Pictures By Alan

Share and Enjoy

Pictures By Alan > Other > 2008-09 Wimberley

2008-09 Wimberley

I took a trip to Wimberley alone to give the new camera and lenses a thorough testing. I took about 1,700 pictures, the best dozen being the ones below (plus one shot of me for the heck of it). The camera performs very well. The primary surprise from the trip was how frequently I used the Tamron 17-35mm ultrawide zoom. I had bought it with expectation of occasionally taking a picture, but found it to be extraordinarily useful on the creek. Of the twelve best shots, six were taken with the 17-35mm, three with the old 90mm macro, two with the 70-200mm and one with the LensBaby. So, far more use than I expected, and far better results, from the 17-35mm, and much less (like, zero) from the 24-105mm.

Part of the reason is the 17-35mm makes an excellent complement to the 70-200mm. Since the 70-200 is so heavy, I don't want to carry much else when I carry it, and the 17-35 doesn't overlap the range of the 70-200 like the 24-105 does. The missing range of 35-70 is a range I seldom use anyway. (Despite its reputation as the "most useful lens", I've never liked the perspective of the 50mm and stopped bothering to even carry mine when I shot film. In those days I even shot weddings with three primes, 24/2.5, 90/2.8 macro and 180/2.5, and no flash).

Alan Bryant 2008-Oct-11