Month: June 2009

Had Fun

I’m never sure until I get a chance to glance at the photos.

Just these two tonight, more later this week I hope. I’ve got a very busy next two weeks, though, so who knows what will turn up when?

Sitting on the ground
Sitting on the ground
Fast, low, pass
Fast, low, pass

In that last one, he isn’t quite as close to the tree as he looks.  That image won’t be the main one from that pass, because unfortunately the edge of the door frame is right through the pilot’s face.  But I do like showing the helicopter in relation to the tree.  Shot at 200mm on a 1.5x body, so 300mm-e, uncropped. And no, I did not shoot it in portrait format and turn it on its side, either.

Absurd Lens

When I was getting started in photography seriously, let’s call it the 1970s, I don’t think any lens wider than 21mm was at all commonly available for 35mm photographers.  Oh, there were a couple of fisheyes, including Nikon’s monumental 6mm f/2.8; and their 15mm rectilinear came out in 1973, but I never heard of it then.

A few years have passed since then, and today UPS delivered to me a 12mm rectilinear wideangle.  In fact, a 12-24mm zoom.  For full-frame 35mm (film or digital).

12mm.  I’m still appalled.

Here’s a fairly ordinary view of my room (which will be a bit surprising to people familiar with it).

12mm used for a fairly ordinary view.
12mm used for a fairly ordinary view.

And here’s a rather more interesting view from close to the same location.

12mm used from an unusual angle
12mm used from an unusual angle

I am a happy camper.

(Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6.  Slow, bulgy, fragile, large.  And remarkably cheap with a little shopping (I beat the B&H price on the day I ordered it by $200, which is unusual from any vaguely reputable dealer).)