Nature and outdoor photographers will tell you that you can never have too long of a lens – the more millimeters, the better! I’m one of those photographers.
For me a single lens that has wide angle settings for inclusive scenes and can zoom out to capture distant subjects is preferable to carrying multiple lenses. The lens that attracted my attention was an 18mm to 300mm zoom. However I was only able to find one made for APS-C sensor cameras.
My main camera has a large full-frame sensor with a resolution of 9504 x 6336 pixels. Luckily it can accept APS-C lenses although the sensor resolution is reduced to 6240 x 4160 pixels.
Here’s a small gallery comparing the relative image sizes when using the APS-C lens and full-frame lens. While these samples are not subjects from the outdoors I hope that they illustrate the concept of mm reach.
Below are side by side sample photos taken at various lens setting. The photos on the left were all taken with the Tamron APS-C lens. The photos on the right were taken with the Sony full frame lens.
Keep in mind that although the subject size is smaller on the right, there are more pixels available if you crop the image in post processing.
For me, the bonus in using the Tamron lens is the addition of reach up to 300mm which gives me the ability to capture more distant subjects from a single lens.
I just returned from a recent trip with my full frame Sony camera and the Tamron lens. The two photos below were taken from a distance and the extra mm’s gave me a more detailed images of the two birds.
My back was grateful too since I was weighted down with only a single lens instead of two lenses that could offer me the same range.
As a bonus I can use the new Tamron lens with my older and smaller APS-C size Sony A6000 camera.
Written by:
Arnie Lee
If you read my previous post, you’ll know that I recently returned from attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Since the 1980’s Ive been attending CES which showcases many of the newest gadgets and products that are destined to be delivered to the marketplace.
At the Nikon booth a bright orange colored camera caught my attention. This was the Nikon Zf which was introduced last November (2023).
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The Nikon Zf is a 24mp full frame mirrorless camera that shares some of the looks of older classic SLRs – the familiar pyramid viewfinder, a circular shutter dial, an independent ISO dial. I was told that it’s able to capture 11fps stills and handle 4K video at 30fps. The autofocus tracking can recognize nine types of subjects. The image stabilization is linked to the AF point. The rear screen is fully articulated. The camera also features several dedicated black and white modes. For the fashionable photographer the Zf is available in six different colors. The price is about $2250 with 40mm f/2 lens. | 
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After speaking to the Nikon rep who explained the camera’s features, he walked me over to their in-booth photo studio for a demonstration. I registered my name and email address and found myself in line to have my picture taken. Here the photographer was using the Zf camera surrounded by a set of lightboxes. After sitting for a series of six photos I walked over to the nearby monitor where the artist assistant showed me the resulting pictures. Whatever the artist did, the portraits turned out better than my real life visage.
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Later in the day, the images from the photoshoot arrived in my email box. Here are a couple of the portraits taken with the Nikon Zf.  |
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My thanks go to the people from Nikon for a new set of portraits and for showing me another one of their newest capable cameras.
I’m a frequent visitor to Yellowstone National Park with its abundance of unique thermal features – geysers, mud pots, steam vents, hot springs.
Yellowstone also is home to amazing wildlife.
While I took many more pictures than presented here, below are some of the ones that I liked best from my last visit this year. There isn’t much text here, just the visuals.
Yellowstone as with most of our national parks is one of those places where you can find scenes and wildlife to photograph and experience everywhere you go. Hoping that you get to have the experience of visiting a national park.
Written by: Arnie Lee