Category Archives: Equipment

Animals, Equipment, Flowers, Macro, Nature, Still Life, Work

Yet Another New Toy

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I recently picked up a new set of toys: Extension Tubes.

I don’t have a picture of the tubes themselves, but I do have a collection of pictures from the from the first test run. Have a look:


Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

Extension Tube Test

I don’t have a picture of the extension tubes, but if you are wondering what it is they do here is a brief explanation.

Extension tubes sit between the rear of the lens and the body of the camera. What they do is reduce the minimum focusing distance of the lens, virtually making any lens a macro lens. Well, any lens with which they are compatible. Which isn’t every lens, by any stretch of the imagination. It is a relatively inexpensive way to play with macro photography without dropping a several Franklins.

It can also be used to turn a macro lens into a super macro lens.

Most of the pictures were taken with a lens that isn’t macro. The flower pictures were taken with a lens that was already macro.

The negative of extension tubes is you lose light (sometimes up to 3 stops) and they severely limit the focal range of your lens. But they sure are fun!

For example, the frog in the frog picture is about the size of a quarter. The pansies are also a little bit bigger than a quarter. More like a 50 cent piece. I’m sure these fun new toys will come in handy in about… oh 4 more weeks! If I was psychic.

Equipment, Formal Portrait, Johnathan, Naima, Teresa

Another New Toy

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One of the many benefits of having Johnathan living with me is that I have a photo assistant hanging around the house that is more useful than Naima.

So thanks to him for helping out by taking a couple of these pictures and posing for the other two.

I’m actually writing this blog to talk about a new toy I recently picked up. I bought a Sigma 120-400mm lens.


120-400mm Lens

120-400mm Lens

I’m pretty pleased with this purchase so far. Hopefully she will earn her keep.

Truth is that this lens wasn’t much “longer” than my current “longest” lens, but it is buy far the highest quality telephoto I’ve ever owned. At least if weight is sign of quality, it is the best.

To show its reach I’m going to show you two pictures that will actually exaggerate its length.

For the purposes of this example, we will pretend that there isn’t a magnification factor on lens created by cameras with APS-C sensors. In that honor, a true example of showing the “length” of this lens would be to compare it to a 50mm lens. A 50mm lens has the same “length” as the human eye.

Instead, I’m going to show a comparison with one of (but not THE) widest (shortest) lenses I own. A Sigma 10-20mm lens set at 10mm.


Johnathan at 10mm
Johnathan at 10mm

Johnathan at 400mm
Johnathan at 400mm

I guess I should point out I technically have a “longer” lens than this, but it is a mirror 500mm lens. It really is nothing to write home about.

I’ll finally add that I should wish my sister Teresa a “happy birthday”, but then I’d have to wish all my subscribers a “happy birthday” and that just isn’t going to happen.

Equipment, Naima

Test Shot

It has been about 4-5 years since I bought a new camera. Last week I decided that was long enough. I bought a new camera.

Here is the first picture I took with the new camera:


Naima - Test Shot

Good news. The new camera works!

I might talk about it some more in the future as I run more test shots through it. We’ll see.

Andree, Baier, Boone FUMC, Equipment, Flat Earth Joe, FNSC, Football, Jay, Jorge, Mom, Naima, Teresa, Willy, Work

New Toy

We recently held an auction at the Computer Mine. The one thing in the auction that I really coveted was a blue Canon A4000 IS. I’m not a Canon guy at all. However, I’ve been sans point and shoot for a couple years now and there are times (like mission trips) where a little point and shoot would come in handy. While it isn’t the most powerful camera, I thought if I could get it for $50 bucks (while it retails for $150) I could slum and add a Canon to the arsenal.


I am notoriously tough on point and shoots, so hopefully it will last me a couple years or so.

I thought I would crack it out and document my weekend, to get a feel for it. Below are those pictures.



Spirit Week Super Dog! (Photo by Jorge Rios)


Spirit Week Gyro! (Photo by Joseph Lynch)


Seriously! Data migration call 10 minutes before I’m off!


Houlihan takes over my data migration! (Photo by Joseph Lynch)


Commitment to consumerism.


Supplies for Friday Night Supper Club


Willy grilling. Naima observing.


Firetub Swan Song… Or is it?


Breakfast with Mom at The Legal Limit. She loves having her picture taken.


Finally getting the studio put back together. Might re-do the 9 Emotions Project.


This is what $150 or so looks like.


Helping paint Teresa’s house.


Yeah. Nice try Cyclones.


Happy birthday Greg!


Worshiping an Awesome God!


Thinking about Fall Project #1.


Assisting with Jay’s Ice Skull Project.


Preparing for the Weekly Photo Challenge Photo Shoot.


Stan bringing over some firewood. Naima greeting him.


John grilling at the event formerly known as The Methodist Men Steak Fry.


Monday morning. Back to the grind.

I couldn’t wait for Monday night when I finally got a chance to breathe and have a small bit of free time again.

Equipment, Naima

First Picture with the Alpha 65

I recently broke down and purchased a new camera as my 1st string camera is in the shop for some repairs on its card slot. The original company I sent it to couldn’t fix it and had to send it on to the manufacturer.

I became paranoid that the camera repair cost was going to be prohibitive (nearly the cost of a new camera) or wouldn’t be back in time for my trip to San Antonio, so I pulled the trigger on a new Alpha 65.

Here is the first picture I took with the new camera:


I’m already in love with this new camera! Hopefully I will get the old Alpha 35 back in working order at a reasonable price. I have ideas for both cameras.

Animals, Equipment, Fisheye, Naima

Bower 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye

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I added another lens to my arsenal recently. For many a moon I have longed for a fisheye lens. However, for a lens of limited use, the prices are often astronomical. However, after doing much research I did find a few that were priced reasonably. Not one this guy’s bank account would call cheap, but certainly affordable. Don’t worry, Naima and Foster won’t be missing any meals.



Bower 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye Manual Focus Lens

This is the first picture I ever took with this sweet baby:


Here are the technical specs on the new toy:

f/Stop Range: f/3.5 – 22
Minimum Focus Distance: 12″
Angle of View: 180 degrees
Groups/Elements: 7/10 (hybrid aspherical lens)
Length: 2.95″

I have to admit, I’ve already fallen in love with the little guy. If you are wondering, the next planned equipment upgrade will probably be studio lighting. However, this might be a little bit. I have to finish painting the studio.

Speaking of which, who wants to help paint the studio?

Equipment, Flowers, Macro

Tamron SP60mm f/2 Di II 1:1 Macro Auto Focus Lens

There has been a void in my computer bag since last August when my favorite lens went kaput. I finally got around to replacing it recently.



Tamron 60mm Macro Lens

This is the 1st picture I took with the new lens.


Here are a few of the technical specifications of the new lens:

Construction: 10 Groups/14 Elements
Angle of View: 26 degrees 35 minutes
F stop range: 2.0-22
Closest Focusing Distance: 9.1 inches
Maximum Magnification: 1:1
Filter size: 55mm

I really love this new lens!

Equipment

Sony Alpha DSLR SLT A35

True few people will care about such things, but I feel that every once in awhile, I should write about my equipment. I recently bought a new camera. It had been about 3 years since I bought a camera, so I was well past due.

Since the last time I bought a camera Sony had released a new line of camera that replaced the reflex mirror with a transluscent mirror. I was immediately intrigued and when I got my ducks in a row and decided to purchase a camera I decided to give one of these new revolutionary cameras a try. This is what it looks like:








Here is the first picture I ever took with the new camera:




I don’t want to bore you with too many technical details about the new camera, but here are a few:

Imaging Sensor Pixel Gross: Approximately 16.5 megapixels
Anti Motion Blur: 6-image layering
Auto High Dynamic Range: Yes
Sweep Panorama: Yes (2D/3D)
Face Detection: Off, Auto, Child Priority, Adult Priority (up to 8 faces detectable)
Smile Shutter Technology: Yes – Off, Slight, Normal, Big
Still Image Mode: JPEG (Standard, Fine) RAW, RAW+JPEG
Exposure System – Metering Modes: Multi-segment, Center-weighted, Spot
Exposure System – Exposure Setting: Auto, Auto Advanced, Program Auto, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, Sweep Panorama, Continuous Advance Priority
Exposure System – Scene Modes: Portrait, Macro, Sports, Sunset, Night Portrait, Night View, Handheld Twilight
Exposure System – Picture Effect(s): Posterization (Color), Posterization (BW), Pop Color, Retro, Partial Color Red, Partial Color Green, Partial Color Blue, Partial Color Yellow, High-Key, High Contrast Monochrome, Toy
Video Mode: AVCHD

There are obviously a ton more technical details, but that should cover it for now.

Equipment

Screwed Up Priorities

A few months back the 5D suffered a wicked blow and was put out of commission. I recently took it down to Walden Photo to get it fixed, even though it was now going to be relegated to the third string camera.

Recently my car’s slow descent towards the junkyard was quickened. The latest development is that I don’t have turn signals. I know from experience that it would cost about 80 bucks to get the turn signals fixed.

The estimate on the 5D came back at about 300 bucks.


03-07-08
The Newly Repaired 5D

So here is an example of my priorities being screwed up. I didn’t even have to think for a second about spending 300 dollars to get my third string camera fixed.

On the other hand, I’m planning on buying a new car in the next month or so, this means I won’t even consider spending 80 bucks so that the rest of the drivers on the road have a clue what direction I’m turning.

So if you drive by and see my car mangled on the side of the road in what looks like an outtake from Blood on the Asphalt, don’t feel bad for me.