Archive for the ‘50mm’ tag
SLR Magic: Why Leica Might Have To Pull Their Socks Up
The new SLR Magic 50mm T0.95
Those who have been closely following the announcements on the regular rumors channels in recent months might be aware that a Hong Kong based lens developer called “SLR Magic”, so far best known for their cheap and cheerful “toy lenses” for Micro Four Thirds, is about to introduce a new über-fast 50mm lens for Leica M mount. And from the looks of it, this lens could mean serious competition for Leica’s world-class low-light lens, the highly-regarded and insanely pricey Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95.
A Second Chance with the Leica M9 (and 50mm and 35mm Summilux Lenses)
Though I’ve reviewed the Leica M9 and M9-P before, I only recently had the pleasure of trying the Leica 50mm f1.4 Summilux and Leica 35mm f1.4
Summilux on the new digital bodies in real world use and street photography (I’ve used the former with a film body before). As readers of this site may know, I like the cameras; but have a major problem with their metering methods. Additionally, I tend to liken the images from the camera to chrome film in that one needs to nail the exposure perfectly and there isn’t a tremendous amount of versatility in the post-production process, though there is some.
So with all that aside, how do the lenses perform on the camera body?
What’s In My Bag: The Travis Lawton Version
What's In My Bag
Just over 4 years ago, I fell in love with photography. I, much like many new photographers, fell into the gear-pit. More gear equals better images right? Not quite. One thing that exacerbated this situation is that I had a good job with good pay. For many new photographers, money is what prevents them from going out and stocking up on gear that they want. Instead, they are forced to intimately learn their existing equipment and make it work.
Now I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I’m upset that I had the ability to purchase a lot of gear in the beginning, however, I feel it stunted my growth as a photographer. Instead of really learning how to use my gear, I would quickly move onto the next thing, the next lens. Now four years later, I have learned how to control gear-lust and how to appreciated my equipment. I’ve learned how to massage my current equipment to do what I want instead of going out and buying something that could do it better. So now that I’m older and wiser (photography-wise), what is the equipment that made the cut and constantly resides in my bag?
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Review: Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 ZE
If you’re a Canon or Nikon shooter, you have a pretty vast selection of lenses to choose from. Most people tend to gravitate towards lenses that are made by the same manufacturer as their body. When I first started shooting, I looked like a walking advertisement for Canon…they should have been paying me. Over time, I found that third party products can be just as good or better than the “brand name” products. Over the past year or so, I’ve developed a curiosity with Zeiss optics. I love the build quality and the attention to detail. The Distagon 35mm f/1.4 is truly a wonderful lens, but it’s out of most hobbyist’s price range. Luckily, Zeiss’ Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 is less than half of the price of its 35mm cousin.
So can the 50mm hang with the rest of Zeiss’ products? Let’s find out.
Long Term Review: Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L
We all love a 50mm lens. It’s the closest field of view to what the human eye sees therefore we can relate to the images it creates much more than any other lens. Heck, we like them so much, Canon has made 3 different ones to choose from. You’ve got the baby bear EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Editor’s Note: This is a guest blog posting by Travis Lawton, the Lawtographer
Battle of the Street Photography Focal Lengths: 24mm 35mm 50mm or 85mm
The Secret Identity
It’s a debate that has been going on for ages: which is the best lens focal length for street photography? While one can easily say, “To each their own,” there are significant pros and cons to each focal length that should be considered. Also, one must keep in mind that the most important thing is still the photographer who takes the photos. But with that said, without the right tools, you may not be able to get the job done. You wouldn’t use a screwdriver to flip a pancake, now would you?
So let’s explore the 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm focal lengths for street photography.
Disclaimer: this posting is based on my experience with the various focal lengths and with different gear brands.
