[Theme] The Organ Thread

[armando_m]

Closeups - Organ at Templo del Carmen, Guadalajara México,
Italian made Vegezzi-Bossi, installed in the 1940's
12 registers

It was being played - some sort of practice -  while I shot this, wonderful experience

[Airy]

Utrecht, Dom, Bätz 1831. Our first encounter took place yesterday. I immediately fell in love. Clear, mellow, warm sound wrapping around your whole body, ears included. The very ample acoustics contribute to that. The organ hangs on the wall that obstructs what was the access to the nave, which was torn down by a hurricane in 1674. It looks like the church has been built around the organ, which can bee seen and well heard from anywhere. This was one of my strongest organ-related musical experiences, together with Dôle and St Sulpice (Paris).
Needless to say, this organ is famous worldwide, amongst organists of course.

Df, Zeiss 35/2.

[Bruno Schroder]

Glad to hear its sound is so good.  With the series on page 14, this is the most photographed organ in this thread.

[Airy]

The 105/2.5 also did a good job, here at f/5.6, 1/60s handheld, and 8000 ISO.

[Akira]

I can keep myself enjoying this thread!

Unfortunately I don't have any opportunity to shoot organs in churches in Tokyo, but I will do that whenever chances arise.

Airy, your images looks nicely clean even at very high ISO and even considering you are using Df.  Do you use any good noise reduction (like DXO)?  The Distagon 35/2.0 images are awesome, too!

[Airy]

I use LR6 most of the time. NR set at 25 in the present case; sharpening is mostly left at its standard value (25). Sharpness is well preserved despite the NR. These two lenses (105/2.5 and Zeiss 35/2) are my best lenses for shooting organs, together with the 300 PF for details (set at 1/30s with VR).

The Zeiss displays, by far, the best behaviour with backlighting. The Nikkor is not that good under such circumstances, but it does not often matter as the framing is much tighter, and windows are more easily avoided. Also, 105 is not too long a FL, so it remains possible to shoot at 1/60s (series of 2-3 shots preferrably) and keep the ISO within reasonable boundaries. Even better, the widest aperture (2.5) delivers enough sharpness and contrast, so it can be used when the subject is reasonably flat.

I have not tested the 105/2.8 VR under such circumstances, maybe it would be a good alternative.

In any case, artificial lighting should be avoided whenever possible. Organ front pipes, especially the shiny ones, do not look appealing when lit by usual lamps.

[Fons Baerken]

Wonderful thread, images and text.

[Akira]

Airy, thanks for the details.  I use CC2017, so your data should help.  You are too good an advocate of Zeiss 35/2.0   

[Airy]

I remember having hesitated between this one and the Samyang 35/1.4. The Samyang was sharper wide open than the Zeiss at f/2.0, but I preferred the high contrast of the Zeiss, and also the handling (much smoother helicoid). I did not perform any against-the-light test. The superiority of the Zeiss in this respect became apparent after some usage, around 2013 I guess, when I succeeded in getting "impossible shots" in Vienna, IIRC. Since then, the Zeiss became a privileged lens in my assortment, and I never thought to re-sell it. Otherwise it is a very good allrounder; only its length and, to a lesser extent, weight, are a handicap.

[Airy]

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord...

[Frank Fremerey]

I just found a video on youtube, played oin this organ with a breathtaking sound that blows me away: http://www.ou.edu/content/aoi/about/instruments/fisk.html

Here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EgGaHZwVVQ

And here is the place where you can learn to build, mend  and play the pipe organ: http://www.ou.edu/content/aoi.html

[Frank Fremerey]

Now I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord...

In Utrecht? I immediately recognized the one from out NG event the. But noone played it

[Frank Fremerey]

Wonderful thread, images and text.

Thank you Fons. I am a lover of this very special place too!!!

[armando_m]

Organ in a chapel on the side of the Guadalajara Cathedral

[Airy]

Masonic organ, so to say

Excellent interior shot. That organ probably has one single manual keyboard and an attached pedal (pulling the lower manual tones). Looks like it is playable, and in a relatively good condition. I could not find any info on internet, though (the main organ may be by Joseph Merklin, but that one does not look like one - see for instance the front pipes)