new lens | personal

Getting a new lens always a fun event for me. It’s like a different pair of sunglasses. Some of my sunglasses have a brown tint, which gives the world a very warm “Americana” look, while cooler-tinted ones give an 80’s feel. In the same fashion, various lenses give a completely different perspective, and can really affect the way that my camera “sees” the world. I’m trying to back out from using too many zooms, as I feel that prime lenses give not only a better quality and feel, but also force a photographer to be fully committed to a scene or subject. Zooming with one’s feet is much more involved than a flick of the wrist!

I’ve been on the lookout for a different wide-angle lens ever since selling my Canon 1D Mark IV and 24mm f1.4 combo. Once I was shooting exclusively full-frame, the 24mm was simply too wide. The natural choice was Canon’s EF 35mm f 1.4 lens, and I have been blown away. Since my family was nice enough to let me chase them around with the camera, here are some test shots. All of them were photographed between f 1.6 and f 2.0 on this new lens! Actually…it’s just new to me! Thanks to my favorite used dealer KEH!

~John