I just couldn’t think of anything funny to title this post, and I really wondered for a while whether it was a “moment like this”, but when I buy two new lenses it is a significant moment … for me at least.
The last lens I purchased was my f2.8, 90mm macro, just over a year ago. Since then I’ve been wondering whether to purchase a replacement for the 70-300mm A’mount which had to be used with an adapter (LA4) to fit on the Sony A7r E’mount camera which I use most of the time. This is a rather bulky combination, and so I have looked for a native E’mount telephoto to replace them. The other “gap” in my lens range was at the wide-angle end.
Having the time in Australia to appraise and research my options and assessing the costs (UK vs. Australia-GST) I plumped for the f4 16-35mm wide-angle zoom (above), and the f4 70-200mm telephoto zoom (below). I think they’re two excellent additions to my family of lenses. I look forward to many years of happiness and pleasure in using them.
I’ve included a few shots which represent the differences between the f4 24-70mm and 16-35mm lenses to illustrate the differences at similar focal lengths, all using aperture priority set at f4, and ISO 250
The shot below is taken with the new lens at 16mm, which allows a shutter speed of 1/500th sec. Impressive. Very little distortion in the vertical lines at the right-hand edge and no vignetting.
At 24mm the shutter speed for the same aperture and ISO is again 1/500th sec. It’s a really nice crisp image too.
Then at 35mm, the shutter speed drops to 1/350th sec. Still an impressive speed and one which even the shakiest of hands could manage!
Using my 24-70mm f4 lens, again at f4 aperture and ISO 250, the shots for 24mm (below) gives a shutter speed of 1/125th sec – and doesn’t appear to me as sharp at the same focal length as the new lens.
Then at 34mm, the shutter speed is also 1/125th sec.
So I think it’s safe to say that I will be using the new lens for all focal lengths up to 35mm, and only pick up the 24-70mm for the range above 35mm.
Finally the two shots above and below show the reach of the wide-angle lens from 16mm (above) to 35mm (below), taken on a walk with Peter to Hampton Beach today.
If anyone’s bothered to read this far, I apologise … boys and toys … it won’t happen again and I’ll return to more scenic and meaningful “moments like these” from now on.