... after my fuji x-t2 died i sold all the kit associated with it in order to finance my little exploration of sony a7ii land ... deciding that i didn't want to be without some sort of lens with which i can photograph a casual event, i searched and searched until i came across a great deal on a nikkor 35-70mm f/3.5—not the little plasticky kit lens but the real deal, the "professional" mid-range zoom ... back in the film days i would often dream of owning such a wonderful, and, yes, rather expensive, hunk of optical glass ...
... on full-frame 35-70mm is actually rather boring ... at the wide end there really isn't much drama while the long end just isn't—well, it just isn't long ...
... what it does do is allow me to leave the house with a single lens and explore a wide range of situations, which, of course, is exactly the reason i got it ...
... so, let's go on a little lens test wanderabout ...
[NOTE: IF YOU CLICK ON A PICTURE YOU'LL SEE THE IMAGES IN A SLIDE SHOW]
... the very first frame from the lens ... roger, doing his well-known "which motorcycle do i want" routine ... as always, very entertaining ...
... on full-frame 35-70mm is actually rather boring ... at the wide end there really isn't much drama while the long end just isn't—well, it just isn't long ...
... what it does do is allow me to leave the house with a single lens and explore a wide range of situations, which, of course, is exactly the reason i got it ...
... so, let's go on a little lens test wanderabout ...
[NOTE: IF YOU CLICK ON A PICTURE YOU'LL SEE THE IMAGES IN A SLIDE SHOW]
... the very first frame from the lens ... roger, doing his well-known "which motorcycle do i want" routine ... as always, very entertaining ...
... looking into the light, not bad for a 10-element/9-group 35+ year-old design ...
... at the hathaway building it surprised me how comfortable i was using the lens in such contrasty lighting ...
... the first shot for which i completely forgot what lens i was using ...
... a different interpretation ... if you want to you can voice your choice or thoughts via the little email box in the upper right corner of the journal page ...
... at the antique bazaar ...
... from a time when it was okay to make simple things cool ...
... and working things were built to last forever ...
... one of the south end's lanes ... not the waterville most are familiar with, here is to be found an entirely different town ...
... that little sprit of land where the sebasticook river joins the mighty kennebec, prior to the french and indian war in the mid-1700's that was the very edge of the english empire in this part of north america ... at night the soldiers would close and secure the gate, then from their watch posts along the wooden palisade they would stare across the river into the dark, forbidding forest along the foreign shore ...
... i call this one "little house in the little woods" ...
... a mile or so from my house is my favorite testing ground ... high contrast, back lighting, i put the nikkor to work ...
... this is my favorite shot, one that says nothing (or, if you're some sort of "pixel peeper," little) about the brush with which it was painted ...
... one of the very best indicators that i'd made a wise choice in my selection of this particular lens, i just couldn't stop playing with the raw files ... had i bought a less refined 35-70mm zoom (i.e., "cheaper") i don't think i would've wanted to work up this particular image ...
... hmmmm, with only one camera, how to show you the lens ... ??? ...
... in the end, it's just a rather clever assemblage of glass and metal ... a tool, that's all, but for sure it's a very, very nice tool ...
"i think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship"
RICK BLAINE-CASSABLANCA
"i think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship"
RICK BLAINE-CASSABLANCA