New Location, Slight Reorganization

I have had folders, both color and black & white, containing galleries from State parks and historic sites in New York for several years. Non NY State government parks or preserves have had galleries but not in this folder, notably Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve. After a visit to another non NY State government preserve yesterday, I decided to organize all such galleries in a New York State Parks and Preserves folder.

The new location, Papscanee Island Nature Preserve, is owned by the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians. Hudson Taconic Lands holds a conservation easement and trails are reportedly maintained by Rensselaer County although a crew from the Town of Schodack was clearing foliage along trails yesterday.

The preserve is located south of, and across the Hudson River from, Albany. It is very similar to, although smaller and less visited than, Schodack Island State Park, a half dozen miles to the south.

RF 16mm f/2.8, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/6.7, 1/750 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 59mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

RF 16mm f/2.8, f/22, 1/60 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/8, 1/250 sec., ISO 100

Back to Ultra Wide

I had to go back and look at my transaction history at MPB to see when the last time I had a focal length wider than 24mm. It was in early September, 2024 when I traded the 16mm, 28mm and 50mm non IS STM primes for the RF 24mm f/1.8 IS STM lens. Before that, I had a couple copies of the RF 14-35mm f/4L lens at various times as well as an earlier copy of the 16mm STM. I also used an EF 16-35mm f/4L lens with an adapter on EOS R bodies.

I used the 16mm and 28-70mm lenses at a non-sunrise this morning more to get some focal length samples than anything. Here are focal length examples, using the zoom lens at 50mm.

16mm

28mm

50mm

70mm

Here is a 16mm shot looking back at lock E5.

RF 16mm f/2.8, f/2.8, 1/20 sec., ISO 200

Here is a 100% crop of some bald eagles. There were four juveniles and two adults in the area while I was there.

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec., ISO 200
100% crop

And fog filled in at 5:30 AM, ten minutes after actual sunrise time.

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

Side Trip on the Gear Roadmap

The MPB trade in with the 28mm pancake lens outgoing and the 16mm f/2.8 incoming is all set and I'm just waiting for the ultra wide prime to arrive. While the deal was in the works, however, I decided to pick up a matching lens to the 16mm, the 50mm f/1.8 STM. The two lenses are physically the same.

TheDigitalPicture.com

Interestingly, you can buy modified versions of these two lenses designed for drones and moving vehicles for twice the price.

"The Armored RF 16mm & 50mm Autofocus Lens Bundle from GLOBAL DYNAMICS UNITED features armor-reinforced Canon lenses for safer use on drones, moving cars, or bikes. The manual focus ring and all external switches have been removed. All adjustments are left to the internal motors so that there is nothing to get knocked out of place when the lenses are in motion."

I carried the new lens around Oakwood Cemetery this morning. Here are some shots of Oakwood statuary.

RF 50mm f/1.8, f/2.8, 1/3000 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8, f/2.8, 1/6000 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8, f/2.5, 1/4000 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8, f/5.6, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8, f/5.6, 1/500 sec., ISO 100