I’ve tried to be better about writing about when I add new equipment to the arsenal. I haven’t been, but I’ve tried. I have a few lens I want to purchase in the coming year, if prices don’t skyrocket too much! Not just fun, gimmicky lenses, (although there are a couple of them too) but some high end lenses.
There are two goals for lens purchasing this year. One is to upgrade my mid-telephoto lens. The other is too add more prime lenses to the arsenal. I have purchased a new mid-telephoto lens yet. However, I have purchased my first new high end prime lens. The Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM.
Here are the specs on the lens:
- Elements/Groups: 14 elements in 10 groups
- Special Elements: 2 Extreme Aspherical (XA) elements, 1 ED element
- Aperture Blades: 11 blades, creating a near-circular aperture even when stopped down
- Maximum Aperture: f/1.4
- Minimum Aperture: f/16
- Minimum Focus Distance: 0.27 meters (9.8 inches)
- Maximum Magnification: 0.23x (autofocus)
- Internal Focusing: Utilizes internal focusing for a more responsive focusing performance
- Autofocus: Driven by two XD Linear Motors for quick, quiet, and precise performance
- Focus Type: Autofocus with manual focus override
- Lens Mount: Sony E-mount
- Format: Full-frame
- Focal Length: 35mm (52.5mm on APS-C cameras)
- Angle of View: 63 degrees (full-frame), 44 degrees (APS-C)
- Filter Diameter: 67mm
- Dimensions (D x L): 3 x 3.88 inches (76 x 96mm)
- Weight: 18.5 oz (524g)
I bet so many of you read that with incredible intensity!
Here is the collection of 1st images I took with the lens:
I did also recently pick up a $30 lens made out of an old disposable camera. But that is a tale for another time.
That is a great prime lens – I love the crazy wide open apertures you can get for a more reasonable price than trying to find a zoom that opens that far.
It looks awesome!
And you will next to never find a zoom with that kind of aperture. They physics make it pretty much impossible. And of course, a prime lens will almost always take a better image than a zoom lens. I just need to stop getting surprise bills so I can move on to my next lens extravagance.
I just this week got an 18-50mm f/2.8 zoom for my mirrorless – and it’s great, but it can’t do what your prime does. That level of bokeh is just unmatched. And you’re right – particularly portraits are great with a prime. This needs to be my next purchase, you’re a great inspiration!
Always glad to inspire people to spend more money.
How is Ames heroin field coming? I see some poppies in my neighborhood are blooming.
I am going to get a closer look when I grab C from his last day of school, as it’s on the way! I went by closely a couple of weeks ago and didn’t see much, and I didn’t see much from the road this morning, so I’m going to see if maybe they’re just buds. I googled it a couple of weeks ago, and it looks like they should either be perennial, or the heroin seeds from last year should have blown around and planted plenty on its own to sustain this year?