S Is For Show Us Your S2 Shots

[Petster]

120mm - A stich out of 31 pictures.

 

[peterv]

Incredible detail, boy I'm too lazy to calculate how large a print from this file would be, but I reckon it's gonna be huge.
All that being said, I appreciate the colors, detail and composition of this photograph. Thanks for sharing.

 

[GMB]

120mm - A stich out of 31 pictures.

I very much like this but wonder what you mean by a stitch of 31 pictures. Is that a stitch in the "traditional" sense (i.e., shots with overlap) or focus stacking, or a combination of both. I own the 120 myself and have shots flowers with it, including roses. At the closest focusing distance, one shot with 120 covers the entire flower of a rose (just did a test with the lens cap, which I think is bigger than a rose flower). Thus, no need to do overlaps, certainly not 31 shots. OTOH, depth of field is very shallow, so one would have to do focus stacking in order to get everything tack sharp, as in your shot.

Georg

 

[GMB]

S2 180mm, wide open.

 

[Petster]

I very much like this but wonder what you mean by a stitch of 31 pictures. Is that a stitch in the "traditional" sense (i.e., shots with overlap) or focus stacking, or a combination of both. I own the 120 myself and have shots flowers with it, including roses. At the closest focusing distance, one shot with 120 covers the entire flower of a rose (just did a test with the lens cap, which I think is bigger than a rose flower). Thus, no need to do overlaps, certainly not 31 shots. OTOH, depth of field is very shallow, so one would have to do focus stacking in order to get everything tack sharp, as in your shot.

Georg

You are totally right Georg. I stacked instead of stiching and the shot is a crop, so you are right regarding the 120mm.

Cheers,
Pete

 

[GMB]

Thanks for clarifying. It it a very cool shoot!

 

[Paratom]

finally spring is coming...even though the weather doesnt show it.
with the 120mm:

 

[yong.s]

Taken with S 70mm near Coal Creek Space Reserve, heavily cropped. Lovely flowers with fresh scent, and I'm glad it stopped raining

 

[KurtKamka]

Here are a few more recent shots. Thanks for looking.

Don't want to bore anyone here with too many S2 posts. Lots more on my tumblr feed: boots on the street

 

[Ocean]

Kurt, you have so many beautiful images in your blog. Very inspirational.

 

[fotografz]

Kurt, you have so many beautiful images in your blog. Very inspirational.

+1.

-Marc

 

[glenerrolrd]

The AF of my S2 works very accurate in most cases. So if anybody has to correct manually (for uncritical subjects) I would recommend to service the camera.

Not true ....the AF system has limitations like any AF system . Leica had to decide how large to make the focusing spot ...make it too narrow and you miss to easily ...too large and where inside the circle will it focus .

The AF system will focus on the highest contrast edge that is inside the focus circle . Obviously if you get familiar with this you can see when it misses . (Actually it doesn t miss the photographer does but same result).

But when shooting landscape with a lot of detail and at a distance ...the AF can give you false focus points .

This is different than an AF that doesn t consistently focus when give a perfect target .

The best example I know of is shooting a bridge or a pier with repeating struts. If you have multiple high contrast vertical lines inside the circle ..you will not get consistent focus points .

Accurate ..yes .....prone to missing the focus point yes ...photographer can adapt yes.

 

[glenerrolrd]

Kurt

You blog is really great ... you are a long way from Milwaukee in many ways.

Roger

 

[KurtKamka]

Thanks Ocean, Marc and Roger.

Roger, you are right, it is a long way from Milwaukee. My time in SE Asia has greatly influenced how I think about myself, the world and (I believe) positively impacted my photography. I've always felt most comfortable in situations that require extemporaneous shooting ... so Manila is the perfect opportunity to shoot, shoot and shoot some more. There are countless new streets to walk and moments to capture.

I'm also meeting some fascinating new people. On Monday, for instance, I have a small exhibit at a local hospital here in Manila that features the portraits of cancer patients and their family support networks. Here's a picture of Paul, who after his 34th of 35 radiation treatments was outside an hour later running around with his children.

 

[Paratom]

Here are a few more recent shots. Thanks for looking.

Don't want to bore anyone here with too many S2 posts. Lots more on my tumblr feed: boots on the street

Wow Kurt - I like those a lot. Full of life

 

[Paratom]

Not true ....the AF system has limitations like any AF system . Leica had to decide how large to make the focusing spot ...make it too narrow and you miss to easily ...too large and where inside the circle will it focus .

The AF system will focus on the highest contrast edge that is inside the focus circle . Obviously if you get familiar with this you can see when it misses . (Actually it doesn t miss the photographer does but same result).

But when shooting landscape with a lot of detail and at a distance ...the AF can give you false focus points .

This is different than an AF that doesn t consistently focus when give a perfect target .

The best example I know of is shooting a bridge or a pier with repeating struts. If you have multiple high contrast vertical lines inside the circle ..you will not get consistent focus points .

Accurate ..yes .....prone to missing the focus point yes ...photographer can adapt yes.

Roger,
yes it can miss if I shoot one branch in front of others at different distance.
I dint think any AF would.
At least the AF point has a size that I constantly get good shots when I want to focus on an eye in a portait, and for maybe 90% of the images I shoot.
Still I ordered the microprism screen for those times when I want to focus manually.
The big viewfinder is a big plus to control focus.

The AF of the Pentax K5 I had serious problems with the size of the AF point so I know what you are talking about. I also had serious problems with 2 Canon 7d AF. In both cases so much I decided the system was not for me.
I also had some slight accurancy problems with the Hy6.
For me the S2 AF was a positive surprise.

 

[glenerrolrd]

Roger,
yes it can miss if I shoot one branch in front of others at different distance.
I dint think any AF would.
At least the AF point has a size that I constantly get good shots when I want to focus on an eye in a portait, and for maybe 90% of the images I shoot.
Still I ordered the microprism screen for those times when I want to focus manually.
The big viewfinder is a big plus to control focus.

The AF of the Pentax K5 I had serious problems with the size of the AF point so I know what you are talking about. I also had serious problems with 2 Canon 7d AF. In both cases so much I decided the system was not for me.
I also had some slight accurancy problems with the Hy6.
For me the S2 AF was a positive surprise.

I think we are in complete agreement . It always depends on a number of variables ..which most photographers learn and master over time .

If you are used to a Pro body nikon d3/4 etc you had 3 AF modes . I shot sports with my nikons ... a D3S used on the wide area method will 90% pick the right focus point and you can lock on it so if the subject moves the camera will refocus . When you shoot polo you focus on the ball and wide open it will stay sharp thru about 6 frames with the horses coming straight at you . With the moveable focus points you can place a focus point on the eye and it will be perfect . This is in a totally different league than the S2 . So if you were coming from a D3x for example ..the S2 AF frustrates until you get used to it .

But once the S2 focuses on the correct point ..I find it extremely accurate . I don t get front and back focus .....I get plan misses because I didn t use the AF correctly ... Like a spot meter would be for exposure .

I think you follow this but the topic keeps coming up .

 

[Paratom]

I think we are in complete agreement . It always depends on a number of variables ..which most photographers learn and master over time .

If you are used to a Pro body nikon d3/4 etc you had 3 AF modes . I shot sports with my nikons ... a D3S used on the wide area method will 90% pick the right focus point and you can lock on it so if the subject moves the camera will refocus . When you shoot polo you focus on the ball and wide open it will stay sharp thru about 6 frames with the horses coming straight at you . With the moveable focus points you can place a focus point on the eye and it will be perfect . This is in a totally different league than the S2 . So if you were coming from a D3x for example ..the S2 AF frustrates until you get used to it .

But once the S2 focuses on the correct point ..I find it extremely accurate . I don t get front and back focus .....I get plan misses because I didn t use the AF correctly ... Like a spot meter would be for exposure .

I think you follow this but the topic keeps coming up .

I have owned Nikons for many years, right now a D700 is left.
The AF speed is faster than the S2, and the continues AF of the pro Nikon bodies is great.
Thats the reason why I still own a Nikon. If I would shot sports more often again I might use the Nikon more often.
I have made very good experience with Nikon AF, once the right correction settings for the lenses are found.

 

[GMB]

A few examples to illustrate the versatility of the S2 as a travel camera. All from a recent trip to Sri Lanka. More on my website, which is still under construction.

 

[magosak]

I really need to stop looking at these amazing pictures. I saved enough for a M9 but I know that S2 is the one I really want - although I cannot afford one.