Today it's the Sigma 90mm f2.8 lens that's getting a workout. I have to say it's an often overlooked optic but a very, very good one. For several reasons. Let's get into it.
I have the 90mm Sigma Contemporary i-Series lens chambered for the L mount cameras. There are many things about this lens that endear it to me. It's small and relatively light weight. The metal finish is both good looking and lends itself to very good handling. The lens has an aperture ring and I find that keeps me in tune with the idea of controlling depth of field. Aperture control on the camera blurs away from my consciousness and I find I've gone a while without thinking about it. The lens hood is big and useful and protective AND matches the finish of the lens. I like the 55mm filter size because I have a box filled with expensive 55mm filters that I now have some reason not to throw away.
I like the lens even more when I use it and am reminded of both how sharp and how optically well behaved it is. Even at its fastest aperture of f2.8. But the feature I realized I liked today was the just about perfect feel and operation of the focusing ring when manually focusing. With practice it's both fast and accurate but best of all it doesn't overshoot like many other FBW lenses do. I like the feel of the focusing ring and after realizing that it would give me both accuracy and tactile happiness I switched everything to manual and spent the day shooting that way.
Even though I don't have affiliate links and your purchases won't benefit me in the least I think every one of you should rush to your keyboards right now and order one of these. You'll thank me after you've tried it out. And....as you can see....it works in color and monochrome.
Les mannequins sont une métaphore de la vie moderne à l'ère post-pandémique. Ils ne bougent pas donc ils sont. C'est un truc de Descartes. Mais heureusement pour nous, nous pouvons les contourner et trouver les meilleurs angles. Ce sont les petits trucs qui nous font chier mais aussi les petits trucs qui nous font plaisir. Ne détestez pas les photos de mannequin. Ils sont là pour une raison... Yeah.
An interesting video about Monochrome sensor cameras by one of my favorite BW photographers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDxHq3Zlbz8
11 comments:
By the way. The refrigerator is fixed. Now I have to find something new to complain about. Maybe the backorder situation for the Leica Q2M?
Good to hear about the fridge. Hope it stays fixed. BTW, I did not know until recently that a refrigerator can explode. Just thought I'd pass that along.
I saw that in the news. Now I live in fear of some appliances. Are our A.I. overlords testing our stuff to use as weapons against us? Very frightening.
It hasn't hit spring in Seattle, and barely reached 48 today. I walked to the ballpark through a downpour, clad in fleece and a waxed jacket. The ballpark reeked of damp fleece and stale coffee. Castillo had a perfecto going through six innings, and the boys pulled out a 1-0 squeaker against the Rockies. I walked back from the ballpark in a fresh downpour, this one with lightning.
I have the 90mm and it’s a great little lens. I use it on the CL where it’s a very small 135mm. Good enough for some sports with a little cropping and F2.8 gives a nice background blur. I find I use it a lot more than the sigma 56mm.
Les mannequins sont très patients.
You enjoy working with different lenses.
Have you tried those for the Contax G/G2 cameras?
Some nice glass in the group and with an adapter might be worth your time.
Shooting some on Fuji and Nikon bodies both - with good results.
I owned a couple of G2s and did some nice work with them. The 21mm was a standout lens. As was the 45mm. I haven't tried them with digital cameras... Pricy and I'm always leery of adapters that have to control apertures. But...
Thanks for the Paul Reid link. He really clarified a lot of things about B&W sensors for me. When you're not easy with photo tech, as I'm not, it doesn't occur to you the there might be significant differences in the way higher ISOs present, depending on whether the sensor is color of B&W.
Re the Contax G lenses. Use em if you have em. I only use the manual focus adapters on Fuji and m4/3 bodies, and have found the modestly priced ones as good as the pricier ones. The Biogon design has issues in the corners with many sensors, but the Planars and Sonnar are ok. BTW, the adapter doesn’t control the aperture; that is set manually on the lens. I consider the 90 to be the sleeper, but really, there are other small 90s that I like, or 100s. From the 90 Elmars to 100 Canon FD, Minolta 100 or 100 Topcor or 100 Contax, a bunch of moderately priced (as in cheaper than 85mm) high performing choices there, without the funky G focusing.
Thanks Ed
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