Sony A7x lounge

Just realized her dress is messed up. Dangit.

24-70 GM portrait.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/LB8v​Do

^24-70 GM is very sharp, but has a soft rendering to it. Very appropriate for portraits/people.
Did you buy or still borrowing?

David Arbogast wrote in post #18122413
^24-70 GM is very sharp, but has a soft rendering to it. Very appropriate for portraits/people.
Did you buy or still borrowing?

I bought one. It was a really hot and hazy morning so there's some of that (plus maybe a hint of fog on the glass b/c of humidity)...bokeh looks nuts in the image b/c I had to use dehaze. but yes it has a very muted rendering. Great for people, but I prefer the rendering of the Loxia 21 and Batis lenses for landscapes. The FM guys love their 100% crops of it's sharpness though

Another one. Middle Child Syndrome:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/L6Fo​Yt

mystik610 wrote in post #18122415
...bokeh looks nuts in the image b/c I had to use dehaze.

In LR instead of global dehaze, you can drag a radial filter over your subject and use the dehaze in the radial filter. It dehazes what you want without adversely affecting the surrounding bokeh. I don't like doing clarity or dehaze on my bokeh. Using dehaze - selectively - has become my favority processing tool (aside from all the Color Efex goodies).

How are you liking the GM vs the 24-70L II?

David Arbogast wrote in post #18122418
In LR instead of global dehaze, you can drag a radial filter over your subject and use the dehaze in the radial filter. It dehazes what you want without adversely affecting the surrounding bokeh. I don't like doing clarity or dehaze on my bokeh. Using dehaze - selectively - has become my favority processing tool (aside from all the Color Efex goodies).

How are you liking the GM vs the 24-70L II?

Ah thanks for the tip! I did not expect dehaze to ruin the bokeh like that, but it was actually the OOF areas that needed the dehaze...they looked really washed out with the morning haze in the sunlit areas.

I have not directly compared the GM to the 24-70II, as the times when I use a 24-70 zoom are times that I need solid AF so the GM is a natural fit for me. But I have owned the 24-70II for four years now and am very familiar with it. The 24-70II's rendering has loads of microcontrast....very similar to zeiss and different from Canon's other lenses except maybe the 24L. I've always thought it was too clinical for portraits, but have always been a fan of it for landscapes. I'm not as big on landscapes as you guys, but some of my best landscapes were shot on the 24-70II. With regards to the 24-70GM, I'm struggling to fall in love with it for landscapes. It's great on paper, but the rendering is very muted. It's a more portrait oriented zoom IMO. It actually excels as a portrait lens which is something I've never felt towards a standard zoom.

When the GM lenses were announced, Sony had a slide that said something along the lines of Zeiss = Superior Microcontrast GM = Superior Bokeh. Based on what I've seen, they were on point when they made that statement.

how does the GM feel compared to 24-70II, how does it balance?

nekrosoft13 wrote in post #18122433
how does the GM feel compared to 24-70II, how does it balance?

You know how a lot of other FE lenses are big, but not as heavy as they look? This is not the case with the 24-70GM. It's heavy.

That said, it does balance against the body better than the 24-70II. Adapted lenses do not feel balanced at all because the adapter itself weighs next to nothing so the set-up is very front heavy when you put a large DSLR lens on.

This Costas hummingbird was checking me out. Question was, who'd blink first? The pattern in the background is caused by a decorative design in my cinderblock wall and sunburned bush at the bottom of the frame.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/M3Ra​72

navydoc wrote in post #18122457
This Costas hummingbird was checking me out. Question was, who'd blink first? The pattern in the background is caused by a decorative design in my cinderblock wall and sunburned bush at the bottom of the frame.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/M3Ra​72 Who'll blink first? by Gene, on Flickr

Focus at 400mm is on point Gene. Skills! Nice one

navydoc wrote in post #18122457
This Costas hummingbird was checking me out. Question was, who'd blink first? The pattern in the background is caused by a decorative design in my cinderblock wall and sunburned bush at the bottom of the frame.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/M3Ra​72 Who'll blink first? by Gene, on Flickr

Stunning shot Gene. May be one of my favorite HB capture of yours. How the heck do you focus so darn accurately? Right on the eyeball in this one.

navydoc wrote in post #18122457
This Costas hummingbird was checking me out. Question was, who'd blink first? The pattern in the background is caused by a decorative design in my cinderblock wall and sunburned bush at the bottom of the frame.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/M3Ra​72 Who'll blink first? by Gene, on Flickr

Seriously good gene. Your hummer shots are the best I've seen

Haida ND Filters :

The other day I was testing the Haida CPL vs Singh Ray Color Combo CPL and I hated the Haida CPL. So, I'm taking advantage of Singh Ray's first ever 20% off sale to buy the 105mm Color Combo CPL for use with my 100mm filter system. That way I can use it on any lens I own (that takes front-thread filters).

But, today I wanted to evaluate the Haida ND filters - I currently own their 6 and 10-stop filters. WOW, they are practically perfect. I tested the 10-stop compared to no filter and the colors are nearly identical. Now I just need a 3-stop and a 15-stop Haida ND to complete my set.

Anyway, just in case my previous CPL filter comparison gave anyone the wrong impression, unlike their CPL I am very "hai" on Haida ND filters. <<<<sorry that was lame. I highly recommend them, just as others here already do. I first learned about Haida via Charlie's posts.

David Arbogast wrote in post #18122468
Haida ND Filters :

The other day I was testing the Haida CPL vs Singh Ray Color Combo CPL and I hated the Haida CPL. So, I'm taking advantage of Singh Ray's first ever 20% off sale to buy the 105mm Color Combo CPL for use with my 100mm filter system. That way I can use it on any lens I own (that takes front-thread filters).

But, today I wanted to evaluate the Haida ND filters - I currently own their 6 and 10-stop filters. WOW, they are practically perfect. I tested the 10-stop compared to no filter and the colors are nearly identical. Now I just need a 3-stop and a 15-stop Haida ND to complete my set.

Anyway, just in case my previous CPL filter comparison gave anyone the wrong impression, unlike their CPL I am very "hai" on Haida ND filters. <<<<sorry that was lame. I highly recommend them, just as others here already do. I first learned about Haida via Charlie's posts.

I need to sell my Hitech ND filters for Haida or Lee. I also need a polarizer. Thanks for timely input David.

mystik610 wrote in post #18122459
Focus at 400mm is on point Gene. Skills! Nice one

David Arbogast wrote in post #18122460
Stunning shot Gene. May be one of my favorite HB capture of yours. How the heck do you focus so darn accurately? Right on the eyeball in this one.

Err, I got lucky?

xpfloyd wrote in post #18122463
Seriously good gene. Your hummer shots are the best I've seen

Thanks very much for the comments, much appreciated.

digital_AM wrote in post #18122473
I need to sell my Hitech ND filters for Haida or Lee. I also need a polarizer. Thanks for timely input David.

I've had the Lee Big Stopper for a few years. Really hate that strong blue cast in Lee's NDs.