Winter Settles In

Temperatures haven't been above freezing in my area since it reached 40 degrees on January 22nd, eight days ago. Most daytime high temperatures have been in the teens. Current forecasts going out ten days do not envision above freezing temperatures. I'm ready for spring.

It has been sunny lately and I've been out for some short walks in the local area although the routes have been somewhat limited by over a foot of snow left by the recent storm which seems likely to remain for the foreseeable future.

Here are some scenes from a recent walk over to Waterford.

Hudson River
RF 45mm f/1.2, f/8, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

Shadow Selfie
RF 45mm f/1.2, f/8, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

Waterford Harbor
RF 45mm f/1.2, f/8, 1/1000 sec., ISO 100

Peebles Island
RF 45mm f/1.2, f/8, 1/3000 sec., ISO 100

Peebles Island
RF 45mm f/1.2, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

Peebles Island
RF 45mm f/1.2, f/8, 1/750 sec., ISO 100

Revising My 2026 Plan? [Again] [Again]

I have long toyed with the idea of limiting myself to one prime lens for an extended period of time but some trip or event has always scuttled the plan. You can find a lot of articles suggesting this as a useful exercise, some suggesting a period as long as a year. [ 365 Days ] 

It may be a good time for me to give it a try. My 45mm f/1.2 lens would be perfect for such an exercise. It would just mean putting my 24-105mm zoom lens on a shelf which would let me carry everything I need in the Think Tank Speed Freak shoulder bag. Camera and lens, filters, full size flash unit, batteries, cleaning supplies, etc. This configuration weighs in at 7 pounds.

[UPDATE 1/28/26: It's unlikely I'll follow through with this plan. It seems a bit self indulgent as I think about it.]

[UPDATE 1/31/26: Having thought about using only the 45mm lens and having not used the zoom lens for a month now, I decided to trade in the zoom for yet another copy of the 85mm f/2 STM, a battery grip and some cash. 2026 will be a year of two primes, 45mm and 85mm, carried in a Lowepro Slingshot 202AW. The grip's primary purpose will be to fit the camera better in the larger Slingshot bag. Photos to follow when the lens and grip arrive in a week or so. The only potential addition will be the RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM lens]

[UPDATE 2/1/26: A Canon instant rebate on the RF 24mm lens expired at midnight on 2/1 so, of course, I ordered one. The cash from the above trade will also help defray the cost. Everything will still fit in the Slingshot 202AW except flashes which will be in a small Lowepro bag. This actually will be it for 2026, a year of three primes, 24mm, 45mm and 85mm.]

Lens Profile Has Arrived

DxO has finally made the profile for the RF 45mm f/1.2 STM lens available. I can now go back to my usual work flow with DxO PhotoLab, bypassing Canon's DPP software. It's much quicker and more flexible.

Here are some wintry scenes from a walk over to Waterford this morning before the clouds filled in again.

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/8, 1/180 sec., ISO 100

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/8, 1/1000 sec., ISO 100

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/8, 1/1000 sec., ISO 100

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/8, 1/750 sec., ISO 100

The Bag for 2026

I've done a pretty good job keeping the gear changes to a minimum since late last spring when I sold an EOS R8 and 35mm lens and picked up the RF 50mm f/1.4L to pair with the 24-105mm f/4L zoom. I bought, then sold, yet another copy of the RF 85mm f/2, which doesn't really count. I also sold the 50mm lens in favor of the 45mm f/1.2 STM lens. A savings in size, weight and cost.

The single EOS R6 Mark II body remains as does the RF 24-105mm f/4 zoom. I expect to get through 2026 and maybe beyond with this kit. 

Everything I now use fits nicely in a Think Tank Streetwalker backpack. This backpack requires taking off and laying down somewhere to get inside it so I haven't been using it except for transport and storage. A little rain or snow can make opening up the bag unwise.

I use smaller shoulder bags depending on what gear I'm using. But that always requires a compromise on what to carry, something I'm not fond of. 

Seeing Double

This is a composite of two files shot a few feet from each other at Saratoga National Historical Park the other day. 

DxO still doesn't have the lens profile for the RF 45mm f/1.2 lens so the two original images were processed from RAW files and combined to a single image in Canon's DPP software then saved as a TIFF file which was then adjusted in DxOI PhotoLab, cropped and saved as a jpg file.

The original size can be viewed by clicking on the photo then clicking again.

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/16, 1/1000 sec., ISO 200

Know Your Rights

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