Shoot The Moon

Previously, I wrote about the new Panasonic GH2 using its new "tele conversion" feature for video: Panasonic GH2 Tele Conversion: Bagful of Primes?

Well, above is a video that purports to show the feature in action. Essentially, using the new Panasonic 100-300mm and a Canon 400mm the videographer gets amazing shots. The feature seems to allow a 3.6 multiplying effect if one shoots at 1080p or a 3.9 multiplier if shooting at 720p -- essentially turning the 300mm focal length to near 1200m and the 400mm length to almost 1600mm. When you translate that to 35mm equivalent, it is essentially double -- meaning you can essentially shoot as if you had a 2000mm or 3000mm lens.

Kinda amazing.

So No One Can Sneak Up On You

There are a lot of different lenses out there. This, I'm not so sure of. I suppose it makes a panoramic image. I tried to ask its owner, but he was really not much help.

If you look closely, you'll see some members of my photo class and also my 24mm lens depicted in the reflector.

New Sony Alphas Announced

New Sony Alphas, new lenses. Basically a refresh of the low end of the Sony line, but that's a good sign -- they'll update the midlevel and high end soon enough.

SONY INTRODUCES THREE MAINSTREAM ALPHA CAMERAS DESIGNED FOR FIRST-TIME DIGITAL SLR BUYERS

"... three new easy-to-use α (alpha) cameras (models DSLR-A380, DSLR-A330 and DSLR-A230), four new lenses, a flash and accessories."

See the cameras and the lenses.

Of interest: a 50mm F/1.8 and a 30mm F/2.8. I have a 50 F/1.4, but for those who don't it's likely the 1.8 will offer some bargain optical quality. The 30mm is interesting, though. I wonder how it will compare to the existing 28mm F/2.8?

Oil and Older Lenses

Last night I was working with some students on lighting for photography, and I pulled out my Minolta IIIF flashmeter and checked the output of light. I read off the settings to a student, she adjusted her camera to match, and took a photo.

Normally, that's kind of impressive -- it's an accurate meter, and usually that first shot is pretty close to perfect. But her results were overexposed.

Well, I thought, maybe there's a calibration issue here. So she adjusted, and adjusted, and still, her shots were over.

I didn't realize it until later, but it's very likely that -- since she was using an older lens on her new camera -- the issue is that there is some broken down oil in the lens that is stopping the lens from closing down quickly enough to the desired aperture.

In other words: a lens sits with its aperture on its widest setting while you look through and frame your shot. When you press the shutter, it very quickly stops down to the aperture you've set, then opens back up to fully open after the shot. (That way, you are seeing the brightest view when you look through your viewfinder, but the shot is taken at the aperture you select.)

But older lenses that have been stored sometimes have the oil inside break down -- and this can mean the aperture sticks a lot or a little, causing just the kind of problem we were experiencing. Changing her aperture setting didn't seem to change her exposure -- meaning when she was set on f/16 the lens couldn't close down to f/16 and it may have really been shooting at f/5.6.

Leibovitz on Lenses

I've been reading Annie Leibovitz at Work.

I'll discuss the book once I finish it, but I wanted to highlight Leibovitz' use of lenses in her early days with Rolling Stone, as detailed on page 16:

"During the early years at the magazine, when I thought of myself more as a photojournalist than a portraitist, I usually carried three cameras on assignments. I didn't want to lose time changing lenses. I would take a 35mm lens, a 55, and a 105.

"A 35mm lens provides a perspective close to what the human eye sees, and it was my lens of choice. The 55 was considered a 'normal' lens, very classic, simple and noninterfering. The 105 was on a body with a meter and I could use it for light readings. Zoom lenses were not really an option then. They weren't made well. When you saw a photographer with a zoom lens on his camera you didn't take him seriously."

I find it interesting how much that situation has changed today. If you look in the camera bag of any typical photographer in the "working, but not famous" category today, you'll be very likely to find two great zoom lenses packed, with possibly no primes at all.

Podcast About Lenses

New York Institute of Photography posted a podcast where I talk about Inexpensive Lenses For Your DSLR.

Good Lenses on a Budget

I wrote a little article for NYIP about bargain lenses:

Beyond Your Kit Lens:
Cheap -- But Good -- Lenses for your Digital SLR

"Most people who buy a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera purchase the lens bundled with the camera -- the "kit lens" -- and do just fine. After a little shooting, though, they realize there's a world of possibility out there for their photography if they add a few new lenses. That's what an SLR camera allows you to do -- take that kit lens off and put other lenses on. At this point, however, sticker shock can set in: the best-rated lenses often come with a very big price tag.

So, are there some great bargains out there? Can you start adding to your camera bag without breaking the bank? Could we assemble a full camera bag of high-quality, useful lenses for under $1000? It turns out that we can."

A Bargain Lens Lineup

So here was the question I was answering: "I have $1000 to spend on lenses, not much compared to the price of professional lenses, but I'd like to get a range of useful, quality glass. Any ideas?"

Well, here's my list of lenses that provide the same image quality as "pro" lenses, but that are easy on the bottom line.

For under $300, a fast 28mm:

Sigma 28mm f/1.8 for Nikon
Sigma 28mm f/1.8 for Canon
Sigma 28mm f/1.8 for Pentax and Samsung
Sigma 28mm f/1.8 Minolta and Sony
Sigma 28mm f/1.8 for Sigma

For about $100, a fast 50mm:

Canon 50mm f/1.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.8

For $400, a great macro / portrait lens:

Tamron SP Autofocus 90mm f/2.8 for Nikon
Tamron SP Autofocus 90mm f/2.8 for Canon
Tamron SP Autofocus 90mm f/2.8 for Konica Minolta and Sony
Tamron SP Autofocus 90mm f/2.8 for Pentax

For $150, a creative lens:

Lensbaby 2.0 Canon EF Mount
Lensbaby 2.0 Nikon F Mount
Lensbaby 2.0 Pentax K Mount
Lensbaby 2.0 Minolta Maxxum Mount
Lensbaby 2.0 Olympus E1 Mount

Macro and Portrait Lenses

Often I'm asked about macro lenses. These are lenses that let you fill the frame (at a 1:1 ratio) when photographing small things like jewelry or insects.

Since I'm not actually a huge fan of pictures of jewelry or insects, in any combination, I always recommend that folks buy a macro lens that also works as a portrait lens. Fortunately, there are several that combine the sharpness and optical quality needed for close-up photography with a focal length that works for photographing people. (On a digital SLR, a focal length of between 70mm to 90mm is very flattering to the human face.)

I received a gift certificate over the holiday, so I looked in my camera bag and then took my own advice, ordering this lens:

Tamron SP Autofocus 90mm f/2.8 DI 1:1 Macro Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony DSLR Cameras

It's also available in Nikon mount and Canon mount of course.

When it eventually arrives, I'll post a few pictures and a brief review.