Want a 35mm lens... Advice please!

[shawn595]

Ok, so here are a few pictures. First, I want to post a picture from my new-to-me Sigma 30mm F/2.8 EX DN lens. I really wanted to buy the Sony 35mm F/1.8, but I've had too many expenses lately to pay out that much so I settled for a used Sigma. I might rent the Sony sometime later this year to compare the two, but so I'm very happy with my purchase. Here's a quick pic from the Sigma:

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However, what I really want to post here are my pictures from the CCTV lens. For < $27 shipped, I'm impressed that this thing even works. I suspect its usefulness will be very limited, but it's going to be fun to play with. Everything posted below is SOOC.

Obligatory pic of my wife's cat.

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Our hostas. Stupid deer keep eating them.

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My BMW R12GS. My other favorite photo subject.

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I'm new here - and to photography in general - so please let me know if my pics aren't visible.

Happy Memorial Day everyone.

-Shawn

 

[WoodWorks]

Wait! I can't see you motorcycle. You should post more pix of it!

 

[José De Bardi]

So I took my SRLMagic for it's first test drive last night - not being able to focus it infinity is actually really annoying! Shawn does yours have this issue?

Anyway, went for dinner with friends at this hilarious restaurant I found called SteakAsaurus - as you can see from the site, you'd be forgiven for expecting a ball pit and dinosaur shaped steaks, but actually, the food/service was VERY good!

Just a few fun ones I took, all wide open as I like the novelty of the weird look, plus it was indoor/dark so needed the light!

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Not sure why I like this one, there are so many things 'wrong' with it, but hey!

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[shawn595]

Jose, I'm not 100% sure what focusing to infinity means - sorry, but I'm really new to this - but I've found the range of focus with this lens is somewhat comical. It gives an interesting effect if I take close up pics, but focusing in on large objects are not possible with this camera. Here's a horrible shot of my house as an example.

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Granted, I'm new to manual focus, but I took a couple pics of my house and they both look like this. I might be able to get a better photo by playing with the aperture setting, but I suspect most of blurring in this photo isn't bokeh - it's just blurry.

Not going to complain for the $25 price tag. My wife took a few photography classes in college and she used a Holga (film) camera. This lens really reminds me of that camera, and not because they take comparable images, but because they're both "crude' devices that can be used to create an artistic effect. I haven't been able to shoot anything I'm happy with that's very large or more than a few feet away.

 

[José De Bardi]

Sounds the same - anything further than about 8-10 feet away is impossible to focus on. Your's actually looks slightly better than mine.

Infinity focus is the point where everything beyond the focus point is also in focus - most lenses are designed that the furthest away you can focus is infinity, but on some (mainly cheaper or adapted) lenses infinity is either just unachievable as with this CCTV example, or you have to come back slightly from the farthest the focus ring turns to be at infinity (the end of the focus ring in that case is technically beyond infinity).

I'm quite happy to use it for just some funky closeup/low light work. Definitely not a walk around lens though. The SEL35F18 is an awesome walk about lens though, as I suspect the Sigma 30mm F2.8 will be.

 

[shawn595]

I really like the street shot too. Can't say what it is exactly, but it has a great feel to it.

 

[José De Bardi]

I really like the street shot too. Can't say what it is exactly, but it has a great feel to it.

Thanks - coming back to it now, I think it's because it makes you feel like you were right there walking in the group.

 

[shawn595]

Thank you for the explanation! That makes perfect sense!

WoodWorks, here are a few more samples from my earlier batch. They're all SOOC, too.

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Boxer engines look like something out of history.

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Your thoughts on this lens mirror mine José. It's a neat thing to play with for close up work, but it's not a walk around lens. As my lens collection grows, I seriously doubt I'll make room for the CCTV in my camera bag. It's too limiting.

 

[Azon]

Anybody tried this one?:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/35mm-F1-6-H...93929982?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item2a3bebb6fe