Hi Edward, great to see the 85/2 getting some exercise! Hope you're able to resolve whatever is causing all that stress!
Joakim - great tones! That's another lens I've been curious about, but my modest collection of vintage glass is already not seeing enough use...
Charlie - love the scenes, color, contrast.
Werner - looking forward to more from the workshop. Thanks for the backgrounder info, too. Being able to pick from the entire M arsenal would be so much fun!
Below are a few from the new CV35/1.7, x-posted from its dedicated thread a few days ago, so may not be new to all. I shot a wedding with it on Saturday and am generally pleased with the lens. It's sharp wide open, I think on-par with anything from Zeiss or Leica. But rendering-wise it will be somewhat different. I like it at near distances, but am less wowed at farther medium distances, at least in respect to how it handles somewhat difficult background content (trees/branches/leaves). Blurred specular highlights at medium/far distances have more edginess to them and the outer zone looks busier too, kind of like what I've seen from the ZM 35/1.4, and wasn't so fond of. But it's probably the reality of RF 35mm lenses. So far hitting focus wide open via RF at near to medium/far distances has been pretty good. Better than I expected. Stopped down to f/2.8 and it's really sharp across much of the frame. There is a tendency to flare in backlit situations. When wide open it tends to be veiling flare, which can look nice in some situations. Stopped down more and there is some red blobbiness to the flare in some situations that may not be so attractive. It's about the only drawback of this lens when shooting RF, since it's impossible to visualize the flare at the moment of exposure.
So far I'm liking it a lot, and trying to get back into the 35mm habit after shooting 28 for so long (don't plan to sell the 28 Cron). That said, I'm not yet in love with the lens. Some minor handling nitpicks (like lack of focusing tab and it's a bit longer than I'd like). It's technically really, really good. Very sharp. Definitely a big step up from some CV lenses of the past. But the biggest question remains whether or not its (relative lack of) character will win me over.
A few wide open head shots, etc. The first couple are at near minimum RF coupling distance of 70cm. Images have been adjusted to taste (I lowered contrast and clarity in the first few). These are also available at 4800px wide in a Google Photos gallery I may have linked earlier, where I plan to dump many of the CV35/1.7 images I post as I explore its potential.
Edward - wishing you a speedy resolution to your staff problem (IMH experience, stress arises mostly from people). I loved the pouting kid shot in your 85/2 set.
Thank you very much for the great support guys! It really cheered me up
Very nice compositions with people, joakim. My favorite kind of street photography, putting people in context.
Ron, it's funny but from your sample photos, I see a lot of familiar traits with the distagon. It's almost an uncomfortable feeling I wonder if both were designed by Zeiss, or Cosina.
Charlie, that's a really handsome dog. Contrast has been very well handled.
First time out hitting the streets of Sacramento with the M and 28 Cron. I've never done any street shooting before, so this excursion was an exercise to explore outside my comfort zone. The first thing that hit me was how slow and quiet J Street was in the early morning. Nothing quite like the hustle and bustle of downtown New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco. Things didn't get much interesting until later in the day when people started showing up for the anime convention as well as the Greek and Gold Rush festivals (all happening this Labor Day weekend)! Took more portraits of people dressed up than people on the street. I'll post more later!
It must be pros bing a year I've had the 240? I took it to Paris in November last year, so it can't be far off that. Only YESTERDAY did I discover how to properly check what ISO you're at in the VF whilst using auto ISO. My god, I sometimes surprise myself how daft I can be, but then that surprise shouldn't be surprising for a daft person...
If you then the camera on and reframe from half pressing the shutter release, you can move the aperture and shutter and you'll get the ISO changing in the VF until you're ready to go. Tap the shutter release, and you'll them just get ev/exposure compensation value.
coogee, that Monochrom sure is tempting. Love the detail and texture in the last one!
uhoh7, such beautiful scenery! Very serene and peaceful.
Here are a few on the fly portraits at the anime convention. Sometimes you take what you can get (busy backgrounds, people in a hurry, poor lighting, etc.) at these events.
Another simple shot from " do things different than usual ": I would not do an architectural shot at 1.4.. and would try on a tripod to get things right.
BTW, Ron, we could not only choose out of the M line but out of the whole Leica production, from S to X....
coogee - nice to see the winter beaches in AUS. Love the texture in the last one.
Charlie - great light and I'm sure it was also a great ride!
Adam - I imagine those events can be hectic, competing with a bunch of other photographers too. Excellent job in the Lux's sweet spot.
Werner - wow, a kid in the candy shop experience. Good use of the 21 Lux. BTW, in my somewhat limited travels through Germany, I've noticed a number of museums and other buildings with this type of architecture (such as the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, Kunstmuseum Bonn, Paul Löbe Haus in Berlin...) Is there a name for this style of architecture/design?
Some more from the wedding... exploring backlit performance of the new CV35/1.7
Here it's pretty good, or at least pleasing. All were wide open.
Hope you're able to resolve whatever is causing all that stress!
I wonder if both were designed by Zeiss, or Cosina.
