Category Archives: Equipment

Angie, Equipment, Formal Portrait, Jesse, Music, Naima, Nature, Pastor Sarah, Shannon, Still Life, Vest, WPC - Reminder

SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports

February 24, 2023 Christopher D. Bennett

I recently purchase a new lens. The SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS. It filled the most glaring gap in my Sony E Mount lens arsenal. I was badly missing a long telephoto lens. My longest lens before purchasing this was my Tamron 70-180.

Here are the specifications for the latest addition to the family:

LENS CONSTRUCTION: 25 elements in 15 groups
ANGLE OF VIEW: 16.4°-4.1°
NUMBER OF DIAPHRAGM BLADES: 9 (Rounded diaphragm)
MINIMUM APERTURE: F22-29
MINIMUM FOCUSING DISTANCE: 58-280cm / 22.8–110.2in.
MAXIMUM MAGNIFICATION RATIO: 1:2.9　(At a focusing distance of 180mm)
FILTER SIZE: φ95mm

Here are some pictures of the guy:

SIGMA 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports

Here is a look at the focal length of the lens:

50mm – Equivalent of the human eye

150mm – Shortest focal length of the lens

600mm – Longest focal length of the lens

Here are the first images I took with the new lens:

I look forward to taking this lens out and getting some wildlife images and maybe some sports images at some point in the future!

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is MUSIC:

MUSIC

MUSIC! What a great theme for Year 10 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is a MUSIC photo? A MUSIC photo is simply a photo where a major compositional element involves MUSIC. It could be something that is used in the production of MUSIC. Like sheet MUSIC or a MUSICal instrument or a MUSICian or an 8 Track. Anything the aids in the producing of MUSIC is fair game. Might be a great weekend to make it to a concert.

This is not the first time the theme MUSIC has been used for THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE. Here are a few past submissions to spark your creative ideas:

Mike Vest – Week 305

Shannon Bardole-Foley – Week 305

Angie DeWaard – Week 237

Monica Henning – Week 237

Christopher D. Bennett – Week 237

Sarah Karber – Week 20

Happy photo harvesting!

Art, Equipment, Flowers, Naima, Nature, Still Life

Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Lens

April 28, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Back in October I picked up a new Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lens. I always meant to right and in depth piece on it, and well, here we are… almost seven months lately and I haven’t even gotten to look at the first set of pictures I took with the lens. Until today!

Here are some of the specs of the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD lens:

Focal Length: 28-75
Max Aperture: f/2.8
Aperture Blades: 9 (circular)
Minimum Focal Distance 7.1″ (Wide)/15″ (Tele)
Filter Size: 67mm
Minimum Aperture: f/22

Here are the first pictures I took with this lens. Mostly pictures of Naima:

So far I have loved this lens. It is a good standby lens since it covers the focal distances that are used the most. My lens philosophy is still that it is best to use a prime lens over a zoom lens, but zoom lenses have come a long way. I do still enjoy giving somebody a camera with a prime lens and asking them to take a picture, just to here them ask, “How do I zoom?”

To which I always get to respond, “With your feet.”

Art, Equipment, Naima, Self-Portrait, Still Life

New New

March 11, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

It has been a long time since I bought a new camera. Something like 3 years. I had circled early 2022 as the time to make the move as I am committed to Sony (as it is a family tradition by default)* and their mirrorless system (because it is the best camera system on the market) and the new Sony A7IV was due to come out then.

I ordered it and then waited. I got a tracking number from B&H Photo and saw that it was being shipped by FedEx, the worst of the worst when it comes to shipping companies. I now knew it was like a 50-50 chance I would ever see my camera. Yes, I’m still fuming over the fact that they delivered my bed to the people who live across the street and then east last year. It is not an easy task hauling a bed from all the way down there to my house.

I had the A7IV shipped to the computer mine because based on when it was due to arrive, that is where I would be and if FedEx was delivering to a business instead of a house, maybe there would be a greater chance they wouldn’t mess things up.

On Wednesday, I was mining away. Pick axe in one hand. A warning canary in the other. Then I felt a presence behind me. Kind of an overall aura of greatness. I turned around. Standing behind me was a beautiful woman presenting me with my beautiful new camera. It was the things dreams are made of. The new new had arrived! It was a great day!

Here are some pictures of the Sony A7IV:

Here are some of the specs for the Sony A7IV:

Imaging
Lens Mount Sony E
Sensor Resolution Actual: 34.1 Megapixel
Effective: 33 Megapixel
Sensor Type 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full-Frame) CMOS
Image Stabilization Sensor-Shift, 5-Axis

Exposure Control
Shutter Type Mechanical Focal Plane Shutter, Electronic Shutter
Shutter Speed 1/8000 to 30 Seconds
Bulb/Time Mode Bulb Mode
ISO Sensitivity Photo
100 to 51,200 (Extended: 50 to 204,800)
Video
100 to 51,200 (Extended: 100 to 102,400)
Metering Method Center-Weighted Average, Highlight Weighted, Multiple, Spot
Exposure Modes Aperture Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority
Exposure Compensation -5 to +5 EV (1/3 EV Steps)
Metering Range -3 to 20 EV
White Balance Presets: Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature, Color Temperature Filter, Custom, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent (Cool White), Fluorescent (Day White), Fluorescent (Daylight), Fluorescent (Warm White), Incandescent, Shade, Underwater
Continuous Shooting Up to 10 fps at 33 MP for up to 828 Frames (Raw) / Unlimited Frames (JPEG)
Interval Recording Yes
Self-Timer 2/5/10-Second Delay

Still Image Capture
Image Sizes 3:2 Raw
7008 x 4672
3:2 JPEG
7008 x 4672
4608 x 3072
3504 x 2336
1:1 JPEG
4672 x 4672
3072 x 3072
2336 x 2336
4:3 JPEG
6224 x 4672
4096 x 3072
3120 x 2336
16:9 JPEG
7008 x 3944
4608 x 2592
3504 x 1968
Aspect Ratio 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9
Image File Format JPEG, Raw, HEIF
Bit Depth 14-Bit

Interface
Media/Memory Card Slot Slot 1: CFexpress Type A / SD (UHS-II)
Slot 2: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II)
Video I/O 1 x HDMI Output
Audio I/O 1 x 3.5 mm TRS Stereo Headphone Output
1 x 3.5 mm TRS Stereo Microphone Input
Other I/O 1 x Sony Multi/USB Micro-B Input/Output (Shared with Remote Input)
1 x USB Type-C (USB 3.2 / 3.1 Gen 2) Input/Output (Shared with Power Input)
Power I/O 1 x USB Type-C Input/Output
Wireless Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

Monitor
Size 3.0″
Resolution 1,036,800 Dot
Display Type Free-Angle Tilting Touchscreen LCD

Viewfinder
Type Built-In Electronic (OLED)
Size 0.5″
Resolution 3,680,000 Dot
Eye Point 23 mm
Coverage 100%
Magnification Approx. 0.78x
Diopter Adjustment -4 to +3

Focus
Focus Type Auto and Manual Focus
Focus Mode Continuous-Servo AF, Direct Manual Focus, Manual Focus, Single-Servo AF
Autofocus Points Phase Detection: 759
Contrast Detection: 425
Autofocus Sensitivity -4 to +20 EV

Here are some of the first pictures I took with the new new:

THE first picture.

I look forward to the many adventures I will have with the Sony A7IV. But first I need to master all of its settings!

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNMENT

I’ve already had some great images sent to me from people on vacation in Arizona and Louisiana. And an image sent to me from an employee of Iowa State University.

If you haven’t taken your GOVERNMENT image, here is a refresher on what a GOVERNMENT image might look like…

But what exactly is a GOVERNMENT image? A GOVERNMENT image is anything that involves a GOVERNMENT. There are all types of GOVERNMENT. There is the federal GOVERNMENT. A state GOVERNMENT. A county GOVERNMENT. A local GOVERNMENT. Churches have GOVERNMENT bodies. Every business has some kind of GOVERNMENT. A GOVERNMENT image could be anything that deals with a GOVERNMENT. A public park. GOVERNMENT. The road you drove on to get to that public park. GOVERNMENT. Public school. GOVERNMENT. If you work for the GOVERNMENT, you are the GOVERNMENT. The military, the police, fire department. All GOVERNMENT. Public library. GOVERNMENT. There are so many possibilities!

Happy photo harvesting!

* Technically a Minolta family tradition, but when Sony bought out Minolta they got the Bennetts too!

Art, Equipment, Railroad, Ruins, Still Life, WPC - Reminder

Wide Angling

May 14, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

This is a collection of some more of the first pictures I took with the Tamron wide angle lens. some are at the courthouse. Some around the high bridges. Some around the Kate Shelley Museum:

I do love that wide angle zoom lens!

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This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is LIGHT:

LIGHT

A LIGHT image is pretty simple. It is merely a picture where LIGHT plays a major compositional element. A wise person might argue that any picture they take is a LIGHT picture because all photography really is, is the capturing of LIGHT. But warning, when you take a picture of LIGHT, don’t face your camera straight towards a bright LIGHT.. You will surely damage it. The camera. The LIGHT will be just fine.

Think about the following song lyric when you are contemplating your LIGHT image:

I saw the light, I saw the light
No more darkness, no more night
Now I’m so happy no sorrow in sight
Praise the Lord, I saw the light
-Hank Williams

Happy photo harvesting!

Art, Equipment, Lensbaby

Even More of that Velvet 85

May 11, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett

This is the third and final batch of the first images I took with the Lensbaby Velvet 85. These (most of them) pictures were taken at the sculpture garden in downtown Des Moines.

I still might get into the technical details of the Lensbaby Velvet 85 some day, but today isn’t that day.

Equipment, Macro, Naima, Nature, Still Life

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art Lens

May 6, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

The third new lens I purchased at the beginning of the year was a Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art Lens. I had a 50mm macro lens, but I needed a longer macro lens.

Here are the first pictures I took with it:

I might go into some technical details about the lens at some point in the future, we’ll see.

Equipment, Naima

Tamron 17-28 f/2.8 Di III RXD Lens

May 5, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 1 Comment

At the moment of the publishing of this journal entry, my Covid vaccine will be fully marinated. It will have been two weeks since my second shot. While life won’t return to normal exactly, I look forward to at least, maybe eating in a restaurant, or maybe having a movie night without masks, when the rest of my Movie Night friends have their vaccines fully marinated. It feels pretty great!

After I purchased the Velvet 85 for my Christmas present to myself, I also decided to purchase a wide angle zoom lens in January. I ended up purchasing two more lenses actually, but the wide angle zoom lens was the first.

I purchased the Tamron 17-28 f/2.8 Di III RXD Lens. I’m not going to get into any technical details of the lens, I’m just going to share the first set of pictures I took with it.

I might into the technical aspects of this lens at some point. Just not quite yet.

Equipment, Lensbaby, Naima, Nature, Still Life

Lensbaby Velvet 85mm f/1.8

May 4, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

I should point out that I messed up the coding in yesterday’s post. You should go to that post again to see the corrections in the code that allow you to see Kim’s and Shannon’s submissions.

My Christmas present to my self was a Lensbaby Velvet 85mm f/1.8 lens. I was going to do a whole thing on it, but I have owned if for going on 5 months now and I think it is just time to share the first few pictures I took with it.

Rather than going into any of those technical details, here is a description from the Lensbaby website:

A manual focus portrait lens from Lensbaby that’s dreamy and delicate — or tack sharp and subtly vintage at 85mm.

Create soulful portraits with our Velvet 85 art lens. Compose impressionistic masterpieces with a velvety glow at bright apertures, straight out of camera. Use darker apertures to bypass glow and make images with a crisp, film-like aesthetic.

Building on the strengths of our bestselling Velvet 56 lens, Velvet 85 combines lustrous skin tones with the added compression and buttery smooth bokeh found in the best 85mm portrait lenses. Use its macro capabilities to capture significant details with new life.

The Velvet 85 design features a solid heft and smooth, dampened manual focus.

Here are the first few pictures I took with it:

I actually have two other lenses I purchased around the same time. Those lenses are more practical, but I’ll discuss them at some point in the future.

Equipment, Flowers, Formal Portrait, Jesse, Naima

Tamron 70-180 f/2.8

November 17, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

When I got a refund for my Iowa State football season tickets back in August, I used the money and put it towards the purchase of a new lens. The biggest gap in my Sony mirrorless line up was what I would call a mid-telephoto lens. I don’t need a 400mm lens, yet. But something near a 200mm lens was definitely needed.

I considered about 4 or 5 different lenses before ultimately deciding on the Tamron 70-180 f/2.8. I was willing to sacrifice a bit on the length in exchange for have a consistent widest aperture of f/2.8. That was a pretty easy trade to make.

Here are some of the specs of the lens:

Specifications

Focal Length: 70-180mm
Maximum Aperture: f/2.8
Minimum Aperture: f/22
Angle of View: Diagonal: 34 Degree 21′ – 13 Degree 42′ (for full-frame mirrorless format
Minimum Object Distance: 33.5 inch.
Filter Size: 67mm

Here are some pictures of the lens:

I took a series of pictures to present an idea of the lenses reach. A 50mm lens is pretty close to way the naked eye sees the world. I took a picture with a 50mm lens and then a picture with the widest setting on the lens (70mm) and then the closest setting on the lens (180mm).

50mm at 5 yards

70mm at 5 yards

180mm at 5 yards

50mm at 10 yards

70mm at 10 yards

180mm at 10 yards

50mm at 25 yards

70mm at 25 yards

180mm at 25 yards

50mm at 50 yards

70mm at 50 yards

180mm at 50 yards

Here are a collection of the first images I took with the new lens:

It has been a few months since I bought a new lens. I’m starting to jones for one. Look, Lensbaby is having a sale!

Animals, Boone FUMC, Commercial, Equipment, Fisheye, Flowers, Mom, Night, Shannon, Still Life, Youth Group

A Little Here, A Little There

October 27, 2020 Christopher D. Bennett 3 Comments

This post is mostly a catch-all of cleaning up some image collections taken back in August, that were either going to part of bigger journal entries that I have abandoned or just a few rando pictures taken here and there that I just want to clean up and get out of the way.

The first little collection is pictures taken from church when they presented scholarships to Autumn, Summer, and Jentry:

Church went back to the building in October. They opened all the windows in the sanctuary to increase air circulation. It gets pretty cold in there. Makes me miss warm weather all the more.

The second collection of pictures is of the creamed honey I purchased from Honey Hollow, AKA Shannon and her husband’s business. I got the straight honey, raspberry, and mango. I was going to do a little review and endorsement deal on them, and I still might some day. But I think it is sufficient to say, that it is honey. It is delicious. It doesn’t crystallize because it is creamed.

At one point I was going to do an entry on a remote control I bought for the A7 II. I think it is sufficient to say that I bought a remote control and I use it now and again. Usually with long exposures.

Speaking of photo equipment entries I planned and never made. I bought an infrared filter to play with. I have since misplaced this filter. It is one of 3 things in my house that I’m currently keeping an eye out for.