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Nikon D60 + Sigma 30mm f/1.4
dsloan
Registered Users Posts: 86 Big grins
First of all, hello! I am new here. Is there a preferred place on this forum for noobs to introduce themselves and perhaps post a few photos from their past?
For the record, I bought my D60 in May, sold the kit lens and bought the Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 lens, so up to this point, my only dSLR experience has been with that lens. This past weekend I received the 30mm lens in the mail, just in time for 4th of July weekend. These photos are not to showcase my photographic talent (which I definitely do not showcase here), but rather to reflect on my first experience with a prime lens, and a lens that has a very shallow depth of field. Many of these photos I took just to test exactly how shallow the focus was, rather than because of interesting content.
What I have learned: f/1.4 is only useful in certain situations. I regret not stopping down to f/1.8 or f/2 on several occasions, because I had to delete several photos that were essentially worthless because of focusing issues (e.g. - brim of hat instead of face). while i was aware that that is a "side effect" of using such a wide aperture, I didn't realize this issue until i was looking at the photos on my computer monitor rather than the LCD of the camera. obviously the closer one is to the subject of the photo, the more aware one must be of precision focusing.
1. focus point was the left ice cream (my favorite, by the way). even shooting from a slight angle made the labels of the other ice creams blurry.
2. i actually think this photo is pretty cool. i have realized i enjoy photos that show depth, often of the same object (like three isolated trees, each farther away than the next).
3. here is one photo i almost really love. two sisters looking at each other, but as you can see, i accidentally caught the edge of the large hat as the focus point, and because the faces were an even distance away from the camera, they were both out of focus, even though the very front of the hat looks wonderful. :cry
4. the drink of the gods
5. pepper
6. whiskey bottle
7. smores
8. here is another "almost" photo. i believe the focus here ended up being on the face. just a bit smaller of an aperture and i would've captured more detail in the slate painting.
9. and another. focus is on the slate, leaving the face slightly out of focus. kind of frustrating when all it would take for an awesome photo is f/1.8
10. cribbage
thanks for looking, C&C welcome!
For the record, I bought my D60 in May, sold the kit lens and bought the Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 lens, so up to this point, my only dSLR experience has been with that lens. This past weekend I received the 30mm lens in the mail, just in time for 4th of July weekend. These photos are not to showcase my photographic talent (which I definitely do not showcase here), but rather to reflect on my first experience with a prime lens, and a lens that has a very shallow depth of field. Many of these photos I took just to test exactly how shallow the focus was, rather than because of interesting content.
What I have learned: f/1.4 is only useful in certain situations. I regret not stopping down to f/1.8 or f/2 on several occasions, because I had to delete several photos that were essentially worthless because of focusing issues (e.g. - brim of hat instead of face). while i was aware that that is a "side effect" of using such a wide aperture, I didn't realize this issue until i was looking at the photos on my computer monitor rather than the LCD of the camera. obviously the closer one is to the subject of the photo, the more aware one must be of precision focusing.
1. focus point was the left ice cream (my favorite, by the way). even shooting from a slight angle made the labels of the other ice creams blurry.
2. i actually think this photo is pretty cool. i have realized i enjoy photos that show depth, often of the same object (like three isolated trees, each farther away than the next).
3. here is one photo i almost really love. two sisters looking at each other, but as you can see, i accidentally caught the edge of the large hat as the focus point, and because the faces were an even distance away from the camera, they were both out of focus, even though the very front of the hat looks wonderful. :cry
4. the drink of the gods
5. pepper
6. whiskey bottle
7. smores
8. here is another "almost" photo. i believe the focus here ended up being on the face. just a bit smaller of an aperture and i would've captured more detail in the slate painting.
9. and another. focus is on the slate, leaving the face slightly out of focus. kind of frustrating when all it would take for an awesome photo is f/1.8
10. cribbage
thanks for looking, C&C welcome!
0
Comments
Jeff Meyers
Hi there, and Welcome to the Dgrin Forum
This is the perfect forum for you to do a first posting introductory
"Other Cool Shoots" is a place for things that don't really fit into the other catagories available on Dgrin.
Your Starbucks Icecream shot as me drooling
That lens is lovely and sharp, and your use of such shallow DOF is very creative.
Congatulations on your new gear, thank you for sharing your shots.
I want some of that icecream now
Hope you will continue to post, happy Shooting
.
Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"
ALBUM http://ozzieskip.smugmug.com/
:skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
http://www.kenrockwell.com/sigma/30mm-f14.htm
i encountered no compatibility issues.
won't you like me on facebook?