The (Forgotten) Fun of Infrared Photography

Ontario Place in False IR Colours -- Canon 20D IR Modified & Pentax-M 20mm f4

While importing my old pictures into Lightroom, I realized how few picture I took using the IR modified Canon 20D, and almost none for the whole year of 2011, and I really should be using it more.  Why?  Because it's fun! The IR filter used in my 20D does not completely fall into the infrared spectrum.  There are still some visible spectrum that go through the filter.  I love the mix of visible light and Infrared, because of the weird colours you can get, whereas a true infrared filter will give you only infrared pictures (B&W).  When the weather turns warmer, and the vegetation comes back, I will sure be out there more often with this camera this year.

Do we need a reason to like certain pictures?

Untitled -- Sony NEX-5N & Leica-R Summicron 35mm f2

For some strange reason, this picture resonates with me.  The old house walls close by contrast with the new buildings far away, the muted colours, the quietness, the seemingly dead end but really is not, and the two parked cars seems to back out any minute.  I enjoy looking at it, especially at a larger size, but there really is no reason to.

Weird.

109%

109% -- Canon 1D Mark III & EF 200mm f1.8L & 1.4X Teleconverter

Another picture from the OFSAA Swim Championship 2012.  I couldn't take pictures of the swimmers, therefore most of the pictures I took that day were of people standing close to the glass wall where the spectators sat.

Not sure if the glass wall has something to do with picture quality, but I now find that the pictures I took were quite a bit less sharp with the 1.4x teleconverter than the usual very sharp wide open performance of the 200mm f1.8L.  It's very usable, no question, but definitely not as good as the naked lens is.

Three Bells

Pay Phones -- NEX-5N & Leica-R 35mm f2 Summicron

I like shooting in cloudy, rainy weather. Sunny days are good too, but often you will get harsh shadows unless they stuff you shoot is under the shade.  I took a walk around Chinatown the other day in a cloudy rainy day with the Leica-R 35mm f2 Summicron, which I haven't used for a while.  If you read my blog, you would know that this is my favourite manual focus 35mm lens.  The other favourite is the Canon EF 35mm f1.4.

I think for most Leica lenses, the drawback is that they are more expensive than equivalent lenses from other companies, and they are very heavy, due to the all metal construction of the lenses.  If you want a well built lens, you will have to bear the weight. It's like very thing else in life: there is no such thing as a free lunch.  For this 35mm f2 Summicron, I really have no complains.  It's sharp at f2, and its colour and contrast is wonderful.  The only minor gripe is that it's very heavy, and the built-in hood is kind of loose and not long enough.  Also, flare resistance is not as good as the Takumar SMC 35mm f2.

Lifeguard

Lifeguard -- D Mark III & EF 200mm f1.8L with 1.4x Teleconverter shot wide open through a thick pane of glass.

Dillon and his school swim team made it to the OFSAA (provincial) Swim Championship and we spent a day in Milton's Sport Centre to cheer for him and his team.  The Sports Centre is a very nice and huge facility that sports 4 skating rinks, a large swimming pool, two gymnasiums and a host of other amenities.  Unfortunately, for today's swim competition, spectators were not allowed to go inside the pool to watch, and everyone had to watch the actions through a very thick pane of glass wall.  I brought a bag full of equipment, but taking pictures of the swimmers is next to impossible.  Of course, they want to sell you pictures they have captured for the event.  Very disappointed and this I have been to many swim meets and this is the first that I couldn't go inside the pool or take any pictures.

Today was the first time I used the Canon 1.4x teleconverter with the EF 200mm f1.8L, for an effective focal length of 280mm f2.5.  I was surprised the focusing speed was still very fast.  I only shot the pictures through the glass walls and it's still usable wide open (effectively f2.5).

Another Sample from the Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm f2.8

Tim S. Dool -- NEX-5N & Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm f2.8 @ f2.8

I have been using this lens quite a bit lately and really start to like it a lot, and I am wondering why modern 35mm lenses aren't designed like this one: very close focusing, sharp, and great bokeh.  Very hard to find wide angle lenses that have nice bokeh and this Flektogon is one of them.

Just out of curiosity, most container ships seem to stay at the port for a long time.  Two to three weeks is not uncommon.  This Tim S. Dool ship has been at the port for at least two weeks now. That seems very inefficient use of the ships.  Does it take that long to load/unload the goods, or there are other reason for the long stay?  Curious!

Can't Wait for Summer

Lining up for hotdog, Summer 2010 -- Canon 1D Mark IIn & Kinoptik Speciale Cine 210mm T3

If you are lucky enough to live in a place where the weather is warm all year around, you won't understand we Canadians how much we look forward to summer each year, especially if the winter is bad.  This year, other than a few very cold days, and a little bit of snow that quickly melted away, there isn't much of a winter as we normally would have.  I am certainly NOT complaining!

Can't wait for summer to roll around.

Minolta RF Rokkor-X 250mm f5.6 -- Second Look

So I have been using the Minolta RF Rokkor-X 250mm f5.6 on the NEX-5N, and slowly getting the hang of it. It's still too long a lens for me, and I don't have very steady hands, hence low keeper rate.  Many of the pictures come out blurry.  But, once the focus is nailed, the lens rewards you with very sharp images (for a mirror lens).  I want to stress that this is a very small lens for a 250mm focal length.  On of the reason many people want it.  You can see the picture below where it's compared to the Minolta 58mm f1.2.  The 58mm f1.2 is much heavier:

Size compared to the Minolta 58mm f1.2.

Although the X250 does not focus as close as the Tamron mirror lenses, it's still pretty good at minimum focus distance of 2.5 meters.  You can get pretty good close ups.  The original hood the came with the lens is way too short.  Mirror lenses tend to flare more easily than all glass lenses.  A longer hood would have helped to reduce the flare problem.

Bright Lights -- NEX-5N & Minolta RF 250mm f5.6 on tripod.

In think in terms of image quality, it's probably as good as a consumer lens would get for mirror lenses.  The build quality is excellent with very smooth focus action.  It's a perfect lens for EVIL cameras.  The longer focal length allows some stealth pictures to be taken without people getting mad at you, or, simply, some like the compressed perspective of long lenses.

Talk -- NEX-5N & Minolta RF 250mm f5.6

Canon EOS 5D Mark III - An object of desire

OK, I will say it.  I WANT the 5D Mark III!  It's a camera that fixes all of the 5D Mark II's short comings (ok, I still want the swivel screen).  The specs are pretty much the same as what the rumor have been saying, except the price, which is higher than what most people expected.

The image quality test at dpreview sure looks pretty good, but I don't think it's that far ahead of the 5D Mark II.  Strangely enough, if you check out Canon's official sample images, image #1 (the aurora) shot at ISO 800 has a  lot of chroma noise.  Not sure if they turned off the noise reduction or what.  Canon jpeg engine still falls behind Olympus, which generates exceptionally good jpeg as if they were converted from RAW.  Would 5D Mark II owners upgrade?  If I had the Mark II, I would probably not upgrade, unless superior auto focus is what you are after.  

For me, this camera would replace my 1D Mark III, but the price is just too high to justify at $3,888 CAD.  I guess it's a camera for most pros and semi pros of still and videographers.  I am sure many well heeled buyers will snap the 5D III up, but it's just too much money for non-money making use.  I will pick up a used 5D Mark II when it hits $1500, and keep my 1D III.

Megan -- Sony NEX-5N & Minolta RF Rokkor-X 250mm f5.6

Canon 5D Mark III -- Is it worth the hype?

Canonites are eagerly waiting for the unveiling of the long waited successor to the 5D Mark II, which has been one of the most successful and best selling full frame cameras in recent history.  So, the Mark III has a big shoe to fill. If the rumour is correct, it will have the 1DX auto focusing system, and a new 22MP sensor with high ISO going all the way up the wazoo! I am happy that Canon listens to its customers and didn't go nuts on pixel count on the popular 5D line, and instead, concentrates on high ISO and more dynamic range.  The only worry is that the price might be too high.  Anything over $2800 is too much, in my opinion.  The 5D II was something like $2800 on introduction.

On the other hand, I am sure Canon won't let Nikon steal the show with the D800's 36MP sensor.  I have no doubt they will have a competing model with 40 or more megapixel sensor, perhaps the 3D, or 5DX very shortly?

This is exciting times, even though for me, they are too expensive for me to afford, but glad to see the technology advances.  Who knows, in a couple of years, we may see a $1500 full frame 24MP camera.

Rock Skipping -- 1D Mark III & EF 135mm f2