Two of my friends met for the first time today. One friend is a camera lens that I effectively abandoned about 12 years ago. The other are Gecko’s that live on the property.
On this day, my PHASEONE 120MM Macro lens was able to meet with and capture images of Kauai’s Mourning Gecko.
The Gecko
The Mourning Gecko and the Gold Dust Day Gecko (i.e., think GEICO Insurance advertisements) are the most prevalent lizards on and around the WaimeaBeachHouse.
The Lens
The PHASEONE 120MM Macro Blue Ring lens is a great lens. That is, if you know how to properly use it and shoot MACRO photography in acceptable fashion. Many experts, benchmark testing companies, and reviewers feel it is one of the best Macro lens ever made. That is, if you know how to properly use the lens and shoot MACRO photography in an acceptable fashion. Being honest, I am not sure I do either. One evaluation of the lens proffers it is the best lens. The evaluation is located [here].
I have owned the aforementioned lens for almost 14 years. From 2011 through 2013 the lens had a role in my shooting plan. After 2013, the lens was not used at all.
Why not the MACRO?
Starting in 2012 my work and interests moved more and more towards large landscapes. Action and wildlife photography returned for me in earnest in 2018.
A MACRO lens is built for producing images with extraordinary detail. Shots can be highly magnified and captured from short distances. Flowers and insects are ideal subjects for MACRO work. Consumer products are ideal for MACRO lens use by commercial photographers. Because of the magnification capability, a bug or a Fast-food burger can look huge, when in fact they are not.
Over the past five years I have returned to photographing flowers and the like. For some inexplainable reason, the MACRO lens remained on the sideline.
Chance and Fate
Chance and fate reintroduced me to the PHASEONE 120MM Macro lens. I am about to travel. I will devote some time to photography. Therefore, I decide to reconfirm all cameras and lens’s are in best operating condition. This approach allows me to pick and choose what will make the trip.
PHASEONE provides the ability to calibrate a camera body, digital back, and a lens to exacting levels. Over an entire afternoon, I recalibrate seven Blue Ring lens’ with my PHASEONE XF Body and IQ4 150 Digital Back.
After re-calibrating all my Blue Ring lens’s, I stepped back and asked questions about the PHASEONE 120MM Blue Ring. Why am I no longer using this lens? The images produced as part of the recalibration were superb. As a result, I decided to refamiliarize with the lens.
First Subject Initial Shot
For the first subject, I made sure to follow the basic ground rules for MACRO shooting and this lens in particular. The shot would include the use of a tripod, be made on a subject that was relatively still and in good, but not extreme light.
The Monk Orchid in the Plumeria Tree in the backyard in mid-morning light was my choice.
The PHASEONE 120MM Macro lens performs best if the aperture is in the f6.3 to f11 range. An aperture of F8 is about ideal.
The range of focus for the lens is 1.2ft (yielding 1x magnification) up to 30ft/infinity (yielding 25x magnification). I decide to get as close as the lens would allow and still focus as sharp as it is capable. I focus manually, and to confirm the last bit of sharpness by utilizing the IQ4 -150’s Live View Mode. Live View allows you to Zoom in and or out, similar to many of today’s camera phones.
I decide I want the shot at F8 and adjust the ISO setting and shutter speed to achieve the composition I desire.
So what did I desire of the composition? I want the area near the focus point, in this case the flower, to look as it does to my eye. I want the background dissolving to black. The combined setting of ISO 100 and a shutter speed of 1/250th of a second would yield the result I desire with an aperture of f8.
Whoa… What a Minute!
At first glance, the resulting image appears to be exactly what I desire. However, upon review it appears there might be scratches and a big brown glob of dirt.
I increase the image size to 100% to establish if what appears to be the case is true. Nope, not even close. The scratches turn out to be a spider’s web and a tiny spider between the flower’s lips.
Next Flower In Line
I decide to photograph the Kauaian Hibiscus in the front-yard using the same type of criteria as with the Monk Orchid.
And Then Friends Meet
While photographing the Kauaian Hibiscus, I notice some eyes looking at me from the fence. Wait a moment, I think there are two sets of eyes. Oh, maybe that is not correct, I think there are three sets of eyes.
I decide to try to capture an image. In the process, I violate a key rule used to capture images of the flowers described above. The violation, is I lean over the fence with the tripod angling sideways in the air to find the Gecko’s and take some snaps. I do set the camera into auto-focus mode and find my friends on the fence. I keep the other settings in Manual mode and adjust as needed. F8 ISO 200 and 1/640th is what is used.
Gecko’s meet PHASEONE!
The Other Flower
There are two other Hibiscus plants in the front-yard that are not planed to be part of this Post. Neither are flowering on the day of the shoot. One flowers the next day. I capture images of the flower.
*** Jeff’s Thoughts and Other Worthless Trivia ***
Lizards
There are 13 types of lizards in Hawaii. Eight of the lizards are Gecko’s. None are native to the islands. FYI there are no snakes in Hawaii. The Gecko’s are listed [here].
A Word About Capture Integration
Capture Integration entered my life 14 years-ago. For me, Capture Integration (CI) is Steve Hendrix, Brad Kaye and Dave Gallagher. CI has always made sure what I want to have in photographic gear is what I need. CI has always made sure my gear is in proper form and my voice is heard.
Steve Hendrix will fly from Atlanta Georgia to Sun Valley Idaho for a MESH Art Gallery Walk on his own dime. Brad Kaye will spend whatever time it takes to make sure my equipment is in top operating condition without charge. Dave Gallagher will ensure I am okay, and operating within a day, immediately after I have dropped all my gear onto a parking lot space in Portland Oregon.
The implication is PHASEONE and CI have assisted with an artist and Art Gallery (MESH) that is now 12 years in operation, has 9 published works of Fine Art Photography, and has followers from 92 countries
Towards the end of 2013, Steve Hendrix suggested that the PHASEONE 120MM Macro lens while good for what it was intended, was no longer fitting into my shooting plan. Steve suggested it was a lens worthy of keeping given my prior interests, but should be utilized for what it was intended. Steve was correct.
If you are serious about your gear, discuss it with Capture Integration. Their site is located [here].
Note: I am not compensated in any way shape or for my my opinion about Capture Integration.
Other Approaches?
There are many options available for to how I could capture images for this post. For example, employing Focus Stacking or different shooting distances to increase magnification, or not using fStop (F8) as my principle driver. The Post is about rediscovery, and my plan was easy to implement. FYI, there are some terrific technical write-ups on the Capture Integration website.
Late in the Day
And after all the intense effort, a rain late in the day occurs. Afterward, the clouds part, and the view from the front porch is captured with the PHASEONE 35M Blue Ring.
