[yasik]

DA* 55

[dmort]

This is a 17 shot pano using the DA* 50-135mm

[tclausen]

This is a 17 shot pano using the DA* 50-135mm

Wow, very nice!

Did you keep the lens at either extreme, or how did you otherwise prevent the focal length from changing during the exposures?

[dmort]

Thanks - I kept the lens at 50mm. I ran the photos through DxO Optics Pro 8 and then sent them into Microsoft ICE (which did a really nice job).

The full res file is about 27000 pixels by 4500 pixels (or so). I'm going to print it at 8 x 40 and see how I like it. If it turns out well, I'm going to do a 15 x 75" framed print.

I had just bought the acratech leveling base which is really what made this stitch together so well.

[tclausen]

Thanks - I kept the lens at 50mm. I ran the photos through DxO Optics Pro 8 and then sent them into Microsoft ICE (which did a really nice job).

The full res file is about 27000 pixels by 4500 pixels (or so). I'm going to print it at 8 x 40 and see how I like it. If it turns out well, I'm going to do a 15 x 75" framed print.

I had just bought the acratech leveling base which is really what made this stitch together so well.

Well, the result surely shows that your efforts paid off.

I have been contemplating a "leveling base" for a while, but am hampered by not finding those locally to "touch and feel"....so I'll be on the lookout for one next time I am in Japan, I am sure that Yodobashi should be able to help.

In the meantime, would you mind terribly sharing both your "purchasing reflections" and "initial impressions" with the Acratech, it'd help a great deal.

[dmort]

Sure - as far I as I could tell, the choices were the novoflex base, the acratech, and the various choices from sunway photo. I had read reviews on the acratech, (one in particular from luminous landscapes) and all were positive. After googling a ton, I found the that the diameter of the acratech worked perfectly with my feisol 3402 and my kirk bh3 - not to wide or narrow. Also, since the feisol 3402 is a pretty short tripod I didn't mind a slightly taller leveling base. Some of the other choices are a little lower profile.

I also own a wimberly sidekick, which I sometimes use with my sigma 100-300 f4 + tc. I was using this combo - tripod + head + sidekick + lens in my inlaws backyard and my photos kept coming out off angle, every time I moved the head. Then, duh, I realized that it was because the head wasn't level. I was about to go on a photography workshop in Northern New Hampshire, and I figured now was the time to invest in a product. The acratech was available for amazon prime shipping, so bam! I ordered it and I was really happy with it.

The base has no tensioner. When you loosen the knob, whatever is on top becomes very loose... You can loosen it just a little to have some friction still. This took a little getting used to. It isn't a big deal with the DA* 16-50 or the DA* 50-135, but with a longer and heavier lens, you have to be ready to hold the gear. This took like three times to get used to and now I'm used to it. The bubble level is really big and easy to use.

The head has (I think) about 10 degrees of leveling in it - that's not a ton. I think the novoflex has 15. Anyways, 10 degrees is not enough that you can write off leveling the tripod. I might still need to adjust the legs. But we are talking about a general adjustment, nothing precise. And I didn't find it inconvenient in the field. In fact, the added step of leveling the head was not a problem. I'd extend the legs, make sure all ballhead knobs were tight. Level the head. Then loose ball head knobs to compose. If you didn't have the ball head locked up, you'd be adjusting the base while the head continued to move. It was a lot easier to lock everything about the head up so it would move on top of the base as a single unit.

Basically, this is the type of gear that once added to your support setup you wonder how you lived without it. It made shooting panos a breeze. I did also use a little flash shoe mount level to make sure the head was level. But this wasn't a big deal. I guess I could get some 3/8" thread quick release to use for panos - mounting the camera directly to the leveling base. But I'm happy enough with this stitch that I will try several more panos before considering any changes to the kit.

If I buy another tripod someday, I'll make sure to get a gitzo or feisol (probably feisol) that can accept the manufacturer's built in leveling base. However, for what I have now, this was perfect. No complaints!

[Rondec]

DA *55 photos.

Anna.




Elliot.




Some snakes.

[siamthai]

DA *55 photos.

Anna.




Elliot.




Some snakes.

Nice photos as always. I hope the snakes were inside terrariums

If you look at a larger size of this photo you can clearly see my house in this squirrel´s eye.

[mattb123]

DA *55 photos.

Anna.




Elliot.




Some snakes.

Very nice. That last snake photo is especially cool!

[pigmy]

Very nice. That last snake photo is especially cool!

me too!

[Rondec]

me too!

Very nice. That last snake photo is especially cool!

Nice photos as always. I hope the snakes were inside terrariums

Thanks guys. Yes, the snakes were in terrariums. It was pretty dark and the fast aperture of the DA *55 came in pretty handy.

[Driline]

DA* 50-135 Man I love this lens.....

[Driline]

DA* 50-135 This would have been a much better picture if it hadn't been for the stupid power lines in the way. All the family was set up here so I had no opportunity to move

[mattb123]

I took my 60-250 up a hill near town for this perspective of our fireworks display.






I played with zooming during the exposure too. Kind of fun!

[VisualDarkness]

I took my 60-250 up a hill near town for this perspective on our fireworks display.






I played with zooming during the exposure too. Kind of fun!

Impressive firework pics with a tele!