flare and reflections?
I always thought that doing so would oversaturate already strong colors?
mojoh wrote:
@Schwarzlicht@
Thanks for posting your landscape images shot using Batis lenses
I enjoyed viewing them, especially the Zeissy colors.
It had helped me decide build my collection of Batis lenses
I was wondering if you use ND filters so as to shoot wide open?
Also, do you use polarizers to reduce flare and reflections?
I always thought that doing so would oversaturate already strong colors?
Using the Batis 85 f1.8 and Batis 135 f2.8 as my 2 main outdoor portrait lenses I am going to answer this from a slightly different perspective. Mainly my portrait photography occurs in the surrounding desert and mountains near to where I live, the sun is very bright and can be harsh due to very clear skies and/or higher elevations. I like to shoot wide open apertures and as my A7RIV is 1/8000 ss I can use the 85 f1.8 wide open without having to use a ND. The few times I have used the 35GM wide open for portraits at f1.4 I have dropped the ISO to 64 instead of adding a ND filter. But if I add off camera flash, which I often do, I use ND filters to get the flash sync speed down to 1/250ss, including up to the 6 stop ND during the brightest part of the day.
In the past many cheap ND filters, and even some expensive ones, did have a color cast and could affect the skin tones. I am very concerned about getting the proper skin tone of person being photographed. After trying a few different brands I settled on using B&W filters about 14 years ago. They are just excellent, made of brass and use the highest optical quality Schott glass. I have their MC ND’s in 2, 3, and 6 stops and a 10 stop for landscapes or around water, along with their standard CPL. Also have a B&W Kasemann CPL, which has slight warming filter (81A) effect that I use when the sun is the highest overhead (noon to 3PM) to help bring back sun washed out colors in people, rocks, vegetation and trees. And yes I use the CPL to reduce reflections. All are 67 mm filter size and beside the Batis lenses they now also fit my Sony 20mm G, 35GM and Tamron 20-48 f2.8 lenses. I keep mine all together in a filter stack cap set so they are always with me.
One type of filter to avoid is variable ND filters, almost all do have a color cast. Yes it can be convenient to carry, but the 2 I tried did cause uneven results and I would get separate filters instead.
mojoh wrote:
@Schwarzlicht@
Thanks for posting your landscape images shot using Batis lenses
I enjoyed viewing them, especially the Zeissy colors.
It had helped me decide build my collection of Batis lenses
I was wondering if you use ND filters so as to shoot wide open?
Also, do you use polarizers to reduce flare and reflections?
I always thought that doing so would oversaturate already strong colors?
Thanks very much! I really enjoy shooting with the Batis lenses. I haven't used any filters before. The beach sunrise image had a lot of dust in the air due to the dry landscape. I believe that led to more reddish colors. But I think that the Zeiss filters are quite good.
I wish you a lot of fun with the Batis line.
