*** July 2023 Image & Video Thread

[robin0112358]

Let me be the first to start this month with some neighbourhood flowers taken with the Contax Zeiss Sonnar 85mm. The first is a fairly severe crop, which demonstrates how much detail the Lumix S5 sensor captures.

• Panasonic DC-S5
• 1/2500s
• ISO 400

 

[Jon Schick]

Rather liking the dreamy look of the second image! Quite the contrast to the incredibly crisp first image. Looks like a nice lens.

 

[CharlesH]

End of the day, July 4, Independence Day, a federal holiday in the USA. We finally have warm weather in California after a cold-wet Spring. It was our fist day in the pool, mostly just relaxing with a hint of exercise.

 

[Jon Schick]

Image from recent final dress rehearsal of "Home" which is currently playing at the Abbey Theatre Studio in St Albans. All images for this rehearsal were taken with S5 and 24-105 which paired together pretty nicely; I've previously used a Sigma 28-70 for rehearsals in this space and it produces lovely results but there are times when a bit more reach is useful.

 

[robin0112358]

Rather liking the dreamy look of the second image! Quite the contrast to the incredibly crisp first image. Looks like a nice lens.

Thanks. The Contax Zeiss lenses are unsurpassed IMO. Not even by Leica and certainly not for the price!

 

[jomppak]

A cat.

 

[jomppak]

 

[jomppak]

 

[Jon Schick]

Thanks. The Contax Zeiss lenses are unsurpassed IMO. Not even by Leica and certainly not for the price!

I've not used them but certainly very impressed with what you posted. Partial to some old Pentax lenses myself, esp the 31/77 FA Limiteds. But sadly lots of other people are too, so bargains are not to be had....

 

[robin0112358]

I've not used them but certainly very impressed with what you posted. Partial to some old Pentax lenses myself, esp the 31/77 FA Limiteds. But sadly lots of other people are too, so bargains are not to be had....

There is no faulting the heritage of Pentax. I have quite a number of K-mount lenses, since my first DSLR system was Pentax.

The 31 Limited is rather large for what it is, and certainly expensive, so I never bought it... though I have used it. I still own the 77 Limited and prefer it for monochrome, since the purple fringing is truly horrendous. Find no reason to use it on L-mount since the Lumix S 85mm is superior.

My favourite by a long shot is the 43 Limited for its compact size and amazing rendering. The focal length is not my favourite however. I started out in the early 80s with a nifty fifty and never had fun until I got a different focal length.

To bring these topics together... my recent prize is the smc PENTAX 1:2 28mm which I got at a decent price from Japan. This lens was designed by Erhard Glatzel at Zeiss for both Asahi Pentax and Carl Zeiss. It was their only collaboration, since Pentax wanted smaller lenses. In the Contax world, this is the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 28/2.0 (AKA "Hollywood"). So far I am amazed.

 

[AlanC]

Castle Howard, probably best known from the Brideshead Revisited TV series.



The walled garden.



From the lake.



The Temple of the Four Winds.

 

[pdk42]

I've been busy with lots of non-photo stuff, but here are a couple I did last week. Both with the S5. First with the 14-28, second with the 70-300.

• Panasonic DC-S5
• LUMIX S 14-28/F4-5.6
• ƒ/8
• 18mm
• 1/50s
• ISO 800

As Evening Falls by Paul Kaye, on Flickr

• Panasonic DC-S5
• LUMIX S 70-300/F4.5-5.6
• ƒ/8
• 300mm
• 1/30s
• ISO 100

Summer Field by Paul Kaye, on Flickr

 

[pdk42]

Castle Howard, probably best known from the Brideshead Revisited TV series.



The walled garden.



From the lake.



The Temple of the Four Winds.

Some beautiful colours off that FpL.

 

[Pete_W]

A steam locomotive was scheduled for a trial run on a line only 30 minutes drive from home, so I finally took the S5 Mark 2 out for a test run.

Not the best location with all the overhead wires but it was a good test for the autofocus system. I shot a burst when the train was further back and the camera focused well on the front of the train through the tangle of stanchions and wires.

This photo was the best shot once the train got closer.

3801 heading north by Peter Watters, on Flickr

 

[AlanC]

Some beautiful colours off that FpL.

Thank you Paul.

These are RAW files processed using Iridient Developer: the results are extremely close to the native JPGs the fp L generates, and way better than the default RAW processing from macOS and anything like Affinity Photo that uses Apple's RAW engine.

The fp L certainly has its quirks and limitations, but it does produce really nice looking images.

 

[Jayneboo]

I've been busy with lots of non-photo stuff, but here are a couple I did last week. Both with the S5. First with the 14-28, second with the 70-300.

View attachment 776
As Evening Falls by Paul Kaye, on Flickr

View attachment 777
Summer Field by Paul Kaye, on Flickr

Lovely ones Paul.

 

[robin0112358]

Shots from my neighbourhood.

blue and red [smc PENTAX 1:2 28mm]

collection [Contax Zeiss Sonnar 85mm]

aftermath [Contax Zeiss Sonnar 85mm]

 

[GeorgeHudetz]

Milky Way, photographed from the top of Engineer Pass in Colorado. 12,800 feet, about 1:00 am, in June.

S5 with Sigma 28mm. F1.4 DG HSM Art lens.
Two images (no stacking), blended in PS:
Sky: F2, 60 seconds, tracked.
Foreground: F1.4, 60 seconds.

 

[CharlesH]

Milky Way, photographed from the top of Engineer Pass in Colorado. 12,800 feet, about 1:00 am, in June.

Really good George. What tracker did you use? Isn't Engineer Pass kind of gnarley to get up that high? And I'd expect pretty cold at 1:00 AM.

I've done Milky Way shots from Haleakala, but that's only 10,000 feet, and 20 degrees latitude, and it was still cold.

 

[GeorgeHudetz]

Really good George. What tracker did you use? Isn't Engineer Pass kind of gnarley to get up that high? And I'd expect pretty cold at 1:00 AM.

I've done Milky Way shots from Haleakala, but that's only 10,000 feet, and 20 degrees latitude, and it was still cold.

Thanks, Charles.

Yes, the drive up is a little challenging in spots, but not too bad. Mostly dry, but some runoff from melting snow. I do have a decent rig so overall I didn't have any problems. It would be tough in something without decent clearance & approach/departure angles.

Yes, it was cold - right around the freezing point. Winds came and went, but when it was calm (which is when we were shooting, more or less) it was manageable. But when the 30-40 MPH winds kicked up, yes, it was quite cold!

I use an iOptron Sky Tracker Pro. Works quite well for me.

Here is what I drove up: