There is something about the way the Sigma fp makes photos that keeps me circling back to that camera and trying to press it into just about every kind of work. Occasionally my ego gets the best of me and I'll pick up the camera in its most naked form (no EVF, no chimney finder), combine it with a stupidly mismatched lens, like a Voigtlander 40mm f1.4 Nokton Classic, and head out into brilliant early afternoon sunlight to try to make photographs.
Why is the lens stupid? Well it's not really. It's a good lens, as you can see for yourself, but since I can barely make out what's on the rear LCD of the chosen "camera of the day" in the bright sunlight, even with the LCD brightness turned all the way up, it would have made a lot more sense to choose an autofocus lens. That would have given me a fighting chance of at least getting things in sharp focus. Add to the hurt caused by my thoughtless choice of lenses, where focus is involved, is the additional burden of not having an automatic stop down aperture to work with. You have to focus at your taking aperture. When manual focusing I'm basically trying to zoom way into a frame to check focus on a camera with no image stabilization. The 25X magnified part of the frame sure bounces around when you try to discern sharp focus.... And 100° heat with long walks is hardly a recipe for a super stable hold on the camera. I can attest to that.
But in its own way the walk through the UT campus area (actually the part just across the street from the campus proper) with a horribly mis-sorted photo kit was a bit fun. If nothing else it proves that even with an inappropriate tool set you can still make acceptable images --- if you are willing to put the work in.
After I finished up the tromp through the mass of students and their parents here to move their children into the kids' new digs for a new Fall semester I got back to the office and looked through the take. Some good stuff. Mostly props should go to the camera and lens which worked hard together to make me a look a bit less... fallible. Okay Greg H. the EVF is now officially on my shopping list and... I might need to pick up an fpL. Just for fun.
Lunch with B. at one of our favorite sandwich shops. Funny how much ice tea you can drink after a spirited walkabout in the torrid landscape.
My favorite local chain of ramen restaurants, Tatsu-Ya Ramen just opened a new store right on the "Drag" across from the UT campus. Now I have a destination this Fall for good, hot snacks and lunches when I am out and about. Nice find. Good food. Fun people.
The Sigma fp is sinisterly good at grabbing the color red. Just so nice.
Good name for a boutique "convenience store."
Mural art on the walls outside "the Hole in the Wall." A nightclub that was there fifty years ago
when I was "at University" and is still going strong. Nice that somethings adapt but don't wholesale change.
Balloon decor is all the rage at all the UT sorority houses this fall. Lots of pink...
So. Advice.
Maybe take a camera with a nice EVF along with you if you are shooting in full sun.
And if you absolutely have to shoot without an EVF maybe try to use an AF lens so
you don't have to squint, get pissed off and then just wing it for focusing.
maybe wait for a cooler day in Fall to traipse around looking for images.
That's all I've got.
Oh...and if you go to Thundercloud Subs for lunch you might want to try the "Lady Bird" sandwich. I get mine on a whole wheat bun. It's chicken salad, a thick layer of guacamole, a generous layer of jalapeño slices, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and "Thunder Sauce." Order the large and then skip dinner later. It's really good.
