The Right Lens for the Job

by Kelly

I have a confession to make...this is not the post I thought I was going to be writing today.

I guess I should back up.

So this past week I was chatting with my friend and FOL sister, Dotti, about gear. She reached out to me wanting to know what I thought about my new Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L lens that I had received from Santa this past Christmas. So I gave her my two cents worth which was, for the most part, very high praise due to its large aperture and overall sharpness.

In addition to my conversation with Dotti, I also had the chance recently to visit with another photog friend who happened to make a point of asking my about my gear - she had spotted another "red stripe girl" and wanted to know what I thought of my "L" glass. To which I gave the same high praise I had given to Dotti.

At any rate, it got me to thinking about gear and my new lens - my third 50mm lens (I literally wore out my f/2.8 compact macro) - and it made me wonder how my fancy new lens actually compares to all of my other lenses. So I decided to do a little experiment on the dahlias that have started blooming in my garden.

For the purpose of this comparison, I shot the same basic scene with the following lenses:

• Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8
• Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L

To try to reduce the variability as much as possible, I shot in manual mode with an aperture setting of f/2.8, 400 ISO, and 1/640 shutter speed. I tried, as best as possible, to stand in the exact same location (except with the 100mm macro) and focus on the upper portion of the large, open bloom near the center.

Here are my individual shots.

At first glance there isn't a remarkable difference between my shots, however after a little closer inspection there are some subtle differences, mostly in the size and shape of the background bokeh.

1. Notice the shape of the bokeh in the first 50mm ("Nifty-Fifty") - do you see how the background bokeh has sort of a rough, pentagonal shape? It's a function of having fewer blades in the lens - a tradeoff which is, in part, what makes the Nifty-Fifty so affordable. 
2. With the 100mm macro lens, I had to step back a few feet in order to get about the same framing as the others. But what I love is how smooth and dreamy the bokeh is. I actually purchased this lens a couple of years ago from Terri and I am always happy with the quality of photos this lens produces.
3. In my shot taken with the 50mm L series lens, you might notice a deeper teal outline around some of the individual 'bubbles'.  This is what is known as chromatic aberration and it is my only minor complaint about my new lens.

OK. So we've established now that all of these lenses produce good photos, but what I really wanted to know is how they compare in sharpness. Because that's what L glass is known for - impeccably sharp images. So to test for sharpness, I cropped each of my shots in tight around the main flower that I focused on. 

Here they are side-by-side.

I betcha can't tell which one is which.

This is what I meant when I said this wasn't the post I had planned. 

I really expected the 50mm L image to jump off the screen in terms of sharpness and it just didn't. So what I learned from this experiment is that being mindful and intentional with exposure and having a sufficiently steady hand (or something steady to lean against) is the key to producing nice, sharp images.

That being said, however, I do believe that each of these lenses serves a unique function (outside of producing sharp images). I love my 24-70mm lens for giving me a wider focal length and a little more breathing room in my shots. And I love my 100mm macro for being able to get up-close and personal to my subjects. I also love my new 50mm lens because (like Dotti) I love the framing of 50mm as it most closely matches our natural view with our eyes. Plus having the option to shoot with a super wide aperture allows me to capture scenes with lower light.

So I guess the moral to this story is to decide how and what you love to capture, and choose the lens that best serves the function and your wallet. Then let your heart, your head, and your hands do the rest.

Until next time,

Kelly

Trying Out a Lens

by Linda

One of the things that makes photographing birds and animals in nature so difficult is the fact that you just can't get too close to them before they scamper away. I have always enjoyed photographing birds and animals and used to have a decent telephoto lens, a 75-300mm. When I upgraded my camera, that lens would not fit the new camera body so it went with my previous camera toward the upgrade. This made my longest focal length lens 100mm. Not close enough.

In 2013, Tamron announced a lens with an incredible 150-600mm. I was interested. It became available in 2014 and quickly sold out everywhere. All the reviews were coming in very good for this lens.

At a purchase price of $1000, I knew I would have to start saving my pennies if I wanted one so for every birthday/Christmas/Mothers Day/letmedosomethingforyou I requested a gift card to the local photo store or straight cash money.

Finally, I had enough saved for it but was it REALLY what I wanted? That's a lot of moola, I wanted to be sure. Since I was planning a short vacation, I decided to rent it to take. That way I could be sure it was THE ONE. I rented it from Borrow Lenses. It arrived 2 days before our trip. I was good to go.

But first, a little trial run in the backyard. Just a little practice. This is a long (about 10") and heavy (almost 5 lbs) lens. It does have a tripod collar. Good thing. I knew I would not want to carry that monster around.

Tripod out, lens attached I was ready to play. I quickly learned that when the lens is fully extended a remote control is necessary. I grabbed mine and attached it and I was ready to go.

The following are a series of pictures at different focal lengths for comparison. All, except the picture taken with my phone, are F11, ISO 2000. (top picture of the squirrel in the birdbath is Tamron 600mm)

Taken with my phone where I was with my camera and lens on a tripod. See that red dot? That's a bird feeder. There is a squirrel to the left of it on the tree. (yeah, I know, huh? what? where?)

Taken with a 50mm lens. Squirrel still on the tree to the left

Taken with the Tamron at 150mm. Oh THERE'S the bird feeder! Now with a squirrel perched on top!

Taken with the Tamron at 300mm

Taken with the Tamron at 600mm

Well! There really is a squirrel on the birdfeeder! I think the clarity at this focal length is quite good. The main reason I used a high ISO is because squirrels are jittery things and I wanted a very fast shutter.

The Tamron 150-600mm has a max aperture of 5.0-6.3. You can use 5.0 from 150mm to about 400mm then the lens will adjust the aperture. Max aperture at 600mm is 6.3.

The Tamron 150-600mm lens can also be used on full frame as well as APS-C SLRs, on which it offers a huge 225-900mm equivalent range.

This lens has Tamrons VC (vibration control) which is nice but I found using a remote control was helpful especially when the lens is extend to full 600mm, it gains another 4 inches in length and any little movement caused by depressing the shutter button on the camera will result in a blurry picture.

The lens has a "lock" button which is great for transporting the lens especially if it is already attached to a tripod or monopod. This feature keeps the lens from extending during transport.

How about a few more?

Taken with my phone. The mountain in the distance is about 10 miles away. (as the crow flies)

Tamron 150mm

Tamron 300mm (you can see the road to the ski area)

Tamron 600mm

I know I need lots more practice! But I think it will be just what I wanted for some bird and nature shots. (and moon shots!) Bird shots if the squirrels will leave my feeder alone! And yes, it is a "squirrel proof" feeder! I guess the squirrels didn't get the memo!

And good news (for me, anyway!) This lens is on sale! It is currently $989. Still a wad of cash but I see a package coming soon with my name on it!

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My experience with Borrow Lenses was excellent. I received the lens when promised and it was packed carefully in a box with material I could reuse to return the lens. A preprinted shipping label was included. Borrow Lenses has sent me several coupons for repeat business. And best of all, the rental price was by far the lowest.

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Do you have a lens on your wish list?

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Let's Talk - Camera Lenses

by Dotti

What's on your camera today?

It’s not uncommon, in fact it’s a pretty sure bet, that when a group of photographers gets together the conversation is going to turn to camera gear at one point or another. So, why don’t we chat about lenses today?

Do you have a go-to lens, a favorite lens? Or are you like me in that the season of the year dictates the lens most likely to be on your camera?

When I’m out and about for an afternoon or full day of shooting, the lens most likely to be on my camera is my Tamron 18-270 mm F/3.5-6.3 because I like wide option in focal lengths. It’s often hard to predict what you may find to shoot, so I like to be prepared.

This is also the lens most likely to be on my camera when the weather is warmer. In fact, wonder of wonders, it’s the best lens in my current arsenal for shooting butterflies.

Another photo taken with the 18-270. To get these photos, I pretty much have to go all the way to 270 mm focal length or the critters get skittish, still the background isn't bad at F/6.3.

There are drawbacks to this lens, though. It’s not great for indoor shots unless it’s a very well-lit space. Since it’s not a fixed aperture, it’s not always possible to get the creamy, bokeh-filled background that most of us prefer. And, truth to tell, since this lens is made for cropped-sensor cameras, it’s the major obstacle standing between me and a full frame camera.

When I need a faster lens, I have several options. One is the Tamron 28-75 mm F/2.8 which I used for my daisy picture. I got this before the Tamron 24-70 mm came out and if I’d known it was coming, I would have waited. But anyhow – I do like this camera indoors and for the past month, I’ve actually had it on my camera constantly. Since I seldom use it, I decided I was short-changing it and needed to become a bit friendlier with it. I must say, I have rather liked getting reacquainted with it. For one thing, with its fixed aperture of 2.8, it does produce nice backgrounds.

I also have two pancake lenses, a Canon 24 mm F/2.8 and a Canon 40 mm F/2.8. I do wish these were more versatile because they’re so lightweight, making them delightful to carry on your camera. Again, with a fixed 2.8 aperture, they’re fast enough to shoot in low light and to produce lovely backgrounds. But usually when you’re out for a serious photo walk or all-day excursion, it’s just not possible to zoom with your feet adequately enough to make this an effective all-day lens. They are good inside, though, and are a great option when I want to take a wider shot, usually for still life 

photography, than what I can get with what might just be my favorite lens: my Canon 50 mm F/1.4. The above photo and the one below show the difference between these two lenses on the same subject, although at different times. Both lenses were wide open.

I absolutely love this lens! It’s fast, it produces beautiful backgrounds, it’s lightweight. What’s not to like? The only drawback to it is that it is not a macro lens. This brings us to the next lens which we’ll discuss today: the Canon 50 mm F/2.5 compact macro.

This lens is one of the first that I bought for my camera several years ago and it has quite a few photos to its credit. Like the 50 mm F/1.4, it is lightweight, which for me is a prime consideration. And speaking of ‘prime’, while I love the versatility of my two zoom lenses, I really love my prime lenses. Photos are sharper with a prime lens, in my humble opinion, so I’m a big fan. 

And finally, the last lens that I want to talk about today is the Canon 85 mm F/1.8. This is one sweet little lens but I do find that it has some restrictions. It’s definitely not what you want on your camera if you want a close-up of flowers but as a portrait lens, I love it. Just the other day, my husband asked me to do and head and shoulders shot of him to have in his files for those occasions when he’s asked for a photo for one thing or another. Well, I couldn’t run quickly enough to retrieve my 85 mm from the shelf. Here is his ‘official’ publicity photo. Someday this will be in our local paper, or in somebody’s banquet program or some other such thing that he finds himself roped into. (And he'd die if he knew I used him as an example in today's blog. This is one of the original Mr. No Social Media guys, so, shhh! Don't tell him. I also offered to soften his wrinkles but he declined, saying he'd earned every one of them.)

True confession time: even with all these lenses, I’m seriously considering getting a Canon 100 mm macro. The weight of this lens is what’s holding me back because I really do like to travel light. When I’m out on an all-day adventure, it’s likely I’ll only have two lenses with me, the one on my camera and a second one for when the other lens just won’t work. In fact, I traveled for three weeks in Europe with only two lenses, my Tamron 18-270 and my 50 mm 1.4.  So the heft of the 100 mm macro has been the big drawback for me.

Now it’s your turn to answer my questions. What’s your favorite and/or go-to lens? And for those of you who have the Canon 100 mm macro, what are the pros and cons? I look forward to your input on our comments page.