Photo sharing: Sony Alpha

[HPS3]

I'll chime in here. I think you could get buy if that's your only lens. For dark rides it simply won't do unless you bump up the ISO really high. I'll start by saying I use the LA-EA2 adapter with a Sigma 17-50 f2.8 OS as my walkabout lens. In WDW I found that I use the Tokina 11-16 and Rokinon fisheye alot. There is something about WDW and wide lenses. I also brought my Sony 35 f1.8 and Nikon 135 f2.8 but didn't use them often. I'm not really into shooting dark rides. On the rides I'm wrangling my 18 month old mostly. If I could only go to Disney with 2 lenses it would be my 17-50 (your 18-55) and my Fisheye. I find myself taking so many fisheye shots in WDW. In my case the flash in my NEX 7 won't clear my lens so I bought a Yongnuo alpha mout flash just to bring to Disney. I used it at character meals but that's it. I mainly used a tripod for indoor and nighttime photos. Make sure you bring a tripod and get a wireless remote from eBay ($5) for your shutter.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Specifically for the Sony NEX cameras (e-mount), what lens do you guys/gals think would be the best one to use in Disney World? Just for general, all-around, every day "tourist-ey" picture taking? I'm going in November with my 5N. Right now I only have the kit 18-55 (and not a lot of money left). Think just that one lens is sufficient?

I probably use my 16mm the most at WDW followed by the 18-55 and then the 55-210 (heavily used for AK). And at f/2.8 the 16mm is a relatively fast lens so it will handle many low light situations. It also makes for the most compact outfit that I can slip into any bag or have on my shoulder without even noticing it's there. I have the fisheye adaptor (VCL-ECF1 Fisheye Conversion Lens) for the 16mm and use that a lot too. At WDW most often I am looking for wider more than anything.

 

[johamna]

In February I went down with just the 7, using primarily the Sony 16-50 2.8 (w/ the LA-EA2) and Rokinon 8mm Fisheye (E-Mount). I also brought the Sigma 50 1.4 (Alpha Mount) and took some great shots, as well.

It seemed, though, that I was mostly using the Sony at 50mm and Rokinon -- I think the only time I shot wide on the 16-50 was when I was taking photos of Joanna or vice-versa.

My setup right now is the Rokinon on the 5N, and the LA-EA2 on the 7 with either the Sigma or Sony. It gives me the best of both worlds without having to switch lenses constantly, which I felt like I was doing because I wanted an isolated and wide shot for almost everything.


Epcot: France by Hamilton!, on Flickr

 

[HPS3]

Hamilton, great France shot. I am with you with the lens changing. I find myself changing lenses quite often on the same scene. Maybe one day I'll pick up a Nex body just so I can keep 2 lenses at the ready like you.

 

[DisneyDreamersAreWe]

Thank you ALL for your opinions and sharing your experiences with me! It looks like I have some lens options to check out. Or just stick with my kit 18-55. I'll probably never get such beautiful shots as you all have done, but I'm not terribly picky with my shots either. I'm just looking for nice, good memories with my shots. The neat thing is knowing that my camera CAN make really nice shots on its own, even if my skills are lacking. Hopefully I'll learn though. I'm taking notes from all you guys.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

A few from last Nov taken with the NEX 5n

 

[HPS3]

Kat, I love the HM picture. They look great.

 

[HPS3]

This is shot with a $30 CCTV lens.


Partners by Harry Shields, on Flickr

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Kat, I love the HM picture. They look great.

Thanks! I did that with the HDR setting (I think, it was awhile ago! It might have been handheld twilight) and liked how it turned the CM into a faint "ghost".

 

[johamna]

This is shot with a $30 CCTV lens.

I really, really like this shot. Excellent job Harry!


Hollywood Studios: The Sorcerer's Hat by Hamilton!, on Flickr

 

[HPS3]

Thanks Hamilton! I tried to copy your under side of the hat with no success. I couldn't get an angle I liked. I need to study yours more for composition. You need to pick up an adapter and legacy lens. It's not easier than AF but it has character and fun to use.

 

[HPS3]

Another NEX fisheye combo.


WDW Railroad by Harry Shields, on Flickr

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Another NEX fisheye combo.


WDW Railroad by Harry Shields, on Flickr

Nice! I really like the fisheye effect and the motion you showed.

 

[HPS3]

Thanks Kathy, I really liked how the fisheye curves into the turn making the illusion that the train is leaning over.

 

[zackiedawg]

Love the hat shot, Harry! Very nice work. Of course saying that sentence just made me think of the quote from Jaws: "That's some bad hat, Harry", which is also used as the tagline for a TV production company.

Anyway, I can't wait for my NEX-5N to get to Disney. My A580 took its first trip there in December, and now finally at the end of May I'll be back there again (I can't believe I've gone nearly 6 months without seeing Disney). The A580 & NEX-5N will both get a workout.

In the meantime, since I usually post my bird and wildlife shots from the A580 here, I occasionally like to throw in some NEX-5N bird and wildlife shots, especially since the NEX is a hot topic here. Of course the A580 was getting great shots too - I like to bring the NEX along on its Spider belt holster as a second body, for shorter focal length needs and occasionally just for fun. These are from this past weekend with the SEL55-210mm lens on the 5N...enjoy!

Double-crested cormorant, sitting comfortably on the rail and not moving for me:

As I got closer, all he did was glance at me and croak:

Tricolor heron, getting his mating colors on:

I noticed this green heron on the prowl, and saw some movement in the duckweed below, so I knew he was tracking something:

Sure enough, he stabbed down and came up with a large growing tadpole:

And down it goes:

A great egret launching out over the boardwalk:

A baby green heron, with the white fluff still stuck to his head, hides down under the rushes in the shade - needed ISO1600 to get him down there!:

A great blue heron taking off into the backlight:

A green heron mother sitting on a high tree branch, near her nest:

 

[johamna]

Excellent shots Harry and Justin!

I really need to pick up the 55-210 for my 5N. Although I'm still considering the 70-300 SSM for the 7, or the 85 1.8, or every lens ever. Too many options!


Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade at Night by Hamilton!, on Flickr

 

[HPS3]

Justin, I wish I could but I can't claim the hat photo. That one belongs to Hamilton. I saw your bird shots over on the NEX forums. I can't believe you shoot those with the 55-210 E-mount. How do you find that it does against something like a 70-300 A-mount(Tamron,Sigma). Like I always say, your wildlife shots are outstanding.

 

[zackiedawg]

Ah - apologies to Hamilton for the miscredit - wonderful hat photo, Hamilton! And I like the fisheye train shot too, Harry...the curves of the lens make the train's movement feel more visceral.

I am constantly surprised by the 55-210mm - it's at least as good as a midrange zoom on a DSLR would be, and if anything, might be a bit better in a few regards. First thing that's surprising is that it's at its sharpest when at full telephoto - which is a bit unusual for cheap zooms. And second is that I find the bokeh to be surprisingly well sorted - it really has a rich, creamy, rounded feel to the blur, and no real harsh transition or circle-of-confusion. There may be some focal length and background distance where it is weaker, but for the most part the blur usually has very nice bokeh...something even some rather expensive zooms fail at. It's super quiet, and fast enough in general for moving targets if they're not terribly fast - the limitations there are likely more with CDAF than the lens itself...still the number of people who like to claim that you can't shoot birds in flight or sports with a CDAF camera likely either don't have experience or are prone to exxageration. It isn't the BEST tool for those jobs, but definitely capable of it if you know what you're doing.

 

[HPS3]

Thanks Justin. I think I'll add the 55-210 hopefully soon. I don't have any long zoom lenses. I just have a Nikon 135 f2.8 manual focus lens. It's fun but hard to focus at f2.8-4 without zooming in which takes awhile when your in a hurry. When I had my D5100 I shot with a Sigma 70-200 which is a fantastic lens. I ended up selling it to buy the OS version. In the end I switched to Sony. I really want OS because when I would shoot my dogs running around it was hard to keep the focus point on them at 200mm with the lens shaking.

 

[HPS3]

Fountain View by Harry Shields, on Flickr