SMC-DA 12-24 Test Shots

SMC-DA 12-24 Hyperfocal Test Shots · 11:05 PM

Some PP to open up shadow areas, and sharpening to compensate for poor focusing technique.

dazman · 12-14-2008, 06:00 AM

You've gotta be happy with those results. Nice shots...nice lens

daacon · 12-14-2008, 06:07 AM

Mine is quite well used and I see you will get a lot of use out of yours, I really like #1

song_hm · 12-15-2008, 08:20 AM

Thanks guys. I was attempting hyperfocal focus, but I did not get it right on #1 and #3. There are no dof marking on the lens, so what I did was set the aperture, lock focus on nearby object and then recompose. It is touch and go.

Any advise on how to make this more reliable?

jeffkpotter · 12-15-2008, 09:43 AM

After months of using this wonderful lens I have discovered that you can wring the best quality out of it by stopping down to f5.6 from 12-18mm and f8 at 20-24mm. If you stop down more at these settings you will lose quality I promise you. It still has great center resolution at 12mm wide open. See Photozone resolution tests. I figure there are no dof markings because the lens focuses from 7ft. to infinity with a truly miniscule twist of the focus ring, and the short extension doesn't give you much room for one.

song_hm · 12-15-2008, 05:11 PM

Originally posted by jeffkpotter

...you can wring the best quality out of it by stopping down to f5.6 from 12-18mm and f8 at 20-24mm. If you stop down more at these settings you will lose quality I promise you.

Good to know. I used f/16 on the first two

, and f/6.7 on the third.

netuser · 12-15-2008, 05:15 PM

Damn, another lens to my "to buy" list.

And damn again, so expensive.

EvoRoadster · 12-15-2008, 05:20 PM

It has become my most used lens.

joelovotti · 12-15-2008, 05:26 PM

Do you have a hyperfocal calculator?
There are free ones on the web.
I have one for my iPod Touch
I just calculate the hyperfocal distance, set the lens and shoot.
If the lens focus throw is too short and there are no markings just take the distance from the calculator, judge an object at approximately the hyperfocal distance, pre focus to that and start shooting.
Hope this helps.
joe

cupic · 12-15-2008, 05:38 PM

You have done well in exposure and composition

cheers

jeffkpotter · 12-15-2008, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by song_hm

Good to know. I used f/16 on the first two

, and f/6.7 on the third.

The images still look good though! When I say that quality degrades if you overstop I am mainly referring to the sharpness you lose due to diffraction. Please keep in mind that I am an insane pixel peeper.

It really does pay to study the Photozone resolution tests for this lens. Photozone has done us all a huge favor by posting these.

**xs400** · 12-15-2008, 05:45 PM

Nice work, great color. Now i want that lens!!

JMR · 12-15-2008, 06:30 PM

Nice photos. It seems Jeff knows a lot about lenses, but I will add my two cents. It is generally recognized that to get maximum depth of field at any given aperture one should focus about one third the distance of the area covered by the picture space. With the exception of macro, if you focus on a tree as an example, one third of the area in front of the subject will be in focus and two thirds behind. But this is just a guideline that works for me most of the time.

JMR

Jimbo · 12-15-2008, 08:24 PM

I have this lens too and I rotally agree with Jeff. I really do like the len but you have to be dead on with set up or you can can a lot of noise with this lens. I like its range and it is becoming one of my favorites. Good like and noce photo's. JIMBO

song_hm · 12-15-2008, 09:48 PM

Originally posted by joelovotti

Do you have a hyperfocal calculator? There are free ones on the web. ... I just calculate the hyperfocal distance, set the lens and shoot. ... just take the distance from the calculator, judge an object at approximately the hyperfocal distance, pre focus to that and start shooting.
joe

Thanks Joe. I downloaded the one from DofMaster. Compared against this to finally figured out how to use the chart.

Originally posted by jeffkpotter

When I say that quality degrades if you overstop I am mainly referring to the sharpness you lose due to diffraction. Please keep in mind that I am an insane pixel peeper.

It really does pay to study the Photozone resolution tests for this lens. Photozone has done us all a huge favor by posting these.

Found the page. MTF for 24mm is better at F/8 than F/11.

song_hm
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12-14-2008, 06:00 AM	#2
dazman Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,949	You've gotta be happy with those results. Nice shots...nice lens

12-14-2008, 06:07 AM	#3
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	Mine is quite well used and I see you will get a lot of use out of yours, I really like #1

12-15-2008, 08:20 AM	#4
song_hm Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Pennsylvania, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 797 Original Poster	Thanks guys. I was attempting hyperfocal focus, but I did not get it right on #1 and #3. There are no dof marking on the lens, so what I did was set the aperture, lock focus on nearby object and then recompose. It is touch and go. Any advise on how to make this more reliable?

12-15-2008, 09:43 AM	#5
jeffkpotter Guest	After months of using this wonderful lens I have discovered that you can wring the best quality out of it by stopping down to f5.6 from 12-18mm and f8 at 20-24mm. If you stop down more at these settings you will lose quality I promise you. It still has great center resolution at 12mm wide open. See Photozone resolution tests. I figure there are no dof markings because the lens focuses from 7ft. to infinity with a truly miniscule twist of the focus ring, and the short extension doesn't give you much room for one.

12-15-2008, 05:11 PM	#6
song_hm Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Pennsylvania, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 797 Original Poster	Originally posted by jeffkpotter ...you can wring the best quality out of it by stopping down to f5.6 from 12-18mm and f8 at 20-24mm. If you stop down more at these settings you will lose quality I promise you. Good to know. I used f/16 on the first two , and f/6.7 on the third.

12-15-2008, 05:15 PM	#7
netuser Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Azores Islands, Portugal Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,236	Damn, another lens to my "to buy" list. And damn again, so expensive.

12-15-2008, 05:20 PM	#8
EvoRoadster New Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii Posts: 11	It has become my most used lens.

12-15-2008, 05:26 PM	#9
joelovotti Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: US Photos: Albums Posts: 393	Do you have a hyperfocal calculator? There are free ones on the web. I have one for my iPod Touch I just calculate the hyperfocal distance, set the lens and shoot. If the lens focus throw is too short and there are no markings just take the distance from the calculator, judge an object at approximately the hyperfocal distance, pre focus to that and start shooting. Hope this helps. joe

12-15-2008, 05:38 PM	#10
cupic Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia-NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,824	You have done well in exposure and composition cheers

12-15-2008, 05:38 PM	#11
jeffkpotter Guest	Originally posted by song_hm Good to know. I used f/16 on the first two , and f/6.7 on the third. The images still look good though! When I say that quality degrades if you overstop I am mainly referring to the sharpness you lose due to diffraction. Please keep in mind that I am an insane pixel peeper. It really does pay to study the Photozone resolution tests for this lens. Photozone has done us all a huge favor by posting these.

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12-15-2008, 05:45 PM	#12
xs400 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,927	Nice work, great color. Now i want that lens!!

12-15-2008, 06:30 PM	#13
JMR Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 3,332	Nice photos. It seems Jeff knows a lot about lenses, but I will add my two cents. It is generally recognized that to get maximum depth of field at any given aperture one should focus about one third the distance of the area covered by the picture space. With the exception of macro, if you focus on a tree as an example, one third of the area in front of the subject will be in focus and two thirds behind. But this is just a guideline that works for me most of the time. JMR

12-15-2008, 08:24 PM	#14
Jimbo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Maple Ridge BC Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,368	I have this lens too and I rotally agree with Jeff. I really do like the len but you have to be dead on with set up or you can can a lot of noise with this lens. I like its range and it is becoming one of my favorites. Good like and noce photo's. JIMBO

12-15-2008, 09:48 PM	#15
song_hm Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Pennsylvania, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 797 Original Poster	Originally posted by joelovotti Do you have a hyperfocal calculator? There are free ones on the web. ... I just calculate the hyperfocal distance, set the lens and shoot. ... just take the distance from the calculator, judge an object at approximately the hyperfocal distance, pre focus to that and start shooting. joe Thanks Joe. I downloaded the one from DofMaster. Compared against this to finally figured out how to use the chart. Originally posted by jeffkpotter When I say that quality degrades if you overstop I am mainly referring to the sharpness you lose due to diffraction. Please keep in mind that I am an insane pixel peeper. It really does pay to study the Photozone resolution tests for this lens. Photozone has done us all a huge favor by posting these. Found the page. MTF for 24mm is better at F/8 than F/11.