My first steps with the D850 and the Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 ...

[Frank Fremerey]

Thanks for your offer with the 2.0/200VR; I will send you my address - BUT I will NEVER learn from people with guns (I am a pacifist)
 

I will send you my account number and you drop 3000 US$  as a deposit

[f4-fan]

Beyond what breath/posture control and leaning against nearby objects can produce, I suspect the monopod is the most portable and efficiently deployable solution for for slow shutter speed shooting.

A monopod would be a good compromise, especially for architectural shots  (like Nr. 11) or nature shots with many details at dusk. I even have one; however, it has never been used ... 

[f4-fan]

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[pluton]

Keith: A MONOPOD for 35mm focal length on 135 film? You are a camera man in Hollywood ... this is a joke isn't it?

Did you mean that we "expert" photographers should be able to hand hold a 1/30th or 1/15th shot reliably? 

[pluton]

A monopod would be a good compromise, especially for architectural shots  (like Nr. 11) or nature shots with many details at dusk. I even have one; however, it has never been used ... 

Same here...have two(!), but never think to take along.  With tele lenses I am annoyed with the lateral (yaw) oscillations from the monopod.

[f4-fan]

Same here...have two(!), but never think to take along.  With tele lenses I am annoyed with the lateral (yaw) oscillations from the monopod.

That's the point: I have tried the Monopod with the D850; it really doesn't help very much and is also rather heavy and bulky. If you need best sharpness and best quality (ISO 64) with the D850 you need (handheld) at least

A.
1/125  for 35mm
1/500 for 105mm etc.

B.
OR a tripod (I hate tripods because they are not flexible enough for me)

C.
OR very good techniques of shooting  (like he has explained here: https://www.pentaxforums.com/reviews/long-exposure-handhelds/introduction.html ) in combination with mirror lockup / lifeview-shooting.

D.
Lifeview-shooting is difficult for photographers, who need reading glasses (me)

VR is often not available with the best optics.

I will try C. more; AND as Henri Cartier-Bresson says: "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." 

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Nikon D850; Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 ZF.2; ISO 64; f/1.4, 1/500 sec.

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Nikon D850; Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 ZF.2; ISO 64; f/1.4, 1/800 sec.

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Nikon D850; Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 ZF.2; ISO 1800; f/2.8, 1/80 sec. [I was to lazy for a tripod and therefore the pic is unsharp; ISO too high and quality bad]

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[Frank Fremerey]

Did you mean that we "expert" photographers should be able to hand hold a 1/30th or 1/15th shot reliably? 

not at this resolution, you are right. Either handheld or tripod, monopods never cut it for me.

[Frank Fremerey]

another stunnig set of atmospheric shots in #20

[pluton]

another stunnig set of atmospheric shots in #20

Agree... I like the look of these photos. Typically, the Zeiss lens delivers color differently, IMO better/more pleasing than most.

[f4-fan]

Agree... I like the look of these photos. Typically, the Zeiss lens delivers color differently, IMO better/more pleasing than most.

Sorry for my bad English; hope the following is understandable...

I am just studying the new Zeiss Milvus  lens under different light-conditions and I would like to write something about the right handling of the 'bokeh-zone': For a really good shot, It is not enough to 'throw al lot of bokeh' in the pic with such a 'bokeh monster' (or another like the  Nikon 105mm 1.4 etc) Therefore the above little pics are not really good. Bokeh must be an important but subordinated part of the whole image structure.

Here I have some better shots where the bokeh is not so obtrusive:

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Nikon F4; lens??
The Bokeh-Structure enhances the image effect of the sleeping child, which 'drifts' into the dream world:

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Canon 5D MK 2; 50mm lens
Bokeh enhances the sharpness of the eyes

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Canon 5D MK 2; Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4; 1/500sec; 2.8

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Canon 5D MK 3; Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4; 1/320sec; 4.0; ISO 160
Here the bokeh is rather modestly - that strengthens the image effect of integration of my son in the nature

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Canon 5D MK 3; Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4; 1/1000sec; 3.2; ISO 100
For me this is one of my best shots from my son; bokeh is very very modestly and totally integrated and unobtrusive; the formal structure of the pic and the bokeh structure are harmoniously coordinated:

[pluton]

Bokeh must be an important but subordinated part of the whole image structure.

These mono example photos illustrate this statement very well indeed.
I usually operate with this same assumption in mind. 
Sometimes, the subject of a photo is the bokeh itself, which many photographers find to be interesting.

[Erik Lund]

Great separation, very nice pp!

[f4-fan]

Great separation, very nice pp!

 

The quality of Zeiss Distagon 35mm 1.4 or Zeiss Milvus 35mm1.4 (or other bokeh-specialists like the Nikon 105mm 1.4 or the Nikon 85mm 1.4 Ai-s) is the 'quality of natural / harmoniously / separation of the background even with f/8 (quality of the smooth transitions between foreground and background)
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Canon 5D MK 3; Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 (ZE); Tripod; ISO 100; 2 sec; f/8.0

[Ralph JB]

I love the first image. Beautiful tonality.

[bobfriedman]

all quite nice shots.. one of my favorite combos D850 + Milvus 35/1.4