Tamron 17-50 goes to work

[seanhoxx]

Took the Tamron AF 17-50mm f2.8 on the new a700 to work with me the other day. just to get a feel for the camera and the lens. Shot at random on auto setting. Not bad at all for just point and shooting more or less. inside shots are under pretty bad lighting. will post more later, have some more outdoor.

[seanhoxx]

really picks up the color and detail of the oil painting, even though I'm not level with it lol

[seanhoxx]

Common Pleas Courtroom, 2 from a cemetary on my way home, and the neighbors dog, "bad shadows in dog shot"

[seanhoxx]

oops picked wrong file, that of course is not the neighbors dog

[seanhoxx]

bad shadows and all

[DonSchap]

Sean ... I straightened up that building you took ... what do you think?

37514

A little tilt-shift magic ... from Photoshop

[sparkie1263]

Don you took the words right off my keyboard. LOL Now see what you can do with the picture hanging on the wall. LMAO They need to add a level in the view finder. I have the same problem. Too many things to worry about. Maybe Sony can have a self leveling camera to go along with the SSS. ( I am going to pattern the idea )
Frank

[seanhoxx]

thanks for the fix. I didnt do anything to the pics but resize them for here. maybe go a bit smaller yet with that. how about a digital level across the top of the viewfinder? a little led bubble? I would pay for that!:D
I do like the color texture and image feel from the lens, now to keep working on operator I/Q :(
dull hazey dreary cloudy but so far dry day here in ohio, wonder what the camera might see?

[DonSchap]

Well ... that portrait simply cannot stand like that ... so I took a little liberty in re-hanging it.

37539

[DonSchap]

Then again ... they say you can do wonders with a crop ... but, you still have to meter correctly. Bright sun is not the photographer's friend.

37540


Here's my boy ... under clouds ... where metering is easier to correct, also when tighter on the subject(s). Not so contrasty and you can almost count the hairs on his mug,

37541


Given some more time with your new lens, you will begin to note its true strengths, indoors and outdoors ... because 90% of photography is managing the light source, be it the sun ... or a candle.

About the guy sitting at his desk, with the lamp behind him ... uh, frame out the lamp and shut it off, next time. Remember, the viewer's eyes seek the brightest spot in the photograph. Normally, that should be the subject ... or something very close.

[seanhoxx]

The office shot with the lamp also has 2 windows with sinlight comming through, i wanted to see what the image on auto would look like, and tharts what I expected. have cropped in and removed the light and the wall on the right side doesnt look to bad, If I really wanted to work on it i would also deglare his glasses from the computer screen. I pulled in the model planes he builds on the top shelf behind him detail came out very nice in my opinion, maybe because they are shaded in the shelf also? The dog was waiting to say hi when i got home, late evening, I just walked up the drive and "shot him" as much for the pic. as to see if he reacted to the camera.
Goals for the weekend: work on level horizons, be more aware of of light, both directional and reflective, frame tighter to avoid distracting clutter, if not fix with cropping.
Sean

[DonSchap]

A good "battle plan" and things should improve immensely.

If only it were: "just get a good rig and images resolve themselves."

No ... not quite yet. Happily, thats why we can still get employment ... but, it is getting tougher. The cameras are incredible, these days. Even the casual user (non-focused cameraman) is able to occasionally fire up some impressive imaging.

But, as long as the lighting extremes remain ... a well thought out approach can rescue your images. When you frame your images ... don't wait until the lens hits "the stops" and just decide that is the best you can do. Step into or back from the shot and leave a little "slop" back and forth. You'd be surprised what additional imaging can be done ... when you are in the heart of your zoom range ... not either end of it.

I think of it as using the zoom as a I would a PRIME lens ... and then adding the luxury of the zoom to the shot for the final framing effort. One other thing to consider: If you find yourself constantly "trapped" by the focal length limitations of your zoom, in your shooting ... you might need to start looking at another lens to add to your bag.

Anyway ... enjoy that lens! It has impressive potential, unlike many others. Make it work for you. :D

[seanhoxx]

Don, I havent even really played with the 70-300 Tamron yet! But I am thinking about my next lens already. Call it luck, a blessing or "Sony Karma" wow notice how karma and camera are almost the same lol:D
any way over the last few weeks I had the chance to picck up some high pay, long hour special details. traffice control and road paving detail, and very large charity auction security. so I have paid my 2 lenses u,v, filters and soft cases off with out "going into the bank account"
Also in early Sept. the County is buying out all us old timers built up vacation time, to keep us inline with state standards as to accrued time. I am looking at approx. 8 weeks pay. So with out going crazy I am going to buy another lens, max. budget $1000.00 really want to stay WELL under that. thinking of a 50mm prime, a superior telephoto as you outlined for me earlier 50 - 200/250mm "fast" lens or the 500mm reflex just because it sounds cool to play with.
Advice, suggestions, other recomendations? Any one elkse please feel free to post

[DonSchap]

Like I said, lensing is so personal, when it comes to get right down to what focal length fits you the best. If you are still undecided in your approach, you should tally up what ranges you currently have ... and then try to fill the gaps either in the middle or on the ends, between 11mm and 500mm.

I have always felt a standard bag covers that range. Obviously, low light costs some serious money, but f/1.4 lenses are quite forgiving of light, so there is always that rationale to fall back on.

You don't have to use a calculator to know that the various SONY primes are going cost some coin. A lot of them are based on or are simply updated copies of the earlier Minolta-lenses, so ... if you can find the Minolta-equivalent of the lens you are looking to use, you can probably save some money.

For example: The SONY 50mm f/1.4 is roughly $330 ... the Minolta 50mm f/1.4 sells for around $225. That's a $100 you can stuff back in your lens budget and get the same shot. Other comparisons are right there, also.

Good luck on your choice of lenses ... just try to keep track of what focal length you are comfortable with. You are probably all set with the TAMRON 17-50 f/2.8. It covers a lot of ground, very well. The next improved zoom you might want to consider would be the 70-200mm f/2.8 ... because of its speed and improved bokeh capability. A 70-300mm f/4-5.6 requires a lot more work to provide those kind of results.

After that ... the sky is the limit ... with a 200-500mm zoom. It will provide that distant shot, which you always feel you have missed, because you did not have LONG glass. Carrying this lens with you is for the hearty ... because it is an "additional lens" and not small by any means of the imagination. You find it most useful when you are relegated with "the masses" to stadium seating. Then you break out the monopod and commence fire, getting shots even the side-liners cannot equal, because you are above the crowd and zeroed in.

Sorry, I digress ... anyway, get to a lens shop and give them all a try. Find the one that fits your mission and have at it.

The best of luck, Sean, and practice until it looks great.

[cgl88]

Nice shots, thanks for sharing. Interested in seeing more indoor shots, esp. in situations where lighting is even lower. Do you have shots with the onboard flash or ext. flash?

[seanhoxx]

all of my indoor shots in this post are with the pop up flash. camera was set to straight auto, was working to get a feel for the lens and the camera feel. The interiorlighting is terrible florescent tubes with peach colored walls, or high ceilings with spotlights. The a700 and the tamron 17-50 do wonders!! No P.P. just resized to post, then Don came and fixed everything for me:o

[dr4gon]

lol, auto..... tsk tsk. but they are very crisp and I couldn't tell! haha....

try a or s modes for a more customized look.

[cgl88]

all of my indoor shots in this post are with the pop up flash. camera was set to straight auto, was working to get a feel for the lens and the camera feel. The interiorlighting is terrible florescent tubes with peach colored walls, or high ceilings with spotlights. The a700 and the tamron 17-50 do wonders!! No P.P. just resized to post, then Don came and fixed everything for me:o

Hey Don what other edits did you make for the shot?
Am always curious to know these little details.

[seanhoxx]

Mostly Don leveled me up on the building and rehung the oil painting for me. He does very good work with what I give him to work with LOL.
Learning more everyday!!