Since some time has passed while I have been uploading articles about my trip to Nagano and tinkering with my computer, I will digest one backlog this time.
I hardly touched LUMIX S5 from March to April. When I was walking around old Edo view, I gave up my turn to the APSC K-3III with which I have wide range coverage of zoom lenses, and when I took it out on trips, the lightweight MFT G99 beat me to it, so unfortunately my sweet full-size S5, did not get many chances at bat.
So, one day at the end of Golden Week, I took the S5 and two single focal length lenses, SIGMA 50mm F2 DG DN and SIGMA 90mm F2.8 DG DN, out to “dry them out”. I decided to go to Hama-Rikyu Garden, which is my favorite place to visit when I can’t think of a particular place to go.
Before the Hama-Rikyu, I took a 50mm lens and went to the semi-underground promenade of Shiodome for a quick check-up.
I am unnecessarily fond of high-contrast sunlight scenes like this, whether on urban streets or in natural landscapes. The full-size S5 is indeed a reliable camera that responds without breaking down even under such harsh conditions.
Next is also a flowerbed in the Shiodome underground shopping center. I was drawn to the beautiful flower in the foreground, but I wondered if it was skunk cabbage or the similar Spathiphyllum… which is it?
I took several shots at different apertures and found f/8 to be the most comfortable.
The same 50mm lens was used for the blue maples at Hama-Rikyu.
With the sharpness and bokeh that only a single focal length can provide, there’s nothing to say.
On the other hand, this is what it looked like with the 90mm.
A group of dandelions. I focused on the flowers in the foreground and blurred out the background with the intention of showing depth.
I got the most beautiful ball blur at f/6.3. I have not had enough experience with full-size cameras to get a feel for aperture and bokeh. I am still learning.
There is a small shrine in the park that makes a good subject. This time I happened to have the 90mm lens attached to my camera, so instead of taking a full view, I took a closer shot of the fresh greenery peeking out from under the roof.
The balance between the sharpness of the focus and the beauty of the bokeh is wonderful. By the way, the contrast in the background was very harsh at this time and there was a slight purple fringe behind the leaves, which I was able to suppress with the help of PhotoLab7 but not completely eliminate.
Finally, I switched to the 50mm lens again.
The standard approach for a photo walk at Hama-Rikyu is to use the teahouse on the water and the dark green Japanese-style setting behind it in the foreground, with the contrasting skyscrapers of Shiodome in the background.
I took this shot at f/2.5 to slightly blur the tree in the left foreground that is in the shadows. The 50mm lens is also a good lens.
When walking around with only a single focal length lens, it is difficult to get in close and out of the way, but when you do, the feeling of being in the right place is exceptional.
It was a very satisfying holiday stroll that was more than just a “moth-eaten” photographic experience.
