went back. So the time to shell out the money for a high-quality lens is when you want your images to get to the next level. Then go out and get the best lens you can afford. “What is the deal about primes and
zooms? I heard zooms are no good com- pared with primes or single focal length lenses.” There was a time it was true that zooms paled in image quality be- cause their multiple glass lens elements softened the image. With breakthroughs in element design, materials, and coat- ings, the best zooms of today beat out the primes of old and rival the primes of to- day. Only discerning eyes will catch the difference between prime and zoom.
The Prime of Your Life But oh, the difference! Primes can
be designed with virtually no compro- mises, thus obtaining as perfect an im- age as possible. They also are fast with ƒ/1.4 apertures being common. Shooting primes does require a different mind- set from zooms. You think more, you shoot slower, and zoom with your feet. For that extra effort, however, you are rewarded with possessing the finest pos- sible image. The creamylicious bokeh of
a Canon 85mm ƒ/1.2L or a Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG HSM Art or a Zeiss 55mm ƒ/1.4 Otus ($3,990.00) will cause any image junkie to babble on and on. You remem- ber your first Heritage unit, right? You know what I mean then.
Extreme Thoughts Beyond regular lenses are the ex-
tremes of fish-eye, super-telephoto, and macro. Their usefulness is not always evident at first glance and can take some time to master. For instance, it was not until recently I found that fish-eyes are fantastic when presented with a subject that has curves. Telephotos can make the biggest smoke plumes in the world. And with a super-telephoto on the pho- to line, you can go get coffee while the rest of the foamers wait for the train to arrive. Sometime, try taking a look at something small; it will expand your world. To be honest, extreme lenses are used
much less frequently; they really cannot be used all the time and it’s okay if they sit in your bag a lot. But every once in awhile, there are some shots that cannot be done without them. It is at that time they become your secret weapons and all the other shooters will go “whoa!” Be warned though — if you start col- lecting lenses, it can be addictive.
My Personal Set-Up At the bigger events I do a total geek-
out and use OP/TECH USA’s Triple Car- rier and wear three cameras sporting my three zooms of wide, medium, and tele. Believe it or not, I can wear the rig all day and not feel any pain. This way I am ready for anything and do not lose a shot because I am changing a lens. (Dust
DENNIS A. LIVESEY was a toddler when he was first exposed to trains and cameras. An assistant cinematog- rapher in the movie industry for many years, he now advises on camera pur- chases. He recently authored Smoke Over Steamtown, available from Schiffer Publishing.
OPPOSITE: In order to get the shot I wanted at the WW&F of Joe Fox, Hansel Fardon, and Bill Piche, I went with a 24mm on a full-frame camera. The wide lens not only was able to cap- ture the entire scene but since I was so physi- cally close, it created a tremendous intimacy. Because of this intimacy, it is as though we are there seeing it with our own eyes.
FAR LEFT: I had planned to shoot the steam lo- comotive against a mountain backdrop by using a 300mm on an APS-C camera. The idea was to use the lens to make the mountain seem enor- mous. When a tail wind caused the locomotive’s plume to reach unbelievable heights and den- sity, the 300mm helped me acheive the same visual effect. ABOVE LEFT: At the shuttered City Hall subway station, with its sharp curve and many arches, that I learned fish-eye lenses come into their own when there are curves in the scene. This is a perfect example of when infrequently used extreme lenses become se- cret weapons. LEFT: The shot of the lamp was shot with at 50mm and ƒ/2.8. I wanted to throw the background totally out of focus. I did that by placing the focus on the flame. It was only about 12 inches away and the locomotive was about 50 feet. With that kind of difference, I knew the loco would be only a suggestion. This shot shows bokeh pretty well.
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spots also cease to be an issue.) This get- up suits the way I work, which is basical- ly buzzing around like a bee. I find that when the action is happening so fast in front of me, the only way I can work in all the possibilities is to work this crazy set up. Yes, I could use an “everything” zoom but I admit to being an image quality junkie and thrill when the image looks really good.
A Tip for Everyone
Wanna know a helpful hint that will instantly upgrade the performance of any lens you own, from a kit lens to the latest uber-exotic expensive German lens for free? All lenses, no matter how perfect, always get better in resolution, color, and contrast if you stop down two stops from its wide open, low number aperture. That is because by making the hole the light has to go through smaller, spurious light rays are blocked and the result is a clearer image. And finally what the heck is bokeh? Bokeh (boh-kay) is from the Japanese
word “boke” for “blur.” It is the name for the aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus background in a photograph. It has been said that wisdom is only appreciated by the person who has just discovered it. I hope, however, our little chat will help you learn to see. Your eyes will enjoy the view.
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