Getting low to the ground

Image: 5D Mk III, EF 24-70 f/2.8L II, 35mm at f/16, 1/50th sec, tripod.

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Image: 5D Mk III, EF 24-70 f/2.8L II, 28mm at f/16, 1/13th sec. tripod.

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Getting down low and looking before you set up your tripod is how a lot of my images are taken, I wish I had shot this with my tripod fully extended so I could demonstrate the difference, but let me tell you it was huge, there was a guy from California (tripod at eye level) next to me, taking a similar shot as me, when I stood up to see what the reflection was, the top of the mountain was just barely reflected in the water, my camera lens was about 8 inches off the ground, tripod legs spread out fully 90° from the camera and ball head.

I did point out the reflection to him, but he would have none of that, oh well, I tried, we did however commiserate for a time before heading down the trail.

It doesn't have to be a lake, a tarn or a snow melt or stream will work, bend over and check before setting up a tripod, most reflections are down low.

Image: 5D Mk III, EF 24-70 f/2.8L II, 30mm at f/16, 1/50th sec. tripod.

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No reflection but again I was down low getting my lens in the Alpine Heather, maybe 1 foot off the ground here focusing on the heather and shooting stopped down to f/16 for depth of field.

Ross

Images In Light

We are now a Flipboard Magazine

We are now available as a Flipboard magazine for your IOS or Android device, just download the app  to your device and search out Images In Light. Now, with more content than ever. See the web version here.

IOS app here

Android app here

Ross

Images In Light

New Fuji X-A1

The New Fuji X-A1

Fuji's Budget camera

A CMOS version of the X-M1 for less money and it includes a lens? hmmmm, interesting move by Fuji to draw in more people, not every one likes the xTrans sensor, but the Fujinon lenses are spectacular and maybe a CMOS sensor will bring in more customers.

Fuji site here

Get it here for $599 with 16-50mm lens

Ross

Images In Light

The Perfect Landscape Lens

Image: 5D Mk III, EF 24-70 f2.8L II, 31mm, f/16, 1/50 sec, tripod.

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I have been searching for the perfect landscape lens for a 35mm system since I was shooting film , ok so now that I've shown my age, what is the perfect landscape lens?

To me the perfect landscape lens would be a zoom as sharp as the best primes and with enough resolution to shoot f/64, but oh wait thats what the Large Format segment has, so now what? well at 35mm our minimum aperture is usually f/22, beyond that and diffraction would make our images so fuzzy you could hardly tell what you where looking at.

I never shoot beyond f/16, and with some lenses I wont go beyond f/11, with my newest lens, the EF 24-70 f/2.8L II, I have the first lens that Im not afraid to shoot at f/16, although it is sharper at f/11 I will still go to f/16 without hesitation and that is due to its resolution.

 Image: 5D Mk III, EF 24-70 f2.8L II, 35mm, f/16, 1/50 sec, tripod.

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Canons super wide could still use some improvement now that the 24-70 and 70-200 have been improved to the point of equaling or bettering the competition, but I still like my EF 16-35 f/2.8L II and will stick with it.

I keep getting asked, "what is a good landscape lens" my answer is always, the best lens you can afford, not every one can afford the f/2.8 zooms or want to carry them all, I know I don't want to carry all that weight, there are compromise lenses, you just need to figure out their limitations and use them at there optimum aperture. Focal length? well I use 16mm all the way up to 300mm for landscape, but typical landscape images I take are probably between 24mm and 35mm.

So right now, my perfect landscape lens is the EF 24-70f/2.8L II

Ross 

Images In Light 

Olympus OM-D E-M1

The new OM-D E-M1

Micro four thirds fans should be in heaven this past 6 months with multiple camera introductions from both Panasonic and Olympus including the Lumix GX7, Olympus E-P5 and now the E-M1.

This camera takes the E-M5 to a new level, super build, new 16mp sensor, improved weather sealing and ergonomics, large high res view finder, the ability to use auto focus with Four Thirds lenses (with adaptor).

This is a Pro level camera and the glass you can get for this camera is definitely to die for, all the M. Zuiko that has been announced and upcoming, like the 12-40 below and the announced 40-150 f2.8.

The nice thing about the Olympus gear is you can set up a system for 1/2 the price of Canon or Nikon. I would love to own the Panasonic 7-14 f/4 along with the 2 lenses announced above with the E-M1, pretty nice travel kit, add some of the excellent M. Zuiko primes like the 75 f1.8 and you are set.

This is definitely the way to go if you can't afford the equivalent Canon or Nikon setup or are tired of carrying around all that weight.

Recently released from Panasonic the GX7 will be the E-M1's competition.

The new M. Zuiko 12-40 f/2.8 (24-80 Equivalent)

Olympus road map

Some people that are not going to be happy are the legacy Olympus people, although this is an upgrade for Micro Four Thirds as well as Four Thirds owners, some people will never be happy without an optical view finder, even one as good as this and I can't blame them, I don't think I would, to qualify that, I use a 5D so I'm set for photography that I require an optical view finder for, so for me to use this camera for travel and hiking, I would be ok, because I can fall back on my Canon system.

see DPreviews preview here

Ming Thein review here

Robin Wong review here

Luminous Landscape here

Tech Radar here

Reviewed.com here

first impressions The Phoblographer here

Olympus web site here

pre order E-M1 body for $1399 here, body and M. Zuiko 12-40 f2.8 for $2199 here

Understanding Micro 4/3's White Paper

Ross

Images In Light