NikonGear'23

Images => Nature, Flora, Fauna & Landscapes => Topic started by: Akira on February 28, 2018, 11:42:04

Title: Two spring colors...
Post by: Akira on February 28, 2018, 11:42:04
I've used digital cameras of various brands, but I've never parted with the Nikkor-O 55/1.2.

Shot with Panasonic GH5.  The lense was mounted on the camera via Nikon BR-15, M2 ring and Nikon F to m4/3 adapter.  The lens was set at f2.8.
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: atpaula on February 28, 2018, 12:38:07
I like the second more.
In the first, the shallow dof disturbs more than help.
I sent you a message.
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Akira on February 28, 2018, 12:57:31
I like the second more.
In the first, the shallow dof disturbs more than help.
I sent you a message.

Aguinaldo, thank you for the comment.  Maybe DOF is neither shallow enough or deep enough.  I may try again.
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Mikes on February 28, 2018, 13:23:56
Nice colours, Akira. That is such a hard lens to use with its shallow DOF. I like the second also. Would be great to get one of the stamens/anthers in sharp focus. You have inspired me to dig mine out to try.
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Akira on February 28, 2018, 13:34:57
Mike, thank you for your kind comment.  The image displayed on the 1.62MP LCD of GH5 is very crisp and sharp, so it is very comfortable to focus.  I also leaned my body against the wall, which helped, too.
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Jakov Minić on February 28, 2018, 13:36:11
To my taste indeed :)
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Akira on February 28, 2018, 14:20:58
To my taste indeed :)

Jakov, I'm glad to receive nice words from Mr. DOF!   :D
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: HCS on February 28, 2018, 19:00:43
Jakov, I'm glad to receive nice words from Mr. DOF!   :D

Has Jakov changed his attitude towards dof? He's usually Mr. lack of DOF  ;D

Seriously though, i'll be the dissonant factor, i do like the first one more. It's a sea of pink, lovely!
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Akira on February 28, 2018, 22:37:56
Has Jakov changed his attitude towards dof? He's usually Mr. lack of DOF  ;D

Seriously though, i'll be the dissonant factor, i do like the first one more. It's a sea of pink, lovely!

Thank you Hans!  Glad you like the first one.

Jakov actually has taken the DOF in control, from the lack of it wiith his 135DC to the infinit amount of it with his fisheye!
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: beryllium10 on March 02, 2018, 06:12:39
Akira, It's a difficult choice but I also think I like the first better.  When I photograph flowers (insufficiently, given how much I enjoy the photos that come up here) it often seems important to focus on one of the closer anthers (as Mikes mentioned).  Photos where I missed focus or focused elsewhere, tend to produce a similar response to portraits with an eye out-of-focus.  I don't know anything about the underlying psychology, but find the parallel quite interesting. 
Anyway, the point of this rumination is actually to say this is not so for the first photo.  The small in-focus islands are nicely placed and hold my eye, and the lens does a great job with the tonal gradations around them.  Brightening the central region a bit might enhance the contrast between yellow and pink.  Just a thought.

Cheers,  John
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Mikes on March 02, 2018, 14:57:48
Nice colours, Akira. That is such a hard lens to use with its shallow DOF. I like the second also. Would be great to get one of the stamens/anthers in sharp focus. You have inspired me to dig mine out to try.

I thought that I should put my money where my mouth is. Here is my attempt with the Nikkor-O 55/1.2 @ f1.4, mounted on a Df using a PK-12 extension tube. Not handheld!

Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Akira on March 02, 2018, 15:28:03
Akira, It's a difficult choice but I also think I like the first better.  When I photograph flowers (insufficiently, given how much I enjoy the photos that come up here) it often seems important to focus on one of the closer anthers (as Mikes mentioned).  Photos where I missed focus or focused elsewhere, tend to produce a similar response to portraits with an eye out-of-focus.  I don't know anything about the underlying psychology, but find the parallel quite interesting. 
Anyway, the point of this rumination is actually to say this is not so for the first photo.  The small in-focus islands are nicely placed and hold my eye, and the lens does a great job with the tonal gradations around them.  Brightening the central region a bit might enhance the contrast between yellow and pink.  Just a thought.

John, thank you for sharing your perspective.  That does makes sense to me as well.  However, this time I tried to focus on the pistils of both flowers simply because they are literally in the center of the flower.  Unfortunately, the color of the pistils are not as contrasty as I wish.  Maybe the DOF should be shallower to make them stand out more.
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Akira on March 02, 2018, 15:32:52
I thought that I should put my money where my mouth is. Here is my attempt with the Nikkor-O 55/1.2 @ f1.4, mounted on a Df using a PK-12 extension tube. Not handheld!

Mike, sorry I failed to response your suggestion to focus at the anthers.  As in my reply to John, I chose to focus at the pistils.  But at least I'm sure that the image you added here re-inspired me to use the Nikkor-O more!  I like the spotlight-like lighting and the color.
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Mikes on March 03, 2018, 04:16:49
Thanks, Akira. The colour surprised me a little, with just a little contrast added via curves. Had to use a tripod and focus via Liveview which was quite effective for me on the Df.
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Akira on March 03, 2018, 06:23:17
Thanks, Akira. The colour surprised me a little, with just a little contrast added via curves. Had to use a tripod and focus via Liveview which was quite effective for me on the Df.

Mike, I've always used a tripod whenever I shot with the lens on D750.  But the efficient IBIS of GH5 and its crispy liveview image encouraged me to try handhold shooting.  That said, a tripod is still a lot more convenient for sure.
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Jack Dahlgren on March 25, 2018, 00:12:14
Mike, I've always used a tripod whenever I shot with the lens on D750.  But the efficient IBIS of GH5 and its crispy liveview image encouraged me to try handhold shooting.  That said, a tripod is still a lot more convenient for sure.
I think it is OK handheld, but certainly depth of field is so limited that focus can't be guaranteed. Here is one from today showing the area in focus is less than a centimeter when wide open.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4780/39185135100_4a1ce057dd_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/22GE4tA)803_0714 (https://flic.kr/p/22GE4tA)
Title: Re: Two spring colors...
Post by: Akira on March 25, 2018, 00:30:20
I think it is OK handheld, but certainly depth of field is so limited that focus can't be guaranteed. Here is one from today showing the area in focus is less than a centimeter when wide open.

Jack, yes, ensuring the focus with a manual lens is another big issue.  That's why I leaned against the wall when I shot the initial two images, which helped.

If you use an AF lens, you can raise the hit rate by switching the camera to AF-C mode instead of AF-S, which was an advice from Erik Lund.  In addition, the focusing unit or element in a smaller format camera is smaller and lighter, and need to travel shorter for the focusing than the one in a larger format camera, which makes the focusing response much quicker.  Of course, the larger DOF due to the shorter focal length also helps.