Christmas Spirit(s)

[Monza76]

This is at 80mm with theFA 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 AL lens. The ISO was set at 200, the white balance for incandescent lights, the aperture wide open at f5.6, tripod mounted in Av mode. The camera chose a shutter speed of 0.7 seconds.



Happy Holidays (don't drink and drive)

Ira

[kriss]

NICE SHOT...luv the colors in the background...HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

[Monza76]

Couldn't resist a shot of the setup I used, note the deep lens hood (doesn't vignette on the dSLR but severely on the film body), the Slik lightweight tripod and Dynatran ball head.



Thanks for the comment kriss, and happy holidays to you too.

Ira

[WackyRoger]

WOW!!! I really like them both. You done did gooood.


Wacky roger

[Monza76]

Here is another shot, same camera and lens but with a Cokin star filter held in front of the lens and a flashlight used to illuminate the candle holder. Cropped.

I think I will go back to the non-AL 28-80mm FA since it focuses closer.

[Monza76]

Important note, the cheap FA 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 non-AL- version, let me get much closer to my subject, and as is often the case with non-aspherical lenses, it has more pleasing bokeh. I guess that makes up my mind for me.

[bilybianca]

A very worthy subject, Ira. Your "before" shots are really nice. No "after"s?:?

Interestingobservations about al/no al!

Kjell

[danielchtong]

Monza76 wrote:

Important note, the cheap FA 28-80mm f3.5-5.6 non-AL- version, let me get much closer to my subject, and as is often the case with non-aspherical lenses, it has more pleasing bokeh. I guess that makes up my mind for me.

Really a keeper
I thought more blades gives you a better bokeh. Learn things new everyday

Daniel , Toronto

[Monza76]

danielchtong wrote:

Monza76 wrote:

Really a keeper
I thought more blades gives you a better bokeh. Learn things new everyday

Daniel , Toronto

Daniel,

When you shoot wide open with any lens the aperture is a perfect circle since the blades stay in their parked position, it is only when you stop down the lens that the number of aperture blades makes a difference.

As for the AL vs non-AL aspect, apparently aspherical elements can have a negative effect on bokeh. Personally I don't really know how all of this works, all I know is that the second picture of the Gibson's bottle has background Christmas lights that look better to me. It is quite possible that others would argue that I have it all wrong and that the first image has better bokeh. What can I say? I like the second image, but if this were a portrait perhaps a background like the first image would be less distracting? Okay, now I am giving myself a headache, the only thing I can actually say with any real certainty is that at wide open aperture the number of blades is immaterial, but as soon as you stop down just one step it makes a big difference.

Hope you enjoy the pictures, perhaps a little more Gibson's would improve the bokeh... could you slide that bottle over here please... gee, that looks better already...

Ira:?

BTW here is another picture of my tree... gee, that Gibson's was good:

[NonEntity1]

Ira,
I think I prefer the first shot as it is clearer what your subject is. It would be afine entry in the December challenge too :-). I believe that moving in closer to your subject will also have a big effect on bokeh; unless you tested the bokeh from both lenses at the same spot focused on the same subject it is hard to tell how much difference the lens design makes. The candle shot is also cool, I have not played with any of the special effect filters and I like how you used it in that shot.

Tim