What Better Way to Test a New Lens -- Camping in RMNP

Colorado CJ

I've been wanting a new lens for landscapes for some time. After a lot of searching, and buying used lenses that weren't very good, I finally bit the bullet and bought a new, high quality lens. A Samyang 35mm F1.4 lens.

My lens arrived Friday night and I was happy with it from my initials shots of my dog in my backyard. BUT, I wanted to test it further, so late Saturday afternoon, I threw a few things in my car and headed to Rocky Mountain National Park for an overnight camp and photography session. I was wanting to do some wide open astrophotography shooting, but I didn't realize that it was the night before the super moon, so that spoiled my plans for any dark sky shooting.

I am EXTREMELY happy with it! I can't believe the detail and clarity of the RAW files at 100%. I just wish I was better at downsizing/sharpening for the web as these photos don't do the lens justice. I can't wait for a truly dark sky - no smoke night to see what this lens can really do.

Anyway, here are a few of the images taken with the new lens.

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[email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/photos/55229792@N03/9118716413/]22 June 2013 1[/email] by [email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/people/55229792@N03/]Colorado CJ[/email], on Flickr

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[email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/photos/55229792@N03/9121848418/]22 June 2012 2[/email] by [email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/people/55229792@N03/]Colorado CJ[/email], on Flickr

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[email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/photos/55229792@N03/9119725441/]22 June 2012 3[/email] by [email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/people/55229792@N03/]Colorado CJ[/email], on Flickr

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[email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/photos/55229792@N03/9121948868/]22 June 2012 4[/email] by [email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/people/55229792@N03/]Colorado CJ[/email], on Flickr

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[email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/photos/55229792@N03/9121947400/]22 June 2012 5[/email] by [email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/people/55229792@N03/]Colorado CJ[/email], on Flickr

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[email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/photos/55229792@N03/9119718333/]22 June 2012 6[/email] by [email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/people/55229792@N03/]Colorado CJ[/email], on Flickr

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[email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/photos/55229792@N03/9119716103/]22 June 2012 7[/email] by [email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/people/55229792@N03/]Colorado CJ[/email], on Flickr

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[email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/photos/55229792@N03/9119714585/]22 June 2012 8[/email] by [email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/people/55229792@N03/]Colorado CJ[/email], on Flickr

This last one was taken with a 300mm F4 lens.

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[email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/photos/55229792@N03/9121938388/]22 June 2012 9[/email] by [email=mailto:http://www.flickr.com/people/55229792@N03/]Colorado CJ[/email], on Flickr

LordKwaz

Great vantage points and colors

bristlecone

nice series. i think the first two are my favs, buy they are all nicely done. the pika? image is a great capture.

JC

The colors look great. I like #4 especially- i think getting in a big sweep of the river does the wide angle justice.

I've been reading about old film techniques for wide to ultrawide angles, and the use of a hot-spot neutral density filter to balance sky exposures across such a wide angle of illumination. I've never been happy with software vignette correction, I've been wondering if it would be worth it to take two shots with the second overexposed a stop or two and blending them with a mask to even out the skies in superwide angle shots.

bristlecone wrote: »

nice series. i think the first two are my favs, buy they are all nicely done. the pika? image is a great capture.

Marmot.