Beautiful Failures

xmas tree at Cilandak Town Square

Quoting my photography mentor, Madia Krisnadi

“Photography is about compromise, choose 1 priority, compromise with the rest of aspects. Photography is also a matter of like and dislike. Once you dislike a picture, you’ll find thousand way to say it. ”

So, dont worry. No matter what your gear is, just shoot :)

@Starbuck fX Senayan

Starbucks fX lifecenter Senayan

Starbucks fX lifecenter Senayan

howto:

  • i set my LX5 to manual/apperture priority f/2.0 … usually using 1/30″
  • macro mode, put my cinamon roll under table (still on top of sofa actually)
  • focus to cinamon roll, lock it then recompose to the lamps :)
  • i use my toe to set focus in citos :P

hope you like it :)

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC

 Anyone (specially Nikon users) have ever use Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC? I have and I’m satisfied with it.

So, what is about this lens anyway?

  • Large Maximum Aperture of F1.4
  • The most appropriate coating for digital SLR cameras
  • Two SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements and an hybrid aspherical lens, provides the utmost correction for all types of aberrations
  • Equipped with HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) system. IT WORKS for Nikon D40/D40x/D60 for autofocus

I bought it because i want to have a big aperture lens to shoot in low light. My D40x kit lens (18-55mm) was way out of it. Buying Nikkor 50mm/f1.8 or 1.4 also not an option because it cant do autofocus in my D40x. Well, then I found this Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC.

With 1.5x crop factor sensor of my D40x (now D80), at 30mm it becomes a 45mm lens equivalent. So this lens is perfect to shoot for street photography and general shots. I tried to shot the lens wide open at f/1.4. This lens puts a new spin to street photography at night WITHOUT a tripod. At f/1.4, image quality in very low light conditions with a minimum shutter speed of 1/30 and an ISO setting of 800 or higher – made some pretty nice images.

When you stop down to about f/1.8 to f/2 under low light conditions, the image quality just seems to improve and sharpness and detail improves. Under normal lighting conditions, this lens seems to be sharpest at f/4 – f/5.6.

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