First Sunrise with New (Old) Lens

This morning was the first time I've been over for a sunrise since the RF 24-105mm f/4L lens arrived. Of the six images I chose here without checking the focal length, four are beyond the limits of the 28-70mm lens I traded in.

This copy of the lens, my fourth, has a scratch near the edge of the front element but it doesn't seem to affect images and may even be outside the image circle of the lens. I could return it for a different copy but that copy also may have issues and it would mean over a week with only the 45mm lens again. 
So I'm going to pretend it doesn't exist.

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/8 sec., ISO 3200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 83mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec., ISO 800

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 32mm, f/5.6, 1/180 sec., ISO 800

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/22, 1/125 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/22, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 28mm, f/22, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

After Dark at Saratoga NHP

I volunteered at a night sky event at Saratoga National Historical Park last evening and I used the 45mm lens for some very low light photos. I would do things somewhat differently the next time I'm doing this kind of shooting. 

As the camera meter wants to expose everything to a middle tone you need to underexpose, compared to the meter reading, to have it look like it actually looks. And I will not bracket exposures, which I routinely do. As exposure compensation settings don't really go far enough, I will switch to manual adjustments to get the brightness where I want it with exposure simulation in the viewfinder.

But, I did get some decent images after I was through directing parking.

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/30 sec., ISO 1600

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/30 sec., ISO 1600

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/10 sec., ISO 1600

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/6 sec., ISO 1600

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/15 sec., ISO 3200

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/10 sec., ISO 3200

Tugboat Roundup Day 2

I have really appreciated the 24-105mm lens in place of the 16-28mm and 28-70mm lenses. Focal lengths longer than 70mm have seen a lot of use and I haven't wanted or needed anything wider than 24mm. And no lens changes.

I was going to wait until things got going a bit at the Tugboat Roundup before heading over this morning but the lifting fog with sun got me out and walking earlier than planned. There are now 52 images in this year's gallery which will probably be it as I'm up at Saratoga National Historical Park later today and tomorrow's forecast is for rain.

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/4, 1/1000 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 31mm, f/8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec., ISO 100

Tugboat Roundup Day 1

Today was the parade of tugboats up the Hudson River to Waterford Harbor. I tried to get some different perspectives this year as I try to vary the photos I get from an event I've photographed for about 15 years. But, the weather is usually the same, the boats are the same and there's only so many spots from which to shoot.

Galleries from 2013 to 2018 can be viewed at https://davidtruland.smugmug.com/Older-Archives/Tugboat-Roundups. There are also galleries from 2024 and 2025. Photos from this year's event will be added to the gallery at https://davidtruland.smugmug.com/Color/Projects/TBR2026.

Here are some images from day one.

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/1500 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/3000 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 70mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec., ISO 200

A Solitary Lens

It's now been a week since I sent my two f/2.8 zoom lenses to MPB in exchange for a 24-105mm f/4 lens and some cash. The transaction is all processed and I'm just waiting for the f/4 zoom to ship. If it ships today, I should have it tomorrow. One of the perks of residing on the outskirts of the New York City sphere of influence is even free economy shipping gets here overnight [UPDATE 9/9/26: Although MPB did mark the lens as shipped and printed a FedEx label the morning of this post, they failed to get the lens to FedEx. At best, it will actually ship today and I will get it tomorrow, one day before Tugboat Roundup.]

My 45mm f/1.2 lens, therefore, has been my only option over this time. And I've been enjoying it immensely. I did use the Minolta MD 200mm f/4 lens once and put it back into storage.

I continue to add files to the 45mm 4:3 project gallery which you can visit here.

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/1.2, 1/60 sec., ISO 100

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/2, 1/180 sec., ISO 100

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/2, 1/180 sec., ISO 100

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/1.4, 1/90 sec., ISO 800

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/1.4, 1/125 sec., ISO 800

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/2, 1/45 sec., ISO 800

From Summer to Fall

We're now in meteorological fall which is my favorite season of the year for photography. In addition to foliage colors it's also the season of events, including Tugboat Roundup and battle anniversaries at Saratoga National Historical Park. If I'm going to be making gear changes I want to make sure they're completed before these events get going. 

As soon as I picked up the RF 16-28mm lens to pair with the RF 28-70mm lens I had a nagging feeling that I wouldn't be happy for long. Two days ago, I sent the two non L f/2.8 STM zoom lenses to MPB in trade for an RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM (my 4th copy) and some cash. 

Some reasons for the swap are:

• longer focal lengths than 70mm.

• having the 45mm f/1.2 diminishes the need for f/2.8 in an everyday lens.

• the 24-105mm L is optically corrected [so much so, that DxO only has a single corrections module for the lens rather than separate modules for RAW and JPG files out of the camera].

• my collection of five 77mm filters plus the 500D which brings the magnification of the lens to .5X.

• USM focusing motor.

• full weather sealing.

I should have the lens by the middle of next week, which is cutting it close for the Tugboat Roundup. Until then, I have the RF 45mm f/1.2 lens and my Minolta manual everything lenses.

Here is a collection of shots since the last post, over a week ago.

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/2, 1/60 sec., ISO 100

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/1.4, 1/60 sec., ISO 800

RF 16-28mm f/2.8 at 16mm, f/5.6, 1/350 sec., ISO 400

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

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 43mm, f/8, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/1.4, 1/500 sec., ISO 400

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/2, 1/250 sec., ISO 400

RF 45mm f/1.2, f/8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 100

Moody Morning

I skipped this morning's sunrise. There weren't enough clouds to make it worthwhile at 5:30 AM. I headed out, about an hour later, to the end of Flight Lock Road where the flight of locks meets the Mohawk River.

A gravel road, closed to vehicles, runs between the Mohawk and lock E6. I walked to lock E6 and back. Here are some of he scenes along the way, starting with the Mohawk River and ending at lock E6.

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 41mm, f/2.8, 1/180 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 37mm, f/8, 1/90 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 41mm, f/16, 1/180 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/8, 1/180 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 42mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 100

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 59mm, f/8, 1/3000 sec., ISO 100

No Sun, But a Little Sunlight

There was a chance for a good sunrise this morning but it ended up there was too much cloud cover to the east for the sun to do much beyond a hint of color. But it's nice to start the day outdoors with geese, ducks, egrets, herons and eagles to keep you company.

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 40mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec., ISO 400

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm, f/5.6, 1/45 sec., ISO 400

RF 16-28mm f/2.8 at 16mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec., ISO 400

RF 16-28mm f/2.8 at 22mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/8, 1/45 sec., ISO 1600