USING A 28-100 MACRO OUT AND ABOUT

[FUJI]

Taking the lead from Don Mc Cullen the top photojournalist whom I drew attention to in a video clip the other day when he was learing to use a digital DSLR for the first time............during the video he mentions that a 28-100 Macro is one of his favourite lenses for photojournalism and Street Photography:

Well as you can see I have given it a go.....and have been truly amazed at its capabilities........as you can see from the results here.

The lens does take some getting used to because it is permanetly zoomed but in reverse to the norm, the closer you focus the more the barrel extends:

It has now become my second favourite lens becuase it is SO versatile:

The French Market was back in town last Friday and Saturday, three of the shots were taken there.....but just to demonstrate wat it can do close up I include the study of the dewy moss....this pic clearly demonstrates the extremely shallow Depth Of Field at almost full magnification:

Pics best viewed LARGE....Click on them:

FUJI

[FUJI]

PIC 1:...French Market Trader:

2 ....Tarte's Cirtron

3......Market customers departing:

4......Close up od Dewy Moss on a wall.

All cropped to suit the subject ...all processed in my usual way:

Best viewd LARGE....Click on pics:

FUJI

[Korky]

The pick for me is the market trader - a lovely, soulful expression and a VERY Gallic look. All he's lacking is a Galoise hanging from his lips.

A super portrait, Fooj. Gets a very big thumbs-up from me.

Korky

[Guest DaveW]

Pretty sharp at normal distance Fuji, but not as sharp as your proper macro lens up close. However remarkable optical performance for a lens covering the range 28-400 since obviously the designers have to make some compromises for such a long zoom range. For street photography in order to not have to keep swapping lenses it must be a godsend?

To quote from the Web:-

"Keep this in mind: any time that you create a lens with a really great zoom range, the optical quality will suffer somewhere, either on the telephoto end of the range, or the wide-angle end. Rarely in the middle."

Sometimes you have to sacrifice ultimate quality for convenience though and also long zooms are harder to hand hold steady close-up:-

http://www.shutterbug.com/content/macro-vs-macro-zoom

However for most peoples purposes the "macro zoom" has quite sufficient optical quality.

For me also the mans portrait is the best.

DaveW

[colinb]

Looking good Fuji - how far away are you from the market trader?

I tend to use my 50mm a lot as it is very inconspicuous although it means I have to walk rather than zoom, but I must say I like the idea of the long macro lens.

[Heather]

loving the french market trader picture Fuji, great expression and nice dof ... i may have to start saving for one of these lenses as they do look useful

[FUJI]

Thanks folks......the using of this lens for anything other than dedicated macro work was first suggested to me by BP a couple f years ago.....but I didn't know as much then and wasn't as photo savvy as I am now.

It has been a revelation and a joy to discover its potential.....watch this space.

Heather, it certainly isn't a cheap option, and they can be very frustrating to use fir dedicated macro use......but for Street Photography....a Joy!

FUJI

[fuzzyedges]

Which lens is it Fuji

Your title is 28-100 yet you talk of a 28 -400

Is it on a croped sensor or full frame?

[Heather]

cant find a macro lens 28-100 for a canon camera :(

[FUJI]

Which lens is it Fuji

Your title is 28-100 yet you talk of a 28 -400

Is it on a croped sensor or full frame?

Sorry fuzzy.....those that know me are aware that I suffer from Dyscalculia and hardly ever get figures right.....It is a dedicated

SONY MACRO 2.8 / 100 I apologise f I have confused you......... I use a SONY A55 camera.

How far was I from the Market Trader?.....I am guessing.....circa eight feet or more.......the lens enables me to approach but not to invade personal space........I pressed the shutter at the split second he noticed me.

FUJI

[fuzzyedges]

Sorry fuzzy.

No need to appologise it was just that the image (by the way I like it) is what I would expect from my 85mm lens on my croped sensor 1.6x, which would equal a 135 lens and as you know a 135 flatters portraiture taking

I wouldnt expect that from a 400 lens on a 1.5x sensor that = 600mm but I would from a 100 lens that= 150mm and if it wasnt flat out it gets closer to the magical 135

It certainly looks a good lens Fuji especially for candid

[colinb]

How far was I from the Market Trader?.....I am guessing.....circa eight feet or more.......the lens enables me to approach but not to invade personal space........I pressed the shutter at the split second he noticed me.

FUJI

Sorry Fuji, I asked as I thought it was a 400mm thinking you would be a little further away than 8ft. I'll try and do something similar with my 50mm, although the dewy moss pic is one that would be beyond my 50mm lens capabilties.

[Kobione]

Fuji, the market trader one is fantastic!

[Guest DaveW]

That makes quite a difference Fuji, a f2.8, 100mm macro lens instead of a 28mm-400mm zoom! Evidently the close-ups suffered a little loss of ultimate sharpness from hand holding at that magnification and not using flash?

The lens, like most macro lenses, gets a pretty good review, but at higher magnifications unless using flash, as with all macro lenses it needs to be on a tripod or at least a monopod to produce it's ultimate sharpness.

http://www.techradar...41461?artc_pg=9

Still makes a great job of the portrait hand held, though at a lesser magnification.

DaveW