Final Mystic Post

I did some experimenting  yesterday at the Mystic Seaport Museum which I'll explain as we go along. 

I wanted to see the difference between 50mm and 70mm as I consider the 20-50mm f/4 lens as a replacement for the 28-70mm f/2.8. Being limited to the 50mm perspective on the long end might not be something I'd be content with for long.

50mm

70mm

This shot from inside a building at 28mm could be done with either the 20-50mm f/4 or 28-70mm f/2.8 lenses. A wider focal length might have been nice to get the whole ship with more of the frame of the window.

28mm

The only difference here is the first photo is f/2.8 and the second is f/4 in attempt to show the difference in maximum blurring of the background with each lens. Both are at 58mm and if I'd thought about it at the time I would have used 50mm.  The difference in background bokeh would be even less at 50mm.

f/2.8

f/4

This is a 16mm shot. Most of the photos with the 16mm lens had subjects pushed too far in the distance. This isn't bad but 20mm would work just as well, I think.

16mm

And here is one with the 50mm f/1.8 at f/4, which I needed for less blurring in the moon. This photo could be replicated with the 20-50mm f/4 lens with even an extra stop of image stabilization. 

50mm, f/4, 1/8 sec., ISO 1600

So, I'm still undecided.

[UPDATE: I decided. I've ordered an RF 16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM lens while the $250 instant rebate remains in effect. The 16mm lens is on the way to MPB to help defray the cost. Problems solved.]

Thinking Down the Road

Today is the release day for the new Canon RF 20-50mm f/4L IS USM PZ lens. I can't help but think about this lens as a potential single lens option even in the middle of a trip. 

I'm learning a few things about my current setup of 28-70mm f/2.8 and 16mm f/2.8. There is a lot of space between 16mm and 28mm, 16mm is wider than I'd like much of the time. And 28mm is not wide enough much of the time. Also, there aren't really any circumstances when 50mm isn't long enough but 70mm is long enough. 

I've used the 50mm f/1.8 STM lens some and yesterday decided to use it at f/4, the longest and fastest of the new PZ zoom. There are some image quality comparisons which include the new zoom already available including these two at f/4. Very similar, I think.

Mystic Aquarium
RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/4, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/4, 1/750 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/4, 1/180 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/4, 1/350 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/4, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

Olde Mistick Village Shops
RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/4, 1/90 sec., ISO 100

Mystic, Connecticut Day 2

This morning's sunrise was a bit more dramatic and less calm. 

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 50mm, f/2.8, 1/90 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 54mm, f/4, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

RF 16mm f/2.8, f/4.5, 1/90 sec., ISO 200

RF 16mm f/2.8, f/5.6, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

RF 16mm f/2.8, f/5.6, 1/125 sec., ISO 200

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/5.6, 1/90 sec., ISO 200

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec., ISO 200

RF 16mm f/2.8, f/22, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

Mystic, Connecticut Day 1

Here are some scenes from the first morning in Mystic. The early light was nice and the water calm. You don't see many people out and about at 5AM.

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 67mm, f/4, 1/90 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 52mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/5.6, 1/180 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm, f/4, 1/1000 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm, f/5.6, 1/750 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 62mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 35mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

Massachusetts Layover

Here are some photos made during a 48 hour layover in Massachusetts on the way to Mystic, Connecticut for a brief stay there. I used all three of my lenses, changing as frequently as needed, at Robinson State Park in the morning and Montague and Turners Falls in the afternoon. 

Westfield River, Robinson SP
RF 16mm f/2.8, f/4, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

Westfield River, Robinson SP
RF 16mm f/2.8, f/4, 1/2000 sec., ISO 100

Robinson SP
RF 16mm f/2.8, f/22, 1/15 sec., ISO 800

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

Saw Mill River, Montague, MA
RF 16mm f/2.8, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

Great Falls Discovery Center
RF 50mm f/1.8, f/2, 1/90 sec., ISO 400

Great Falls Discovery Center
RF 50mm f/1.8, f/2, 1/30 sec., ISO 400

Turners Falls, MA
RF 50mm f/1.8, f/8, 1/4000 sec., ISO 400

Another Sunrise

Sunrises and sunrise time are the perfect antidote to thinking that a prime lens or lenses, however great the optics, can be your only tool. Sunrises cry out for a variety of focal lengths and the conditions change from second to second.

So while yesterday I was wanting the 50mm f/1.2L lens, today I want the 24-70mm f/2.8L. My current zoom, the RF 28-70mm f/2.8 STM, is very competent but the 24-70mm lens is better. Of course, it costs over twice as much and weighs almost twice as much. Maybe a kit with both for small and light versus better image and build quality depending on the scenario? 

And then why not also the 50mm f/1.2 lens? And maybe even an EOS R8 to pair with the 28-70mm lens? I can think of many thousand reasons.

Here is this morning's sunrise time at lock E5. Not in chronological order.

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 37mm, f/4, 1/90 sec., ISO 200

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 41mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm, f/22, 1/125 sec., ISO 200

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 50mm, f/2.8, 1/45 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/8, 1/125 sec., ISO 200

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec., ISO 400
Panning and Cropped

Canon's Cheap 50mm

I carried my two prime lens setup around Peebles Island this morning, using mostly the 50mm lens. I'm finding that 16mm pushes background objects much farther way than I'd like. Something you don't really notice with an untrawide zoom lens as you can always zoom in a bit. This could be an argument for the RF 16-28mm f/2.8 lens.

I've only been out with the cheap 50mm f/1.8 once since picking it up so decided to use it this morning. I really like the 45-50mm focal length. Objects seem as near or far as our eyes really see them. The problem is the field of view which, in contrast to our eyes constantly move around to capture a wide vista, is severely limiting. A roughly 50mm focal length on a larger sensor like the Fujifilm GFX cameras would be a help as it has the same benefit but with the field of view of a 39.5mm lens on a full frame body.

I'll predict that if I start using this lens a lot and enjoy it with quality results I'll end up wanting the RF 50mm f/1.2L lens. I have a lot of different filters for that filter diameter including the 500D closeup lens. It would be a really nice setup.

But, at least for now, it's the cheap RF 50mm f/1.8 STM.

RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/30 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/125 sec., ISO 100

RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/180 sec., ISO 100