Sometimes you get so caught up into the day to day needs of running a photography studio business, you forget you love all types of photograpy.
So I came down to Ocean City, MD on a family portrait beach assignment and ran into the Ocean City Air Show. And being a WWII buff, one of the first planes I see is a B25 Bomber. Do you remember reading about the Doolittle Raid on Japan a few months after Pearl Harbor? To be respectful, here you go.
B-25 first gained fame as the bomber used in the 18 April 1942 Doolittle Raid, in which 16 B-25Bs led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle attacked mainland Japan, four months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The mission gave a much-needed lift in spirits to the Americans, and alarmed the Japanese who had believed their home islands were inviolable by enemy forces. Although the amount of actual damage done was relatively minor, it forced the Japanese to divert troops for the home defense for the remainder of the war.
The raiders took off from the carrier USS Hornet and successfully bombed Tokyo and four other Japanese cities without loss. Fifteen of the bombers subsequently crash-landed en route to recovery fields in Eastern China. These losses were the result of the task force being spotted by a Japanese vessel forcing the bombers to take off 170 mi (270 km) early, fuel exhaustion, stormy nighttime conditions with zero visibility, and lack of electronic homing aids at the recovery bases. Only one B-25 bomber landed intact, in Siberia where its five-man crew was interned and the aircraft confiscated. Of the 80 aircrew, 69 survived their historic mission and eventually made it back to American lines.
So anyway, not often do I carry anything longer than 85mm when shooter people. And boy did I pay for that at this air show. I can't remember why I didn't that 70-200mm with a teleconverter like I said I would months ago?🤔Paying for the lack of follow through already this summer.
If you like air shows this one in Ocean City, Maryland along the beach at 16th street is a good one to come check out.
Well there are only so many long lens options for Medium Format, 500mm was the longest but new glass the longest lens you can currently purchase is 240mm hence why I think they are going to bring back the 500mm. Many of the nature and landscape photographers have purchased the older 500mm MF lens and modified it to the fit the phase one system...
Cost, hopefully other photographers are seeing this, USED USED AND USED. I had to pick up a Nikon DSLR and 3 lens kit for 2 months, purchased used and sold it for $150.00 less than I paid when I was finished. That was a 2 month rental of a body and 3 lenses for $150.00.
BH just looked at this Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Lens $2900. 9+ used rating which is just under open box like new. Now if you a guy like me and do not care what the outside of the lens looks like only the inside there are better deals. The Nikon 70-200 I picked up for $800.00 it looked worn out but Service Photo showed me the receipts, just serviced by Nikon new front element, and Right Stuff Foot. SCORE>>>>>>>
So I say buy the lens you need but see if you can get it used FIRST............
When I think of long lenses I'm at and above the 200mm. And then my chair starts to shake because now we could be talking $5,000 for that glass and up! Like the $10,999 option below.
But there are always glass / budget combos that can help keep your chair up, I get it. Like the Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 APO for around $1600. Something to look into, it has good ratings. Hmmmm......
NO~! Long Glass is safe and happy right where it is my friend. Although kind of funny what did I say about my 35mm having the shorter focal length gives you that greater DOF and cheat factor with focusing.
But with that said why would I want to spend the time making a shallow DOF effect in post when I can just use a longer lens. There is a rumor that Phase is bringing back a new version of the 500mm, currently my longest lens for phase is 300mm but I use the older 210MF film lens more often.
The original image, uncropped.
So I got a chance to look a few shots from the air show. I was curious, to say the least on what happened. I use to be a huge fan of WWII airplanes and tanks, and when this P-51 Mustang came into view leading this A-10 Warthog, Wow!
So this shot, taken from the 7th floor of a beach front hotel in Ocean City, MD. Let me tell you, I was not this close. I zoomed into this image in Photoshop CC, allot! I'll post the original image after this. I'm always amazed what all the pixel power these DSLR cameras have now. Sorry, I'm a old timer that started out with film. So this digital age has my mouth open, allot.
The image below was shot with a Nikon D810, with 24-85mm f/.5-4.5 lens. This capture was captured at 85mm, f 9 at 1/320th, with ISO 64.
So the question becomes what if I had a sharper lens, and maybe just a little longer focal length, say 120mm? With all this resolution capture in these cameras these days and Adobe software (and others) handling the pixel quality these days? Are long lenses in trouble?
Your thoughts and feedback?