Photo sharing: Sony Alpha

[zackiedawg]

It's been a while, so time to update some bird and wildlife photos here! Still enjoying the lightweight combo of A6000 plus FE70-200mm F4 G OSS lens, and finding this rig is especially fun and capable for BIF shooting, to the point I actually prefer using it for birds-in-flight to my DSLR as it's just so fast and accurate with the tracking. Usual wetlands locations here in South Florida, birds or wildlife identified for each shot:

Male red-winged blackbird sitting on a reed:

Purple swamphen walking in the water:

Purple gallinule - note he's smaller than the swamphen, and has the yellow tip to his bill:

Wood stork returning to its nest with a big tree:

Raccoon climbing around in the trees looking for food:

Wood stork bringing building materials back - annoying a nearby great blue heron:

Cattle egrets are also bringing home the nest materials:

Black-necked stilt rooting around in the water:

Green iguana up close and personal:

Young ibis, with patchy brown colors marring his white coat to come:

Tricolor heron showing off some lovely mating colors:

Cattle egret flying over at high speed and nice and low:

 

[fractal]

Beautiful!^^^

 

[fractal]

Clouds pre-thunderstorm.

 

[fractal]

Any thoughts on the new Zeiss Batis lineup? 85mm 1.8 and 25mm 2.0 with AF - looks like they are gearing up for a pro-Emount.

 

[havoc315]

Any thoughts on the new Zeiss Batis lineup? 85mm 1.8 and 25mm 2.0 with AF - looks like they are gearing up for a pro-Emount.

A true portrait lens was missing from the e-mount. 55/1.8 is simply too wide on full frame. Can get good portraits with the 70-200/4, but sometimes you really want that razor thin DOF which requires a faster lens. So the 85/1.8 fills a big gap. I expect it will be popular with portrait photographers.
I just picked up the Nikon 85/1.8 and it spectacular though I wish it was stabilized.

 

[Disney*Dreamer]

I have not been on here in forever, but wanted to get started back. Do you still have to host your photos somewhere like photobucket to post them?

 

[HPS3]

Any thoughts on the new Zeiss Batis lineup? 85mm 1.8 and 25mm 2.0 with AF - looks like they are gearing up for a pro-Emount.

Here we go again.....more $1000+ lenses. Why can't they produce stellar lenses for an affordable price.....like the Canikon 85 f1.8's?

 

[havoc315]

Here we go again.....more $1000+ lenses. Why can't they produce stellar lenses for an affordable price.....like the Canikon 85 f1.8's?

Agreed. It is one of the reasons I left Sony. Same philosophy with their A-mount full frame lenses. They seem to have this philosophy that APS-C gets affordable lenses (and there are a few exceptional APS-C reasonably priced lenses for A-mount.. the 35/1.8, the 55-300, even their 16-50/2.8 is cheaper than CaNikon versions). But full frame is almost all premium priced lenses. For A-mount, it means skyrocket priced 2.8 zooms, with few other options, no F4 zooms, etc. For E-mount, it means extremely high priced primes and overpriced F4 zooms.

I just got the Nikon 85/1.8 for $400. No, it's not stabilized. It doesn't have an OLED display built into the lens. But the IQ is exceptional. Doubt the new Sony Zeiss is significantly better in terms of IQ.

Anyway, the FE/A7 philosophy seems to be to lure in buyers with affordable bodies, and then soak them on the lenses.

 

[HPS3]

Hey Havoc, I was joking with Mike that they should offer a free body with the purchase of 2 or more lenses.

Justin, that red-winged blackbird looks awesome!

 

[havoc315]

Hey Havoc, I was joking with Mike that they should offer a free body with the purchase of 2 or more lenses.

Justin, that red-winged blackbird looks awesome!

In some senses, a-mount can give you the best value in lenses. After all, on e-mount you can adapt just about any lens. On A-mount, there is a huge library of used Minolta glass, much of it very high quality, and "stabilized" on modern bodies. Some of the Minolta lenses I shot with, I can't get a modern Nikon equivalent without spending much more money.
For APS-C new lenses, Sony prices are reasonable. But for new, first party full frame lenses... the Sony is almost always slightly higher than the competition for the directly equivalent lens, and generally lacking in value-type alternatives.

 

[fractal]

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I have not been on here in forever, but wanted to get started back. Do you still have to host your photos somewhere like photobucket to post them?

I haven't tried it myself but no, I don't believe you have to do that anymore and can just directly post your pictures.

 

[fractal]

 

[Hockeyman]

Screen calibrated and back from a long weekend in Tampa at Busch Gardens with an over stay in Orlando. Some photos ive posted so far. For the record I used the Tamron 70-300 about 90% of the time and am very happy with it.

Orlando Eye on International Drive. Opens next week

Orlando Eye Lightspeed by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr


Gorilla statue at Busch Gardens

Gorilla Statue by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr


Shiekra at BGT. The photo that made me see just how dirty my sensor really is

Skiekra Sunkist by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr


My oldest going down a water slide at BGT's water park, Adventure Island

Splish Splash by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr


Pretty in Pink by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr


The most insane ride I have ever been on. Youtube this, just nuts
Falcon's Fury by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr

 

[fractal]

Love these shots @Hockeyman! Especially the water slide; followed by the Rollercoaster and the flamingo. Is the ride in the last shot new? I was there in 2012 and don't remember it.
Did you ride Cheetah Run?

 

[Hockeyman]

Love these shots @Hockeyman! Especially the water slide; followed by the Rollercoaster and the flamingo. Is the ride in the last shot new? I was there in 2012 and don't remember it.
Did you ride Cheetah Run?

Thank you Fractal. That ride is Falcon's Fury, its in the desert area back by that pirate ship that swings upside down. It opened up last year and is hands down the most insane ride I have ever been on. Something like a 335ft drop but the kicker is once the thing slowly rises up to the top it flips the seat down so you are horizontal looking straight down at the ground. That is the part that was most intense part, your whole body weight resting on the shoulder restraint makes me a little nervous. Then your off for free falling face first. Terrifying doesn't even describe this things lol. On the way up I told myself I was never riding again but I would in a heartbeat. I wanted to ride again yesterday but it was shut down for inclement weather at the time we were passing by it

Check out the video to see how insane lol.

 

[fractal]

OK - That's Insane!! ^^^

 

[fractal]

 

[Hockeyman]

Cheetah Run by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr


Cassidy and a Roo by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr


White Tiger by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr


Cheetah Hunt by Mike Sperduto, on Flickr

 

[fractal]

60mp Sony Emount coming? Buzz today is that Zeiss published an image sample from it's Batis 85mm lens that seems to come from a camera with 60+- mp.

New A9?