Black Thunder Girls (Candids with the 85 f/1.4)
Posted: Fri Nov 19, 2004 4:08 amI was at the Mind Body Spirit festival today, held at Sydney convention centre. Pics of that event officially doesn't exist, as "unauthorised photography is prohibited". Unofficially, I practiced disguising something as bulky as a D70, and to shoot from the hip! Got a few decent shots out of it, but that's not what this thread is about.
Radio station 2Day FM had their promotional vans pull up to the front of the venue at about lunchtime, with their crew handing out free stuff. I'm not one to pass up on free stuff or sexy girls, even if I ashamedly don't listen to that station!
Taken with the 85/1.4, I love this lens! Optically it's superb - some claims it has the best bokeh of any lens. It has fantastic contrast, flaring is well controlled even with direct light source shining at the camera, and I found very little purple fringing which the 105/2DC was somewhat prone to. Thank you Birddog for loaning me this super-duper lens!
Although I had previously found the reach of the 70mm the kit lens a little wanting, I was surprised at how far back I had to stand from the ladies using this 85mm prime, and being at the back of a crowd trying to take shots of mini-celebs was kinda challenging too. Anyway, having a maximum aperture of f/1.4 is astounding! Stopping down a stop gets f/2, and stopping down two full stops you're only at f/2.8!! It's amazing to be able to use such short depth of field as a compositional tool. I'm no longer restricted to framing factors to isolate the subject. I have the luxury of not worrying too much over certain elements partially blocking my view of the subject. With the kit lens having comparatively large depth of field wide open, this was a problem - not so with the 85 f/1.4! eg:
Although I probably won't be able to afford this lens, it's tempted me to seriously consider the 85/1.8 alternative as my next item of lust.
I like the following shot - Winners are grinners. They won the concert tickets to some American singer's thing at the Metro...
Ack, I'm typing writing too much already... and it's 4am. The full gallery:
http://dr-cbtan.fotopic.net/c345117.html
Radio station 2Day FM had their promotional vans pull up to the front of the venue at about lunchtime, with their crew handing out free stuff. I'm not one to pass up on free stuff or sexy girls, even if I ashamedly don't listen to that station!
Taken with the 85/1.4, I love this lens! Optically it's superb - some claims it has the best bokeh of any lens. It has fantastic contrast, flaring is well controlled even with direct light source shining at the camera, and I found very little purple fringing which the 105/2DC was somewhat prone to. Thank you Birddog for loaning me this super-duper lens!
Although I had previously found the reach of the 70mm the kit lens a little wanting, I was surprised at how far back I had to stand from the ladies using this 85mm prime, and being at the back of a crowd trying to take shots of mini-celebs was kinda challenging too. Anyway, having a maximum aperture of f/1.4 is astounding! Stopping down a stop gets f/2, and stopping down two full stops you're only at f/2.8!! It's amazing to be able to use such short depth of field as a compositional tool. I'm no longer restricted to framing factors to isolate the subject. I have the luxury of not worrying too much over certain elements partially blocking my view of the subject. With the kit lens having comparatively large depth of field wide open, this was a problem - not so with the 85 f/1.4! eg:
Although I probably won't be able to afford this lens, it's tempted me to seriously consider the 85/1.8 alternative as my next item of lust.
I like the following shot - Winners are grinners. They won the concert tickets to some American singer's thing at the Metro...
Ack, I'm typing writing too much already... and it's 4am. The full gallery:
http://dr-cbtan.fotopic.net/c345117.html
. Nice one! 
or better yet, comfortably with a 600mm + tele... hmmm tele...
