Serge, the photo of the bride entering the church from behind is special.
I'm sure there are many more that I forget to mention but hit the like button on.
I managed to get out on my day's off despite the cold, up into the hills around Arrowtown where the spectacular colours of Autumn may have gone but there is still colour in the trees and the oxygen rich crystal clear Arrow River
You mentioning out in the cold is in contrast to it going to be 98° F here today. 🥵
George
cadman342001 wrote:
As well as Matt's cemetery shots -
Enjoyed Jim's IR shots, especially #1 and #4
Serge, the photo of the bride entering the church from behind is special.
I'm sure there are many more that I forget to mention but hit the like button on.
I managed to get out on my day's off despite the cold, up into the hills around Arrowtown where the spectacular colours of Autumn may have gone but there is still colour in the trees and the oxygen rich crystal clear Arrow River
I visited the garden yesterday morning after a major storm. At one point it was raining at 4 inches (101cm) per hour with 50-70 mph winds. The garden seems to relish this wet heat, and the plants are creaking, because they are growing so quickly. (like hearing corn grow) The bind weed has created a lovely frame around a concrete angel, tomato blossoms are packed onto slightly flattened plants, and the milkweed is ready to draw and feed Monarch butterflys. Nikon D850 with grip (9.2 fps) focus stacks of 13-33 images with the 85mm f1.4 ais
James Markus wrote:
I visited the garden yesterday morning after a major storm. At one point it was raining at 4 inches (101cm) per hour with 50-70 mph winds. The garden seems to relish this wet heat, and the plants are creaking, because they are growing so quickly. (like hearing corn grow) The bind weed has created a lovely frame around a concrete angel, tomato blossoms are packed onto slightly flattened plants, and the milkweed is ready to draw and feed Monarch butterflys. Nikon D850 with grip (9.2 fps) focus stacks of 13-33 images with the 85mm f1.4 ais
Thanks Andy, to be fair I think I got a bit lucky with the light. I like deep shadows with detail, without it blocking up. I usually probably get too much contrast. I usually pull highlights and push whites to add contrast. Here I pushed shadows a bit and pulled back the blacks to balance detail and deep shadow. I did use a bit of channel mix to separate oranges and yellows a bit. But mostly just lucky to avoid highlights which made it work here.
Love the clear water in your shot above. Looks like lots of detail opportunities in that location.
One more from that morning, different subject though. Color and B&W
Off topic, does anyone have experience between the 5.8cm f/1.5 and 50mm f/1.2 non-Ai lenses? KEH has 20% off right now and they have a couple 5.8cm lenses.
AdaptedLenses wrote:
Off topic, does anyone have experience between the 5.8cm f/1.5 and 50mm f/1.2 non-Ai lenses? KEH has 20% off right now and they have a couple 5.8cm lenses.
Here are the articles from Nikon about the Nikkor 5.8cm f/1.4 and 55mm f/1.2 that you may find useful and interesting:
Personally, I have not used either but I am also interested in both. If you do decide to get one or both of them, would love to hear your feedback and images. Thanks.
I want to say that a couple folks have the 5.8 in this group. Hopefully they will chime in.
AdaptedLenses wrote:
Off topic, does anyone have experience between the 5.8cm f/1.5 and 50mm f/1.2 non-Ai lenses? KEH has 20% off right now and they have a couple 5.8cm lenses.
I have the NAI 50 currently and I’ve used the AIS version in the past. I wouldn’t say I’m terribly enamored with them, but they can’t have an interesting look. I guess I’m wondering if the 5.8 CM would give me something different.
Edit: pulled some NAI 50mm shots and might need to spend more time with it…
When you do focus stacking, what changes between shots? Do you leave the focus ring alone and move your body? Or try to keep your body still and rotate the lens focus ring? Just curious. I’ve tried both… not sure which is better.
Joe,
I use to do these much more deliberately. I would practice focusing the focal range looking through the viewfinder looking for the starting frame (one end of the focus stack - either nearest or furthest away), and then rotate the focus ring slowly shooting single shots every 0.5 to 1 second. I would make sure which direction to rotate first - and pay attention to the framing the most. Tuck elbows in - hold my breathe, and start. The only difference now is the frames per second I can achieve. Now I just depress the shutter (set to CH), watch for framing, and rotate the lens focusing ring steadily. These come out comparable to when I use a tripod - with almost no drift during the "auto align" and "auto blend" process. It sounds like a machine gun - Rat-a-tat-tat-tat etc - which scared the gold finches and some other bird into alarm calls. These are fast and easy to do.
Here is one of the more extreme stacks (48 image) I've done using a PB-4, focusing rail, and a tripod to get 0.5-.0.625 of an inch DOF. Link here
I kind of got into the rapid FPS when I picked up a used Canon 7D mkII, that has dual processors, and shoots 10 FPS. For some reason (maybe the different menu system?) a pro level DX body didn't catch on in Canon land. I love mine, and with that frame rate speed and AF - it is great fun. Here is an animated gif from a few days ago using 23 frames. In a way - it is like focus stacking. I should have done an auto align, but figuring out CS2 and Image Ready all over again made me inpatient.
When you do focus stacking, what changes between shots? Do you leave the focus ring alone and move your body? Or try to keep your body still and rotate the lens focus ring? Just curious. I’ve tried both… not sure which is better.
AdaptedLenses wrote:
Off topic, does anyone have experience between the 5.8cm f/1.5 and 50mm f/1.2 non-Ai lenses? KEH has 20% off right now and they have a couple 5.8cm lenses.
I have the 55mm f1.2 SC. But IF....I was going to get another 50mm, I think I would go for the 50/2 H. Just my 2 cents.
AdaptedLenses wrote:
Off topic, does anyone have experience between t
he 5.8cm f/1.5 and 50mm f/1.2 non-Ai lenses? KEH has 20% off right now and they have a couple 5.8cm lenses.
Matt, not sure this will be helpful since I use a crop sensor. The 5.8cm f/1.4 in my view it is a cracker of a lens. I find the vintage color rendition very attractive and it is sufficiently sharp for most uses. CA is well controlled and build quality is excellent.
James Markus wrote:
Joe,
I use to do these much more deliberately. I would practice focusing the focal range looking through the viewfinder looking for the starting frame (one end of the focus stack - either nearest or furthest away), and then rotate the focus ring slowly shooting single shots every 0.5 to 1 second. I would make sure which direction to rotate first - and pay attention to the framing the most. Tuck elbows in - hold my breathe, and start. The only difference now is the frames per second I can achieve. Now I just depress the shutter (set to CH), watch for framing, and rotate the lens focusing ring steadily. These come out comparable to when I use a tripod - with almost no drift during the "auto align" and "auto blend" process. It sounds like a machine gun - Rat-a-tat-tat-tat etc - which scared the gold finches and some other bird into alarm calls. These are fast and easy to do.
Here is one of the more extreme stacks (48 image) I've done using a PB-4, focusing rail, and a tripod to get 0.5-.0.625 of an inch DOF. Link here
I kind of got into the rapid FPS when I picked up a used Canon 7D mkII, that has dual processors, and shoots 10 FPS. For some reason (maybe the different menu system?) a pro level DX body didn't catch on in Canon land. I love mine, and with that frame rate speed and AF - it is great fun. Here is an animated gif from a few days ago using 23 frames. In a way - it is like focus stacking. I should have done an auto align, but figuring out CS2 and Image Ready all over again made me inpatient.
Jim, does your photo stacking software account for focus breathing? With my 55/3.5, there is quite a bit of focus breathing. I don't think I could ever get results like the link you posted.
Scott, I'm only using Photoshop, and it does correct for breathing. I still try to keep the entire subject within the frame, but have found that even when it grows outside the frame it can still work. Back in the day, I did it manually in Photoshop as well, and have never needed to try anything else.
spoupard wrote:
Jim, does your photo stacking software account for focus breathing? With my 55/3.5, there is quite a bit of focus breathing. I don't think I could ever get results like the link you posted.
AdaptedLenses wrote:
I have the NAI 50 currently and I’ve used the AIS version in the past. I wouldn’t say I’m terribly enamored with them, but they can’t have an interesting look. I guess I’m wondering if the 5.8 CM would give me something different.
Edit: pulled some NAI 50mm shots and might need to spend more time with it…
These are fast and easy to do.
