Buddhist Temple - Shanghai

[Frogfish]

Since I've not put up any shots yet I suppose it is time I did !

These were taken from two visits over the past 2 to 4 months.  Various lenses used on the K5 but these were from the Sigma 30/1.4 and the Contax Zeiss 85/1.4.

This place is actually close by the old water town of Qibao in the Shanghai suburbs and only about 5kms from my home. The monks tolerated me on the two occasions I have been there, but some with far less enthusiasm than others so I try not to be too intrusive and not shoot during ceremonies unless from a distance with the Sigma 50-150.

CZ 85


CZ 85


CZ 85


Sigma 30


This one was taken with the 30/1.4 - hanging out of a window so sorry for the composition !


Sigma 30

[spyglass]

Thanks for sharing your work with us Frogfish.


Spyglass

[Ron Kruger]

Very interesting. Some of your compositions are great. I've considered the CZ 85, so I'm wondering about the halo effect on the first shot of the monk. Or did you bump the contrast?

[Frogfish]

Thank you Spyglass.

Thanks Ron. I usually give little bumps to the vibrancy and definition but very rarely the contrast. I think the haloing comes from sharpening after adding the frame. I use Border FX in Aperture 3 and it has a degrading effect on sharpness which always needs touching after after adding frames.

I love the CZ 85/1.4, I had the mount changed to PK and it's a beautiful lens. However I'm seriously considering changing it for the new Sigma 85/1.4 which has received superb reviews, testing stronger even than Canon's 85/1.2 L & Nikon's 85/1.4 G ... and possibly even the FA 85/1.4 (no direct match-up but the the test results seem to indicate the Sigma may edge it).

[Ron Kruger]

Thanks for the explination, Frogfish. Do you notice a difference in colors between Zeiss and Sigma?

[Pacerr]

  I use Border FX in Aperture 3 and it has a degrading effect on sharpness which always needs touching after after adding frames.

That's an interesting observation. I've wondered if certain modes of framing that don't expand the canvas size might not squeeze/downsize the pixels of the original image in a rather crude manner to make room for itself. Sort'a elbowing its way onto a crowded elevator so to speak.

I've experimented with enlarging the canvas prior to framing but haven't done it with enough rigorous discipline to comment ya or nay on that theory.

And nice shots, too.

H2

[Frogfish]

Thanks for the explination, Frogfish. Do you notice a difference in colors between Zeiss and Sigma?

They are both relatively cool in relation to some (most ?) modern Pentax lenses but that's fine you can always warm them up. Possibly the Zeiss is in between whilst the Sigmas a touch cooler or more towards the Leica look

Of course to complicate matters there is a slight colour shift between lenses of the same manufacturer (I have 3 Sigmas and 3 Zeiss - I'll do some checking for you and see if I can post some examples this weekend) maybe due to changes in the manufacturing process over time ?

Overall though I'd say the Sigma and Zeiss are very close.

[Frogfish]

That's an interesting observation. I've wondered if certain modes of framing that don't expand the canvas size might not squeeze/downsize the pixels of the original image in a rather crude manner to make room for itself. Sort'a elbowing its way onto a crowded elevator so to speak.

I've experimented with enlarging the canvas prior to framing but haven't done it with enough rigorous discipline to comment ya or nay on that theory.

And nice shots, too.

H2

Thanks H2.

I can not say if other framing software does the same but there is a very distinct difference between the before and after in Border FX.