When Nikon unveiled the full specification of the highly anticipated D850 they set a new benchmark for high resolution photography.
The 45.7 megapixel CMOS sensor approaches medium format-level resolution and forgoes an optical low pass filter to harness the maximum sharpness of Nikkor lenses, with fantastic fidelity, tonality and clarity. This is also Nikon’s first DSLR to incorporate a back illuminated CMOS sensor, which captures light more efficiently, resulting in a wider dynamic range and low-noise image capture.
Beyond the incredible resolution, the Nikon D850 offers photographers superior performance:
High-Speed Capture The D850 is capable of shooting up to 7 fps at full resolution, with full AF/AE or 9 fps at full resolution with the addition of an optional battery grip (MB-D18) and EN-EL18a/b battery.
Wide ISO Range The D850 offers a wide ISO range from 64-25,600 (Expandable down to ISO 32, up to 102,400).
Flagship Focus System The D850 uses the Nikon D5’s 153-point, Multi-Cam 20K AF system, which features 99 cross type sensors.
EXPEED 5 Nikon’s most powerful engine yet, allowing for fast data readout and swift image processing, improved low light performance, high speed shooting, full-frame 4K UHD video capture and greater power efficiency for longer battery life.
In addition to its phenomenal performance, the Nikon D850 boasts a range of innovative new features that professional photographers and videographers will appreciate:
Tilting LCD Touchscreen The 3.2” high resolution (2359k-dot) LCD monitor offers Nikon’s most extensive touch functionality ever.
Silent Shooting The D850 offers the ability to operate with an electronic shutter in Live View. When in this mode, users can shoot in complete silence. The electronic shutter operates at up to 6 fps (AF/AE locked) at full resolution, while an additional mode enables 8.6-megapixel capture in DX image area mode at up to 30 fps.
Radio Flash Control Like the D5 and D500, the D850 also supports Radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting with the optional SB-5000 Speedlight and WR-A10 and WR-R10 accessories.
RAW File Options Users can choose from 3 sizes of RAW files to enhance workflow, including Large (45.4MP), Medium (25.6MP) and Small (11.4MP).
Bright Viewfinder The 0.75x viewfinder magnification is the highest ever for a Nikon DSLR, and offers a wide and bright view of the frame to easily track and compose subjects.
Battery Performance Battery performance has been increased considerably allowing up to 1,840 shots at full resolution or approximately 70 minutes of video on a single charge. Users who opt for the additional control and handling benefits of the optional battery grip can expect up to 5140 shots.
Dual Card Slots The D850 features dual memory card slots — XQD for high-speed capture and transfer, as well as SD.
Focus Stacking Ideal for macro, product and landscape photographers, this feature lets the user automatically shoot up to 300 shots at adjustable focus step intervals to infinity which can be easily assembled into a focus-stacked image using third party software.
Videographers will also appreciate the significant improvements over previous models:
Full-frame 4K UHD at 24/30 fps The D850’s FX BSI CMOS sensor allows 4K UHD output at a full-frame width at 16:9, to increase lens options and provide a full field of view.
Slow Motion Capture Full HD 1080p at up to 120fps for dramatic slow-motion video capture.
Focus Peaking When shooting Full HD or in Live View for stills, focus peaking can be enabled which highlights in-focus subjects in the frame to ensure sharpness.
8K / 4K Timelapse Users can create 4K UHD timelapse videos easily in-camera, or can use the built in intervalometer to capture images for an ultra-high resolution 8K time lapse that can be assembled in post for those who want the ultimate in video quality.
Zebra Stripes The D850’s highlight display mode uses zebra patterns to quickly spot overblown highlights. What’s more, the zebra patterns come in two varieties, selectable according to the patterns and textures of the subjects.
HDMI Output Using HDMI, users can record uncompressed, broadcast quality 4:2:2 8-bit 4K UHD footage, directly to an external digital recorder while simultaneously recording to a card.
Since 1994, Aviv Yaron has been working commercially within the VFX industry. During his years at Cinesite, London – then, a wholly subsidiary company of Kodak – he has worked closely with different technical teams within Kodak USA and Europe.
As a 2D Technical Director, Aviv operated at the interface between the digital artists and the R&D efforts – mainly, in the realms of 2D digital compositing, colour grading, Image Based technologies and Computational Photography. As Head of VFX Photography, Aviv has set up and managed an in-house VFX photographic studio – working closely with supervisors and on film sets around the world.
In 2013, Aviv formed his own company – providing VFX photography services to a variety of industries. His commercial photography provides the ‘building blocks’ to multiple disciplines within the post production CGI pipeline. In parallel, Aviv has been pursuing artistic endeavours through his personal work as a contemporary photographer.
With such a diverse mix in his body of work we were eager to sit down with Aviv to try and understand what motivates him and how he juggles fitting in his very different styles of output.
How did you get into photography?
My father got me my first camera when I was 6 or 7. I have been photographing ever since. When I reached the stage of academic studies I chose to formally further my understanding of Photography. Initially, I was attracted to its technical aspects, but soon I became totally immersed in Photography as an art medium.
6 years later, I found myself at the forefront of the digital image revolution. This was soon followed by the introduction of commercial applications of computer vision and computational photography. Commercially, I have moved from being an analogue-based Still Life photographer to become part of the visual effect industry (mainly for films). Since 1994, I have had the privilege of experiencing and assimilating in-depth knowledge of both the analogue and the digital realms of image making. Ever since 2005 I have been providing digital Visual Effects Photography services to support Computer Generated Imagery.
You mainly shoot in black & white. Do you think monochrome helps convey the emotion behind the photograph in a way colour never could?
As a Visual Effects Photographer, my commercial work is predominately colour digital photography. A lot of my early contemporary photography work is based around Black & White shot on film, and the craft of hand printing. However, in the last 7-10 years I have been exploring different ways of engaging with the physical aspects of the medium – mainly through photo-chemical processes and digital darkroom operations. This approach have produced some results which I do not regard as a Black & White photography. Colour tints play a role in the make-up of these images (stills shot on negative film).
Monochrome, to my mind, more readily conveys the surreal aspect of photography, and the fact it is more about ways of seeing than it is about reproducing reality. However, to me, conveying emotions is not limited by the use of either monochrome or colour.
Do you solely shoot on digital or does film still play a part in your work?
Creatively, it does not matter to me whether I shoot on digital or film. With both, my post-capture approach is about getting closer to that ethereal matter of the photographic image, and ‘sculpt’ its transformative space. During capture time – I am more focused on the actual experience. At that initial stage, I am not creatively concerned with the technology or the apparatus – at least, not beyond the understanding of the constraints and freedom available. Capture time is, for me, about a state of being, and a way of seeing. It does not matter whether the result is imprinted on film or pixels.
Currently, the camera I use for my art projects is loaded with film.
Your work seems to deconstruct the ‘normal’. Is this a conscious approach to your photography?
My contemporary art photography is about contemplative ways of seeing. It is about responding to a state of presence – resonating inner and outer landscapes… a ‘visual poetry’.
At that moment, the camera is no longer separating the world from the photographer. To me, this is a ‘decisive observation’. It is both a psychological peak – a response to unconscious motivations – and a spiritual one, whereby the captured image contains both the subject and the photographer. The chemical treatment I use sculpts physical traces, thus introducing layers of depth into the photographic image. This physical manipulation of the photographic matter offers a notion of past time – invoking mind wondering, and acts of remembering. The uncanny experience underlying the illusive time-frame of the photographic image – its eternally frozen present-time of the ‘then-there’ – is alongside a real sense of an organic passage of time through the layers of the image and the blemishes to its surface. My attempt is to create a metaphor for a ‘memory landscape’.
Do you plan your shoots beforehand or do you prefer to see where the mood takes you?
I usually have a camera with me. Most of the time I simply react. Again, not so much to the subject matter as to my own state of mind. I may plan an excursion, but I never know in advance what I might shoot. My planning is never beyond the point of physically getting to a particular place.
Obviously, with my commercial work – it is mostly about planning and preparation.
For my commercial work I use a variety of Canon 35mm DSLRs and a range of other fit-for- purpose equipment. Here, a fit-for-purpose technical fineness and image quality are the guiding force (and budget, of course). For my art work – I mainly use old film cameras. These vary in type and format. Essentially, it is not about the equipment – it is about what one does with it. For example, for my Triptychs body of work (colour, digital) I chose an old Canon DLSR set to its noisiest ISO with a Canon lens set to ƒ/1.4, Adding to it was an old 1950’s piece of Topcon glass – converting 50mm to 35mm. That concocted optical and digital artefacts producing the tactility I was after.
Some photographers who work in similar styles will often speak of a bond with their cameras, almost an extension of their thought processes. Do you think this is true, or do you separate them as purely tools?
With your VFX work, how much spillover from your contemporary art photography is there in your commercial work?
In my commercial work, image capture is done in the context of both creative and technical briefs, whilst accommodating the on-set production constraints. My images provide the essential ingredients required to transform computer generated (CG) assets into a synthesized, yet photo-realistic, image.
In that respect, I am required to photograph for a very particular purpose – at times catering for the needs of multiple disciplines within the post production pipeline who require a completely opposing photographic approaches. However, in both art and commercial arenas there is the required technical knowledge and the photographer’s ways of seeing, which, I suppose, are the common ground for the two to co-exist.
You’ve worked on some huge projects over the years. Are there any that stand out as particularly rewarding?
This is a very difficult question to answer. I cannot think of a single project where I did not learn something new, or found myself challenged beyond my comfort zone. Almost all of these projects took me to amazing locations, or provided access to sites that even local people hardly know of, or are allowed to experience. I guess a major part of all these adventures is meeting and working closely with different people, and getting to know them, their culture and the place they come from. There are always moments of real meetings – even with star actors and actresses.
I’m going to guess that your contemporary art photography is an escape for you – or is it the other way around?
I would not think of either as being an escape from the other. Although, I suppose, the difference is – my contemporary art photography has to always be there, regardless of circumstances.
You’ve been a friend and customer of Fixation’s for many years. How much do you rely on us for your work?
With my commercial work I regard Fixation as a hub of technical support. All my equipment is serviced by Mick and his team. Some of my past bespoke solutions were made by them, too. Fixation is my first point of contact when it comes to either maintenance or when upgrading my equipment. I would also regularly seek their advise when considering the development of a new approach. Keir will not only provide an excellent rental service when I am in need of the odd additional lens, but will generously share his wealth of experience and knowledge, and provide a sound advice.
More importantly, I have the confidence in knowing that, whilst photographing on set, I am a phone call away from having any technical issue resolved, or an alternative equipment shipped to me.
Aviv was speaking with Tim Stavrinou
See below for more information and to see more of Aviv’s work.
The recently released A9, Sony’s latest addition to the Alpha mirrorless series cameras, promises to be the tool of choice mainly for sports photographers. With its unparalleled shooting speeds and autofocusing system that’s able to precisely track objects in fast motion it enters the race with the likes of Nikon D5 and Canon 1D X II, cameras that already have a strong position in the market. So how does it perform?
Jordan Matyka, a professional freelance editorial and music photographer has recently been using an A7s for his work and was delighted when we asked him to review the A9. Here are his thoughts in his own words:
I took it for a day’s shooting in London’s South bank to check it out and also took the opportunity to try the Sony G Master 24-70mm ƒ/2.8 & 70-200mm ƒ/2.8 lenses. I was particularly interested to see the telephoto’s ability to work with the camera’s AF tracking as this is the longest native lens currently available for the system, until the recently announced 100-400mm ƒ/4.5-5.6 GM OSS becomes available.
Also, as an (soon to be) ex-Nikon shooter, I’ve tried to outline the pros and cons between the two systems to make it easier for anyone thinking of making the switch. But let’s go through the basics first.
Features
The A9 is currently the flagship model in the full-frame Alpha series. A lot of people are very confused about the lineup as at first glance; the differences aren’t obvious but they can be simplified down to the following:
Alpha 7 and 7II – good all-rounder, mid-resolution (24MP)
Alpha 7r and 7r II – high resolution (36 and 42MP respectively)
Alpha 7s and 7s II – low resolution (12MP), fantastic high-ISO quality
There are other differences, especially in the AF and video specs and capabilities, but I think the above outlines the key areas of interest.
The new A9 on the other hand, being the flagship model, encompasses all of the above in one package. The 24 megapixel provide files big enough to satisfy most studio photographers. It’s BSI (back-illuminated) CMOS sensor provides low-noise images when using high-iso and also expands the dynamic range – this will be a huge benefit to anyone working in low light but also to sport shooters as it gives the opportunity to use higher shutter speeds, especially when using lenses without particularly low aperture.
The sensor combined with BIONZ X image processor allows the camera to produce 20 compressed RAW shots per second when using the electronic shutter. That’s 6 more than the D5 and 4 more comparing to 1D X MkII. It may not seem like a lot, but having these few more fps in a critical moment may be decisive. The camera does that with absolutely no viewfinder blackout meaning that you can focus on what’s in front of you without any distractions. The buffer can hold about 250 consecutive shots (that’s over 12 seconds of non-stop shooting) before it starts to clear. Using a Class 10 300MB/s SD card it only takes about 3 seconds to clear approximately 50 images meaning that you can capture an action sequence and almost immediately continue with another one.
Speaking of the viewfinder, a lot of DSLR users are wary of electronic models as opposed to the optical ones they’re used to. After years of seeing not-so-good examples of these on different compact and mirrorless cameras I can fully appreciate this. However, it’s not the case here. Looking though the A9’s EVF is a pleasure – it refreshes at 120 frames per second and has a 3.68 million dot resolution providing a very smooth and extremely detailed view of the action.
There’s another advantage of using an EVF over classic optical – exposure preview. Yes, if you’re a pro you will know what you’re doing and rarely set this incorrectly, but we all sometimes make mistakes and this feature provides a backup for these situations. Secondly, when shooting in extreme low light it allows you to see things that would be impossible to notice when using a traditional DSLR.
However, as pretty much anything in this camera, the EVF exposure preview can be customised or turned off altogether and you can shoot the way you’re used to. It’s also worth mentioning that the viewfinder covers 100% of the frame so critical framing is not a problem and will especially benefit architectural and studio photographers.
Design & Operation
Mirrorless cameras are small; the A9 is roughly the same size as the A7 II series bodies. When compared to the flagship Canon and Nikon models it dwarfs at about half the size. This can be a good or a bad thing, depending on the type of work you’re doing and, well, your hand size. Being 6’ 5” with palms to match I found the body just a bit too small with my pinky sliding just beneath the battery compartment. Sony’s GP-X1EM grip extension rectifies this and there’s also the VG-C3EM battery grip that makes the whole setup a lot more comfortable to use.
The body, at 673g, is just over half the weight of the aforementioned models. Again, the advantage of this may be questioned especially by sport shooters using big lenses, but having walked all day with the 70-200mm attached to it I did not feel the imbalance reported by other people. This is, of course, a matter of personal preference, but I’ve found that combination to be pretty well balanced and the lens did not feel too big at all for the body. The metal lens mounts feel secure and even without supporting the lens it feels like it can withstand even rough handling that pros often expose the gear to.
Which brings us to the build quality. Nikon’s D5 can take pretty much anything you throw at it. Similarly, the A9 is constructed from magnesium alloy and Sony lists weather sealing as a feature. However, a closer look at different openings such as the card slots cover and I/O ports reveals lack of rubber outlines which would make me cautious of taking it out into the rain. That being said, the camera has only been out for few weeks and durability can only be tested over time so we’ll have to wait to make a judgment.
Even though the body is small, Sony managed to place dedicated, essential controls outside so there’s no need to wander around the menus to find the desired function. Four custom-function buttons can be assigned to perform different operations so even when there’s something missing, you can add it yourself. The menu system may feel a bit overwhelming at the start but the often used points are easy to find and the redesigned interface and customisable ‘My Menu’ section help to move around quickly. The camera offers a great number of tweaks which can be applied that, with a little bit of practice, can greatly improve the experience and help to make the most of the system.
Autofocus
The new AF system on the A9 is simply outstanding. 693 focusing points cover 93% of the frame and with 60 calculations per second it can track fast moving objects with staggering precision, right to the edge of the frame. When testing this with the 70-200mm I often found myself not being able to keep up with the subject’s movement when the camera kept the focus locked regardless of the subject’s movement within the frame. I’m not a sports photographer but someone experienced in the field will surely be able to use their experience combined with the AF system’s capabilities to capture pin sharp series of photos and pick ones that they need.
During many attempts to test the limits of the system I’ve rarely found out-of-focus shots afterwards. Shooting at 20fps it only takes the camera a handful of frames to refocus on the subject and after that it tracks it without fail. Even in situations when another object moved in between myself and whatever the AF locked on, it kept the focus spot-on.
Zooming in or out on the subject whilst tracking– also a difficult ask for some cameras – proved not to be a problem for the A9.
The only tricky moment was shooting against strong backlight when the amount of misfocused shots was higher than normal but this would prove difficult for any AF system so I won’t deduct any points here.
A type of focus mode worth mentioning is the Eye AF introduced earlier in the A7 models. Face detection is something that we’ve already seen on some compact, mirrorless and even DSLR models but the A9 takes it to another level with phase-detection continuous AF. In this mode the camera will focus on the subject’s face if it’s too far to find the eye, but if the subject is close enough for the feature to be distinguishable it will lock on the eye and keep tracking it flawlessly. Combine that with another great property – the ability to switch the focusing points within the frame if you change from portrait to landscape orientation – and it’s something that portrait photographers will absolutely love. No more focus locking and re-framing – you can just keep on shooting and every photo will be focused on the subject’s eye.
Sony provides a detailed guide to the system, with recommended settings for different shooting scenarios that greatly help to set the camera up, without having to go though a tedious trial-and-error process. The guide can be found here.
Image Quality
The A9’s 24MP sensor is capable of producing 14-bit uncompressed RAW files, weighing about 50MB each, as opposed to 24MB compressed ARW (Sony’s RAW format). Such resolution may seem like not a lot these days, with some cameras going way beyond that, even in the Alpha lineup, but it’s a good compromise as higher resolution would hinder it’s low light performance. Using it in this mode limits the fps to 5 which is still very good, considering that it will only be required by studio, landscape or architecture photographers not in need of the highest frame rate.
Regardless of whether you use the compressed mode or not, the output files have great amount of detail, colour reproduction is accurate and there’s enough dynamic range to allow you to pull the shadows up in your image editing software.
The best results are of course achieved with Sony’s G-Master series lenses. The whole family of these proved to resolve at the highest level when used with the A7r II model (42MP) and are reportedly designed to be able to go way beyond that resolution, which makes them future-proof should – or rather, when – an even higher resolution model arrives.
Almost zero aberrations were noticed on all the images I shot. Colour fringing was virtually non-existent, even wide-open at ƒ/2.8 and the same for moiré. Both lenses were used without hoods and even then, on a bright and sunny day, there were only a handful of shots with flare.
One thing that many mirrorless users were complaining about is banding. It is a phenomenon when, under certain conditions, the image will have off-coloured stripes running along the long edge of the frame. It can happen under certain types of artificial light (mainly LED), at very high shutter speeds, high ISO and mainly when using the electronic shutter. And even if these conditions are met, not all shots will suffer from the problem. Out of several thousand shots I’ve so far taken with the A9, only a few, shot at a concert under very difficult artificial light had the banding visible at a level that was causing a problem.
In terms of low light, high ISO quality, the A9 performs really well. Not as good as its older siblings, the A7s and A7s II, but these were designed to specifically tackle this particular area. It’s got quite a way to go to compete with the D5 but the top-range Nikon models were always a benchmark for high ISO performance. It’s worth mentioning that the D5’s sensor comes from Sony so this seems like a matter of image processing engine, not the actual hardware.
Battery life & other features
Another bane of the previous Sony Alpha models users was the battery life. A smaller body means a smaller battery and previously it was only possible to shoot a few hundred shots before seeing the empty flashing symbol on the screen. For a professional series camera this is hardly acceptable, especially considering that the Nikon D5 and Canon 1D X II can shoot a few thousand shots on a single charge.
With the A9 Sony has improved this greatly. The 2280mAh NP-FZ100 battery has more than double the capacity of the previous ones which places it close to the other big players. With 2 of these batteries inside the VG-C3EM grip I was able to shoot nearly two thousand images and still had 30% juice left. This was with with the screen turned on most of the time and all the bells and whistles like AF tracking, 20fps etc.
What most people forget about when complaining about short battery life on mirrorless cameras is how these camera actually work – not having a mirror means that what you see in the viewfinder comes from the sensor that’s in practice turned on all the time. It’s worth remembering that all the benefits of having a pro-quality, small and lightweight camera come at a small cost.
The camera has a built-in 5-axis image stabilisation that Sony claims to offer a 5-stop speed advantage. Using this with the 24-70mm ƒ/2.8 at the widest angle, I was able to handhold a sharp 0.8sec long exposure, something previously impossible with a DSLR due to the mirror slap and vibration from the shutter.
You will also find features expected from a pro-series camera like dual card slots and a LAN connection but also Wi-Fi, NFC, HDMI output, sync terminal, mic and headphone sockets.
The last two things I’d like to mention are relatively small features, though offering great benefits for certain situations. The first one is the tilt screen. A lot of people see this as a gimmick but will appreciate it when shooting from low or high angle. It’s also really well made and I was at no point worried that it could snap. The second one is something that myself and many other Sony Alpha users just love: a totally silent electronic shutter. Being able to take photos with a camera that’s 100% silent (and yes, the lenses focus and zoom without a squeak) opens up many possibilities that were in the past reserved for either rangefinder cameras (contrary to popular belief not completely silent) or DSLRs encased in cumbersome, difficult to use and expensive blimps. Shooting reportage, performance, theatre, events, interviews, street and film sets suddenly does not require changing the way you’d normally work. The rear screen can be turned off with the viewfinder taking over its role when you’re not shooting so you can be quiet but also invisible as there will be no screen glow.
Conclusion
The Sony Alpha A9 is a fantastic camera. It offers almost all the qualities of the bigger, heavier and more expensive competitors from Nikon and Canon and in some areas it surpasses them. Users of these systems will possibly look at the current FE lens range with a smirk but Sony’s quickly expanding lens range already offers some outstanding glass that in some cases outperforms the rivals. There’s always the possibility of using your existing lenses via adapters, some of which offer fast AF and stabilisation (!), especially with Canon’s EF series lenses.
Image stabilisation is a common feature on modern lenses, giving up to 4 stops advantage, and we’ve all enjoyed the benefits in those tricky low light situations where we don’t want to push the ISO too far.
The principle behind the technology is similar, regardless of manufacturer. A group of floating elements positioned near the rear of the lens are held in place by a series of electro-magnetic coils. Two gyroscopic sensors detect horizontal and vertical movements, and corrective adjustments are relayed to the electro-magnets which in turn steady the floating elements, resulting in a much sharper and steadier image.
The IS unit from a Canon 100-400mm ƒ/4.5-5.6L IS lens.
Now with all this electronic technology sitting in the lens – effectively a mini computer – it goes without saying that care should be taken with your glass, especially as the stabilisation systems can be easily damaged if care isn’t taken when removing the lens.
When the lens is attached to the camera and powered on, the electro-magnets release the elements, ready to stabilise the shot once the AF is activated. But when the camera is turned off, the power to the electro-magnets is deactivated and the elements lock in place to minimise any damage if the lens is knocked.
However, if the lens is removed before the elements have a chance to lock, they can float around freely and are susceptible to damage. The golden rule here is to ensure the camera is turned off and wait a couple of seconds to allow the elements to lock before removing the lens. On some lenses an audible click can also be heard when locking.
In some Nikkor lenses, the VR unit can be replaced without having to replace the floating element group. This example is from a 70-200mm ƒ/2.8G (1st Gen).
Lenses with damaged stabilisation units are something we see every week in the workshop and replacing these units can run into several hundred pounds, depending on the lens.
Longtime Canon user Jack Terry tests the Canon 35mm ƒ/1.4L Mk II and tries the 24-70mm ƒ/2.8L Mk II against his original Mk I version.
Investing in lenses is not something any photographer takes lightly. Once you have a set it’s not often that you want to go changing them, despite brands constantly pushing an updated version and striving to find a reason for you to upgrade to their latest model.
I have a general rule that I only upgrade or invest in new equipment if it will do two, or preferably three of these three things. Directly generate revenue, speed up my workflow, or provide a drastic and noticeable difference to the existing product.
After using my set of Canon lenses for almost 10 years, the Mk II versions had me asking myself the question, should I make the move and can I justify it?
To help with the decision, Fixation lent me a 35mm ƒ/1.4L II and a 24-70mm ƒ/2.8L II to shoot a recent personal project “Little Rascals”. The project is a documentary study of a children’s charity and I wanted to shoot it on my own with no assistants and minimal kit.
Photographing kids is something I really enjoy. They are refreshingly inquisitive about everything and then moments later are engrossed in their own world of play and it’s like you don’t even exist. This is something I rely on to get in close and capture the natural moments that are over in seconds.
I used to spend my life shooting on a 50mm ƒ/1.2L for two reasons: firstly I always shoot wide open and it is a beautiful lens, but mainly because I found my original 24-70mm ƒ/2.8L to lack in quite a few areas. The problem with the 50mm is it can be a bit narrow for lifestyle. Shooting this project with the new 24-70mm was a revelation. It gave me the image quality of my primes, but with the versatility that I had forgotten existed with zooms.
Although the focal lengths overlap, I found the combination of the two lenses perfect for this project. With the zoom I could pick little details from a far, or shoot wides of crazy kids running towards me. Changing to the 35mm let me get in close and throw the background out of focus. I would go as far as saying that the 35mm Mk II is the most perfect Canon lens I have ever used. It is the perfect focal length for my work and has a mystical quality to it that just looks different. I felt like images shot on it had more depth to the tones and it gave a beautiful representation of everyday life. It is razor sharp in the right areas while still looking natural and the focus is really quick.
Unlike things like lighting or digital equipment that can be hired out in addition, a photographer is expected to supply lenses, so that discounts my first rule of generating revenue. The question is, do these lenses tick the other two boxes to justify the upgrade?
On commissions recently I have regularly shot the whole day just on the 24-70mm. The change in my workflow has been drastic and not swapping lenses so much allows me to focus on what I need to instead. The image quality paired with a 5DS is capable of billboard level images with no problem at all. Images are always razor sharp and have a contrast and depth to them that didn’t exist in the Mk I version. That combined with the fact that I just sold my Mk I for £550 after buying it new for £800 makes the upgrade unquestionable. If you still have the Mk I 24-70mm, sell it and upgrade. You can thank me later.
In regards to the 35mm ƒ/1.4L II this is less of a black and white answer and driven by something unquantifiable that the sensible side of my brain and my accountant would be shouting at me to ignore. I found this lens an absolute joy to use, the ergonomics are perfect and it sits really nicely in the hand. If you shoot people you should have a 35mm lens, the question is do you need the new one?
I shoot into the sun a lot and always wide open. Chromatic aberration is something I am used to getting a lot of and I spend a large amount of time correcting in post. This lens all but removes it in camera which is amazing for my workflow. In terms of sharpness it is brilliant, however the mkI version is pretty good too. I am left with the dilemma that I can only honestly tick one of my three boxes. This is my favourite Canon lens by a long shot and from the project the majority of selected images were shot using it. The question is do I and do you need one? All I can suggest is hire one from Fixation and find out for yourself, but be careful it will be a tough one to return.
To try either of these lenses simply hire from our sister company Wex Rental:
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. We log visitor IP addresses and cookie preferences for due diligence reporting.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
