A change of pace from the Nevada shots. I picked up an inexpensive 55/3.5 Micro. It had been AId by notching the aperture ringor maybe I should say botching. Amateur job that cut 2/3-stop too far. Setting the non-CPU lens register to f/4.5 or f/4 gives OK exposure except for wide open, which is slightly overexposed. Easy to compensate in PP. Glass was in excellent condition.
Anyway, I dont need the 3.5; Im happy with the 2.8 version that I got new in the late 1980s. Ive never experienced the oily blades that can plague the 2.8, and the image quality is really great. So, I thought that it would be interesting to compare the two. I think the 3.5 may be a bit sharper at close range. At least with my copies, the 2.8 is better in the corners at infinity.
Its been raining like crazy here again, but I did get a few shots yesterday afternoon. Extensive comparisons will have to wait until better weather.
I used a 300mm f2.8 on one camera and an 80-200mm f4.5 on the other
Both cameras were in blimp bags (Nikon) to absorb the noise
The photographer who was looking straight at me with a funny glare couldn't work out what I was using.
The blimp bags wee to keep the motors quiet while the golfer lined up his shot. Most of those photographers made lots of noise.
The etiquette is to not fire the camera until the golfer has hit the ball, so quick reactions are order of the day some times. The same reason for long lenses, so that the photographers are far enough away to cause no disturbance.
I left Friday, it was raining...
I needed seriously to be light, so just 2 lenses, the 180 to take details of Trajan and Marcus Aurelius columns.
Thought seriously to bring the 300/4.5 ED non-IF instead of the 180, but the weight/size was too much.
And yes, I had headaches one week before the trip, trying combos of 2 or 3 lenses, and testing some against the 42.2 MP Sony sensor: shocked to see how - at this resolution - the 180/2.8 is visibly sharper than the 200/4 ai-s.
Wow! Leaving a couple of days and so many shots, and really nice ones as well. It´s been really fast lately and I´ve been hitting the like button like crazy.
I was out on a little hike this weekend by myself this time. I brought the 25-50mm f/4.0 ais, 55/3.5 micro-nikkor and the 105mm f/2.5 ais.
I'm travelling in Java, Indonesia and now in Yogyakarta.
Only one MF-lens; 24/3.5 PC-E
I hope to get in the footsteps of Jay, but that will take some time (if ever).
ramkumar999 wrote:
I just cut myself while processing this image. I cant believe how sharp these turned out. I have to have I am having a slightly harder time hand holding and focusing but when I get the focus locked, the results were outstanding.
D7200 with 500mm f4 P AIS.
Yes, and that is one reason I'm a big fan of the 500 f/4 P. It is a wickedly good lens. Nice find on the 7200 Ram... it seems you have a winner there.
I've been browsing through the last ten pages since I was last here and enjoying what I'm seeing very much. Seeing what Ken B was doing in the desert with the 25-50 f/4 AI-s is a reminder of what a great lens that is. I first picked up a copy on the recommendation of our Austrian friend Andy who long ago left FM. He was the character who seemed to own one copy of every camera and lens Nikon ever produced. I remember the jaw dropping image showing EVERY professional digital camera made by Nikon. Ha! I even found it online...
I was pretty smitten with the lens when I picked it up. It produces wonderful color and contrast. I used it much as it appeared you did Ken, as a walk around lens. I know there are comments about the "Leighton lens" but not a great deal of love goes to the zoom lenses Nikon produced. I may inspire myself to include one in the camera bag when Chin comes for his visit 11 days from now.
Wonderful work Ken and everyone who is contributing to this conversation.
Found another photo of the cameras Andy owned in 2011. Rather breathtaking...
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