Author Topic: Brighter days = photography  (Read 34259 times)

Re: Brighter days = photography
Reply #15 on: August 17, 2016, 05:52:48 AM
Arrived yesterday so hopefully get out at the weekend to try it out.

  • Offline Serious

  • Posts: 14,467
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
Re: Brighter days = photography
Reply #16 on: August 17, 2016, 18:31:25 PM
I like the lens but personally couldn't justify the price. Then it's white... :/

Considered the Tamron 70-200MM f2.8 lenses but they have focus breathing issues. Thing is so do Sigma and Nikon versions.




Last Edit: August 17, 2016, 18:38:37 PM by Serious #187;

  • Offline zpyder

  • Posts: 6,946
  • Hero Member
Re: Brighter days = photography
Reply #17 on: September 04, 2016, 16:55:36 PM
I'd never actually heard of the term focus breathing before, and had to look it up, interesting stuff!

As to the whiteness...I too kind of thought it looked odd to start with. Much like why people buy Silver bodies and then put black lenses on.

But you get used to it, and technically it's not about standing out from a crowd with the white expensive lens. The official answer from Canon is the white reflects more heat, so if you're for instance a nature photographer on safari, in the glaring African sun, then a big black lens will likely absorb more heat and expand and affect the IQ of the lens much more than a lighter coloured lens.

I guess the way to test this would be to have two identical camera set ups, but put a tight fitting black cover on one of the white lenses, and on a really sunny day go out and take some photos. I wonder if there'd ever be a noticeable difference in quality.

  • Offline zpyder

  • Posts: 6,946
  • Hero Member
Re: Brighter days = photography
Reply #18 on: September 05, 2016, 22:21:47 PM
Some example shots of the 100-400 II, from the Mauritius trip.


Mauritius grey white-eye (Zosterops mauritianus) by Chris Moody, on Flickr


Red-legged golden orb-web spider (Nephila inaurata) by Chris Moody, on Flickr


Day gecko (Phelsuma sp.) by Chris Moody, on Flickr

This ones a bit of a cheat as I used a 1.4x extender on it. But given it's a tiny fast moving subject, it's pretyt good that even losing a stop you can get results like this.

Small green metallic hoverfly by Chris Moody, on Flickr

And on the day this photo was taken, I put the weather sealing of the lens and 5D body to the test

Village weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) by Chris Moody, on Flickr

Suffice to say, it failed:

Camera malfunction by Chris Moody, on Flickr

An overnight stint in a bag of rice brought it back to life. It's working fine now, though I should really send it off for a service before any corrosion sets in.


IMG_1615 by Chris Moody, on Flickr


striated heron (Butorides striata) by Chris Moody, on Flickr

And two rarities, a pink pigeon and a mauritian kestrel. Both these species are mega rare, rarer than pandas and tigers. At the end of the last century there were fewer than 10 individuals or both species left in the world. Through conservation efforts though, they're now at a stable population on their native island.


Mauritius Pink pigeon (Nesoenas mayeri) by Chris Moody, on Flickr


Mauritius kestrel (Falco punctatus) by Chris Moody, on Flickr

  • Offline Serious

  • Posts: 14,467
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
Re: Brighter days = photography
Reply #19 on: September 06, 2016, 07:33:26 AM
I'd never actually heard of the term focus breathing before, and had to look it up, interesting stuff!

As to the whiteness...I too kind of thought it looked odd to start with. Much like why people buy Silver bodies and then put black lenses on.

But you get used to it, and technically it's not about standing out from a crowd with the white expensive lens. The official answer from Canon is the white reflects more heat, so if you're for instance a nature photographer on safari, in the glaring African sun, then a big black lens will likely absorb more heat and expand and affect the IQ of the lens much more than a lighter coloured lens.

I guess the way to test this would be to have two identical camera set ups, but put a tight fitting black cover on one of the white lenses, and on a really sunny day go out and take some photos. I wonder if there'd ever be a noticeable difference in quality.

I first noticed Focus breathing on a pair of cheap 70-200mm lenses, this link confirmed it. Also covers the white issue, and a few other bits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P80BpSQIIto

You can just put a white or camouflage cover on the black lens, although no other manufacturer seems bothered about the issue.  I would have thought keeping the camera temperature down would be more important yet their cameras are all black. And why have a white lens with black rubber? It would be fairly easy to make white rubber instead and the price isn't the concern here.
Last Edit: September 06, 2016, 07:56:21 AM by Serious #187;

  • Offline zpyder

  • Posts: 6,946
  • Hero Member
Re: Brighter days = photography
Reply #20 on: September 06, 2016, 13:49:53 PM


I first noticed Focus breathing on a pair of cheap 70-200mm lenses, this link confirmed it. Also covers the white issue, and a few other bits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P80BpSQIIto

You can just put a white or camouflage cover on the black lens, although no other manufacturer seems bothered about the issue.  I would have thought keeping the camera temperature down would be more important yet their cameras are all black. And why have a white lens with black rubber? It would be fairly easy to make white rubber instead and the price isn't the concern here.

I've noticed the effect before quite a bit when doing extreme macro work and focus stacking, just never heard the effect called focus breathing before. At first I didn't quite get why it was called that, but the more I think about it the more it fits.

As to no other manufacturers using them, I was sure I'd seen other white lenses, Sony make white telephoto lenses, and nikon used to. I don't know about other brands though.

I still maintain it'd be interesting to do some kind of experiment to see just how much effect, if any, the colour of the lens barrel has on IQ.

  • Offline Serious

  • Posts: 14,467
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
Re: Brighter days = photography
Reply #21 on: September 06, 2016, 18:47:49 PM

As to no other manufacturers using them, I was sure I'd seen other white lenses, Sony make white telephoto lenses, and nikon used to. I don't know about other brands though.

Sony at least make a white 70-200 f2.8, with black rubber grips. I wonder if it's to look like the Canon one? Actually it does. Then they did make white A5000 and A6000 cameras too but that was claimed just for 'style'.

Simple test, tape some paper (or cloth) around a lens, take some photos, remove it, then take some more. see if it actually makes a difference.

Re: Brighter days = photography
Reply #22 on: September 15, 2016, 20:31:53 PM
A couple of shots I got with my 100-400 mk2

781A4076 by Adam Woodford, on Flickr

781A3676 by Adam Woodford, on Flickr

  • Offline Serious

  • Posts: 14,467
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
Re: Brighter days = photography
Reply #23 on: September 16, 2016, 11:13:14 AM
Is that the famous bike rider Ivor Fellov?

Looking good so far. Despite the 70-200mm F2.8 being the supposed 'portrait lens' at the moment you should find that the 100-400 works just as well.

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.